Chemotherapy with ILC: what regimen have you had?

AusUSA · July 2015

Hi everyone. I'm Chris, the original poster, and I greatly appreciate all of your posts. (With the costs that people have been talking about in the US, thank God I'm a dual citizen and am living in Australia for this! Although my mom still is trying to get me to go to Milwaukee for treatment (don't understand that!), so leave my rock (hubby) and kids behind for American healthcare that I don't have. LOL)

I have my second opinion on oncology today.

If this doctor recommends the same treatment as the first oncologist, I will agree to it (in Australia it's DC * 4; in the US is TC * 4 because you use the name brands Taxotere & Cytoxan). If not, I have 2 options to weigh.

Anyway, I've had more hick-ups since I originally wrote this post, so haven't written anything to your replies, but I have read all of your posts.

Last week, I had to have surgery again because I contracted MRSA in my wound. They washed it out, but now I have something else called enterococcus faecalis and will be admitted to the hospital after my second opinion, in order to get an IV antibiotic. I will get a PICC put in, but have to wait until Thursday to have it done. Only difficulty I'm finding going public instead of private (we have BUPA, but can't afford the excessive excesses many docs would charge) is the limited access to certain things. Glad I'm only grade 2! LOL

Thank you for all of your responses! I'm so grateful for you all here, and for this active and helpful group.

I've finally learned that I just need to give my life over to my doctors and pray they know what they are doing.

Just please save my life.

Leslie13 · July 2015

Hi AusUSA,

I was diagnosed on 4-12-15 and STILL haven't had surgery. My surgeon and Oncologist were trying to keep me on oral Aromatease Inhibitors (Femara) for 6 months. This protocol was based on a clinical trial I didn't even qualify for because I have bilateral multi centric disease. I wasn't getting good follow through with imaging studies. Had only one tomography early on and two sets of biopsies after beginning with hi Ki-67 rates.

Finally fired surgeon and changed to another team. We're filling in the blanks, but I had large tumors and likely lymph node activity, but doesn't seem like I'll find out until surgery. Hopefully, that will happen within a month.

I have another thread in the ILC area about feeling under imaged and treated with such a sneaky, frequently metastatic disease.

I'm sorry to hear about your surgery problems. MRSA is frightening on top of cancer. I'd like to hear what treatment they recommend for you, as we sound pretty similar. And like you, hope the right things are being done to keep me alive.

ingersollnic · August 2015

Hi Chris

I hope the meeting went well. I am in Aus too and have had 2 of the 4 doses of Docetaxal Cyclophosphamide for ILC that had 1 node with microscopic invasion. The ILC was (as commonly is) not imaged at full size so the wide local excision/ lumpectomy did not give clear margins, so then on to mastectomy 2 weeks later and then 10 days later I started Chemo. I suffered febrile neutropenia last dose (my bloods were so amazingly good they increased the dose to 1050 and 130 which may not have helped) as in Aus we dont get Neulasta unless we have an issue, so now I will be given that for the remaining 2 treatments as the cost is around $3000 here each injection. I am private and costs are OK compared to US, still not cheap, I spent several thousands on tests (eg CT. bone scans etc) as they were done while outpatient, I have spent enough to qualify for the medicare max rebate now, so get 80% back of anything paid. Chemo seems to be fully covered and my admission due to febrile neutropenia, and for mastectomy etc have all been free. Radiation costs $17000 but I will only pay $2500.

My oncologist wants the chemo to get any rogue cells to aim for a cure. He wants to induce menopause (I just turned 43) and put me on AI due to the SOFT study. So having the whole range of surgery, chemo, radio and hormone therapy as recommended by them.

Good luck,

Chemotherapy with ILC: what regimen have you had?

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