Brands of Letrozole

[Sue C]

Thanks Sam. That’s reassuring x

[Jill1998]

Great news Patsy - make sure your GP knows what a big difference it makes to how you feel .x

[Patsysol]

Thank you Jill and everyone for being so supportive.  I had a wonderful surprise from my pharmacy, they have put me on Femara (at least for this month) I feel so much better. I am just praying they will allow me to stay on it, for the alternative with them is Cipla.

Good health and love to you all xx

[yorkshire_defector]

Hi Sue C

Dr Reddy is my favourite!  I've had cipla (the worst for me) and Accord (better but still made me move like an old lady and lots of aches & pains).

I have to go round the houses every time my prescription is renewed to track some down...maybe we need a big letrozole brand swap shop?

Hope you find it suits you.

Sam

[Sue C]

Thanks Annie. 

I'm going to have to try this brand atm as it's all I've got. They didn't seem very accommodating in requesting a different brand. I'll see how it goes, but I may switch to an online service.

Sue xx

[Anniej]

Sue, my pharmacy won’t buy in this brand as it’s manufactured in India, and they found patients reported lots of side effects.  It is one of the least expensive, apparently, which is why it’s always on offer. Sad to say, Teva no longer manufactures Letrozole and I am now on Accord brand which is manufactured in Middlesex. Tbh, I’ve found my night sweats have disappeared so it was obviously time to change and as it’s a UK brand I’m hopeful Brexit won’t affect it. The other brand I was offered is Sunpharma, manufactured in the Netherlands. My pharmacy said the Netherlands pharmaceutical industry is reliable and issue free. For now I’m a happy 🐰. I went into the pharmacy initially and explained my side effects, having tried 4 different brands from my GP. I found them very receptive and they have gone the extra mile for me chasing down Teva brand until recent developments. See what happens, I suppose? X

[Sue C]

Hi all

Have changed pharmacy and all they could offer me was Dr Reddy. Anyone had experience of this brand? Normally get Accord😢

Sue xx

[Jill1998]

Patsy - if it's affecting you so badly I would stop until you can get some advice or get the brand that does agree with you .You have done 3 years which my oncologist told me is the most crucial time after treatment and a few days /weeks until you can find a brand that does not give you these horrendous symptoms will not have a significant impact at all .Are you still under the breast team for advice ? Many of us have had these horrible experiences with different brands - don't put yourself through it - pause till you can get a kinder brand .3am -horrible time of the day - with you on that one ❤️. Jill xx

[Anniej]

Hi Patsy, Teva is also my best brand but have had problems this month and so far my lovely pharmacist has only been able to source 2 weeks supply. However, she is a little 🌟 and is phoning around her pharmacist friends to source the rest. Obviously the EU situation is now beginning to bite. I’ve had Accord early on (3 years) and did ok. Bit nauseous but took my metaclopo-whatsit. Have clinic on Thursday so will let my Onco know about the Teva situation.
Honestly, as if the damn disease isn’t enough to deal with! I’d advise you to stay away from the Cipla brand...which I renamed crippler after only 5 days! Dreadful🥴

[Susanmanchester]

Sympathy . I was on Teva for two months after asking specifically for it but ended up with 

dr reddy as chemist couldn’t source . Avoid Accord at all costs 

[Patsysol]

Hello I’m new to chat rooms but I’m desperate for help. I had my treatment in 2017 I was receptive to Letrozole so fortunately did not have to have a mastectomy. The brand given to me by the hospital (unfortunately I did not keep a record) gave me intense pain in the bones especially my head. I changed to TEVA brand, and have been on it for 3 years, with a few bearable side effects. To my dismay have now found out after phoning TEVA it is discontinued (why does this happen) so after looking at reviews I’m on my 4th day of taking Accord (deep yellow) I can’t sleep, have had intense pain in the bone down my arm, and feeling weighed down with depression, I shall be 80 on Saturday, maybe that’s not helping. I feel so alone always worse in the middle of the night. May I just add love and best wishes to all my fellow sufferers xx

[Anniej]

Hi Tina, I went to an independent pharmacy to get the brand I wanted - Teva. My GP dispensary just gave me the cheapest brand for that month and there were real differences. I went in and made a persuasive case for this particular brand and she has phoned around the country and got a little stash in for me! Bless her little 💓 She also delivers so I’m just thrilled with the service. I make sure I drop off choccys and other goodies a few times. Worth it for the outstanding service I get. 

[yorkshire_defector]

Hi all

I've now found a brand that suits (Cipla was also the worst for me) and the GP has specified brand on prescription.  However in these challenging times supply does appear to be disrupted so, like me, you may need to call several chemists before you get the brand you want.

And if your Boots is anything like mine they'll try & fob you off with anything regardless of what the prescription says - so always get them to verify that its the brand you want, and if not hand it back, get your prescription back (or get it released back into the NHS cloud) and go elsewhere.

