Chemotherapy for Stage IV
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Karen, You are officially my hero of the week
You have such a positive attitude and I love reading your posts.
Hoping Lxempra is more successful for you and you can get that pain under control. I know we worry about our other halves so much but they really will bend over backwards for us when we need something.
Welcome to the gang Robin and sorry you have to join us. Hope they are looking after you in hospital and that the chemo does what it's supposed to and kicks it into touch.
Laurie x
Edited for stupid spelling mistakes, and I don't even have an excuse like you Karen!
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That is a little good news. I am getting gemzar and taxol. Onco said mine is a fast growing cancer. I was not expecting this at all. Supposed to get move to different unit but all are full. They don't seem to be focused on the oxygen level. Not sure how this will work. It is nice they are letting me up and walking some.
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Rob,
I am so crushed to see you here.... this isn't my thread but I saw your name as the last poster. You have an entire chat room rooting for you and now a new community here on the boards. Use the support being offered to help you get your head around this new reality. Hope the gemzar and taxol kick this cancer's butt.
With a heavy heart,
*susan*
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ROb,
I think the taxol drugs are great .... Though I guess SE's aren't much fun. Read up on them so you'll know what to expect.
Karen, I agree with Laurie .... You are my hero, too, and you are unbelievably awesome! But then, your God is an awesome God!! I keep you in my prayers and am sending you hugs. I never even heard of this eye business, hope you get great results and get your vision back to normal. If I were there, I would drive you to Abilene!! My very best to you!! Love, Glenna0 -
Karen and Kimber - Just catchin' up on my reading and saw your posts - adventures in cancerland - ugh! Gee hope that both of you are cruising back up to wellness and are feeling better - I think of and pray for both of you courageous women. And Robin, hi and welcome. I too have mets to the lung and a fast growing cancer, but don't forget that there are super drugs out there - I've had some luck and hope you do to. SUE
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Thanks for the info. The new onco. is going to switch to xgeva an IM med on Mar. 28th see how that goes.
This forum is a wealth of information just happened on it by accident but am so glad I did nothing helps more than those that are going thru same problem.
I am from Houston,tx and went thru 1st round of TX for breast cancer with MDA. This time decided to go with DR's that are close to my house to make things more convienient for me and my family.At my stage treatment is pretty simple oral meds and biophospates im or iv no chemo. Had some rad. tx but only felt worse saw no improvement in pain.
I had flu like symptoms for around 3 weeks after Zometa so was just wanting to see if anyone else had same problem.
For the the most part I have had more Pain and symptoms after starting treatment than before. I am beginning to understand The phrase no pain no Gain!
Thanks for the warm welcome!
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Wanted to ask ? My new Onco. said my cancer was grade 3 news to me! I asked him about it but didn't understand this is new since my 1st cancer DX in 1998 anyone out there know exactly what he means by grade 3? I assumed stage IV was not good but grade is new to me.
Thanks
Sandy
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Hey, Sandy,
This might be of interest. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/tumor-grade
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Thank you so much will look it up right now. Wish it was was easier to get info. from Dr's but they just throw stuff out there like we should already know what they mean and their time seems so limited or maybe I just ask too many questions. LOL
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Karen, How are you doing? Have they done anything about your pain yet? And Kimber, are you still hanging in there? Have the clots resorbed yet? Think about both of you a lot.
Welcome Robin...sorry you moved to Stage lV, but it is doable.
Sandy, I have been on Xgeva for a year or so now. Very easy, just a little shot in my stomach each month. I get no SEs with it, but zometa never bothered me either. I know nothing about grades.
I had a thumb nail removed on Tues. It was loosened and had that funky fungus look (although the podiatrist called it something else that began with an L) and I caught it on the zipper of my booth when I was putting it one and just about ripped it off. It bled and lot and was very sore so I went to see the podiatrist and he took it off for me and scraped the nail bed ( oddly enough no pain) and it feels much better. This happened to me on Abraxane and is not supposed to be a SE with adriamycin, but my nails are getting that problem again anyway. I also told the onco how I lose my voice every so often and sometimes if I inhale the wrong way, almost choke and have a coughing spasm and he said You always do have the weird SEs, don't you? Anyway, scans are scheduled so we will see how the adriamycin is really doing. No tumor markers this week so I hope I am still hovering around 3,000. Saw the eye doc on Wed. and he told me the pink eye is gone so to stop the drops.
My white count is 2 so maybe that is why I am so tired....or maybe the Adriamycin is just catching up with me.....think Wed. was #16. I am still working, but often come home and plan on watching tv and end up falling asleep.....wake up and Jimmy Kimmel is on. That is what happened tonight so I am up now checking emails after mixing up some dough for cookies I have to make tomorrow and then it is back to bed.
