Chemotherapy for Stage IV
Comments
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Thanks a lot Sue for the quick response, I really appreciate it.
My mom is in India and I would tell her the tips that you suggested for eating. Her doc suggested some after chemo pills and gargles. She is very good in taking her medication timely but as far as eating a lot is not something that is happening. She is taking 2-3 servings of fruits and veggies and regular stuff with 1-2 green tea. She does do a little walk but not much. The best thing is she is in a good spirit and ready to fight it.
Thanks a lot for your wishes and wish you good luck for your Mastectomy.
Regards,
Hansraj0 -
Hans - The ABSOLUTE BEST advise is a Fighting Attitude! Sounds like your mom is there and that is the best! With that said, the rest is just a matter of getting through the rough patches.
Thanks for the good wishes...I'll keep you and your mom in my prayers!
Sue
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Hello! I am new to the Chemo thread. I have not had it since 2006, I was lucky with AIs and Her2 drugs for a while but they have stopped working. I am on Taxotere and Carbo, 3 weeks on, one off. I just started my second round Friday and it kicked my butt, I do not think I have ever been so tired in my life. I was so exhausted that I had to call in sick to work today. I had 4 rounds of AC and 4 rounds of Taxol just after my initial diagnosis but this seems to be a bit tougher. My hair is falling out in clumps right now and we have so much bad news in the last week so I am sure the depression has something to do with it too. Anyone out there have this combo and if so, will it get worse? I remember sleeping for a day/day and a half while on AC and Taxol but I bounced back pretty quick. I was in my early thirties then so maybe that had something to do with it? If anyone has advice for energy, I would certainly appreciate it.
Marybe, How is it going with the Red Devil? I too sucked on ice chips and did not get any mouth sores.
Wishing everyone a Happy 2012.
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Vicki - your dx is similar to mine. I finished same regiment of Taxo and Carbo in early Sept. Mets were in my nodes, ribs, and spine. Scans at end of Sept and last ones, end of Dec. show NED. The cocktail you are on will kick your butt. And it is cumulative. The SE's get worse with each treatment. My 1st, I jumped outta bed in 2 1/2 days, by the 6th one I was down for almost 10 days. I also had Herceptin Every Week and still on it every 3 weeks, plus Aromasin pill every night. Also got a shot of Neulasta every month, the bone aches from that were the worst. Now getting Xgeva shot every 6 weeks to keep me from getting osteo whatever. Trying to keep my bones strong since the drugs are stopping all hormone growth. My hotflashes are bothersome, but nothing like the SE's from chemo. I shaved my head after 2nd round, it is just now growing back. Loved not having to do the bikini wax and leg shavin tho....lol. Wish I could tell you some good news...except that being triple positive, those drugs worked for me...so far anyway. Am seeing my surgeon tomorrow, talking bi-lat mx with reconstruction soon. Best thing for energy is lots of protein and try to walk a little every day. Its hard, real hard, and many days I said 'piss on it'. But it does help even with the bone aches.
Keep me posted and I will pray and send positive vibes your way. And don't give up...EVER!
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Thank you for the advice Mema. How did it go today? I am so happy that cocktail socked it to the cancer and you are NED! I hope you continue on this path for a very long time and pray for a speedy recovery from the surgery.
I know it sounds strange but I did not mind the Hot Flashes, I hate being cold:) I had my ovaries removed in 1/07 and started getting the flashes right away. It was freezing here in Ohio but we were able to save on our heat bill because of them. We have take the positives any way can get them! Not having to shave is the one thing I am looking forward to but of course, that has not happened yet. Seems the last to go and the first to come back.
I know I can do it and I hope to have the same results. I need to give myself a quick kick in the arss to get moving, I know it helps but I have noticed mustering up the get up go is getting harder each week.
I hope it went well today, please let me know.
xoxo
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Hi Vicki
Haven't had the same combo but recently finished 3 lots of taxotere which I had every 3 weeks. I definitely found it harder each time and ended up in bed for 7-8 days on the last one. Still have some numbness in my hands and feet and looking like I might lose a nail or two. I have a scan booked for next Monday and hoping it's made a difference to my liver mets - would hate to think I'd been to hell and back for nothing!
Good luck and don't kick yourself too hard!
Laurie x
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@Mema, you give great advice re chemo! I know it is appreciated by those who need it right NOW! You should save it in a file so you can paste it in for others who come back with questions! Good stuff!!
