Starting Chemo May 2019
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Wishing everyone well with low SEs and Treatments this week! I had #2/4 AC last Tuesday, and Thursday and Friday were my low days.
Mtnmia, thanks for the RBC link. I have the same low RBC and borderline anemia, I am tired all the time even with extra fluids. I started taking OTC low dose iron, another pill uggg, I already take Magnesium Gylcinate, zinc, 2 multivitamins, 10,000 vit D, 5,000 vit C, and Claritin. Also I read somewhere to take iron with vit C for absorption.. I have labs tomorrow, fingers crossed the iron pill is working. I have a few spurts of energy once in a while, but mostly I just want to sleep, but I don't sleep either. I wake up several times a night and sometimes I wake up with one of those huge yawns, weird. I started 5mg melatonin last week, not helping yet.
Keep Moving Forward!
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Hi Kimm. My health team recommended being off any "extra" pills or supplements while going through chemo, so I was only taking my 2 prescribed things and Claritin. But now that I'm done (with all but the recovery) it makes sense to me to try the iron. Also the multi-vitamin will help my B vitamins, which supposedly also are important in rebuilding blood. And I've been taking fish oil for my eyes for a few years, so starting that again this week. I don't love the notion of taking lots of supplements, in general. I go along with the belief that if you're healthy and eat a balanced diet, supplements are mostly a waste. But I'm not healthy right now, and it's worth a try.
Yes, take the iron with a glass of OJ and otherwise empty stomach for best absorption.
Good luck on the rest of your AC -- halfway there!
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mtnMoa, thanks for the reply. I have been on supplements since 2014 when I had to have gastric bypass and then again more added since ADR surgery (2 cervical artificial disc replacement) in 2017 when I went on Magnesium Gylcinate and Taurine for nerve pain and spinal cord impingement, blah blah, etc. It did help, got down to low dose pain meds..
I wish we had farm food like I grew up on, but it's all modified one way or another and I just can't keep my numbers up. I tried going off all supplements when I started treatment in May, had 2 rounds of TCHP, and all my numbers dropped too low. I habe always ate well, grassfed meat, veggies and love my fruit, until mouth sores lol.
Anywho, keep me posted on your RBC etc. My MO said if numbers are not near normal this week, I might need RX iron
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I'm reading more about cancer-related anemia. One article (written is science, with which I'm not fluent) says there are 2 different kinds of cancer-related anemia. One is related to the cancer itself and has to do with the inflammation caused by the disease. If I understand correctly, this is a functional anemia, not because of iron deficiency, and can't be helped by iron supplements. It's mostly found in people with advanced disease and is measurable as anemia on first diagnosis of the cancer. The paper calls this the REAL cancer-related anemia.
The other type is in people who become anemic through the treatment process (like me.) This is an iron-deficiency anemia, so presumably could be treated with iron.
I'm not gonna swear by this!! It's a long, dense article, but you shouldn't take my word for it. See if you can dig it out for yourself.
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MountainMia, chemotherapy itself damages all components of the blood, white blood cells (hence danger of infection), red blood cells ( anemia causing fatigue) and platelets. This anemia is not iron deficiency related; I went down to a hemoglobin of 8 and could barely walk from bed to bathroom without being out of breath. My iron was normal. It improves once chemo is done, I’m now two weeks pfc and while not back to normal, much less anemic and can exercise lightly again.
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Thanks, Farfalla. My low point (so far) began about 12 days past my last chemo. Today is day 18. Seems slightly better today than yesterday. I'll hope that tomorrow is better still.
For me, I've always tended to low hematocrit so I doubt there's any harm in adding some iron to my diet.
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farfalle thank you for your insight.
.MtnMia, you are correct on the 2 anemia types, I learned about anemia, some, back in 2014 during my gastric bypass. My MO says to look at a few numbers RBC, Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet are they all low or one is low and others high, make a chart and follow from before and during and something else I cannot think of right now. Anywho, both of mine were normal before chemo and where low but okay during my 2 rounds of TCHP, now with AC on the 1 week after infusion my numbers drop but then the following week they pick back up but still low. MO thinks this is why I am deathly tired all the time along with not feeling rested. So he said go ahead and try OTC Iron and we will see how your numbers do, and how I feel today is the same before I started OTC iron, rired. Today I feel they are low, I cannot even keep my eyes open but I am awake LOL. This message alone has taken me almost 45 minutes to write, I keep resting my eyes, giggle.
Keep Moving....
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Hyperbaric oxygen (pressurized chamber) pushes more oxygen into the red blood cells you have... another idea.
