how long before chemo is totally out of system?
Comments
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I was wondering if anyone knew how long does chemo stay in your body after treatments are done? I have 2 more treatments left and will continue on with herceptin for 9 more months. Thanks!
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That is an excellent question. I am 17 weeks out from chemo and will still get herceptin until the first week of October. I am miserable. I continue to gain weight at an alarming rate, my energy level is not accpetable, I suffer large muscle fatigue and now I have peripheral neouropathy. All of the above has caused my mental health to deteriorate. I have never in my life taken an ativan, valium or anything similar, but I am think it may be time.
Lisa
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Good question. I think its more complex than how long it stays in your system. The effects of the drugs continue for long after the drug itself has left your body. An analogy might be to getting burnt. Long after you are no longer in contact with the hot object, your body continues to suffer the consequences and eventually heal. My wife is getting a very severe reaction to the taxotere and I sure hope she can regain her energy soon. From what I've read, there's various levels of neuropathy for instance that can occur in reaction to taxols. So I doubt the Doctor can say for sure. It would be helpful to know if there are things that can be done afterwards to speed up recovery.
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Well, I had my last chemo treatment yesterday and can't wait for this to be out of my system someday and to feel normal again.
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Congrats, Christy! My onc said it could be 4-6 months before it is totally out of my system. HOWEVER, as I am now almost 10 weeks PFC, I can say the SEs are not nearly as bad (in fact NO comparison) as they were 3 weeks out!
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I finished treatment in early April (the last drug was Taxotere) and when I saw my oncologist a few weeks ago he commented that the drug was out of my system. However it takes a while for your body to recover -- particularly the nerves if you have any neuropathy.
First to disappear for me was the stomach ache I'd had since starting chemo. I see steady progress every day.
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I had DD A/C and Taxol. It's now 17 wks post chemo for me. I thought I was past all of the SE's but every now and then I'll get weird muscle and joint aches. My fingertips are still slightly numb and a toe on my right foot is still numb. Whenever I start to feel normal again, I'll get a weird pain and remember the chemo all over again. My energy level is still not 100% and I still get fatigued more easily than before but it's getting better.
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Got to regrow those microtubules! This was a great post to find because here I was riding my bike and doing my workouts and going to work and thinking, hey, I'm back!!! (3 months out from last taxol) .Then I woke up in the middle of the night with those old familiar aches and pains in the weirdest of places. We won't even discuss the neuropathy -- one day I can feel my fingertips, the next day I've got the "dropsies." But, yes, Christy, compared to the chemo days --- it's WAY better.
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I asked both my oncologist and my chemo nurse how long it would take for all the side effects to go away, since my last chemo (TAC) is coming up this Thursday (7/23/09). They both tell me six months.
Feels like forever....
~Lena.
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Thanks, I was going to ask when I went in next Monday for my Herceptin. 6 months is a long time, but I think it will go by fast. It was 6 months ago when I was diagnosed.
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Hi, I too have just finished my treatments (TAC) on June 25th and still have most of the side effects. Dr's tell me also it will be 6 months to a year. I will start Radiation sometime next month, been this week to get some of my marking done and CAT. I have gotten some of my stamina back, don't as tried as fast as I did a couple of weeks ago, but still have a long way to go before I am back like I was. One of the many problems I have is my feet feel like they are asleep, tingle, feels like there are little pins in the bottom of my feet. I have found out it is called Neuropathy, nerve damage. Don't know how long term this will be, but with my job which require me to be on my feet most of the day, it makes it tough. Has anyone got this problem. Also having problems with my arm swelling, with my job being a mail carrier it gets quite a work out each day and the repetitive motion all day has caused some problems. Went to Dr on Monday and he got me a compressive sleeve and it does seem to help so far, arm feels much better at the end of my work day and little to no swelling.
It also seems like when I talk to friends, family, coworkers I get the filling they don't really belive that the Chemo stays with you this long and the side effects. Its really flustrating, they act like, you are finished with chemo you should be fine now, but you are not.
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Cowgirl....I finished TCH on July 6, but will continue on with H until March. I am just really tired most of the time and yes, I have a little bit of Neuropathy also. I am on my feet at my work most of the time too, I am a hairstylist. yes, my friends, family and clients all ask me if I am feeling better yet since chemo is done and I have to explain to them that just because the chemo is done, the side effects from doing 4 months of it linger on. They just don't seem to get it.
