shortness of breath

Hi Angels,

I've been having shortness of breath off and on for the past couple of weeks. It really kicked in when my decadron dose had to be increased because I had an allergic reaction to carboplatin. I'm fine with it now (the carbo.). I'm getting close to the end (I hope) of my chemo combination (taxotere/herceptin/carbo.) I have been retaining a lot of fluid in my right foot and leg so I'm hoping that all of this is just from fluid retention. TOday when I take a deep breath and breathe out it kind of sounds tight, like someone that has asthma. I feel fine when I sit but if I'm real active I have to stop and catch my breath.

Any advice or words of wisdom? I'm trying not to panic. I just got my markers back about 6 weeks ago and they were 90, down a bunch since the end of July when they were almost 400. Logic tells me that they would be a lot higher than that if my lung mets were getting worse. I feel that my body is just real tired of the taxotere!!!

If anyone has any words of encouragement, please post. SInce tomorrow is MOnday I will call my onc tomorrow if I am worse, otherwise, I'm due for herceptin Tuesday so I can mention it then. ALso, this past week was my third week of treatment (i'm 3 weeks on, one week off, and usually by the third week I'm ready for a break.

Blessings and Christmas Hugs,

LInda in MI.

I just want to enjoy the holidays with my husband and kids without any undue anxiety!!

I'm also taking herceptin. Took taxol (very similar to taxotere).

Gut tells me that your shortness of breath is probably from either herceptin side effect (it affects heart) or allergic reaction to taxotere. Not a biggie you should worry about...

Nonethess, go enjoy the holidays!!!!

Hi JOJO,

I noticed your post in the profiles of courage. Your statistics are almost identical to mine except I'm er/pr++ both positive and I had 14 positive nodes. Are you in a trial to get herceptin early or are you lucky enough to have an onc who is giving it to you out of trial? I was in a trial but got the arm that did not receive the herceptin. That was almost 3 years ago. I tried hard to get it out of trial but back then there were few if any onc's doing that.

Blessings and Hugs,


Linda in MI.

Hi Linda, are you taking fluid tablets? Mine was the same and chest X-Ray showed no fluid on lungs because I was standing when it was taken but after weeks of suffering I went to hospital I had fluid around my lungs and heart and I dumped 5kilo of fluid over night with Lasics, and that felt good I could breathe again. Not quite sure if it was from Celebrex, Thyroid treatment drugs or an underlying connective tissue disorder which I have, it trys to kill off all my good bits instead of fighting the cancer it helps it, my body is a traitor. My episode was quite bad because the thyroid treatment put me in heart failure and I was in hospital for 7 days, and all of this was worse than any BC treatment I had.

Hugs Lyn

Hello Linda in MI,

Pls look at my reply to "stage 2, her2/neu and ER positive" in regards of my herceptin.

Are you stage 3, too?

Linda, see if you can search all of my posts beginning from Oct of last year or so.
I have been through it all concerning fluid build up and shortness of breath.
Basically, you have to be checked for plueral effusions. You can email me directly if you wish.

Dear Linda -
NO! You cannot give up. I know it is a few days since your post and update, but hope you have a glimmer of improvement since then.
I STILL have shortness of breath from all my chemo - and it was NOT for lung mets. This is a normal side effect for those of us taking some strong chemo over and over for whatever mets we are fighting. Sorry that it is even worse with the lung mets.
I am off chemo now for 21 months and it has been a long, slow climb to get some stamina back. Big improvements walking uphill and stairs now, but NOT without a lot of effort to strengthen myself. There were times I WISHED for some oxygen!
Navelbine was a GREAT drug for me and knocked out my liver mets in combo with Taxol and Herceptin.

HANG IN THERE.
Smiles and blessings.