Severe slurred speach, limp foot, and swallowing trouble

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ChattyChatty
ChattyChatty Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer
Hello....My mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer over a year ago. She went through chemo and radiation. I am happy to say she is cancer free at this time. Since completing chemo and radiation she has started having very slurred speech as if she were drinking alcohol. It is difficult to understand her and her right foot has started going limp. She now has to walk with a walker. She has been to several specialists and gone through several tests including MRI. This all started shortly after chemo and radiation. The specialist all keep saying well we can't give you an answer so it must be that you have ALS. We all refuse to believe this uncertain diagnosis. PLEASE HELP Has anyone out there had any similar issues after treatment of breast cancer. Also she has difficulty swallowing
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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited November 2013


    Chatty, I am so sorry your mom is going through this. When did she finish chemo? Do you know which chemo drugs she had?

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  • ChattyChatty
    ChattyChatty Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2013


    Hello and thank you for the response....my mom has been off chemo and radiation since march 7 of 2013. She was on Adriamycin, Cypoxan, and Paxol

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  • mary625
    mary625 Member Posts: 1,056
    edited November 2013


    The last chemo you mentioned, Taxol (with a T not a P), can cause permanent neurological damage, and although i've never heard of the exact symptoms your mom is having, I suppose it is possible that the Taxol could have caused it because they definitely sound like neurological symptoms. It also could be something else. I suspect she's already been tested for a stroke.

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  • ChattyChatty
    ChattyChatty Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2013


    Thanks Mary....sorry for the typo. She has been tested by 3 different neurologist and ear nose and throat doc. It's just so ironic that this all started shortly after chemo and they want to tell her it's ALS because they have no other options...Oh and yes they did check for a stroke.. Thank you

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  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 6,503
    edited November 2013


    Chatty...so sorry that your mom is dealing with all the neurological problems...it could be coincidence that the symptoms showed up post chemo.....Contact the drug companies that make the chemo drugs and report the side effects...they will have to report it to the FDA...you might be able to find out if its remotely possible that these are late effects from the chemo....Is there a specific test for ALS that makes this a definitive Dx? Could it be anything else? Post stroke? Parkinson? Just throwing out things there?


    Hope you get some answers for your mom....

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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited November 2013


    I am so sorry for your mother's symptoms. I found a website you may want to look at for more information about ALS:


    http://www.alsa.org/about-als/symptoms.html


    http://www.alsa.org/about-als/diagnosing-als.html


    I know it is a terribly devastating disease, but I know it is not what you want to hear, but it may be ALS.


    Have they thought about Multiple Sclerosis as well?


    Sometimes we get things that we just can't get answers for. I have had several serious health conditions/instances and there is no answer as to why I got them.


    I wish you, your mom, and your family the best.

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  • jbdayton
    jbdayton Member Posts: 700
    edited November 2013


    I am so sorry to hear this possible diagnosis of ALS. I pray this is not so. I had 2 brothers who both had ALS in their twenties. when my brothers were diagnosed there was no test to confirm the disease. The Muscular Dystrophy Association was so helpful with supplies and support for my brothers.


    When I was first diagnosed I researched the genes for breast cancer and ALS and there were no duplicating genes.


    I will definitely keep your mom and your family in my prayers. Many hugs.

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  • encyclias
    encyclias Member Posts: 302
    edited November 2013


    Just a possibility I stumbled upon:


    "Review: Slurred speech in Paxil" http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/paxil/slurred+speech



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  • gonegirl
    gonegirl Member Posts: 1,871
    edited November 2013


    Have they done a brain MRI? Need to tell her oncologist about this and rule cancer in the brain.

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  • Pamela44
    Pamela44 Member Posts: 143
    edited November 2013


    if no mass lesions appeared on MRI of the brain, was it given with contrast? If still nothing, perhaps a spinal tap to look for malignant cells in the spinal fluid would be a reasonable thing to do?

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited November 2013


    Chatty, I'm so sorry about your Mom's symptoms. Did any of these things begin, or did she have any similar problems during chemo? I agree with you that Taxol seems suspiscious, but it also seems like your Mom would have had some reaction to the Taxol when it was given or shortly after each infusion -- not starting several weeks later, after radiation, although I don't know for sure.


    Have you contacted a true ALS specialist? I'm under the impression there is no definitive test for ALS, but I would think a specialist who deals with the symptoms all the time might be able to weigh in with a more compelling opinion than docs who probably don't see it as often, and may be deferring to it for lack of any research pointing to the chemo drugs.


    There's an on-line FDA form for reporting suspected drug reactions. Your Mom's post chemo SEs may not be unique, in which case the SEs need to be reported. http://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/howtoreport/ucm053074.htm I'm also under the impression that The Army Of Women has started a self-reported SE database that will hopefully fill in some major gaps in pharmaceutical company reporting. You might want to contact them and see if they can give you any additional information that could be helpful in figuring out what's going on.


    Praying that it's something chemo induced, and that it will resolve in time. (((Hugs))) to you and your Mom. Deanna

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited November 2013


    OK, She is not very far out from treatment. Taxol can cause neuropathy, especially in the feet and legs. Docs like ot insist that it is temporary, but it can actually last a long, long time. Taxol can also cause weird inflammation in the throat. I did not have slurred speech, but my voice was funky on and off during and after.


    Further, the taxanes - taxol and taxotere - cause inflammation generally. About 6-8 weeks after my last chemo, I could barely walk. My legs ached and I was dragging myself. If I walked up a flight of stairs, I had to stop and rest several times. It was general inflammation of the muscles, caused by the taxotere (similar to taxol). It took a good 6 months to clear.


    I would suggest a good PT. The danger with this kind of problem is that it causes you to be inactive, thus making the problem worse. A good PT can perhaps help alleviate some of it.

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