August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
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Sohard: Good luck tomorrow! I'm sending you prayers and cyberhugs. Just keep showing up, that's all we can do and congrats to you for showing up all this time!
To everyone having treatments this week....GOOD LUCK and I will be praying for minimal side effects for all the chemosabes.
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Sohard - sending hugs your way.
I hope we can all keep in touch here even as we finish chemo. Which I did today. I'm glad I don't have to go do that again, but I have a hard time being as excited about it as everyone else in my life is. I think they all want me to be jumping up and down and instead I just feel tired. Last Neulasta tomorrow and then on to wait for the se's.
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Lisa - You finished and that's wonderful! Big HUG!!0
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Sohard: GOOD LUCK TO US TOMORROW!!!!!!! I am so glad you are done. BTW, I already had a bilateral and immediate recon so if you want to chat, just PM me. Mx/bmx and recon is a total and complete cake walk compared to chemo. You have much to look forward to. In addition your breast (s) will never become KNEE WARMERS!!! That is just a small, small benefit of this entire process!
I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Have faith...we are getting near completion of this madness!
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Night Sweats - UGH! For the past two nights I have been COOKIN'! Really cookin - it's not hot flashes - it's one big long hot flash all night. I've been sleeping with my shirt off and no covers to try to get some relief. Anybody else?? In a way, I think it's saving me from getting the cold that the rest of my family has been suffering with - I think my body temp must be heating up to 100! Before I had hot flashes, but this is ridiculous.
Ginger - sorry to hear you are still in pain. I am noticing that my aches and pains in my legs are lasting longer this taxol than last. I have been forcing myself some exercise which I think is helping, but my muscles are sore the next day. At least it's not the jabbing pains, but it's defintely lasting longer. I really don't want to go for my last treatment.....I"ve also been having pain where my kidneys are. I'm glad my doctor runs a kidney function blood test now on all her patients...I'm hoping nothing is wrong. I don't have any signs of infection, etc., but maybe my kidneys are just very stressed trying to process all the chemicals.
DH is sick and probably won't to go work today. I'm hoping to clean up the house and have the kids hit the schoolbooks hard today. This is my first day when I can actually be home since Friday - it's been a crazy weekend. Waited an hour in the waiting room just for bloodwork yesterday. Is anyone else's cancer center SUPER busy!? UGH! It's usually not that long of a wait, but since I had to hit the grocery store, it turned into a very long day - I was out from 9:30 until nearly 1:00 and then had to come home, clean the fridge, put the food away and make lunch for the kids. It's frustrating how much "time" the treatments take out of your life along with everything else.
Hope everyone has a good day - one day closer to the end...............
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Cal - I was up at 4am looking at the clock thinking I might as well just get up since I couldn't sleep because I WAS HOT ALL Night, and for the times when the hot wore off I WAS FREEZING! This is so fun! Then I weighed myself this morning and I have gained 12 pounds since I started chemo - arrrggghhhh.0
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calamtykel talk to your doctor about the hot sweats. They can't give you HRT but there are other things they might suggest. There is a thread somewhere on this forum. I'll see if I can find it later. I'm off for chemo #3. I have some minor flashed but no sweats, at least not yet.0
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Cal and lago - Even though last night for some reason the hot flashes were coming fast and frequent, more so than any other nights, I would not say I was sweating so much just hot. I did call my gynecologist last week about the hot flashes and she suggested asking my onc about a 'clonidine patch' if they got too bad.
lago - Will be thinking good thoughts for you today!
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Hi Ladies, I have a favor to ask. My Onc called last night (to see how my weekend away went, how sweet is that!) And said he is concerned that I may have C Diff because of my diarrhea that just wont go away. I mentioned that online that many on the A/C have had it too. Could you do a quick post if the A/C gave you diarrhea instead of the normal constipation? Am I confusing the A/C with another drug. Help me out here. Thanks Onward
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Onward- for me the emend( nausea med.) cause bad diarrhea. Stopped that and I didn't have nausea or diarrhea. I took amodium for diahhrea.
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Omaz-- yes, I get cold during the day. Hot at night, cold in the daytime. Weird! The 12lb might be all steroid.. I keep gaining and losing, gaining and losing (hoping to keep losing
) I seem to be able to eat more on chemo than usual, and not gain weight. One small silver lining! So I'm actually afraid of chemo being over and then ballooning up! Going to have to try tobe diligent about exercise........
