Sign inBefore taking letrozole
Before taking letrozole make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:
- If you have liver or kidney problems.
- If you have not gone through the menopause or if there is a possibility you might be pregnant.
- If you have osteoporosis (a loss of bone density or 'brittle bones').
- If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal and complementary medicines. It is particularly important that your doctor knows if you are taking oestrogen-containing medicines, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
- If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine.
How to take letrozole
- Before starting this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet.
- Take letrozole exactly as your doctor has told you to. Try to take your tablet at the same time each day.
- Swallow letrozole tablets whole with a drink of water.
- If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember and then continue at the normal time the next day. Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed dose.
- You will probably need to take letrozole for a number of years.
Getting the most from your treatment
- Keep your regular appointments with your doctor so your progress can be monitored.
- Before having any kind of medical treatment, including dental or emergency treatment, tell the person treating you that you are taking letrozole.
- Letrozole lowers the levels of female hormones in the body which can reduce the strength of your bones. You may be required to have bone density tests before and during your treatment.
- Do not stop taking letrozole even if you are feeling well, unless your doctor tells you to.
Can letrozole cause problems?
Along with their useful effects, all medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. These usually improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side-effects continue or become troublesome.
| Common side-effects - these affect less than 1 in 10 people who take this medicine | What can I do if I experience this |
| Hot flushes (this is a very common side-effect and may affect more than 1 in 10 people taking letrozole) | Wear light clothes and try to keep yourself cool |
| Headache | Ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller. If the headache continues, speak with your doctor |
| Dizziness, tiredness | Make sure your reactions are normal before driving, operating machinery or doing any other jobs which could be dangerous if you were not fully alert |
| Feeling or being sick, indigestion | Eat little and often. Stick to simple foods |
| Constipation | Try to eat a well balanced diet containing plenty of fibre and drink 6 - 8 glasses of water each day |
| Diarrhoea | Drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids |
| Loss of appetite or increased appetite, weight gain, depression, loss or thinning of the hair, increased sweating, skin rash, muscle and bone pain, bone fractures, swelling of the legs or feet | If any of these side-effects continue or become troublesome, speak with your doctor |
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to this medicine, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
How to store letrozole
- Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
- Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
Important information about all medicines
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References
- Manufacturer's PIL, Femara® 2.5mg Tablets, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd, electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated March 2009, accessed October 2010.
- British National Formulary; 59th Edition (March 2010) British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London.