Cardiomyopathy and chemo ...... a serious condition to be aware of

[Deleted User]

I’m sorry to hear that @Polly Rose. It’s so lovely that you are reaching out to help us when you are going through so much. I’ll follow up with the stress echo if I keep feeling this way. I hope that you are getting the support you need from your family and those around you. 

arpie

And other BC medications can also cause heart problems - from palpitations right thru to more serious issues

https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects/heart_probs?fbclid=IwAR1xsmeFF6zdxZMcuDpSpUS6t2dZy8BM6phcbZullNnFP-N-ccxRlo2xsnU

Afraser

I am pretty sure my irregular heartbeat was encouraged, if not actually caused, by Adriamycin. The condition is very manageable, my heart health generally is good (just the electrics are a bit shonky) and as I am largely asymptomatic, causes me little problem but also being asymptomatic, I didn't know for a while that I had it! 

lrb_03

Great thread, @arpie. Thanks for raising this issue.

@Polly Rose, I thought of you as soon as I saw the title. So sorry to hear how things have gone for you. 

My understanding is that any of the anthracycline based chemo can cause cardiomyopathy/ heart damage, as well as herceptin. Like many, I was told damage could occur, but not what to look out for. During chemo, I participated in some research that meant I had 3 echocardiograms during chemo, and another  6 months later, so whilst not officially told anything, I knew they would inform my med onc if one of them wasn't normal.

I started having shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate from my 1st chemo, with minimal activity. This continued afterwards until I was started on beta blocker medication, of which I'm now on a substantial dose, and the last time I saw my cardiologist, she felt my resting hr of 80 at the time was a high, so I get to have another echo at my next review with her.  Yay

But as @Polly Rose has said, everyone, if you're concerned,  follow up, and push for more tests if need be. I know I've had to, many times.

Polly Rose

Wow ladies I had completely forgotten about this post and I really enjoyed re-reading all of the comments.
@arpie thanks for sharing that link. It has great information for everyone to be aware of. I hope your friend Gail is doing better.
@lrb_03 it’s lovely to hear from you. I’m glad that your cardiologist is keeping a close eye on things. The earlier it is when they identify any heart issue then the easier it is to treat. 
@Rose18 how are you going now? I hope you have been able to get some answers as to why you are feeling dizzy.  Sometimes knowing what is happening can be disappointing but still a relief.
@Afraser I’m glad as that your heart issues don’t cause you any great symptoms. I hope it stays that way for you.

arpie

Great to hear from you @Polly Rose  .... I hope you are going well.  xx  

Gail is much the same ... a bit thinner again (last time I spotted her) & very much aware of her circumstances .... I will be checking up with her in the next couple of weeks when I am due for another haircut!  She is a real sweetie.

Just take care, ladies .... My main Mantra is: 

IF IN DOUBT - GET CHECKED OUT!!!

XX

lrb_03

Oh dear, I totally missed the date the original post was written, lol
@Polly Rose, how did your cardiac catheterization go?

Polly Rose

Haha we will blame chemo brain @lrb_03.
Right heart cath was a hoot and I don’t look forward to ever doing it again. I have somewhat of a needle phobia so when I found out about them putting it through my neck while I was awake, well let’s just say I wasn’t thrilled. I was able to have my earpods in and listen to music so that I didn’t have to listen to medical talk for most of it lol. While they got some answers, they are still having difficulty with finding a way to stop the progression of the damage. They have now found that the chemo seems to have damaged basically every cell in my body on a mitochondrial level. This means that my cells don’t know how to use oxygen properly when under duress hence many of my symptoms. My bone marrow is also not producing enough red blood cells to carry oxygen which just compounds it all.
As silly as it sounds, I was relieved to get a copy of the letter that was sent to my GP that clearly says that this is all a result of chemo. I have just changed oncologists because  my previous one said that he didn’t agree and that I just needed to keep pushing myself. My cardiologists were alarmed at this and kept reassuring me that they were the experts in the field and knew what they were doing. I had started to think that maybe I was being a bit soft. My new onc is fabulous and says he has no doubt that it is all caused by chemo and he is now working with a professor in Melbourne in an attempt to give me a clearer picture of what my future is going to look like. I haven’t been able to work since last year, but I’m very hopeful that over the coming weeks we will have some positive ideas about moving forward and getting back to work.I miss my job and my clients ( I work in welfare).
it was lovely to hear from you and as always Ilkve reading your little snippets on the chat.
Take care
Polly

kmakm

@Polly Rose What a relief to have everyone on your team paddling in the same direction. Justly cause for a bit of hope. Let us know what happens. Fingers crossed! K xox

Polly Rose

Thanks @kmakm will do.

arpie

@Polly Rose   it Sounds like you have a wonderful team around you now, that are looking after your best interests.  Hard to believe what your previous Onc said!  MORON!

all the best ... I hope you can get back to the work you love so much ... xx

Brenda5

SVT while on Tamoxifen then Atrial Fib on Letrozole for me. I think I am done with hormone therapy. No ticker no me.
I rang oncology to get an appointment to discuss my hormone therapy and got a nasty little nurse. She said I am not scheduled for a followup appointment until October this year and then when she found out I am off the Letrozole due to heart troubles and I asked did I still need to have the bone scan done just before next October she more or less intimated I would most definitely need it to see the cancer will be back and spread thru my bones. Nasty little piece of work. 

kmakm

@Brenda5 Cow! Boy is she in the wrong job... How thoughtlessly inappropriate and insensitive. Not to mention rude and heartless. Disgraceful behaviour!

arpie

Bloody hell @Brenda5  .... I think that treatment deserves a letter!  Definitively a nasty little ‘b’ ....  She is in the wrong job methinks! 

(What is SVT).  I know you’ve been having heart problems for months!  How horrible and SO bloody scary!

Sister

Definitely a suggestion of better training, at least.