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You are right, they just don't get it and I hope they don't have to go through what we have to "get it" either. I have found that at first everyone seemed very concerned, but after a while it became old news. When people ask how are you doing they expect to hear "I'm fine, back to normal", they really don't want to hear how you really fill or what they Chemo has done to you, what the side effects are, nor how long the side effects will last, but HA, Life is Good and I am finished with Chemo. These side effects can be tough at times, but nothing like the Chemo Treatments were. Last night was a bad night for me, aching pain in all my joints and large muscles, went back to taking my pain Meds last night and today, up tell 2 am this morning, then up again @ 6 to go to work. Oh well this will all past in time, just not a fast as we would like for it to. Hang in there things will get better little by little.
CC, Do you have to go through radiation treatments.
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Yes, I have a consultation with the radiologist next week, so rads should start soon after. Since I am HER2+, I have to coninue on with getting Herceptin treatments until march. Are you doing rads?
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I went to have herceptin this week and it was my week to see the onc. He was in a hurry to get somewhere so saw me before my blood draws were even done. I have been having pain in legs like when I was on taxol. He proceeded to tell me that I was too far out from chemo to be from that and that herceptin could not possibly cause the pain. That is certainly not true. I know that the herceptin is irritating the nerves that the taxol damaged or the nerves are just still irritated . I told him I needed something to better take care of my pain, and he proceeded to tell me i had never complained about pain before. I have a prescription for oxcycodone he gave me in my cabinet, so how could I have not talked to him before about pain. He was the one that said I could not take the hyrocodone my reg doc prescribed because he did not want me using anything with tylenol in it because it processes thru the liver like the chemo and herceptin. Because I have had an ulcer before I cannot take asprin , aleve or advil. What am I supposed to take. I have a problem with pills and try to get capsules for everything I take as they used a binder in a lot of pills that I have a reaction to, and it gives me continuous headaches. I tried to tell onc that if he wanted me to still do the oxcycodone he needed to find something that was in capsules. He proceeded to tell me that he was not a pharmasist and wrote the prescription for plain pills. After the onc left the nurse asked me aboout the pills and I told her what I needed. It only took her 2 minutes to find out that that the do come in capsules, the pharmacy just needed one day to get them, because they did not keep them in stock. Why did he have to be so nasty when all it took was one phone call. He did stop the herceptin for this round to see if it was better during the next 3 weeks and also refered me to pain management to see if they could do something or my pain as he was not . I saw pain management Tuesday and they gave me a prescription for gabapentin which is for neuropathy and it calms the nerves. Apparently the onc could have given me this alot sooner than now. I took it at bedtime on Tues. and twice yesterday and developed swelling in my legs from it, although I think it probably was working they told me to stop taking it. I see pain management again in 3 weeks maybe they can find something else. In the meantime I will not be having herceptin so maybe we will find that helps. I am also doing my first week of rads this week on top of all of this. So far it has been ok. I see pulmonary doc next week to check on nodule they found on my lung with ct scan to set up rads. No one seems to be very worried about it but thought it needed checked. Apparently there are lots of possiblities that could cause this. Some even go back to childhood. So we will jest wait and see. Hugs to everyone Annette
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I'm getting close to 6 months post chemo (still have a few more rounds of Herceptin every 3 weeks) and have felt quite recovered since 3 or 4 months post chemo. I guess I've been lucky in my recovery. My energy levels have been back to normal for quite a while even though my blood tests still said I was slightly anemic. 6 weeks ago, my RBC and hemoglobin were finally back at the bottom edge of normal but a couple of days ago they had dropped back down a little so perhaps that means that I'm not fully back to normal.
A couple of weeks ago, I was on a business trip - a meeting with a lot of people, technical discussions, debates, long days - I went to some of these while I was on chemo but had to cut my days short by getting room service or other quick dinner and going to bed early. During chemo I couldn't do the evening meetings at all. Two weeks ago I was back to normal. One day was 14 hours, about 8 of it I was chairing my group, a working lunch with my co-workers to hash out our concerns on an issue, a working dinner with two sides on another issue to resolve that.
The remainders of chemo are my nails and hair. My hair has filled in well but it is still pretty short, maybe an inch and a half. It has gotten to the point where the hair near the center of the swirl isn't long enough that I can comb it down but it is long enough that it stickins up. (My DH said it was "cute" so that's okay.) It seems to be growing at close to normal rate now so I'm hoping in a few more months that it looks more like a cute feminine cut. My "chemo nails" have almost grown out on my fingernails - just the last quarter inch on my thumbs remains. I've lost 3 toenails but new short nails had grown underneath the old chemo nail so it didn't hurt and the toes don't look too funny. Those are the last physical reminders of chemo for me.
Annette, now that I'm done with TC and just taking Herceptin, I was told I could take Tylenol. I can't take any NSAIDs because I'm having trouble with my creatinine due to the Clodronate that I'm on in the bisphosphonate clinical trial and NSAIDs would send it even higher.
