Early in Treatment, symptoms are starting to creep in.

frokker68
frokker68 Member Posts: 49 Member
edited May 2017 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I have now completed 8 of 35 rads and 2 of 7 cisplatin treatments.  I am starting to feel a few side effects like a slightly sore throat, fatigue, mouth is starting to dry and taste is starting to fade a little bit.  None of those are not managable as of yet.  So far so good there.   One side effect of concern is all of a sudden (since starting treatment) I have had really low blood pressure.  Now this is coming from a guy that takes meds to treat high blood pressure for the last 10 years.   Anyway, yesterday it was 96 over 56 and that spooked me.  I never in my life ever remember the top number being below 100.  I have been feeling lightheaded, especially right as I stand up from sitting.  I called my family DOC and told him about this and he said to stop taking the blood pressure medicine right away if my top number is below 120.  To check my pressure everyday and if below 120, do not use the med for that day.  I will also tell oncology Monday when I go for #3 of cisplatin about this.  

Is this a normal side effect?  Anyone experience this in their treatment?  If so, how was it dealt with?  

Keith

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #2
    high normal, low normal, Keith's normal

    Keith,

    Qne week down, great!

    You are on  top of your BP, your doctor knows and your onc team will know (they already should)?  Other than nausea, negative side effects usually appear during week 3.  There are always a few which cannot wait to start.

    Are you drinking lots of water and swallowing often, it is important.

    Rest up (we almost all had the weekends off to recuperate).

    Matt

  • ShatterGhost
    ShatterGhost Member Posts: 2
    #3
    Good afternoon Keith, I was

    Good afternoon Keith, I was in the same situation as you described during the last few weeks of my radiation treatments.  I am sure the dizziness was happening earlier on also but I didn't stand up as much since I spent a lot of time sleeping during my second and third week of treatment so I wasn't standing up quickly as much.  Anyway, I was on blood pressure medication also which my doctors advised me to stop taking but what really was the problem with me was that I was dehydrated even though I thought I was drinking enough water and liquids it just wasn't enough it turned out.  

    They tested me a few times in the doctors office after my radiation treatment just to confirm it.  They did the blood pressure test where they have you lay down for a few minutes, they take your pressure while you are laying down then they have you stand up and take your pressure again to see if your systolic blood pressure has descreased more than 20 or your diasolic blood pressure has decreased more than 10 points.  In my case it was dehydration causing it.  I wasn't getting enough liquids or electrolytes.  I started drinking gatorade and more water even if I thought I was feeling fine.  I kept a bottle of gatorade at my bedside and would drink as much as I could just to keep things "Filled up" in a sense which really did help with my dizzy spells.  

    I hope that this helps, you are on the right track to beating this disease.  The treatment can be rough at times but it is worth it in the end.  Good luck and I hope you start feeling better.  Tim.

  • frokker68
    frokker68 Member Posts: 49 Member
    #4
    CivilMatt said:

    high normal, low normal, Keith's normal

    Keith,

    Qne week down, great!

    You are on  top of your BP, your doctor knows and your onc team will know (they already should)?  Other than nausea, negative side effects usually appear during week 3.  There are always a few which cannot wait to start.

    Are you drinking lots of water and swallowing often, it is important.

    Rest up (we almost all had the weekends off to recuperate).

    Matt

    Matt,

    Matt,

    Yes, I am drinking a lot of water and swallow constantly and I also try to keep moving my tongue around.  Exercise it.  And rest is my number one goal for weekends!  

  • frokker68
    frokker68 Member Posts: 49 Member
    #5
    ShatterGhost said:

    Good afternoon Keith, I was

    Good afternoon Keith, I was in the same situation as you described during the last few weeks of my radiation treatments.  I am sure the dizziness was happening earlier on also but I didn't stand up as much since I spent a lot of time sleeping during my second and third week of treatment so I wasn't standing up quickly as much.  Anyway, I was on blood pressure medication also which my doctors advised me to stop taking but what really was the problem with me was that I was dehydrated even though I thought I was drinking enough water and liquids it just wasn't enough it turned out.  

