Chemotherapy for Stage IV
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M-Aug - I kno of what you speak when it comes to Marybe. I have never quite gotten over losing her and Reesie...well and other too. Positive healing energy your way!!!
Kimber - chit...if you told me...I musta forgot. I left in '97. After me n dh retired from Metro. So you musta been stationed at Nellis...or was ur time there pre-husband? We only came back to this area because of my DD. But it turned out to be a blessing as we have 2 glorious grandkids. I been praying hard for you and worried...alot...but now soo glad to see you posting so much. You and Glenna and ChrissyB have been a great inspiration to me...Thank You!
Glenna - CONGRATS on your return to Taxotere....Jes try to enjoy your trip and when you start ur treatment next month...I will pray that you can tolerate the se's and that NED is a common phrase for you for years to come.
Love, prayers, and tons of positive healing energy to all!
Sue
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Hello! Just checking in. I had my second Gemzar. (Three weeks on/one week off). So far, so good. It does seem gentler than the Taxol. Too soon to tell if my hair will grow. Hope everyone is getting on well. Jean
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Here's my Gemzar report. I've been on it since Oct. 5 (two weeks on, one off, with Herceptin the first week) and my scans last week show "overall slight improvement." I have two notable liver tumors and both are smaller, though one still shows hypermetabolism. I have extensive bone mets that are unchanged. I've had to delay or miss two infusions because the Gemzar hit my counts hard, dropping the absolute neutrophils from about 3.8 to 0.9 in a week, so the onc is going to reduce dose slightly so I can continue and stay on schedule.
This is probably the gentlest chemo I've been on. I do have some nausea, but it's mild and manageable. My hair is growing back but very slowly (I was on Perjeta/Taxotere/Herceptin in July and August and lost it all within 10 days). My head gets too cold to go hatless indoors, but I hope to have enough fur up there soon to step out sans chapeau.
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Hoping someone can answer this question. I am 52 years old and was peri menopause before being dx with Stage IV. I started chemo November 16th. 4rounds of AC followed by four rounds of Taxol. Just finished my 2nd round of chemo and have been feeling pretty well. Anyway the other night I was really tired and achey and went to bed fearful I was catching something. I woke up the next morning to my period. It had been 8 months since the last time I had it. I just assumed the chemo would suppress it. Really feel wiped out but think its because of my period. Anyone have onything to offer. Thanks!
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Hello ladies. Haven't visited in a while, just trying to stay busy. I finished my chemo in July so i've just been waiting for today to come. I had a ct/bone scan to see if being on Herceptin/Perjeta is holding things at bay. I'll find out next week. I hate the anxiety while waiting.
Teacher911, All I can say is with my A/C and Taxol/Herceptin I had a 30 day period 4 days off, then another 30 day period. I continued the Herceptin for a year and then it took another year for me to suddenly...........start having periods again. Dang it!!!
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Teacher911, I was 44 when I went through AC + T. It threw me into total menopause. When my onc did the bloodwork to decide on Femara/Tamoxifen he said my menopause was permanent although I don't know how they can tell that by bloodwork.
Lori, I am so happy to see you. My thoughts and prayers will be with you. What day is your doctor appointment? Please let us know what the CT/scan shows.
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Surly: I'm glad you are posting about the Gemzar. I've had two treatments so far (three weeks on/one week off). I got much less nausea than what I was getting on the Taxol. Yesterday, I had body aches all over and wondered if it was low blood counts. I relaxed for the day and feel much better today. Your ever so slow hair growth delights me and I hope I get some hair back too! It's awfully cold here in NH without hair.
Teacher: I was 41 when I did AC/ and taxotere. At some point, my periods did stop during the chemo but that was in 2001, so it is hard to remember precisely. I was placed on tamoxifen after that chemo but after 14 months, the side effects were too much for me so I came off it and my periods started again.
Jean
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SAMayoFL, My apt. is on wed so I will be sure to let you know something. I have this heavy feeling that the acities may be returning. Either that or I need to get a little more active
. I've been staying busy this week, helping out at the restaurant I had work at while the boss is out of town. I had been there for 18 years so it's nice to see my guests again. They're all so glad to see me back, I hate telling them i'm just here to help out. Guess i'll wait patiently till next week before I try to make any decisions.Surly, I haven't looked it up or heard anything about Gemzar. Is this targeted to the liver tumors you talk about? My mets is to the ovary/bladder(no surgery unless it gets to be life/death) w/acities to the abdomen/lungs. I had TCH, and as I finished that, the perjeta came available. I now do the H/P x3wk and zomeda x6wk. Guess i'm looking at what other options I may have if things don't work out the way we would all hope. ~LORI~
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Hi Lori. Here's a link to some Gemzar info:
http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/gemzar.aspx
My liver mets are what are of greatest concern, so in that respect the Gemzar is targeted to them. My bone mets have been stable a long time. I still have a breast tumor that is stable. When I was on Perjeta/Taxotere/Herceptin, I had mixed results. One liver tumor increased significantly even though another one decreased in size. I also had three small brain mets treated in October and will find out in January how those look. Gemzar doesn't cross the BBB but should be targeting everything else from they eyes south. I assume it would also potentially work for yoour ovary and bladder mets. Definitely ask your onc about it. It's an antimetabolite, which is why it really kicks the WBC counts hard.
