Xeloda and TNBC
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FelineMum, my heart still breaks for you. Every time I look at my Willow I think of you. Willow still has moments when she acts normal and then she's so exhausted she's out for hours but she wags that tail when she's awake! She has been throwing up everyday - just can't seem to digest her food. We lay together and I talk to her and she still comes to me when I'm feeling emotionally or physically down. She can sense it.
Sunscreen is a good thing to put in a backpack, too. I carry it with me (at least in the car) everywhere because Xeloda makes you very sun sensitive.
Blessings to all! Continued good luck on the lack of side effects, amw5! I'm on cycle 4 and just got reduced to 3,000. I'm hoping it lessens the side effects for me.
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Warrior2016, you clearly are a kindred soul. I just wish our connections weren't losing a furry loved one and fighting breast cancer. Thank you for your words and thoughts. I feel lucky to have had Taz in my life, no matter how briefly he was here.
I started X this morning. During the past few days, I started moisturizing my feet more and taking B-6 and B-12. I ordered Udderly Cream 20 from Amazon and it should be here tomorrow. I like O'Keefe's and it did help with the dried out, cracked skin I got from Chemo infusions. But per ounce, it costs a lot more and I keep reading good things about Udderly Cream. So, I'll be trying that. I still need to buy D-3. I did buy Depends and stocked up on more sunscreen at an end of the summer sale. Now to wait and see.
Finally getting my last drain out has made a huge difference in how much I can do. It was on my left side, which is my weaker side from spine & knee issues. I knew the drain made it harder to do things. But I didn't realize until this weekend just how much I compensate for my lower body with my upper body. Suffice to say, I've gotten a lot done since Thursday and boy, do I have the aches and pains to prove it. A month without using some muscles will do that. Thankfully, I'm already scheduled to start physical therapy again.
I hope everyone's having a good weekend!
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Saw this online:
A meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials with data from over 4700 patients treated with capecitabine monotherapy or capecitabine in combination with different chemotherapy regimens in multiple indications (colon, colorectal, gastric and breast cancer) showed that ****patients on capecitabine who developed hand-foot syndrome (HFS) had a longer overall survival compared to patients who did not develop HFS:**** median overall survival 1100 days (95% CI 1007;1200) vs 691 days (95% CI 638;754) with a hazard ratio of 0.61 (95% CI 0.56; 0.66).
- https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/4619#INTERACTIONS
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Well, I guess that's a blessing in disguise of HFS then, huh FelineMum?
I'm counting down the days and pills! Feet are being nice so far this cycle, which is great as I'm at a work conference with a fair amount of walking to do. I was really dreading it but so far so good. I have been pretty dang tired with some major head nodding going on but that just might be the conference material. Ha! Take care, X ladies0 -
Yay for the article on hand/foot syndrome fairing the best! I figure I'm in! Actually since I have been reduced to 3,00 a day I have noticed a difference - just in the last 3 days. I still have some exhaustion, hand/foot, taste changes, etc. but it is manageable and I actually feel like I can have a life!
Blessings to all - have a wonderful day!
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I'm glad that article was useful. That whole website is fascinating re: X. I didn't know there were significant studies in Malta, Ireland and the UK. Or that X enters the body as an inactive substance that becomes active when it reaches a cancer cell. Then it tricks the cell into not reproducing and, if my lousy memory is correct, the cell dies instead.
Question re: early HFS symptoms: What did you feel? I'm only on Day 4 of my first cycle, but I'm noticing mild tenderness on my soles and a little tingling too. That could be using new lotions (Udderly Cream 20 & O'Keefe's) that I'm not used to. Thoughts?
SuprSurvivr: I'm glad you're surviving your conference. Those things always put me to sleep. I'd pity the poor schmuck who'd start snoring in the front (and be glad it wasn't me).
Warrior2016: Good to hear your SE are getting better. Life is meant to be enjoyed!
