Tykerb - Headaches?

[Shahyan]

Hello,

My mother was diagnosed with extensive brain mets about a year and two months ago. She underwent WBR + Temodar, 3 months from the the WBR it showed almost all lesions had disappeared. 6 months on Temodar and a scan revealed that the brain mets had return all though not quite as many on initial diagnosis. She was them put on Carboplatin+Gemzar+ (Herceptin as always) and in January 2007 a 50% regression of all lesions in the brain was noticed.This May a scan revelead very little progression and our oncolodgist actually termed this as stable disease (although I felt it was just to put us at ease) and suggested that we get Tykerb asap. She has been on Tykerb+ Xeloda since then.

In the last one year, my mother has shown the following symptoms:

1. Headaches - which went away after WBR, but in the last 4 months have been intermittant. She gets its somtimes (and we as well oncologist felt it had to do with her eye operations (mentioned below))
2. Her eyesight detoriated appreciably from -2.5 to -8.0 in both eyes before the first brain scan was done. She has since then consulted an eye specialist and the specialist said that she has cataract and accordingly my mother went through a laser surgery to remove the cataract. Her eyesight is now better than it used to be, but not yet perfect. In fact one of her eyes gets blurry, but the blurryness goes away when she puts eye drops for about 30 minutes. It is because of this I feel comfortable that her blurriness is not caused by brain mets, but is infact her new lense.

Remember she has had headaches on and off in the past four months but the intensity, duration and even frequency had reduced sine January which is why we felt the drugs are working.

However, in the past two days she has had a constant headache which starts off strong in the morning, she has painkillers which greatly reduces the headaches but do not eliminate them. My mom feels it is migrane, but I am so scared....she is so strong...what do i do....I know maybe a brain scan again, but what if its bad...we dont have anymore options left....my mom in fact has also been on Boswella for 6 months now........what do I do? Any suggestions even drastic and not conventional would help

Please I'd appreciate any advice I can get...I am just very scared and worried...

Also just wondering...am I the only person who thinks almost every 30 minutes of the waking day and prays to God in that 30 minutes...My family thinks I may be stressing myself out.

Shahyan

[Shahyan]

Hi ,

Just an updated. She is still having headaches in the morning, but they are minor. Not sure if the pain killers are bringing down the intensity. Any advice would highly appreciated.

Thanks

Shahyan

[rentrac]

Dear Shahyan,
Have you called her oncologist and told him/her about the increase in headaches? If a scan is ordered, it may be scary, but the anxiety of not knowing and imagining all the awful things our brains can conjure up is usually much worse than knowing what is really there and figuring out how to manage it. Good luck, and prayers go with you and your mother.
Rentrac

[hutchibk]

Headaches can be a somewhat common side effect of Xeloda. Many find that it can trigger their migranes. Lowering the dose a little can help make them go away. Tell the doctor! They can help.