Chemotherapy for Stage IV
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360 {{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Me, ok went to drs. he said he will talk to the radiologiist, didn't he say that last week, oh yea he did and took vacation, told him that he should have mentioned the vacation thing, had to come back early, something about elderly father..showed him nails he said we could take off a week, I said why I have off a week and whatever....chemo was uneventful....and now am up it is 311am, damn steroids....been up since 1030, slept from 5pm til then, now up...and took 2 benedryl...will try again later....
HAPPY SPRING TO ALL MY FRIENDS!!
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Thanks sooo much Glenna, that's exactly how I meant it.....xoxoxoxo
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when your fingernails started doing whatever did you wear gloves to do the dishes?
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I've just finished my 6 rounds of carbo/gemzar. Awaiting scans. MO said I may do gemzar only 3 weeks on 1 off. Curious... Do you have neulasta with this tx plan?
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OBXK - Gemzar knocked out almost every red blood cell I had, needed a transfusion and my dose was cut in half. Whites held up pretty well so didn't need the neulasta. The good news - 250 point drop in CA27.29!
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I was on gemzar for a short time, it didn't work and yep did the neulasted shot!!!
Happy sunday night!!!
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I got neulasta shots on gemzar as well. No problems with my RBC's. funny how chemo affects us all in such different ways!
Jo, you're welcome! Just as I thought but I see how it could be taken another way! That's the biggest problem with email/Internet communication .... What we say can so easily be taken another way!
Blondie, I didn't wear gloves but washed dishes as little as possible! LOL!0 -
thanks GMA, don't have a dishwasher...and the boys do nothing....
checking in!!
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Blondie, Wanted to know how you did on Zometa? I'm to do Falsodex, Cytoxan and Zometa. However I was told by my bone doctor to never do any Fasomax or other bio things that you take for osteoporosis. I had such for many years and had bone surgery and was wheel chair bound for five years. I'm so full of fear taking Zometa! What is good for me is that Cytoxan is my wonder drug. It stops all my bone pain and joint pain, helps the Lupus and I feel overall well. However, I'm having such problems on my right jaw bone and then behind the ear. Pressure all the time. I'm worried that the cancer has gone to my jaw? It will be a couple of months til another PET Scan because just had one. I'm just tired. My Aunt died this week of cancer and it added to my own feeling of helplessness. This is probably how I'm going to die too, the question is how do I want to go out. I'll do these next six rounds of Cytoxan and then another scan and see where things are. I don't sleep then I'm so fatigued that I sleep for 18 hours. Try to stay off the morphine but I find that I need it at least one someday two days a week. I lost my toenails last year, this year with my fingernails my daughter got me a nail treatment to help with the breakage and I use a buffer to take out the ridges and then do the Sally Hansen Nail Treatment. It keeps my nails stronger and they are not falling off yet!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
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m360...I am not on Zometa now took myself off and dr. agreed cause I have the abcess and diverticulitis was hospitalized and wanted a break...that was december, probably have to talk to him when I go to him in 2 weeks about getting it again...i remember my bones hurt...I am only on taxotere and then when I took zometa that along with tax every 3 weeks....don't fear it, just see what happens....I did the hormonals but they didn't work so went on the infusion part after xeloda which didn't work either...my toe nails are not affected but the fingernails are and it is funny it seems to go from my thumb now the forefinger the next one is getting the brown on it but the pinky looks normal....
hang in there....am here if you need to talk pm me or call me if you want...
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Hello BC Sisters,
I just lost my friend luvmyself (Jill) from Stage 4 bc cancer. She fought for 7+ years. I am speaking at her Memorial next Saturday. We always encouraged one another when we became discourage with this disease. I am Stage 4 TN, IBC too. I have been on so many chemo's and they stopped working eventually. I just started drug CMF so far the SE"s are mild for a change. I hope it continues this way cause I know how things can accumulate over time. My hair has grown back and am hoping to keep it this drug does say you can lose it or may cause thinning. Thinning I can accept since my hair is so thick. I really pray that this chemo works. I do chemo every Wednesday with no break. Which I always enjoyed the break. I am looking forward to Easter Sunday and enjoying my granddaughter Aubrey. She gives me so much purpose for life. It was not for my faith, family and friends I do not know what I would do. I hope all of you have a blessed weekend.
Has anyone been on CMF? If so was it successful for you? I know everyone is different but I would love to hear something encouraging about it.
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Ellizabeth, is CMF the cytoxan, methotrexate, 5-fu combo. If so, I have wonderful things to say about it. I had six months of it in 1990 (was stage3 at the time, but onc. was very pessimistic)--anyway, after it I had over 22 years with no evidence of cancer. I did lose my hair at about the 5-month mark. Side effects for me were pretty mild. I recall only two days of throwing up. Hair, eyebrow and lashes all came back.
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Elizabeth: I'm truly sorry for your recent loss. Thoughts are with you.