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Warrior2016-I'm glad the lower dose is better for you. X does accumulate so expect the SE to continue to change. FelineMum-my HFS started with tingles and sensitivity, went to blisters (stopped X), came back as very sensitive/hot, then had some peeling, back to very sensitive/hot/ouchy, now at little slightly ouchy. Using those technical terms. 😂 I had just the slightest peeling on hands on cycles 2-3. My feet would heal up some on break weeks.
The Udderly Smooth never caused me any tingles. I used that at night plus the Theraplex.
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Well, the bottoms of my feet finally threw in the towel tonight. I've really just walked too much the last three days. Guess I'll be putting my feet up this weekend. I do have to make it thru the airports tomorrow, maybe I can ride one of those cabbie car things. Ha! One the good side, I have *7* more days left. Yippee skippee! Thinking of you X ladies. Take care and God bless
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I'm on the first off day of what I'll call my "mini-cycles" - 5 days on/2 days off. My feet are less tender and tingly and my hands are less tingly and itchy on the palms. They basically feel normal today. So, I think I've got very mild HSF symptoms. I'll keep taking my vitamins and moisturizing. My first X check-up with my BS is next week.
I prefer O'Keeffe's. I like how it absorbs and for me, it goes on easier. The Udderly Smooth makes my hands feel weird, and I wind up washing them after putting it on my feet. And then putting on O'Keeffe's.
Diabetic socks are amazing. I, um, kinda hate socks. And prefer sandals ... when I can't go barefoot. I drove my mom nuts when I was little because I'd pull the elastic out of my socks. But that was the era of knee highs
I've worn diabetic socks before simply because they're comfy. Now, I'm appreciating the extra cushioning and loose weave. 7 days SuprSurvivr? Wow. That's awesome! I hope you still visit this board sometimes when you're officially done.
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I've just read several months of all your comments and I thank you ladies for writing about your dosages, your lives and your side effects. I had neoadjuvant chemo, unilateral mastectomy, 33 days of rads. My MO let me heal from rads for a month and I started Xeloda 11 days ago (I guess that is August 24). I was doing great (mostly) until today. I am more tired. But with fatigue from chemo, fatigue from rads now fatigue from Xeloda too. I figure I'm still tired from chemo and rads. I think I'm getting more tired, must be from Xeloda. But today my involved breast (which isn't there) started to hurt a lot. I'm icing it and it feels better.
I have a oncology pharmacist who talked to me for over an hour before I started Xeloda, as well as a MO (who was covering for my MO). I was supposed to call the oncology pharmacist as soon as I have side effects. Of course it is Labor Day weekend, and of course he would not be working.
I've been following other groups and people are talking about parabens in body lotion. Here is a link to WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20151027/p... It says that parabens are carcinogenic and breast cancer patients should not use them.
The oncology pharmacist who is on my case explicitly recommended several body lotions, and they included Gold Bond, Lubriderm and Udderly Smoothe among others. I bought all three 2 weeks ago. So I looked at the ingredient list and all three of those lotions/creams have parabens. So yesterday I gave my almost full bottles of lotion away on Freecycle and bought Cetaphil and some other brand at Whole Foods. The employee at WF who seemed incredibly knowledgeable about the fact that WF doesn't carry any lotions or creams with parabens. I was looking for California Baby, which is carried at Target and Whole Foods nationally, but not at my Target or my Whole Foods.
Some questions for those on Xeloda. My oncology pharmacist told me to use gloves to handle Xeloda. I put the pills on a napkin or paper towel and use a gloved hand to remove pills. Is this what your MO told you? I'm on 2000 mg morning and evening. I'm on the 14 day on, 7 day off cycles. I haven't had any hand or foot symptoms yet and I'm putting on lotion several times a day.
I don't remember anybody saying I shouldn't be walking or exercising (but I don't remember anything after chemo). Is that what most of you have been told?
My side effects after 11 days are fatigue, dizziness when doing too much, and pain in my breast area. I was actually hoping to get diarrhea (I have been really constipated since I began chemo last November). I thought a little diarrhea might help me out, but the descriptions I've read here, I don't think that is a good side effect. The second one I was hoping for was nausea so I could loose more weight.
