All about Xeloda
Comments
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i just have pain for a couple days.. the last on my 2nd week.. really, things are going great.. I just WANT to take 2 million pain pills. (but won't ever exceed the recommended dosage)
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OK, the results of the CA 27.29 are in and not looking good as the nurse put it. 4,181. I felt sure they would be up since I have not been getting SEs and they keep telling me that is not the way it works, but for me it does. So now they are scheduling scans right away. However, the nurse said he wants me to stay on the Xeloda til we see the scan results....myself, I don't see the point to that. I am starting to wonder what is the point to doing any of it since everything fails to work for me it seems. Sorry to sound negative, but that's how I am feeling.
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Marybe - Keeping you in my heart. I am so sorry that you feel so low now - it must be so discouraging. I admire you and your fighting spirit, and you have helped so many of us that I wish we could make it all OK for you now. Good luck with the scans, keep us posted. Sue
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Lynn & Jeannie: I have math block as well. I started on 1500 mgs xeloda twice a day (3,000 daily) for 14/7, then was dropped back to 1000 mgs twice a day (2,000 daily) for 14/7, then was dropped back again to 1000 mgs twice a day (2,000 daily) for 7/7. When I first heard about the 7/7 schedule, the women on it were on higher doses than I on their "on" week. I had good scans after 7 months and mean side effects, and that's when the doc dropped me back to 2,000 mgs daily for 7/7, I think hoping that my next set of scans will remain good. We shall see - here's hoping. Sue
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MaryBe I am so sorry, tell them to scan away, I only CT scans what about you?
That is what I am hoping, I was getting 14/7 since July until 5 weeks ago when the SE's got too bad, they included, nose blooding, coughing up blood, hands and feet peeling, diarreah, severe fatique, naseau, fingernails lifting, blotches on my hands, feet hurting, wobbily, nose running, eyes running...think that is it. When I called the onc he said get off. Then I went to see him and he said after the scan we will discuss the dosage.
Well as I said it worked but for me the SE;'s aren't worth the it. My quality of life had so declined that I was getting severly depressed. I assumed he wanted to hit it hard cause my TM had jumped so much, but now not sure who will decide what the protocol will be but I will certainly put my 2 cents or more in.
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Blondie, I hear you...that is exactly why I quit abraxane....had the tearing eyes, so bad sometimes I honestly could not see, lifted finger and toenails were infected and smelled like rotten meat and a few actually came off the way off( the thumbs and big toes still do not have normal nails and it's been over 2 years) , had severe neuropathy to the point where I would sometimes fall since I was tripping over my own feet,(started in my fingers and that was when I called it quits) had edema so bad that sometimes could not get a shoe on, had no taste sensation at all so everything was like eating cardboard, had nosebleeds all the time (but that was the avastin more than the abraxane) and finally after 22 weeks of treatment, I told my onco I just couldn't do it any longer. The sad thing is that was the last treatment that worked for me, however, my life is now back to normal.....and it's not that new normal they like to talk about....it's normal for me....any changes would have happened to me anyway because I am getting old, BUT the point is I feel good and do things, go places and am still able to work and enjoy my life. I really wanted the Xeloda to work because I was one of the lucky ones who did not have the bad SEs, but maybe they would have come if I had stayed on it long enough. So now it is back to the drawing board. I want to live and I am willing to try treatments hoping they will prolong my life, but when it gets to the point that I no longer feel like I am "living", am just taking up space or going through the motions, I am not going to stick with something just because it is working. Have you done Gemzar or Navelbine?....the SEs with those were not bad from me, just constipation and that I could deal with. I hope you find something that works that doesn't interfere with your quality of life. Oh, in answer to your scan question....I get CAT and bone scans....once in awhile a MRI, but not often and for some reason my onco does not order many PET scans for most of his patients. I am having my CAT scan done Mon at 6:45 AM.
Thanks for the good thoughts Sue and I hope the X continues to work for you.
Maybe by some miracle my scans won't show progression, but with almost 1000 jump in tumor makers, which for me are extremely accurate, I am not holding my breath. Marybe
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Blondie: I'm sorry you are STILL having these horrible se's!! You've been off 5 weeks now, right? Maybe because they had you on such a high dose, it is taking extra long to get out of your system? I wonder if starting you back at a much lower dose would keep the se's from being so bad. I do understand what you are saying about the QOL. Definitely have a good talk with your doctor about what all you went through. He needs to know how bad it was. Thinking of you!! HUGS!!
Marybe: I'm sorry you are worried and feeling down right now. We'll be there with you on Monday for the scan. How soon after do you get the results? I know it's near impossible, but try not to dwell on it too much until then. Sending you positive vibes and gentle hugs.
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hugw to you Marybe
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Hi Everybody!!
Apple: I take neurontin, but Im not sure it changes the X neuropathy as it is caused by the med leaking out of the skin rather than nerve damage (as from abraxane)... Meanwhile I encourage you to treat your pain. There is no reason to have untreated pain. Period. (my soap box, as you may know)
Blondie: YIPEEE!!!!! I am so very happy for you. I hope that you will be posting cycle 10 - 20 here and telling us all about NED (or NERD, which I think is much cooler).
Nancy: Welcome to Divahouse. I hope that X is managable for you. I havent had any major SEs besides fatigue, thank goodness. Many folks get a great response from this drug with fewer SEs than many chemos. When you want a good long read this thread will tell you so much about living with this drug. Or, you can just ask and everybody will pitch in, Im sure.
K-Lo: Hi Sweetie!
Sueper13: Oh Shit!! That is so bloody bad. Im sorry sorry sorry. I too was presented at a conference once as a pregnant with cancer girl having wierd liver mets. Not a nice kind of fame at all. I hope that some doc from neverland walks up to the presenting doc and gives him the lo down so he can fix you up!! Just breathe my friend. Its gonna be OK. (In the way things are OK with us, anyway.) Sending loving thoughts.
Nancy: I dont work anymore, but seem to have read quite a few posts from Divas who do. More power to em! This is a managable chemo really. I dont feel that way about Cytoxin, but I've only taken it for stage II tx and so it was a crazy strong dosage. Nothing like what we'd do for Stage IV as QOL is a major issue for us.
Hello too to Retriever, Betty, Sue and Jeanie. Hope you guys are having a great day and feeling good.
Day 6 of cycle 2. No real problems. Some fatigue, but managable with provigil, ridilin, or naps. Hands and feet kind of "crisp" feeling from bag balm, but otherwise doing well.
Went on an overnight trip with my son's class in the mountains of eastern KY this week. It was beautiful and very fun. One of the other parents,a friend of many years asked if I had any trips planned and I said, "Well, just the one." I crack myself up. Apart from my own hysterical sense of humor, Id forgotten about the MBCN conference that I'll be traveling to as well as a trip to Mass to see my best pal in November.. I am forgetting EVERYTHING on this drug.. sigh.. Still, I have confidence that its working well so its all good.
Have a good one gals.
Zoh
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Marybe - I am so, so sorry to hear about your markers being up. I know it can be hard to be positive when we get news like this. You have always been so positive and an inspiration to me, as so many of the ladies on here are. I thought about you all night long. I will be hoping and praying that you have good scan results on Monday. Sending you lots of hugs and prayers.
