actonels rare side effects....worried son - Osteoporosis Message Board

andyland41 · 07-31-2003, 01:57 AM

Hello all,
My mother was diagnosed with the skin cancer melannoma in her left shoulder about 3.5 years ago. She had surgery on it and they removed all of her lymph nodes in that area. She has been cancer free for almost 3 years now and on her regular xray and blood test taken at 6 month intervals something showed up in her chest. This did not show up in the previous 6 month check, but the thing showed up this time. Within this 6 month period, she had started taking the osteoporosis drug called actonel. What i and the doctors are wondering is if this thing which is about 2.5 inches long is a result of actonel therefor not being cancer related or if it is indeed cancer. I am very worried....especially because she is only 52 and i am only 15. from what i have heard, the most likely places for melannoma to spread in the lungs or the liver, but this is not in the liver or lungs, just outside of the lungs. I can only hope and pray that this is either a side effect of actonel, or the doctors say it might be a "lesion" whatever that is. if anyone has any ideas as to what this may be, i would greatly appeciate it.
thanks and may God Bless
Andy

peregrine · 07-31-2003, 05:01 AM

Dear Andy,

What a wonderful son you are! I'm so sorry to hear of your mother's travails. I really don't think anyone here can answer your question, though, with any real authority. As you have probably noticed from the responses on this board, Actonel can cause a whole host of problems, many which are not delineated in the side-effect insert. Has your mother tried going off of the Actonel? All of my problems (serious, but not as serious as what you describe your mother is going through)went away when I discontinued the drug. Others have reported similar results.

I hope that your mother's doctors will be able to determine what this is all about and that she will soon be faring well!

All the very best!

Prema

[This message has been edited by peregrine (edited 07-31-2003).]

andyland41 · 08-01-2003, 03:05 AM

hello all,
my mother went to the doctor today to have a ct done and she was told that the cancer had spead to her chest cavity, just outside of the lungs. this has severley saddened me as well as my twin brother and father....i constantly worry about my parents, my mother especially because of her cancer, and my father also because he has some minor problems with his heart like some fast haart beating thing that he has to take pills for. i fear that my brother and i could be left alone. anyways, does anyone here know of any treatments for stage IV melanoma that can be done or clinical trials that are going on now? any help would be so very appreciated
andy

kiki lou · 08-03-2003, 03:19 PM

So sorry to hear the sad news. No, I know of no programs, but in Houston, at MD Anderson, there is a melanoma specialist. Are you anywhere near Texas?

Hugs to you and your family,

Kiki

merryk · 08-03-2003, 06:57 PM

You can go to clincaltrials.gov for clinical trials. If you type in melanoma it comes up with 150, not all of which would apply to your mother's condition.
Have you tried posting on HealthBoards.com in the cancer section?
Don't give up hope, your Mother needs all the positive support she can get right now.