She also suffers from nausea, loss of appetite, constipation and diarrhea. It seems as though she stays confused quite a bit. She had a lump removed from one of her breasts a couple of years ago and I guess this is the medication the doctor wanted her to take. I was wondering if there may be a different drug with less side effects that my mom could take. She is 83 years old.
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Q: My mother has been taking Arimidex and lately she has had a couple of falls and gets dizzy alot.
Answers (2)
6/19/08 3:36pm
Hi Rena, While dizziness itself is not, as far as I know, a symptom of Arimidex, it does sound like your mom is not eating, which can definitely lead to fainting spells. All cancer drugs have some side effects but some of us react more intensely to some than others. I suggest raising this issue with your mom's oncologist. There may well be a drug for which she experiences fewer side effects or perhpaps her dose could be adjusted.
My oncologist puts a great deal of importance on balancing quality of life with effective treatment. Hopefully, you can work out a better balance for your mom.
Take care,
Laurie
6/19/08 5:01pm
Hi Rena - So sorry your mom is having to deal with all of this on top of her cancer! As Laurie says, dizziness and nausea don't sound like Arimidex side effects, though constipation and diarrhea can be. I wonder if she might be just as well off taking tamoxifen, which has much fewer/less severe side effects? I'd ask her oncolgist if perhaps she couldn't switch... As Laurie says, quality (as well as length) of life is something to consider, especially as you get older. Good luck to you both- PJH
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