Letrozole and Bone Pain: What Users Say

• Lit...
• July 9, 2009

Letrozole for Breast Cancer "I have been on Femara for 3 months. After taking Tamoxifen for approximately 2 years, which I could not tolerate any longer, my oncologist put me on Femara. While my hot flashes have pretty much disappeared, the joint and bone pain I am suffering is unbearable. My elbows, hands, fingers, knees, ankles, and feet are the worst. In the mornings, I cannot get out of bed. I take thyroid medicine in the morning and cannot open the bottle. It takes about 20 minutes before I can close my fingers or bend my toes. Nighttime is also bad. After sitting for short periods, I cannot get up. I have never felt better in my life except for the constant agonizing pain. I am a very active 49-year-old but feel like I am 90. This pain gets worse every day. I can only imagine what it will be like in 3 more months. I am seeing my oncologist this week and am going to tell him I am stopping this drug. I believe the quality of my life is more important than the quantity."

• Alm...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 6, 2020

For Breast Cancer "I was on Letrozole for one year. Stage 1 breast cancer, no lymph node involvement. ER/PR+ HER2- Why I was put on this drug is beyond me. I now need hip replacement. I have stress fractures in my shin. Every joint in my body aches. I stopped taking the drug after one year. When I see my oncologist, I will tell him I stopped taking it. Although I stopped the drug in November, I am still having bone pain and joint pain. I use a walker because of my hip and stress fractures. I did not have any problems before taking this medication. I hope the FDA changes its use for breast cancer patients."

• dog...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 19, 2014

Letrozole for Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "I was diagnosed in 2009, had lumpectomy, chemo, radiation. Managed to continue working through it all. Then took tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years... had horrible muscle cramping and hot flashes, switched to letrozole after determining I was postmenopausal. The major muscle cramps lessened considerably, as did the hot flashes. I took this for 2 1/2 years, just stopping 3 weeks ago. I have muscle, joint, bone achiness 24/7, no energy, tired always, feel like I'm in a fog, tinnitus, heartburn, slow metabolism with weight gain. How long will it take to reverse all of these side effects now that I no longer take it? I even quit taking ibuprofen because it doesn't do anything for the pains. I am now 2 months from being 50 years old."

• Sus...
• September 7, 2010

Letrozole for Breast Cancer "I'm 4 years status post breast CA and doing well... no recurrence for my Stage IIIA. I started taking tamoxifen, then my oncologist switched me to Femara. I do have frequent hot flashes (whew!) and joint and bone pain that worsens with being tired. Overall, I am able to tolerate the medication, and my oncologist believes it is the treatment of choice for me. The side effects of being without estrogen are worse than the Femara side effects. I know the drug is working as having no estrogen produced results in atrophic vaginitis, decreased sex drive, and other female issues that are bothersome. But, in the big picture of life, it's a small price to pay to be, and hopefully stay, cancer free. I will continue to use Femara!"

• Jil...
• November 30, 2015

Letrozole for Breast Cancer "Stage 4 HER2-positive breast cancer was found in 2011. After a double mastectomy (additionally, 6 other surgeries due to Staph infection and failed reconstruction attempts), 6 months of 2 types of chemotherapy, including Neulasta booster shots after each infusion, a total of 1 year of Herceptin chemo infusions, 6 weeks of daily radiation, then 8 years of Femara. Been taking this medication daily since August 2012. Hot flashes and night sweats are awful. Anxiety occasionally. Easily out of breath after any activity. Difficulty maintaining focus and frequent forgetfulness. 3 years with this medication and chest, bone, and joint pain is intensifying. 5 more years to go. CANCER FREE STILL."

• Sex...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 25, 2020

For Breast Cancer "I have been using this drug letrozole for almost a month. I have chills so bad I can't warm up. Headaches, can't sleep, and have diarrhea and dizziness. I am also having muscle spasms and pain in my bones. Help."

• Ama...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 13, 2017

For Breast Cancer "My fourth year on Letrozole. Diagnosed with breast cancer stage 2 hormone-estrogen positive in 2014. Opted for double mastectomy, no spread to lymph nodes, they also started the expanders right after double mastectomy. No chemo or radiation. Put on Letrozole, I noticed the weight gain right away, for me it is all in my stomach, looks like I am pregnant! I walk 3 miles 4 times a week and am very active. I did okay the first two years, but after the third year, every bone in my body hurts, especially my left hip which radiates down on the side of my leg. I take magnesium and vitamin D. I keep telling myself, just 24 more months on this med, but now I hear that they think 5 years may not be long enough!!!"

• Jue...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 9, 2016

For Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "My 6 months on Letrozole have been a nightmare; extreme hot flushes, soaked clothes/bedclothes. I can't fall asleep even though exhausted. I'm so fuzzy-brained I despair and have lost confidence in normal conversation. Bone pain and frequent lower leg cramps are excruciating. I've aged 10 years, changed shape, gained over 10 kg, all of it around my waist. I fall; I've sprained both ankles in six weeks. I never know when a fall is coming, there's no warning, I just collapse. In addition to my normal drug regime, I now need 5 additional drugs to try to counteract the side effects of Letrozole. It may be keeping me alive (who really knows?), but it's destroyed my life in the process. I dread to think what 4.5 more years on this drug will do to me."

