|
06-18-2007, 08:57 AM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 144
|
Headaches ?
I have reviewed all the posts on the site regarding headaches and I still am not sure what it is. I have been on Herceptin now for 6 months/Herceptin only for 2 1/2 months and I have a headace all the time. Sometimes asprin helps for awhile, but then it is back. I wake up with one. Did anyone else have this?
Any thoughts appreciated.
Emelie
|
|
|
06-18-2007, 09:07 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
|
It could very well be the Herceptin. I had frequent, although intermittent, sinus-like headaches while on Herceptin. They'd last a week or so then go away for a while , then come back again. If you have consistent, constant headaches, tell your doctor and you may want to request a brain MRI just to be reassured.
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
|
|
|
06-18-2007, 07:43 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 33
|
headaches
I've been having sinus like headaches more frequently when I have been on herceptin. A lady in my support group talked to me last week about the headaches. I'm hoping now that I've finished with herceptin, the headaches will decrease also.
If I could only get rid of the chemo brain.
Susan
__________________
dx IDC @ age 39 Feb '06
stage 2 er/pr-, her2+
neoadjuvant chemo 4 A/C completed April '06, 12 weekly taxol/herceptin completed 8/06, lumpectomy 8/15/06 NED!
33 rads completed 10/06
weekly herceptin thru May 2007 --Stopped herceptin 4/07 due to drop in LVEF. Started Herceptin again 5/07
Final Herceptin 6/12/07
Port Removed -8/13/07
|
|
|
06-18-2007, 07:49 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 477
|
Emelie,
I am sorry to hear about your headache. I am on Herceptin and have a headache if I do not stay well hydrated. I must drink a lot of water or I get a dull headache. Mine comes with motion.
I did have a headache once a while back and asked for an MRI. It came back clean and my headache went away.
I hope that you feel better soon.
Love, Hope, and Peace,
Carolyn
|
|
|
06-19-2007, 09:45 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 144
|
Thanks for responding ladies. I am so paronoid now! I feel like a hypocondreac.(sp) It always make me feel better to know someone else has expereinced similiar issues.
Thanks again,
Emelie
|
|
|
06-19-2007, 11:13 AM
|
#6
|
Guest
|
Emelie--I was complaining to my oncologist yesterday of similar problems and said "I feel like a hypochondriac." His response was, you would be if you didn't have cancer. You can't be a hypochondriac after cancer--you need to be concerned about all your symptoms. This is not to suggest you have a problem, beyond a reaction to herceptin or one of the millions of other things that can cause headache, but don't feel guilty!
|
|
|
06-20-2007, 04:04 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London, England
Posts: 96
|
Hi Emelie, how are you now?
Good suggestions from others, especially about getting tested to rule out any unwanted possibilities.
I wonder if the headaches might be partly due, as someone's already said, to dehydration. I find some mornings, I wake up with a headache and a particularly dry nose; the two things seem to go together. The Herceptin is known to interfere with production of the fine hair cells in our sinuses, isn't it. What helps to avoid the headache for me, is applying Vaseline (do you call it that in the States? Petroleum jelly) to the inside of my nostrils last thing at night. I think this helps moisturise the air as it passes through. That's my theory anyway. And you can get these things that put moisture into the air...chemo brain won't give me the name....aaaagh....help! Whatever that's called, it might help as well. Just asked husband - HUMIDIFIER!
Best wishes
__________________
Caroline
Diag. March 10th 2006, aged 46.
Invasive ductal carcinoma, 2cm + multifocal. Stage 2, Grade 3
HER2+++, ER+/PR+
Right mast. May 2006. 6 of 20 nodes positive
FEC x 4, taxotere x 4; port implanted after 6 cycles
Rads x 25
1 year of Herceptin ended Nov 07.
Arimidex 5 years
Considering reconstruction, maybe soon...
|
|
|
06-21-2007, 10:26 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 144
|
Headaches and stress
Thanks again ladies. You are probably right and I am not drinking enough fluid and dehydrated. Gracie, thank you for your post. I agree. Pre-cancer I never got sick. I mean never. Now, I just get scared. Hope that supsides with time.
I think once we get moved to Denver and settle in, I will feel better. Have a Herceptin tx tomorrow, the movers come on Mon. we leave Tues. and we are supposed to close on the house on Fri. next week. I have to admit I am tired.
Thanks again for your responses and I will try the Vaseline in my nose tonight.
Moving in slow motion,
Emelie
|
|
|
08-09-2007, 08:27 AM
|
#9
|
Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 14
|
I have been suffering from horrible migrane type headaches. I just did my last herceptin 2 weeks ago. I was on Arimidex and Lupron injections. The onc thought my headaches were from Arimidex so took me off. The headaches went away for a few weeks then started Aromasyn and within 10 days headache was back so I stopped taking it. The headache went away but 10 days later it is back just not as bad so now I sit here and think maybe its the Lupron. I wonder if anyone out there has had this problem? Had a brain MRI last month. Everything is clean.
|
|
|
08-09-2007, 06:36 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
|
We always forget that some of the medications we take are not child's play. Lupron could be the culprit as it is a hormonal as well. You should google it and see what the side effects are.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
|
|
|
08-09-2007, 08:14 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Norco, Southern California
Posts: 53
|
Your headaches most likely are due to medications but please don't put off having a brain MRI. I had no symptoms before my doctor asked if I had headaches, then I noticed sinus type headaches. Her2+ patients really need to have a brain MRI once a year. I don't want to scare you, but rule it out. I pray you are clear and your headaches are just a side effect. God bless.
Beckie
__________________
Diagnosed 4/06, age 55
1.1 cm tumor
Pre-op x-ray caught lung nodules
6/06 - Stage 4, Her2+++, er/pr-
Mets to lungs(largest 3 cm), liver (largest 5.5 cm), and bones
Began taxotere, herceptin, & aredia
7/06 - radiation to lower spine & left shoulder for pain
8/06 - everything smaller
12/06 - stopped taxotere (toe infections)
5/07 - bone mets advancing
6/07 - add navelbine to herceptin & aredia
6/07 - discovered brain mets (3 in cerebellum, largest 2 cm.)
7/07 - WBR, change to Tykerb/Xeloda
9/07 - targeted radiation
10/08 - started navelbine/herceptin
2/09 - brain mets - targeted radiation
5/09 - mets in liver progressing, changed to Ixempra
7/09 - mets in liver still going, to the brain again, on gemzar now
9/09 - gemzar failed, started Doxil today
I know Who holds the future, and I know He holds my hand.
|
|
|
08-09-2007, 08:16 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 131
|
Here is a good website to look up the side effects of chemotherapy drugs.
Click on chemotherapy drugs to see the list
www.chemocare.com
__________________
Lala
DX Fall05 Stage 4 er+ pr+ her2+ liver and bone mets
DX Fall06 Brain mets, Brain mets gone Spring 2007
|
|
|
08-09-2007, 09:08 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
|
Emelie,
I agree it could be you are dehydrated or it could be chronic sinusitis. If you haven't had a brain MRI done in the last year I would ask your oncologist to order one.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:50 PM.
|