worries

Options
lightandwind
lightandwind Member Posts: 754
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer
worries
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • lightandwind
    lightandwind Member Posts: 754
    edited October 2012

    I just got my bloodwork back and it has a consistently rising calcium and alk phosphotase since my mx  and oorph in June. I started femara right after mx. I do take a calcium and vita d sup, and am wondering if this could cause a steady rising trend in calcium levels, am very worried. I did have a bone scan clear in May, and a PET clear at the end of July. My tumor markers ca 27/29 were taken for the first time at the end of July, 1 mos after starting femara and they were 99, then dropped to 43 in Aug. I am about to find out what Septs TMs are on thurs. Also, I was having some terrible hip pain to the point of having difficulty walking so I cut my femara back to 1/2 to 3/4 for almost a week. Then went back to a whole pill yesterday and today. I've only had two hot flashes and am having chills far more. I don't know what's up. I had been having 40 or more hotflashes a day just a week ago. Not sure why it's not happening now. Does it mean it's not working?

    To top things off I'm supposed to have a proph mx w/ recon to both sides in a couple of weeks. The last time they put me on so many antibiotics (7x150 IV clindimycin) during surgery, I had bowel overgrowth and took 2 mos to get well.  Would someone tell me what kind of antibiotics and how much you had in your surgery if you felt well afterwards. Anyway, if anyone has some experience with any of this, would like your feedback.

    Thanks everyone for listening.   

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited October 2012

    I can't help you on the calcium, because I don't know.

    As for anti-biotics, the key is to take some kind of pro-biotics, before, during and after. It really helps keep the plumbing in good working order. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Elizabeth1959
    Elizabeth1959 Member Posts: 346
    edited October 2012

    Lightandwind



    I also had blood work which showed mild elevation of calcium and alk phos. It was very frightening. Next labs done two months later were normal. I considered getting a bone scan but didn't want to know since I was otherwise asymptomatic. My understanding is that elevation can be due to bone mets. It can also be due to benign condition called hyperparathyroidism. You can search on this site. There is a thread that discusses this condition as it is treatable. Also, if it is not treated, can lead to significant osteoporosis. I absolutely understand your fears. Breast cancer is extremely scary disease.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kathleen26
    Kathleen26 Member Posts: 210
    edited October 2012

    I was also going to mention the possibiliity of hyperparathyroid.   I don't think supplements could be responsible.

    I never had antibiotics during or after surgery, and I've had many surgeries.   Some recons take a really long time, so that may be part of it.   I had a doctor allow me to do a bowel prep in advance of surgery so I wouldn't have to have antibiotics, so you can ask about that.   I would definitely look into probiotics if you must have the antibiotics because of another condition.  I always dose up on yogurt with live cultures after antibiotics or use of bowel preps to repopulate the colon; probiotics work the same way.

    I know how scary this is.  I had high liver enzymes a few months ago and had to fight being pre-occupied with all the worst case scenarios.   Turned out to be the anastrozole, so I was switched to a different AI.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Rachel1
    Rachel1 Member Posts: 363
    edited October 2012

    My liver enzymes were high a few months ago as well. It turned out to be fish oil!!

    I know it's scary, but please don't get ahead of yourself.  Easier said than done, I KNOW!!

    Hugs,

    Rachel 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightandwind
    lightandwind Member Posts: 754
    edited October 2012

    Thanks everyone. Your responses helped me to calm down and think straight. I realized after reading that the high calcium could be vita d. I upped the dose recently, so would make sense. Thank you for letting me know that. Then I started thinking along those same lines in terms of the alk phos, and googled what foods cause alk phos to rise. It listed foods containing high phosphorous, salmon, lentils yogurt, which I've been eating a lot of. Plus, I've been taking IP6 supplements, which contain phosphorus. Anyway, I dont' know if I'm just going the other way now with wishful thinking or if this could really possibly be why they are both high. I am going to ask about getting tested for hyperparthyroid too.  As for the antibiotics, I'm going to do the probiotic before during and after, and be sure I know and agree on how much they put in me. I go for weeks w/o freaking out now, so when I do, it's a real setback. My anxiety pretty much takes over. Thank you again for all of your responses.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories