Forum Discussion

humblevoice's avatar
humblevoice
Member
9 years ago

chemo or port side effects help: throat tight and constricted, pressure/heaviness in the chest

can chemo delivered straight into the heart artery be different in side effects than the arm veins? has anyone experienced any complications because chemo was delivered through the port rather than the arm veins? i'm talking about the difference between an arm vein and the heart vein. does anyone know if there's any difference at all in side effects because one goes straight into your heart? can chemo delivered through the heart vein cause heart problems compared with the arm vein?

since i got my port i've had symptoms from ac chemo no one can explain. and i dont know if its the chemo or the port or what... my chest feel pressured then that night my neck and face feels swollen or constricted or circulation cut off, that kind of feeling, then i'm stuck with a feeling of throat constriction (like i'm being strangled) for 2 weeks... feeling like i have a pair of invisible hands choking me at my throat is ... i can't even explain how i am still living... its the first time in my life i have thought that i'd be better dead. i've also had really horrible heartburn indigestion... its been hard to eat, hard to sleep and harder to keep my mind on anything else this past month... i had my last ac chemo last week, so next will be taxol... i am hoping that its not the port that is causing this but not one doctor can explain what is happening to me and one even said to me that its "all in your mind". to say that i am distressed is a gross understantement. 

please emphasis that i can't "see someone else" or seek a second opinion. NO ONE can help me. NO ONE knows what is happening to me. i have NO ONE to talk to who can understand or can explain what is happening to me. not oncologists that i've seen the past month since this has happened. not my surgeon, not the port doctors, not the nurses, not my GPs, not the internet, no one. i have to adhere to rules and not talk about my mental state in a way that triggers others, but its been 1 month of hell on top of the other side effects of chemo. 

 

 

chemotherapy

9 Replies

  • humblevoice's avatar
    humblevoice
    Member
    9 years ago
    @melclarity
    thanks for sharing... it is horrible isn't it... i'm glad i got it sorted too... now i feel anxious i might need it again in the future.... hopefully not...
    and yes i got an email (not on here) to say please do not talk about the fact i had suicidal thoughts because it triggered others. that email nearly sent me off the edge...
  • humblevoice's avatar
    humblevoice
    Member
    9 years ago
    hi karenne, i got the port out as soon as treatment were finished... and i was on clexane too with my tummy black and blue... thanks for contributing to this thread... 
  • KarenneW's avatar
    KarenneW
    Member
    9 years ago
    Hi humblevoice, its a while since my diagnosis and treatment coming up 2 years.  But when I first started on Chemo I also developed a DVT in my left arm the same side as my Port was in.  After Ultra-sounds etc., I ended up having to inject myself twice a day with Clexane for the entire time I was on Chemo.  My poor tummy was black and blue.  However once Chemo was over the DVT cleared and no more Clexane.  Also when underwent my bi-lat Mastectomy I asked my surgeon to remove the Port as the lump under my skin annoyed me.  He did that without too much trouble apart from leaving me a bit bruise and sore at the site. 
    Hope you are feeling better now that Chemo is all finished.
    Karenne xoxo
  • melclarity's avatar
    melclarity
    Member
    9 years ago
    Hi Humblevoice!

    So glad you got it sorted, I had a blood clot in my arm, it was the feeling you described in your neck and the pain OMG! Same Clexane fixed it. I have severe cording in my arm now but oh well. Glad you are through Chemo, its a hard road! You were told to stop talking or expressing on here?

