HonCode

Go Back   HER2 Support Group Forums > Herceptin / Tykerb
Register Gallery FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Herceptin / Tykerb Share your experiences or ask questions about Herceptin or Tykerb

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-10-2014, 06:00 AM   #1
elliot830
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1
Xeloda-Chest Pains

My mom had just started taking Xeloda (3 pills in the morning, 3 at dinner). She was also taking Tykerb (5 pills daily). She made it through the first day with a very little queasiness, light diarrhea. But during her second day of treatment, that evening before she had taken her Xeloda, her stomach started burning, similar to acid reflux moving up to right below her breasts. She didn't think anything about it, being she has had acid reflux before. But then the chest pains started. She thought that the acid reflux had just moved higher. It happened a couple of times, and I felt I should call the ambulance. She could not stand up with these chest pains. She felt it radiating to her left arm and to her back. When she arrived at the ER, they did an EKG, which looked terrible, and she was given nitro which eased the pain. They rushed her for a heart cath. The doctor said all this was happening in the front of her heart, but when he did the heart cath, nothing was there. He did not see the signs that she had a heart attack. No damage, etc. Long story short, the Xeloda can cause your coronary arteries to spasm mimicking a heart attack. Basically, it is causing your heart to do the exact same thing it does when having a heart attack. She was taken off xeloda. She had a couple of milder episodes during the next day, was given nitro which relieved it, then it stopped. (when the Xeloda had decreased in her system). So if you have any chest pains, stop Xeloda and seek immediate help. It can be lethal. It is rare, but everyone should be made aware of this before taking it.
elliot830 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-10-2014, 06:31 AM   #2
Becky
Senior Member
 
Becky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
Re: Xeloda-Chest Pains

Thanks for sharing. I did not know that was a potential side effect. This will be helpful for the members of our group to know.
__________________
Kind regards

Becky

Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia

NED 18 years!

Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
Becky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2014, 12:11 AM   #3
waterdreamer
Senior Member
 
waterdreamer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Thousand Oaks, California.
Posts: 199
Re: Xeloda-Chest Pains

Thank you so much for sharing this, as I am starting Xeloda tomorrow, 4 pills (1000mg x2) not 5. Information like this really helps.
Best wishes
Fern
__________________
Breastfeeding when diagnosed with Her2+ May 2008
Oct 2008 Double mastectomy 22/28 lymph nodes positive
Decline chemotherapy (decision I regret)
Nov 2009 Mets to lungs and bones.
Dec 2009 Start Taxotere and Herceptin, T1, T3 heal completely and lungs are clear, T2 and first rib have lytic lesions. First rib becomes sclerotic. Considered stable.
May 2011, Onc calls progression and I cross over from comparison arm of clinical trial to TDM-1
Brain scan in Sept 2011 showed small tumor in right cerebellum, did Novalis radiation.


Feb 2013 < 1cm tumor in left frontal lobe. Did Novalis in March and latest scan shows no sign of brain metastasis.
Aug 2013 did 36th round of TDM-1 Due to TDM-1 side effects, shortness of breath, and difficulty getting my balance when getting out of bed, agreed with my oncologist to stop TDM-1.
Took a six week break, bone scan showed small uptake on left first rib. CT showed hypodensities in liver (too small to biopsy) and small nodule in lungs (mediastinal).
Started Navelbine weekly. Did one round with Herceptin.
Skipped next 2 rounds, due to neutropenia. Next chemo 7th Nov - have had 3 Neupogen shots, so WBC should look better... Did not tolerate Navelbine well.
December 2013 scans show no sign of active cancer.
March 2014 - currently only on Herceptin - brain MRI clear, PET/CT two nodules in right lung show uptake
May 2014 - stop Herceptin.
Sept 22, 2014 Brain MRI clear :) PET/CT Progression in lungs.
Sept 2014, Xeloda, Tykerb and Herceptin.
Nov 2014 - Decide to take a break from all treatment.
May 2015 - Brain met radiated with Novalis
July 2015 - Have progression in right lung.
Sept 2015 - Perjeta and Herceptin alone after a 9 month break from all treatment.
Nov 2015 - Thoracentesis 1500ml removed from right lung.
Dec 2015 - Two tiny 1mm brain mets radiated in right cerebellum.
Feb 2016 - Thoracentesis 2200ml drained from right lung
Feb 2016 - Stopped Perjeta and Herceptin and started back on Kadcyla as I had no previous progression on it. After 1 cycle of Kadcyla markers begin to drop. On second cycle add Keytruda.
March 2016 - Thoracentesis 1650ml drained from right lung.
April 2016 – Thoracentesis 1500 ml drained from right lung.
June 2016 – CT scan shows progression in right lung, as well as moderate pleural effusion requiring Thoracentesis.
June 2016 – Decide to stop Keytruda, and will do chemosensitivity test through Rational Therapeutics. Plan to continue on Kadcyla for next two cycles.
July 2016 - Start weekly Abraxane with Herceptin. WBRT with hippocampal sparing, Taking Namenda. 15 sessions over 3 weeks.
Aug - Dec 2016 - 2 infusions of Navelbine, very hard on my body and still dealing with anasarca (generalized edema) 1 infusion of Havalen
My doctor wants to put me on hospice.
Dec 23rd 2016 - I am granted compassionate use of Neratanib.
May 31st 2017 - still on Neratinib, feeling good.
waterdreamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:57 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright HER2 Support Group 2007 - 2021
free webpage hit counter