Precautions
While Femara is technically not FDA approved for infertility treatment, a 2014 New England Journal of Medicine-published study found femara (a.k.a. letrozole) to be more effective than clomid for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in trying to get pregnant. It’s also often prescribed for patients undergoing IUI.
Does letrozole work better than Clomid?
Letrozole (Femara)
- What is letrozole? Letrozole is a drug used to treat breast cancer in women who have gone through the menopause. ...
- How does letrozole work? Letrozole works by reducing the amount of oestrogen made in the body. ...
- Who it’s suitable for Letrozole is suitable for women who have been through the menopause and whose breast cancer is oestrogen receptor positive. ...
What happens when you stop taking letrozole?
This will depend on your individual circumstances, but letrozole is usually taken for five to ten years. Some people start taking letrozole after a few years of taking the hormone therapy drug tamoxifen .
How long does it take for letrozole to start working?
Weight gain is one of the many potential side effects of Letrozole, an Aromatase Inhibitor. Learn about Letrozole, and explore how to maintain a healthy weight.
How to lose weight taking letrozole?
What does letrozole do to the body?
Letrozole is in a class of medications called nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors. It works by decreasing the amount of estrogen produced by the body. This can slow or stop the growth of some types of breast cancer cells that need estrogen to grow.
What are the long term side effects of letrozole?
Side effects that are more likely to take a few months to develop and persist long term include:blood changes, such as decreases in white blood cell counts or platelets.edema (swelling that usually affects your hands, feet, legs, or arms)hair loss.high cholesterol.More items...•
What does letrozole do to your hormones?
Letrozole use will result in a decrease in the levels of estrogen. This decrease in estrogen tells a part of the brain (called the pituitary gland) to make more of a hormone called Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). When this hormone increases, it stimulates the ovary to produce eggs and follicles.
Will letrozole cause weight gain?
Weight gain is one of the occasional side effects that can occur when taking letrozole but if you are finding it difficult to control then it may be worth getting in touch with your doctor to let them know.
Can I take vitamin D with letrozole?
No interactions were found between letrozole and Vitamin D3.
Is letrozole worth taking?
Letrozole helps stop your breast cancer coming back. By taking this medicine for 5 years (or sometimes up to 10 years), you have a better chance of being alive 15 years after your breast cancer was first diagnosed. Your specialist will be able to explain the benefits and risks of taking letrozole.
How do you know letrozole is working?
How will I know if Letrozole is working? You may be asked to have a blood test during the menstrual cycle in which you are taking Letrozole. We usually take this blood sample on day 21 of your menstrual cycle and measure levels of the female hormone called progesterone. A level of 30 nmol/L or more is a good result.
What does letrozole do to your ovaries?
By generating FSH, the ovaries are stimulated to grow more follicles. Letrozole boosts this growth and release of eggs in women who are anovulatory, or not ovulating, and can cause superovulation in women who are already able to ovulate. In both cases, it increases the chances of natural conception.
Does letrozole cause weight loss?
Weight gain or weight loss Your body weight may change while you're taking Femara. During clinical studies, both weight gain and weight loss were reported in people who took Femara for breast cancer treatment. Both cancer and cancer treatments can often cause changes in appetite and body weight.
How does letrozole make you feel?
Letrozole may also make you feel sick (nausea) or be sick (vomiting). These symptoms usually improve or become easier to manage over time.
Should letrozole be taken morning or night?
You can take letrozole at whatever time of day you find easiest to remember, but try to take your doses at the same time of day each day. This will help you to remember to take letrozole regularly. Swallow the tablet with a drink of water. You can take letrozole either with or without food.
Can letrozole affect your teeth?
Does letrozole cause teeth-related side effects? Teeth-related side effects weren't reported with letrozole use during studies. Letrozole can cause bone pain and joint pain. If these affect your jaw, it's possible the pain could spread and feel like tooth pain.
How long do letrozole side effects last?
Most side effects of letrozole are mild and temporary, lasting only a few days or weeks until your body gets used to taking the medication. Some ot...
What happens when you stop taking letrozole?
When you stop taking letrozole, most persistent side effects should improve within a week or 10 days, and as long as you have taken it for at least...
When is the best time of day to take letrozole?
You can take letrozole (Femara) in the morning or evening, but you should take it at about the same time each day. Taking it at the same time each...
Is letrozole a form of chemotherapy?
Letrozole is not chemotherapy, it is a type of hormone therapy that is used to treat people with breast cancer that is hormone receptor-positive. I...