Aromatase Inhibitors and ocular migraines

Posted by katrina123 @katrina123, Jun 12, 2020

Has anyone else had a problem with ocular migraines after starting an Aromatase inhibitor?

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@risagee

Greetings, everyone!
So grateful to find this thread…I’ve just started taking Letrozole (11/24) and have just had two ocular migraines (mostly visual disturbances, only slight headache and queasiness). First one 3 days ago, and this morning another. Worrying! I’d only ever had one before in my whole life (am 62). The possible link with Letrozole occurred to me so I googled. Thank you all for posting your experiences and thoughts! Really helps — I already have some of the common side effects (hot flashes and some bone/joint pain), but saw no mention of headaches. Makes sense to me, hormonal swings used to occasionally cause headaches when I was younger. But the neon flashing from these ocular ones is very unsettling!
Anyway, grateful for this community…wishing each of you a healthy and peaceful 2024b

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Welcome, @risagee. Have you had a chance to tell your team about the migraines and visual disturbances? How are you doing?

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@colleenyoung

Welcome, @risagee. Have you had a chance to tell your team about the migraines and visual disturbances? How are you doing?

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Thank you, @colleenyoung!
Yes, I told my team - they said it’s not likely to be a side effect but that I should see a neurologist. I had an appointment with a neuro-ophthalmologist and because my “auras” were all in the same area of my field of vision, he has ordered a brain MRI and MRA — just to make sure the Letrozole isn’t causing blood coagulation 😞. Better safe than sorry, I know, but a little anxious. Oncologist’s office also wants a copy of the results to check for any possible metastases (though unlikely, I think). I have a feeling the ocular migraines are a result of my 7 weeks of estrogen suppression, so a hormonal effect.
Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best!
Thanks so much for checking in with me!

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