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terrible headaches and sore throats

Talismom
  • By Talismom
  • Posted June 13, 2009 at 7:28 am · 26 replies
  • In Treatment
  • Shared with the public
0 Recommendations

Good morning to all you inspiring women. I did my first chemo-carbo/taxol and avastin last Friday so it has been one week. On Monday they also gave me a shot of nueplasta. Although I am not throwing up, I do have the usual nausea (getting better each day) and loss of appetite. The thing though that is most bothersome is consistent headaches, intense sore throats and mouth sores.
Anyone else dealing with this? What has helped. Sometimes the pain is so intense I want to cry. I do extra strength tylenol and advil (switching on and off) but is isn't that helpful.
Would love any advice.
It is 4:30 am in Seattle and I awoke in pain again so I decided to write.

Explore topics in this discussion:

Cancer Taxol Tylenol Motrin Advil Ibuprofen Avastin Decadron Laryngitis Fever Vicodin Menopause Pain Percocet

26 replies

PLE

Hi Talismom

I am on my second round of chemo/avastin and have never had the mouth sores. The week after chemo I rinse my mouth with baking soda/hot water and use Crest mouthwash (no alcohol) to rinse after each meal. It is important to do daily flossing as usual.

Good luck and hang in there!

FavoriteAunt

The nausea is normal but you need to tell your doctor about the headaches and mouth sores. The Neulasta shot will cause bone pain, but not headaches or mouth sores. I don't think I ever got mouth sores from carbo/Taxol but really can't remember, but I do get them from Doxil now. If you're having a reaction to the chemo, your doctor needs to know, expecially about those headaches, so please call him. Hope you feel better soon.

tex2step

I completed the six rounds of carbo/taxo/avastin and finished in March 09. I didn't have mouth sores but I did have pain almost continually chemo. My doctors felt that pain control was important to quality of life so I have taken Percocet or Vicodin as required to handle the pain. I found that pain control was very important to my daily outlook and ability to be a functioning person during the chemo and surgeries. Please don't hesitate to tell you doctor about the pain and ask for something.
I worried about the long term effects of pain management, but the doctors reassured me that we would manage it and they were correct. I am not taking anything stronger than a Motrin these days.

Talismom is correct about oral hygiene. It is very important to you eating and your over all health. I used hydrogen peroxide as an oral rinse for years before OVCA and I continue to this day. A company called Biotene makes a great mouth wash that is alcohol free. They also make toothpaste and you can find them at a CVS, Rite-Aid or larger chain pharmacies. I hope that this helps and don't hesitate to ask for help during this time.

Stacey

tex2step

Sorry I meant to say PLE is correct. We will be thinking of you Talismon

hinsopa

I just started this chemo cocktail, too. I'm on trial GOG213. I have had 1 chemo and have had these same symptons. I had nausea even with emend and several other drugs. I am going back to zofran next cycle since that worked better for me. I also have had a very dry, irritated nose and a dry cough. I became very hoarse right after chemo. The worst part has been that my tongue is completely sore and feels like it feels when you have sores on it; however, I have not had sores show up. My nurse tells me this is the avastin and I agree because I had none of this with the taxol and carbo combo.

momanderson920

I had very bad mouth sores once. I only used a very soft toothbrush, no mouthwash, and did not use mouthwash. I ate soft food at the most vulnerable time to be safe. I was told to eat ice chips during chemo infusion and it often will prevent mouth sores later on...have no idea why but my oncologist told me that and I did it after the mouth sore episode and never got them again. I had terrible bone and joint pain but not sore throat. Possibly you have gotten sores in your throat to cause it. I don't recall headaches, but everyone's body reacts differently...and remember they are infusing you with other drugs besides the chemo most of the time...benadryl, decadron, sometimes an anti nauseau drug, and sometimes a tranquilizer. I pray you can get some relief.

Stoogemom

My Dr. prescribed an oral rinse for me when I had sores on my tongue. You just swirl it around in your mouth and spit it out. It gave me complete relief in a few days and the sores never came back. Also you should rinse your mouth with baking soda, salt and warm water twice a day. I made up a little container of the two and then it was handy and ready to go. I'm not sure about the headaches though. Always check with your Dr. Feel better soon!
Stoogemom

Shearaw

I have had minor mouth sores on another chemo and rinsing with lukewarm saltwater several times a day definitely helped.

I had terrible headaches on the same carbo/taxol/avastin combination, also. I had been a major migraine sufferer most of my life. The oncologists told me not to take any Advil, Motrin or other ibuprofen while on chemo. It makes the platelets or white cells (can't remember which) that we have left less effective in doing their jobs. Here's what didn't work for me: I was prescribed several different of the migraine meds, but they just resulted in my getting worse rebound headaches - a very common situation. They also gave me an antidepressant (nortryptilin) as a headache preventative - just made me gain about 15 lb. over a year.

