Herceptin runny nose driving me crazy

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SFMama
SFMama Member Posts: 16
edited February 2016 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Out of all of my chemo side effects, this is minor and yet it is driving me absolutely insane. The constant runny nose - carrying tissues everywhere - a rash around my nostrils and upper lip from constant wiping - UGH. Are there any remedies for this? I am going to be on Herceptin for a year!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited February 2016

    Hi SFmama -- so sorry you're dealing with this uncomfortable side effect! Have you seen the main Breastcancer.org site's page on Side Effects: Runny Nose? There may be some good info for you there!

    We hope this helps!

    --The Mods

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  • Beatmon
    Beatmon Member Posts: 1,562
    edited February 2016

    Well, I've had for over 2 years and I can say so those tips were pretty worthless! Who couldn't think of those by themselves. Very disappointed, Mods to read that, sorry

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited February 2016

    pure saline nose spray helps me. Something about saline is very soothing, I get the spray bottles that kind of atomize it into a fine mist rather than a traditional nose spray kind. And I put a dab of coconut oil in my nostrils too. If it drives you too crazy, I have also found Claritin can help me too, but I use it sparingly. It dries stuff out. I will say it was worse early on than it is now. I have one infusion left.

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  • Sassa
    Sassa Member Posts: 1,588
    edited February 2016

    I had the runny nose during my year of herceptin. I put up with the drips during the day, but used benadryl at night to dry my nose up o I could sleep.

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  • MaggieCat
    MaggieCat Member Posts: 346
    edited February 2016

    Had the same problem, runny nose and also had watery eyes. Nasal spray - Flonase - was a big help in my case.

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  • Sassa
    Sassa Member Posts: 1,588
    edited February 2016

    There could also be a positive spin to our drippy noses during herceptin treatment.

    We get runny noses when our immune system is fighting off an infection. The mucus contains antibodies to fight off the invading germs and enzymes to help dissolve the invaders.

    Part of the theory about how herceptin works on the HER2+ cancer cells is that it somehow flags the immune system to send the white cells to destroy the cancer cell. How this happens is as yet unknown.

    However, because the body starts making all that snot to aid in defending the body when the immune system is on the alert, our runny noses could be interpreted as the herceptin is working and doing it job in alerting the immmune system it might be needed to take out a cell.


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