neck soreness

After having 6th taxol/herceptin last week, I have had soreness up the left side of my neck, running up to in front of my ear. Talked to a "fellow" at onc office today before treatment and he said he felt it had nothing to do with cancer, but to keep him informed. My worry is lymph node involvment, he said that would be very rare for it to show up in the upper lymph nodes after mast., and if it was cancer, would not be sore. Neither he nor I could feel any swelling. I had left mast in Feb., 5 of 14 nodes positive. er+pr+her2+++. Has anyone had anything like this or think it may be a side effect of the herceptin or taxol?

Thanks for any insight.

Sassy

I am having aches or pains...not bad at all....fairly often. Our first reaction is "Oh!!!! NO!!!! Cancer" However most of the time it is probably just normal aches and pains. I follow the 2 week rule. If it does not go away or gets worse after 2 weeks I question my onc and want action. I have never gotten that far. It always goes away.
Mickey

I just had my 7th taxol/herceptin today, and also have had pain in the back of my neck and in my left temple. I asked the nurse today if she had ever heard of this as being a side effect of taxol or herceptin, and she said no. I also was pretty worried, and will ask my onc about it next week. Does your pain come and go, or is it constant? Mine comes and goes, and is not severe. I don't need to take any pain meds for it.

Laurie

Laurie,

My pain is not severe, but has actually gotten worse during this week. I can't be sure that I have not made it worse myself. It started after my treatment last week, and did seem to run up the muscle, but also close to the lymph nodes. I was on vacation this week at the beach and did water aerobics, which I can feel at my surgery site so this may have made my neck worse too. Please do ask your onc and let me know what you find out too. If mine doesn't get better, I will ask again next week. What was your dx and did you have mast?

Sassy

Hi all, well I don't want to alarm you, but I have been having chemo and radiation for lymph gland involvement in the neck for the last 7 years. As to the question of it being there in the first place, after surgery and lymph gland involvement the most likely spot for it to resurface is the neck and that is why any onc worth his salt checks your neck at each visit. In my case that is where it went not long after my original chemo and radiati. A ct and biopsy confirmed that it was then and I was treated with chemo and rads, it went away but not long after returned further up just outside the rad field, this has been going on ever since and with a couple of skin mets as well, my strain of BC fingers crossed leaves the organs and bones alone and just irritates me as I never seem to be free of it for very long. As to the pain in the neck, I have always felt sensations in the area and I put it down to the chemo doing its job, a bit like ripping it out of your system and destroying it. With the Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin combination I held a hot water bottle to my neck during the Taxol invusion this made sure the Taxol went there first before the rest of the body, I now put down my peripheral neuoropthy (numbness) to the ear down the neck across the shoulder along with the finger tips and bottom of feet to the Taxol. This combo got rid of it for a while then I had a reoccurence in the skin of the other breast in February which has been treated with more radiation and Xeloda. I am on Neurontin (also used for epelipsy and diabeties numbness) for the numbness and other unrelated problems but it only helps with the pressure against nerves and hasn't done anything for the numbness. I am now having bad neck pains and my shoulder is becoming frozen and I put it down to the heat treatment but I was warned that this may happen but I have to weigh up on the NED factor or no treatment and short cut life expectency, so I have gone for the discomfort and I have to take drugs to manage pain and stiffness. I have been lucky that my lumps have always been felt first and not having cells doing damage on the inside that I don't know about. I was given 2-3 years at best life expectency in 1998 so apparently this type of BC is manageable and the Herceptin has been a bonus by slowing down anything that is headed towards invading my body. Hope this has helped and just stay vigilant when it comes to your own body, the oncs and other patients don't know all and this is why this a valuable site and I have taught my own Onc a lot since being involved and he uses the info for his other patients.

Love & Hugs Lyn

Forgot to mention I had 26 weekly infusions of Her/Tax/Carbo and off been off it since November last year

Lyn

Yes, I did have a left mast. I have stage2 ,er/pr-, grade 3, her+++ 2/21 nodes pos. My biggest worry is the pain in my temple, could it be brain mets? I think that was the nurse's first thought b/c she kept asking me if I had symptoms like dizziness, vision problems, etc. which I know can be symptoms of brain mets. It is going to be a long week if this pain keeps coming back, I will insist on a brain MRi, after reading all the posts about the importance of getting one.
Laurie

Lyn,

What was your original dx and did you have mast with lymph nodes removed? How many positive, etc. I would be very interested in your situtaiton.

