Thinking about quitting chemo after 4th round

Dogmom1:

You might need your dose adjusted. You should speak with your MO about it.

I'm on TCHP as well and have infusion 5 next week. My dose was lowered for infusion 4 and I am able to eat much better than I could previously and have fewer GI symptoms but I am anemic and fatigued and my muscles ache...they burn when I walk even up the slightest incline, and there are things I normally do that I just can't do right now, but it will pass.

When they were figuring out the protocol for TCHP, I believe they initially did 4 cycles but it was upped to 6 and I imagine there was a good reason for that.

Dogmom1: I'm in the exact same spot, same treatment, same timing. And feeling much the same way. I just had #5 a couple days ago. Yep, had to really force myself to go. I don't know that I have a lot to offer, but sometimes it's enough just to know you're not alone. Just trying to keep my eye on the end result and convince myself that I'm strong enough to get there.....we can do this, together.

I, too, considered quitting after round three. I was expecting to feel good about getting to the halfway point but instead felt very down. I worried a lot about the cumulative effects and whether the cancer was being taken care of at the detriment to the rest of my body and life.

I talked to my MO. I was expecting a fight - or at least a guilt trip. They were very understanding and we discussed options. I ended up completing the rest, mostly because I knew I'd be mad at myself if I didn't and had a recurrence. The one thing that I did was switching from Neulasta to Neupogen. For me - that helped with a number of SE's.

Any chemo required is better than none and you know yourself better than anyone. Discuss your concerns and see what options you have. Congrats on getting this far along!

Dogmom - I believe people had better outcomes with six rounds vs. four. Some MOs will do things like cut out the carboplatin and/or perjeta if you're having bad side effects. But the bloating and muscle aches are from the taxotere. I had them too. I dealt with it by cutting out salt from my diet as much as possible, drinking water like it was my job (this may make the bloating a little worse at first but once the sodium starts to flush out of your system it will make it better) and finally had to get some compression hose so I could keep working - I work on my feet and after a day at work my legs were super bloated, and the more they got bloated the more they ached. I would try to finish out at least the TH part of your protocol if at all possible, or maybe ask about switching to taxol. If not, then just continue on to herceptin only, it will still have benefit and a lot less side effects.

I feel for you, I did this regimen last year from July 28 to November 8th last year. I was doing good even managed to fit in a vacation to Jamaica between cycles 3 and 4. Cycles 4 and 5 were the worst. Surprisingly enough 6 wasn't too bad. I had panic attacks before going in for cycles 5 and 6. I am finished all treatment now. Continued on with Herceptin and Perjeta for the year and finished on August 8th. I was bedridden at the end of TCHP only had a few good days but bounced back pretty quickly after cycle 6. I guess what I am trying to say is that I was able to complete it, I was lucky though I was not working and I have a supportive hubby and my kids were in middle school so they were pretty self sufficient. I have to admit that I smoked pot for the first time in over 25 years. I am not suggesting that you do this but it really got me through the end and I was able to have a good nights sleep which made a world of difference. Also helped tremendously with bone pain.

Good Luck in whatever decision you make. Gentle hugs to you (( )), In case this helps I was stage 2A multifocal 4 tumors in same quadrant. Grade 3 no lymph node involvement.

One thing that got me through was that I kept repeating to myself that this too shall pass.