Forced into chemocation

Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited June 2016 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

I know this is just part of Stage IV life and it'll happen again and I'll eventually get used to it...but this is my first time in this situation. I only had treatment held once during my Stage III rodeo and I was able to make it up the next week. (Taxol was held for one week for a nasty nail infection but I got it the following week and eventually did complete all 12 rounds.)

Today I went in for bloodwork, a neuro exam, and to pick up my Abemaciclib pills (taken as part of a clinical trial). Well, my WBC counts were just below the cutoff and won me a two-week vacation to give them a chance to rebound.

Of course I asked why I couldn't just have Neulasta like I did when AC tanked my counts to .8 (!). Apparently it's not an option for the oral chemo that has to be taken every day.

So I'm bummed because all I have is one teeny tiny brain sucker and I'm only a few mm away from a dance with NED and all I want to do is take my nausea-and-diarrhea-inducing pills and I'm not allowed to. Ugh. Stupid cancer.

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Comments

  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited May 2016

    Hang in there, BAU! I don't think it'll make much of a difference really. I had many chemo breaks to let my counts recover and I'm still here.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2016

    I was able to get back to chemo after the break but my latest brain MRI show "interval increase in vasogenic edema." So I think the break did affect me after all. Pretty upset right now

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  • Holeinone
    Holeinone Member Posts: 2,478
    edited June 2016

    Sorry, it all sucks....sending positive thoughts.....

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  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited June 2016

    (((Hugs))) It may not have anything to do with the chemo break. Are you on steroids?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2016

    No steroids since post-op in Feb. I'm on the third day since the scan and no one has called me, although I did put an email into my neuro onc. I found the results through my patient portal. Seems like no one considers this critical so maybe the report sounded worse than it was? Figuring out radiologist language and what is concerning and what isn't can be hard for a mets newbie..

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  • Becs511
    Becs511 Member Posts: 303
    edited June 2016

    The edema could be a result of the brain healing itself. My neuro said that sometimes swelling shows up months after treatment. The body's natural reaction to any kind of trauma (even think of a minor black and blue mark which swells a few days after a bump) is to swell. The larger the trauma is the more healing time, hence the later the edema. They potentially didn't say anything because it was expected. However if you want a real answer or experience any SE, I would call again

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2016

    THANK YOU Becs. The radiologist did note that slight progression seemed the most likely scenario but he may have not realized how extensive my surgery was.The scan read that he seemed unconcerned - when the radiologist is concerned, there is a note at the bottom that an urgent message has been conveyed to Dr. So-and-so. There was no such note on this report.

    How are you doing yourself??

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  • Bestbird
    Bestbird Member Posts: 2,818
    edited June 2016

    Hopefully pretty soon the counts will be back to normal! And just as a quick reference, below from my MBC Guide is a short list of items that can potentially improve wbc counts. You (and others) are welcome to request a complimentary copy of the 120 page booklet by visiting the top of this page:https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/831507?page=2#idx_32

    Hoping you are right on time next time!

    Therapies for Low White Blood Cell Counts ("Neutropenia") Please check with your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet

    • Astragalus has been known to increase white blood cell counts.
    • Guava and red pepper may help increase white blood cell counts.One person advised blending 6 small guava fruits (or 2 large ones) with one organic red bell pepper and a cup of water.The juice should be consumed three times daily and re-made as needed.
    • Olive Leaf Extract has been reported by some patients as being helpful in raising white blood cell counts.
    • Colony Stimulating Factors (CSFs) and Growth Factors: Specific drugs called Colony Stimulating Factors can increase white blood cell counts and help prevent infection during chemotherapy.CSFs include Neupogen (filgrastim), and Neulasta (pegfilgrastim). Another CSF is Srgramostim (Leukine or Prokine).These medications are usually given as shots 24 hours after a chemotherapy treatment.In two Clinical Trials, a single dose of Neulasta was proven to be as effective as an average of 11 daily injections of Neupogen for the management of low white blood counts. From: http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/drugs-to-boost-white-blood-cells-for-cancer-patients-on-chemotherapy/



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  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited June 2016

    For the swelling, ask about boswellia serrata. It is also somewhere in Bestbird's guide.

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