First time chemo today with horrible headache!

KelliA

Hello. Today was my first day with chemo. I have a horrible headache. Is this normal? It hurts so bad I feel like my head is going to explode! I just feel like crying. Does anyone else had this symptom, if so what did you do to help get rid?

AnneCan

Headaches can occur with
Headaches can occur with certain drugs; I am not sure what you are on. I sometimes get headaches + I am allowed to take Tylenol if my temperature is normal. I think you should talk to your oncologist (or their nurse) to find out what you can take. The treatment centre I go to has an "oncologist on call" for after-hours questions like this; if you have someone like this I would call + ask. I don't take anything without checking with my onc first. Good luck!

dorookie

Please call your ONC
There has to be an afterhours number you can call, dont suffer. I dont remember if headache was a side effect for me, but I do know you dont have to suffer, call your doctor, right away...

Sure hope you feel better soon..

Hugs
Beth

Unknown

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

adamommy

Not as bad as I Expected
WEll today was my first day of chemo. It was not nearly as bad as I expected. I even felt like doing a little shopping afterward. Then I got home and messed around in the kitchen for a little while until I got kicked out by the family. I will wear my pump until Wednesday morning then it will be removed. I know I will have some side effects coming my way, especially the cold sensitivity which I have been warned about. My onc also gave me a Rx for anti nausea meds, which I quickly got filled. There is one thing bothering me. I have been having a dull pelvic pain since I got home this evening. The onc nurse said I could take a couple of Motrin. If that doesn't help I will be calling the on call doctor. Also, KelliA if you are having pain call that on call doc right now. There is no need for you to be in pain. The after hours phone number was one of the first things they gave me in my orientation today. For the past three days I have made myself physically and emotionally ill with worry not knowing what to expect today. I should have listened to my new good friends at CSN who kept telling me it probably won't be that bad. In my head I was being sent to be hooked up to the lethal injection machine. I had worked
up some serious stress. I appreciate all the kind words and the helpfulness in getting me ready for this day. If anybody is familiar with the pelvic pain please let me know. I suppose it could be from being in the same position for so long at the chemo center or doing a little too much shopping afterward. also these are the drugs I am on in case anyone has any extra info they can give me about them: oxaliplatin, levcovorin and 5-FU

idlehunters

adamommy said:

Not as bad as I Expected
WEll today was my first day of chemo. It was not nearly as bad as I expected. I even felt like doing a little shopping afterward. Then I got home and messed around in the kitchen for a little while until I got kicked out by the family. I will wear my pump until Wednesday morning then it will be removed. I know I will have some side effects coming my way, especially the cold sensitivity which I have been warned about. My onc also gave me a Rx for anti nausea meds, which I quickly got filled. There is one thing bothering me. I have been having a dull pelvic pain since I got home this evening. The onc nurse said I could take a couple of Motrin. If that doesn't help I will be calling the on call doctor. Also, KelliA if you are having pain call that on call doc right now. There is no need for you to be in pain. The after hours phone number was one of the first things they gave me in my orientation today. For the past three days I have made myself physically and emotionally ill with worry not knowing what to expect today. I should have listened to my new good friends at CSN who kept telling me it probably won't be that bad. In my head I was being sent to be hooked up to the lethal injection machine. I had worked
up some serious stress. I appreciate all the kind words and the helpfulness in getting me ready for this day. If anybody is familiar with the pelvic pain please let me know. I suppose it could be from being in the same position for so long at the chemo center or doing a little too much shopping afterward. also these are the drugs I am on in case anyone has any extra info they can give me about them: oxaliplatin, levcovorin and 5-FU

KelliA
Hey! When I first started chemo (Folfiri and Avastin) I too started getting headaches. Very minimal at first but by the 4th time they got bad. It ended up being my blood pressure and I had to start taking BP pills. It did the trick...no more headaches. I went into remission for 7 months, stopped chemo and stopped the BP pills. Just this past month I had a recurrance. SOOO...back on chemo as of July 12th. Same stuff. Well.... guess where I was yesterday???? Ended up in the ER.... blood pressure jacked up to 210/115 and boy was my head blowing off and even blinding spots in eyes. I had "forgot" it was a side effect for me and did not start taking BP pills again. I AM NOW!!! Just a heads up...it does happen. You take care!

Jennie

abrub

Headaches after stress
I've also found that often, within 24 hours of being in a high stress situation (of which first chemo definitely counts) I've developed a sick, migraine-type headache. Note that the headache starts AFTER the highest stress is past. I'm told that this is common with migraines. This is another possible explanation for your headache. However, I'm with everyone else:

CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Never hesitate to call your onc if you are uncertain about anything your body is doing. The oncs know that we're all terrified and in a strange new world.

adamommy

adamommy said:

Not as bad as I Expected
WEll today was my first day of chemo. It was not nearly as bad as I expected. I even felt like doing a little shopping afterward. Then I got home and messed around in the kitchen for a little while until I got kicked out by the family. I will wear my pump until Wednesday morning then it will be removed. I know I will have some side effects coming my way, especially the cold sensitivity which I have been warned about. My onc also gave me a Rx for anti nausea meds, which I quickly got filled. There is one thing bothering me. I have been having a dull pelvic pain since I got home this evening. The onc nurse said I could take a couple of Motrin. If that doesn't help I will be calling the on call doctor. Also, KelliA if you are having pain call that on call doc right now. There is no need for you to be in pain. The after hours phone number was one of the first things they gave me in my orientation today. For the past three days I have made myself physically and emotionally ill with worry not knowing what to expect today. I should have listened to my new good friends at CSN who kept telling me it probably won't be that bad. In my head I was being sent to be hooked up to the lethal injection machine. I had worked
up some serious stress. I appreciate all the kind words and the helpfulness in getting me ready for this day. If anybody is familiar with the pelvic pain please let me know. I suppose it could be from being in the same position for so long at the chemo center or doing a little too much shopping afterward. also these are the drugs I am on in case anyone has any extra info they can give me about them: oxaliplatin, levcovorin and 5-FU

Not a good day
I thought I was doing pretty good until today. I just got the pump off this morning and I am feeling like crap. Normally how long does it take to start feeling better once the pump has been removed? I have no energy, no appetite, and I feel like I have been hit by a bus.


Also, KelliA how are you doing? I know we started our treatment on the same day. I hope you are doing better than I am today.

God Bless You All