Danocrine vs. Femara

Danazol and Femara (letrozole) are used to treat different disorders affecting the breast.

Danazol is used to treat breast pain/tenderness/nodules due to fibrocystic breast disease, and also to treat pelvic pain and infertility due to endometriosis.

Femara is used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Femara is often given to women who have been taking tamoxifen (Nolvadex, Soltamox) for 5 years.

A brand name of danocrine is Danocrine.

Danazol and Femara belong to different drug classes. Danazol is a steroid and Femara is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor.

Side effects of danocrine and Femara that are similar include weight gain, flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling), sweating, or hair loss.

Side effects of danocrine that are different from Femara include acne, oily skin or hair, voice changes (hoarseness, changes in pitch), sore throat, abnormal growth of body hair (in women), vaginal dryness/irritation/burning/itching, decreased breast size, water retention or bloating, depression, irritability, changes in menstrual cycle (spotting, irregular bleeding, missed periods), nervousness, and mood changes.

Side effects of Femara that are different from danocrine include hot flashes, joint/bone/muscle pain, tiredness, night sweats, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, trouble sleeping, drowsiness, weakness, headache, constipation, numbness/tingling/weakness/stiffness in your hand or fingers, or pain in your hand that spreads to your arm, wrist, forearm, or shoulder.

Danazol may interact with warfarin, carbamazepine, antidiabetic drugs, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, synthetic vitamin D analogs, and statins.

Femara may interact with other drugs.

Side effects of Danocrine include:

•  acne or other skin problems
• increased hair growth or hair loss
• weight gain
• breast changes
• deepened voice
• hoarseness
• sore throat
• nervousness
•  increased sweating
• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin
• decreased amount of semen released during sex
• changes in your menstrual periods
• unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting,
• or vaginal dryness/discomfort/itching

Common side effects of Femara include:

• hot flashes,
• warmth in your face or chest,
• hair loss,
• joint/bone/muscle pain,
• tiredness,
• unusual sweating or night sweats,
• nausea,
• diarrhea,
• dizziness,
• trouble sleeping,
• drowsiness,
• weight gain,
• weakness,
• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling),
• headache,
• constipation,
• numbness/tingling/weakness/stiffness in your hand or fingers, or
• pain in your hand that spreads to your arm, wrist, forearm, or shoulder.

Danocrine (danazol) is a steroid used to treat endometriosis and fibrocystic breast disease. Danocrine is also used to prevent attacks of angioedema in people with an inherited form of this disorder.

Femara (letrozole) is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (lowers estrogen production) used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Femara is often given to women who have been taking tamoxifen (Nolvadex, Soltamox) for 5 years. Femara is available in generic form.

Danocrine may interact with blood thinners, or carbamazepine. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Danocrine can cause birth defects. Do not use Danocrine if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Before you start taking Danocrine, you may need to have a pregnancy test to make sure you are not pregnant. Use an effective barrier form of birth control (such as a condom or diaphragm with spermicide gel or inserts). Hormonal contraception (such as birth control pills, injections, implants, skin patches, and vaginal rings) may not be effective to prevent pregnancy during treatment. Breastfeeding is not recommended while using this drug.

Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you use. Femara must not be used during pregnancy. It may harm a fetus. Femara is used mainly in women after menopause. If you have recently gone through menopause, discuss birth control with your doctor. Do not use birth control containing estrogen. It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Breastfeeding while using this drug is not recommended.

In moderate to severe disease, or in patients infertile due to endometriosis, a starting dose of 800 mg Danocrine given in two divided doses is recommended. The total daily dosage of Danocrine for fibrocystic breast disease ranges from 100 mg to 400 mg given in two divided doses depending upon patient response.

The recommended dose of Femara is one 2.5 mg tablet administered once a day, without regard to meals. Other drugs may interact with Femara.