Sassy

Dear Sassy,
Lately, I have a swollen area near my collar bone. The doctor didn't feel any lumps there. My lymphedema therapist thinks it is fluid that has pushed to that side by my bra strap. I am going for lymphedema treatment this week and he wants to push the fluid upward toward my neck. Do you have any signs of lymphedema? I had 17nodes out of 20 that were bad.God Bless You- Cathy

Cathy,

I wondered about lymphodema, my surgeon was very concerned about it and starting chemo was delayed somewhat because of seroma after surgery. I had 5 of 14 positive nodes. I will ask about lymphodema as a posibility. Thank you--have Faith and God Bless.

Sassy

Sassy
Like Lyn, my soreness in my neck turned out to be a recurrence, and it has happened 2x....at original diagnosis, I was ER PR neg, Her2 3+ and all neg. nodes....it is a place you can't ignore when it comes to recurrence.
Hugs
Sheila

Sheila,

Could you tell me what the soreness was like and at what point during treatment or after you had the recurrence? Also what treatment? I'm still having some soreness, but also feels like sore or swollen throat and ears involved. All this is so confounding! Everything seems like a potential problem, then I wonder if I'm just being paranoid. I will follow up with my onc. I appreciate you sharing your information and support.

Thanks,

Sassy

Sassy
Mine started as a soreness right above my collarbone, 1 1/2 years after my mastectomy, and then a lump developed. The first time I had 3 lymph nodes removed and they were all Her2 + cancer, I was placed on Herceptin and then 1 1/2 years later I have another lump, but it is staying the same so I remain on Herceptin and am monitored by the onc. every 3 weeks. I dont want to make you paranoid, your may just be swollen lymph nodes or inflammation, its just that we have to be our own best advocate when something doesnt feel right. I hope this helps
Hugs
Sheila

Hi Sassy
My neck has felt "odd" since my operation 7 months ago. There is "pinging" in my neck--opposite side from lumpectomy. A few days ago, I slipped and fell into my pool. Although the rest of my body recoved, and neck shouldn't have reallly been involved, my neck got worse. Luckily I saw two doctors in the last few days. One wanted an MRI but forgot to write the orders (he is a neurologist that is into alternative medicine) and the next, a new oncologist, wanted a CT scan. When I said the other doctor wanted and MRI, he said, reluctantly, he would prescribe the MRI. I had it done the very day he wrote the script whcih was yesterday. Will get the results maybe not until August 8th--that is when I see one of the oncologist again start Herceptin--see separate post as to how that happened !!!--.
Janet/FL

Janet,

Have you noticed any change in your neck since last post? Mine seems some better, but still not normal. I see my onc tomorrow.

Sassy

I saw my onc today and discussed the sore neck, pain in the temple and in the ribs. I have a brain mri tomorrow and a Pet scan on Mon. I thought I would have to really push for these, but I didn't. He brought it up right away. Now of course that is making me nervous. I almost wished he would have told me it was nothing, that it was just side effects from the taxol or herceptin. I think waiting for test results is the worse part of all this.
Laurie

Laurie,
My prayers are with you, that the test will find nothing, please keep me posted. My problem continues and I will see onc today. Will let you know whay he says. Have Faith.

Sassy

Laurie,

Saw the "fellow" at my onc's office today. He examined me again, and could not detect anything. Says he still does not think there is any lymphatic envolvement. Feels the sore throat may be a side effect of the steriods with my acid reflux problem and upped my nexium dosage. Said the soreness running up my neck may be referred pain from surgery. Says he will continue to watch and let him know of ny changes any time. Hopefully I can stop worrying about it.

Sassy

Sassy, well I got the results of my brain Mri and the onc said it looks like just a sinus infection. Whew! I am still waiting for the pet scan results.
Glad that your onc doesn't think its anything serious. Hopefully it will go away after you are done with taxol. What # are you on? I have #9 this week. the end is in sight!
Laurie

Laurie,
I am so glad you got a good report.I checked earlier this morning to see if you had posted. Glad you let me know. I'm sure we will continue to worry over everything, but maybe we can even out over time. I'd rather be diligent than sorry.

I have had 8 taxol/herceptin will have #9 this week also. Did you have mastectomy? Would be interested to know what lingering feelings/pains you may have from surgery and any side effects on Taxol/Herceptin. Also, are you taking any type of pain medication. I have been taking darvoset and beginning to wonder if I should be taking something else or nothing at all. Perhaps the Darvoset has actually amplified aches and pains when I don't take the medication.

Looking forward to finishing this round of my cancer journey!

Sassy