@Laurie, I too had 3 rounds of taxotere. The onc stopped it in august due to SE's but the scan after showed NED. Now on gemzar as a maintenance chemo and still NED as of the last scan. Wishing you good results as well. I never lost a nail but they sure looked bad .... some black, all with ridges. Just now starting to look halfway normal. Look forward to hearing good news from you!
Hugs to all, Glenna0 -
Morning Breasties...Got back from Vegas last night, too late to post. Bad news, well not really, but depressed me...but I'll get better soon as I wrap my head around it. CAN'T take these 'motherships' off til I'm finished with the Herceptin drips that I get every 3 weeks. Have to be on it a year, and off of it at least 30 days before my surgeon will take my boobs. Then...OMG...NO reconstructive for awhile cuz I have to do Radiation. ALAS, so we're talking late June before surgery and the start of rad. I WILL find a silver lining....jes how I am, and already have seen a few pluses for the delay. Jes have to squelch my paranoia of this R@tBa$tard re-activating and trust that the Herceptin and Aromasin are continuing to kill it! Faith and Positive thoughts are upper most in my book!
Glenna - good idea - I'll do jes that. I didn't loose my nails either, but boy...ugly, lifted, smelled...yuk...but now almost grown out normal.
Laurie - I pray yours scans show this was not all in vain. My neurophathy in hands n feet seemed to get worse for awhile when I finished chemo. Onco said I would have peaks and valleys with it. Now feeling much, much better, still feel a bit in the balls of my feet, but not nearly as bad as 2 months ago. Let us kno how it goes next week.
Vicki - keep us informed. You can feel free to use us to bounce anything off of, even just venting. Getting positive feedback from all these wonderful Breasties REALLY helped me through my ugliest of times. As am sure it did for others, so we are TRULY here for you!
Love, prayers, and POSITIVE thoughts to all,
Sue
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Hey Sue! You do give some great advice and I can't thank you enough for it! I am sorry about the not so good news but I hope it comes quick for you. I know having your plans dashed helps that damn cancer mess with our heads but I have no doubt you will get through it. Denial works for me:)
((Laurie)) I sure hope and pray for positive results. The wait can be torture so try to stay busy and PM me if you need to talk. Please be sure to let us know how it went, I will be thinking of you and sending prayers your way. P.S. I like the kicking comment, it took me a minute but I finally got it;)
Glenna - I hope Gemzar continues to maintain that NED status. I love to hear it!!
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Hi Sue
"Got back from Vegas" - Great opener for a post and sounds so glam to me sitting here in a little village in middle England in the middle of a storm!
Sorry to hear your MX will be delayed but keep looking for that silver lining - it will be in there somewhere. Neither of the oncs I have spoken to are keen for me to have MX. My breast tumour was too small to be felt and only showed up on a routine scan. I do have a large amount of DCIS in the same breast and obviously, node involvement.
Onc wants to talk to me about radiotherapy next time I see him. I'm not sure how I feel about it all. If my scans show no improvement in the liver then I can see there is no point in MX. Even if things are OK, I would have to stop Tamoxifen for a couple of months before / after surgery due to the risk of thrombosis and don't know how I would feel about no drug support, especially if Tamoxifen is having a good effect. That's the trouble with this damn disease - no easy answers and difficult to know if you have made the right decision since there is very little evidence either way.
I guess, as Doris Day would sing. "Que sera, sera"!
Thanks for your comments Glenna & Vicki. Night night from a very cold, wet and blustery night!
Laurie x
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Sweet dreams Laurie. I am snuggled up in my fleece jammies,a nice warm blanket and heading to bed too. It is pretty nippy in Ohio too.
P.S. I will not be able to get that song out of my head now!
Have a great night everyone.
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Despite the decadron which usually keeps me awake all night, I went to bed at 9 and slept all the way through til 7:30. I never do that!! @Mema, sorry for the mx delay. Seems things don't always follow our plans. Sounds like good reasoning from the docs. I waited over ten years for my reconstruction. Sounds crazy, huh? Finally, Got tired of wearing a prosthesis and figured I was going to live! LOL! That was when I was 50 and am now 61. Did enjoy that flat tummy for a while!!
Hope everyone has a good day. I'm going to try to get some of the Christmas stuff put away!
Hugs, Glenna0 -
Question for all:
Do any of you keep a "side effects journal" for your chemos? My onc strongly suggested I do this, and I've been more or less faithful through my 5 different chemos since 12/10. It helps him to compare to the 'clinical information' and he even passes on the information to the company reps who call on him for his patients. It helps me too to keep them all straight (chemo brain), and to remember what was bad and good; helps when answering questions on these boards too.