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Hi Ladies..I started gemzar/carbo 2 weeks ago then just gemzar last week and this is my off week. I have 6 rounds of this. The gemzar/carbo kicked my butt. Muscle spasms and nausea that was horrible. Last week when I just had the gemzar it wasn't bad at all. A little nausea and some constipation. This week I feel great (so far). This combo is targeted at lung mets for me but I agree with Surly, It should get it all. I was on cytoxin/taxotere 1st for liver mets and it did the trick. Hoping this new combo kicks butt!
Terry
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Update for the Gemzar #3 that was scheduled for yesterday (Monday). My white cell count was too low. Onc was not in so nurse called the on-call onc who decided to go forward with the Gemzar but at a lower dose. Exam visit with onc next week with lab work so I'll see if a lowered dose is what he will stick with.
The link that was posted above regarding Gemzar has been very helpful. Thank you.
Jean
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Funny how different our reactions can be. My counts dropped drastically ongemzar after the first treatment but after that they were okay. I did get neulasta after the second treatment each cycle. Wish it had continued to be effective! Tomorrow I start taxol. Baseline ct scan scan today after a 2 month chemo break! Have been visiting family and have missed you all. No Internet at my mom's in rural Florida! Hugs!
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Glenna, did Gemzar work at all for you? Or did it work for a few tx and then stop? I hope the taxol is the trick! Best of luck!
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Glenna: I just came off once a month Taxol which I had started at the end of April. Wasn't doing the trick for me. Hope it is the right one for you. It is strange that what works for one doesn't work for another. No cookie-cutter case. Same disease but different circumstances or something.
The Taxol gave me no troubles as far as blood counts go, but I did get neuropathy in my feet. Lost my hair. Gemzar gives me much less nausea than the Taxol, but the nausea on Taxol was easy to ease with the anti nausea meds. I was on a sister drug called (taxotere), way back when I was first diagnosed at stage IIb, which was harder on me than the Taxol.
Wishing you all the best and treatments that help.
Jean
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Surly, the gemzar did work for a while. It was such an easy chemo for me that I wish it had worked longer. I think I got about 6 months before progression. Padiddle, i also did taxotere earlier on, before gemzar. I tolerated it pretty well but started having trouble with my feet and the oncologist felt it was not safe for me to continue. It did I traduced me to NED so I'm optimistic that taxol will do the same! Start tomorrow. Woo hoo! BTW, I've had neuropathy since 1988 when I first did chemo. Sometimes it gets a little worse but it's never been debilitating. My taxol regimen will be 3 weeks in, 2 weeks off. I'm sure I will get anti nausea meds before they administer the taxol. Thanks for the well wishes.
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Hi, Jean, I was on Gemzar and found it to be an easy chemo compared to some of the others. I did not lose my hair and it did not make food taste bad like Navelbine did. The main problems I had with it was low RBC counts and fatigue.
I hope it works well for you and that the SE's are easy.
Jan
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I'm starting carboplatin on December 26th - 3 weeks on, 1 week off. My onc says it's relatively easy in the weekly doses. I'm also going to take generic Actos while I'm on it. Dana Farber had a clinical trial earlier this year using this combination. I reminded my onc about it and she said it was a good idea. Any thoughts or advice?
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Hi All,
X-ray results show show thickening of my right lung and pleural effusion - radiologist notes are 'in this clinical setting this would indicate metastatic disease.......'
I have an appointment with my oncologist on Wednesday to discuss a 'plan' which will include chemotherapy... eeeeuw!
Can anyone please share the type of chemo is likely for er/pr- and her2 +?
Also I am having problems breathing. Advise on relief would be gladly appreciated.0 -
My apologies if I have asked questions before I am "supposed" to, my mind is a whur.
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I'M IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND IF YOU ARE HAVING A HARD TIME BREATHING YOU SHOULD NOT WAIT MUCH TO GET INTO A HOSPITAL AND GET THE FLUID REMOVED. PLEURAL EFFUSION IS FLUID IN YOUR LUNGS. I HATE THIS F...DISEASE AND ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING IT CAUSES. I HOPE IS NOT MALIGNANT. THERE IS STILL HOPE UNTIL BIOPSY IS DONE OF THE FLUID, BUT PLEASE DO NOT LET THE SHORTNESS OF BREATH GET WORSE
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KeepingFaith - sorry you are here, and I agree with LovetoDance - get some medical attention ASAP. I've had lung mets since May but I have no shortness of breath or any symptoms at all as they are still small.
Please don't worry about asking questions before you're "supposed" to...any time is a good time to ask a question. This chemo therapy thread is long and been around a while; you might get more responses if you start a new discussion in the Stage IV forum, introduce yourself as a metster and then ask your questions. It's likely more sisters will see your questions and respond.
