Seizures

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jessicar_bsn@yahoo.com

Seizures

Postby jessicar_bsn@yahoo.com » Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:08 pm

Has anyone else experienced a seizure????? I had a seizure on friday, like a major seizure, I am scared. I had a Ct scan that was negative, but my onc ordered an MRI tommorow. Is it possible to have brain mets that don't show up on a CT??? Why did I have a seizure? I never had one before. Can chemo cause seizures???? Should I be worried? Please help I am freaking myself out.
Jessica

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justsing
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Re: Seizures

Postby justsing » Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:43 pm

Oh Jess!!! Yikes. That's scary. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I don't know anything about it, but I'm sure DrL will get to the bottom of it.
justsing, 46
Stage IV
colon resection 12/07
Liver resection 04/08
Phase I vaccine trial
liver, lung LN mets
tried Oxi, Iri and Avastin
now trying new chemo combos then sir spheres
College prof in theatre & voice
2 girls 18 & 14, one son 10

vancouver eve
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Re: Seizures

Postby vancouver eve » Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:53 pm

Ask Brady the question?

KalisaO
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Re: Seizures

Postby KalisaO » Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:28 pm

I did not have a seizure, but a woman I did chemo with did. Her story was...diagnosed Stage II colon cancer- no lympnodes involved. Opted for Folfox as a preventative measure. Overall, Folfox was tough on her - she lost about 40 lbs, bad neuropothy, and thrush/thrust (sorry, its been 2 years now). She also fought with her with blood counts. Anyway, after treatment #8 she had to get a blood transfusion. When she came in for #9 our oncologist told her...no more. She was done...that the chemo was doing more harm than good. She went into the chemo room for some fluids and ended up having a seizure. She had every type of scan, scope and test run on her and NOTHING. The only explanation was the chemo. It has been 2 years now and she hasn't had another seizure and is still NED.

I am sure you doctor will take good care of you to ensure everything is OK...I just wanted you to know you are not alone with this experience. Take care!!
Diagnosed Stage III colon cancer - June 06
1/14 lymphnodes positive
Chemotherapy: Aug. 06 - Jan. 07

http://www.caringbridge.com/visit/KalisaBurkeyOwens

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bradyr
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Re: Seizures

Postby bradyr » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:26 pm

It's pretty rare (and I mean really really really rare) , but yes chemo could cause a seizures. there typically has to be other damage to the brain as well for this to be a trigger. but I think it's more likely the cause is something else other than the chemo.
bradyr
DX 2/07 mets liver/bone/brain/spleen
Foxfox/avastin 3-6/07
bone mets 5 times
xedada 9-7/07
Folfri 1-6/07
GammaKnife brain lesion 1/08
SIRT Spheres rlobe 7/08 llobe 8/08
cyberknife brain 10/08
Brain surgery 1/09
Vebctibix 1-4/09

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pearlgirl
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Re: Seizures

Postby pearlgirl » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:07 am

Jessica,

Were you on any anti-emetic (nausea) meds? My husband had seizures several weeks ago and they were attributed to the meds he was taking for nausea. It was a frightening experience.
Husband DX CC (T2N0M0) 9/06
LAR 9/06
Recurrence, now CRC 1/08
chemo/rad, 6 weeks, ended 5/2/08
2nd LAR/ temp ileo 6/19/08,
8/4/08> 6 months chemo
ileo reversal 4/09, in remission

jessicar_bsn@yahoo.com

Re: Seizures

Postby jessicar_bsn@yahoo.com » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:46 pm

I was not taking any antiemetics at the time, or for weeks before my seizure. I had an MRI done yesterday and it was Good! There is no cancer in my brain. Thank you LORD! I am taking Reglan which my be my reason for seizure. Not sure yet, I go to see my onc tommorow at 12:00, we will see what he has to say about all of this. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!
Jessica

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AugustWest
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Re: Seizures

Postby AugustWest » Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:08 pm

Jessica, that is great news about the MRI!!
Stage IIIb CC - dx 8/07
4/26 nodes pos.
10 tx Oxaliplatin / 6 months Xeloda

strongme

Re: Seizures

Postby strongme » Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:13 pm

Jessica, congratulations on your good MRI results!!!!!!

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pearlgirl
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Re: Seizures

Postby pearlgirl » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:31 pm

jessicar_bsn@yahoo.com wrote:I was not taking any antiemetics at the time, or for weeks before my seizure. I had an MRI done yesterday and it was Good! There is no cancer in my brain. Thank you LORD! I am taking Reglan which my be my reason for seizure. Not sure yet, I go to see my onc tommorow at 12:00, we will see what he has to say about all of this. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!
Jessica


The day after my husband's seizures, he was given Reglan and he felt as if it was starting again (noticed involuntary muscle movement, shakiness), so they quickly stopped the med. That may be your answer.
Husband DX CC (T2N0M0) 9/06
LAR 9/06
Recurrence, now CRC 1/08
chemo/rad, 6 weeks, ended 5/2/08
2nd LAR/ temp ileo 6/19/08,
8/4/08> 6 months chemo
ileo reversal 4/09, in remission

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justsing
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Re: Seizures

Postby justsing » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:36 pm

I'm hoping you got lots of good info from DrL today. The other thing I was thinking was that it was somehow connected to the pain meds you'd been needing for the abdominal pain. If you'd been taking them pretty regularly for a good amount of time and then stopped suddenly . . .? Just a thought.

SO glad the MRI came back clean!!! We gotta get you going on this vaccine, girlfriend!
justsing, 46
Stage IV
colon resection 12/07
Liver resection 04/08
Phase I vaccine trial
liver, lung LN mets
tried Oxi, Iri and Avastin
now trying new chemo combos then sir spheres
College prof in theatre & voice
2 girls 18 & 14, one son 10

jessicar_bsn@yahoo.com

Re: Seizures

Postby jessicar_bsn@yahoo.com » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:19 pm

Well my MD thinks that the seizure was from the Reglan that I take for Gastroparesis( slow emptying of the stomach). They cut my reglan in half and started me on anti seizure medication and told me not to drive until I see the neurologist. I will get chemo again tommorow, they couldn't get me in today. I have 2 rounds left and then I start the clinical trial vaccine. I see the neurologist in mid August and I also go for my colonoscopy on Aug 14th. I'm not looking forward to these last 2 rounds of chemo, it seems that each of these last rounds I ended up in the hospital. The last 2 rounds I ended up in the hospital for nausea and vomiting from my gastroparesis, which is why they increased my Reglan in the first place. Wish me luck! Thanks!
Jessica

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justsing
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Re: Seizures

Postby justsing » Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:43 pm

Hey Jessica. So glad they got to the bottom of it. I hope they can keep it fine tuned through the last 2 rounds!

My mom had gastroparesis and they bounced back and forth between Reglan and Erythromycin. I don't know if the side effects of the Erythromycin would be a bad combo with the Folfiri, but you could check ask about it. They gave it to her as a liquid which they said would act more locally and stimulate the stomach with fewer systemic side effects.

Here's an article

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/448278

Metoclopramide is the generic name for Reglan.

Hope you're feeling OK tonight!!!!

PS - in case the link doesn't work, here's the title of the article:
Erythromycin Accelerates Gastric Emptying in a Dose-Response Manner in Healthy Subjects
justsing, 46
Stage IV
colon resection 12/07
Liver resection 04/08
Phase I vaccine trial
liver, lung LN mets
tried Oxi, Iri and Avastin
now trying new chemo combos then sir spheres
College prof in theatre & voice
2 girls 18 & 14, one son 10


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