Lynn - I called the onco yesterday and told them all of my allergic symptoms were gone, so could I please try the X again. She thought it would be OK, if I was willing to try and of course we both agreed it is an experiment, just to see if I get the reaction again. If I do, I will stop it immediately and then we will know it definitely was the X. Can you believe I called begging to take chemo
, am I nuts or what? I just told her I was not comfortable doing nothing for another 2 weeks, so I started again this morning. Wish me luck and I will keep you posted. I saw that you are working and basically have 2 hours of commuting, you must be so tired at the end of the week, I admire anyone that can continue to press on. Livingit - I envy you going on an overnight trip to the mountains in KY, I would live in the mountains if I could, I have always, always loved them. Of course, we usually go to the Rockies, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana but have been to the Smokies. I told my family when I die if they are looking for me they will have to come to the mountains to find me because that is where I will be
. I am sure your son was so glad you were able to go along. Sue - If I did the math right you took 42000 of X during your on time and I take 49000 in the same amount of time. If you take 42000 14 days straight and 7 off that is 21 days, I take 24500 week 1, off 1 week, then 24500 the next week, that is 49000 for the same amount of time, 21 days, does that make sense? Anyway, I guess we can only do what our onco tells us, although, I have to say mine is pretty open to what I choose to do, he will give me options and I can choose from there. I figure as long as it works, that is what I am shooting for.
Does anyone know which is better a PET scan or CT scan? I asked my onco about it and they usually only do the CT. I was wondering if the PET is better. I have a CT and Bone scan every 6 months but it may go to every 3 now that we know it has spread more places. Also, how long after you started X did your markers start to go down? I had only had one week on and it was time for my appointment but my markers were up, the onco said that was not unusual but I thought they should go down right away.
I hope everyone has a good weekend and can get out and do something fun, even for a little while.
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what they tell me is that the cancer is still in the blood that is why they go up, mine started going down in September with is 2 months after I started taking the Xeloda and continued to go down in October at the last blood test, have to get another one next week in preparation for the Zometa
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Jeannie, You are sweet and it is very comforting to know so many women are in my corner rooting for me. I admit I was upset as I always am when I get bad news and I start thinking crazy stuff like Well H, I may as well quit for all the good these treatments have not been doing for me, but then I calm down......however, last night my father called and tells me he BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!!! I was speechless which is probably a good thing because I felt like calling him a crazy old fool and reading him the riot act. Last Sunday on his way home from here after I returned from vacation, he rammed into the rear end of a car stopped for a red light.....his car was a 2002 so they totaled it. This was only about three weeks after he got his car back from being repaired from the last accident he had. My father is 89 yrs old and has no business driving, but I have not wanted to be the heavy demanding Hand over the keys. So my husband drove him on Monday and we figured this would be the end of it and we would have to make arrangements for him to get places....then he calls, all happy and asks Guess what I did today? I was absolutely furious and did not sleep all night thinking about him smashing up a new car which was sort of a good thing cuz I stopped worrying about the tumor markers. I am having the CAT on Monday AM and the following week will have a bone scan. In the meantime will take Xeloda since that is what he wants me to do.
Your math is excellent.....the onco at MDA told me the 7 day comes out the same as the 14 day.
The rad/onco who was looking at possible treatments for my liver like PET scans...said they are the way to go, but my onco and I think most oncos like CAT scans.
Thanks for all your good thoughts and prayers....I have to go out to dinner now. Maybe by some miracle the scans will show improvement so I have not given up hope yet. Hang in there all of you....Xeloda seems to do a good job for a lot of people.
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o dear.. i've done that 'please dear parent.. don't drive anymore.. went so far as to take a couple spark plugs out of my dad's car.. that is so sad. Best to you Marybe and may angels protect your daddy.
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Jeanie, Congrats for making the call and speaking up when you were uncomfortable. Sometimes its so hard not to just "grin and bear it" since we do so much of that anyway.
I think the CT shows the structures in the body and the PET shows the metabolism. Cancer has very high metabolism so it shows up on a PET. Normally I get a PET/CT where they superimpose the picture of the PET over the CT so they can see exactly what structures have a high metabolism. So a tumor shows up and we can tell if it is currently growing or if it is dead or dormant. I believe (and correct me if Im wrong ladies) that the PET/CT is the gold standard, though certain other scans do give more information about certain things. Hope this helps.
