Woman's Health - Letrozol (Brand name: femara)

Common use

Femara is an oral, anti-estrogen drug which lowers estrogen levels in postmenopausal women to prevent certain types of breast cancer.

Dosage and direction

The recommended dose of Femara in adults and elderly patients is 2.5 mg once a day. Take with a full glass of water with or without a meal. Follow all recommendations of your doctor. Your doctor may need you to be tested on a regular basis to control effectiveness of this medication. Do not miss any appointments. Your bone mineral density may also need a regular testing.

Precautions

Inform your doctor if you have liver disease as you may need a dose adjustment or special safety tests. Do not start treatment with Femara if you are pregnant. When you are on this medication be sure about the use of effective birth control methods. Do not take more Femara than it was prescribed to you.

Contraindications

Femara is contraindicated in women who are pregnant. This medication may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.

Side effects

You may experience signs of allergic reaction such as hives, rash, difficulty breathing, facial swelling and also hot flashes, headache, night sweats, muscle or joint pain, fatigue, feeling weak, weight gain, nausea, swelling in the extremities. Stop taking the medication and contact your doctor if adverse reactions listed above get worse.

Drug interaction

Concomitant use of Femara and tamoxifen by a daily dose of 20 mg leads to decrease of letrozole in blood concentrations. Caution should be exercised when letrozole is used together with drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450 isoenzymes (2A6 and 2S19). Inform your doctor about all medications, herbal products, food supplements and vitamins you use.

Missed dose

If you missed a dose take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose just skip it and return to your regular schedule. Never take extra or double dose of Femara.

Overdose

This medication is not likely to produce life-threating symptoms. Inform your doctor if you suspect that you took too much of this drug.

Storage

Store at room temperature between 20-25 C (68-77 F). Store away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. It is not recommended to store in a bathroom and places available for children.

Disclaimer

We provide only general information about medications which does not cover all directions, possible drug integrations, or precautions. Information on the site cannot be used for self-treatment and self-diagnosis. Any specific instructions for a particular patient should be agreed with your health care adviser or doctor in charge of the case. We disclaim reliability of this information and mistakes it could contain. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special or other indirect damage as a result of any use of the information on this site and also for consequences of self-treatment.

Please find the full description of Femara at Drugs.com and general information at Wikipedia