lightheadedness due to smells of betadine etc. /Chemo-prep

ds1
ds1 Member Posts: 19
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
OK, this may sound a bit off beat but here goes: The chemicals, that the nurses use to clean the area where the needle is to be inserted into the port catheter (through the skin on the chest wall), AND the heparin (flush) make me light-headed and dizzy. Is anybody else experiencing this?

The nurse said to have them only use alcohol next time.

Honestly, it has been 5 days since the treatment and I still feel sick just thinking about it. Any suggestions? I really do not look forward to that feeling again!!!!!!!

Comments

  • jamjar62
    jamjar62 Member Posts: 135
    #2
    Okay, so I'm not the only one! My first cycle of chemo, when they put the heparin to flush my mediport, I felt so light-headed. I said to the nurse "What's in that?" thinking she had given me the Ativan already. When she said heparin I felt like such a dope and a weiner! But it happened everytime there after.

    I also understand about the feeling sick just thinking about it. I ate peanut butter crackers and drank apple juice during my first chemo and I can't even think of either of these things without bile rising in my throat. Anything I smelled or ate during chemo was sure to make me sick if I thought about it later. I know its all probably in my mind but as Patrick says on SpongeBob Squarepants "At least I'm safe inside my mind"!

    For me the dizziness only lasted a few minutes and since betadine and heparin are not smells I'm likely to run into anywhere but during chemo (thank God) I didn't worry about it too much.

    So, having said all that, I have no suggestion for you but hope it helps knowing you aren't all alone in your experience.

    God bless,
    Karen
  • mc2001
    mc2001 Member Posts: 343
    #3
    YESSS! That happened to me ALL the time when getting my port flushed. The nurse would BLAST the heparin inside me to flush the port, and it gave me a total dizzy lightheadedness!! And I could smell and taste the heparin. SO before that, I would put a hard candy in my mouth for the bad tasted, and them take a cotton ball, put some perfume or cologne on it and wave it in front of your nose while they put the Betadine Surgical Scrub on the Port. or scratch n sniff stickers work too. Good luck!
    -Michael
    PS: Jolly Ranchers worked best for me :)
  • ds1
    ds1 Member Posts: 19
    #4
    jamjar62 said:

    Okay, so I'm not the only one! My first cycle of chemo, when they put the heparin to flush my mediport, I felt so light-headed. I said to the nurse "What's in that?" thinking she had given me the Ativan already. When she said heparin I felt like such a dope and a weiner! But it happened everytime there after.

    I also understand about the feeling sick just thinking about it. I ate peanut butter crackers and drank apple juice during my first chemo and I can't even think of either of these things without bile rising in my throat. Anything I smelled or ate during chemo was sure to make me sick if I thought about it later. I know its all probably in my mind but as Patrick says on SpongeBob Squarepants "At least I'm safe inside my mind"!

    For me the dizziness only lasted a few minutes and since betadine and heparin are not smells I'm likely to run into anywhere but during chemo (thank God) I didn't worry about it too much.

    So, having said all that, I have no suggestion for you but hope it helps knowing you aren't all alone in your experience.

    God bless,
    Karen

    Yes yes I have the same reaction to the peanut butter crackers and add to my list...animal crackers! I have not even touched the cranberry juice (the juice I tried to drink during chemo) in my frig. Ahh the power of suggestion ala'chemo.
  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #5
    ds1 said:

    Yes yes I have the same reaction to the peanut butter crackers and add to my list...animal crackers! I have not even touched the cranberry juice (the juice I tried to drink during chemo) in my frig. Ahh the power of suggestion ala'chemo.

    I STILL can't drink cranberry juice and it's been a year since chemo ended. In fact, I can't drink anything red and just walking back and smelling the infusion room when I go to get my port flushed nauseates me. Diane
  • amelia
    amelia Member Posts: 56
    #6
    ksfc said:

    I STILL can't drink cranberry juice and it's been a year since chemo ended. In fact, I can't drink anything red and just walking back and smelling the infusion room when I go to get my port flushed nauseates me. Diane

    Diane, I just had my port put in and can't wait until they take it out. why do you still have a port after a year? Amelia
  • JanAnnK
    JanAnnK Member Posts: 6
    #7
    jamjar62 said:

    Okay, so I'm not the only one! My first cycle of chemo, when they put the heparin to flush my mediport, I felt so light-headed. I said to the nurse "What's in that?" thinking she had given me the Ativan already. When she said heparin I felt like such a dope and a weiner! But it happened everytime there after.

    I also understand about the feeling sick just thinking about it. I ate peanut butter crackers and drank apple juice during my first chemo and I can't even think of either of these things without bile rising in my throat. Anything I smelled or ate during chemo was sure to make me sick if I thought about it later. I know its all probably in my mind but as Patrick says on SpongeBob Squarepants "At least I'm safe inside my mind"!

    For me the dizziness only lasted a few minutes and since betadine and heparin are not smells I'm likely to run into anywhere but during chemo (thank God) I didn't worry about it too much.

    So, having said all that, I have no suggestion for you but hope it helps knowing you aren't all alone in your experience.

    God bless,
    Karen

    During my first cancer tx I used a home care nurse instead of going to the hospital for chemo. She wore Obsession perfume. Fifteen years later I still get nauseous when someone walks into a room wearing it!

Discussion Boards