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Eye twitching

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2

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  • Sheizstella
    Sheizstella Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2012
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    I'm on tch, I've had two of 6 cycles so far. My left eye has been twitching for the last three days... It's the worst when I'm driving!

  • lovewins
    lovewins Member Posts: 570
    edited October 2013
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    I am having twitches in my eyes and all over my body. does anyone know what causes this? I am going through chemo TCH right now had 3 treatment 9 days ago. this is driving me crazy!!!

  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 110
    edited October 2013
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    Lovewins


    I had the same. Eye twitching, muscle spasming, face tingling and ear ringing!! It drove me crazy but 3 months post chemo it is gone. The ear ringing comes and goes now. Good luck.

  • Alive4Five
    Alive4Five Member Posts: 2,225
    edited May 2014
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    Ok, so it appears to be a while since this thread addressed the eye twitching problem. 

    Well, I guess I am a bit different, in that I developed my twitch months After finishing up chemo. I am 8mos. out from my last chemo tx; cytoxan and taxotere. My left eye is only effected, and I just don't get it! This far down the road?

    It is nearly continuous... anybody???

    Thanks ahead of time! xoxo

  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 110
    edited May 2014
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    Alive

    I had eye twitching after chemo that lasted about a week. Now I have developed a massive floater in the same eye. A dialation exam revealed a benign issue and it has since almost disappeared. My eye dr advised that it is very common to have lingering issues after treatment ends. Of course the more you we worry about things, the worse they seem. I hope the twitching resolves on its own very soon.  

  • Vespa
    Vespa Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2014
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    Hooray! ... I am more normal that I thought.  

    This eye-twitching is awful! I have it in both eyes, usually worse directly following treatment (chemo/herceptin/perjeta) but settles down to one constant little twitch of my left eye lid. Now that the chemo drug has stopped and I am on herceptin/perjeta/tamoxifin tx it has calmed slightly.  It is affecting me socially, however, as I feel as though it makes me look like a shifty character! So strange

    Thank you for helping me feel slightly more normal.

    Vespa

  • SuzannaB
    SuzannaB Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2015
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    Well it's always a relief to find fellow eye-twitchers. I had not thought about the dryness, thanks for mentioning that. I'll start using my eyedrops and see if it helps.

    I don't find it to be a minor issue, (okay, everything is relative). It interferes with my work and my social presence.

    It's interesting that as far as I've read in this forum, no one's doctor has copped to the fact that it occurs during chemo. Sigh. I just get so frustrated with the limited data that is collected and how the experience of the patient is so often ignored. There are a LOT of people here talking about eye twitching in proximity to the chemo treatment.

    Off to find my eyedrops, and looking forward to getting past my last treatment which is in a couple of weeks. Good luck to all of you!

  • Kim513
    Kim513 Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2015
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    I am experiencing blurred vision, runny eyes as well as eye and cheek twitching. Good to be able to share info so I know I am not the only one dealing with this. Currently on Taxol.. just had my 8th treatment 4 more then radiation.

  • __asher__
    __asher__ Member Posts: 106
    edited June 2016
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    Oh lawd, I just want it to stop! Both eyes twitch! I still take Herceptin until February, but stopped Chemo (Carbo & Taxotere) on the 9th. For those of you who got twitches from the chemo, how long did it take for them to stop???

  • Frill
    Frill Member Posts: 104
    edited June 2016
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    I had the eye twitches during Taxol. I told my dr and he practically ignored me. I guess maybe because there was nothing to do about it. It's nice to know I'm not imagining it, though. It did go away almost as soon as Taxol ended. I've done 4 FAC treatments with no twitchies.

  • darlao
    darlao Member Posts: 2
    edited October 2016
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    I hadcarbo, taxotere, herceptin and perjeta. My eyes still twitch a lot, at the same time. It makes driving, reading, everything difficult. I had muscle spasms all over and internally. It felt like being pregnant. I'm over 8 weeks done with chemo and still twitching, no taste and still losing weight. Will this get better?