I had a nodule in my lung that showed up in an X-ray and it turned out to be a calcium granuloma (they checked with a CT). Those usually form on scar tissue. I had a period of my life when I had breathing problems and got pneumonia a couple of times so that may have caused scar tissue. And depending where you live (including here in Sacramento) there can also be airborn fungal infections that are assymptomatic but form them. They are harmless. I hope that they find that your nodule is something like that. I'll have a follow-up X-ray now (about 6 months after the initial one) and probably one more just to double check. I've been through this once before about 20 years ago when I had a shadow on my lung X-ray after pneumonia. The odd thing is that the old nodule couldn't be found when they did a routine chest X-ray 5 years later so I wonder if this is the same nodule and they missed it on the X-ray in between or if one went away and later another one formed. Puzzling but at least its harmless.
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oldcowgirl - My sentiments exactly!! Well said. I find every day is different. (even hour) Thank God for the good moments. But, I definitely have my melt downs. Especially, when I get too tired.
I am in the middle of rads. 14 out of 25 left.
Bev
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ccbaby Thanks for your post, always wondered myself how long it would take the TOXIC sludge swrilling around in my system to be out! Just for the record my last Chemo was 2 Jan and my surgery (MRM) was 30 Jan 2009 and the path. report noted "green fluid" in the breast they removed which apparently was the Chemo still circulating in my system. I finished my Rad's in May and I am just starting to approach "Normal" as long as I keep my diet good and enough sleep including R&R other wise I do get a bit grumpy etc.... I only have one Herceptin treatment left and hopefully I will get thru all this with little damage to my body as both Chemo and Herceptin can do, I always remember the consent form I had to sign before Chemo! My nails are extremely fragile and peel, break etc... very easily. Skin, muscles and tummy are all a bit weird too! If any of you are on AI's, they will cause pain in muscles and joints! My experience, a lot of Joint Pain.
NanaA - I suppose it is possible that your Onc was rather grumpy due to low blood sugar perhaps he was running off to a meal, but if I were you I would take a look at getting a new Oncologist, one that is kind, compassionate, knowledgable and can communicate well with his patients. Being in pain is an issue for us! I personnally would not want to have to"deal" with a doctor like that, we have enough to "deal" with, enough to worry about......! ((((((Hugs to you)))))
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Susie...That is amazing about the green fluid!! I would have never realized that. Congrats on being done with chemo and rads.
nana...I would consider getting a different onc if I were you. There is absolutely no need for him to be so uncaring and unsympathetic.
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As most of the rest of you all that comes with Chemo is new and a day by day experience. I have no idea how I will feel tomorrow and the next day. I'm 5 weeks out from Chemo and thought I was doing really well, getting my stamina back I thought. Yesterday (Friday) while loading the mail into my mail truck all of a sudden I got totally out of breath, started sweeting like crazy, hurting in my chest, heart beating VERY rapidly, could not get my breath, gasping for air, I started to get really scared. One of the other postal worker saw me and went inside to get my husband who also is a mail carrier. By the time he came out I had gotten my breathing a little under control, but still breathing hard. It took me about 10 minutes to get my heart and breathing to slow down. After this I still went out to deliver my mail but felt BAD all day, hurting in my chest, VERY tired, and when ever I had to go to a house to deliver a Package I would be totally out of breath when I got back to my truck. I'm thinking I should call my ONC first thing Monday to talk to her about this or is this just how the effects of Chemo are, Back and forth feel good for a while, then back slide to feeling like crap again. My hubby thinks that it because my heart rate gets so fast that is causes me to not be able to get enough oxygen which make me start gasping for air.
How many here are having a problem with there heart rate and blood pressure since the Chemo treatments. My heart rate per min is about 115 when I am sitting and totally rested, my BP reading is running kind of low, like mid to high 80's on top and the low 60's on the bottom, I'm sure this does not help with my stamina. Are these readings the norm with the rest of you. I worry about my heart rate being so high all the time, it has to be putting a strain on it. Before all this happened, before cancer and chemo, my heart rate was always good, like in the high 60's to mid 70's most all the time at a resting rate and BP use to be in the low 100's on top and low 80's on bottom.
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How you doing old cowgirl? Don't ignore the symptoms. Call the doctor on Monday and if you have more of the symptoms this weekend, go take care of it! OK, so I'm a neurotic Jewish Mother. But I believe in listening to your body and not waiting to see the MD until there is a crisis.
Feel good.
Deb
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Cowgirl...I agree with oldstudent...call your doc immediatley. That is something not to take lightly.