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Marybe - Oh, I am so sorry about your dad having accidents, it is so hard when they reach a certain age, they just are not ready to be dependent on anyone, which I can understand. I did chuckle when I read about how steamed you were and that was all you could think about. My dad lives here in town, he will be 84 in December and still drives, mostly around our small town of 8,000. He does have a cabin in Minnesota that he goes to in the summer but my brother and nephew take him up there so he does not have to drive it alone, so I know just what you are going through. Anyway, I was thinking about my dad as you were telling me and I would have been doing the same as you. I guess that is one way to take our mind off of the thing we would rather not think about, although it is just ONE more thing to worry about. I have been having trouble with a lot of pain on my left side, where the breast implant is, I think it has slipped over and down, anyway, when I go to bed at night I just KNOW it is cancer, which in the light of day, I do not think that at all. It seems like anytime I feel a twinge I think the worst and I never used to do that. I will be thinking about you and praying all turns out great, please let us know how you are doing.
Livingit - Thanks for the info on the scans and for making me feel better about my decision. Sometimes I wonder if I should have done that and then I figure I need to take charge of myself because the doctor will not know what I am thinking unless I tell him. When you are talking about a PET/CT scan, do you mean they do a PET and a CT or is it something new I am not aware of? Should I insist they do a PET and CT? They said they like the CT better and I guess I will have to ask why and then why they do not do both. I do get a bone scan also and I would imagine they will be doing those in the next couple of months unless I continue to have problems with my left side, then maybe they will do something right away. I hope you are doing better this round and are "adjusting" as much as we adjust to new medicine.
Blondie - Thanks for the info. It does make sense about it being in the blood stream and it helps to know about when to expect some improvement. This is just the beginning of my 3rd round of 7 days and I had to quit halfway through my second week on because they thought I had an allergic reaction so it may be another month or so before I should expect some improvement. Here I am whining about tumor markers that are so low that all of you would give anything to have these markers. It is just that they have almost tripled in a year, they are still very low only 101 but each month they have climbed 10 or 20+ points and I don't like that. I hoped that by doing something this early that maybe I will not have to do this forever.
One more thing, has anyone had problems with weight gain on X. I can not understand why I gain weight when I do chemo. I always thought you should lose weight because you do not feel like eating half the time.
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Apple, my dear, 20 mg of hydrocodone is surely less than most chronic pain pts take. If anything you want to watch the daily Tylenol ( 325/pill) before you worry about opiate dependence. "users" take more than 50 mg per day, in my psych review experience, before they seek help. And that's recreational and having to basically get the pills in some criminal way. My onc always tells me I'll have to try harder to have a dependence proble.
True, I don't want to have a tolerance but it's Stijl on the very low side and there are major big opiates available to us if and when things get worse pajamas.
Sermon over. Say amen0 -
Oh Nancy,
Your poor hands!! it looks SO painful. I hope the reduced dose will help. I am so sorry you are suffering so badly. Gentle hugs to you.
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Hi to all and sorry for bad side effects...thanks for all the wishes about the margins. Haven't been on here in a few days...haven't been anywhere, in a really dark place. The tumor conference consensus was no more surgery, too massive of a surgery with possible permanent chest instability and chronic pain and not enough chance it would be curative. THEN I asked for a copy of the pathology report....I don't understand myself why I am driven to read them each time, they only scare the heck out of me, but it's like I somehow have to SEE the results. Have had it explained to me in detail by my wonderful friend Otter, and I feel much better tonight. I finally had a long talk with my strong silent type husband who has been letting me cry on his shoulder but not giving me his head or heart because he can't stand the possibilities. Today we finally reconnected and cried together and accepted, kind of, that this is really metastatic, it isn't gone, it's really stage IV. I still have lots of hope (lots from reading right here!!) that there will be years and years left to us, but what a tricky nasty sneaky rat bastard breast cancer is, so...well, you all know. I see the onc on Tuesday and we will talk Xeloda and radiation....but I have a question: Does Xeloda not affect our white blood cell counts? If so, how much? I just don't recall reading here anything about that, and I intend to produce a Christmas Musical at church this year with the kids as I do every year...and wondered if I will have to worry about kids and germs and chemo. Or not. NOT would be nice. Does anyone know?
