Letrozole 2.5mg

[Honeystride]

Hi ! New poster so please be kind. I’m 3 years post BC. I was prescribed Tamoxifen which I took for 2 years & then stopped as the lack of sleep was making QoL awful.
Since then I’ve had an oophorectomy & at my 3 year cancerversary the Onc prescribed AI ‘s - Letrozole 2.5mg.

my question is side effects- I’m one week in and the headache & pins and needles are hard going. Does it calm down at all???

ax

All my cancers followed a huge amount of stress. Cancers 1 and 2 job stress, cancer 3 followed the loss of my husband after a good few years battling with leukaemia.

I just thankful it waited until he’d passed before it was found. I don’t think I would have coped with both of us having cancer.

I am convinced mine was triggered by long term severe stress of an absolutely horrific divorce following my husband’s affair and then the subsequent abuse I got from him and OW. I was in flight or fight mode for several years alongside bringing up an ND little boy alone. I absolutely refuse to be stressed now. I let everything wash over me. I do a lot of exercise which is great for my mental health. I think stress is so dangerous.

From the conversations I’ve had with people, Intense stress in the run up to a cancer diagnosis seems to be an experience we all seem to share.

On the plus side though, I seem to be genuinely unbothered by all the small things that used to upset or worry me. I don’t feel the need to justify myself as much. It’s quite freeing.

This discussion around stress has resonance for me. I had huge stress from 2020 when my husband died violently, through 2021 when I was axed from my job, evicted from my flat and had to deal with sale of marital home and moving to another city. Diagnosed 18 months later.

Food for thought. But like @Dancethroughtherain I am definitely in the not being bothered by things or just no longer giving a fuck. Even going through cancer treatment, my thought was this was not the worst thing I'd been through.

Solidarity to everyone dealing with the shitshow

I was on Tamoxifen for 3 years, had an oopherectomy and then went onto Anastrazole. About a year ago, when i was 9 years post diagnosis, I asked to switch to Letrozole as it seemed like everyone else was on this rather than Anastrazole. Within about 2 months I had aches and pains in my knees, hips, back. I switched back to Anastrazole and the pains have gone. I would try the Letrozole and see. You can always switch to Anastrazole if the side effects are too bad.

@HellonHeelsYour comment about treatment not being the worst thing really reasonated with me as I’ve said the same having experienced extreme relentless stress over a period of years. It’s incredible the effect it can have and I too have a “fuck it” approach now. I’m sorry you had such an horrific time 💐

We're in the fuck it zone together. Good to have company

Also, my thoughts too that it wasn’t the worst thing I’d been through in the run up to it. (How can you begin to explain that to anyone?!?).

I remember the sense of relief when I met the consultant for the first time. She was a woman on a mission who came storming into the room, seemingly to square up to what she had seen on my mammogram.

I thought, finally I’ve got someone fierce in my corner standing up for me.

Just had the news that my latest CT scan shows that the cancer is still shrinking, so the tablets are doing the trick and I'll happily keep on taking them!

My views on life changed with each cancer diagnosis. I just can’t be bothered with anyone who wants a drama. I only do things I want to these days. Cancer is drama enough and I follow the Sarah Knight theory of spending my f*cks wisely - it’s on YouTube if you want a laugh 💐

@Honeystride I was taking Letrozole at bedtime but joint aches were quite bad. For a tablet that causes arthralgia and stiffness, it doesn’t make sense to me to take it before a period of inactivity.
So, I take it in the morning now, I’m on the go all day and drink a good 3L of water to hopefully keep my joints hydrated.
It’s a big improvement and I’m sleeping better.

@Dancethroughtherain i’ve just switched to the morning this last week too. Yesterday I felt the best I felt since Christmas. I’ve had two good days previously. I’ve woken up this morning feeling quite good as well, so I’m hoping it’s going to carry on.

The only thing that I’m doing differently as well as I’m pushing five portions of oily fish into my diet in a week as well which I’m not sure is part of the helping process but I’ve definitely got much less foggy brain

@Thirdtimeunlucky2025 It’s great to know that there seems to be a way to manage being on Letrozole. Not that it’s easy, but I feel more in control of it instead of it being in control of me, and how I feel.

Also trying to get the oily fish in too and keeping an eye on meeting macronutrient goals in my fitness pal.

It’s giving me a lot more energy and I’m not gaining weight.