Janelle, I've never heard of Lavista, either. Do you think he might be talking about Evista? It's good for osteoporosis as well as preventing recurrence of breast cancer, so seems like it would be good for an older woman such as your mother. However, it does come with some side effects. Here's some more information:

Evista (generic name, raloxifene)

Evista (generic name, raloxifene) belongs to a group of drugs called SERMs (selective estrogen-receptor modulators). Raloxifene was approved in December 1997 by the FDA to prevent osteoporosis. In 2007, based on results of several clinical trials, the FDA approved Evista to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and in postmenopausal women at high risk for invasive breast cancer. The trials showed that Evista reduced the risk of invasive breast cancer by 44 to 71 percent.

Despite these positive results, women should be aware that Evista can cause serious side effects including blood clots in the legs and lungs, and death due to stroke. Women with current or prior blood clots in the legs, lungs, or eyes should not take Evista. Other potential side effects include:

• hot flashes
• leg cramps
• swelling of the legs and feet
• flu-like symptoms
• joint pain
• sweating

The FDA cautions that Evista should not be taken by pre-menopausal women and women who are or may become pregnant because it may cause harm to the unborn baby. In addition, Evsita should not be taken with cholestyramine (a drug used to lower cholesterol levels) or estrogens. Finally, the FDA also warns that raloxifene does not provide complete prevention against breast cancer. Women should continue to get annual mammograms and clinical breast exams.

More information about Evista, including prescribing information, can be found on the Eli and Lilly website at http://www.evista.com/