Re the flashes - Thanks for the suggestions - I will see how the rest of the week goes and ask the doctor. It hasn't happened like this until the past two nights. BUT It's also been toasty warm in here - I have been sleeping in the family room on the daybed (DH is sick and also I don't want to keep him up if I wake up at night and can't sleep) and the pellet stove is in the living room. Since the weather has been warm, the stove has been keeping this part of the house toasty. I'm used to sleeping in a very cool room - sometimes with the window open even in the winter. I think tonight I'll switch rooms with DH. It's not really "keeping" me up, but it does "wake" me up enough to throw off the shirt or whatever.0 -
ckptry I'm glad to hear that the Taxol has not given you any nausea. Hopefully the Abraxane will be equally kind to my stomach!
lisasinglem Yay for you on finishing chemo. That is interesting that you don't feel very excited, I feel like I'm going to be so excited when I'm done but maybe by the time I actually get there I won't be so excited. Maybe once you get through the SE's you will feel more excited. Actually, when I finished the AC everyone else was more excited for me than I was since I was still dreading the week of feeling like total crap that followed each AC for me. It wasn't until about 2 weeks after that last treatment that I really started to feel happy that it was done and that I was halfway through. I agree with you that I hope we will all stick around here even after we finish chemo. For many of us there will still be other treatments these next few months (rads, herceptin, tamoxifen, surgeries, etc) and I hope we can continue to support each other throughout all of that and into our future lives as BC survivors!
Sohard, Iago and Lizzy I hope you have uneventful treatments today and that your side effects are manageable these next few days. And congrats to Sohard on having her last chemo today!
Onward I have had some constipation in the days immediately following AC but not too bad. Later in the cycle I will occasionally get diarrhea but not too bad and generally only for a day or two. Isn't there a test or something they can do to check for C. diff?
Thanksgiving DH and I usually go visit his family in Baltimore for Thanksgiving. I have never cooked a Thanksgiving dinner myself and I certainly don't plan to start this year! We decided not to travel for Thanksgiving this year to avoid the risk of me getting sick from being on airplanes and around so many people. So instead our families are coming to us. Next week my parents are coming on Monday and then DH's dad, step-mom, mom, and 2 sisters are coming on Tuesday. Fortunately they are all staying in a hotel and we have made reservations to go out for dinner on Thanksgiving. Then they will all leave on Friday. I have a chemo this Friday so I'm hoping I will feel ok next week while they are all here but of course they will all understand if I am not. Thanksgiving has always been DH's favorite holiday so mostly I really wanted them to come to spend time with him. I know it has been hard on him to go through all of this and I wanted him to have a fun Thanksgiving.
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Cal: the nurse practitioner put me on Effexor for hot flashes. That was 2 weeks ago, and so far, I can't see any difference. I go back Monday for another treatment, so will talk to them again about it. I have at least one hot flash an hour; they last only a couple of minutes, but at night, I toss and turn all night pulling covers off, back on, off, on, off, on ... you know. I'm always tired, and I'm sure it's because my sleep is sporadic.
Anybody else taking Effexor? I think it has improved my mood, I haven't had a weepy, sad day since I've been on it; but I think it's also killed what little sex drive I had left from the chemo. The thrill is gone is putting it mildly.
Lisa and others: Yes, we definitely have to stay in touch, maybe we could start another thread "August 2010 survivors" or something for those of us who want to stay in touch. I've got 2 more chemos and then reconstruction surgery. You all have become like family to me, I don't want us to just quit talking to each other.
Where are our two buttertarts lately? Or have I just missed postings from our Canadian friends?
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I think we should just keep this thread going!!
Lady - My hot flashes sound like yours!
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NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE ON ADRIAMYACIN
I arrived at chemo today only to be told this nationwide shortage has caused them to change my chemo from TAC to TEC. Their proposal was to substitute with epirubicin. Apparently that is "identical" to adriamyacin. My research finds that there is no definitive research there is any identical replacement for adriamyacin. In any case, they offered to allow me to put off another tx until it was back in stock. Foolishly I put my desire to get this process over with before keeping on with the regimen of origin. I decided to get it today and I am also getting a flu shot. Of course, I brought up the flu shot and now if I get wildly sick I am sure the flu shot, and not the epirubicin will be to blame!! In any case, if any of you on adriamyacin don't want a substitute then I would advise you to call your facilities to make sure they have it in stock before you are ambushed upon arrival for your next tx with this dubious news. I asked how they are doling out existing supplies and apparently those that have much worse, blood-born and fed, cancers are getting it if they even have any in stock. I think it is all BS but I did google it and found that there is a nationwide shortage. I just think a facility like Yale has it but is giving it out in a pick-and-choose manner. I will keep you all posted on how I do on this epirubicin but, at the same time, no matter how it affects me, I wanted you all to know so you can make a more informed decision than I had to today.