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Karen - I kept a journal. Not for my doc, but for me n all my family. I emailed pages n pages every 3 or 4 weeks. It was a Big Blessing in keeping track of my meds and what worked n didn't work. I agree 100% with that. Plus, I didn't have to be on the phn repeating to this friend or that family member how I was doing.
Laurie - I lived most of my life in Vegas - NOT glam. But I can see how it would seem that to out-of-towners. I now live in a quiet community about 90 minutes North of Vegas, so Vegas still my choice for treatment, plus my kids n gkids live there. I pray that the drugs stop the mets. I'm not a doc, but seems like you may need more time on the drugs, especially if having a good effect so far? I don't think I'd want to stop the drugs either...but you are sooo right...the decisions are sooo hard and sometimes we feel like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't. I'll keep you in my prayers and let us know how the scans go.
Glenna - Thanks for that. I've wrapped my pea brain around it and am 'makin plans' for a trip or two between now and end of June. Plus, working on getting in better shape to help w/recoup when the surgery does happen. Am 57 now n been married 18+ years, so going w/out the boobs for a spell not a problem. Frankly...extending my life is WAY MORE important than boobs and my hubby agrees!
Love n prayers to all!
Sue
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Gosh, I sure wish I had kept a journal. I have forgotten what worked, what didn't, what caused side effects. Maybe if I go back and look at emails I sent to my sister I can recreate the past 3 years of treatments. I do see how it is important information to have. I always think I'm going to remember important things but alas, it just doesn't happen! I don't think it's chemo brain for me, I'm just forgetful! I will start today on a journal - gemzar, fatigue and constipation! LOL! Have a great weekend, all! Glenna
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A journal is a great idea! I will have to start on that, I am not sure I can remember everything from all of them over the years but I will give it a shot.
Glenna, I am on the Decadron high as we speak, I think it is going to be long night! I am glad you were able to catch up on some sleep!
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Journal entry 2 re gemzar .... Am doing everything I can to combat the constipation but not having any luck. Ugh! Abdominal pain is constant. Have been doing senokot and Miralax for 3 days. Hoping for some relief soon! Sleeping well every other night. This is only my second round of gemzar. SE's are bearable ... No hair loss and neuropathy has improved! Yeah!
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Glenna: Can sympathize! That S/E is the worst for me.... I start taking stool softner the morning of chemo, miralax and stool softner the night, and repeat for about 3 days before it finally breaks loose, and it's not pleasant !! On the advice of my old grandma, I'm going to start taking 1 Tblsp of Castor Oil a day... Tastes like crap, but a cup of hot black coffee to drown it with is ok. She used to give this to me as a kid (have always had constipation issues) and it worked like a charm. I'll let you know...
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I am so happy that the neuropathy has improved and you have had no hairloss!! I sure hope you can get the constipation issue under control, it is terrible. Sennakot S helps but I have to take more each time and it takes longer. Have you talked to the Dr? Maybe they can give you something stronger?
Feel better soon ladies!
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Texas Karen and Vicki - thanks for the feedback. ugh, castor oil, even the sound of it makes me want to throw up ... LOL! I have had a little success with my onc's recommendation (the combination of senokot and miralax) but not enough to alleviate the abdominal pain. Go for my next treatment tomorrow so will ask if there's something else I should do. I used to laugh when my mom would talk about constipation issues and rabbit turds and now, here I am!! Thanks for your support! All in all, I can't complain. Compared to taxotere, this is a cakewalk!! Hugs to all, Glenna
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Glenna - Do u take a Pro-biotic of any kind? I too lived my WHOLE life w/constipation and lower abdominal pain. I thought I had it under control w/diet n exercise, but, not. Fall of '09 got the runs that lasted 3 mos, finally got CT and they found big mass in pelvic region. Xmas I was in for big surgery. Cut me from stem to sternum. BIG MESS...was diverticulitis. And my Ovaries were a mess. So had oopherectomy(sp), bowel resection, n can't remember what all. But point is, try a pro-biotic and a fiber source, like Benefiber...every single day. My doc told me if I get really stuck(literally) to make a brown cow. Only I can't remember the ingredients, it did have Milk of Mag tho. Will try to find and get back to you. Good luck in meantime.
