Femara and Muscle Pain: What Users Say

• Smi...
• May 15, 2017

For Breast Cancer "I've been taking Femara for a little over 5 months and have yet to experience any side effects whatsoever. I'd been warned about hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, muscle pain, and so far nothing. I have two smallish tumors in one breast that we caught very early on, and at my 4-month ultrasound they've decreased by about 50%. I'll have a nipple-sparing mastectomy in about 2 weeks with DIEP flap reconstruction... the grossest part of this whole episode, in my opinion... followed by radiation. No chemo here, just a very healthy mostly vegetarian diet and tons of walking. I'm 69, 5'6'', 135 pounds, and so far consider myself about the luckiest cancer patient anywhere. Maybe I'll start feeling sick at some point, but not yet. Hang in there, ladies!!"

• Anonymous
• January 2, 2011

For Breast Cancer "I am 46 years old, Stage IV MBC to lungs. I have been on Femara for 1.5 years. My tumors were 40% down after one year, and I am about to do the next CT scan soon. My side effects are minor muscle pain (and possibly some anxiety but may be unrelated). I have simultaneously adopted a vegan lifestyle and do regular exercise (yoga and walking). I have so much energy I don't know what to do with it. I don't gain weight either, and my muscle pain is usually gone after a brief stretch or walk. I highly recommend a vegan diet and exercise to those who want to minimize pain. Thanks all and good luck."

• Eri...
• February 9, 2013

For Breast Cancer "I have been on Femara for almost a year. At first, I had nearly constant hot flashes and night sweats. I was started on Effexor with nearly immediate relief. I have had increasingly painful joint and muscle pain, especially in my knees. Nothing seems to be helping much with that, and it has been a major detriment to my quality of life. I have recently added Magnesium, Fish Oil, and Glucosamine/Chondroitin to the Calcium and D3 I had been taking. Hopefully, this will ease the joint stiffness and pain. I am 52, and some days I feel 92. Still, I am cancer-free so far, so I will continue to take Femara."

• tin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 29, 2023

For Breast Cancer "Awful! I've been on Femara for about 8 months. And since I started, I seem to have every single side effect. My joint and muscle pain is excruciating. In no particular order, I suffer with body pain (fingers, hands, shoulders, chest, back, sides, hips, legs, feet - basically everything head to toe). Plus, weight loss, hot flashes, headaches, dizziness, thinning of hair, dry mouth, high BP, night sweats. Even my scalp is tender. Chest pain that radiates to upper arms, shortness of breath, overall depression. Chills, insomnia, intestinal pain - sharp pains, plus dull aching. Constant feelings of nausea, diarrhea, constipation. I'm afraid to eat but also have little appetite. Brain fog, shortness of breath. Feeling that I am just going to die. Sitting up in pain all night. I hurt everywhere - too sick to move; too sick to cry. Feels like I am going to have a heart attack. Can’t lie down, can’t stand up. Full body chills, hands shaking. Haven't slept through the night in months."

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2015

For Breast Cancer "Diagnosed May 2014 with Stage 3 Breast cancer after chemo, removal of the tumor & lymph nodes, radiation. I started Femara, been on it almost 6 months and I have daily joint & muscle pain, fatigue, hot flashes, and most of all weight gain. I'm really trying to eat healthy and exercise, but working a full-time job, it's a tough routine to keep up with every day (55 and post-menopausal). But hey, I'm still here and hopeful the medication does a good job of keeping the cancer at bay. Doing my best with the symptoms."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2015

For Breast Cancer "I have recently started taking Femara. The first few days were really tough. I had muscle pain and was very emotional, and horrible perineal dryness. I would cry about anything. These symptoms have pretty much gone away after day 4. Now after a month, my main side effects seem to be evening fatigue (I would really like to go to bed at 6:30 pm) and fuzzy thinking. During the first couple of days of taking this medicine, I had my doubts if I would continue, but now I think with time I will find ways to work around the side effects. They really aren't that bothersome."

• Jan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 29, 2015

For Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "Stage IIIc lobular breast CA, node, started generic Femara 18 months ago after radiation. Minor side effects - hair loss, nails, skin, vaginal dryness. Major - started out with tolerable joint, bone, and muscle pain. But about a month ago, these symptoms became severe enough to decrease my quality of life. My oncologist did blood work, all okay. She wanted a bone scan, but after reading reviews, this is the Femara, not bone cancer. She just has not had any patients do this, the literature is based on trials, not the general population. The literature (and she told me) the symptoms go away by 8 months! Not!! I also have MS (still mobile, but that has some same/similar side effects) but Femara more like arthritis. Knees, ankles. Stay on though!"

• Ini...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 24, 2021

For Breast Cancer "Took Femara for 2 years+. Just saw my oncologist recently, and she asked about the joint pain. It has been awful, my joint and muscle pain is excruciating sometimes. I am a young 61 who felt 85. No more snow skiing. Could barely get out of bed many days. My oncologist suggested I take a week off of it, and if it improved the pain, she would prescribe Aromasin. Sure enough, pain all gone, and now I have been on Aromasin a week. Fingers crossed!"