  • Lisapizza1960
    Lisapizza1960 Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2016
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    Thank goodness for this blog. I'm on TC day 3 and my eye won't quit twitching.Thank you sisters....I don't feel quite as alone.

  • ajbclan
    ajbclan Member Posts: 396
    edited November 2016
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    Hi Everyone- I just did #5 of 6 chemo treatments yesterday, 21 days apart. Twitching seems to start after the nausea and fatigue. I mentioned the twitching to the NP during a follow up appt. She said increase electrolytes. So I drink a Vitamin Water a day now and it's cut down on the twitching for me. Worth a shot :)

  • amw5
    amw5 Member Posts: 74
    edited November 2016
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    ajbclan - Thx for the information on the eye twitching. My left eye has been twitching up a storm, and I was wondering why.

  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 45
    edited April 2017
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    I had 4 treatments of t/c and the eye twitching for me began 3 days after the second treatment. It was so bad that it would wake me up at night. It made it extremely difficult to get a good night's sleep and reading was impossible.

    I still have twitching 2 weeks after my last treatment on March 27th. It doesn't wake me up anymore, but it never stops throughout the day. My eyelids are also really swollen. I have tried eye drops but I have had no relief.

    My oncologist said it was a side effect of the chemo and could take up to a year to completely go away. I am tired of cancer treatment already. I am so ready to be done with everything.

  • mdba
    mdba Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2017
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    Darlao- and Iohoff-has your twitching/spasms stopped? I am so glad to see your posts are fairly recent. I finished cytoxan, and taxotere 12 weeks ago still getting herceptin until Nov 2017. Anyways, i have had all over body muscle twitches/spasm and eye twitches since my 2nd treatment. It happens all day long. My MO looks at me like i am crazy when i tell her... saying she has never had anyone had these symptoms and she shrugged it off. (she is young and new). Will this ever get better or go away? Is it Herceptin too since I am still getting them or is it neurotoxicity from the Taxotere? Thank you for any input.

  • mdba
    mdba Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2017
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    Iohoff-I am new to this message board and see you had twitches and spasms. I am 12 weeks done with Cytoxan and taxotere however still getting Herceptin till Nov 2017. I have had all over muscle twitches/spasms and eye twitch since after my second chemo. My MO looks at me like i am crazy when I twll her i have these symptoms. She is new and young. I was just wondering if yours stopped and if you know of anything to help deal with these twitches. Thank you so much!

    mdba

  • mdba
    mdba Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2017
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    Love wins- has your twitching/spasms stopped? I am so glad to see your posts are fairly recent. I finished cytoxan, and taxotere 12 weeks ago still getting herceptin until Nov 2017. Anyways, i have had all over body muscle twitches/spasm and eye twitches since my 2nd treatment. It happens all day long. My MO looks at me like i am crazy when i tell her... saying she has never had anyone had these symptoms and she shrugged it off. (she is young and new). Will this ever get better or go away? Is it Herceptin too since I am still getting them or is it neurotoxicity from the Taxotere? Thank you for any input.

  • Dennyj
    Dennyj Member Posts: 84
    edited April 2017
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    I need to jump in on this conversation. My eyes twitch all day long. I am convinced it had to do with the chemo b/c I never had it before BC. Honestly, it is all day long and for a while it was just my right but now it is both. I have an eye appointment later next month and that will be 1st on my list to be addressed!

  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 45
    edited May 2017
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    mdba - My eyes have improved. It's been almost 8 weeks since my last chemo treatment. I still get twitching throughout the day but it's much more tolerable and doesn't last as long. Now I have other eye problems I'm dealing with. Chemo and radiation are the gifts that just keep giving. Devil I hope your eyes are improving. It sucks to have to deal with all the SE from our treatment.

    *I am very thankful to be alive despite my cynical and hostile attitude toward BC and its frustrating treatment.