I've changed my diet drastically in the last 2 months. I'm off red meat and pork, all processed or grilled meat, all milk and milk products (this is the hardest). I'm doing mostly whole grains. I eat chicken and fish a little. And the only processed food I'm eating is Corn Chex and Cheerios w/ Almond Milk. I'm eating some organic, but haven't made the entire switch.
Are others concerned about parabens? What are you eating? I must say I've been more focused on my diet until today when the pain came.
Looks like Feline Mum started after me by about 3 days. But I feel like I know nothing. You all seem so experienced.
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Hanging in there - I started out at the same dose/cycle as you. I haven't heard about the parabens, but I can't say I'm surprised. Doesn't it seem like everything has a cancer link these days? The Theraplex lotioni get on Amazon doesn't have parabens. It's basically a thick white petroleum product. I use it plus the 20% urea Udderly Smooth nightly.
Yes, I was told not to touch the pills, which strikes me as kinda crazy as we are then ingesting the dang things. I drop the pills straight into a shot glass from the pill bottle. I like the irony on taking my pills from a shot glass. 😜
I did keep exercising at first but the friction and heat of my tennies didn't help with the HFS. I switched to weights, stretches, and light yoga. I'm able to get exercise in on my weeks off. Yea, fatigue is a booger, that and the HFS, lowish WBC/RBC, and a smidge of tummy upset are my SEs.
I too changed my diet to include more fruit/vegg, chicken (red meat about 1/wk), and less sugar. I try to keep proteins about 75 mg, with sugars about the same. No alcohol, no caffeine, no diet drinks. I was exercising 5/wk but the HFS and fatigue finally got to me on these last couple cycles. I can't wait to get back to the gym. I've lost about 10-15 lbs so far this year.
I've had some, what I think is, radiation related scar tissue that I went to a PT for. You may want to ask about a referral to one to get some stretches and massage techniques. It is frustrating to get with the drs sometimes. I have so many little aches/pains but don't know which are the important ones, so to speak. My MO has said to let him know of pain that goes for two weeks and is constant. But be sure to call the nurse to discuss yours. I'm hoping that after I'm done with X (3 more days!!!) the aches/pains will heal up and go away. Take care! ✨🙏🏻✨.
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Thanks for the update Supersurvivor (spelled out)
3 days is no time at all. I hope you drop back in every now and then for those of us who just started the journey. I love the shot glass idea. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was told the glove thing. I want to do something ironic now too. My phone goes off twice a day with the Arrrugahhh sound to remind me to take Xeloda.
I'm off most sugar, no alcohol, no caffeine.... But I eat dark chocolate every day and still put a little splenda in my iced tea. Sometimes I put in Stevia, but it tastes like maple syrup and I don't like the taste of maple syrup and definitely not in my iced tea.
I'm debating about exercising today. I plan to go to yoga (free class for cancer patients) on Wednesday. I was reading more what I can't do and forgot about no sun (continues from radiation-- and I thought I didn't have to be so careful.
Going to go do my arm exercises which I stopped because at one time, they were not useful. Thanks for the reminder.
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Hanginginthere,
When did you start Xeloda? I'm 2 days in to my 2nd cycle (of 8 planned). First cycle was pretty uneventful. Just a couple of days of what our family refers to as "gurgly tummy". I'm having a little bit of HFS, but nothing too bad yet. No fatigue yet, either. I would imagine that's coming in a couple more cycles.
My MO recommended 40% urea cream. I found it on Amazon for about ten bucks. Hope it helps keep the HFS at bay.
Good luck. And congrats, SuprSuvivr! 3 days. You did it!!!!
Trish
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Hanging in there - I find that being in the sun makes my skin literally itch, so I've been an indoor cat, so to speak, this summer. I've also noticed that I seem to fluctuate on my aches/pains and fatigue thru out the cycle, with the worst being around Day 5 ish. I get more whiny and freaked out too. These last few days my colon and my feet and I have not been on friendly terms. But hopefully this too shall pass. I will definitely keep up and give you all a timeline on the recovery. Tho note I'm on a 6 cycle treatment vs the full 8. I bow to these on the longer path for sure. Mine was shortened as I have to have a 60 day clean up period before I start a clinical trial later in Nov/Dec. I haven't read the material lately but I recall it had something to do with folate receptors. I'll post more info about it later.
