Brain radiation and Hercerptin side effects?

dchips1 · 03-17-2007, 05:27 PM

12 whole brain radiation tx done, 3 more to go still getting weekly herceptin, monthly zometa, decreased to 2 mg decadron today and on Levaquin 500 mg for 5 more days. I am wondering if any one has experience with skin problems, from steroids, or with herceptin, I am 39 an normally pretty active, I have been reduced to sitting around, napping, and have some skin breakdown on my tailbone, rash that comes and goes on lower legs and elbows, dry sandpaper like, not allergic reaction, not shingles. Does taking herceptin after radiation, can that increase symptoms? Who knows just thought I would throw it out there? I am meeting with onc on Thursday, would like to pursue tykerb, with herceptin. I just want some of my energy and my "smarts" back. Has anyone else had "short term" immediate effects of radiation, I feel like such an oaf, and should be bald by tommorow AT THIS RATE lol......... Thank for listing to my rattle, I have been prasying for so MANY OF YOU, when I found this board last year it was an answered prayer, I just do not have time to always post.Peace to all Darita

Bev · 03-17-2007, 09:20 PM

Darita, Don't know about WBR and that's a big thing not to know. All I know is Decadron made me dumber than dirt, and alternating between can't sleep and sleeping lot's to catch up. D also made my face flush. Herceptin has made me have runny nose, cough here and there, cruddy vision and nails, mentally hazy. Also did H with rads. In the winter I also get mild itchy excema, but that has happen for the last 20 years.

I want to believe it's Decadron causing your symptoms. I don't have the expertise to know for sure. I would say try to get off it but I know oncs don't agree to that idea. I guess we haven't seen chemo before they did steroids. Could be ugly.

Hope all gets sorted out. Keep whining, so they fix it. BB

03-18-2007, 12:45 PM

Darita,

I noticed a skin rash immediately after my first infusion of herceptin, in August. It was on my face (mild) and my chest (less mild). I used over-the-counter cortisone on my face and it helped. The rash on my chest got worse when I started radiation and stayed for all of the five weeks. None of the creams helped, not even biafine, the cream used by my center. One of the radiation nurses told me that herceptin tends to make the reaction to radiation worse. Anyway, the rash on chest went away after completion of radiation, particularly after I used silver sulvadene, which is great for burns. If the rash is from herceptin, it may go away when your body adjusts. I hope so and that you're feeling much better soon.