Head pain

NTS
NTS Member Posts: 20
edited July 2018 in Pain

I get these strange shooting pains in the left side of my head. Not a headache, it’s like a quick stabby sensation. Sometimes it’s just a quick tingly sensation. Any insight? I finished chemo in Oct ‘17, and still get Herceptin. Had my latest infusion one week ago. I started tamoxifen a couple of months ago but this was happening even before then. I was having nonstop headaches back in November so my dr ordered a brain MRI then and it came back clean. She said she won’t order another one unless I’m having severe symptoms

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited May 2018

    Do you have a port? Is the pain on the port side or surgery side? With s clean MRI, what was your doctor's explanation?

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  • NTS
    NTS Member Posts: 20
    edited May 2018

    My doctor just says I’m probably still responding to treatment. It’s on the opposite side of my port, but same side as the cancerous breast.

    I can be having a pretty good day and it just takes one of the quick jabs in my brain to remind me of this illness, and then Ithink it’s probably in my brain.

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  • Donniebella
    Donniebella Member Posts: 2
    edited June 2018

    I have the same sensation but it also includes pain behind my eyes. I am waiting on the result of my MRI. My Dr. told me to take what ever I use for headaches over the counter. It only works temporarily about an hour and a half then it’s back. The other areas I have pain respond to the over the counter meds but this pain in my head does not

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  • Countrygirl80
    Countrygirl80 Member Posts: 26
    edited June 2018

    I too had these - was mid-Herceptin. My MO was certain that it was a pinched nerve and that it would most likely correct itself. I had a massage and chiro adjustment and it went away. But, not without lots of worrying on my end!

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  • Djohn
    Djohn Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2018

    The sharp pains could be the cranial nerves firing so it sounds like you are experiencing a bit of what they call neuropathic pain. Could also be referred pain from the neck. I’ve been experiencing pretty intense, sometimes severe headaches as a result of neuropathic pain for over a year now - headaches started with Neulasta and worsened with Taxol and then again after radiation. Tamoxifen didn’t help matters also. Gabapentin helped for a bit but when I tried to go off the medication I realized that the sensations and pain were much worse than before. I’m not certain if the med made it worse in the long run, but am now having to get back on it and a few other meds for some relief. My advice is to see a neurologist or physiatrist as soon as you can to develop a treatment plan. Good luck and keep us posted.

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  • VL22
    VL22 Member Posts: 851
    edited July 2018

    I’m glad I’ve found this thread. I’ve had the same thing, also with a numbing feeling around the eyes and tingling scalp. I believe The taxol has affected my nerves and that tamoxifen is making it worse by forcing me into menopause.

    I’m sorry others are having such experiences, but it is reassuring not to be alone

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