Have a good weekend, Ladies. Marybe
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Hey Marybe, Just wanted to say Hi and let you know that I am thinking of you. Hope that the Red Devil is doing the job (I'm betting that it is). I remember being on Adriamycin and feeling extraordinarily tired. Jimmy Kimmel and cookies - sounds like a winner to me. Best, SUE
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Hey Marybe - ugh about the nails again. Sounds soo painful...praying the next scans so GR8 results.
Robin - glad you found us, sorry it's under these circumstances. Hope they get your oxygen levels up and that the new cocktail kicks butt!
Karen - you are an inspiration, can't believe all the crap you're going through. You are constantly in my prayers.
Kimber - still praying like crazy for you...sounds like things are a bit better...sending big HUGZ!
Sandyv - I have done about 30 Herceptin treatments...worse thing is the bones, each month feel more and more brittle, but still showing NED, so am glad, other thing is the hot flashes and night sweats, makes it hard to get enuf rest, so fatigue may plague you. I have also been taking the Xgeva shots...no big deal with the injection and I am VERY squeemish bout needles :-( . Onco said I should expect to be on both the above for years. I'm fine with that as long as it's working!
Glenna, Laurie, and Sueopp - good to hear from you. Always soo positive and upbeat!
Prayers, positive thoughts, and BIG HUGZ to all! Sue
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Dear friends..just wanted to post a quick note to let you know I've been thinking of you all! You are constantly in my thoughts and prayers. I've just been so sick I'm so sorry I haven't been around. I keep hoping each week that I will get feeling better..I'm very hopeful just very tired:) I miss you all so much! I'm married 24 years today and I can't help but think how blessed I am:) hugs to you all!
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Hey Kimber
Happy Anniversary!!!!! Hope you can have some time together today when you're not feeling too grotty.
Sleep when you need to - your body needs lots of internal energy to kick those bloody mets into touch and chemo - well we all know that chemo is the pits but so many times, it does work.
Bigs hugs (and a congratulatory peck on the cheek and a squeeze for your DH!)
Laurie x
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usafmom - Happy Anniversary! Mine too! Celebrating 34 years with my wonderful DH...watching March Madness. Have a great day!
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Just reading everyone's posts has been very helpful. I just started my first course of chemo - Taxol - a few weeks ago. Once a week for 12 weeks - then I will be put on one of the ant-hormone drugs. I kept hearing that a lower dose of Taxol would be tolerated pretty well. Compared to some of the treatment courses some of you have been through - I feel like a whiner. My third treatment was Thurdsay and I have to say I feel like crap. Although I think some of it is from the Dexadron and the benedryl and not the Taxol. Swelling, nausea, achyness...etc... then I will have 2-3 good days and start it again.
And someone said they didn't sleep the night after treatment - I thought that was just me. I take an Ambien, but then I'm out for 12 hours. My biggest disappointment right now is that I thought I wouldn't miss so much work. I keep thinking I'm being whimpy - but the last two days I barely made it out of bed. Chemo is definitely not for the faint of heart. So I have one little bone metasis on a vertabrae - and I pray that all the drugs and treatments will knock that little sucker out and put the cancer to sleep for as long as possible. And I really appreciate everyone sharing what they are going through and pray that everyone's treatments work as long as possible with as few side effects as possible. Just knowing you're out there is a huge comfort.
(Hope this makes sense - I'm still pretty lightheaded - lol)
Chris
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Kimber - Happy Anniversary! Wish you were feeling better though....as always and forever in my prayers!
Love you,
Sue
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Okay, here I go....had second chemo treatment on 3/14. Taxotere and carboplatin every 3 weeks and Herceptin every week.
Guess i should say Stage IV from getgo. METS to liver 2/08/12.
Nails hurt, pain under my ribs (where biopsy was done), back pain.....cannot tell what is from chemo and what is spreading.....
Scared to death, have two small girls, 8 and 5. Everytime i look at them i cry. Going to try to go to work today.
So scared.
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Kristen..hello..first so sorry you had to join us under these circumstances. It would be so nice if we just all met at a coffee shop or a book club instead. You are in the right place for help. There is a wealth of knowledge on these boards! Plus more compassion and caring that will help you emotionally! First the pain at the biopsy site could very possible be the drugs doing what they need to do kicking cancer butt! The other joint pain is probably your bodies natural way of recovering from the low blood counts the chemo causes. I know my hips and back hurt so bad when I'm on the days that my counts drop. Your joints help your body natural recover of low blood counts. Are you on nuelasta too? That will add to your pain from the joints.
The chemo you are on his a tough one. I did it for ten cycles and then herceptin for eighteen months too. The nails hurting..please tell your chemo room and they can give you ice during treatment. It slows the meds from going to your nails. It sounds like you are a wonderful mom. Please don't give up hope:) there are a lot of treatments and women are living so long with this disease. Lots of prayers coming your way!
