EXEMESTANE

Not available.

You should check with your doctor immediately if any of these side effects occur when taking exemestane:

More common

• Cough or hoarseness
• difficult or labored breathing
• fever or chills
• lower back or side pain
• mental depression
• swelling of the hands, ankles, feet, or lower legs
• tightness in the chest

Less common

• Chest pain
• difficult, burning, or painful urination
• frequent urge to urinate
• headache
• sore throat
• unexplained broken bones

Some of the side effects that can occur with exemestane may not need medical attention:

More common

• Anxiety
• constipation
• general feeling of discomfort or illness
• general feeling of tiredness or weakness
• hot flashes
• increased sweating
• pain
• trouble sleeping

Less common

• Back pain
• bone pain
• burning, tingling, or prickly sensations
• decreased sense of touch
• increased appetite
• joint pain
• loss of hair
• runny nose
• stomach upset
• weakness, generalized

Precautions

General:

• Allergy: Before taking exemestane, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.
• Medical History: Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you had: high blood fats (cholesterol), bone problems (such as osteopenia, osteoporosis), stroke or blood clots, heart disease (such as chest pain, heart attack, heart failure), high blood pressure, kidney problems, liver problems.
• This drug may make you dizzy and tired.
• Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

Pregnancy Risk: Category D.  This medication must not be used during pregnancy. It may harm an unborn baby.

Breastfeeding: It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Because of the possible risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using this drug is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Interactions

Some products that may interact with this drug include: estrogens (such as ethinyl estradiol, conjugated estrogens), estrogen blockers (such as anastrozole, tamoxifen).

Overdose

If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Notes

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as bone density tests, cholesterol levels, liver function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects.

This medication can increase the risk of bone loss (osteoporosis). Talk with your doctor about your risk, and about available treatments for osteoporosis. Lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of bone loss include doing weight-bearing exercise, getting enough calcium and vitamin D, stopping smoking, and limiting alcohol.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

Brands

Available Brands:

Aromasin [ Pfizer ]

Also marketed as

Emestane [ Intas ]