? About Brain Mets

I was wondering how most people with brain mets knew they had them. Since starting A/C treatments I have been having headaches and my onc doesn't believe that I have mets. But after my 3rd A/C treatment I had 2 days where I was very dizzy, seeing stars and feeling faint. This went away but on occassion I have trouble with balance, never fell but needing to catch myself when getting up from a sitting position.
I'm see my onc on thursday for my 4th and final A/C treatment and want him to follow up on these symptoms. Fearful that something maybe brewing but don't want to get paranoia either. How does one get there life back after bc diagnosis or does it just become old and you move on? Dx was in 6/05 and still in a state of shock.
Thanks for your help.
Rocky

Better to be safe than sorry. You really have to stay on top of this disease as best as you can. Insist on a brain MRI. Good luck to you.

[StephN]

This faint feeling and dizziness could be from your white and red blood counts dropping due to the chemos. Are you getting your blood checked before each treatment? Are they giving you any shots with blood boosters??

Hope this is the problem. I also felt weak as my blood counts dropped - had to put grab bars in the shower and make sure I used handrails on the stairs.

A brain MRI is a good idea, but I would rule out low blood counts as well.

Stephn,
THanks for the info on low blood counts, I never thought about it. In fact I almost didn't get my 3rd A/C treatment due to low counts. I did get it and infusion nurse was talking about shots but I did get one then. Thats probably in the future for me too!
Rocky

Dear Rocky
I am on herceptin and xeloda. The second week of xeloda before my break, I always get weak, dizzy and just yucky feeling.That's when my counts are down the most. Miraculously, the very next week- I feel great again. God created the human body so magnificently, it blows me away how it works.God Bless-Cathy

[MCS]

Please let me know on the brain mri. bc dx on 7/05. scared abut this

thank you

MCS

Head aches can also be caused by low WBC count. The bones in the skull kick into gear to up the white count. I had a low count almost all the way thru chemo and headaches,weakness,faint feelings.I never had a brain mri but it sounds like a good idea for you and I'm going to push for one after I'm done with sx & rads
Alice

[Lisa]

As the other ladies said, these syptoms could be blood count related. And, yes, some could be brain related. Many of us had brain MRIs with NO symptoms only to discover mets. Some had visual clues, others headaches. Many of us insisted on them after an on-line friend was diagnosed with "too many tumors to count" when she with no symptoms other than intuition, demanded one.

There is no reason for your doc not to order a brain MRI. They are painless and covered by your insurance. DO NOT WAIT until there IS a problem.
My onc said that many more bc women are getting brain mets because we're living longer. Ultimate good news, bad news.

As for fear, I always draw back to Chicken Little. The sky isn't what killed him. It was his fear. You will always wonder about symptoms, but move through them. And keep a good relationship with your onc.

Love and light,

Lisa