Help! is vertigo a sign of brain mets?

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lisajo6
lisajo6 Member Posts: 261
edited March 2018 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

Hi,

I am being treated for mets to liver, bones, nodes. I am on abraxane and herceptin. and am I morphed into triple positive after my original diagnosis in 1998. I know Her2+ likes the brain. I am making myself sick and just lay and worry. I have had vertigo before, but now that I have tnis I wonder if it is a sign. Help please.

Thanks, Lisa S.

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  • Zillsnot4me
    Zillsnot4me Member Posts: 2,687
    edited March 2018

    I've had vertigo off and on since I was dx. Tubes in my ears kept it calm for awhile. I know if my ear gets clogged it results in vertigo, as does dehydration and lack of sleep.

    Once you have cancer the fear is very real that it returns. I hope yours isn't. Talk to your oncologist.

    Good luck.

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  • Grannax2
    Grannax2 Member Posts: 2,551
    edited March 2018

    Lisajo. I have had vertigo, too. The first was after my MBC DX and treatment. I told my MO and she immediately ordered a brain MRI, it was negative. I've had some scary episodes of it, so I went to my PCP and she told me to go to physical therapy.

    In my experience it did not mean brain mets but your MO will want to make sure.💞

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  • Iwrite
    Iwrite Member Posts: 870
    edited March 2018

    Hi Lisa- It can be, but it isn't always that. Some drugs we take can cause vertigo as well as vision issues. I had an irritated nerve that made me dizzy but it wasn't brain mets. Your oncologist can help.

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  • Goodie16
    Goodie16 Member Posts: 446
    edited March 2018

    I had no vertigo with my brain met. My only symptom was a constant, temporal headache.

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  • Kkrenz
    Kkrenz Member Posts: 100
    edited March 2018

    I have had vertigo/dizziness/lightheadedness for the past 6 months.  My MO ordered an MRI (which was clear).  I have had physical therapy with no help.  We now believe that it may be caused by Herceptin/Perjeta, but since I cannot go off those two drugs, I live with it.  Call your MO and schedule an MRI, it is the only way to alleviate that fear of brain mets.

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  • DivineMrsM
    DivineMrsM Member Posts: 9,620
    edited March 2018

    Lisa, altho I am not triple positive, I understand the concerns you have. So I do not want to minimize your concern. However, it may be plain old vertigo caused by loose crystals in the inner ear and can often be relieved by something called the Epley manuever which you can do yourself at home.

    I can only remember having vertigo once, and it was several years after I was diagnosed with mbc. Of course, it scared me and I thought the worst. But I did google vertigo and came across this Epley procedure. I tried it several times at home, maybe three times in two days, and my vertigo left and never returned.

    You can google “Epley Manuever"and will get many, many links and videos about it. I looked at numerous videos until I found one simple enough for me to follow. I can't remember the exact one I used, but here is one video thats been viewed 2.5 million times!

    https://youtu.be/1VWyPgfMuvM




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  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited March 2018

    I used to get vertigo driving up mountain roads. It was really scary. The Epley Maneuver helped me manage the vertigo but it only disappeared after I had a posterior vitreous detachment in my eye surgically corrected. So it may be time to see an eye doctor apart from checking with your MO.

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  • lisajo6
    lisajo6 Member Posts: 261
    edited March 2018

    Thank you ladies for all your responses. I am better today-but still have some dizziness when I bend over or get up from lying down. I find it worrisome as I am going to try to go back to teaching on Friday. I am on abraxane which also makes me weak.

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  • lisajo6
    lisajo6 Member Posts: 261
    edited March 2018

    Still have vertigo. Was diagnosed yesterday with a sinus infection. So I started an antibiotic. Since last Friday I have noticed that the left side of my chin feels numb. I looked it up-scary stuff. The only thing is I can still feel hot and cold-if I pinch it it hurts-but the skin feels weird. I see my onc on Thursday. I suppose I will have to get an MRI, Does anyone know if numb chin syndrome complete numbness? Like novacaine?

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