Awful headache/sinus pain

Dauna

I've just had my third round of chemo. Each time, despite slowing the infusion from taking 45 minutes to 3 hours, I get a horrid headache and equally painful sinus reaction. It takes a couple of days to settle down completely. This time, it settled down by the next morning but now today has flared back up. The triage line isn't open until morning. So, I'll call first thing.

Has anyone else experienced this? What have you done for it? I'm taking Tylenol and warm compresses on my face.

Dauna

Meow13

Maybe drinking more water to flush system.

Italychick

Do they give you Zofran as part of your pre-meds at the chemo infusion? My primary care physician warned me it can cause terrible headaches, so I never took the Zofran they sent me home with. I don't know if that would also affect your sinuses

Just a thought - may not be the issue, but it doesn't hurt to ask, or request a different anti-nausea medicine next infusion.

inks

My side effects were not as severe and slowing down the drip helped. I assume you are getting Taxol. Could you be switched to Abraxane? It's the same medicine but is albumin bound, maybe the reaction is to the solvents in Taxol. My premed was Benadryl, are you sensitive to Benadryl?

Dauna

Thanks so very much ladies! The suggestions and support were and are most appreciated.

I called the triage line this morning and my nurse called me back. The advice is to take Tylenol 3 until the pain subsides, and I'm assured that it will. But just as you suggested, Meow13, I'm to drink lots and lots of water (not sure I can drink more than I already am but I'll give it my best) to both flush my system and to help my liver to process the toxins.

I can take Naproxen, at the same time, for the hip, femur and trunk pain that the Neupogen causes me.

I'm sure like everyone else, my body really doesn't like what's being poured into me. Thankfully, I'm on a titrated regime and round four will be my last one. Then, after a break for a month, it's on to radiation. More joy!

Again, thank you each for the suggestions and just the knowing I'm certainly not in this alone.

Very best wishes

Dauna