arimidex and dizziness

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maria26
maria26 Member Posts: 44
edited November 2015 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I am nearly 2 1/2 years into arimidex and for the last few days have had awful feeling of lightheadedness even when i am absolutely still.  Of course me  being me I think brain  met.  Am very anxious most of the time  now but wondered if this could be the med as I have had so many ses with it.  In the summer I had head pains in rt temple and freaked had physio and it did ease and went.  That is now also back along with the neck pain.  I had this very  mildly in the past but only when moving what scares  me is that just moving my eyes  makes me dizzy.  Have spent the 3 years almost since dx having scans tests etc so many drs visits.

My common sense says it is probably the discs in my  neck and arthritis an  x ray 3 years ago showed  but everytime i feel dizzy I feel sick and scared convinced it is a brain met.  I have been told getting tests after tests is  not the answer but it is very unpleasant.  Have had abdo pelvis chest ct this year,  mri lumbar spine etc etc.  

I was stage 1 grade 2  node  eg er pr positive her2 negative 1 cm.  I have read brain met rare with hormone positive but I guess I think I am the one who will get it.

Sorry to go on and on but just feel the need for support at the  minute.  My poor husband cannot take anymore it seems one thing after the other.  The med causes ses and I get convinced it is a  met how do I deal with this for 2 1/2  more years.

Does it sound like a brain met to you ladies.  

Maria


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  • doxie
    doxie Member Posts: 1,455
    edited November 2015

    maria26,

    I understand your worrying about mets. You are right though that mets to the brain are unlikely for ER+.

    The dizziness could be caused by so many other more benign things. Just off the top of my head it could be caused by an issue with the inner ear, low or high blood pressure, an electrolyte imbalance, etc.

    it might be helpful to see what has changed recently that might be causing the problem.

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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited November 2015

    I agree with doxie

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  • BrooksideVT
    BrooksideVT Member Posts: 2,211
    edited November 2015

    Well, it certainly could be related to the arthritis in your neck, but to me, especially as moving your eyes exercebates your symptoms, it sounds like vertigo caused by an inner ear issue. Have you seen an ear, nose and throat specialist? If not, that is where you need to go to get this figured out..

    I happen to have a long-term issue with this very thing, and find it is always worse when I'm stressed, or when I've been moving my head around too much (new exercise program, meetings where you swivel to see the people to your left and right, too enthusiastically nodding agreement during conversation).

    Medication and stress-relief techniques can help, as (sometimes) does PT.

    Your ENT will likely order a bunch of tests, some of which may sound scary, but are designed to eliminate other medical issues, such as the brain mets you (naturally) fear. Why would an ENT order tests your onc does not? The ENT is eliminating non-ENT issues in order to make a diagnosis; the onc would be looking specifically for mets, and protocol discourages this. Weird, huh?


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  • maria26
    maria26 Member Posts: 44
    edited November 2015

    Thanks everyone,  yes, i am very stressed as I said which does not help. Have not seen an ent yet as it only started thursday but have had neck problems for years.  Back in2012 had a very similar attack but not so severe and physio helped.  Am at a stage now when I just dont feel I can face more tests and the stress which comes with them I am literaly a headcase.  Have spent all day googling brain mets, where they appear etc etc and it is not healthy for me to do this.

    My DH says try and relax forget it and it will go like all the  numerous side effects and symptoms I have had since dx.  I know it is the thought of it being a met that is making it so much worse.  Spoke to my consultant who said with  my dx it would be extremely unlikely and as I said er pos rarely goes to brain but if it does it is after spread to  lungs, liver etc late in disease so I am calming down. Of course, if it continues I will see an ent. Did see one last year when I suffered an acoustic trauma loud bang which plugged my ears for  months plus tinnitus and hyperacusis sound sensitivity.  No way cojld  I undergo some of the ent tests have been told never to let water near my ear and avoid loud noise.  Seems I am a lost cause lol.

    Thank you ladies for taking ti e on hour weekend to help a  madlady.  Greatly appreciated.

    Maria

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  • maria26
    maria26 Member Posts: 44
    edited November 2015

    Forgot to say the headpains restarted after a trip to the hairdressser very uncomfortable back wash and quite a ciolent head massage.  Might be coincidence but my attack back this may started after putting  my chin in a forward position at opticians.  Well  I said I am a weird one but hopefully, still have a bit of the old me left after terrible problems with arimidex.

    Maria

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  • Holeinone
    Holeinone Member Posts: 2,478
    edited November 2015

    Maria, hope talking it out has helped. Sometimes it does. You are not alone, I also hate taking the dreaded Arimidex.

    My stage 3 dx does not allow me to even consider stopping. Finding the "old me" is a daily challenge, but necessary.

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited November 2015

    oh dear, the dreaded-nasty-chair position.

    I sat in an awkward position for a dental crown recently, dang but back was awful after, when I mentioned to my dentist on visit #2, he said I was likely stressed, dang but man was right as on visit 2, all was fine

    suggest a nice hot cup of herb tea and a nap

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  • maria26
    maria26 Member Posts: 44
    edited November 2015

    Again tks everyone for your advice.  It would be nice to hear from a lady who has experienced this.  Lightheaded dizzy feeling.  Into day 6 and no change would not be so bad if it went when resting.  Saw osteopath yesterday who said  my top vertebrae was out of position.  She did some gentle manipulation but I came out with a plugged ear and no better.  Shes a lovely lady but I am a sceptic I am afraid at times I felt she was just holding my neck.  My muscles in the neck are so tight but she did not touch them.

    As I have suffered so many ses from arimidex I would not be suprised if it played a part so thats why I would like to hear from anyone who experienced this with any of the als.  I am very sensitive to all meds and it just proves how scared I am of recurrence that I have spent over 2 years suffering on this pill.  I was told it is the best one especially for me and so want to continue.  I just worry everything is a met and of course this is no different 

    Advice appreciated

    Maria

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  • BrooksideVT
    BrooksideVT Member Posts: 2,211
    edited November 2015

    Well, if your ear feels plugged, that is another sign that it is an inner ear issue. Have someone pass a finger in front of your eyes--left to right, back again, and up and down. If your eyes jerk around a bit (nystagmus) rather than smoothly following the action from start to finish, that's pretty indicative of an ENT issue.

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