Does anyone suffer from breathlessness on exert... - My Ovacome
Does anyone suffer from breathlessness on exertion five days after Chemo
I certainly feel tired but not exactly breathless but must admit my exertion levels have not been what they were pre op and chemo. My onc always asks me if I have had any breathlessness as I have lung lesions anyway and thus far have been able to say no but I do get some weird chest pains which I put down to the chemo doing its thing. I always tell my onc just how I am feeling and get a reassuring response, for example I was getting some bleeding from my nose post chemo if I blew my nose and my onc simply said "don't blow it". I suspect yours might say to you take it easy post chemo but they will also want to know so that they can fully review you. If it gets better as you recover post chemo then it is probably nothing to worry about.
Hugs Amanda x
Dear Amanda
Thank you for your reply, it only seems to be once a week at the same time, i do wonder if it is the chemo doing this as I am asthmatic and it may weaken the lungs a little bit,I will ckeck with the oncologist when i see her. also i had bleeding in my nose after 1st chemo session but it soon stopped. The joys of chemo!
Love Pam x
Dear Pam
I became very breathless with exertion, particularly climbing uphill or up the stairs, a week after chemotherapy. My oncologist told me that was because the red blood cells that carry oxygen were diminished by the chemotherapy doing its work. She recommended taking things a bit easy if this happened.
I think you may be right about asthma. I hadn't had an attack since childhood but had several during chemo. I think whatever ongoing health things you have pre-chemotherapy will be magnified due to the body's reduced immunity and functioning.
I'm sure Amanda's advice is good - to mention it to the oncologist just to check it out when you next see them.
Hope it's just a passing thing. xxx Annie
Thank you Annie,
What you have said makes good sense. it just seems when you are having chemo everything seems to be hhighlighted, as i say it only seems to be for a few days after the chemo then things begin to get back to almost normal,you8 really do have to listen to your body and rest when necessary unfortunately I have found that quite difficult as I am sure you have, when you are used tp being on the go all the time it takes some getting used to.
Pamx
I had chemo on Friday and am definitely feeling breathless today. Fed up of waiting for the lift at the hospital today I walked up 2 flights of stairs and had to rest for a couple of minutes afterwards. Bearing in mind I am only 49 and was going to the gym 3 times a week pre Sep this year, this is unusual for me. I also seem to find that I almost feel the need to take an extra large breath every so often. I mentioned this to my oncologist but he did not seem particularly concerned.
Love Brenda X
Dear Brenda,
We had our chemo on the same day i find it follows a pattern, its always by the Wednesday that i get this breathlessnes but i am also asthmatic and maybe the chemo interferes with the lungs somehow, I am 65 and do not go to the gym but was always walking and cycling and swimming nd now find it hard to walk uphill,still we have to remain strong and positive and get on with it!
Love Pamx
Hi yes i also get breathless, had a lung adhesis so presume this has limited my lung capacity a bit, i find about 4 days after chemo i am more affected seems to be something we suffer from still as long as chemo doing its job and when finished our treatment hopefully we can go forward love nikkix
Dear Nikki9
Well it does seem to be quite a common symptom of the chemo and as you say as l
ong as the chemo is working it is just a minor irratation!Love Pam x
Hello,I too get breathless about day four or five and it lasts about a day or two. I'm also so exhausted I can't even stand up to brush my teeth. by day seven I'm back to normal. Did end up in a&e on my first Chemo as got so breathless they thought I may have a clot on my lung as apparently this is quite common whilst on Chemo, luckily it wasn't. Lisa x
Hello,I too get breathless about day four or five and it lasts about a day or two. I'm also so exhausted I can't even stand up to brush my teeth. by day seven I'm back to normal. Did end up in a&e on my first Chemo as got so breathless they thought I may have a clot on my lung as apparently this is quite common whilst on Chemo, luckily it wasn't. Lisa x
Hello,I too get breathless about day four or five and it lasts about a day or two. I'm also so exhausted I can't even stand up to brush my teeth. by day seven I'm back to normal. Did end up in a&e on my first Chemo as got so breathless they thought I may have a clot on my lung as apparently this is quite common whilst on Chemo, luckily it wasn't. Lisa x
Dear Lisa,
Well we have something in common I also ended up in hospital after my first chemo because i could not breathe properly, and like you on day four I am exhausted it is obviously a side effect of the chemo if you have a problem with your chest, but hey ho almost back to normal by day 7.
Love Pam x
Hi Pam
i would let your nurse our specialist know , There could be a couple reasons , It does seem to be a side effect of chemo as your blood count can drop so this means oxygen is not been carried around . If you have ovarian cancer and having chemo you can be at higher risk of developing blood clots and if on lungs . Hopefully non of these but please let your medical team know
Love
Ally
Dear Ally,
Thamks for replying I feel that what you say seems to be the case as several of the other lovely ladies think the same, I will check with my onc nurse when i see her though
Love Pam x
Hi Pam,
It would be interesting to know your haemoglobin on the day you are breathless. This being low would explain your symptom. If you attended A&E they may have taken a full blood count on that day. I find if mine is less than 9 ( 13 being normal) climbing the stairs quickly can make me breathless and increase heart rate. The exhaustion can be the after effects of the steroids which they give per chemo and then continue often for two days in reducing doses. Sometimes they will tail them off slower than that if you ask.
Pulmonary embolus is still a worry for all of us so always worth keeping in mind when you have unexplained lung symptoms .
Brid
Hi Pam,
Yes I was like that as well, so it could be one of the side effects of chemo, but worth mentioning to your CNS when you go (although I never mentioned it, perhaps I should have)
Love and best wishes x G x
My experience is like that, exactly. Dont worry. Seems very typical, judging from these posts.
Jackie
1 year on from last chemo x
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