Hi
My mum was diagnosed with BC last year, didn’t want op and decided to undergo hormone therapy treatment instead. At 78 she decided she’d seen enough of hospitals, however, I think she’s seen a lot more since.
Interesting to read the comments. My mum started off on Letrazole, for the first couple of months she seemed fine, then she got stiffness in ankles and wrists, then the neurosis started. By Xmas she was a little paranoid about anything and lived with the stiffness and throbbing in the ankles and wrists. However, she started falling backwards, especially going up the stairs but didn’t tell me this until she fell backwards off the first stair at my house where she was staying in April, fell and broke her left hip, I couldn’t get to her in time, it was dreadful. Apparently another side effect is osteoporosis - something she has never had until she was diagnosed with this on having her hip replaced. The local hospital, paramedics have been wonderful. She felt really guilty when they gave her a new hip but as she was so active, gardening all day long, they didn’t want to stop her. However, the panic attacks have also kicked in, these have been happening since Xmas but she didn’t want to tell me. She had some very bad attacks when she came out of hospital and came to stay with me, one night I sat with her all night as she was terrified she was going to fall out of bed and break her new hip - it was a dreadful experience. After another week she stopped taking the tablets.
So something that was meant to stave off cancer, brought on osteoporosis, panic attacks, vertigo and then a broken hip.
When she gave up the tablets I had my mum back, she was really good on the hip and after six weeks insisted on going home, even drove her automatic car. However, she went back to doctor and he prescribed anastrozole which I believe is another name for Arimidex from googling it. My mum came back to stay with me last weekend for a couple of weeks. Her ankles are so sore, burning with pain (yet bloodwarm to the touch) that she can’t walk, like one lady on this forum, it takes her a good five minutes just to stand up. Her anxiety levels have risen too and instead of enjoying her new hip I am watching my mum rapidly declining in health. Not able to move around and in dreadful pain - painkillers don’t help - she has aged beyond her years and is now getting very depressed - so am I.
We read the side effects of these tablets, but what is the point of prescribing them if their side effects bring about a worse situation not just for the patient but for everyone involved in her care. Are these tablets fully monitored? Do the manufacturers actually take note of the side effects? Is there anything that can be done to counteract the side effects?
Today, the tablets were stopped. My mother cannot live with the pain.
Oh and by the way, Letrazole is very difficult to get hold of, my mother had a repeat prescription but everytime she went to collect it at Boots, they told her they had nothing in stock and made a 78 year old woman hike around the local chemists and then she had to get in her car and drive 9 miles to get some!!
Is it worth it? has anyone had same symptoms but tried another source which has eased them?
Would like to read your comments please.
