AC affecting the heart?

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  • Afraser
    Afraser Member Posts: 4,374 ✭
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    I’ve been on beta blockers for years - and yes, I can exercise normally. My cardiologist is all for it, just with some commonsense (build activity, don’t suddenly treble your activity, etc).  My issue is not so much the heart structure, which is fine, as the electronic circuit which misfires a bit. Best wishes. 
  • ddon
    ddon Member Posts: 349 ✭
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    So I had an ECG prior to AC Thursday and it seems it’s messing with the electrics slightly so just have to keep close eye on it. It’s causing me some anxiety because I know it increases risk of arrhythmias so I am cutting out running and sticking to walking from here on in. 
  • shs14
    shs14 Member Posts: 146 ✭
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    Hi @ddon, I had a period of much faster resting heart rate starting during AC and peaking during Paclitaxel chemo. My resting heart rate often went up into the nineties. Horrible. I mentioned it to my onco but she said it wasn't related although I read online that both types can cause this side effect. It was very disconcerting. And then one day it just stopped. I exercised the whole time and it didn't seem to affect it.
    During that time I had two heart scans due to Herceptin and both were fine, my ejection fraction was unchanged. DM me if you want. Hope yours slows soon too.
  • ddon
    ddon Member Posts: 349 ✭
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    thank you for that shs14. It fells awful and my oncologist feels it’s totally caused by the AC and he will monitor me throughout. My heart rate had settled but has gone up again today - day 3 post chemo. I am too whacked today to do much anyway. Just trying to potter around. It’s scary because I really wasn’t expecting this plus all the other crap side effects. My taste buds has given up today and now I just want to swallow salt and that is so unlike me. 
  • shs14
    shs14 Member Posts: 146 ✭
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    AC is a bugger @ddon, I found that walking lots helped limit the side effects. Hopefully you will start to feel better about five days in and improve slowly until you have to go again. You are half way now! Only way to look at this whole thing is that you are getting through it. I am out the other side apart from regular Herceptin and feeling almost normal. Hope you feel better soon.
  • ddon
    ddon Member Posts: 349 ✭
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    It’s sure knocking my energy levels but I am trying to keep moving lots and walk - just not at my usual pace. Glad you are nearly back to normal. I dont do herceptin - just AC then next 12 weeks of whatever that other drug is ( day 4, my head is too foggy to think). Seems a long road ahead but glad the option is there for treatment. 
  • shs14
    shs14 Member Posts: 146 ✭
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    Good for you! By the end of 20 weeks I was very slow, but still walking!
    If you are like most of us then next is Paclitaxel. It is easier, at least to start with. tHave a look at my post in treatments about cold therapy, search Taxol. I am trying to spread the word as I think it is an effective way to limit sometimes long term side effects. x
  • ddon
    ddon Member Posts: 349 ✭
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    Thank you - I read over your posts - I am stressed about the neuropathy because I play piano - just recreationally but I am good at it - and I don’t want to lose that. And I like to run and I don’t want to lose that either. I talked to the oncology nurse last week about ice gloves and she says the hospital got rid of them because studies showed they don’t work. Looks like I will have to rig up my own just like you did. It’s surely worth a try to save my fingers and toes. 
  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392 ✭
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    Are you taking dexamethasone as part of your treatment to stop nausea. This is a common side effect as well as horrible sleep with this drug. The alternative of vomiting isn't a better option but it just helps if you know.
  • ddon
    ddon Member Posts: 349 ✭
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    The dexamethasone affects the heart you mean? No one mentioned that. Also my knees seem swollen today and my face is puffy. I am guessing that’s the steroids also? My ankles are a little puffy but not bad. I feel totally shattered actually.  I can’t imagine right now 2 more AC and 12 of the other. Just walking is a struggle. 
  • Afraser
    Afraser Member Posts: 4,374 ✭
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    That’s interesting @primek, I didn’t know that either. Mind you, I can’t blame my irregular heartbeat on dexamethasone as I took practically none. But it’s noteworthy that it has never been mentioned to me as a side effect, which it clearly is according to the literature. Learn something new every day. 
  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392 ✭
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    It's like having a big shot of caffeine.
  • ddon
    ddon Member Posts: 349 ✭
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    I got an extra day of dex this time - I guess because my nausea was so bad for 8 days last cycle. It has been better this time but my heart has been crazy. Lucky I am off coffee or the combination might be too much. 
  • shs14
    shs14 Member Posts: 146 ✭
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    @ddon, the only study on cold therapy I can source is Japanese, listed in the post. It strongly shows that cold therapy does minimise the effects of Peripheral Neuropathy in Paclitaxel regimes. Patients used cold therapy on one side and not the other and the differences were notable. There seems a lot of ignorance around cold therapy and I am currently writing to my hospital, with the support of Oncologist, Breast Surgeon, Radiation Oncologist and Chemo Nurse Educator to promote its use in our Day Therapy unit.

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