Hugs,
Michelle
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Keeping faith,
I have lung mets as well. I am er/pr positive and her2 - so probably makes a difference as to treatment plans. Have been fighting stage IV since may of 2008. Started with AI's, xeloda and fulvestrant before moving on to chemo. First chemo was taxotere, then gemzar, adriamycin, and now taxol. I do have SOB but only upon exertion, stairs, walking while talking, etc. I am doing very well and feel like I can go on for many more years. Everytime a treatment begins to fail or my onc makes me stop because of the side effects, he assures me there is much in the arsenal and they keep coming out with new stuff. So, keep the faith! Life goes on and I am totally accustomed to my new normal. I take advantage of when I'm feeling good and try to travel when I'm on a chemo break!
CT scan yesterday was stable after a 2 month chemo break! Started low dose taxol today. Cycles of 3 weeks on, 1 week off. Was given Benadryl as a pretreatment and slept all day, now up all night because of the steroid! Will catch up with some tv shows I've DVR'd!0 -
Thank you Surly, i'll be looking at that sight as soon as I am finished writing. Good news for scans though. There is no progression of the tumor and no pleural or pericardial effusions. My CA125 went from 609 (back in march) to holding at 18 for now. For now I will keep with this plan of H/P but, for sure I am going to get myself educated on what may be in my future. For now it's time to enjoy everything I possibly can.
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Woke up about 2 in the morning with severe pain beneath my right rib. Took .5 oxycodone. Nothing. Added another oxy. Then another. Between 2 and 3 had taken 6 (30 mg) then the itching started. Took Claritin and then found the Benadryl. Took one Benadryl. Then another. The pain has subsided somewhat but the itching is driving me crazy. Some minor hallucinations from the oxy. Dizziness. Can't type. Hope this is not an every week occurrence! I think I will sleep today!!
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Hi All
Have been a bit of a lazy cow and haven't posted recently although have been lurking. I just stopped Eribulin (Halaven) after 5 cycles (I say cycles but only ever got day 1, never day 8 because of my white count, despite neulasta). TM's were heading in the right direction but no change on scans. Thinking I am chemo-resistant. So far have thrown FEC, Taxotere, Xeloda and Eribulin at a hoard of diffuse liver tumours but nothing sticks.
They decided to give me a chemo break since I have lost over 20lbs and am having a hard time eating. Typical - you spend your life trying to lose weight and now I am really struggling to put any on...
Back for another ascitic drain on Monday (averaging 1 every 3 weeks) and usually get off about 6 litres. Onc planning to start me on Letrazole (given I'm supposedly so hormone +, although Tamoxifen did nothing). They were talking about Megace to increase my appetitite but thought I might save it for later. Have been feeling like crap since August and am thinking I won't bother with any more chemo - it just wipws me out and my QOL is rubbish.
Am having some accupuncture from a qualified friend to try to get back into feeling better. Step-son and girlfriend back from Oz at the moment for 3 weeks which is nice. Step daughter and her partner also coming for Xmas dinnner along with my husband's ex and her partner (we get on OK thankfully!) so it will be lovely to have all 4 of the kids around for Xmas, especially now I'm thinking this is probably my last.
Would like to try to make it to the end of August to my son's 16th birthday, prom and exam results. Guess that's the only reason I'd consider chemo again...
Anyway, nice to catch up with you all and thanks for the prompt Glenna!
Laurie x
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Laurie,
There you are! Missed you.
Google "vismodegib". It's the new approach at overcoming Tamoxifen resistance. I'm resistant too, so I'm always looking at cool stuff in regard to that. It's entering Phase II trials here, so maybe in the UK there are trials you could find?
Wishing you a fine Holiday season,
Jennifer
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Great to see you Laurie! I hope you can find a trial. Much love and peace this holiday season.
Wishing everyone a nice holiday season. I was due to have treatment on the 24th but dr gave me a week off. Yeah! I felt so bad this time last year after lung surgery it was nice to have a break. We dropped tykerb after to many SE...I've been giving it a whirl for five months now. We are going to try afinator with the other meds...praying for little to no SE.
Have a good season and try to enjoy your families.
Hugs
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Hi,
What's the likely tx for er/pr- her2+ with lung mets (after recurrence on herceptin)?0 -
KeepingFaith69, I had A/C and Taxol/Herceptin back in '07/'08 and at that time I was not made aware that there was a posibility of METS. In March of this year they found METS to my ovary/bladder with acities being drained from my abdomen and lungs. This was found to have mets cells as well. I went on Taxol Carboplatin and Herceptin for 6 rounds every 3 weeks. I am now on Herceptin and a new drug galled PERTUSIMAB and Zomeda. The Pertusimab works in conjunction with the Herceptin. They call it Perjeta for short, there is a thread on here called Perjeta/Herceptin/Taxotere. Lots of ladies who have lots of info. ~LORI~
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Hi thank you.
I hope it's available in New Zealand0
