Aromasin (Exemestane) 

Warning: This medication may harm a developing fetus.Only women who have experienced menopause and can’t become pregnant should take Aromastin.  If you are pregnant or breast feeding, tell your doctor before taking Aromastin. Severe allergic reactions can develop in some patients. Therefore, tell your doctor if you are allergic to Aromastin or any of its components.  Additionally, tell your doctor about any medication allergies you have, since Aromastin may contain inactive ingredients that may trigger an allergic reaction.  

Indications: Aromastin belongs to the drug class called aromatase inhibitors. This means that Aromastin works by decreasing the estrogen produced by your body, which will slow or stop the growth of the kind of breast cancer tumors that use estrogen to develop. Aromastin is frequently used to treat early stage breast cancer; however, this medication should only be used by women who have experienced menopause and can't become pregnant.  Aromasin can also be used to treat advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women for whom treatment with tamoxifen does not work effectively.

The medication comes in tablet form to be taken by mouth. It is recommended to be taken as an adjuvant hormonal therapy for five consecutive years.

Dosage: Aromastin is a medicine available only in tablet form, white or slightly grey coloring.  Each tablet includes 25 mg of Aromastin and will be supplied to you in bottles containing thirty pills.  This medication is usually taken once a day following a meal; simply swallow your dose with a glass of water.

It is recommended that you take your dose of Aromastin at the same time each day, though your doctor will provide you with individualized instructions based on your needs.  You should never chew, split, or crush your dose of Aromastin.  Follow the dosage instructions your doctor gives you; if you have additional questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist, or refer to the drug information packet.     

Overdose: Overdosing Aromasin can cause serious health problems or death. Contact your doctor or a local poison control center near you immediately if you experience symptoms indicating overdose. Do not neglect to see your physician; an overdose of Aromasin can lead to death.

Missing dose: Take your medication on time as prescribed by your physician. In case you miss a dose , take the missed one as soon as you remember if it is not almost times for the following dose; do not double the next dose to recover the missed one; it can be dangerous. You can contact your doctor or wait to go back to your regular schedule.  

Contraindications:  Aromastin should not be taken by pregnant women or women who may become pregnant during the course of their treatment.  As mentioned above, the medication may cause damage to a fetus, so if you become pregnant while taking Aromastin, tell your doctor right away.  If you have experienced hypersensitivity or an allergic reaction when undergoing the treatment, bring this to the attention of your doctor; also, be sure to tell your doctor about any allergies to medication you have, since it’s possible to have an allergic reaction to one of the inactive ingredients in Aromastin. 

Interactions:  There are a number of prescription and non-prescription products that have the potential to interact with Aromastin. For this reason, it is very important that you discuss with your doctor any other medication you are taking.  You should be especially sure to tell your doctor if you have taken or are currently taking St. John’s wort. The prescription drugs that may interact with Aromastin are estrogen including ethinyl estradiol and conjugated estrogens; estrogen blockers including anastrozole and tamoxifen; and raloxifene. This list is not exhaustive, so you should talk to your doctor about potential drug interactions.

Do not consume the following without firstly telling your health care provider:  

• caffeine 
• alcohol  
• nicotine  
• decongestants  
• cigarette  
• vitamins supplements  
• St John's wort.  

Side effects: in the combat against breast cancer cells, Aromasin can bring good results; however, by attacking cancer, the drug also affect healthy cells that multiply rapidly, which can cause adverse effects in most patients. The most common Aromasin side effects include:   

• diarrhea 
• hair loss 
• red, itchy skin
• hot flushes  
• sweating 
• muscle or joint pain 
• headache and dizziness 
• vision problems  
• nervousness and depression 
• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.  

Aromasin can cause serious side effects which require immediate medical attention; contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:    

• chest pain 
• severe clinical depression
• shortness of breath 
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing.