HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Chemo, round 4, very tough morning

StephN · 04-23-2007, 03:08 PM

... the time when I passed out COLD at the breakfast table on my hubby's birthday on a Sunday. I was fighting mets and was getting both red and white blood cell support shots. But, the trial doses were high and needed reducing.

I awoke with the firemen trying to rouse me in my living room. I had really gone out for the time it took for my hubby to realize I was out cold, call the 911 and for the aid car to arrive. In the emergency, I was given an IV for hydration, they ran some quick labs and sent me to radiology for a brain CT to check for mets or seizure evidence.

The CT was clean (I was fearing brain mets!), and the labs showed a very low white count. SO low that the docs on duty decided to send me home rather than have me spend the night on the 7th floor with the other cancer patients! Like I was more at risk for getting a bad bug there, then going home to the bugs my body was used to. I was glad to be released with proviso that I get another blood test the next day at the cancer center. That test showed a marked increase in my white count as the neupogen drug just needed that much time to get back on track.

There were other times that I did feel dizzy and light headed, so that is NOT unusual and you are not alone on that. I am so happy you were able to go home. A lower blood pressure and increased heart rate plagued me all during my chemos. They are physiological side effects of your body trying to stay oxygenated while the red count is lowered. This also shall pass!

04-23-2007, 03:08 PM	#10
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Reminds me of ... ... the time when I passed out COLD at the breakfast table on my hubby's birthday on a Sunday. I was fighting mets and was getting both red and white blood cell support shots. But, the trial doses were high and needed reducing. I awoke with the firemen trying to rouse me in my living room. I had really gone out for the time it took for my hubby to realize I was out cold, call the 911 and for the aid car to arrive. In the emergency, I was given an IV for hydration, they ran some quick labs and sent me to radiology for a brain CT to check for mets or seizure evidence. The CT was clean (I was fearing brain mets!), and the labs showed a very low white count. SO low that the docs on duty decided to send me home rather than have me spend the night on the 7th floor with the other cancer patients! Like I was more at risk for getting a bad bug there, then going home to the bugs my body was used to. I was glad to be released with proviso that I get another blood test the next day at the cancer center. That test showed a marked increase in my white count as the neupogen drug just needed that much time to get back on track. There were other times that I did feel dizzy and light headed, so that is NOT unusual and you are not alone on that. I am so happy you were able to go home. A lower blood pressure and increased heart rate plagued me all during my chemos. They are physiological side effects of your body trying to stay oxygenated while the red count is lowered. This also shall pass! __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.