Love your phone reminder sound! 😂
That's another thing I won't miss - having to time meals and having to wake up early to make and eat breakfast. Ugh. I had search out a healthy meal at the dallas airport last friday and eat it on my flight to get the timing right. Then drink all the water and make a few trips to the back of the plane. That and the fatigue - dang I was glad to get home. I'm driving about 5 hrs to get to a job next week. I find that talking in the phone helps me stay awake. Thank goodness for my patient friends and family.
Warrior2016 - hope you are doing well thru this lower dose cycle!
FelineMum - hope your check up went well
Thinking of you X ladies and keeping you in my prayers. ✨🙏🏻✨.
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Since no one told me not to touch my X tablets, I got curious and did some Googling. X is classified as cytotoxic and there are special handling precautions for cytotoxic drugs. But X isn't on the list of hazardous cytotoxic chemo drugs. i.e. ones with no safe level of secondary exposure.
List: http://www.cytotoxicsafety.org/problem-chemo-drugs...
This article does give some common sense info on ways to handle body fluids, waste and such to minimize other people's potential exposure to any cytotoxic med. Risks seem to come from "trace amounts that may be left on door knobs, floors, sink faucets, light switches, telephones, and keyboards."
"Cytotoxic precautions are used to make sure that other people do not come in contact with your cancer treatment or body fluids. Although the risk is very low, it is important to be careful. These precautions are needed when handling your cancer treatment or body fluids. Casual contact (hugging, kissing and touching) are safe. Family, friends or caregivers who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to get pregnant can be near you. But, they should use extra care to avoid contact with your cancer treatment or body fluids."
- http://www.cancercare.ns.ca/site-cc/media/cancerca...
I'll be using the shot glass method from now on. Cheers!
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Trishyla,
I started my first cycle on August 24. I am on day 13 today. I looked at some of the 40% Urea cream. Isn't that just urine, we could just pee on our feet I guess. (:-))
The cheapest on Amazon I found had 3 types of parabens in it and parabens are linked to recurrent breast cancer, so I'm being pretty picky about body lotions. There may be others without parabens, please post a link to Amazon if you got one.
FelineMum,
Thanks for the info for exposure to xeloda. I guess I need to dispose of my paper towel and gloves in a plastic bag or two. There is good information in the link.
OK, I'm now getting some of the diarrhea today for the first time. I've been taking double dose (morning and evening) of Senekot+ stool softener every day for months. During IV chemo, I had to adjust accordingly, but since then I have been constantly constipated. So now I'm in the adjust Senekot accordingly. I stop Xeloda for 7 days starting Thursday,(9/7) and I don't know if I will be affected by diarrhea or not. I guess I will be cautious with the Senekot.
Going to exercise now, but a little nervous about diarrhea.
Supersurvivor
What study are you going to be in? Is it a TNBC immunology trial?
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Good reference, FelineMum. Yea, I've been washing my underwear separate. And if you throw up, be very careful and follow the article's advice. I only threw up once in cycle two when I didn't eat enough one time.
Regarding the clinica trial, Im on the road for work and don't have my paperwork handy, so did a little google search and it has to do with the folate receptor alpha and a vaccine. If I recall, I missed out on an immunotherapy trial by a matter of days. 😔 Here's some background on the whole folate receptor alpha and TNBC issue...
https://jhoonline.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11...
As for the weeks off, I would have a couple days of lingering side effects, then felt pretty much back to "normal" (tho still some fatigue).
Cheers! I raise my shot glass to you all! 😂
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Hanging in...I have 20% urea cream - didn't know they even made 40%. Guess that's my next purchase.
Suprsuvivor - thanks for asking how I am doing on the lower dose. Many of the side effects are now very minimal and therefore tolerable, but the exhaustion continues and my hand/foot syndrome is worse. My feet are peeling now.