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@Memasue, I don't even know what a probiotic is!! I'm getting chemo now so will ask my nurse about it. I was finally able to get past the constipation yesterday and feel much better. Unfortunately it will probably start up again since I'm getting the chemo again today? Does the brown Cow taste okay?? If you remember the ingredients, please post! Sounds like you have really been through it .... I'm feeling for you! Thanks for the info! Hugs, glenna
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Glenna - a friend of mine gave me some probiotic soon after that big surgery I mentioned. I tried it for quite awhile....no big change. Neighbor told me bout putting 'Benefiber' in my coffee every morning. Then I read about S. Boulardii from someone on one of these threads after I had started chemo. Most Probiotics main ingredient is LACTOBACILLUS and/or BIFIDOBACTERIUM. I tried those brands, then looked for the S.B. Found it only at Walgreens. Been on it AND the Benefiber since my 1st chemo 'constipation' bout and have had wonderful results. Regular as the day is long and NO abdo pain. Check out this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharomyces_boulardii
I can't...for the life of me, find the recipe for the Brown Cow that my doc wrote out for me. Tried to find it on line...no luck. So do check w/ur doc. But in the meantime, my doc did says, that Phillips Milk of Magnesium, even w/out the other Brown Cow ingredients, was the BEST for occasional constipation as opposed to Miralax, Correctol, etc, etc. Glad u got some relief tho! After my 2nd chemo I had nothin but the runs, total opposite of the 1st chemo. Liquid Imodium was only thing that helped....even better than pill form. Course, I am convinced my tummy has absorption issues, so liquid ANYTHING, better for me
Hope this helps....HUGZ! Sue
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Sue,
Thanks for all the help. I do have the Phillips in my arsenal and will give that a go. Maybe just using a different product will help this time around. Also will try the benefiber. Does anyone know if it's okay to drink coffee while on gemzar. I know that I was supposed to avoid it on taxotere but can't find any information on it as far as gemzar goes. My counts were a bit better than the first treatment though of course, still low. I was able to get the full treatment, though! Oh, decadron, what will you have me doing tonight? LOL!
Glenna0 -
My cocktail was Carbopatin(sp) n Taxotere...i have never given up my coffee. Can't speak for gemzar tho, so yes, check w/ur doc. But, that Benefiber...it dissolves in anything w/no grit or taste. Good luck to u Lady...U'll b in my prayers n positive thoughts!
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Benefiber rocks... LOL Even no taste in coffee, milk, juice, etc. My poor mom, who suffered for years with diverticulitis and had to take that nasty Metamucil stuff, would have loved it. Haven't tried the castor oil yet... can't bring myself to do it yet. Maybe after the next bout of constipation. MOM worked for a bit early on, but then my system got 'used' to it because I was using it almost daily... it can become a little addictive to your system and lose it's effectiveness and you have to take more and more to see results.
The only problem I had with coffee and chemo was on Navelbine, as my heart rate was spiking to 130-140 several times a day and the caffeine didn't help, but I've never been told not to drink coffee on any chemo. Again, if you have heart issues, it would make sense not to, or to driink decaf (which I did).
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You are so right Karen....ANYthing like MOM or Senekot, or Correctol IF taken too much WILL stop working....which is why I was soooo freaked out after my surgery n divertiulitis. Didn't wanna have that happen. So doc sed...IF U REALLy need it, take brown cow, or MOM. BUT...the probiotic w/daily Benefiber has saved me BIG time. And because it dissolves in anything, it has been easy. If heart rate a prob, take it wif de juice or even water. LOL...for me, a spike is 128-90....lol. I'm lucky...I kno. And, I have heard nuttin but horror stories bout the NavelBean...glad that not part of my meds. N what's funny, is I never heard of probiotic til after my diverticulitis, like Glenna...was news to me. But all is good now!
Wishing u da best n always in my prayers!
Sue
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Hi Girls, hope I'm posting in the right place but I just wanted to find out if any of you have been on myocet? I had a bad scan result today so CMF stops and I start myocet the week after next. Still feel well though which I hope is a good sign and while not mentally strong today, I generally am!
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Hi Louise
Urgh on the scan but good that you feel OK. Haven't got to Myocet yet (is that doxorubicin?). Hope it's a kind but effective one for you with few side effects.
Laurie x
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Hi All,
My mom is going through the Chemo's every week.Her hemoglobin fall down from 12.2 to 11.0 in last 3 weeks. The doctor said this is a positive sign. I am a little confuse on this. The doc wants to do 3-4 more chemo's and then do the scan to see how she is doing. Her coughing is better.
During the chemo she feels a lot of pain in her legs which she can not explain, is this normal and what can be done to get some help on this?
Thanks
Hansraj0