• sic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 27, 2014

For Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "I was so pleased to read all of the reviews about Letrozole. Now I know that I'm not alone. Hot flashes worse than menopause. Always off balance. Won't do stairs without a railing or holding on to a person anymore after quite a few falls. Don't get dizzy, but never know when a stumble or fall is coming. Very dry mouth (other meds also cause dry mouth/thirst). This is extremely hard to deal with as chemo put my kidneys in failure and on dialysis I am limited to 1.5 liters of liquid a day. Headaches, bone pain, fatigued constantly, muscle pain especially in legs, lack of appetite, foods don't taste the same. Ran out about a week ago, starting to come out of the fog! Feel like I'm 100, not 57, sigh."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 5, 2013

For Breast Cancer "Some muscle and bone pain, but nothing unbearable. Weight gain... joining a gym. The closest thing to a hot flash is a pin prickly sensation. Overall happy with this so far... 9 months down, 51 more to go."

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

Letrozole 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!"

• Lxc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 2, 2018

For Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "Horrible bone pain - all over the body, finger bone pains, sweating, depression, extreme fatigue. Unable to do anything. Pain too extreme. Fatigue horrendous. Stopped on 12/28/17 after 18 months of hell."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2019

For Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "Stage 2 adenocarcinoma of the breast found on mammogram four years ago. Lumpectomy with clean nodes, then 5 weeks of radiation therapy. Started on Arimidex with severe hip and joint pain, constant hot flashes, insomnia. After 6 months of this, switched to Tamoxifen, bone pain improved, other symptoms unchanged. After 3.5 years, had pre-cancerous cells with thickening in the uterus requiring D&C. Switched to letrozole three months ago. Insomnia and hot flashes markedly lessened, but the back and hip pain is relentless. Chiropractor and ibuprofen help, but not sure I can tolerate this one more entire full year (plan is 5 years post-surgery, so one more year this month)."

• Nan...
• May 12, 2017

For Breast Cancer "Feel horrible on this med but will keep taking it. Started 2 years into it. Every bone hurts, have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Every day is a challenge. I exercise, eat right but still gained 20 lbs. I will take the BCI sometime at the end of the year, test to see what future chances of reoccurrence are. I just keep praying to feel like my old self."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 27, 2021

For Breast Cancer "This is a horrible drug! I experienced the following side effects every day! Body aches, felt like an 80-year-old woman. Severe back pain and still wear a back brace due to pain. Brain fog... forgetful. Emotional rollercoaster. Increased my neuropathy symptoms, just overall felt crappy! Off it now 3 weeks, feel so much better! Except for the bone pain, I still have pain in my back... going for therapy. This medicine ruins your quality of life! I stopped it after 15 months. Not going back on it ever!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 13, 2021

Letrozole for Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "Bone pain, trigger fingers, joint pain, hip pain, wrists/thumbs repeated tendonitis, low energy. From anastrozole to letrozole, issues persist, worse over time. Still on it, but had to stop working. Managing to stay on as benefit outweighs risk."

• Anonymous
• July 27, 2022

For Female Infertility "I was prescribed letrozole 5 mg x 5 days on cycle day 3-7. I began feeling ill on the 3rd day of taking the medication. I had really bad muscle/bone/joint aches, headaches, hot flashes, abdominal pains, lack of appetite, dry mouth, cough, dizziness, nausea, and fever. I called the pharmacy to ask about side effects and was told to complete the 5-day regimen since I only had 1 dose left. No sinus symptoms or sore throat, but I went to get COVID and flu tested and was negative. Blood work showed elevated liver enzymes. No signs of infection. Still having headaches and now stomatitis. Every day I am feeling a little better. I read side effects can take 7-10 days to subside. I am on day 6 and still don't feel like myself. Praying I do end up pregnant after experiencing almost every side effect possible. I did have an increase in follicle sizes from the medication."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2019

For Female Infertility "I just started taking letrozole for help getting pregnant. I'm on 7.5 mg on Day 3 and 2.5 mg on Day 4. I had to decrease the dose due to the side effects. I have joint, muscle, and bone pain, tender breasts, fatigue, and headache. It's a good thing that I am not working at this time. I am wondering whether or not to continue the course."

• Pam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 6, 2023

For Breast Cancer "I was diagnosed with invasive lobular breast cancer, triple positive. Started taking letrozole in September 2022. Had hot flashes at first and now dealing with bone pain. I’m hoping to stay on letrozole for the full 10 years, but we shall see."

• Ble...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 12, 2022

For Breast Cancer "I have tried other related anti-hormone drugs to help on my breast cancer journey. The side effects of Letrozole for my body were the least compared to any others they tried me on over months. There is less bone pain, nausea, sweating, moodiness, fatigue on Letrozole than the others. Everyone's body is different and reacts differently. My personal choice is Letrozole. I highly recommend taking it every night at the same time. I only stopped it a week before my PET scans to help reduce inflammation for the scan. Then I go right back on it. Usually, this week I stop this medication, it doesn't fully leave your body, so it is no issue with the side effects when you continue it."

• But...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 21, 2021

For Breast Cancer, Adjuvant "I have been on letrozole for over a year now with minimal side effects. I do have bone pain and some fatigue. However, I wanted to share that the only thing I did differently before I was diagnosed with estrogen/progesterone-driven breast cancer is I started taking collagen supplements. I noticed in the comments that someone is taking this along with letrozole, and I wanted to share an article from a breast cancer survivor turned cancer coach. I have done exhaustive research myself, and I have concluded that collagen supplementation is a danger to us survivors, especially Type I. The only collagen that inhibits tumor growth is Type III, but I am finding it impossible to find a supplement that is only Type III, most are combined with other types, especially common is Type I coupled with Type III."