I'm on my break just completing my 4th cycle of 8. I'm getting 2 weeks off this time and I rented a place at the beach next week but I don't think I can go. My dog is dying. She keeps hanging on - still walking and wagging her tail but her BUN and Creatine levels are like 5 times the normal upper limit. (She is in renal failure.) I can't leave her - she's been here for me for almost a year now. I won't know how to do cancer without her.
I think I am just getting tired of this. 11 months and so far 8 months of chemo and major surgery with 3 months of chemo to go. Does it ever end?
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Warrior, I'm so sorry about your dog. Pets are an amazing source of comfort. Poor dear.
My feet peeled big time about the same cycle but then it stopped tho they were rather more sensitive after. I noticed just this week a wee bit more peeling.
I hear ya on treatments! But, we are doing this for a reason and that's to keep the dang stuff from coming back! You are down hill on your number of cycles now and they'll seem to go faster. Keep on fighting, you Warrior!! ✨🙏🏻✨
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Thanks, Suprsurviv, for the comments about my dog, Willow. I have had her for 8 years and I've known since she was a few months old that her kidneys hadn't completely formed, but her life was so normal after 6 months. She's 8 now - should never have lived this long, but she did and she's like the Energizer Bunny just wagging her tail all the time.
This morning my fingers started to peel - not massive but definitely peeling. Puffy, red, and hard. Then this afternoon I had diarrhea. I'm usually not so negative, but when I get on here I let it all out. I have two moods - stoic and complete break down. I am probably stoic bout 99% of the time. I try to sugar coat things for my kids - they worry so much. I am honest with them about my diagnosis and treatments; I just pass off the side effects. I'm worried about this now as I have been reduced to 3,000 mgs and the hand/foot syndrome got worse.
Oh, well, another rainy day here. I should be thankful I am not in Texas or Florida though. Prayers for our fellow countrymen and women and blessings to all of you warriors out there.
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Warrior - that's what we are here for, to listen, to commiserate, to help, to mourn, and to laugh. Hug your dog and listen to her heart beat and feel her lungs expand with you. She'll be doing the same. ❤️
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Warrior: This wasn't much comfort for me the first couple weeks after my cat Taz died, but I believe that love never dies. Period. That those we love stay in our hearts just as we stay in their hearts. Not Distance, not time, not death, not anything can change that. Willow will always be there with you - for you - but yes, how she is will change when her time comes.
Far too many people won't adopt or keep pets with health issues. I was asked more times than I care to remember why I didn't return Taz to the animal shelter or even get a "cat who's not defective." My reply: Since my health isn't perfect either, I suppose I'm lucky no one got rid of me. Maybe they should have - I'm expensive too.
And yes, our pets 'repay' us in spades. Nothing could ever measure how much Taz did for me in his too short life. Or prepare me for how much I still cry. I mourn this loss. I need to and Taz deserves it. Yeah, tears dripping right now. So silly except that it's not.
As SuprSurvivr wrote, this is a safe place to let it all out. Odds are, someone's been there, whether or not they post. And please feel free to private msg me.
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Update and question time!
Today's Day 1 of my 3rd 7-day cycle. My right foot's sole is sore and slightly swollen in one area. I know it's the area I tend to rest on the back of my lazy boy's leg when it's in up position to help balance my laptop desk and position myself more comfortably (back probs). I normally never wear socks or shoes around the house. I'm now doing both and it helps some, as far as discomfort goes. Overall, both feet are tender. But so far so good as far as dryness or worse goes. I'm alternating between Working Hands and Udderly Smooth.
Does anyone have probs with nausea? The past week, I keep waking with mild nausea that doesn't go away on its own. I don't think it's getting worse, but it's only been a week. I'm not pregnant. I seem to be far enough along into "Super Menopause" that the routine preggers tests have stopped. Or maybe they now know me well enough to believe me when I say that I'm not sexually active but will tell them if that changes.
Anyways.
My hands seem normal enough. I have carpal tunnel testing later this month. i.e. some numbness and stiffness is normal for me, whatever the reason.