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I have felt OK today, but then I have not done a whole lot either. Mowed the yard today, but with a riding lawn mower, so how hard is that. On Sat, got along pretty well at work, mail was light and not many packages to deliver, pretty easy day. I do plan to call my Dr. Monday to see what they think and if I need to come in and have them check out my heart. I just don't think it should be beating so fast all the time.
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OldCowgirl, I'm thinking about you. How you doing?
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Doing pretty good, listening to my body a little better, not pushing myself quite as hard. Talked to my Dr. and she tells me to stop what I am doing as soon as I start feeling like that again. If I have a spell like that again to call right away and come see her. I have an appt. on the 20th of this month so she will check things out then unless I have to see her sooner, hope not. I guess I will start Radiation sometime next week. I really have mixed feelings about going through radiation treatments. Pro and cons, radiation can cause cancer itself. Anyone else here going through radiation, what your thoughts about the good and the bad of it.
I am really lossing my patients with some people. Just the other day someone asked me if I was shaving my head, they thought my hair should be growing back by now. I just looked at them and told them they are clueless with all that goes on with the effects of Chemo. And NO, I am not shaving my head or any other part on my body since I have NO HAIR anywhere on my body. I tell you what some people would better off if they just kept their mouth shut.
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oldCowgirl Hello hope you are doing better now.
I too had the whole rapid heart beat thing. Still do and I finished Chemo 2 Jan '09 and Radiation in May '09. My heart rate is anywhere from 94 to 112. Often at home at rest is runs from 88 to 90ish. My pulse just kept going up thru Chemo, but I had 6 months worth. 12 weekly of Taxol and Herceptin and 12 every 3 weeks of FEC AND Herceptin. 1 Herceptin treatment left. Hope someday I will have a normal pulse!
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Old oldcowgirl, glad you are doing better, and glad you're not pushing yourself too hard. Susie and cowgirl, please don't ignore these symptoms but make sure your doctors look at them and reassure you about what to expect and whether there is something you can do to help it. The doctors work for you, so you have the right to ask them about any symptoms that concern you and to get an explanation and full information about whether there is something you can do about the side effects.
Sometimes we try too hard to be strong, and it is OK to bitch at the oncs a bit. That is part of their job.
So, cowgirl, are you really a cowgirl, as in riding horses and stuff? When I was a little kid, living in the boring suburbs in New England, I wanted to grow up and be a cowgirl. Or an Indian. Or an astronaut or a ballet dancer, or maybe an opera singer or a scientist. So now I live in the boring suburbs of Washington, D.C. and I still want to be a cowgirl!
Hang in there ladies.
Hugs, Deb
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Ostudent, I sure am a cowgirl through and through, have a little Indian in me also, way back in my heritage. I have been riding horses since I was 5 years old, that has been 50 years now, since I just had a B-Day on Aug. 4th. Horses are my one TRUE love, there has always been something about them that just captures my heart. It's a different kind of LOVE from that of my family, of course I LOVE my husband, children and grandkids, but the horses do have a special place in my heart and always will. My husband is always telling people that I would get rid of him before I would my horses. I hope he never makes me make that choice
. My husband likes to ride, but that is about it with the horses. He could care less about everything that comes with caring for horses, but I love it all right down to cleaning the stalls. Most of our vacation time is spent with the horses, going on camping trips to the Mountains and riding in the mountain, you have never really seen the mountains unless you have done it on horse back. The total peace you get and so close to nature, the wildlife does not hardly notice you are there when you are on horseback.I have 6 horses, my oldest mare is 24 years old and her name is COWGIRL, and she is MY GIRL, love that horse. I have 3 of her babies on my farm, one is a 7 years old mare, one is 2 years old colt and the other one is a 4 months old filly. My husband has a large spotted saddle horse and I have another 2 years old colt, 1/2 brother my other 2 year olds colt. As you see I can go on and on when it comes to my horses, they are my escape, one of the things that has helped me through everything this past year.
I have been feeling pretty good, still have the fast heart rate, my feet hurt all the time from the nerve damage, but I am so blessed to be doing so well and have another day with my family and horses. One of my granson's is spending the night with us tonight
LIFE IS GOOD -
Just sitting looking at a book, Cowgirl Rising, the art of Donna Howell-Sickles. It always makes me feel great to look at her stuff. I think you can find her online, Oldcowgirl. I love to imagine myself in one of her paintings, surrounded by horses and dogs, with the starry night sky all around.
Glad you're feeling good. Enjoy the horses and the grandkids. And happy b'day!
Deb
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I am 5 weeks PFC now and feeling pretty good. I get tired easily and my thighs are weak. I may start rads soon. The rad onc is iffy about whether I need them or not. I am going for a second opinion on Tuesday.
Take care ladies!
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