Chemotherapy for Stage IV
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Glenna
oooooh squirmy babies with lots of hair to nuzzle - my favourite!
Hope it's a good scan - let us know.
Laurie x
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Glenna,
Your grand baby sounds delicious..I love the smell of babies always get me to smile. Fuzzy heads..cuddling..you need to share lol. My DD has RN school this summer so no babies in my future..lol I pray your scans are good.
Thanks Laurie for the info on FEC..this was my third of four treatments. I get dex,aloxi and emend as pre drugs. I haven't heard from my oncologist yet today but the on call oncologist that sat with us last night sad she would probably not do the last round. We are do to move onto taxol and herceptin weekly. they talked about not doing the aloxi too anymore. By this time he had given me second dose of dex and I was burning up..heart just lightly racing so was kind of out of it. But I'm feeling okay with all that now this morning. Couldn't sleep last night..and I'm thinking about skipping my dex for today..I don't think I need anymore of that..lol. Just the typical post chemo yuckies and I can hang with that..isn't it funny how what we thought was bad is all relevant.
Big hugs to you all and as always lots of prayers!0 -
Barbara - hope all goes well with the scan and that you get good results....we all need some good news! xx
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Good news! Good news! The CT scan shows "no new or suspicious areas in the lungs since 11/03/11". That's the scan that showed NED. Scan showed no lesions in the liver, always good! The pleural effusion is stable. So, I received the gemzar as planned and will continue with that, hopefully for a long time since I'm tolerating it so well. Thanks all, for the good wishes and prayers!
Barbara, hope your scan goes well tomorrow and you are able to share good news as well!
Glenna0 -
So happy for you. Glad to hear good news!
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Glenna that is great news! So happy for you!
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Glenna
Happy dance round the kitchen for you this morning, here in a cold and frosty England
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Thanks for your good wishes, everyone - scan was very good - details on separate thread.
Wish I could hold that little grandbaby of yours, Glenna! Congratulations on your scan, too, hope you are enjoying both gifts.
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I started the exact same chemo. Fu5 and red devil along with cytoxen. Have only had 1 treatment so far. The Abraxane and Carboplatin quit working for me after 5 months. How many treatments of this have you had and what do you think caused the reaction. Keep me updated. I to had a reaction to Carboplatin and started swelling a little and I had a reaction to Taxotere and it made my heart hurt really bad.
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How wonderful, good news on your scans. Couldn't ask for anything else in the world. If I had one wish, it would be to wipe out cancer for everyone.
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what kind of chemo were you on to get such a good report
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My profile picture will not dowload. Trying the same way you would on facebook. Help
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Barbara..woohoo that is great news! Omg we so needed some good news around here for a change!
Lucky girl they said they would think first off it was the cytoxin since it was the last bag I was doing when it happened but the chemo girls previously were asking why I had missed chemo on Monday? I explained about the numbness that led to facial numbness and they both said they had another patient recently have that with aloxi one of my premeds..so they were reading the insert and it is a rare SE from it..so no clue if that is what closed my throat or the cytoxan. Either way I don't want either drug again. Good luck with your treatment! Let's hope it kicks some cancer butt!0 -
Yea, Glenna! Yea, Barbara! Good news all around - Best to you both. SUE
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YEA Glenna and Barbara! Doin' the happy dance. We love good scans!!
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I have posted this in a couple other threads hoping to hear from lots of you so, please ignore if you've already seen it.
Question for everyone/anyone!
