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Kim......... the 'symptoms' of brain mets can be so varied, to NONE. It depends on size, location and any edema involved.
In my case I've had: 1st dx visual half moon shaped light show of peripheral vision of only one eye...which came and went over a period of a month or so. A little bit of increased dizziness. This was from a 1.5cm tumor and a small 6mm. The small one was behind my eye.
2nd dx of 14 small lesions: NO symptoms at all. And this was over the course of 15 MONTHS, biding my time getting them all addressed/treated with focalized rads.
3rd dx: again no symptoms at first. But with increased size and location in cerebellum and brainstem/pons, 24/7 severe dizziness overnight.
This has not been talked about before but I think it needs to be addressed: There is a pretty good percent of people dx'd with cancer who, at autopsy, are seen to have brain mets, yet were never dx'd with them while alive. In other words, you can have them and they don't bother you, nor do they 'kill' you before death from other causes or progression elsewhere in the body.
It's yet another coin toss with cancer. Unfortunately or whatever, since Herceptin came on the scene helping those of us Her2+++ live longer, the brain continues to be a bit of a hideout for progression of our cancers. I'm still NED in body nearly three yrs out from my doses of Navelbine/Herceptin.
To those who will worry anyway, reporting 'symptoms' can easily get you a brain MRi with contrast. Not Ct scan.
hugs,
pattyz
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