Marybe, when will you get your scan results?
Much love, and I promise I will get better at keeping track of what everyone is saying,
Sue
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Sue, they will keep an eye on your white count, but it doesn't have to take it down and if it gets to below where they want it to be they will give you neuprogen or neulasta or one of those that bring it back up. I am only on my 4th cycle, but my white count has been fine....I can't speak for the others. The one that really did cause my white count to drop was the halaven, but that has been the only one. I think with any chemo, you have to be careful about germs, but I am exposed constantly with my job and so far, knock on wood, I am the one who seems to stay the healthiest at work (other than the fact I have cancer....doesn't seem right, does it?) I wash my hands constantly, use hand sanitizer and when I fly I wear a mask even if it does look silly.
I know you are really disappointed, but Stage lV is just another number in my opinion and you can live with it for a long long time....it's been over 13 yrs for me since they gave me that label and believe me when I lst found out what Stage lV even was from reading about it in a library book by Susan Love, I thought Oh no, this is it. Goodbye world.
I hate to be a doubting Thomas, but whenever anyone is doing these new procedures, especially ones that are supposedly going to make someone cancer-free, I always think uh, I don't know about that. Even if we are lucky enough to get into remission or stable, once we are Stage lV, was are always Stage lV. However, with any stage, there is always the possibility cancer is going to once again rear its ugly head.
You CAN live with this....a long time. I am really sorry the surgery didn't get rid of it as you had hoped, but this is just a stumbling block along the way. It is wonderful that your husband is by your side to support you.
I predict your Christmas musical is going to be a huge success.
The reason I am up so early is that I am drinking my yummy contrast for my CAT....Berry Smoothie......I don't know how they have the guts to call this stuff a smothie!! I will go pick up my report Tues when I get off work.....I like you, want the report in my hands in front of me so I can read it in writing myself.
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jeanieb2 - it is my theory that we gain weight from all the oily creams we slather on our hands and feet.. it is quickly absorbed and goes straight to the hips.
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Marybe,
Thank you for your thoughtful answer. It is just an adjustment. I just want to NOT BE SO SAD. I do feel encouraged by your words.
Apple,
I need the weight now. Bring on the oily creams!! What am I supposed to buy again--Udderly Smooth with urea or Bag Balm, is that right? And what are the cotton gloves for? And do I really have to sleep in SOCKS?
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Marybe - My thoughts and prayers are with you today and I am sending good wishes and a hug your way, hoping everything will turn out better than you expected. You were talking about a contrast you drink, are there different CT scans? I have never had to drink anything, they do the scan and then inject something that makes you feel flushed for a few seconds and take another scan right away. I just wondered if there are different kinds of scans or different ways they use the contrast.
Apple -
, I like your way of thinking. I will just tell people it is from the lotion, but can I continue to use that excuse if I ever get off of this stuff? I think I will try it because I always use lotions so suppose that is the reason I have always been on the heavier side
, it plumps up our cells, right? I hope you are doing well and no more problems with major side effects or that they have toned down some.Livingit - How have you been doing? I am sure you have been busy but have not seen anything from you in a while so I am hoping it is because you are busy and nothing else.
K-lo - How have you been doing? I just wondered if things were going ok for you and hope all is well.
Lynn - Hope you are doing OK also. We have been having such a beautiful fall and I have been enjoying the nice days. You can really tell fall is here with all the leaves falling and the wind swirling them around. The colors are just beautiful and we are having a really nice rain today, we need it, even if we did have a lot of flooding this summer, it is amazing how dry it is now.
