Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Most of the side effects are mild to moderate and will generally disappear after a few days to a few weeks of treatment.
Some of these side effects, such as hot flushes, hair loss or vaginal bleeding, may be due to the lack of oestrogens in your body.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effets. You may not experience any of them.
Some side effects could be serious:
Rare or uncommon (i.e. they may affect between 1 to 100 in every 10,000 patients):
- Weakness, paralysis or loss of feeling in any part of the body (particularly arm or leg), loss of coordination, nausea, or difficulty in speaking or breathing (sign of a brain disorder, e.g. stroke)
- Sudden oppressive chest pain (sign of a heart disorder)
- Difficulty breathing, chest pain, fainting, rapid heart rate, bluish skin discoloration, or sudden arm, leg or foot pain (signs that a blood clot may have formed)
- Swelling and redness along a vein which is extremely tender and possibly painful when touched
- Severe fever, chills or mouth ulcers due to infections (lack of white blood cells)
- Severe persistent blurred vision.
If any of the above occur, tell your doctor straight away.
You should also inform the doctor straight away if you experience any of the following symptoms during treatment with Letrozol Hetero:
- Swelling mainly of the face and throat (signs of allergic reaction).
- Yellow skin and eyes, nausea, loss of appetite, dark-coloured urine (signs of hepatitis).
- Rash, red skin, blistering of the lips, eyes or mouth, skin peeling, fever (signs of skin disorder).
Some side effects are very common. These side effects may affect more than 10 in every 100 patients.
- Hot flushes
- Increased level of cholestero (hypercholesterolaemia)
- Fatigue
- Increased sweating
- Pain in bones and joints (arthralgia)
If any of these affects you severly, tell your doctor.
Some side effects are common. These side effects may affect between 1 to 10 in every 100 patinets.
- Skin rash
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Malaise (generally feeling unwell)
- Gastrointestinal disorders such as nausea, vomiting, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea
- Increase in or loss of appetite
- Pain in muscles
- Thinning or wasting of your bones (osteoporosis), leading to bone fractures in some cases (see also“Follow-up during Letrozol Hetero treatment” in section 3)
- Swelling of arms, hands, feet, amkles (oedema)
- Depression
- Weight increase
- Hair loss
- Raised blood pressure (hypertension)
- Abdominal pain
- Dry skin
- Vaginal bleeding
If any of these affects you severely, tell your doctor.
Other side effects are uncommon. These side effects may affect between 1 to 10 in every 1,000 patinets.
- Nervous disorders such as anxiety, nervousness, irritability, drowsiness, memory problems, somnolence, insomnia
- Impairment of sensation, especially that of touch
- Eye disorders such as blurred vision, eye irritation
- Palpitations, rapid heart rate
- Skin disorders such as itching (urticaria)
- Vaginal discharge or dryness
- Joint stiffness (arthritis)
- Breast pain
- Fever
- Thirst, taste disorder, dry mouth
- Dryness of mucous membranes
- Weight decrease
- Urinary tract infection, increased frequency of urination
- Cough
- Increased level of enzymes
If any of these affects you severely, tell your doctor.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any side effects not listed in this leaflet.
