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Lani · 07-07-2006, 01:46 AM

are you retaining water on Herceptin (rings don't fit, ankles swollen)?

More fluid means the heart has to pump at a greater pressure to move all of it around.

Did you have radiation therapy? It can affect the heart as well and other parts of the circulatory system.

The cancer itself has receptors for renin-angiotensin which is part of the kidney's system which regulates blood pressure. Just having receptors, does not mean it is secreted, but implies some positive or negative feedback related to the system may be involved.

Are you under stress (and who isn't?) Cortisol which is secreted under stressful conditions can increase blood pressure.

If you got steroids with your chemo it might have upset your balance of cortisol production.

Are you on antihormonals? AIs (as well as tamoxifen) but more with AIs, if I recall can change your blood lipid profile. That is more longterm but can lead to narrowing of the arteries and higher blood pressure...

Have you gained weight?...Do you smoke?

There are a multitude of reasons I have listed and many more I haven't and probably more that haven't been looked at or enumerated yet.

List those things you can affect (weight, fluid retention, stress, smoking) and see which of those you or your doctor think you can influence, rather than focusing on the ones we don't know enough about or can't easily be changed.

Hope this helps!

07-07-2006, 01:46 AM	#5
Lani Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,783	possibilities are you retaining water on Herceptin (rings don't fit, ankles swollen)? More fluid means the heart has to pump at a greater pressure to move all of it around. Did you have radiation therapy? It can affect the heart as well and other parts of the circulatory system. The cancer itself has receptors for renin-angiotensin which is part of the kidney's system which regulates blood pressure. Just having receptors, does not mean it is secreted, but implies some positive or negative feedback related to the system may be involved. Are you under stress (and who isn't?) Cortisol which is secreted under stressful conditions can increase blood pressure. If you got steroids with your chemo it might have upset your balance of cortisol production. Are you on antihormonals? AIs (as well as tamoxifen) but more with AIs, if I recall can change your blood lipid profile. That is more longterm but can lead to narrowing of the arteries and higher blood pressure... Have you gained weight?...Do you smoke? There are a multitude of reasons I have listed and many more I haven't and probably more that haven't been looked at or enumerated yet. List those things you can affect (weight, fluid retention, stress, smoking) and see which of those you or your doctor think you can influence, rather than focusing on the ones we don't know enough about or can't easily be changed. Hope this helps!