Lock Jaw a side effect of chemo or meds?

dee9191
dee9191 Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi all, has anyone experienced lock jaw during or after treatment?

Sometimes my jaw freezes shut, now and then, no pattern, and usually when I am taking a first bite of any food. My onc is baffled and is sending me to an Ear/Nose/Throat doc.

am 3 1/2 yrs into nearly constant treatment for breast cancer. I started out with the usual AC/Taxol/Chest Wall Radiation, then Taxotere plus Carboplatin, Taxotere alone, whole brain radiation, Gamma Ray radiation, and oh yes, Herceptin for over 2 years, recently on Navelbine and Gemzar until the port failed and I've got DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) in entire right arm. We also just learned I may have lung mets.

Oh dear I am rambling. Anyway, current meds: Navelbine, Herceptin, Decadron Steriods 8mg/day, Zoloft, sometimes an HCzT, Ambien, Lortabs and Duragesic Patches for pain. And to treat the lock jaw, a mild Valium when I first start to feel the tightening.

Thanks for any advice!
Love to all, Dee9191

44 yrs, dx's Feb 2001, Her2+, ER/PR-, Rt Mastectomy, 27 of 28 nodes positive and matted, IBC, Mets to liver found and in remission, mets to brain found - radiated twice and in remission :), second primary in left breast and lyymph nodes and perhaps now, lung mets.

Comments

  • jeancmici
    jeancmici Member Posts: 665 Member
    #2
    You have had quite a session with cancer to put it mildly. First, you do not have lockjaw - a usually fatal disease - but TMJ - temporomandibular joint syndrome. I used to have some clicking and pain in my jaw at times when I was in high school and out in a cold wind without any headd or ear covering.
    The last time I had pain especially in the morning when I first moved my jaw was when I was under extreme stress and had my condo on the market and was looking for another place. It got better when I abandoned this after several weeks, but not gone. I saw oral surgeon who determined there was no real dislocation etc. I took Ativan which I had from previous stress - just one in the morning and gradually it got better. I found chewing gum carefully helped too.

    I hope you find this is just your body hollering from going thru so much and extremem tension. Remember people grind teeth sometimes unknown to themselves when they sleep. I think I do this because sometimes when I first put my teeth together in the a.m. all my teeth hurt. I was on herceptin and navelbine - now only navelbine - and awaiting scans of bones, liver and lungs on 13th and 14th July.
    Just some comments which may help. If your jaw were truly dislocatd I think you could not open it until it was reset again usually by oral surgeon.
    My best wishes for relief,
    Jean
  • singer2912
    singer2912 Member Posts: 8
    #3
    Well, kiddo. I just returned from the doctor for similar symptoms that I've had for about 3 weeks. I thought it might be a sinus infection. Not locked jaw but severe pain the in joint. I am 1 year past my last chemo treatment and on the new drug Aromisin. This was my regular doctor and he prescribed an anti-inflammatory and ice, and REDUCTION in hard chewing. I do this for a week and if it doesn't go away, then I'm back to the oncologist.

    I'm convinced this is a side effect of the drug since I had similar pain in my hip for a month after I started taking it.

    Anyway, good luck with the EMT...at least they're being responsive and getting you help.

    Best!

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