Cardiac Issues

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jerryob
jerryob Member Posts: 9 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I haven't seen any references to cardiac issues that arise after treatment, so I have to assume that mine are coincidental rather than causitive.  I had a sleep study done prior to my diagnosis and treatment (3years prior) and then had a repeat done about six months after treatment that noted significant bradycardia.  This is not an unusual condition based on my age alone, and they put me through all of the testing-ekg, ekg stress/us, halter monitor.  Just another thing for me to worry about I guess.  I haven't had to go to a pacemaker yet, but that may be in my future.

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  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,275 Member
    #2
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    Well Jerry

    The old saying goes when it rains it pours meaning I guess we got more than we expected.
    I take the saying to mean when something like when a bad thing happens a lot of times another may be with it or follow shortly after.
    That looks like your situation as you have 2 things going on.
    I have never heard of cancer treatment causing cardiac issues.
    Many other things as after-effects but not that.
    Reminds me during my first cancer situation and I was talking to a nurse and there must have been a flu going around or something and I can't remember my exact comment about it but I must have alluded to the fact that I shouldn't get it being in a cancer situation and the nurse said "don't think you are exempt from it just because you are going through cancer treatment, you are still open to all the other things that happen to people".
    Probably not phrasing it exactly as it was but hope you get the idea.
    Sorry, you have another thing you may have to deal with but if a pacemaker fixes it they are easily put in and common nowadays.
    I am sure there are some of us on here that remember when getting a pacemaker was a big deal and they were certainly a lot larger.

    The first pacemaker was implanted in a person in 1958. It didn't last very long, though that patient lived to age 88 and had 26 pacemakers in his lifetime. Pacemakers entered the modern era in 1969 with the first lithium battery.

    Take Care-God Bless-Russ

  • johnsonbl
    johnsonbl Member Posts: 266 Member
    #3
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    Cardiac issues post cancer treatment are actually....

    pretty common.  We actually have a clinic specific to this population of patients.  As you would expect, radiation to the chest and certain systemic (chemo) therapies can affect the cardiovascular system.

    https://uihc.org/cardio-oncology

  • SuzJ
    SuzJ Member Posts: 427 Member
    #4
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    A lot of things related to

    A lot of things related to chemo/rads affect our hearts.

    Are they checking your magnesium/potassium regularly? Low on those 2, can cause it to slow, you need them both for heart muscles.

    Do you get faint? A rare (go figure!) side effect is Baroreceptor dysfunction, its so much fun.. I cant raise my hands over my head for long - and I cant do heat.. I fall down go splat..

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