Sueper - I hope you are having a better day. I know it can get discouraging, I think we all get that way from time to time, and sometimes for whatever reason I just snap out of it and think how lucky I really am to still be here. I sure wish I could send you some of my weight, for some reason I always gain weight with it. I gained 30 pounds back in 1992 when I took it the first time and now with X I seem to be headed in the same direction. Of course I am one of those that can walk by the bakery and take a whiff, whoops, I just added 10 pounds from smelling
. I hope everyone had a good weekend and are enjoying the nice Fall days before the winter sets in. I started back on X last Thursday and so far so good, only have the nausea which I figured and even the Zofran is not helping as much as the first time, but that is minor, and just some tingling in my hands but nothing to worry about. I know this site is more for questions, answers and support but I see it as my friends who are in the same boat as I am so it is nice to see the normal part of our lives as well as the "not so normal".
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Jean-Jeanie, way to go with riding the symptoms.
Marybe, i have a feeling it will be good results, you've been our leader....
Zoh, you're a character, you know that?
And Lynn, and Appley, thanks for sticking it out. I really hope we are all on X in January.
Been staying busy, drove 8 hours to visit a friend, enjoyed every minute. Biggest complaint:
Sometimes, I want to be treated a little special my Big C. But sometimes attention, pity, caring comes when i don't want it.....
Anyone know what I mean? Last night at a big gathering, I just felt like i had this aura around me from my friends..... I was tired from the trip and they were concerned and I was like, hey treat me normal but i dont know what i want!
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Sue, how's the mood? Bless your Dh for letting you feel what you feel. Mine is very stoic and always needs to solve problems but is learning to just listen.
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Sue I always want a copy of the report cause seeing it in b/w makes me realize how real it is AND to check and see if the dr. is telling me everything (have found things he didn't tell me and confronted him about it)
Use the creams all the time, lathering up, can't wait til this stops peeling...
Livingit...where are you, how r u?
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Hi, Blondie, hows your SE's?
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Marybe: Hope your CT scan went ok this morning! I'm so jealous of you gals who can get your reports so quickly! Wishing you good news from the scan!
Sueper: Yep most people seem to have good luck with either the Udderly Smooth or Bag Balm. The gloves are to put on over the lotions to help keep in on your hands longer. I tried to sleep with gloves on, but that did not work at all. I also tried sleeping in socks, but that did not go over well either (better than the gloves though!), so what I do is slather on the balm and then put on socks while I'm watching TV or surfing the net at night and then take them off when I go to bed. It has had time to "sink in" by then and it does not get on the sheets, etc. Hope this helps!
I started my "off week" on Saturday so I'm enjoying my time off. I was really busy this past Saturday --- co-hosted a baby shower and then attended a family reunion. I was TIRED at the end of the day, but I made it ok and so I was beyond thrilled! I could have NEVER done all that on Abraxane/Avastin....so I'm really liking my Xeloda!
Yeah, Blonide....how are the se's these days? Getting any better?
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K-Lo - I am glad you got to go and see your friend. I know what you mean about wanting to be treated special sometimes and other times to be treated normal so I can forget about it for a while. I have a dear high school friend here in town that makes these delicious mints that you get at weddings, well anyway, her daughter posted on Facebook last week if there was anything they could do let them know, I jokingly said some of her moms mints should help, but was just kidding because I knew she was busy. Low and behold on Saturday here she comes with a plate of mints and a couple of cupcakes, it was just what I was needing, to pick me up. Of course she is no stranger to cancer, her husband died of lung cancer about 4 years ago, her nephew died last year of a rare sinus cancer and her sister in law has BC so she knows just what people need. I guess that is why I say I am one of the lucky ones. I just had to share a "feel good" moment.