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AS IT TURNS OUT, MONEY IS THE ISSUE! Adriamyacin is used more prevalently in the highly capitalist US but epirubicin is used more prevalently in Europe and Canada. The difference is price. Is this a case for a huge benefit of socialized medicine? In any case, I am pasting a post from another thread on bc.org where this topic was addressed, as follows:
Jul 20, 2008 07:50 pm, edited Jul 20, 2008 08:16 PM by HeatherBLocklear HeatherBLocklear wrote:
Yep. I was right. Although the abstract at the link below denies any advantage of epirubicin over adriamycin, it does include the info that epirubicin is 22 times more expensive than adriamycin. I'm not suprised at all.
Yours cynically,
Annie
http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/23/12/287
Here's another that claims no difference in efficacy between the two:
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Lizzy - so I don't understand, epirubicin is more expensive than adriamycin? I'm confused but I must say that that is very unnerving to go in for chemo and have them pull a switch on you!!!!
From the wikipedia it looks like epi is as effective with less side effects.
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SE's from taxotere are way worse than with A/C! My legs and joints ache. I am doing neulasta too but didn't have this bad pain with the A/C. Constantly taking oxy and tylenol. Found out that I can drink mint or lemon tea but water and just about everything else tastes poisionous. Salt tastes VERY WEIRD so I've stopped using it. I feel bad that I can't walk like I should but my lap dog doesn't seem to mind. He is getting to be so lazy....... I hope I am a little better tomorrow as i'll be in the hospital with my mom. Hot flashes and cold sweats at night. Fatigue...... Xmas eve can't come soon enough. Gonna go pay some bills online now b4 i forget.
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Omaz: epirubicin is indeed more expensive than adriamyacin. This is why adriamyacin is more heavily used in this country. Epirubicin does not seem to have any better results than does adriamyacin but it is 22 times more expensive. For instance, if adriamyacin was a loaf of bread selling for $1 epirubicin would be $22 for that same loaf!!! The beautiful, glamorous medical industrial complex in our country!!!!0
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Lizzy: I got epirubicin, it's the E in the FEC combo. The reason I got it was because I specifically told my doc I didn't want adriamycin because of the potential for heart problems later. He said the E is just as good. I don't know why it's not used in the US as much. Rachel got it too, in Canada, they use it a lot there and in Europe, like you said. My doc said it's basically the same, so I don't think you have anything to worry about so far as missing a treatment of A. I did fine on FEC, almost no SEs at all.
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So epirubicin is a better drug but we've been socked with adriamycin because it's cheaper with all its horrendous side effects and long term possibly heart damage??
Am I understanding this right???
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I got the Epirubicin as part of my FEC. My understanding from my Oncologist is that FEC (inclusive of Epirubicin) is considered the newest generation of combo chemo. It is a newer drug than Adriamycin (Doxorubicin)---Adriamycin has been around for decades while Epirubicin was only approved in US since 1999 (I looked that up--Doc didn't tell me that!). My Oncologist said it was the newest generation adjuvant therapy--can't remember if it is 3rd or 4th generation. Epirubicin is hard on your veins and causes all that joint/bone pain---not sure of other side effects when compared to the other drug.
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Here are a few links on Epirubicin (called Ellence in US)
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/druglist/ellence.jsp
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a603003.html
http://www.chemocare.com/bio/ellence.asp
http://www.drugs.com/pro/epirubicin.html0 -
Calamtykel: yes, you are understanding it correctly. Celgene purchased the original manufacturer, Abraxis, a few years back. In this country, epirubicin is approximately 22 times more expensive that adriamyacin. I am just hoping that the $9,000 they charge for adriamyacin does not turn into $220,000 congruent with the prevailing market price on epirubicin. I am only pretty sure they are going to pass the cost on to the insurance companies who, I am sure, is going to try to pass it off on me. I am a little concerned about that. When I questioned one of the chemo staff today they gave an evasive answer like "your insurance co will pay for it if you need it!!!!" Sure they will!!!!!!!!0
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Hi Everyone!
Lizzy: I can't believe they switched on you like that, that must have really thrown you for a loop, especially since you seem to have done a lot of research into all aspects of your treatment. They should have called you first or something and not ambushed you like that.