I declined to take part in an immunology study after I finish X. I read through the paperwork and frankly, this one sounded scary. No known or potential benefit, but many known side effects - ranging from nasty to "which may result in your death." And all study costs except the drug itself to be paid by my insurance company or me - even the administration and prep of the drug, which is given through an infusion. WTF? And way too many commitments on the participant's part for "no known or potential benefit." Please, read everything you're given very, very carefully.
I am hoping to get into a clinical trial on Chemo Brain. I'll know later this week if I qualify.
If you're in Dollar Tree territory (the dollar store where things actually cost $1 or less), I saw travel size tubes of regular Udderly Smooth at one near me. It also had some other brand name lotions for extremely dry, chapped or cracked skin. I wish I'd bought a couple tubes - perfect for a purse or glove box.
I hope you're all safe.
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Thank you, FelineMum for your kind words and your understanding that love never dies. I always said that when you cry over losing someone it just means you loved them a lot. My brother was killed in Vietnam almost 49 years ago and I have spoken publicly about him. Some days I sail through my words and other times I have choked up. It doesn't mater that it's been 49 years - it's the feelings in me that come to surface and I am proud that I can express my feelings of love for him. The tears just show how much I miss him.
It sounds as if you are starting hand/foot syndrome. It tends to get worse with each cycle. I had my dosage cut and mine still got worse. My nausea is better today but I pretty much have it 24/7 - it is a side effect of the chemo. My worst thing is the exhaustion. it just doesn't go away. I am starting my 2nd week break from chemo - the doctor gave me an extra week because I had rented a house down at the shore. I rented it way back during my 2nd round of chemo when I thought I would finish that and then have surgery and be done with this. Anyway, with Willow being the way she is I didn't go to the beach. 3 of my children are there. They are all grown up now but I still worry about the shenanigans they might get into together.! Haha!
I am technically in a clinical study now but I got thrown into the control group which is Xeloda - what my doctor would have put me on even if I hadn't been in the trial. So, no harm done. She did mention the possibility of an immunotherapy trial down the road - I will really scrutinize that if I get there.
Thanks, Suprsurvivr for the kind words, too. It's nice to have a place to come to where others understand.
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Sending waves of love to Warrior2016. RVN combat wounded veteran, M60 machine-gunner, 25th Infantry, wounded Tet 68.
Wife's ER+ turned triple negative with mets to spine. She's been on Xeloda since Feb of this year. Last PET/CT showed some mets gone and the rest with reduced SUV. It's working!
Wife's "cancer journey" is very complex. She once had 3 types of BC at once. ER+ 100% estrogen, grade 1, inside of that tumor was ER+ 30% estrogen, grade 3 and in 9 of 19 lymph nodes were triple negative metaplastic BC. With lifetime A/C and estrogen blocker plus radiation that whole mess went away - for awhile. Then the ER+ 100% grade 1 turned into regular triple negative with mets to spine.
Mike W.
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Mike - What a brave soldier were you and still are with your wife! You guys have been on a crazy cancer ride. I'm glad she is getting some results with Xeloda and pray she'll be among those who get a long period of control with it!
I finished up cycle 6 on Thursday morning. The HFS is slowly going down but much slower than I thought. Sunday was my first day I could go for walk and gym. Still keeping up with lotions and socks.
I had low grade nausea throughout especially after the morning dose. It helped tremendously to eat a snack (nuts mostly). Kinda like pregnancy nausea when you just had to keep some food in to tamp down the sickness.
I found that my HFS was a slow progression throughout with the worse being in cycle two before they lowered my dose. I would get some relief in my off weeks tho it would take a couple days to go down.
Prayers to all as you continue your journeys. ✨🙏🏻✨.
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I want to thank Supersurvivor, FelineMum, Warrior2016 and mike3121. It is nice to read of other people on Xeloda, when I'm feeling so alone as others who started with me have gone to tamoxifin or herceptin or such drugs.
I will have completed one entire 3 week cycle by the end of today. Tomorrow I start my second cycle. I haven't actually felt all that much better on my 7 off days than my on days, although I greatly appreciate the arruuugah sound on my phone not going off twice a day (will reset now).