I hope everyone else is managing thru treatments. You gals are the best! I actually have this week off from chemo..woohoo. We are doing the three on ..one week off with the abraxane and herceptin. I'm so glad to have this week to feel better:) so is everyone enjoying their Spring? This is my first Spring not working or in tons of snow! It is so pretty outside here in Illinois. My hubby took me for a car ride yesterday in the country. The warm sun coming through the windows made me just want to curl up like a little kitten and purr lol. Gosh I'm a cheap date lol! Love you gals so much. Stay strong this week and know I'm thinking of you all!
Hugs Kimber0 -
Hey Kristen
Sorry you are here but welcome to the gang.
There are quite a few of us around who were stage IV out of the box - and we're still here - so hold onto that. I was diagnosed with various mets (including liver) after a routine scan last June. I was 49 and also have 2 kids (14 & 12). I find that the fear has mostly faded into the background now, although I'm not beyond having the occasional meltdown, usually to do with the thought that I won't be around for my kids. It's still pretty raw for you just now but it does get better.
When you're on chemo, it makes you feel pretty rubbish and as you say, you worry about each little ache and pain. Be assured that it is most likely from chemo, not from spread. Have you got any scans planned soon? Fingers crossed they will be good and that will reassure you that you're not going to die anytime soon. Just to let you know, there is a woman on the UK forum I go to who has had liver mets for the past 8 years and is still going strong. There are some good news stories out there - Don't Google - it's scary and out of date.
With regard to the nail pain (Taxanes are notorious for it) have you tried keeping your fingers and toes in ice during the treatment? I did that with my hands (some neuropathy, better now 3 months down the line from finishing, and kept my nails) Didn't do it with my feet and have lost several nails (yuk!)
Don't be too hard on yourself. Spending much of the day in tears is par for the course at the beginning. Are you sleeping OK? Many of the folk on here get stuff to help them sleep and to deal with low mood / anxiety, especially at the beginning. Take whatever help you need to get you through. Also, don't be afraid to let your girls see you cry. I spoke to my psychologist about this and she said that the most important thing with kids is:
1) Be truthful (age appropriate) My kids know I have SBC and while I haven't laboured the point, they know that it's a bit more complicated than 'regular' BC, that it can't be cured and that I will take medication to keep things at bay. When things get more serious, we'll talk again.
2) It's ok to see mum cry because they will learn that you can be sad sometimes and you come through it and then you move onto being 'normal' so they learn that mum being sad isn't the end of the world.
Hope you'll come back to let us know how you are getting on and any questions, just ask - chances are there's someone here who will know the answer.
Hugs
Laurie x
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Hi Kimber,
Think we were typing at the same time! Good to hear you sounding more like yourself and off the chemo for a week.
Spring is springing across the pond too and I have had the top down on my car a couple of times - I have a VW beetle and smile every time I hit the top down button
Optimistically, put the washing out to dry before I came to work today but now a few dark clouds are gathering. It was mother's day here yesterday which is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Loving that the kids spoiled me but wondering... You know how it goes.
Sometimes those simple things like driving through the countryside are just the best! After I was diagnosed last year, I bought myself a huge Mexican hammock and frame and I can't wait for better weather to get it set up in the garden again. (I thought I would lie on it during chemo last year but rocking + chemo = bucket!)
Hope you had a lovely anniversary.
Lx
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Hi Laurie,
We must have been typing at the same time:) Happy belated Mothers day to you hun..and i know what you mean about the emotions! You will have many more with your precious little ones:) My oldest just turned 22 and my baby will be 20 soon. I will be 45 in just a few weeks and Im so happy now that i had them young. We were 19 and 20 when we got married just babies raising babies lol!
I am feeling more human and more importantly getting a handle on everything with regards to the SE. The joys of chemo..lol I still sleep an insane amount. I guess it is making up for all the years of insomnia. Well I hope everyone else is enjoying there spring too. I'm sitting here in the chair by the patio just enjoying the sun.
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Thank you so much for your replies! Well, I made it to work today and I am actually okay except for a few tears here and there.....
So, ice on fingernails...I will try that one. The pain is ridiculous...
Thank you so much for being here!!
No, I am not on Neulasta, should I be?
My next set of scans will be sometime after my third treatment which will be on 04 April. So I am expecting scans 2 or three weeks after that treatment.
