Femara must be taken only if the menopause phase has been completed in a woman. Femara is not recommended in the case a woman is pregnant or planning to becoming pregnant as it can cause birth defects in fetus. Inform your doctor about certain underlying conditions including liver disease, high cholesterol and osteoporosis, if are being recommended a dose of femara.
How Effective is Femara?
Breast tumors that are responsible for causing breast cancer require estrogen to grow and develop. Femara is a drug that helps effectively in reducing the levels of estrogen in postmenopausal women and thus treating a case of breast cancer. Femara is usually recommended in the case of women who have been taking tamoxifen (Nolvadex, Soltamox) for the last 5 years.
Femara can degrade your response and thus it is not recommended to drive a vehicle or operate any machinery while on the dosage of femara. Doctor would need to test your blood to ensure that femara is having a positive impact on your body. It can also decrease the mineral density of your bones and thus special care is required. Make sure to inform your doctor if you are taking tamoxifen (Soltamox) or other medications.
Precautions Before Taking Femara
Femara is not recommended in case of individuals who are allergic to letrozole. The use of Femara is strictly restricted if have not gone through menopause completely. Keep your doctor informed about any of the following conditions:
- Low bone mineral density or osteoporosis
- High level of cholesterol in blood
- If you are taking tamoxifen
- Liver problems.
The use of Femara is strictly restricted in the case of pregnant women or those who plan to become pregnant as it may harm the development of fetus. Although, the chances of pregnancy are negligible in a postmenopausal woman, it is best to follow effective birth control measures. Also, if you are feeding a baby, it can pass on to your baby through milk and harm him.
How Should I take Femara?
Femara is available in the form of tablets that need to be taken once every day or every alternate day. You must take tablets exactly according to the prescription. Excess dosage might cause side-effects while fewer dosage may not produce the desired outcome. It can be take with or without meal.
There is always a risk of bone mineral density getting reduced if you are taking Femara. Thus, your blood must be checked regularly to monitor the level of mineral density in bones. Femara must be kept away from the moisture at a temperature around room temperature.
What are the Side Effects of Femara?
Seek immediate attention of your doctor or nearest medical care centre if you observe any symptoms of allergy including swelling in throat, lips, tongue or face or experience difficulty in breathing.
Some other common side effects of femara are as follows:
- Lacking physical strength
- Feeling drowsy or dizzy
- Feeling warm under the chest or face is also a side effect of femara.
- Pain in joints or bones
- Weight gain
- Headache
- Increased sweating.
What Other Drugs will Affect Femara?
It is not safe to take other medications along with Femara including herbal products, multi-vitamins etc. Make sure that your doctor knows about each and every medicine that you are taking or plan to take in the near future.
