Delayed chemo... advice needed

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mnsotamom74
mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126

I’ll just jump right in, I’m in the hospital and in a lot of pain. I had my bilateral mastectomy Nov 6.

I was supposed to begin chem ( I’m doing 4 rounds total with 21 days in between, I was starting December 14 December 12my husband rushed me to the Emergency room in excruciating pain. My gallbladder is massively infected and I cannot have laparoscopic surgery which is the easier surgery, I need to be cut open and it will take 4 weeks to heal. My oncologist said I cannot start chemo until the wound is healed. My surgeon has tried everything he can think of to get me feeling well enough that I can delay the gallbladder surgery until chemo has finished. I’m just not responding , the inflammation has gone down but not nearly enough to do the less evasive surgery. I’m scared because my oncologist told me months ago that the reason they like to begin chemo within 90 days of surgery is that it’s proven to be the most effective. So if I delay it for surgery am I now not getting as effective chemo? I’m so scared and overwhelmed and sick, I’ve been in the hospital 5 days an I’ve barely had improvedmsmt. I just feel so overwhelmed:)

Comments

  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited December 2018

    I found my lump on June 15th and couldn’t have chemo until Nov. 25h because of complications. It is a worry when you go beyond the optimal date. Hopefully they will find a solution.

    I am doing fine 5 years later even though my tumour was aggressive. Hoping for good outcome for you

  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited December 2018

    I also had complications and delayed Chemo. My lump was found in October and didn't start chemo until February. I was scared too. Hang in there ((hugs))

  • Artista964
    Artista964 Member Posts: 530
    edited December 2018

    I too had chemo past the 90 day mark due to mainly infections, along with other complications during active tx. Onc told me it's not like a big decrease in effectiveness as soon as you go over 90. She made it sound like no worries, so I went with that. I'm 3.5 years out from diagnosis. Hang in there. X

  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited December 2018

    I had mastectomy surgery Nov 2, 2011 and my oncologist said I needed to start chemo after receiving my oncodx score of 34. He would not let me delay chemo until after Christmas. He said if I didn't start right away I would not be offered chemo again. I think it was based on the effectiveness of chemo in my case. I had 2 small 1cm tumors ilc and idc er+ pr- her2-. I said No to chemo. It was a really tough decision, when I explained why my oncologist relented and said ok.

    I did 4 years of AI drugs and am now 7 years NED. In my case, I didn't have a physical reason for delaying treatment your case is very different. You could go for a 2nd opinion but the delay may reduce the effectivity but your health is important. Being healthy and strong before chemo is probably the best.

  • Artista964
    Artista964 Member Posts: 530
    edited December 2018

    yes you want to go into chemo pretty healthy.

  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited December 2018

    I was diagnosed with a 2.6cm Her2+ tumor in the right breast in Sept, had BMX with expanders surgery on Nov 1, and would have started chemo about a month later. However, my initially clear sentinel node was later found to contain cancer so I had ALND surgery 5 weeks after the BMX. Two weeks later my left expander ruptured through necrotic skin and required an emergency surgery to repair. Two weeks later another surgical repair, followed two weeks later with surgery to remove the left expander. Four weeks later I finally started chemo, more than 110 days after my initial surgery, after having had 4 additional surgeries. While initiating chemo within the 90 day window after surgery results in better outcomes generally, keep in mind that this is a statistic that encompasses a spectrum of diagnoses. Chemo started beyond 90 days is not necessarily less effective, and chemo begun within 90 days is not necessarily more effective, for you as an individual case. If I were in your shoes I would be concerned with receiving chemo in a compromised infection situation and would consider removing the gallbladder immediately, healing for an appropriate time period, and then moving forward with chemo. If you had surgery now and took 4 weeks to heal you would still be within the 90 day window from your surgery, correct?

  • mnsotamom74
    mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126
    edited December 2018

    thank you for all the replies!!!

  • mnsotamom74
    mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126
    edited December 2018

    I did the surgery! I wanted to thank you Specialk for pointing that out, I was in so much extreme pain I don’t even remember posting this to the forums but I do remember reading your response and my husband and I doing the math and realizing we’d be about ten days under the 90 days mark if we moved forward, my surgeon and oncologist both said let’s get this done and get you healthy. 14 days total in the hospital for this stupid gallbladder, just got home today. Now I’m focusing on recovery and getting my body ready to do this

  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited December 2018

    Excellent! I’m glad you had the gallbladder removed and can now focus on recovering from surgery and feeling better. Can you eat normally? If so, aim for 100g of protein a day to assist with healing (good sources are Greek yogurt, fortified cereal, quinoa, beef/chicken/pork/fish, eggs, peanut butter, etc.), and if your docs approve you might consider supplementing with zinc, vitamin C, and/or arnica montana to assist also.

  • mnsotamom74
    mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126
    edited December 2018

    thank you for the food and vitamins advice! I have been trying to figure out what I should be eating to promote healing and get my body ready.

    I’m so thankful for these boards

  • VLH
    VLH Member Posts: 1,258
    edited December 2018

    mnsotamom74, I hope your recovery is going well. My chemo treatment was delayed significantly. The reasons include time to get second opinions, finding DCIS in the margin.of my initial lumpectomy and the biggie, needing a PICC line and daily IV infusions for an infection that occurred when a seroma was drained. I know you can't help but worry, but I want to offer encouragement in that my cancer is a much more aggressive subtype than yours and I have no evidence of disease thus far 2 1/2 years after diagnosis.

    If you haven't already, glance through the threads for your kind of chemo. Bear in mind that we humans understandably tend to share problems and side effects while those who do well don't post often so know that the threads are skewed to the negative. Good luck!

    Lyn

  • mnsotamom74
    mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126
    edited December 2018

    I’m on no food restrictions so I just used your post to help me make a grocery list for my husband, thank you

  • mnsotamom74
    mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126
    edited December 2018

    thank you so much for your reply! These boards have been so beneficial for me, just being able to hear other women who are in or have been through this, I feel so much less alone

  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited December 2018

    Regarding healing: ask if hyperbaric oxygen would assist your healing. It can be wonderful for wound healing. You lie in a chamber breathing pur oxygen and the chamber is lightly pressurized to "push" the oxygen into your cells.

    It might cut your healing time substantially.

    good luck with all!!

  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited December 2018

    Also talk to a naturopathic physician about specific eating and supplements that you can do to improve your system prior to chemo.

  • mnsotamom74
    mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126
    edited December 2018

    I’ll ask about it but I don’t believe we have something like this in our small rural area, the downside to small town Minnesota living. I saw the surgeon today, he won’t remove my tube from the surgery quite yet, they pretty much want it to have nothing in it, hopefully one week from today. He did say for someone who has gone through what I’ve just been through he can’t believe how well I’m hearing. Now he wants me to focus on putting back on the weight I lost during my hospital stay (15 pounds) he said protein and healthy calories. Of course I tried the entire last three years to lose weight and actually gained and now I lose and have to gain it back. Ug

  • mnsotamom74
    mnsotamom74 Member Posts: 126
    edited December 2018

    thank you! The surgeon told me today I need to put back on the weight I lost in the hospital but of course not using junk food etc. he said protein, fruit, veggies and healthy calories

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