Aromasin

Generic name: Exemestane

Usage of Aromasin

Aromasin ) lowers estrogen levels in postmenopausal women, which may slow the growth of certain types of breast tumors that need estrogen to grow in the body.

Aromasin is used to treat early and advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Early breast cancer is cancer that has not spread outside the breast. Advanced breast cancer is cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Aromasin is sometimes given after you have taken tamoxifen for 2 or 3 years, or if tamoxifen did not work or has stopped working.

Aromasin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Aromasin: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

chest pain or pressure;

new or unusual bone pain;

swelling in your hands or feet;

feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion; or

signs of a blood clot - sudden numbness or weakness, problems with vision or speech, swelling or redness in an arm or leg.

Common Aromasin side effects may include:

hot flashes;

headache, feeling tired;

joint pain;

nausea;

increased appetite;

sleep problems (insomnia); or

increased sweating.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Aromasin

You should not use Aromasin if you are allergic to exemestane, or if:

you are pregnant or able to become pregnant; or

you have not yet completed menopause, and are still having menstrual periods.

Some drugs should not be used together with Aromasin. Your doctor may change your treatment plan if you also use medicines that contain estrogen, such as:

birth control pills, patches, injections, or implants; or

hormone replacement therapy.

To make sure Aromasin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

liver or kidney disease; or

if you are still having menstrual periods.

Exemestane can decrease bone mineral density, which may increase your risk of developing osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor about your individual risk of bone loss.

This medicine is for use only in women who can no longer get pregnant. Exemestane can harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. You may need to have a negative pregnancy test before starting this treatment.

If you are not past menopause, use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are taking Aromasin and for at least 1 month after your last dose. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

This medicine may affect fertility (your ability to have children). However, if you are not past menopause you should still use birth control to prevent pregnancy because exemestane can harm an unborn baby.

You should not breastfeed while using this medicine and for 1 month after your last dose.

How to use Aromasin

Usual Adult Dose for Breast Cancer:

25 mg orally once a day Comment: -This drug should be administered after a meal. Uses: -Adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor positive early breast cancer who have received two to three years of tamoxifen and are switched to exemestane for completion of a total of five consecutive years of adjuvant hormonal therapy. -Treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women whose disease has progressed following tamoxifen therapy.

Warnings

You should not use Aromasin if you are allergic to exemestane, if you have not started menopause, or if you are pregnant or able to become pregnant.

Do not use Aromasin if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

Before using this medicine, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, or if you have not yet completed menopause and are still having menstrual periods.

Use Aromasin regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely. You may need to keep taking take this medicine for up to 5 years. Follow your doctor's instructions. This medicine may not work as well if you take it together with hormone replacement medication.

What other drugs will affect Aromasin

When you start or stop taking Aromasin, your doctor may need to adjust the doses of any other medicines you take on a regular basis.

Many drugs may interact with exemestane, and some drugs should not be used at the same time. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here.

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