Headaches

[Joan S.]

I am fairly new to this site and I am amazed how much I am learning from all of you! I am so encouraged by all of your strength! I am entering my third round of taxol and herceptin. For the past week, I have been getting headaches and although I just got the results of a pet scan last week I am worried. The pet scan showed a "marked improvement". Is it possible to get brain mets while the rest of me is improving? Would the brain mets show up on a pet scan? Every new pain is a source of concern these days. I have been off chemo for two weeks because of a low blood count.

[tousled1]

Joan,

The general rule of thumb is that if you are experiencing any symptoms for two weeks then you bring it to your oncologist's attention. Brain mets would not show up on regular PET/CT scans. You would need etiher a brain CT or brain MRI. If the headaches continue ask your oncologist for a brain MRI.

[rentrac]

Dear Joan,
Herceptin can cause headaches, but the smartest thing is to call your onc first thing tomorrow and find out for sure what's going on. My motto is "When in doubt, check it out." Hope your head feels better soon!
Rentrac

[hutchibk]

And, not to scare you, but since Taxol and Herceptin are too large molecule to cross the blood brain barrier, it is possible for you to be improving in the body and for something to show up in the brain... as the others have said, if the headaches continue and are not relieved by pain relievers, then be sure to tell your onc and ask for an MRI. I too had headaches at different times and they were caused by allergies. My very small brain mets never had any symptoms.

[Lala]

In answer to your question; In my experience I would say yes brain mets appeared even though other parts of my disease had improved. Even though my cat scans of the abdomen showed marked improvement of my liver mets this did not matter.

My brain mets were caught in a routine Brain MRI. My doctor insists that all of his stage 4 Her2+ patients get a Brain MRI every 6 months. I had no symptoms at all. I am a firm believer if you have any symptoms of brain mets that a Brain MRI should be ordered immediately as it has been proven time and time again early intervention is the best way to treat brain mets. I am not a fan of the wait and see club. I would rather be over cautious than be regretful. I wish you the best and hope that you do get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

[hutchibk]

Mine were found too on a routine brain MRI. I remember 2 years ago when I told the doc that I had been having headaches at the time that we first DXed my mets, and he raised an eyebrow and immediately scheduled an MRI. Nothing showed up at that time, but I am glad that he proceeds with an abundance of caution.