Anastrozole and vestibular disease

Posted by ruffianfan55 @ruffianfan55, Feb 24 2:27pm

I have been on anastrozole for 3 months with minimal side effects,
Last Friday, as I was finishing up and preparing to leave work, I got a severe case of vertigo, and unrelenting vomiting. I ended up in the ER and spent the weekend in the hospital. I was diagnosed with probable BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) and am slowly getting better. I am 70 and already had hearing loss and tinnitus, so this is not an out of the ordinary diagnosis, but I wanted to make sure that it was not related to the anastrozole. Has any one else experienced anything similar? I had no dizziness until this incident. Thank you for your help!

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reflector75 | @reflector75 | Feb 25 7:06am

My experience closely mirrors yours , I have been on Anastrozole for almost two years
and have had worsening vertigo for the last ten weeks. I too was wondering about Anastrozoles possible role in this. I am very interested to hear your comment and hope the problem settles down for you ( as I hope it will for me!) .

mistymar | @mistymar | Feb 25 9:41am

I started on Anastrazole and had varying side effects initially. About a week or so of nausea, then headaches. But about 5 months into it, had severe dizzy spells sometimes with nausea. To the point where I would get up out of bed nd have to immediately sit/lie back down to let it pass. Luckily with me, it all stopped after 3 weeks. Was changed to exemestane after 9 months because of the bone and joint problems and no problems with it on this drug. However I have developed a pretty severe tinnitus that I think is related to the exemestane (but of course doctors don’t feel it’s related so I just live with it).

grandmaccs | @grandmaccs | Feb 25 12:39pm

I had BPPV before, years before my breast cancer, and it was quickly corrected by a series of exercises done while lying down. When it happened the first time, I went to the ER, and the doctor had me lie down and then turn in different ways, and it was cured. He showed me what to do if it came back and I was able to take care of it myself when it did return several months later. I have been on anastrazole for several months, then got a reaction to it with the pain and stiffness, etc, as I have told you about earlier. I agree with mistymar, the doctors just don't seem to be able to believe us about our problems! I am now on a low dose of estrogen to rebuild my level so that the symptoms may go away, but it is too soon to know. I did get more prednisone to take for a while again, so for a few days I can move enough to dress myself again! Hugs to all of you!