I finished 6 1/2 months of X and Taxotere in mid November. Had all the typical s/e but plugged along managing them as they were not all at the same time. I got a cold, fungal infections under my arms and swollen eyes in the beginning (the cold) and mid December (the rest). I also started having joint pain (all joints) which has intensified so that it is excruitiating to get out of bed. It gets better through the day with walking and daily activities (and percoset) but this is really bothering me. My TMs in mid January were absolutely wonderful (CTC - 0, CA15.3 - 31, CEA - 3.1); they have continued to drop since May 2011 when I started chemo. My scan at the end of June 2011 was excellent, liver lesion could not be detected, tumors on skeletal system were mostly gone except for three on my spine which were reduced by half. September and December scans showed Stable which is wonderful. I will have my next scan in March and then return to work (ugh! my full time job which I love but not where I work - kitchen design at The Home Depot). I have been working my part time job at home. Oops, off topic. My joint pain has me very concerned. I just got the results of the Lyme tests done and they were negative. I cried. Not because I was happy but because it would have explained things. Weird what this disease does to a gal, n'est pas? So, has anyone else experienced this? The only thing I am getting is Zometa every other month. My onc said that the joint pain should not be a coninuation of any s/e after 2 1/2 months off. Which leads me to my next question of you all.
Who is Stable or NED but is on maintenance chemo, what kind and how often? My onc doesn't want me on any chemo until I need it because of the toxicity. I understand but really don't like being out there with nothing. He feels that I am doing very well and am being monitored closely so I am not really out there with nothing. I trust him implicitly and respect his abilities (that's not really the word I wanted but I suffer from word-finding-problem). He studied under Larry Norton at Sloan. He is very good but......I always question (which he just loves about me). We actually get along very well and I feel that I am a part of my care team.
Thanks so much, Theresa
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Great news Ladies! I must have known in my heart something good was happening because I ate a whole pint of Dutch Chocolate with Almond ice cream tonight... I NEVER do that and yes, I know that is bad but I am dedicating it to you:)
Theresa, I hope someone comes along with some info very soon. He does not have you on an AI?
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Treso, Have you done the hormonal route? How about something like Faslodex every month? I know many ER+ women who do that for their maintenance treatment.
Congratulations to all of you who have gotten good reports.
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Vickib and Marybe: I had my ovaries removed and my onc feels that the estrogren produced by my adrenals and fat cells is negligible. I failed on tamox (progression to bones) and faslodex (progression to liver) which brought me to chemo which worked. I am, however, going to ask him about putting me on one because I would feel safer about being on something and having a bit of control.
Glenna: Congrats on your excellent scan!
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Theresa....I finished my TCH chemo in early Sept. Maintained Herceptin every 3 weeks, with an XGEVA injection every 6 weeks AND Aromasin pill every night. I too suffer from allllll kinds of joint aches. My spine, my neck, my knees, my hands, shoulders...yuk. I figured it was because (I've had complete historectomy) with the hormonals (hercept and aromasin) my body is NOT producing ANY hormones and we need them to keep our bones strong...so it throws us into an OSTEO catagory. That said....my onco says Xgeva can be used for osteophorosis(sp) but in my case, it's to keep the bone mets under control. I go to bed each night w/a heat pad....15 mins. I do light stretching every morning and I walk bout 3 miles at least 4 times a week. It helps ALOT. I also take vit D 2000 ius, the coq10, melatonin, calcium etc. So mayb combo of all that keeps my pain tolerable.
Hope this helps...
Congrats!!! to Glenna, Kimber and Barbara.
My question....Onco says 3 YEARS on Herceptin....anyone else hear of that long. I've heard of 1 year...so wondering. My MUGA is good, last one last week was 59%...up from 57%. End of Dec scans still showed NED. But I'm still curious....anyone with any thoughts?
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My MDA team says Herceptin for at least another 5 years. Already been on it for 3 years. I have been showing NED for close to 22 months. This is really surprising the Oncs as I have IBC which quickly metastisized to the vascular system. They say Herceptin and Tykerb until progression. But are willing to talk about it in 5 years. I am OK with this. I was told straight forward in November of 2009 that I probably would not make it to Christmas that year.
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Thank you...That makes me feel much better. And wow...Nampa huh. I too am just 57 and my Dads side of family lived in/around Nampa. Step-mom still in Nyssa, OR. We had farms in Star and Eagle, have brother buried in Wieser (sp). 2 other brothers, years ago, went to school in Fruitland? My only sister, just passed on Thurs, she was living with older brother in Ontario, OR. Uncle (passed fromMS) was Asst Attorney Gen in Boise for many many years. Small world!
Glad you out lived the original prognosis. You're proof that it CAN be done. Thank you for sharing!
