chemo question

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Janiner
Janiner Member Posts: 58
edited October 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hi All: has anyone else been given the treatment package of A/C x4 every two weeks instead of three? and have to inject themselves with Neupogen days 3-9 at home? just curious if you have and how you handled that level of treatment.

Thanks

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  • Kay_G
    Kay_G Member Posts: 3,345
    edited October 2014

    yes that is the treatment I did in March 2011.  I think the AC was more common with stage 3 cancer, especially on the east coast.  It is a harsh treatment, but a lot of us got through it.  I can't comment on how much easier every three weeks would be, but I definitely like 8 weeks of treatment vs. 12.  

  • TectonicShift
    TectonicShift Member Posts: 752
    edited July 2020
  • Holeinone
    Holeinone Member Posts: 2,478
    edited October 2014

    Janier, 

    Yes, that is what I recieved. They refer to it as dose dense.  I was thankful that the chemo board approved it, supposedly has  2% better results, and it's over faster. A/C has the nickname "red devil" for a reason. Mainly cause its red in color and you feel like the devil. 

    I went back to the hospital 24 hours after my infusion of chemo. They gave me the shot. ( Neulasta ) . It's no fun to say the least, cancer is a bitch, but we do what's needed to fight the beast. My surgeon suggested not working during chemo as I worked with young kiddos. Many women do work though, with a few days off. 

  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2014

    I did 4 DD A/C ( Dense Dose Adrimycin/ Cytoxan) every 2 weeks for 4 infusions.  I got a Neulasta shot the next day.

  • Thimbleberry
    Thimbleberry Member Posts: 27
    edited October 2014

    I had 6  dose dense infusions of A/C/T  every two weeks. 24 hours after each infusion, I was injected with Neulasta.....I had the shot in my stomach.....it didn't hurt at all, which surprised me. On the "off" week, I had my plastic surgeon fill my expanders. None of it was easy, but it was do-able.

  • Janiner
    Janiner Member Posts: 58
    edited October 2014

    oh thanks for all of your responses you guys. I guess I have to do the injections day 3 through day 9 after chemo seems like a lot but I don't know. I just know I want to kick its ass. Cancer that is. So glad we have these boards to speak with each other I can get a question answered and my heart feeling better so much quicker than calling the doctor. Thanks all.

  • mary625
    mary625 Member Posts: 1,056
    edited October 2014

    Perhaps you should ask about Neulasta which is one shot, 24 hours chemo versus the neupogen.  It's just a different, longer lasting type of neupogen.  I wonder if it's an insurance issue?  You should definitely ask and understand why they're not going to use Neulasta.

  • jenni__ca
    jenni__ca Member Posts: 461
    edited October 2014

    i had chemo every two weeks (dose dense) ... but i did adriamycin then taxol then cytoxan (6 months total)... the once a tx neulasta for the adiramycin worked fine but it was too strong for the taxol (shot sent my wbc way way up) and had to switch to neupogen which allowed the onc to adjust the dosage depending on my wbc ... 

  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited October 2014


    I did 6 rounds every 3 weeks....I still don't "get" why and what the differences are between that and the 4 rounds every 2 weeks. I also had neulasta 24hrs after, but did have neupogen in the hospital after my last round when my wbc's bottomed out.

    Good luck ((hugs))

  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2014

    Thimbleberry - Neulasta shot into stomach?  i've not heard anyone say that before.  My Neulastas were given in upper arm.  Had 4 (after each DD A/C neoaduvant).  Did not have them with the 12 weekly Taxol adjuvant.

  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited October 2014


    I had neulasta in my tummy too.

  • dltnhm
    dltnhm Member Posts: 873
    edited October 2014

    Dose Dense AC given 4x every other week is very common. 

    I did the Neulasta shots myself. I actually shot myself in the buttocks (Forrest Gump accent) ;-) 

    It really wasn't a big deal. When I had my ACL (one of the knee ligaments) reconstructed in 2004 I had to give myself shots each day for a week to prevent blood clots. Those were in the stomach - and I had a stomach then to grab. It's not a huge hypodermic needle or anything. Easy peasy. 

  • Viceroy
    Viceroy Member Posts: 69
    edited October 2014

    I just had my 2nd AC last week and am also doing dose dense with 4xAC every 2 weeks and then 4xT every 2 weeks.

    I  get the neulasta shots 24 hours after my infusion.  The second time I got the shot the nurse asked me if I wanted it in my arm or in my stomach but the first time I got it the nurse gave it to me in my arm without saying that I anything about options.  I chose to do it in the arm the second time because it was fine in the arm the first time and seems easier.

  • cordelia
    cordelia Member Posts: 23
    edited October 2014

    I had dose dense AC/T.  I had the neulasta shot at the dr office 2 days after the chemo.  I think the neulasta shot REALLY helped me, because I continued to teach first graders all winter with out ever catching a cold or the flu.  The neulasta caused severe leg pain, though.  I was advised by dr. to take claritain at the time of the shot and that reduced the pain quite a bit.   Hugs to you. 

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