Anemia was my worst SE. I am 7.5 months Post Final Chemo. I feel normal now and my energy and exercise are back to pre-cancer levels, but I am still sleeping more than I used to... so from that I think I am still healing. It takes months to get all the way better. But luckily the worst of it passes fairly quickly. By 6 weeks PFC I felt quite decent. Hang in there!
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Jrominger, how is Nat feeling today?
LaCombattante, hope your infusion goes well.
Best to everyone!
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Happyanyway. Nat did great. She was really dizzy when they pushed the benedryl so they will slow that down. Otherwise it was fine. Her RBC are naturally down, anemia, but that sadly is to be expected during chemo. The great news was the head oncologist could not feel her tumor!! She said if she was doing a regular breast exam she would assume she had no cancer!! So if her blood counts can stay up and we can get the next 11 done we should be in good shape by God’s Grace!! How are you on day 4 aftercarbo?
Lacombattante how are you?
Santabarbarian. Your info and post chemo success is very encouraging. We hope to follow in your footsteps!
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jrominger: fantastic news that Nat's tumor cannot be felt - the treatment is working! Congratulations! I pray that her blood counts improve and she can cruise through remaining 11 Taxols. Did her doctor mention treatment for anemia?
I did well today, thank you very much for asking, Happy Anyway and jrominger. I really appreciate your thoughts!
Unfortunately my blood counts don't look too great. I am joining my fellow anemics, (Hgb 10.3 vs 11.5 week ago). My MO will check my iron levels and if low, I will receive iron IV with the next chemo. Oh, well... as you said jrominger, it is to be expected during chemo. I just hope that she will not delay the treatment again or reduce the dose. I am high risk and I do want to hit the d*mn cancer with all that medicine has to offer and with the full force.
And... my eyebrows and eyelashes are clearly exceptional responders to treatment (LoL).They started to run for the hills already and I am only on my 3rd Taxol! I still have some, but I have to use eyeliner and pencil in my eyebrows:) daily.
MountainMia: thank you for posting the links on iron / anemia. My uneducated guess is that a good quality multivitamin with daily RDA of iron will be of help. As you said it will also provide B vitamins that are important for improving red blood counts and Hgb. Is there any chance to convince your doctors to test your iron levels? If the levels are low, IV iron will fix them fast and without digestive concerns, and you will feel much better in two to three weeks. I had it twice in my life and in both cases it worked very well.
Sending positive thoughts and warm wishes from across the pond!
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LaCombattante I'm so glad you're doing well. I'm sorry about your brows and lashes.
Thanks for asking about the iron testing. My doc is very much a minimalist, so I'm pretty sure the idea of an iron IV wouldn't fly unless I were in danger. Also hyperbaric oxygen? Even so much less likely. Where I am there is one provider, and it's the hospital where I'm getting my services. Even if I convinced him it's necessary, I doubt my insurance would cover it.
Fortunately, I am feeling so much better today! Which is to say, I don't feel any worse than I did a week ago, before the worst of it hit.
So I am hopeful that in another couple of weeks, I'll feel much closer to normal. Goodness, I hope so! Wishing you all the best, Warriors! Have a good day.
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Lacombattante thank you for your prayers!! I’m a firm believer in them!! We are praying daily for everyone here!! Our MO said that the RBC drop is strictly a chemo thing and not related to iron. We will steadily drop throughout and we were low before we even got started! The MO did say the numbers can occasionally rise now that we are off AC but not likely. We do meet with an oncology naturalpath this next Monday to discuss the issue. I will keep you informed!
We will eat lot’s of quality proteins and foods high in B12 and iron.
We did do 3.5 miles today so that must be a good sign?!
TNBC is a rough one but it does respond well to chemo so we are also hoping to keep plugging along. 11 to go.
Hang tough everyone!!!
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jrominger, how wonderful that your wife has no palpable tumor!! That's so encouraging.
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Thank you santabarbarian. We r very encouraged. We just have to keep these dang blood cells up over the next 11 weeks!!
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Hey jrominger! I'm so happy for Nat! I feel decent today. Thanks for asking.
LaCombattante, my right eyebrow is looking pitiful. Laugh or cry, I'll choose laugh nearly every time!
Those of you who are finished with chemo should start feeling better soon! I'm so excited for you all. Please keep posting so we know what to look forward to.
I still think of everyone from the beginning of this thread. I hope you are well.
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In my chemo group several of us used fasting during chemo. I did not do weekly taxol but one of my chemo friends, MoonGirlJess did. She did a 36 hour fast prior to each taxol and said it helped a lot with SEs.
Chlorophyll can be a good supplement to address anemia if it is iron related.
