jaminkw Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I have a long history of blaming everything that ails me on allergies. When I asked what I was allergic to, I was told by an alergist "the planet." I'm putting up a brave front but am still suffering from puffy and burning eyes, intermittent ear aches and sore throat, and sinus congestion headaches. I haven't felt good in ages it seems. The thing that worried me the most was occasional SOB that would come on quite suddenly but usually when I was exerting myself a little. I wasn't comfortable hearing myself say over and over that it was probably the sinus/allergy problem. Then yesterday I read Patti say in a post that she had SOB with Alimta. Is this a common side effect? I know a lot of you have been on Alimta. Did you experience SOB on it. I've been afraid it was fluid build up. When I went to the emergency room recently, the doctor didn't even listen to my chest and I forgot about it until it was too late. Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Judy- Fatigue and SOB are very common side effects of Alimta. Go over to chemocare.com and it will show you that over 30% of people receiving Alimta get SOB from it. Unfortunately, mine seemed to be cumulative in nature but never really got to the point where it interfered with my life. Just had to sit down and rest periodically. Alimta for me was a pretty good drug - kept me stable for quite a while so I would not have wanted to come off of it early because of the SOB. As far as your sinus problems are concerned - mine are horrid, too and the doc told me that chemo actually increases the amount of mucous you produce......last week was chemo # 56 for me so believe me, I am one snotty person!!! LOL!!! Good luck!!! Hugs - Patti B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahknee Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I've been wondering the same thing Jude. I get extremely winded at the slightest exertion. I also get chills in my legs and they feel like jello. I've been using O2 almost fulltime since this round of chemo began and Using a cane to keep from going down when my legs rubberize. I don't know if it's a side effect or I'm just getting sicker. I've also been very anemic and the onc nurses are giving me procrit once or twice a week. I just keep praying that the outcome justifys the punishment of the treatments. LOL Glad you brought it up Judy.. Donny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 On Alimta I do have some weakness and reduced stamina that's more apparent than when I was on Tarceva. I wouldn't call it shortness of breath, because I can still get a good amount of air into my lungs, but I have to work a little harder at it and the huffing-puffing is more noticeable during exertion (like walking up a hill). To me, shortness of breath is like when I was first diagnosed and had the large pleural effusion — I would breathe as deeply as I could, but still felt the need to get more air. That specific feeling has never returned. I now feel I can get enough air, but there seems to be a stiffness or restriction in the chest wall that I have to push through to get the lungs fully expanded. Does that make sense? Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Ned, it makes perfect sense to me and am so glad it's related to the treatment and not the cancer. I do remember trying to get up the dunes in NJ before I was dx'd, this is different. I can get enough breath, as you say, it just requires more effort and especially when I'm climbing. Even five or six steps can do it. I need to check this eye thing too because although my sinuses and allergies still aren't great, the eyes are significantly hindering me from doing things I want and need to be doing. Thanks everyone and Patti, I'm going to go check out the chemocare.com. Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahknee Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Yepper Ned that is just how it feels, really tight like there is a band around the chest that wont let it expand. Nailed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 ...that is just how it feels, really tight like there is a band around the chest that won't let it expand... I checked some of the online definitions for "shorness of breath" and "dyspnea" but didn't find much help there. Some seem to include just about any breathing difficulty within the meaning of SOB, while others make a distinction between an unsatisfied hunger for air (my definition of SOB) and other problems such as the band around the chest (which I would call a restriction to breathing, or labored breathing, not SOB). I guess it's just semantics, but it would probably be useful for patients to describe the various sensations to the doc instead of simply answering yes or no to the SOB question, because we don't know what definition the doc has in mind. And it probably makes a difference, or else he wouldn't have asked the question. Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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