Chemotherapy for Stage IV

marywh

No, it started working right away, but since it had spread to several areas and Im triple neg. I cant do anything hormonal. I assume Ill be on some type of chemo the rest of my life.

ldianel

Hi  I had CMF last year when diagnosed with bc.  At that time it was found to be in my spine, lymph nodes, and scull.  They put me on Exemestane, along with radiation after chemo.  Last month I had a pet scan and it is back and in many areas (chest, many lymph nodes, hip area, scull, neck, liver, and lung).  One tumor behind my right ear has caused Bells Palsy (it looks like I've had a stroke).  Started Abraxane last month.  This is my week in between treatments and have noticed increasing pain.  My oncologist thinks it's because my body is attacking the cancer and making the areas inflamed.  That's what's going on in my neck of the woods!

marywh

When I was first dx with liver mets, the same thing happened to me.I was certain it was spreading like wildfire, and so scared the abraxane wasnt working. I talked to my onc. about it, and he said I was having tumor flares. Sure enough when it was time for scans my tumors in my liver were less than half the size they were when I started. Dont panic.

Padiddle

Idianel:  I'm also on the Abraxane.  I just started my third month on it (3 weeks on and 1 week off).  My tumor markers are coming down.  I hope Abraxane works well for you.  Jean

jocanuck1951

I had great news from onco today, significant reduction in liver lesions, first time! So Abraxine is working, my pain is abraxine's fault...I thought the same Idianel but it's doing it's job!

marywh

So happy to hear abraxane is working for you too.

SchnauzerMom

Joanne, I am so glad to hear your good news!!!

LuvRVing

Woohoo Joanne!!!

jocanuck1951

Thank you woo hooooo!

BaseballFan

We share your happiness!

blondiex46

love sharing happiness...congrats...

am ok just sitting here, not only are the steroids ruining my sleeping but they are making me gaine the weight...whatever, made a slice of pizza hated it, am going to make something...it is hot here was 88 and tomorrow will be 60 and rainy....told the dr. we need to go back on zometa for the bones, lots of pain and he agreed so next week zometa back again...the port clogged so had to get cathflo and then it worked, got home 5pm and drs. appt was @ 1030, was there all day.....asked him if the chemo cumulative and he said it was, which makes sense about why the last time was rad....getting a PET scan next month i think and he did a tumor marker test with the blood today to check and see what is going on.....I am fine tho, just hungry and tired was up from 130 to 430, WTH....sorry...

GatorGal

I'm not on abraxane but taxol. It's doing the job for me, too, but i'ts 4 in the morning and the steroids are keeping me up. Of course I slept all afternoon because of the benadryl. Well, can't complain if this is the worst of the SE's. Enjoyed my week off and got lots done. Had so much energy. Idianel, sounds like you got a lot of positive feeback on abraxane. Hope it does the job for you. So crappy that it spread so fast. Will keep you and your family in my prayers. Good news from some of you, yeah, congratulations, blow that horn, love hearing good news. Blondie, hope we both get some sleep!!

Frapp

I also had my taxol yesterday, slept all afternoon and now here I sit at 4am. I guess tomorrow will be a lost cause as I will most likely be sleeping. I spent most if the evening changing my pjs due to excessive sweating. For some reason, that seems to be my se from taxol infusions. It stops at about 3am. I guess if you have to have se's, that's not a bad one to have as its relatively painless and short lived. Tomorrow is laundry day.

Pat

blondiex46

me too frapp went to sleep at 11pm up every hour then spelt until 330, now it is 652 and still up, going to lay here for a while...will be up all day, hopefully can sleep, friday is usually the bad day!!!

Padiddle

What's the deal with being up at 4:00 a.m.  I was up coughing my head off at 4:00 a.m.  Today is my last day of steroids from the recent illness I had.  Am usually tired on Thursdays as I get the Abraxane on Mondays.  I can get more tired than usual anywhere from Thursday to Saturdays on my chemo weeks.  I'm excited to read how Abraxane is helping on this thread.  I don't know how many treatments of it I will get, but had my 7th one this week.  I like what Glenna said "Blow that horn!"  Toot, toot!  Jean

marywh

4 a.m for me too, only mine is due to having to pee all night. oncs. got me drinking 3 liters of fluid everyday, thats my problem with abraxane. I get dehydrated and dont know it until all kinds of weird stuff starts happening to my body.

ldianel

Thanks everyone for the words of comfort.  Also for letting me know your experiences on Abraxane.  So glad to hear everyone is doing better on it.

blondiex46

as soon as I open my eyes I have to pee, really the steroids are annoying but they are part of the taxotere protocol so I have to do it....right now it is either ice cream or tastycake....or both, lol.....nope the steroids are making me gain the weight I lost....

jocanuck1951

Geez blondiex I have learned to go with my eyes closed lol....paranoid about where bathrooms are located whenever I go out now...was bad before BC but now rats!

M360

Hello ladies,  I'm glad I'm not the only one who knows where there is a clean bathroom from my home to the hospital and everywhere in between.  Four a.m. must be the wake up call for all us women because I'll fall asleep around 11p.m. then wake up around 2a.m. but will not get up, force myself to count backwards from 500 if I'm not asleep by 10 then I get up an make something warm to drink.  But 4a.m. I'm up every day.  Naps are a must for me.

