Hi everyone, despite being well whilst I am on my oral chemo, Xeloda?vinorlbene and also Hercepting and Zometa I have not had 2 incidences of being admitted to hospital on my off week, this out of only 3 cycles.
This time shortness of breath hit me and within minutes I was being whisked off to the hospital. Results initially showed blood clots on lungs and suspected heart attack, the latter being indicated by the high tropin limits, thankfully these reduced with treatment of Tinzaparin and now I have to continue on this treatment for 6 months to breakdown the multiple blood clots I now have on my lungs.
I was discharged last night and feeling unsure of moving about too much, although I have been advised by the medics to continue as normal, just the thought of the breathlessness hitting to fast again.
Just wondered if anyone else has similar experiences as was told this is a se of chemo?
I’m sorry I don’t have any experience of this to share, just wanted to bump this up. I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time - I hope it soon improves for you. Finty xx
sorry dont have same experience as you…but have just been diagnosed with blood clot on my lung, i finished chemo/rads in august and was taking tamoxifen, was feeling pretty good til couple weeks ago, had a number of symptoms… shortness of breath and chest pain being two of them…had a VQ scan and showed the blood clot, now having daily injections of fragmin (which will hopefully stop soon when my blood reaches an acceptable level!!) and warfarin tablets which i have to take for six months!! oncologist said it was probably mixture of chemo and the tamoxifen that caused the clot so ive been taken off tamoxifen and im just starting arimidex. This came at a bad time tho because just discovered i have a large cyst on my ovary which the gynae oncologist doesnt like the look of so had planned for surgery this week to remove my ovaries…now has to wait until my blood clot sorts itself out…when does it stop!!! ive got a bone scan tomorrow and CT scan next week…think the docs are just being thorough…well thats what im telling myself
sending my best wishes, hopefully someone else might come along who can offer advice/support, take care xx
I developed multiple clots in my arm after my second dose of chemo (FEC). I saw the haematology nurse specialist who said it was a problem with chemo. I had tinzaparin for about 6 months ie. for the duration of my surgery and further chemo. I stopped about 4 weeks after my last chemo.
Are you able to administer these yourself? I didn’t want a visit from the district nurse every day.
Hopefully you will feel relief fairly quickly from the tinzaparin. I couldn’t straighten my arm when I had clots and it was quite painful but the tinzaparin worked quickly. Once you feel less breathless you’ll probably feel less anxious and get back to normal.
Many thanks ladies for your replies. I have been out for a stroll around a local market today and must confess I was very worried the breathlessness might come on as fast as it did last week.
Fortunately this was not the case and I really enjoyed my afternoon out. I am self administering too as like you Elinda I didnt want to be tied in waiting for nurses every day and it is really easy to do.
Feeling a lot better today so its onwards and upwards again and many thanks for replies again
I am sorry to hear what you,re going through and hope that you are feeling much better.
I had multiple pulmonary emboli in 2006, following reconstructiion surgery whilst on tamoxifen.
The shortness of breath was horrible, and it came with a dreadful pain in the right side of my back- it was a bit like being stabbed in the back (I guess!) and every time I took a deep breath it felt like the knife was being twisted.
It made me very frightened and I was anxious for a long time afterwards, thinking it would come back. However, as each week went by my confidence got better.
I was on fragmin for a while (self injected at home) and then I was on warfarin for a year (should have been for 6 months but had problems getting my INR into therapeutic range)
4 years on, and other surgery done and so far OK!!
It is scary but you are on the treatment now , and I know your confidence will get better.
All the best Ann for a speedy recovery, XXXX