Gemzar and Neulasta. I wasn't on Gemzar long as it was not helping, but I never needed a Neulasta shot. My counts always recovered.
Recent hospitalization: I was admitted to the hospital Monday cuz of shortness of breath. Came home Thursday on oxygen. Still not sure what the diagnosis was. I have Abraxane Monday and am hoping onc make some sense out of this ordeal. I do have asthma and had some asthma triggers recently and congestion. I have known lung mets. Pneumonia could not be ruled out either. It was explained that while your blood counts are down from chemo, your lungs may not produce the pus they look for with pneumonia. Not happy about the whole oxygen thing but hoping once I've finished the prednisone, antibiotic and get the asthma back under control, I can come off oxygen. It's been a tough week........ Jean
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I had CMF in 1996 when I got chemo and radiation when I was stage 1, it held it off for 14 years....I had no side effects...good luck!!!
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This has been a quiet thread this week. Will share anyway. My tumor markers went down again this month. Whoo! Hoo! Am feeling better and recovering from what I believe was asthma exacerbation. Breathing better but still on oxygen.
Hoping you all have a good weekend and that things are going well. Jean
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I've heard good things about Abraxane....glad it working for you too!
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Great news, Jean!
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Busy with out of town guests and grandson for the weekend. Glad things are better, jean, and glad the TM's are down. Will catch up on Monday. Happy weekend all!
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Hi everyone .....I will be joining you here soon. I'm getting a port Tuesday and will start Abraxane on the 22nd. Am supposed to have a biopsy also sometime soon.
I look at this thread as my last stop because chemo is my only option as nothing else has ever worked. Hopefully it's a very long stop.....not sure how long a person can live with constant chemo?0 -
Hi all...will be starting Ixempra and Xeloda tomorrow. I just finished radiation Friday so we'll see how this goes. Has anyone else been on Ixempra? Just curious.
Deyla0 -
Chickadee is onit. Check out her thread at http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topic/801243?page=5#post_3498401
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Thanks Frapp! I've heard from Chickadee about her experience. Just trying to gather as much info as possible!
Deyla0 -
I just had a progression on Gemzar/Carbo after having good luck with it. Will soon be doing Xeloda one week on, one week off. Any advice?
Thanks, Karen
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sorry, no advice....keep fighting the fight!!
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Hello OBXK:
I have been on Xeloda almost 8 months. My onc started me on 1000mg. AM and 1000 mg PM, two weeks on and one week off. I see from what others post it is considered a low dose but it is working well. Last scan showed almost no evidence of liver mets. I feel great and all of my lab reports are excellent. Wishing the same success for you!
Search Xeloda on this site and you wiil find a wealth of information.
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OBXK check out x site here its great i'vebeen on x for almost a year no major se very random hope it works great for you too! love and blessings to all
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March of 2012 I was diagnosed with Stage IV BC. I had CMF chemotherapy plus put on Exemestane. My cancer initially started in the right breast, lymph nodes, scalp, and on spine (T3, T10). I finished my radiation in November and after increasing pain, went in for a PET scan. Now it has spread to many more lymph nodes, more areas of the scalp, in the bones (other areas besides the spine), liver, and lung. It also has given me Bells Palsy due to the fact that a tumor is impeding on a facial nerve on the right side of my face. It looks like I've had a stroke!
I was very disappointed that it had returned so fast, and in so many areas. It hasn't been that long. This March, my oncologist started me on a new chemo tmt., Abraxane. I've so far had one month with it and will continue for two more months. After that, we are not sure. But this time he said we won't wait so long with a follow-up PET scan.
Feeling frustrated. I'm wondering if this will work. I've gotta stick around...I have a disabled husband and a grown son with Asperger's Syndrome. He is very worried about what the future holds for me and himself.
Has anyone had possitive results with Abraxane? So far the only side effects I'm having is pain in the bone and lymph nodes as they heal. Also, a little more tired.
Thanks for "listening".
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Thanks for the info, hope and good wishes.
Idianel - I am so sorry this has been your experience. It must be so difficult to have the additional worries of your son and husband. Perhaps you could set them both up a Special Needs Trust and appoint a trusted friend or family member to be your trustee, if you need to protect any SS income they have.
I have not had Abraxane - I hope it knocks your tumor load way back!
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There are a number of us who are on abraxane. Ive been on it since august with great results and very few side effects. Started in aug with mets to chest wall, lung and liver. Chest wall mets and lung mets are gone and liver mets have shrunk to almost nothing. Tumor markers are 27, which is within normal range. Hope Ill be on it for a long time.
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OBXK, Thanks for replying. I have heard of a Special Needs Trust and will look into it when the time comes.
MaryWh, I'm glad to hear from someone who's been on Abraxane. My oncologist says that I will be getting three months total. You have been on it longer. Is it because it took longer for it to "work"?
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