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My mother was diagnosed stage 4 metastasis about 5 years ago. she was responding extremely well to tycerb with few side effects until about the last 6 months. you might try it .it is very expensive but medicare will pay most. mom started atrio as asecond med plan to pick up the rest of the expenses medicare doesn't pay ... one problem with atrio is that they will attach to any property with her name on it to pay back the debt after they pass. mom didn't have a lot of property and even if she had she benefited more from using the atrio than she or even all of us(her large family) could pay all put together ...and we got to be with mom another 5 years0
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Karen,
I'm still and will be praying for you! I hope that everything will work itself out. Stay strong!
Early Friday (3/16) morning, Mom was wheezing really bad and complaining of chest pain. She woke up and said that she felt like someone was attacking her. I calmed her down got her out of her chair and into her wheelchair and moved her around the house. She got her sense back, but was still complaining of chest pain. We rushed over to her Onc and vitals where checked. Everything came back fine, however, her oxygen levels came back at around 75 which were very low. From there we rushed her to the ER, where oxygen was administered and CT scan of her lungs were performed. Confirmed that she does have blood clots in her lungs which more than likely is caused by the cancer. She spent two nights in the hospital. Came home last night, but she has to be on oxygen and blood thinners. Hopefully we can remove oxygen and her levels will maintain above or around 95.
On another note, I've noticed that Mom has been having hallucinations. Her prior CT Scan showed that the disease has not spread to her brain but I'm starting to have my doubts. She is very weak and is no longer mobile on by wheelchair. I'm wondering if this is just the chemo? Any ideas or thoughts?
Thanks
DV
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My sister was having hallucinations when she was very ill. Some people get hallucinations when they are gravely ill. It might be that, not brain mets.
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Kristen - yes....ask for Neulasta. I had same chemo you are going thru, except that I had herceptin every week and have been on herceptin every 3 weeks since I stopped the big 'guns' (meaning Taxo and Carbo) in early Sept. I have been NED ever since. Onco says I will be on herceptin and Xgeva for at least 3 years. I have decided NOT to do the mastectomy. My nails hurt too, looked ugly, did not know about the 'ice', but did not lose them. They were damaged, but they have about grown out now and look really good. Thing I miss most is my eyelashes, everything else that should have hair does have hair. No complaints....am thankful for everyday!
Kimber and Laurie - soooo good to see you posting....you are both such beautiful people and so helpful to the new ones on this thread.
Love and Prayers to all...
Sue
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Sorry I haven't been posting.. have tried to read ane keep up though with everyone. Hello to the new girls, and glae kimber is doing some better to post.
My last 3 weeks have been hell... I am almost blind from the cancer in my sinuses pushing my eyeballs out and distorting them, strting a new chemo, numbness in hands where I can't type, etc. And they switched me to MS Contin, which controls my pain now, but I don't like it...it's way to 'heavy' and since i can't see, I mostly sit on the couch all day and listen to stupid tV.
Good news is they found a good place to put another power port on Friday!!! Hope this one can stay for awhile without problems. And, the RaD oNC says I should start seeing improvment in my eyes this week (have only had 4 of 14 tx) I hate being this helpless. I am planning on bouncing back from all this crap very soon...!!!
Hugs to all and thanks for the good wishes from everyone, and disregard the typos.... everything is double and blurry and grey vision...
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Sue,
Thanks for your response. I will talk to onc about neulasta.
I know this is the beginning of this long road but I cannot stop thinking I just want my life to go back to normal. Taking my kids to school this morning all I could do is look at other parents that have no worries.... While I drop my baby off at kindergarten with tears streaming down my face.
Today is my 8 yo award ceremony, she made the honor roll, and I am so proud.
My husband had to work so I am here by myself. Sometimes I wonder if he wants to go to work just so he does not have to deal with reality.
Sorry to sound so pitiful! I am trying really hard to stay strong...it is so hard!0 -
Oh Karen..my heart is so heavy as I sat here and read your note. You are an amazing woman and truly a hero! Please know my dear that I'm prayer fervently for you. I hope the doctors can figure something out to make you feel better. I can't imagine how hard it is to lose your eyesight. I've recently lost most of the hearing in my right ear from the chemo SE and it drives me insane. Please hold strong to your faith sweetheart. I know it is hard but he is with you always. Let him carry you for a little bit if the burdens are too much.
@sue..hi Hun ..let's pray you keep getting a long run on the drugs. Ned is wonderful:) I'm with you on the hair..I miss my eyebrows. I never got them or my eyelashes back since my first chemo in 2007.
@dv ..sorry to hear that your mom is still in rough shape. I'm with the other gals the hallucinations could very well be from the meds or dehydration. It has happened to me twice now with these recent SE. Very weird feeling and scared my family too:( So don't give up hope on your mom!
@Kristen ..I'm glad you could get through the day yesterday:) just try to take it one day at a time. Definitely ask for nuelasta it will help with your blood counts.
Well ladies please stay strong. Your all in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs Kimber0
