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Old 06-28-2016, 04:19 AM   #1
Pipandor
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 3
Chest pain anyone?

Hello everyone,

I had my first Herceptin only infusion nearly three weeks ago, after 12 weekly taxol/herceptin infusions. I felt some strong chest pain a little left of the sternum during the first week after infusion and the pain has lingered, though less strong, ever since. I am worried it might happen again after this week's infusion.

My initial heart scan and the 3 month follow up showed that my left ventricular ejection fraction is holding steady at 65. A recent bone scan showed no mets.

I can't take ibuprofen because I am on daily injections of an anticoagulant (Fragmin), but I have taken Tylenol, which had no effect on the pain. I have had acid reflux in the past, and this doesn't feel like reflux.

I am new to the forum and hoping someone can share if they've experienced this. I would hate to stop taking Herceptin but concerned about heart damage.
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Invasive or Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) - January 2016
Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 3, 0/3 nodes, ER-/PR-, HER2 +++
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Old 06-30-2016, 07:29 AM   #2
jra40
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA.
Posts: 260
Re: Chest pain anyone?

Hello! Did you talk to your oncologist about this? I know that when I was going through chemo/Herceptin, anything I felt that was out of the norm and was a concern, I told my doctor. She would always follow up with some type of test to make sure all was okay.

Good luck and pray it's nothing serious!
__________________
11/17/10 - Diagnosed with 4.5cm tumor in right breast, IDC, Stage 2, Nuclear grade 2, ER+ PR+ HER2+
12/13/10 - Lymph node biopsy - negative
12/28/10 - Started neo-adjuvant treatment along with clinical trial with 4 rounds of AC chemo every 3 weeks
3/15/11 - Began weekly Taxol/Herceptin infusions along with 750mg of Tykerb taken by mouth daily
6/28/11 - Finished last cycle of Taxol
7/27/11 - Breast MRI shows tumor has dissolved, remarkable reaction to chemo
8/31/11 - Lumpectomy, Sentinel Node biopsy. Node negative, clear margins, 7mm of cancer left over from chemo.
10/05/11 - Started radiation, 5 days a week for 7 weeks.
11/8/11 - Finished radiation
3/21/12 - Last Herceptin!
3/26/12 - Port removed!
Tamoxifen for 5 years
8/4/15 - Hysterectomy & bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Due to large fibroids. No cancer!
8/8/15 - Started Arimidex
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Old 06-30-2016, 12:18 PM   #3
Pipandor
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Re: Chest pain anyone?

Thank you JRA40. It's so nice to see that you are 5 years out and doing well. My oncologist is a little dismissive and I only see her every 3 weeks. Here in Canada, we can't always choose our doctors and when we see them.

The good news is that I requested that yesterday's infusion be administered over 60 rather than 30 minutes and so far, no chest pain. Fingers crossed that it will continue that way.
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Invasive or Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) - January 2016
Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 3, 0/3 nodes, ER-/PR-, HER2 +++
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Old 07-01-2016, 10:00 AM   #4
#1son
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Re: Chest pain anyone?

Are you receiving infusions via peripheral vein (arm) or via an infusa-port (surgically implanted port)? Many ports use tubing that ends just above the heart. If you're experiencing pain related to infusion via such a device, you may want to mention this to the surgeon who installed it. Imaging may reveal any misplacement/migration of the tubing into contact with the heart/valve. This is very unlikely, but, again, it couldn't hurt to just mention it to the surgeon.
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Mom's stats:
2001: Hx H/O contralateral Right Breast Cancer: pT1bN0, ER/PR+, HER2 Neg, mastectomy
11/2015: Abnormal finding on mammogram
12/4/15: US-guided biopsy
12/10/15: Dx Left Breast Cancer, ER+/PR+, HER2 equivocal by IHC
12/15/15: HER2+ by FISH
12/21/15: Lumpectomy/axillary LN removal; 2 sentinel nodes=both Ca+
12/29/15: T1cN1M0, ER+/PR+/HER2+, Gr3, IDC & DCIS; 16 axillary nodes=all Ca-; Stage 2a; drain removed; f/u with Med Onc

1/14/16: little purple power port installed
1/20/16: Cycle 1, TCH (+ Neulasta on next day)
2/10/16: Cycle 2, TCH (+ Neulasta on next day)
3/2/16: Cycle 3, TCH (+ Neulasta on next day)
3/23/16: Cycle 4, TCH (+ Neulasta on next day)

4/13/16: Cycle 5, CH (stopped Taxotere due to increasing numbness in extremities) (+ Neulasta on next day)
5/4/16: Cycle 6, H (stopped Carboplatin due to severe, life-threatening anemia) (stopped Neulasta) Rec'd 2 units pRBCs. F-up blood draw in 1 wk
6/6/16: started 16 cycles of radiation (followed by 4 booster doses)

7/1/16: last booster dose today--no more radiation!
12/16: last Herceptin!
1/24/17: port removed!


