HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Brain MRI

StephN · 06-23-2013, 06:35 PM

That Decadron can try to stick like glue! I had a hard time early in my wean. Woke up at the crack of dawn one day with excruciating pains in my legs! I think the very worst I ever had. I could barely walk. Made it out to my computer and emailed my med onc at 6am. At 7 am he replied - told me to go back a dose and try again in lower in a couple of days. And to take as much Aleve as I wanted/needed.
That worked, but I sure had a rough day while I got back to the amount of the dreaded drug that my body thought I needed.

Now for the fatigue problem. Taking that drug masks your real level of fatigue. You are artificially "up." Then comes the crash. And it came rather suddenly for me as it seem for you. Felt like I was dragging around 80 pound weights on each ankle! Could barely lift my knees to shuffle around.

Took about 3 weeks to get out of that tunnel, but then the sun shined and I was able to get my strength back a little at a time. Hope you are now on the upside, and the downside is fading into a bad memory.

06-23-2013, 06:35 PM	#33
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: Brain MRI - Hmmmm That Decadron can try to stick like glue! I had a hard time early in my wean. Woke up at the crack of dawn one day with excruciating pains in my legs! I think the very worst I ever had. I could barely walk. Made it out to my computer and emailed my med onc at 6am. At 7 am he replied - told me to go back a dose and try again in lower in a couple of days. And to take as much Aleve as I wanted/needed. That worked, but I sure had a rough day while I got back to the amount of the dreaded drug that my body thought I needed. Now for the fatigue problem. Taking that drug masks your real level of fatigue. You are artificially "up." Then comes the crash. And it came rather suddenly for me as it seem for you. Felt like I was dragging around 80 pound weights on each ankle! Could barely lift my knees to shuffle around. Took about 3 weeks to get out of that tunnel, but then the sun shined and I was able to get my strength back a little at a time. Hope you are now on the upside, and the downside is fading into a bad memory. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.