Air Hunger!

[fcrcm]

I just learned that term (from Lani's post on Herceptin side effects) and boy do I have it. Even when my nose is absolutely clear, I feel like I can't get enough air. Panting through my mouth does not help. I get very panicky. Does anyone else have this.

I am on Herceptin (every three weeks) for bone and liver and lymph mets. I just had my 20th treatment. I am also on Zomeda and Arimidex. I haven't had any chemos isince 1993 (when I had peripheral stem cell rescue.)

Does anyone else have AIR HUNGER? If so, I would so so so appreciate suggestions for how to cope. If I wake up with it in the dark I am scared out of my mind.

Thanks,
fcrcm

[MJo]

I am more short of breath than before treatment, but I couldn't call it air hunger. I am currently on Herceptin and Arimidex. I got a bad respiratory infection with A/C chemo and had to sleep sitting up, because I couldn't get a good breath. A stay in the hospital, antibiotics and Advair helped.

What you are describing also sounds like my anxiety attacks. I take a dose of xanax if I feel one coming on. Not so often, now, thank goodness.

[Lani]

a breath is not "satisfying"ie, you feel like you need more, it does not "sate" your need for air.

I have been told that any symptom regarding breathing is worth checking out, as we as human beings normally breathe all our life without thinking about it., so anything which draws our attention to our breathing is by its very nature unusual and remarkable. It may not be anything but anxiety, but there are pulmonary conditions which are associated with this symptom.

I was not trying to put ideas into peoples minds --one can make people scratch just by mentioning lice--but rather determine if this symptom described to me was widespread or not.

I am thanking everyone for their input to this post. There have been news articles yesterday that the FDA is really not doing its job--particularly not in reevaluating drugs once they are in more widespread use after trials/approval. They are seriously underfunded, undermanned and they have left post-marketing surveillance to the drug companies, where there obviously is a conflict of interest. They are interested in increasing the market for the drug and developing new drugs more than determining how different patients are reacting to their drugs which are already approved.

I think herceptin is a fabulous drug--we just need to know more about its effects when used in more than a few thousand(<10,000) clinical trial patients.

Did hearing about others symptoms (dry or runny nose, nose bleeds, headaches, hand/foot swelling, diarrhea, trouble remembering words,
rib or other aches, etc) worry you more or make you feel more at ease? I think many doctors/drug companies think(or ratiionalize ) that they will worry patients, cause them to "think" they are having more symptoms than they are (like the lice "itch),
rather than make them feel more at ease that they know what these things might be and watch out for them or at least know they aren't the only ones and aren't "crazy"?

Have a great weekend!

[heblaj01]

fcrcm,

This extract of a compemdium shows a 23% rate of ocurrence for dyspnea (shortness of breath) for Herceptin users.
However it occurs soon after the I.V. (within hours or days) & is not categorized as an accute or long lasting side effect.
So if your breathing difficulties persist you should get it check by an MD.
Did you get pre-meds (Decadron or Benadryl) before the I.V.'s to prevent allergic reactions?
http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/NR/rdonlyr...raph8Sep05.pdf

[MJo]

RE : was not trying to put ideas into peoples minds --one can make people scratch just by mentioning lice--but rather determine if this symptom described to me was widespread or not.
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I'm scratching. But it still sounds like anxiety to me. MMO