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Old 07-05-2016, 09:02 AM   #5
jra40
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA.
Posts: 260
Re: Chest pain anyone?

#1Son - Good post and thinking, I did not think about the port causing the problem. I know my port was inserted in my neck and threaded through the chest. Had a hard time sleeping on one side and certainly noticed some difference in my heart rhythms!
__________________
11/17/10 - Diagnosed with 4.5cm tumor in right breast, IDC, Stage 2, Nuclear grade 2, ER+ PR+ HER2+
12/13/10 - Lymph node biopsy - negative
12/28/10 - Started neo-adjuvant treatment along with clinical trial with 4 rounds of AC chemo every 3 weeks
3/15/11 - Began weekly Taxol/Herceptin infusions along with 750mg of Tykerb taken by mouth daily
6/28/11 - Finished last cycle of Taxol
7/27/11 - Breast MRI shows tumor has dissolved, remarkable reaction to chemo
8/31/11 - Lumpectomy, Sentinel Node biopsy. Node negative, clear margins, 7mm of cancer left over from chemo.
10/05/11 - Started radiation, 5 days a week for 7 weeks.
11/8/11 - Finished radiation
3/21/12 - Last Herceptin!
3/26/12 - Port removed!
Tamoxifen for 5 years
8/4/15 - Hysterectomy & bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Due to large fibroids. No cancer!
8/8/15 - Started Arimidex
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Old 07-26-2016, 08:09 AM   #6
Colleen
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Location: Monarch Beach, CA
Posts: 88
Re: Chest pain anyone?

@Pipandor I frequently had chest discomfort during my infusions when I had my port but it did not linger after the infusion was finished. I demanded my port be removed even though I am a stage 4 cancer thriver. It was uncomfortable and extremely inefficient, besides I have great veins. I would bring this up to the nurses and doctor every time it happens, squeaky wheel gets the oil. At times I have felt my oncologist to be dismissive when I brought up things that seemed "off" to me. Even though these doctors have a lot of experience they have not personally gone through what we have been through so they really don't have any "firsthand" experience.
__________________
*October 2013 mammogram suspicious lump right breast
*Oct. 2013 Breast MRI reveals 2.5 cm tumor right breast 6-7 nodes positive
*Nov 2, 2013 PET/CT tumor right breast, 6-7 nodes include right axilla and one above clavicle, 3.5 cm lesion on dome of liver
*Nov 4, 2013 meet oncologist: schedule port placement
*Nov 5, 2013 baseline echo 65%
*Nov 13, 2013 start THP six cycles every 21 days
*Nov 20, 2013 blood counts now coming back quickly start neulasta following next treatment, no pain and it worked!
*Jan 19, 2014 syncope, ambulance ride to hospital, cracked a tooth and chipped three, six stitches in chin, CT scan shows brain is ok but am required to follow up with neurologist.
*Jan 28, 2014 PET/CT shows great response to THP
*Jan 28, 2013 echo, all is good 60-65%
*Feb 2014 brain MRI, no missing parts and no extra parts, all clear
*Feb 27, 2014 last treatment with taxotere
*Apr 22, 2014 PET/CT shows complete pathological response to THP amen!
*Apr 22, 2013 echo 60%
*continue vitamin H and P every 21 days until...eternity?
*May 2014 emotional melt down, demand port be removed.
*May 22 2014, biopsy of original tumor rt. breast, no cancer cells in 8 tissue samples, amen
*June 2, 2014 Port removed, happy dance! Just couldn't tolerate the port any longer; it never worked properly and was extremely uncomfortable
*July 24, 2014 echo 60%
*August 28, 2014 PET/CT all clear NED
*Oct 29, 2014 echo 65%
*Feb 4, 2015 PET/CT NED!!!
*Feb 4, 2015 Echo 65-70%
*May 19, 2015 mammogram all clear
*May 19, 2015 Brain MRI all clear!
*August 18, 2015 PET/CT NED!!! amen!
*March 8, 2016 CT w/contrast NED
*March 10, 2016 Echo normal
*June 2016 Echo normal
*September 7, 2016 CT scan w/contrast NED
*September 8, 2016 Echo normal
* still receiving infusions every 21 days of Perjeta and Herceptin with no end in sight......
*March 2017 CT scan NED and echo normal
*May 2017 mammogram all clear!
*November 2017 CT scan NED and echo normal
*May 2018 echo normal
*December 2018 ct scan with contrast and nasty drink-all clear!


"Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age."
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