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Marybe: How's it goin' hon? Thinking of you today and sending good karma to you - Sue
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The scan was fine as far as scans go.....now the results, that remains to be seen. The guy who did the test was very nice and didn't even make me finish up the bottle of stuff I took in with me. He was holding my arm and walking me around like I was an invalid or something.....maybe because my eyes were at half-mast. On the way to the hospital I was thinking What in the world possessed me to make an appt for 6:45 AM. And the traffic!...I could not believe all the people zooming down the highway at 6:30 in the morning....I thought at least there would not be much traffic then. Anyway, I will pick up the report on Tues. after I get off work. Lynn, Couldn't you go get your reports if you wanted to? I was always told they were MY reports, just as any xrays I have taken are mine.
Maybe I am odd, but I used to sleep in socks anyway....also underpants, can't sleep without them (I think we had this discussion once before, but am not sure on which thread). So sleeping with sock on does not bother me...now the gloves, they took a little getting used to, but I only pulled them off the first few nights. And let me tell you, my hands and feet are so soft, I am thinking I should rub my entire body with BagBalm and wrap myself up like a mummy. I have to wash the socks and gloves after presoaking them because they are a big greasy mess after about two usages....especially the socks which I walk around in after I get up, sometimes even go out in the backyard with them on to water plants or let the dogs out before going to work so then they get even dirtier than they normally would since the grease makes them pick up the dirt even more. But think of what the sheets would be like if I wasn't wearing them. Anyway, I have had people feel my hands and a few people who aren't even on Xeloda or anything have said they are going to look for bag balm....it made them really really soft.
Oh about contrast....they always have me drink two jars of this chalky stuff....I think it is barium. They used to also give me an injection for the second part of the scan...the one that makes you get the warm feeling and like you are wetting your pants, BUT I am allergic to that part of it. For awhile I was taking prednisone and benadryl before the scan so I could have the dye, but started getting hives anyway so they quit using it on me. I am allergic to shellfish and I think that is the connection....Iodine. However, even when they were still injecting me with that dye, I would have to drink the other stuff first.
Weight....ah, yes. People think you are going to look sick and get skinny doing chemo, but that has never been the case with me. I think a lot of it had to do with the premeds which were sometimes steroids.....I was starving after those. On Xeloda and herceptin, I am not exceptionally hungry and was actually losing about a pound a week because I was not eating junk in the evening the way I normally did, but vacation took care of that. I gained 4 1/2 lbs on vacation. And I also think I stress eat and have been eating a lot of stuff, even if I am not hungry since I found out my tumor markers had jumped. Reeses peanut butter pumpkins are out now....I love those. I also think chemo does something to your metabolism....I mean why wouldn't it, it messes with all your other counts.
K-Lo....I know what you are saying. I don't like it when people look at me with pity in their eyes or like they are scrutinizing me, looking for side effects, but at the same time I don't like it when they ask me to do things like drive 30 miles round trip to take care of a pet when they could ask their neighbor to do it, or when my husband lets me cut the grass because he is too lazy to do it or my boss will stick in a patient on my side who was previously on his schedule because he wants to get out early. Then I feel like saying, Excuse me, I have cancer, remember? And I hate it when people send me PINK shit.....I know they are trying to be nice, but all this stuff with pink ribbons makes me want to scream!! Are your SEs better, Blondie? And are you feeling better Sue?
After I got done with my scan I went to visit this friend of mine who is at the same hospital. I met in the treatment room a year or so ago and we got to be friends. This woman has been through the wringer. She went off chemo hoping she would get her strength back and also her voice...she always talked in a whisper......now she is on oxygen and can barely talk at all. Anyway she has not gotten better even though supposedly her cancer is in remission. She went to have her port taken out and got a blood clot...she already had lymphedema in both arms, but now the one arm looks like Popeye's.....she said it doesn't hurt, but it looks like it would. She is having a terrible time swallowing so they were going to stretch her esophagus, but they can't because she is on the blood thinners for the clots. It's like a can of worms.....things just keep going wrong for her. I just feel really really bad for her. She is such a sweet person and really doesn't complain. It's when I see people like that, I realize how fortunate I have been.
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