My symptoms so far are dizziness, fatigue (not sure if it is new fatigue or continuing fatigue), muscle/joint ache in my right shoulder, (and of course I am right handed and had a mastectomy on that side). But muscle/joint pain is a side effect. I talked to oncology pharmacist about that. Continued constipation from the beginning of BC treatment back in Nov 2016. And now a little bit of diarrhea too.
For Mike3121, I have a boy, whom we adopted from Vietnam. He is 10 now. He is a wonderful kid and the girls are starting to chase him. (He sort of likes it but then doesn't want it to continue.)
I guess my blood work looked normal from my first cycle, so I continue on this dose. Dose 2000mg in am, 2000 mg in pm. I didn't understand until last week that the reason I can't get the blood work on the same day I pickup my new prescription is because the oncology pharmacist looks at my numbers from blood work and determines the next cycle dose. Good to know.
I loved Udderly Smooth for the 2 weeks I had it, it felt so great. Then someone on another board pointed out that Udderly smooth has parabens in it that have been linked to recurrent breast cancer. You can google that if you are interested. I even emailed the company to see if they had any products without parabens, (they didn't). Now I'm using Cetaphil and a body lotion from Whole Foods. WF only carries paraben free products. And they even had someone in the lotion aisle helping me decide what to get. Wow such service. I think I need to go take a shower and lotion my body up. I was too tired this morning to shower.
I ended up buying 3 new body lotions, recommended by the oncology pharmacist, before starting Xeloda. They all had parabens in them so I freecyled them within 2 weeks. I do miss the feel of Udderly Smooth.
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Hanging in there,
The feel of Udderly Smooth is not why we use it. It's becuse it has Urea in it. That's what helps with the hand foot syndrome (HFS) See if you can find a 40% urea lotion withoit parabens.Try a health food store. I personally avoid Whole Foods because their prices are so much higher than my local health food market.
As far as parabens being linked to cancer reoccurrence, I decided a long time ago to take all the "warnings" with a grain of salt. First coffee caused cancer, then it helped prevent cancer. Sunlight in all forms was terrible for you, until they realized that vitamin D deficiency is implicated in a great number of breast cancer diagnoses.
The way I see it, if I avoided everything that supposedly causes cancer, I'd be living in a cave, eating grass and bathing in mud. And I'd still wonder what bacteria was on my grass, and exactly which kind of toxins are in my mud.
Just my take on things. Hope your side effects settle down
Trish
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Trishyla: I couldn't have said it better. And you made me smile. Now remember, mud can mean clay and different types of clay have different qualities that benefit different skin types and issues ....
Suprvivr: CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Thank you for your answers and observations. You have a break from treatment before you start the clinical trial, if I remember correctly? I hope so. And I hope you get a chance to breathe and exercise as your SE stop.
Hanging_In_There: I'm glad we can help you. Being TN can feel lonely. That was one of the first things I read about my diagnosis: that TNs often have different experiences and prognosis than women with other types of BC. That for some TNs, things like support groups may be more isolating than anything else. I followed and posted on a different thread for awhile, but felt awkward - like having neoadjuvant chemo or nothing to add about hormone therapy was odd.
Tomorrow's the last 'on' day of my third week. Two days off, then one more week will equal my first month. Making some adjustments to my routine is helping with H&F. My BS suggested taking my anti-nausea med with breakfast (before X) so it can start working. Today's my first time doing that and it did seem to help.
I enrolled in a clinical trial on Chemo brain. It's double blind, so I may never know if I get the placebo or the drug. It's testing the Alzheimer's med Aricept to see if it speeds up recovery time. Participants must have had major impacts on their memory, focus, concentration, ability to complete tasks and communication. Chemo brain really is real.
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FelineMum,
I'm with you on the chemo brain. I'm a screenwriter who hasn't been able to write since I started chemo. It really messes with higher brain function (which is where all good writing starts). I've fallen back on another love of mine, jewelry making. It's kept me from going looney tunes. Though I do have to have my husband double check my bead counts before I send anything out
I'm hoping it gets better eventually.Hope all goes well with your clinical trial. Keep us informed.
Trish
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