7 replies to this topic

[Ebby13]

Hello All!

I was wondering if anyone else out there has experienced signs or symptoms of dysphagia or trouble swallowing while taking oral chemotherapy drugs.  I've been on them all but seem to have the worst experience with this while on Gleevec as well as Tasigna.  Sometimes food seems to just stop right behind my sternum.  I've even experienced pain just swallowing liquids.  I have mentioned this to my oncologist but nothing has come of it yet.  I've taken breaks from therapies and the issue seems to subside somewhat.  Anyway, I was just curious if anyone else has had trouble.

Thank you!

Beth

*This is a completely seperate issue from having an enlarged spleen from CML.  My spleen has returned to it's normal size.

[LLawrence]

I had the same problem.  I ended up seeing my GI doc who performed an endoscopy and dilatation (esophageal stricture).  They found h. pylori.  Treating that helped a lot.  I do still have some dysphagia (milder) on Tasigna, but not as severe as with h. pylori plus Gleevec.

Leesa

[Ebby13]

Leesa,

THANK YOU!  So glad to not be alone.  Sometimes at the dinner table my family just rolls their eyes when I pound the table because eating hurts so bad.  Headed to a GI asap.

[LLawrence]

Great, I hope you get better soon.  It's a miserable feeling.

Leesa

[Trey]

It is fairly common.  It makes swallowing pills more difficult, among other things.  It can be soft tissue edema in the throat, but can also be related to the thyroid  since it surrounds the larynx.  The TKI drugs can cause hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) which can lead to swelling of the thyroid.  This condition can also affect breathing, cause muscle pain, heart palpitations, and other symptoms common to TKI users.  I have had lower thyroid function since taking Gleevec, and have the swallowing difficulty issue.

http://thyroid.answe...thyroid-disease

[CindyS]

I'm having the same problem along with acid reflux.  I'm going in Monday for an EGD.  Hopefully I'll have some answers after that.  I wondered if it was related to Gleevec, but I hate blaming everything on that.  I feel like a hypochondriac!

Cindy

[Ebby13]

Thank you Trey!  Very helpful!

[Ebby13]

Cindy,

You're not alone.  When I was on Gleevec my heartburn was so bad that my ears burned, if that's even possible.  My nurse practitioner advised Prilosec 2x per day and it helped.  If I missed 1 dose I would be in big trouble.  Hope you you can find a remedy!