Not sure why we have bold to start with on message...

Sam

[Ally49]

I was on letrozole 5 years

brands that worked best for me were Accord or Activas but I think my pharmacist couldn’t get Activas laterly

I asked my doctor to put the brand I needed on my prescription and I found pharmacist who would order it.  I think sometimes they tried to say that all brands same but I was insistent and changed pharmacist when it became a problem / until I found one who would order.  

brands can be different for different folk as others say - Cipla caused me to have very itchy crawling skin and dry after taking for a month.

[Poppy3]

Hi..I have recently changed from tamoxifen to Letrozole due to being on Teva for 5 years and then it was discontinued. I have tried 2 or 3 brands and really can't get on with it. I didn't know you could get Teva in letrozole so may look into that. My other option is going back to tamoxifen! The other problem we have is every 4/5 weeks you have the same problem trying to track the brand you want down. It can be very frustrating. Xx

[Preet]

Hi 

Taking letrozole. 

Which brand is with less side effects?

Did you have any other side effects with letrozole?

Preet 

[Christine Rim]

Hi

I had been given Accord for the first 6 months on Letrozole and was on the point of being prescribed a different drug as i couldn't see me lasting 5 years with the pain i was in and the reduced quality of life. Then Boots gave me TEVA and i realised the side effects were slowly reducing. I found i could prepare vegetables again as i now could grip a knife and an onion without pain. Small thing to do for the healthy but something i could do before. Boots told me i needed GP approval to have a brand name on my prescription and i was surprised how easy this was to do. My GP sent a message to the pharmacy and after a false start they gave me TEVA. The pharmacist also mentioned there were others who had asked for TEVA  so they had ordered more boxes than i needed. Just hoping it continues to work easily and the side effects stay at bay. My hands feel my own again and i am sleeping better. Not perfect but i feel i can live like this.

xx 

[Joeyaff]

I just asked my Pharmacy to make sure that I always had the Accord brand a small I haven't had any hair loss or mood changes as a result of taking this brand of Letrizole - if your chemist is refusing to order a certain brand then I would recommend yo either move or threaten to move and see if that helps.   

Xx J

---

@Tina Hailstone wrote:

How did you manage to get the make you want?

---

[Joeyaff]

Do you have the bone strengthened as a six monthly drip? Or more regularly?

[Jill1998]

Boots ordered me a specific brand - maybe worth speaking to the pharmacist at your local one ? I also read that your GP can specify a specific brand on your prescription not sure how that works .

[Tina Hailstone]

How did you manage to get the make you want?

[Tina Hailstone]

Anyone know a pha4macy thar has this in stock? Seems I am at the mercy of suppliers that supply pharmacy’s with any make they have in stock. Pharmacies say they cannot ask for a certain make. So help anywhere between a Basildon and Ongar and up to Southen . Willing to travel. How depressing this is and really very upsetting. I cannot be the only one with this problem. 

[Tina Hailstone]

Anyone know a pha4macy thar has this in stock? Seems I am at the mercy of suppliers that supply pharmacy’s with any make they have in stock. Pharmacies say they cannot ask for a certain make. So help anywhere between a Basildon and Ongar and up to Southen . Willing to travel. How depressing this is and really very upsetting. I cannot be the only one with this problem. 

[buddyfan]

Wow! So many brands. I started looking at brands when I had a bad couple of weeks with intolerable side effects of aches and pains. I noticed my packet was different shape to what I have used, switched to similar shape to one before and symptoms returned to normal aches and pains within a day or so. Now I don’t know what my original brand was, I'm going to contact my pharmacy. I know the bad one was Cipla and the better one I’m on now is Accord. I also have Crescent and Glenmark, although from the insert I can see they are the same drug from the same manufacturer (Pharmadox, Malta). Hair…my hair is the thickest I've ever had, with the chemo curl, I look like a clown. Even if I straighten it out it’s still REALLY thick. OH calls me his poodle. Pre cancer, I used to get a handful of hair out each day, now nothing.
Sandoz (the cheaper version of Femara ,the original drug), apparently this is being discontinued.
Incidentally, I also have Zoladronic Acid bone strengthener because Letrozole can bring on osteoporosis.

[Carolyn52]

Hiya Maggie
Yes I looked online and saw that sandoz was a good guy before I took it ..it's a lot more expensive so I'm going to keep going with it now !
Hair thinning is a real downer though....I only wash mine weekly, don't colour it or use straighteners but still moult more than the dog !
BUT ..I'm a secondary lady and letrozole has kept my mets under control for over 2 years now so am loving this little pill ..
Hugs xxx

[MaggieMac]

Hi Carolyn, Sandoz is made by Novartis, the manufacturer of the original Femara so is generally thought to be the most similar (maybe even identical to) Femara, so one of the 'good guys'. But as you say, we're all different and get used to specific brands.