What worked for me? I started using a neti pot. Like the mouth rinses using lukewarm salt water. I believe it works the same way as rinsing for mouth sores. That is, it toughens up the membranes and desensitizes them. It also cleans out anything that creates extra pressure in the sinuses, and keeps the local blood vessels from becoming too constricted. It does feel a little weird at first, but after one week it becomes the most normal habit. Even now, I almost never get a headache, and a simple Tylenol or Advil (preferred when not on chemo) at the first sign, does the trick!

Hope this helps and good luck!
Sheara

Talismom

Thanks so much. I am going to try the neti pot.
I hadn't heard about not taking tylenol or advil during chemo. Have others been told this as well?

ccdatty2

I just had my 1st recurrence after 2.5 years and started the Avastin, Carbo, Gemzar regime on Friday. I did have a headache that night but has not reoccurred. I am set for the Neulasta on Monday also and that is where I anticipate the horrific headache. This shot is very potent in working on bone marrow to produce the white blood cells and does cause headache i.e skull big bone as the traige nurse once told me. I appreciate all the other entries re mouth sore issues and will start my mouth washes to hopefully avoid that. If you all stick together with sharing remedies for any side effects to this drug we will all come out the other end just fine. Bless everyone and have a good day.

dollycat6

My doctor prescribed "magic mouthwash" swish and rinse. That helped numb it. Then the baking soda as said in the above notes.

dollycat6

Manuelaingermany

Never had mouthsores but had a terrible headache after my first chemo that lasted almost 3 weeks. I went into hospital one week after the first chemo for a high fever, didnt have neulasta until the second chemo. Since I had migraines before cancer, I thought it would last forever and drove me crazy, but the good news was, it went away after about 2 or 3 weeks, and then I didnt have another headache for month, and then they were normal headaches that would go away with tylenol or advil. Hang in there.
Manuela

Talismom

This is so helpful.
I did get the neulasta shot and it sounds like that may be the culprit. I am doing the biotene thing which is helping and am taking tylenol which also makes a difference.
This week I go in for my first blood tests. I will be interested to see what it says about my white blood cell count as well as my CA-125 which is incredibly sensitive. (This recurrence was detected when it went from 12 to 15 to 17- (still within the normal range but an upward trend over 9 months)

smac5

HI Talismom--I've been away and just saw your question. The avastin is very likely the reason for your sore throat. About 3 days after treatment I get a runny nose, hoarse voice and plugged sinuses. The docs say it because chemo irritates sinuses. I know it was the Avastin because I added it after 3 treatments that didn't do it, but they hope when I am on Avastin only, the combined effects will be better. I practically get laryngitis, which is bad for a teacher! However, it didn't cause any worse headaches than the other chemos, but if you are prone to headaches that could be the cause.

BTW--my docs said Tylenol was no problem but they waited until my first blood tests after the first treatment because some people have trouble with ibuprofen (advil, etc.) affecting their white/red blood cells. If it doesn't show up the first time, then you are OK.

I also did get some more mouth sores each treatment even before Avastin was added, although now that I think about it, it has been worse since I added Avastin. Thanks for the suggestions on helps for that, y'all!

Just got back from a weekend of spiritual healing. the mellowness is wonderful--now if I can just hang on! Love and best wishes to all.

lovemnms

I had a lot of mouth and throat sores. My doctor prescribed an oral rinse for me too. Many women know it as "magic mouthwash". It works. I was told I could swallow some of it (not more than once a day) for the sores in my throat. Ask before doing this though.

esther3kids

I'm on my fourth chemo treatment of Taxol/Carbo, this last time was harder than before. I was more tired and achy than I have ever been. And this time I had more headaches, no mouth sores. Check with your doctor. I was told I could take motrin.

I'll being praying for you, Good Luck!

Love,
Esther

scubadvr

Had carbo/taxol, but not Avastin. No mouth sores, but did get a horrible headache. My chemo nurse thought it was from the Zofran (ondanestron) which they give before chemo for nause, and she switched me to Kytril. This really helped, and I never had any more headaches. Check which antinausea med, they are giving you pre-chemo. This could be the cause of the headache.

Talismom

Thanks everyone,
After two nights of waking up with terrible sore throat and earache, I decided to go see my regular doc and low and behold I have a real cold, enlarged and yucky tonsils etc.
So, while I wait to see if it is strep, I am doing what I usually do that helps a lot. Apple cider vinegar gargle takes care of it usually within a couple of days.
The early headaches were from chemo, but I am glad to learn I won't be having a non-stop burning throat and headache for the next 4 months.

Jennali

I think we get so tuned in to having cancer that we forget that something else could be causing us to feel bad.

Talismom, I am glad that you "only" have a cold. At least you know you'll be feeling better soon.

Hang in there, hon.

esther3kids

Colds seem to be going around these days. Here in San Diego it's been unusually cooler than normal. My husband has a cold right now and I'm trying hard not to get sick, because you know how week our imune systems are because of the chemo.

I wanted to tell you that I heard of this mouth rinse that helps for mouth sores it's called "Prevention". I haven't had to use it but I heard that it works.

Hope you feel better.

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