    Melinda xo
  • humblevoice's avatar
    humblevoice
    Member
    9 years ago
    hi everyone thank you em and Jel for your comments... 
    i went to the gp in june and they found a 5cm clot lodged in my juggular... since been on clexane and hav to say that its been one rough ride... i have now finished my chemo... onto radiotherapy next month... it's been one of the hardest thing i'v ever had to endure even counting my worst traumas... 

    anyway... on with it and all that... port will b removed in a couple of weeks... i didnt really wnat to use this site too much for being told to stop talking when i expressed being in a very dark mood. 

    wishing you all well.... and sending love from the deepest parts of my heart. 
  • emkitters's avatar
    emkitters
    Member
    9 years ago

    Hi,

    I know it's a while since your message was posted but I felt it was important to get in touch. I had similar symptoms when I had my porta cath was put in back in December 2015, although it sounds as though yours are more extreme. I would have this constant pressure on my chest and feel as though I couldn't breathe, and it felt like my throat at the base had closed up. I had terribly bad acid reflux (like your heartburn) from the steroids with chemo. I'd also get a sharp stabbing pain around my collar bone. I went to my oncology team about it and they had no idea what I was talking about and I felt very alone - your message is the first I've seen of anyone else with a similar experience. I was lucky in that they at least took measures to rule things out: I had a CT scan which came back completely clear. They also put me on acid meds (pantoprazole) and that made a huge difference for my throat and the feeling of strangulation. The stabbing pains gradually subsided over a few weeks, but the healing in general took a long time and it was a couple of months before it wasn't sore/uncomfortable/I felt breathless when laying on my back. I absolutely hated my port at the time. But months on I have to say I'd do it again and I wouldn't be without it. I have been put on heart meds recently but that is because of herceptin, not chemo. Sleepwise I was given Ativan which helped. I so hope yours gets sorted soon, and I won't ever forget the distress it caused so please don't feel alone. Hoping you've had some relief by now, Em x 

  • jd48's avatar
    jd48
    Member
    9 years ago

    Hi,

    When you talk to the oncologist just tell them how you feel.  There is no reason why they cannot get that line out.  If you cannot tolerate the therapy there are other ways of dealing with it....  I know that I was supposed to have Taxol but they scrapped the plan as I have too many allergies...  I mean it would be better to have the full treatment but if treatment cannot be tolerated then we go to the next best choice...

    If you feel like you are being strangled and it is related to receiving chemo but calms down otherwise hat to could be an allergic reaction...  I am hoping they have tried upping steroids to see if they keep the reaction down but if not maybe worth discussing with the Oncologist...

    I have been having my AC Chemo injected directly into the veins (no lines etc) as i am allergic to plastic so they cannot leave anything in me for prolonged periods of time,,, The problem with that is that as son as veins have been exposed to Chemo they seems to have weakened and shrunk and each time they do my chemo they have 2 to 6 attempts to get the canula in until they manage to do it and in each of the 3 ACs I have had thus far they had to stop during Chemo as vein would collapse and then try to get a new spot....
    That is why they try to avoid using canulas if you have a lot of treatments.  I only have the 1 more to go so they are hoping we will get it done somehow but if there were more than that I have no cue how they would do it :(

    I am really sorry you are having this much trouble and just wondering if it would be worthwhile maybe posting the question on the general bcna blog site as a lot more women are on that one as the young women group is a closed group.  Maybe if posting on the other 'general' blogs you will have more luck finding someone that has had a similar experience and maybe someone has a solution for it...

    Jel.

  • Lisa_BCNA's avatar
    Lisa_BCNA
    Member
    9 years ago

    Dear Humblevoice,

    It's Lisa from the Policy Team. It sounds like you have been having a really difficult time. We would encourage you talk to your medical oncologist about physical symptoms you have been experiencing. If you do not feel like you are being heard or that your concerns and questions are not being answered, it can be helpful to get a second opinion from another oncologist.

    You may also like to talk to your GP or to call your breast care nurse as they may be able to help. Sometimes side effects from chemotherapy can build up and get worse over time. I hope that things are better with the new chemotherapy you are starting. We would suggest that you talk to your doctor about getting something to help with the heartburn you have been having, which sounds like it has been very tough.

    Another good resource is the Cancer Council 13 11 20 Information and Support Line, a confidential telephone information and support service for people affected by cancer.

    Warm regards,
    Lisa