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dolittle
dolittle Member Posts: 12
edited November 2017 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

My daughter had wbr six weeks ago followed by navelbine herceptin and perjeta for her brain, liver, bone and few lung mets ..all found eight weeks ago.

The first round had very few side effects but after the second round ten days ago she has been curled up in bed wanting just to die from fatigue and nausea.

Her eyes are sunken and she doesnt look great at all.

She has lost interest in everything including her three young children and has just returned home from four nights in hospital with pain, nausea and being extremely tired. They gave her morphine to which she had a bad reaction and nausea meds which are not helping at all.

The scans have shown her Brain Mets almost gone and Liver Mets reducing after only two rounds but it seems almost impossible to keep her on this regime in the future with such bad side effects.

Nobody warned her about side effects and I am trying to keep her spirits up by googling all the positives I can.

Any advice, help would be most welcome

Eliza


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  • Grannax2
    Grannax2 Member Posts: 2,551
    edited November 2017

    I know there are several ladies who have had wbr. Lita57 has her own thread. I think there are threads for each type of chemo you mentioned. Is your daughter on any antidepressants? I cannot even imagine how exhausted she is. Does she have a PCP? Maybe he or she could help.

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  • Grannax2
    Grannax2 Member Posts: 2,551
    edited November 2017

    There's also a Brain Mets Sisters thread. You could ask lots of questions there and get answers. Wishing the best for you and your daughter.

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  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Member Posts: 2,176
    edited November 2017

    I'm just wondering if it is the combo of all three that is kicking her butt? Can they reduce any of the dosages or ease into each one slowly? Hopefully her body will adjust soon and take the next round better but in the meantime I would ask for palliative help.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited November 2017

    This sounds awful. Please call on your daughter's doctors and nurses for immediate help. Convey the specifics that you did here, not just "isn't feeling well". Ask for a palliative care specialist as Artist suggests. Get a patient advocate or nurse navigator to help if necessary.

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  • dolittle
    dolittle Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2017

    thanks all

    Daughter is back in hospital - they think she is dehydrated or it’s the chemo reaction.

    If not a bit better tomorrow they will do a lumbar puncture to rule out meninges? of the brain😖

    Personally I think it is a combination of wbr and chemo.

    The wbr was rushed over eight days when they discovered Liver Mets and from reading all your posts this can enhance the fatigue.

    This combo is working after only two rounds so we need to lessen the dose or spread it out or something.

    They have taken loads of blood sample and ruled out flu, bacterial infections, 12 viruses, no chest infection, etc so they are trying.

    Her initial chemo at stage two was tough and she was hospitalised then so maybe she just reacts badly.

    She has always been very fit and misses her exercise routine as she is sleepy all the time.

    All this from ‘healthy’ with no symptoms eight weeks ago until a bit of blurred vision sent her to her onc.

    42 years old, three young children and in the middle of a divorce!!!

    Sad that Last Saturday week she was the life of the party.

    I will keep you posted

    Her 2 +++

    Eliza




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  • Beatmon
    Beatmon Member Posts: 1,562
    edited November 2017

    I’m so sorry that she is having such a tough time. What a blessing to have her Mom there to take care of her and her Little’s.

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  • dolittle
    dolittle Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2017

    hi all

    My daughter had a bad nights sleep in hospital ut after taking steroids made a remarkable ‘recovery’ and went out to a Melbourne Cup lunch!!

    This is a crazy journey for sure.

    Eliza

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  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Member Posts: 2,176
    edited November 2017

    Use that steroid energy while you can! Glad she could have some fun. Just a note, Keep an eye out for the "steroid crash".......those wearing off can be a quick dive to major tiredness and mood lows.

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  • munlyn
    munlyn Member Posts: 15
    edited November 2017

    I have been going through metastatic breast cancer treatment for over a year now. I have done a few oral chemo at least three intravenous chemos and pretty soon radiation. I also battled regular breast cancer in 2013. There are many days after my IV chemo treatments, adriamycin cytoxan, that I I just can't get out of bed. It's usually about 3 days. I find that if I drink plenty of water about a full glass every hour, take all of my medications including steroids it takes the edge off. I've tried exercising getting out and walking but usually I'm just to nauseated to do it. Some people are just a lot more sensitive to the side effects of chemo than others. My mother went through this and she never missed a day at work until she got so sick that she was unable to work. Sometimes I think I'm just a weakling but honestly I don't see how I could do any differently. It does get better after a few days I know that when I was on carboplatin my sick days last about 10 full days. So far on adriamycin that's about 4 days but I've only had one treatment of that so far. Chemo side effects can be cumulative over time so they tend to get worse. I know I had significant Improvement when I started taking an antidepressant. Also making sure that she isn't constipated and perhaps a prescription for Ativan or some sort of anti-anxiety Med. I know that is your cancer level goes down from treatment you start to feel better so hopefully with her good scan results she will start to feel better soon. Lots of hugs to you and her this is the worst thing anyone could ever go through.

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