Right now markers were up last week and then tripled this week.  I'm now on Cytoxan, Xeloda, Xgeva and Faslodex injections.  I'm scheduled for PET Scan in May so will see what has happened or not happened.  The Cytoxan has helped the bone pain from the Faslodex.  What scares me is the Xgeva.  Why I looked at what could happen to your jaw and what they doctors will watch for, made me sick to my stomach.  Don't know if I want to continue on Xegva, I read that it doesn't change PFS(Progesssion Free Survival)  or Overall Survival so I'm questioning why?

Joanne glad to hear your good news, it gives me hope! 

hydeskate

I was dx officially at the end of Feb 08 after the "tech" claimed the big ass knot in my boob from were I repeately ran into an industrial washing machine was a hempotam in Dec 07,  so I got slammed with Stage IV TNBC dozen spots on liver, left lung covered and spots started to form in right lung.  I was allergic to Taxol so I got put on Abraxane (3/2008) and it erradicated the cancer except for the quarter size spot, so they switched me to AC (red devi 11/08l) is what got me to NED Jan 09.

I have been NED every since and cross my fingers knock on wood (any other lucky thing) I have been on a chemo holiday since Oct 09 after I had another round of Abraxane (I have been off chemo for 3+years)  Hoping all of you currently taking Abraxane will get the same results and that the sideeffects are minimal.

SchnauzerMom

Hydeskate, wow!!!  Thank you for sharing your success with Abraxane!  That is so encouraging to hear.  Hope you are NED for a long, long time to come.  You give us hope.

GatorGal

Hydeskate,

Thanks for sharing your success with abraxane. I'll definitely ask onc about it when it is time to stop the taxol! Sounds like my next chemo!!

Padiddle

Hydeskate:  I'm glad you shared about Abraxane.  I just finished my third month on it.  Next week is my week off.  I love my week off!  M360: Sorry to hear your markers are going up.  I've read the jaw side effects for Xgeva are rare.  My onc switched me from Zometa to Xgeva six months ago or so.  He felt it had "chemo-like qualities," for bone mets.  It is very expensive compared to the Zometa.  Do you have bone mets?

Jean

Latte

Hi gals

I'm new on this thread. I'm hopefully doing a clinical trial starting next week. It will be taxol and carboplatin every three weeks plus possibly velaparib. Can anyone tell me the premeds and SEs for taxol and carbo? I did taxol in 2010 but don't remember. And I didn't have hair at that point anyway so don't know if I will lose it again this time. Do you think I will be able to look after myself and my five year old daughter? I'm a single parent...

Padiddle

Sorry your here Latte.   Do hope your treatment will help you.  When I did Taxol, I had premeds @ home of dexamethasone (day before and morning of the treatment).  Premeds @ the drip were more dexamethasone, Benadryl and antinausea.  I'm pretty sure Taxol is dripped a bit slow, so it takes some time.  You will lose your hair.  Can't help you about whether or not you can look after yourself and daughter.  Maybe someone will chime in here who has young children.  Best of luck to you.  Jean

GatorGal

Latte,

I am only getting taxol but get the same premeds at Jean only I didn't get the dexamethasone at home, only via drip the day of the chemo. I get low dose taxol, 3 weeks on and 1 week off. The SE's are not too bad for me but I do think it's because I'm getting the low dose. I haven't lost my hair and have been on taxol since December. It has thinned a bit but I don't need to wear hats unless I'm going to be out in the wind or sun. I don't have small children anymore so can't chime in on that. If she's an easy 5 year old you could probably manage. The problem for me is that I don't sleep the night of the chemo because of the dexamethasone keeping me awake so that I'm tired the next day. I usually stay up because if I nap, then I have trouble sleeping the next night, too. SE's for me are neuropathy for which I take neurontin, either D or C and I never know which one (that's diarrhea or constipation) but easily treated. I think taxol is one of the easiest I've been on but again, could be because of the low dose and spreading it out over 3 weeks. I wish you well and hope that family and friends will chip in and help. Don't be shy .... let them know what you need. Everyone wants to help but no one actually knows what you need. I do need someone to drive me to chemo because of the benadryl pre-treatment. There's no way I could safely drive home, so do plan on that at the very least. Come back anytime with questions. You'll get lots of help here. Hugs, Glenna

Latte

Thanks Glenna and Padiddle. Last time I did the light weekly dose, so I know this time will be harder. On the other hand I'm hoping I'll get some good days on my off weeks...
Did you need more steroids and anti nausea at home on the following days too?


Waiting for someone to chime in about carboplatin as that is the big unknown for me and I hear it is tough...

tlangston07

Hi Ladies... I did the taxol and carbo last year and had no problems. I did lose my hair but se were not bad at all. My nails got a little purple but I never lost them. I continued to work except on chemo days. I also had premeds as Jean did.  My problem is I just finished my 4th round of red devil and I am about ready to give up on it.  At 1st it wasn't so bad but now I have nausea and throwing up all the time.It's hard to get off the couch.  I have lost my taste buds so nothing tasted good. Also alot of liver pain and spasms. I am hoping that it means this chemo is working.  If so I will continue to tolerate it. Latte, Hoping you do good on your new cocktail.

Hugs!

Terry

GatorGal

I don't need any meds at home, other than neurontin. I don't need neulasta with the low dose, either. Hooray for that!!