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LaCombattante- glad yesterday's treatment went well for you! My eyebrows must be following your lead! They are sooo sparse. I went to the mall this weekend to get some brow pencils and gels, but when I try to fill them, more just fall out.
Oh well. I'll try Latisse to grow them back out after treatment. MountainMia- I'm right there with you on the iron. I've incorporated my multivitamin back into my daily regimen, and have tried to up my consumption of iron-rich foods (especially spinach and dried apricots). Last week, my counts crept down a bit and my Hgb was 10.1 (from 10.5 the week before, from 11.3 the week before that). My MO says I'm in the clear for treatment until I reach 8. Then she'll order a blood transfusion. Yikes. I may have to try the chlorophyll, santabarbaraian. I've been doing the fasting, too. I did a 50ish hour fast ahead of each AC. I had no GI upset, which was my biggest concern. I do a 24 hour fast ahead of taxol, but honestly, think I could get away with skipping it. I've had zero GI issues (other than "silent reflux") thus far.The clinic couldn't work me in on Friday, so I'll go for taxol #3 tomorrow. Once it's done, I'll be in single digits of treatments left! Woohoo!
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Lacombattante. How are you feeling today? Praying all is well.
Palmetto single digits soon
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So exciting to hear how everyone is doing!!! Even more exciting to hear that treatment is working! Cheers to you all ❤️❤️❤️ I am down to 2 DD taxols. Hard to believe
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G1973. 2 more to go. That is fabulous!! We know good things are coming your way!!
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jrominger: I am doing well so far, thank you very much for asking!
They reduced steroids with the third chemo and it certainly helped me to feel as normal as one can feel while in treatment
. No crazy highs, no crushing lows so far. Pray it continues. How is Nat feeling? 3.5 miles hike is certainly a very good sign that her energy levels hold up nicely and are seemingly not affected by anemia.
Palmetto: best wishes for today! I like your approach to countdowns! Indeed, we are in single digits as of this week.
HappyAnyway: love your attitude! What would we do without sense of humor, I think it is one of the most essential tools in our survival kit
)) You have your next Taxol tomorrow, right? Hope all goes well!G1973: only two to go! yay!
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just wanted to share a very resourceful site.. where anyone can get involved and help.
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation's Army of Women® is a revolutionary initiative changing the face of breast cancer research.
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thanks, Kimm. I read Dr Susan Love's book, The Breast Bible. It was very informative. Also seen her lectures on You Tube. She is excellent.
Hope everyone is doing well , I haven't posted in a few days. Thinking of all of you, especially Happyanyway, Jrom, Lacombattant, Mountainmia, kimm and Palmetto. Prayers being said daily. I am feeling pretty good, other than some shoulder pain that usually goes away 3 weeks post chemo. I am now 2 weeks post.
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Thank you for posting, Kim. I participated in Dr. Susan Love research few years ago, you reminded me that I need to update my information. Isn't it odd... I almost feel guilt for 'screwing up' previously good stats with my recurrence (LoL).
UpStateNYer- good to hear from you! Sorry about shoulder pain, hope it goes away soon.
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Hi everyone! It's been busy around here. My husband's best buddy is visiting tomorrow through Monday. We're preparing the house.
I have my 5th Taxol tomorrow.
In a hurry, will catch up when I get the chance.
Much love to all!
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Always good to hear from everyone!! We are all moving forward. Nat had a bit of a scary night and it continues. She is having some weird cramping in her intestines. If we did not have that strange bout of diverticulitis we would not think much of it. We just don’t want another bout and hospital stay. We starting adding back fiber slowly and we may cut back again just to make sure we get through the next 11 weeks of Taxol. What were your experiences with cramping on Taxol? Thank you for your prayers
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Jrominger, I'm sorry Nat isn't feeling well. Praying for her. I haven't had any intestinal cramping with Taxol.
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Happyanyway thanks and good luck tomorrow!! Nat feels great other than the weird intestinal feelings. It just makes us nervous because of the diverticulitis episode. Just walked a couple of miles and she feels good. Hopefully nothing and it will pass. Praying for your infusion tomorrow!!
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jrominger - would it be bad for her to fast briefly pre chemo? So there is nothing in there to be irritated by? A brief fast is also good for revving up the immune system if you do a nutrient dense follow up after. See Dr Valter Longo USC.
My GI SEs were MUCH better when fasting (I took taxotere/ Carboplatin). Without proper fast I had bad constipation and queasyish episodes. W fasting that mostly went away. I don't know if something in your wife's case precludes a fast; I okay'd it w my docs.
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