Femara Questions

Westcoastgirl · 07-27-2010, 06:16 AM

I would love to hear from some of you that have been off of Femara a while.....please! Well, I have been 9 months on Femara now and have read the many postings from those of you that have been on this drug. I understand that the pain that is associated with Femara; the joint pain, stiffness etc does go away once off it. I am also noticing a thinning of my scalp hair (loss of hair on my legs, arms, face, underarms has also happened but who cares about that, eh). I dealt with chemo hair loss stoically knowing that it would grow back but this thinning is upsetting me as I have been used to thick hair. I have read here that most of our side effects show up by about 8 months but now I am worried and want no more hair loss. I know that my question is insignificant in the scheme of things but those of you that have been on the five years of Femara and have been off it for a time....have you noticed your hair going back to normal? I have tried googling for this answer but all I find are women in the same situation as me, asking the same question. Thank you so much, Carolyn

Hopeful · 07-27-2010, 06:50 AM

I ping-ponged back and forth on Femara and Arimidex for three years, have been off both for 10 months now. Aches and pains almost all gone but still have the occasional wrist pain and weakness. Hair issues were not so much loss as degradation of the quality of the hair I have, very brittle and snapping off. I noticed a huge improvement at three months off the drug - hair will once again hold moisture, is shinier and much healthier in general. I will add a caveat that I have not had chemo, so don't know how having that plays into the general texture, quality, etc.

Best of luck to you,

Hopeful

PinkGirl · 07-27-2010, 07:15 AM

Hi Westcoaster

I'm a bit weird and I look at things weirdly ... my hair is thinner on
top and it isn't as "nice" as before but if my hair went back to "normal"
I would think that's because I have some estrogen in my system ... and
I don't want estrogen in my system ... do you get what I'm getting at?

I don't know if we can have both ...

sarah · 07-28-2010, 07:29 AM

Hello Carolyn,
Once I stopped Chemo (Taxol) my hair came back thicker (it was thick to begin with) and softer. Didn't lose hair again on Femara and Herceptin ( 6 years on them) although eye brows, leg hair (happily) and under arm hair didn't grow back. I'm now off Femara but it's too recent to say more. It sometimes takes a long time for hair to grow back after chemo and at first it's a little funny. I haven't heard of anyone having hair loss on Femara. Could it be stress? I think your hair will come in strong again but it may take a while. Be patient and stay healthy.
health and happiness
sarah

Jean · 07-29-2010, 03:18 AM

I always had thick heavy hair. Then TCH took away the hair and was not upset at all as I was prepared for that side effect. Started Femara after TC and continued on it while completeing hercpetin for the rest of the year.

Now just on Femara (going on 6th yr). My hair started to grow back afer trt, funny like feahers so baby fine. Then the first cut and it became more hair like texture but certainly not the thick full hair I once had, nor the texture or shine of the hair I was had.

My hair is thin and especially on the top. Not happy about it but as Pink Girl said, that is part of not having the estrogen. This may have happened in my late 80's like it did to my Mother but the Femara has speeded up the issue. I have changed my hair style to work around the thinner hair.

jean

harrie · 08-04-2010, 01:03 AM

I did not realize that thinning hair is a side effect of Femara! No wonder when I wash my hair it seems like I lose quite a bit. I wonder if using something like Nioxin will help nurture the hair follicles and keep loss to the minimum.
I have not noticed thinning on top YET, but I have only been on Femara for 2 1/2 yrs.