› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Interferon and heart palpitations
- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 5 months ago by
Laurie from maine.
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- December 2, 2011 at 12:48 am
Hi there,
I’m a 31 female with stage 3 melanoma. I’m currently in my 7th month of intron a @15million units. I have had the majority of the side effects and have been unable to work throughout this process. It sucks, and I feel weak and tired all the time, but I know it could be much worse! Sometimes the days fly by, sometimes the weeks drag, but we carry on and make lists of fun things to do after interferon!!
The last couple months I’ve had heart palpitations quite regularly and my oncologist says it’s not related to treatment. I was very active, athletic and healthy before all this. I’m curious how it could be unrelated…. I’m pretty sure I’ve gone into Afib with HR 182 as well but ER couldn’t catch it. I’ve increased my fluid intake in case it was dehydration to no avail. I’ve finally seen my family doc to get an echo and holter monitor and see what’s up, but i worry what effect this is really having on my heart long term? Has anyone had experience with cardiac complications? I wonder whether my dosage should be tapered?
Suggestions, advice are welcomed!
Steph
- Replies
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- December 2, 2011 at 1:13 am
Hi Steph,
I did 11 months of Intron A (after I did two doses of the high dose interferon my PICC line failed, but I was able to swtich over to the low dose after my arm cellulitis healed). I went into the year of Interferon treatment with cardiac conditions and they did not worsen: I had (and still have) hypertension, supraventricular tachycardia, and mitral valve prolapse. I think it is probably best to get a holter monitor and have an echocardiogram as a baseline and for reassurance. If your doctor is a melanoma oncologist and therefore has experience with interferon, I would assume he has an excellent knowledge base about potential side effects of the Interferon treatment.
I'll be thinking of you!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED
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- December 3, 2011 at 2:54 pm
hi
I only did high dose and 5 months of low dose interferon had to stop due to liver. I did experience heart palpitations and just had to breath thru them. I never had it checked out, I had just assumed they were related to meds and anxiety. They have gone away now that I am off. But I do find I have little "anxiety attacks" or heart racing incidents now and then which I have attributed to just the anxiety that comes with having melanoma. IT would be good to get it checked out, especially if you are worried.
take care
laurie from maine
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- December 3, 2011 at 2:54 pm
hi
I only did high dose and 5 months of low dose interferon had to stop due to liver. I did experience heart palpitations and just had to breath thru them. I never had it checked out, I had just assumed they were related to meds and anxiety. They have gone away now that I am off. But I do find I have little "anxiety attacks" or heart racing incidents now and then which I have attributed to just the anxiety that comes with having melanoma. IT would be good to get it checked out, especially if you are worried.
take care
laurie from maine
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- December 3, 2011 at 2:54 pm
hi
I only did high dose and 5 months of low dose interferon had to stop due to liver. I did experience heart palpitations and just had to breath thru them. I never had it checked out, I had just assumed they were related to meds and anxiety. They have gone away now that I am off. But I do find I have little "anxiety attacks" or heart racing incidents now and then which I have attributed to just the anxiety that comes with having melanoma. IT would be good to get it checked out, especially if you are worried.
take care
laurie from maine
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- December 2, 2011 at 1:13 am
Hi Steph,
I did 11 months of Intron A (after I did two doses of the high dose interferon my PICC line failed, but I was able to swtich over to the low dose after my arm cellulitis healed). I went into the year of Interferon treatment with cardiac conditions and they did not worsen: I had (and still have) hypertension, supraventricular tachycardia, and mitral valve prolapse. I think it is probably best to get a holter monitor and have an echocardiogram as a baseline and for reassurance. If your doctor is a melanoma oncologist and therefore has experience with interferon, I would assume he has an excellent knowledge base about potential side effects of the Interferon treatment.
I'll be thinking of you!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED
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- December 2, 2011 at 1:13 am
Hi Steph,
I did 11 months of Intron A (after I did two doses of the high dose interferon my PICC line failed, but I was able to swtich over to the low dose after my arm cellulitis healed). I went into the year of Interferon treatment with cardiac conditions and they did not worsen: I had (and still have) hypertension, supraventricular tachycardia, and mitral valve prolapse. I think it is probably best to get a holter monitor and have an echocardiogram as a baseline and for reassurance. If your doctor is a melanoma oncologist and therefore has experience with interferon, I would assume he has an excellent knowledge base about potential side effects of the Interferon treatment.
I'll be thinking of you!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED
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