Best wishes,

Maggie

[Mimi403]

My biggest complaint would be my hair thinking I can deal with some aches , and I cry sometimes out of no where , but not real often , I just started getting a little moody ,anchshis lately . But my hair thinning is really bad . I have been on Letrozole , brand Teva for about 6-7 months and my hair thinning has not stopped I loose a bout a plate full when I wash it . I only wash it once a week now , my hair is wast length and I think I will need to cut it . But have lost more then half my thickness. Should I try a different brand ...?.. I can tolerate everything else but I’m vein and don’t want to loose my hair but if it is the least of two evils then that’s the way it will have to be my first check up is in March stage two no chemo .

[Carolyn52]

Phew ..within an hour of taking Sandoz. .got tingly tongue , sweaty and light headed. .it's passing now ..hope it's a one off of change of brand.
Suppose I've adapted to Accord after so long .
Xx

[Carolyn52]

For over 2 years I have had Accord brand ( had bad effects with cipra ) just collected my pills now and noticed i have Sandoz ....anyone had problems with this one or is it one of the good guys !

[Miffy]

This thread is really useful. I went for my follow up appointment, post masectomy, reconstruction and other breast reduction and was told that I will probably need to go on letrozole. However, as they found to very small areas of invasive cancer, I have to return in 2weeks for more results and the way forward. I had no idea there are different brands of the drug. Reading this thread is very informative. Thank you everyone. All the best to you all xx

[Janemc]

Started taking Letrozole yesterday, having seen the Oncologist and no chemo or radiotherapy needed.
I’m hoping the side effects are manageable, felt a bit nauseous today but could be unrelated, it’s hard not to put every ache pain and symptoms down to the cancer or the treatment. I’m going to see how I go and try and deal with each niggle, advice on here certainly helps, apart from just being reassured it’s not just ‘you’ xx

[bobtail61]

I picked up my prescription yesterday, and noticed it was Glenmark too - a new one on me.  I have had a variety of brands over 4 years and can't say I have noticed much difference with side effects - mainly stiff joints and insomnia.

[sukhi]

I have been on Letrozole brand Sandos for 5 months, this time I have been given brand name Glenmark never heard of this brand worried to take it.wonder if it is a cheap brand. 

[Jill1998]

I had to go to 4 pharmacists until I found one that would order same brand for me each time .May be worth doing a bit of research to find a pharmacist who is prepared to put themselves out a little bit .Boots pharmacists get rated by customers so they are usually quite keen to help if they can .

[Debbie1964]

Just been given a pack of sandoz, after having 2 cipla,  think i felt better on cipla, seem to be struggling with insomnia

Debbie x

[Sue C]

Hi

I'm on Accord brand and get it from Superdrug without any problem.

Sue xx

[parsonian]

Have just had my latest prescription for letrozole. One pack each of accord, Cipla and Sandoz! Feel as though I have done best on Accord. Trying to find out how to get this even if I have to pay. Any suggestions as to how I go about this? My local Boots pharmacist says that they are having great difficulty getting letrozole to prescribe.

[Sally-Ann]

Hi All,

i startered taking Letrizole in September 16. Started on Acord which although made me weapy for no reason spent a whole day crying for no reason, partner said I was a bit weird for a few days...but was ok, my chemist changed the brand (not requested by me) to Dr Reddy's  (the name makes me chuckle) and found this one even better.

Jill1998 wish you luck and hope you find the right brand for you. 🤓

[Jill1998]

Thanks ladies ,I will speak to pharmacist about trying Actavis or Accord to begin with and see how I go ,I read that Sandoz is expensive and most won't order it.He was very helpful with the Tamoxifen so hoping he will be this time round too.

[Butterfly318]

Evening Jill 1998

Tamoxifen i could just about tolerate TEVA, some of the others i struggled with my joints and sweats were really bad, up so much of the night.  So when i changed to Letrazole after 2 yrs i asked for TEVA... I hobbled around in the morning and had to start taking Naproxen for the pain.  I have since tried most brands and Sandoz i can manage but the best for me is Actavis, some side effects but tolerable.

Just like with the Tamoxifen i had to try different ones.  Take Care Butterfly x

[Sue C]

Hi

I'm also on Accord and the side effects are manageable x

[Carolyn52]

Hiya Jill
They say the best brand nearest femera is sandoz. ..I have " accord" and find it very tolerable and now ask for it every month.
Some brands are horrid so it's a case of try it and see !
All the best
Hugs xxx

[Jill1998]

Hi ladies ,looks like I will be changing from Tamoxifen to Letrozole in next few weeks.I found I was brand sensitive with Tamoxifen and managed to get my pharmacist to order Teva brand each time .Any thoughts on which brand of Letrozole may have the least side effects I am particularly worried about the joint issues as I have an active young dog.