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What is the most important information I should know about letrozole?
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Before taking letrozole, tell your doctor if you have liver
disease.You may not be able to use letrozole or you may need a dosage
adjustment or special tests during treatment. |
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Do not use this medication if you are pregnant. It could
cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control,
and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. |
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Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use
it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. |
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There may be other drugs that can affect letrozole. Tell your doctor
about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use.
This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed
by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling
your doctor. |
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Stop using this medication and get emergency medical help if you
think you have used too much medicine, or if you have any of these
signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling
of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. |
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Less serious side effects are more likely, and you may have none at
all. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or is
especially bothersome. |
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Letrozole blocks the use of estrogen by certain types of breast
cancer that require estrogen to grow. |
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Letrozole is used with other medicines to treat breast cancer in
women who have reached menopause. |
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Letrozole may also be used for purposes other than those listed here. |
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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using
letrozole?
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Before taking letrozole, tell your doctor if you have liver disease.
You may not be able to use letrozole or you may need a dosage adjustment
or special tests during treatment. |
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FDA pregnancy category D: This medication can cause harm to an
unborn baby. Do not use letrozole if you are pregnant. Tell your
doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of
birth control while you are using this medication. |
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It is not known whether letrozole passes into breast milk. Do not
take letrozole if you are breast-feeding a baby. |
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How should I take letrozole?
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Take letrozole exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it
in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. |
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Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. |
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Letrozole is usually taken once a day. Follow your doctor's
instructions. |
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Letrozole can be taken with or without food. |
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To be sure this medication is helping your condition, you will need
to be tested on a regular basis. Your bone mineral density may also need
to be checked. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to
your doctor. |
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Store letrozole at room temperature away from moisture and heat. |
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What happens if I miss a dose?
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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time
for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the
next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make
up the missed dose. |
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What happens if I overdose?
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Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much
of this medicine. |
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An overdose of letrozole is not expected to produce life-threatening
symptoms. |
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What should I avoid while taking letrozole?
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Letrozole can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or
reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to
be awake and alert. |
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What are the possible side effects of letrozole?
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Stop using letrozole and get emergency medical help if you have any
of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty
breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. |
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Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as: |
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hot flashes, warmth or redness in your face or chest; |
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headache, muscle or joint pain; |
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swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet. |
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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to
your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is
especially bothersome. |
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What other drugs will affect letrozole?
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There may be other drugs not listed that can affect letrozole. Tell
your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications
you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs
prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without
telling your doctor. |
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Where can I get more information?
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Your pharmacist has additional information about letrozole written
for health professionals that you may read. |
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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of
children, never share your medicines with others, and use this
medication only for the indication prescribed. |
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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided
by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete,
but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained
herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for
use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and
therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States
are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug
information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend
therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed
to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients
and/ or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and
not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of
healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or
drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug
or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given
patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of
healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The
information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses,
directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions,
or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking,
check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. |
Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.01. Revision date: 2/
27/ 06. |
