MO_Sugar Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 I started PCI this morning and about 1pm I started to develop a major headache. I have taken Tylenol and the pain seems to be getting worse instead of better. I have a hard time believing that 1 treatment could cause a headache this bad but I don't know. Did anyone else experience terrible headaches when undergoing PCI? What did you do for them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remembering Dave Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Hey - Dave had the same awful headache after his first day of PCI. It turns out, after just one treatment, he was having brain swelling from the radiation and to start taking the steroid Decadron to alleviate the swelling. Decadron is often used to alleviate swelling associated with brain tumors, so if anyone tells you that, don't be alarmed. I have a friend who's father just got diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC which had mets to the brain and he's on Decadron. I would tell your radiologist immediately. Good luck, and hang in there, Karen C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO_Sugar Posted November 19, 2003 Author Share Posted November 19, 2003 Thanks Karen. I got another headache today after tretment so I guess it will be a side effect. I told my onc. nurse about the headache I got yesterday and she said the same thing but she said they tend to taper off somewhat once the brain "gets used to" the treatments. I am going to try and not take the steroids unless I really have to. I have been so very lucky so far (thank you God) and not had to take many drugs (besides chemo). Never was a drug taker other than the occasional asprin and I just can't get used to taking them now, lol. I have made one concession however and have taken off my wig at work, lol. Of course, I have my own office and have the door shut but it still feels better, lol. Hope things are going well for David, he is in my prayers. God Bless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart ziggie ( Greg ) Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Mo_Sugar, Hi ! I was fortunate not to have any headaches thru my PCI treatments. I have heard of others that have experienced them as well. Since we are on the topic i will share something with the board and see if anyone else had this experience. From my very first PCI treatment to my last i experienced 2 distinct things during the course of the radiation. # 1 being as soon as the machine came on i had a weird taste in my mouth. I mean like i hadnt ever tasted in my life. It was there in a milisecond and gone just as quick.Obviously my first thought was like, the radiation cooking something up there. # 2 that happened was i closed my eyes. I seen the most vivid blue and yellow SPARKS that you can imagine. It was like sparklers for the 4th of July.So when we were done i ask the techs about this. They both looked at each other and the one said, We have heard of this from time to time. She said it was rare for someone to experience these things. So of course the second day i was really going to test out my newfound mystery taste. Again, when i went i closed my eyes and seen the sparks. I also tasted the taste again. To be honest it almost made me get sick. I tried to compare it to something i had smelled before. Long story short...... I continued to experience these things daily. The closest i came to the taste thing was that it tasted kinda like Chlorine smells. I dunno ! After about my third treatment i bought some listerine strips and gum to try to combat this. Quite honestly it was almost making me sick every time i tasted it. I didnt mean to turn this reply into a novel but i hadnt shared this anywhere but my Dr. office and i am a little interested in seeing if anyone else has experienced anything weird like this with PCI ? Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO_Sugar Posted November 20, 2003 Author Share Posted November 20, 2003 So I am NOT Crazy, lol. I had the distinct smell of bleach both yesterday and today when they started the machine and I have seen red and green flashes! Ewwwwwwwwwww, this is spooky!! I hadn't said anything to my Dr as yet but I will tomorrow and let you know what he says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam'swifeShirley Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 The weird taste, to me was more a smell but definitely there every time. Also got the flashes, mostly blue in my case. Strange isn't it? Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart ziggie ( Greg ) Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 LOL....... i am glad i replied after all. Sam you are right it is more of a smell than a taste. Given my present condition with the recurrance i believe 100 % that the only reason i havent developed brain mets is because i opted for the PCI. I dont know if this is the case or not but i truly believe it to be. Well thanks for sharing guys. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO_Sugar Posted November 20, 2003 Author Share Posted November 20, 2003 Ok, I asked my rad tech today about the smell and he said most people do experience it. He said it is a flash of ozone when the machine starts as they run 6 MILLION volts of electricity throught the machine!! He doesn't know what causes the light flashes but he did know about the smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tami Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Greg.. I had 12 weeks of chest radiation and I developed that metalic taste. After the 1st treatment it was like I could taste it! Yuck! I could also smell it too. I told my techs and they agreed that it happens once in a while. I later developed that wonderful radiation throat although mine wasn't so much painful as it was swollen. It felt like a rock or something was stuck in my throat. But throughout my treatment I had that metal like taste. I guess it's not just with PCI treatments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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