Chin tremor during chemo session

Phylwixom

My brother-in-law was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in early Jan. 2017, had surgery done on 1/12 in color, lymph nodes and liver areas. 

 

He started chemo 2/10, 5-FU, Oxalip, leucoverin, gransitone and decadron was administered. During the session, his chin started uncontrollably shaking (jerking, tremor), doctor removed granisetone (anti-nausea drug), but the tremor got worse (his hands, arms). 

 

According to the official drug documentations, none of the drug causes such a side effect. His brother has Parkinson. My sister is terrified, fear of drug induced Parkinson's. 

 

I wonder if any one has dealt with this type of side effect before. 

 

Thank you for your insights. 

 

Phyllis

 

Trubrit

Eye tremors

I had problems with my eyelids twitching uncontrolably during Chemo. It happened when I was outside in the cold and wouldn't stop until I had applied something warm on them. 

Not sure if it is the same sort of reaction as your brother-in-law, but it could be. 

I was on FOLFOX and home with the 5FU for 48 hours. 

The chemo, as you konw, it powerful, nasty stuff, and could definitely cause such a reaction.  I've never heard of chemo induced Parkinsons (which doesn't mean to say is not possible). 

I wish you, your sister and husband all the best.  He may find the next chemo session may not be so bad. 

TRU

zx10guy

The platinum in the Oxali is

The platinum in the Oxali is what affects the nerves.  I had to have my dose adjusted due to ever more persistent neuropathy.  That said, I had muscle twitching, cramping, and motor control issues while on chemo.  Writing and touch typing was some times an exercise in futility.  Especially writing where there were times my thumb would lock in place or couldn't move very well.  Pretty much any fine motor skills with my hands was shot and still not like it was since stopping chemo.

As far as Parkinson's my father had it and the initial symptoms didn't present like what you're describing nor when the tremors were at their worse.

nateswife

It's the oxilaplatin, as

It's the oxilaplatin, as zxguy said. It's a well-known reaction to oxilaplatin, called hyperexcitability syndrome. I'm pasting a quote from a paper on it: "It is a condition characterized by cramps, muscle twitching, weakness, myotonia and pseudomyotonia (slow muscle relaxation after forceful contraction)."

 

That is, I hope and expect that that's what's going on with your brother in law. I don't know anything about a connection to Parkinson's and chemo. But when I was getting infused with oxi I had facial tremors and twitches, weird voice changes due to vocal cord contractions, my hands seizing into a claw and other things. Importantly, those symptoms went away 3-5 days after infusion. Try having him take large doses of Calcium prior to infusion and each day after for 3-5 days. See if that makes a difference. It helped me a lot, and was recommended by my onco who has studied oxilaplatin induced hyperexcitability syndrome. 

Phylwixom

nateswife said:

It's the oxilaplatin, as

It's the oxilaplatin, as zxguy said. It's a well-known reaction to oxilaplatin, called hyperexcitability syndrome. I'm pasting a quote from a paper on it: "It is a condition characterized by cramps, muscle twitching, weakness, myotonia and pseudomyotonia (slow muscle relaxation after forceful contraction)."

 

That is, I hope and expect that that's what's going on with your brother in law. I don't know anything about a connection to Parkinson's and chemo. But when I was getting infused with oxi I had facial tremors and twitches, weird voice changes due to vocal cord contractions, my hands seizing into a claw and other things. Importantly, those symptoms went away 3-5 days after infusion. Try having him take large doses of Calcium prior to infusion and each day after for 3-5 days. See if that makes a difference. It helped me a lot, and was recommended by my onco who has studied oxilaplatin induced hyperexcitability syndrome. 

Thank you so much, this info

Thank you so much, this info is very helpful. 

Phylwixom

zx10guy said:

The platinum in the Oxali is

The platinum in the Oxali is what affects the nerves.  I had to have my dose adjusted due to ever more persistent neuropathy.  That said, I had muscle twitching, cramping, and motor control issues while on chemo.  Writing and touch typing was some times an exercise in futility.  Especially writing where there were times my thumb would lock in place or couldn't move very well.  Pretty much any fine motor skills with my hands was shot and still not like it was since stopping chemo.

As far as Parkinson's my father had it and the initial symptoms didn't present like what you're describing nor when the tremors were at their worse.

Thank you very much, info is

Thank you very much, info is very helpful.