About Femara
The information below should not be taken as a substitute for qualified medical advice. Consult your health care provider before taking Femara.
Femara is an anti-cancer drug for use in post-menopausal women. Femara is an inhibitor of the enzyme called aromatase that is involved in synthesizing the hormone estrogen. Femara is used to lower levels of estrogen and slow the growth of cancers that are dependent on the presence of estrogen to grow, such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Femara is often prescribed after surgery to remove cancerous breast tumors, to prevent recurrence of breast cancer. Femara only works in post-menopausal women whose estrogen primarily comes from tissues other than the ovaries.
Femara is sometimes used off-label to increase fertility by stimulating the ovaries. However, Femara may cause serious birth defects, so this off-label use is not recommended for women who are pregnant or who are trying to become pregnant.
Femara is taken once per day with a fully glass of water. Femara may be taken with or without food. Patients taking Femara need to get regular medical tests, including bone mineral density tests to check for osteoporosis. If a dose of Femara is missed, take the medication as soon as you remember to. Do not take extra medication to make up for the missed dose.
Side effects of Femara include hot flashes, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, weight gain, weakness, fatigue, nausea, swelling in the extremities, and night sweats.
| Form: |
Tablet Taken Orally |
| Strength: |
2.5 mg Tablet |
| Storage: |
Room temperature away from heat and moisture. |
| Contraindications: |
Patients allergic to letrozole, patients who are not post-menopausal, patients who are pregnant, patients with liver disease. |
| Generic Name: |
Letrozole |
What is Letrozole?
Letrozole is the generic form of Femara and can be purchased as a cheaper alternative to save money on your medication. The same ingredients are used in the manufacturing of the brand name version of this drug as in Letrozole.
