Drama in the chemo room

kayandok
kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
A bit of drama in the chemo room yesteday. After a few minutes of the decadron and anti-nausea pre-meds went into my drip, i began to feel a tightness in my chest. At first it was very mild, but quickly became a pain, and then more intense like my heart was being wrung out. Then a wave of numbness down my arm, and then another. Fortunately, the nurse was right there, stopped the drip, hooked up an EKG, took my blood pressure, called the doctor, did all the right things immediately.

it was a flurry of ativity, nurses, doctor, machines being whirled around, I thought it was the end for me. Then it all stopped. The heart went back to normal, my blood pressure went back to normal, like as if nothing had happened.

The chemo room doc said the EKG looked fine and that I could probably go ahead and have the taxol, but that I needed to go down to the out patient room and see my onc/gyn. So, the nurse wheeled me down, and I had a consultation.

The end result was to stop the chemo for the day, I was scheduled for a heart US, and another trip to the port doc to make sure my port is ok. (It has not been working 100%) I came home, and although a bit shaken by the experience, feel great, and had a great night's sleep.

I suspect that I was having a decadron reaction, I have always had head aches with it and am now taking the very minimal amount. My heart US and other tests will rule out any heart problems etc. My last MUGA before the doxil was very good. I did not have a follow up MUGA after stopping the doxil back in April 2010.

Has anyone ever had a reaction like that, to decadron? Or reaction to the decaron and lyrica (for nueropathy) or neuotin? When I read about the side effects, heart tightness and heart failure is listed as one of the side effects. I realize that if only one person has this, they have to list it. My gut tells me this was the culprit. Either that or a reaction to the decadron and lyrica in my system.

Just throwing this out there, to see if anyone has thoughts on this.

k

Comments

  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #2
    Kay,
    I have no thoughts,
    Kay,

    I have no thoughts, only prayers. Hugs to you honey, all will be well.

    Leesa
  • Barbara53
    Barbara53 Member Posts: 652
    #3
    well, maybe
    My mother had a similar-sounding chest pain experience about 30 hours after getting her first infusion of Avastin, which followed pepcid, decadron, carbocisplatin in drip. It was her 3rd carbo (for recurrance), but it was the first time she received Avastin, so naturally I put the blame there. BUT, the Avastin was not subsequently discontinued. Plus, she did not experience the usual anti-inflammatory benefits of dec after the next infusion, so maybe the dec was reduced? After reading your experience, I wonder if this is a not-so-unusual side effect of the steroids. It was definitely some type of coronary event, scared me, too!
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #4
    scary
    No advice to offer just wishing you good luck on future infusions!!! Thinking of you of often.
    XOXOXO
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    #5
    That is scary
    Kathleen that is so scary. I am so glad you are okay. I have never heard of anyone else experiencing this. No more drama....okay.

    Hugs coming your way
    Linda
  • srwruns
    srwruns Member Posts: 343
    #6
    Oh boy. Very scary. I havd
    Oh boy. Very scary. I have no advice since I just started. But you are in my thoughts and keep us posted so if there are things to learn..please take care. Susan
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #7
    Yikes
    So glad you are okay!
  • vj1
    vj1 Member Posts: 150
    #8
    K"
    scary for sure--prayers
    K"
    scary for sure--prayers to you that all goes well. Always a surprise, eh?
    v
  • azgrandma
    azgrandma Member Posts: 609 Member
    #9
    vj1 said:

    K"
    scary for sure--prayers
    K"
    scary for sure--prayers to you that all goes well. Always a surprise, eh?
    v

    me too
    they have to cut mine in half and also the benadryl in half as it bothers me
    glad yoru ok
  • Cindy Bear
    Cindy Bear Member Posts: 569
    #10
    no thoughts
    No thoughts just wanted to say hang in there. YOu are a trouper.. I would have been hysterical, crying, fainting.. (I'm a big chicken) Take care and let us know how you're doing. Hugs, Cindy
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #11
    Cindy Bear said:

    no thoughts
    No thoughts just wanted to say hang in there. YOu are a trouper.. I would have been hysterical, crying, fainting.. (I'm a big chicken) Take care and let us know how you're doing. Hugs, Cindy

    Thanks
    everyone for all the support! I had no issues at all this last week with my heart, and a clear heart US today. My doctor chalked it up to "overall fatigue" and strongly suggested I take Decmeber off from chemo. I have mixed feelings, but I think he is right about the fatigue and I probably will take him up on his suggestion.

    Meanwhile, i will go into the hospital next week to get the old port taken out, and a new one put in. Although it is done in a surgery room, they don't give you a general here. I don't know that I want to witness this whole procedure, I hope I can ask for a tranq or something to put me to sleep.

    I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day!!

    I am grateful to be alive, so grateful for all of you ladies here on the ACS board.

    Hugs all around,
    kathleen❤
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #12
    kayandok said:

    Thanks
    everyone for all the support! I had no issues at all this last week with my heart, and a clear heart US today. My doctor chalked it up to "overall fatigue" and strongly suggested I take Decmeber off from chemo. I have mixed feelings, but I think he is right about the fatigue and I probably will take him up on his suggestion.

    Meanwhile, i will go into the hospital next week to get the old port taken out, and a new one put in. Although it is done in a surgery room, they don't give you a general here. I don't know that I want to witness this whole procedure, I hope I can ask for a tranq or something to put me to sleep.

    I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day!!

    I am grateful to be alive, so grateful for all of you ladies here on the ACS board.

    Hugs all around,
    kathleen❤

    Your Port
    I had mine put in while I was awake and they gave me the drug that I call the "I don't Care" I was awake but had no discomfort it seemed to go pretty fast . I hope you have as easy a time as I did .

    Happy Thanksgiving

    Colleen
  • lindachris
    lindachris Member Posts: 173
    #13
    kayandok said:

    Thanks
    everyone for all the support! I had no issues at all this last week with my heart, and a clear heart US today. My doctor chalked it up to "overall fatigue" and strongly suggested I take Decmeber off from chemo. I have mixed feelings, but I think he is right about the fatigue and I probably will take him up on his suggestion.

    Meanwhile, i will go into the hospital next week to get the old port taken out, and a new one put in. Although it is done in a surgery room, they don't give you a general here. I don't know that I want to witness this whole procedure, I hope I can ask for a tranq or something to put me to sleep.

    I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day!!

    I am grateful to be alive, so grateful for all of you ladies here on the ACS board.

    Hugs all around,
    kathleen❤

    My wife Linda says she's rooting for better things for you...
    I read her your story and she was going "Ohhhh...wow..." because she's had her share of challenges like this, including putting a port in her arm, etc. I hope things go smoothly there and that you can get back on the schedule. It sounds like you're in need of rest.

    Chris

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