Bone pain

[Normalee1965]

Has anyone taking Letrozole had a lot of bone pain?

[Lakelifenh]

It’s quite common. I have knee and hip pain.

[wendle3007]

Yes. Oestrogen is a natural anti-inflammatory so when the letrozole strips out the Oestrogen you get joint pain and stiffness. I've found ibuprofen gel and keeping active to be helpful

[Hidden]

Yes..I have been on it for a year and a half..the leg pain is definitely getting worse...my tests and scans came back good so my oncologist says to take Tylenol..I am on tumeric and magnesium..I have read alot of different people's stories and most say its just part of it...ugh...

[mariootsi]

When I was on letrozole I had terrible joint and bone pain.

[LadyKatarina]

A rheumatologist told me that the AI's--anastrozole and letrozole--inflame the synovial membranes as well as the membranes around the tendons. All joints plus it causes trigger finger and trigger thumbs. I don't think it is simply due to reduced estrogen. Is that the type of "bone pain" you have? Many who are getting Neulasta--which encourages the bone marrow to produce more cells--get "bone pain" which is quite different. Best to you!

[Normalee1965 in reply to LadyKatarina]

Hi. I have every bone in my body hurting. I had to stop the anastrozole because the pain was so bad. I guess that’s why my thumb is clicking. Thank you for responding.

[TammyCross in reply to LadyKatarina]

Oh, that makes so much sense. I have been on other meds (Fulvestrant, oral SERD) but not until I went on Letrozole a few weeks ago have I had this incredible hip pain. -- Well, I did, but not like this. It couldn't just be suppression of estrogen and reduction of inflammation. It feels more like joints and connectors than actual bone that hurts. I have been taking Ibuprofen, but this is the first time I have had a reaction that makes me want to stop a treatment.

I was taking turmeric on the recommendation of the periodontist (ONJ) but stopped because it produces estrogen. I noticed on this site that some oncologists encourage it but more discourage it, especially in supplements. If it is safe and helps with "bone pain," I really would like to resume. My oncologist said not to, but she really didn't know about it. First she said it was good, then said I shouldn't take it when I said it produces phyloestrogen.

[LadyKatarina]

The same happened to me--shoulders, knees, hips, thumbs, fingers all had pain. All from anastrozole--also memory loss, brain fog, loss of temper, etc. I called my onc office and told them I could not live like that. It took 6 months for al the pains to go away. After an 8 week break, I started Fulvestrant (alone)--and it was so much easier to tolerate! Best to you!

[Normalee1965]

Thank you everyone that responded. 🙏

[13plus]

I never had issues with Letrozole although I did take tumeric which I think helped (but be mindful of your other meds because tumeric cannot be taken with some cancer drugs). Before Letrozole at one point I had been on another AI and after several months I (like someone else here) said “can’t do this anymore!”. I was literally losing my mind, shocking pain in my feet and felt like an old woman. All those symptoms went away when I came off it and my doctor, after a couple of months, said “I guess you were right” because earlier he had explained all my symptoms as caused by other things (And this was a doc I greatly admired!) . I know others who have switched AI’s. Sometimes what one can tolerate another can’t and vice versa. So speak to your doctor about trying other options if it interferes greatly with your quality of life.