Tips for Taking Femara
Keep your pills front and center. Keep your Femara where you can't miss seeing it several times a day. Store your medication out of reach of children and protected from extreme temperatures or humidity.
Friendly reminders. Taking your pills at the same time every day or as prescribed by your doctor as part of your normal routine is a great habit. A couple of well-placed notes on the alarm clock or bathroom mirror and reminders in your calendars can help keep you on track. Pill boxes are another good reminder.
Always stay a step ahead. Give yourself plenty of time to pick up your Femara refill by ordering ahead. Sign up for automated refills or e-mail reminders if your pharmacy offers them. Ask a family member or friend to pick up your Femara prescription or arrange for delivery if you can't pick it up yourself.
Travel smart. Always pack your Femara prescription in your carry-on luggage when you travel, just in case there's a problem with your checked baggage. In addition, carry your Femara in its original prescription bottle and be sure your name is clearly legible on the prescription label.
Track your progress. Place a special reminder on your calendar to make a note of when you take your pills.
No matter how much you plan or prepare, the unexpected may happen. Dealing with unexpected situations while maintaining your daily routine may help protect your health.
Margaret's Story
Margaret† sat in the waiting room, feeling a little nervous about telling her doctor that she hadn't been taking her medicine every day as prescribed. She had been taking Femara daily until she and her husband visited relatives for a few days and Margaret discovered that she had left her Femara at home. After returning home, Margaret continued to forget to take her medicine every day.
When Margaret explained this to her doctor, he reminded her that it was very important for her to take her Femara every day.
"But I don't really notice a difference if I forget to take my pills; it's like nothing's happening when I take them," Margaret said.
"I know it doesn't feel any different. It's still important to take it every day," answered Dr. Evans. "You're taking it daily to help prevent your breast cancer from returning. Also, try a pill box. Many of my patients find them a helpful daily reminder."
"Next time you're planning to travel, write a list of all the things you'll need to pack for vacation and ask someone to remind you to have your pills before you leave. Then you can focus on having fun on your trip instead of worrying about your medicine."
"OK, I will," Margaret said, with a new understanding of why it's important to take Femara every day as prescribed by the doctor.
†Margaret is not a real patient.
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Indication Important Safety Information Femara is only indicated in postmenopausal women. You should not take Femara if you are premenopausal. Your doctor should discuss the need for adequate birth control if you have the potential to become pregnant, if you are not sure of your postmenopausal status, or if you recently became postmenopausal. You should not take Femara if you are pregnant as it may cause harm to an unborn child. You should also discuss with your doctor what to do if you are nursing a child. The use of Femara may cause decreases in the density of your bones, increases in bone fractures and osteoporosis. Monitoring of the density of your bones may be required. Some patients taking Femara had an increase in cholesterol. Your doctor may require the monitoring of cholesterol in your blood. Some women reported fatigue, dizziness and drowsiness with Femara. Until you know how it affects you, use caution before driving or operating machinery. Some women had moderate, temporary decreases in white blood cell counts. The medical significance of this is not known. The most serious side effects seen with Femara are bone effects (fractures, decreased bone density and osteoporosis) and increases in cholesterol. Other common side effects seen with Femara include joint pain, nausea, weight decrease, vaginal irritiation, and pain in the extremitites. Other important less commonly reported side effects include blood clots, other cancers, stroke, heart attack and endometrial cancer. Femara is a once-daily, convenient prescription tablet. Your doctor may tell you to take Femara every other day if you have severe liver disease. Always take your medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. For full prescribing information, please click here. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 
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