hi everyone,
I have just had herceptin number 9 (so half way there!).
I noticed in January that I was having good and not so good days but it has got to the stage now where I am continuously feeling dizzy, sick, pale, ‘low sugar level feeling’, cold sweats and generally unwell. I started at the gym in September whilst having radiotherapy and everything seemed to be going well but last month I started to struggle during the exercises and found I ended up feeling unwell for several days afterwards.
It has now got to the stage where any form of physical activity is making me unwell even riding which I absolutely love and have just got back into. I have had blood tests taken and everything except my creatinine levels are fine. I should get the results of a second test on my kidneys on Monday.
Presuming the kidney aspect has nothing to do with my symptoms, I was wondering if anyone else on Herceptin (I’m also on Tamoxifen) is having similar problems, particularly with the dizziness.
My finger nails are also ‘shot’, they are so weak, splitting, breaking and when I file them, they remain flakey - I finished FEC at the end of last August, could this be the nail growth from that period just reaching the tips of my fingers. I also have extremely itchy lower legs, which now look revolting because I have scratched them so much - anyone else having the same problem?
Opinions very much appreciated.
Poppy
Hi Poppy
I have just finished Herceptin. Last one was 2 weeks ago.
I have felt exhausted and my nails are atrocious.
They flake, break and chip at the least thing - can’t fasten a necklace without breaking my thumb nail. They look bitten and awful. My last FEC (8) was March 07 and the ridges grew out OK.
I am hoping that now I have finished I will feel a bit more like me and my nails will look a lot better.
My skin is terribly dry as well. It’s always tended to be a bit greasy. My knuckles were really dry and cracked and they bled. They’ve never been this bad since I had a holiday job at the local hairdressers in the early 70’s
Marilyn x
Hi Marilyn
thank you for replying. Sounds as though I have several more months of bad nails to put up with. Now that you have finished herceptin, I wish you a full and quick recovery.
Poppy x
Hi Poppy,
I’m on Tamoxifen and Herceptin too. I’ve had Herceptin since last summer, with Taxol which stopped in November. I started tamoxifen in January.
I’ve had terribly itchy skin and rashes since starting Tamoxifen, especially my face, hands and inner thighs. I’ve been strangely dizzy too. Not linked to moving or getting up too fast - I can be sitting still and suddenly go ‘wooooouurgh!’ what was that?!’ It’s most peculiar.
My hands are really dry and my nails are splitting all the time. Recently the skin on my fingers is so delicate, I can just touch something or pick up a piece of paper and they start to bleed! I was hoping the nails would grow out with time, but I’m constantly moisturising my skin and nothing helps.
I’ve had episodes of terrible mouth ulcers and feeling light headed when climbing stairs etc, which i’ve put down to a low blood count (I had loads of problems with the chemo) - I’m going to ask my Onc about all these things on Monday, as I haven’t seen him for three months. I haven’t had any blood tests since January even though I’m having 3-weekly Herceptin.
Unfortunately I can’t just count off the sessions as I’m on these drugs idefinately, as I have secondaries.
All the best
Jacquie
Hi Jacquie
so sorry to hear you have secondaries.
thank you for replying, it really sounds as though you are going through the mill.
Those of us on Herceptin don’t tend to have blood tests it’s only when you have chemo they do regular ones.
My GP did a blood test because I wasn’t feeling well. I rang my surgery this morning for the results of the latest tests on my kidneys and the GP wants to talk to me about two abnormal results, so perhaps my symptoms have nothing to do with herceptin after all but I will know more on Wednesday. Interesting though, how both of us are having dizzy spells.
Take care.
Poppy