I started taking this Femara after a round of radiation and lumpectomy. After one week I felt depressed and fatigued. The doctor had me go off of it for a month and within two weeks I felt great. We eased into a half dose over one month, which created some fatigue, but it was manageable. After one month, I went on a full dose and within 10 days am back to being very depressed, negative and fatigued. At this point, I'm considering in going off it. I can't function effectively and I'm not able to actually do all the healthy activities that would benefit my health. I'm also experiencing some shortness of breath.

I'm 53 years old and feel like 80 on Femara. I had previously taken Tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years and was switched to Femara in Feb. My bones, ankles, feet and fingers ache like arthritis would ache. My friend went on it in Feb also, and she feels the same way. Also have another friend that has been on it over 5 years and still has the aching. I can't wait to get off it but have another 2 years to go. When I sit for a while and get up I can barely move. Everything tightens up. The mornings are worse after sleeping all night. I just hope and pray it's doing what it's suppose to do because the side effects suck...excuse the expression. I almost had my oncologist schedule a bone scan to rule out bone mets. Then, after speaking to others on Femara, and reading the comments on here, I see I am not alone.

I too have had joint pain taking this....all in the knees. My oncologist said this probably was not from femara as it is usually in the hands. As I have just read from all the posts...we DO have it in the knees. I am going to an osteosurgeon to have the knees checked out now. I too feel like I am 95 and I am only 58. Very debilitating and frustrating. The cancer never felt this bad.

Aches, pains, minor arthritis type symptoms.

I have been using Femara for nearly a year and do experience some aches and pains, but then I did before treatment also. They do not interfere much with my lifestyle. What I am unhappy with is excessive thinning of my hair, which was not evident before taking Femara (excluding, of course, the baldness from the chemo). If the cancer stays away, it is worth it.

I have been taking Femara for almost 1-1/2 yrs....the hot flashes and night sweats have deceased significantly for me. Joint pain is worse than in the beginning. Still get tired but it is better than the first year. Fell older than I am...56

diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at age of 47. lumpectomy and all lymph nodes on right side removed. 8 months of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation. 5 years on tomoxifen and now 3 years on femara. side effects are minimal, occasional trouble sleeping and some fatigue, nothing life altering. 8 years cancer free, so I would say results are good.

I am a 55 yr old woman who was diagnosed with BC in May of 2008. After surgery and radiation treatments I have been on Femara since Oct 2008. The first 3 months were fine, then everything changed. Every joint in my body started hurting when I tried to get up or sit down. I can no longer think about having a sex life due to the dryness even with the vagifem my doctor has prescribed. And now i have found that there is a new study that may cause doctors to keep patients on this drug for longer than the original 5 years, I'll find out more on my next visit. I'm afraid I wont be able to walk by then. (oh, and sleeping is a thing of the past). I'm happy the surgery had a good outcome but I wish there were better drugs.

I had 3 cycles of chemo and surgery for BC. Doc recommended Femara but I'm adverse to putting meds in my body. Hot flashes, insomnia, blurry vision, extreme fatigue, aches and pains I've never experienced before. I WAS a young 61! I'm discontinuing this med TODAY! Good luck to those that can tolerate it.

Femara was given to me because I could not tolerate tamoxifen. It was 10 times worse than tamoxifen in its side effects. I hurt so badly I could barely get out of bed or walk down the halls at work. My feet hurt horribly. I had aches and pains, depression, weight gain, terrible mood swings. This was supposed to be better but it was certainly worse, when the oncologist insisted that I take it, I had a 2nd opinion with another one. After reviewing my history, he said I should have quit after the tamoxifen. I had already decided that I wasn't taking either one of them and he agreed with me. I did manage about 2 1/2 years of therapy although it made my hmoe and work life horrible. I was never questioned if I had a history of depression in my family or if I had it myself. Thank goodness I went to another oncologist. The first one never offered me any kind of support like counseling or medication monitoring. The second one has me see a nurse practioner who monitors my cymbalta. I feel like I am coping, although I have had a few bad days since. I have been threatened at work with termination, was told that "having cancer was not as bad as getting a divorce". If I didn't need insurance I would have been out of there. I feel like a leper some days. Some people hardly speak to me after 3 years. Guess thay think it is catching! Hope they never find out what it is like. Was told by Human Resources manager to stop thinking about it. How can you not? Some people need to get a clue.