Alone in Allergic reactions to Chemo??

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Attitude_Girl
Attitude_Girl Member Posts: 34
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

I can't be alone in my allergic reaction to chemos and opiates can I?

Is there anyone else out there that's had idc grade 3 tumours with vascular invasion, and DCIS high grade, that should be having chemo but can't because their reaction is too extreme?  

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  • Babyface
    Babyface Member Posts: 91
    edited October 2009

    Hi Katie

    You're definitely not alone. In 2004 I had an allergic reaction to Adriamycin. Unfortunately it wasnt confirmed until my after my 4th AC and by then I was in pretty bad shape. Prior to that after my first I would got ill...and I dont mean ill like normal chemo...I mean I couldnt stop throwing up non stop daily for the 14 days in between each session. At first they though I just had a weak stomach. Then I started getting really bad blisters on my feet...then these spread after my 2nd session...then by the 3rd I was deathly ill....after the 4th....well lets just say I had what was called a grade 3(I think ) toxicity reaction. Ended up on prednisone for about a month...couldnt do the 4 scheduled Taxols.

    I was scared sh--less. I mean here I was. Had a 3 cm tumour which was not only triple neg but also happened to be metaplastic which is highly aggressive. OMG...couldnt do the rest of my chemo. Guess what...its now 5 years and knock on wood the BC hasnt reared its ugly head again !

    So what am I saying...well I guess what Im saying is exactly what my onc said to me at the time and I was too scared to listen..."im no going to give you chemo to kill you and we simply dont know when its going to make a difference" bottom line...it isnt worth taking if the cure is worse than the unknown. In my case as it was by going as far as I did with the chemo I ended up with some pretty difficult problems. Not to say I wouldnt have done it anyway but you may do just fine without it and the further away you get from now(which im sure is panic time) the less you'll be scared, and the more you'll enjoy life :)

    Good luck

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  • Attitude_Girl
    Attitude_Girl Member Posts: 34
    edited October 2009

    Thanks Babyface,

    I've sort of accepted that it's better to keep anything they could find in reserve  for if anything turns up at a later date.

    I have a severe anaphylactic reaction, heart rate 250, throat and face swelling, itching all over, rash and the shakes - and that's after the steroids and antihistamin! My Onc said they were very worried last time and that she doesn't want to be responsible (for my death). To be honest I can't go through the reaction anymore as way too scary.

    It's good to hear you're doing well 5 years down the line and I have my fingers crossed that long may it continue.

    Thanks for being there for me

    Katie

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  • London-Virginia
    London-Virginia Member Posts: 851
    edited October 2009

    Dearest Katie - so very sorry that you have such a rough time - what a bummer!  As you are NOT node positive, you are in a "good " position in some ways so try not to let this get you down too much luvvy.

    I am doing ok on the FEC though it isn't a lot of fun!  The cold cap thing is working and I still have a reasonably good head of hair, though I shan't be doing any hair salon ads in the near future!

    all the best -

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  • NaniAlice
    NaniAlice Member Posts: 49
    edited October 2009

    katie - I had the anaphylactic reaction to Taxol.  My blood pressure dropped so low they couldn't get a reading,  I remember hearing the nurse yelling "stay with us!"  It's really scary.  They doubled up on everything; benadryl and dexamethadone, and tried a really slow drip- 4 to 6 hours each time.  I was able to handle it after that.

    Best wishes Hang in there

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  • Attitude_Girl
    Attitude_Girl Member Posts: 34
    edited October 2009

    Hi NaniAlice it's awful, isn't it, when you start to go?  I think that's the scariest bit!

    Hello Virginia, glad you're coping with the FEC and that the cold cap's working for you. On the positive side for me whilst a prickly patchy baldy now it should start to grow back in the not too distant future. 

     I'm holding on at the mo but bit anxious as when I went to GP to discuss Tamox she gave me an exam, been having back ache, and said that she wants to check my bloods, ovarian cancer markers, and for me to have a scan urgently. I'm back at docs Thursday to go through results. She asked who I'd be most comfortable to talk things through with as she's not in til the following week... fingers crossed just a cyst or nothing at all. Radiotherapy supposed to start after visit with Onc on Friday but Doc said might change after results.

    I've had cysts in the past and cervical cells removed, also endometriosis- was told Tamox can be a problem if ovarian problems exist. Really peed off, nothing's straight forward. Not told OH yet as I need to get my head around anything first before I tell him. I'm a pretty stong person and not taken to outbursts generally but feel might explode at the mo. Probably just a down day as very tired.

    Take care

    Katie

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  • Attitude_Girl
    Attitude_Girl Member Posts: 34
    edited April 2010

    Quick update - ovarian cysts are coming and going and CA125 markers up but not too scarey yet. bad news problems with my pelvis, waiting for confirmation that the shadow is not a secondary.... Ovaries being removed asap.

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