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#1 sferrazza

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Posted 22 April 2011 - 09:59 PM

Hello CLMers,

I started tasigna over a month ago, right after starting I got severe headaches.  I went off it for one week headaches went away.  Back on but slowly increasing one pill for 3 days, 2 pills etc.  However everytime I get to 3 pill the headaches come back.  Now back to 2 pills.  However the onc wants me to go to a headache clinic.  Has anyone been referred or had any experience like this.  I am wondering why I would go to see a headache specialist if I know why I'm getting a headache.

Thanks



#2 houtex54

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Posted 28 April 2011 - 09:42 PM

Mild to moderate headache is listed as a "commonly reported side-effect" for Tasigna.  Clinical guidelines recommend "supportive care".  If headache pain is bad enough to cause you to not take the Tasigna, then referral to the headache specialist could be a good-faith effort by your oncologist to find a way to manage the headache pain and allow you to continue with Tasigna for leukemia.  (The rationale here is that there are many ways to treat headache pain, but only a few ways to effectively treat leukemia).  

Severe headaches, or headaches accompanied by symptoms of acute neurological distress (sensory distortion, confusion, disorientation, nausea, loss of consciousness, or muscular tremors) should be regarded as serious problems more so than the "moderate and commonly reported" types of headaches.

This is a link to the Australian version of the Tasigna package insert -

http://www.racgp.org...mi/nvctasor.pdf

I hope the headache specialist figures out something that helps.

Doug



#3 janner25

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Posted 29 April 2011 - 08:09 AM

Hi - I started tasigna at diagnosis in October 2010.  I had severe headaches - like a hangover without the fun the night before.  I think they lasted about 2 or 3 weeks..and have not returned.  I was on 300 mg 2x/day.

Good luck!



#4 Dsrwbr4536

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Posted 09 August 2011 - 08:26 PM

Hi Sferrazza,    I was just reading your post and wondering if your headaches have gone away or bottom better? First I hope so. Second my husband is having a terrible time. He is ready to quit the Tasigna. Just wondering if there is a chance they will get better or if he should switch. Things were fine until about 6 weeks in and now the past 2 weeks have been awful with headaches and nausea. Any encouraging words? Thank you



#5 sferrazza

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Posted 09 August 2011 - 09:02 PM

Hi DSR,

I am still on Tasigna.  The severe headaches went away after about 8 weeks.  I went off then slowly added a pill.  I took 1 pill a day for 1 week then 2 pills and so on until I was up to the 4 pills a day routine.  That seemed to work for me and as soon as I got a headache I would go back to whatever worked until my body adjusted.  I do still get headaches about 1 or 2 times a week but they aren't the debilitating ones.  I also have nausea every morning so I'm a slow starter.  Usually a coke helps and as soon as I can eat I will feel better.  I would tell your husband to stick with Tasigna and maybe ask the onc if he can lower the dose and slowly go back up again.  My onc said we would do that again if things went crazy for me.  Good luck, I hope he starts to feel better soon!

Susan






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