  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 1,248
    edited May 2017
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    I had the eye twitching all the way through chemo and probably about 2 or 3 months after. Nothing I did seemed to have an effect on it. It stopped 5 months after chemo.

  • Whirlaway
    Whirlaway Member Posts: 16
    edited May 2017
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    For me, the eye twitching (both eyes) started the last two rounds of Taxol. I guess I was just tired by then and my blood cells dropped for the first time. I managed to do 10 rounds of Taxol on normal blood counts. The twitching lasted for about 3 weeks post chemo. It was almost a constant during those weeks - very annoying. I am now 3 months post chemo and I get an occasional twitch in one eye when I am really tired but thankfully it doesn't last long.

    I did take my usual eye drops for allergies (Similasan) but while I got relief from itchiness it did nothing for the eye twitching. Sometimes my eyes felt better by putting a warm green tea bag on my eyes and alternated with cold Witch Hazel compresses. I have done this before chemo for allergies but I have no idea how other people would react to this!

  • Kareen1
    Kareen1 Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2019
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    I’m going mad! I thought it was from lack of calcium, magnesium and iron. That’s not even helping

  • Kareen1
    Kareen1 Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2019
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    Thanks for sharing. Vitamin water I off the store.

  • Chelle67
    Chelle67 Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2020
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    My first chemo session was Jan 10 and my left eye twitching started Jan 24th. My second chemo was Jan 31, 2020 and it seems the right is trying to start a twitch as well. It is VERY annoying

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,055
    edited February 2020
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    Dear Chelle67,

    Welcome to the BCO community. We are sorry for your symptoms but glad that you reached out. Please keep us posted and let us know how things go and how you resolve ( if you are able) the problem. We hope that you will stay active here and reach out to us if you need any help navigating your way around.

    The Mods

  • Sunrisefish
    Sunrisefish Member Posts: 35
    edited February 2020
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    Chelle67,

    I have the eye twitching too from chemo. Yes it is so annoying. Apparently it's pretty common from these threads. I also have dry eye - which chemo is making worse! I'm not sure if the twitching is a side effect of the eyes becoming dryer or just a side effect of the chemo. I do know that chemo makes your eyes dry - so perhaps the twitching is just dry eye. For dry eye one of the best things I've found is to use something like the bruder eye mask (check out the review on Amazon). You just heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, place on your eyes for about 20 minutes then massage the lids to get the natural oils moving that hydrate your eyes.

    https://www.amazon.com/Eye-Mask-Microwavable-Absor...=sr_1_4?keywords=bruder+eye+mask&qid=1580841240&sr=8-4

    Also check out eye drops. I recommend single use vials without preservatives... as the preservatives can be irritating if you use them a lot. My favorite is Occusoft Retaine. They are very well reviewed on Amazon.

    https://www.amazon.com/Ocusoft-Ophthalmic-Emulsion...=sr_1_9?keywords=eye+drops&qid=1580841724&sr=8-9

    I hope it helps!


  • Chelle67
    Chelle67 Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2020
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    To Sunrisefish:

    Thank you so much! I do have dry eyes and normally have to use Refresh Tears or Systane every day, in fact I can't open my eyes after sleeping without putting in a couple drops. I didn't think it could be chemo making the dry eye worse and therefore causing the twitch. I already have the microwave eye thingy (got it from my eye doctor a couple years ago, but of course stopped using it when my super-dry eye flare-up stopped) and I will try that and see if that clears it up. Thanks again.

  • yesiamadragon
    yesiamadragon Member Posts: 343
    edited February 2020
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    I wish I had seen this thread while I was doing TCHP. Not just bad eye twitching but my arms and legs as well! Sometimes my toes would be dancing on their own. It got better rapidly after chemo.

  • sarah_78
    sarah_78 Member Posts: 119
    edited December 2021
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    I am so glad to find this topic, I thought I was the only one (or that I was losing my mind).

    Encouraging to hear it resolved itself after chemo was over, hoping the same.

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