Sohard: Yay.....you are done!!!!
Lisa: Congrats on being finished! When I finished I was excited to be done, but it does feel weird. First of all, you don't feel like celebrating because you just had chemo and don't feel all that well. And, there is a sort of anticlimatic feeling. I think because it was such a huge part of your life for those three months or so, really defined everything you did, and all of a sudden you are done. You walk out the door and its over, no big deal, just done. Anyway, I went into a little bit of a funk after I had my ten day check up. I guess I held it all in and was a brave little soldier for all that time while I had chemo then when the doctor said, okay everything looks good, see you in 6 weeks...I kind of fell apart for a week or so. So, I agree the feeling was not quite what I expected. Hopefully you can celebrate in a couple of weeks!
Cold/Hot Flashes: I am with you all on the hot flashes! They come in spurts and my latest spurt has been the past three days. Really annoying, feel hot from the inside! As for cold, has anyone else noticed that their tolerance for the cold seems to have diminished. I could always tolerate the cold very well. Made it through winter without ever really having to wear a coat, unless I was going to be outside for an extended period of time. But now, the temp is only in the 50s and I am FREEZING!! Am I the only one? Now that the fall has arrived, I am cold all the time. Even in the house, temp is at 68 same as it always has been, and I am constantly cold (of course except when I get a hot flash!).
I agree with the staying in communication. You guys were there through what will probably turn out to be one of the most difficult things I will ever do and I really appreciate all of your support and hope that we can stay in touch, even after the last one of us is done.
Hope everyone having treatments feels well and that all of us feel a little bit better tomorrow than we did today.
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Rachel: I remember you got FEC but, to be honest, I never knew what the E stood for. I am sure, like all drugs, they have their SE but it is my understanding the E does not have the heart damage potential as the A does. Oh well! What can we do? Nothing but say "thank you sir, may I have another!!!"0
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Sptmm: I was stunned but I trust the staff, even though they can be commodious at times. I was stunned but when they told me they were the same and went to google to research it a bit and printed documents, I decided I would do it because I was not really happy about the idea of putting off txs and running this thing into January.
As for this thread, several go on for years. There is no need to start another. Most of us have rads next anyway so it is going to be a long time we are hanging around here!
Sweeney: is manufacturing woolies in her new factory in China! She purchased it from Kathy Lee, child-labor workers and all! Right up her alley!!!!!!!! That is where Beavertail has been!
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I am sorry about all these posts....can you tell I am post-chemo!??!
ladyinbama: it was good of you to request E. I am sorry now I did not know more about it. I am really not lamenting the switch now that I know it is better for me than A.
How are you doing these days? Are you feeling better? How are your cute, little dogs? I finally had a dog visitor today in the afternoon! I was soooo happy! He was an adorable Beagle. I had one when I was young. His human friend (!) said she regularly works afternoons so I will have the pleasure of seeing Bennie again
Sohard: YOU ARE DONE!!!!!!! WHOO HOOO!!! YAY! I am very happy for you. I hope you are doing well tonight.
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spt: I think I'm already understanding that "anti-climatic" thing. I think we have built up that "last chemo" -circling the date on the calendar, planning, etc. But already after my chemo last week, and as the next and last chemo looms next Monday, I don't feel the euphoria I thought I would....way back when. It's strange. I was planning big parties in my mind a few weeks ago that it would be "done". Now it just feels as if it isn't done once the last chemo is over. I guess I knew that. but the last chemo is just what I was focused on.
Re the adriamyacin: I am very afraid of cardio damage down the road, but I'd rather die of heart failure than BC if I had the choice, so I made the only choice I could with the info that I had. If it buys me more years than I would have without it with my family, then that's all I can ask. It sounds weird and grim, but we all know that chemo sucks and can have lasting effects. I just pray for all of us that it does not.
However, before we get all upset that we got screwed in our chemo, in reading the side effects, cardiovascular damage is listed as one of the long term possible SE's of ellence as well, affecting the pumping action of the heart, which is the same as adria. The SE effects as LISTED on chemocare.com look to be exactly the same as adria? Or is there just a slightly lower risk with ellence? I thought I remembered reading before that everything in the rubicin family carried a risk of cardio damage. http://www.chemocare.com/bio/ellence.asp
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Lago-- thanks for the links. I was going to ask about changing but the SEs look the same as A.
Lizzy-- may E be kinder to your digestive tract and may you continue to have all this energy!
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