Prayers,
Sue
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Yep! It is a smaill world. My DH and I grew up in Nampa and graduated from highschool here. Been gone since, but with the housing crash and cashing in my Accelerated Benefits, we were able to pay cash for a home here. DH was born in Nyssa. Lived in Fruitland. I could have possible worked during the summers at the farms in Star and Eagle (picking cherries, apples, and topping corn). There are over 180 direct decendants on my DH's side of the family still here in Treasure Valley. I thought it would be good to have him home and close to his family when my time was done. Looks like I may outlive him now. LOL!
It is good to be home. (but friggin' cold!)
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Thanks for all the good wishes. I am still dancing! Way to go Barbara! Theresa, my onc took me off taxotere the first of August and I had a 4 month chemo holiday. I'm not on gemzar as a maintenance chemo. I get treatmentents for 2 weeks, then off 2 weeks. I get a neulasta shot after the 2nd treatment. Strange goings on ... I had the acid reflux/indigestion a couple of weeks ago too and did go to the ER. My onc put me on ranitidine once a day. Haven't had any problems since. The hospital suggested I stop gemzar. LOL! I was very uncomfortable during the chemo holiday ... kept thinking I needed to be DOING SOMETHING!!
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Scutters....I'm gonna PM ya
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Just thought I'd post a quick note. I've been in the hospital the last few days ..not sure when they are going to release me. My WBC went up the other nite and had a 102 fever. They've been trying to figure out where the infection is coming from but just keep finding other little problems. Like gallbladder needs to be removed has polyps and stone. Liver is fatty ..heart is palpitating..etc This was also the first time I was put on an oncology floor. Everyone is nice but has acted like I'm dying. Kind of freaked me out the other nite..thank goodness for china aka my soul sister for talking me down. I love you girl and my other BCO sisters.
Not sure if I will get to restart chemo or not in two weeks. Doctor cancelled last FEC and wants to move on to TAxol and herceptin. Going to ask if we can do more if abraxane is possible instead since I've been told it is gentler on the system.
Memasue I'm glad you asked about herceptin. I also wondered how long if your heart can handle could we do it. I've already done 18 months but would like a long run with it again. I've been asking my insurance for a second opinion at md Anderson but if they won't approve that we are shooting for johns Hopkins. Would love Anyones input on the hospitals.
Thank you all for the sweet notes and as always you are all in my prayers! Hugs Kimber0 -
@Kimber, So sorry to hear you're in the hospital. Probably good that they found the problem with your gallbladder but are you even up to that kind of surgery? Hopefully your insurance will approve a second opionion .... I thought they HAD to approve it. I've heard great things about MD Anderson though I've never been there and Hopkins has a great reputation as well. If you come to Hopkins, I'm not too far away, so let me know. I'll help in anyway possible. Hope they find the cause of the infection and get it under control so you can get home. Blessings, Glenna
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Hey Kimber,
So sorry to hear you are in hospital. Hopefully they'll find the source of the infection soon or is it just that your blood work is off because of the chemo?
Thinking of you and hoping they're treating you well. I've been hospitalised twice during chemo because of neutropenic sepsis and have absolutely loathed it both times. You just never get a rest - always someone wanting to poke and prod..Don't know what the food is like where you are (or even if you feel like eating) but if my friends and family hadn't have brought me in food I think I would have starved!
When will you know if you can get a second opinion?
Hugs
Laurie x
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Oh, Kimber, this just stinks. Maybe everything is related to the gallbladder which if it is infected is causing white count to go up, also could cause liver changes since it filters everything (I think) and heart, ....well, face it you are probably stressed so it may be jumping around. Not a professional, but trying to make some guesses here. Having your gall bladder out these days is not that involved is it?.....know several friends who had it and it was just a teeny tiny little incision. Maybe they did not have room on the other floors.....I was on the onco floor when I had a TIA and felt like I got special attention there, but the reason I was there was because they had a room available. I am saying my prayers for you....all of us are. Glad you have China. Marybe
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Praying hard for you Kimber!! They'll fix you up !
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