    They tested me a few times in the doctors office after my radiation treatment just to confirm it.  They did the blood pressure test where they have you lay down for a few minutes, they take your pressure while you are laying down then they have you stand up and take your pressure again to see if your systolic blood pressure has descreased more than 20 or your diasolic blood pressure has decreased more than 10 points.  In my case it was dehydration causing it.  I wasn't getting enough liquids or electrolytes.  I started drinking gatorade and more water even if I thought I was feeling fine.  I kept a bottle of gatorade at my bedside and would drink as much as I could just to keep things "Filled up" in a sense which really did help with my dizzy spells.  

    I hope that this helps, you are on the right track to beating this disease.  The treatment can be rough at times but it is worth it in the end.  Good luck and I hope you start feeling better.  Tim.

    Thanks Tim,

    Thanks Tim,

    Like Matt said above about drinking water.  I have been.  However, maybe it isn't enough.  I'll keep on chugging the H2O.  And then even more!!

  • Chicklette
    Chicklette Member Posts: 225
    #6
    My husband is on the same plan

    He has had high blood pressure and takes medicat for it and before chemo on Tuesday, it was something like 120 / 80 which is good, but it is lower than what it had been.  He has completed 10 radiation and two cisplatin.  He has a sore throat, but much of that is caused by allergies (he has the stuffy nose, watery eyes, etc).  He still has good saliva function and sweet flavors are starting to fade a bit.  He is still eating regular foods and drinking lots and lots of water.  

  • Sprint Car Dude
    Sprint Car Dude Member Posts: 181
    #7
    Yes Sir

    I am 6 months post treatment and my blood pressure runs about 100/64 on regular basis. My pulse is slower at around 66 resting rate. I agree with your MD to stop the blood pressure pill for now. There is a better than normal possiblity that is where your dizziness is coming from. And as Matt preaches to us all. Hydrate, Hydrate and then drink some more water. Don't forget the proteins as well. Water and Protein can take you along way. Keep on fight my friend.

  • frokker68
    frokker68 Member Posts: 49 Member
    #8
    Sprint Car Dude said:

    Yes Sir

    I am 6 months post treatment and my blood pressure runs about 100/64 on regular basis. My pulse is slower at around 66 resting rate. I agree with your MD to stop the blood pressure pill for now. There is a better than normal possiblity that is where your dizziness is coming from. And as Matt preaches to us all. Hydrate, Hydrate and then drink some more water. Don't forget the proteins as well. Water and Protein can take you along way. Keep on fight my friend.

    Today was chemo day.  Blood

    Today was chemo day.  Blood pressure still low.  The nurses there said the same thing.......drink more water!!  They pumped in a couple bags of saline and I did feel better as far as the lightheadedness is concerned.   I had thought I was drinking enough this whole time.  I was drinking until I felt full.   Obviously I was still not drinking enough.   I am now going to start keeping notes on my phone every time I have water to track how much.   Hmmm, maybe theres an app for that?   

    Thank you all above for your replies.   Still fighting strong, determined & posititve.  

    Keith

  • Tallkidsmom
    Tallkidsmom Member Posts: 9
    #9
    frokker68 said:

    Today was chemo day.  Blood

    Today was chemo day.  Blood pressure still low.  The nurses there said the same thing.......drink more water!!  They pumped in a couple bags of saline and I did feel better as far as the lightheadedness is concerned.   I had thought I was drinking enough this whole time.  I was drinking until I felt full.   Obviously I was still not drinking enough.   I am now going to start keeping notes on my phone every time I have water to track how much.   Hmmm, maybe theres an app for that?   

    Thank you all above for your replies.   Still fighting strong, determined & posititve.  

    Keith

    I started keeping a spread

    I started keeping a spread  of how many calories, volume of liquids and pain meds I was taking. It was invaluable as one day moved into the next. I've since deleted it, as it is no use to me now! My blood pressure at initial ENT appointment was so high I thought I was having a stroke! I was grateful it dropped as treatment occurred and was a welcomed side effect of weight loss during treatment. 

    Also, as treatment progresses appetite wanes. We really need to think of everything that goes in on a very clinical level. 

    All the best as you move forward!

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