Quitting chemo early?

Hey Amelia01,

I'll ask my onco about it. Did every 2 weeks last time and I had to quit. I'll see if it is an option. She knows about my neuropathy issue and how scared I am about the pain I expect to have (again).

And my onco may do the A/C again because of my terrible adverse reaction to taxanes. And that is another set of possible issues.

Where do I find a thread/info about CBD oil that may be helpful for me. I live in Illinois and there are many dispensaries here. I've been reading about how CBD oil may help with neuropathy.

Thanks!

Jaybird - I'll send you a PM with some details for obtaining the right CBD oil in Illinois. I haven't tried it (yet):

HopeBry, maybe you can try a different type of chemo like buttonsmachine has done. I know they want you to cave in and finish but if you are not willing. My oncologist pulled out the scare tactics but I put my foot down. You know best as to how you are doing and ultimately you are the decision maker.

The suffering people have gone through is hard to imagine you have to weigh it against your goal.

Hi Ladies, Im not eating, barely drinking so everyday is a fast. During chemo Im ok because they pump you with liquid nausea meds. Its the days after Im feel like Im in my last leg at home. The drugs arent working. There telling me its psychological which I believe some of it is but I cant take it. I dont believe there are options for TN BC except the hardcore chemo because Im told thats the main thing we have the cancer reacts to.

There solution is for me to come in for daily hydrations. Im too ill to jump in my car and do that. The hospital makes me want to vomit everytime I go. I have a child to care for at home. Its too much. I think their main concern is people quitting mid way because they lose money on treatment cost. The money is in the treatments. I will have to see what next week brings. Thats when I have to make my decision to still get the last AC or start Taxol.

HopeBry - I begged my MO to let me stop at Infusion 3 of AC - literally begged. He took my hand in a doctorly fashion and said he would not let me quit. I finished it as sick and horrible as I was, and moved onto Taxol - #4 AC was better than #3.

I am now 7 years out. Literally, there is not a day goes by even now that I am grateful that my MO would not let me quit. Did it make a difference getting that last AC? I will never know. But I do know that I am still here after lots and lots of SEs, a heart attack, and too much to go into here.

After talking with hundreds of breast cancer patients through the years, #3 AC seems often to be the worst and wanting to give up and quit and move on to the next are normal feelings.

Tell your medical team what you are telling us - you need help to get to hydrations. The IV fluids help ALOT!

Sending you all my best wishes and as much strength as I can...

I too suffered terribly from nausea from the AC. By the 4th round, I was on 4 different nausea meds, but by that treatment, things did get easier. I agree with the earlier poster that the 3rd treatment was the worst. You've already invested in 3/4 of the AC part of the plan. From what I understand chemo is calculated as a single dose based on your specifics, divided over a number of treatments, so just doing part of the treatment may not give you all the benefits that you need.

You say it won't make a huge difference, as if a small difference in outcome is acceptable, but there are only two possible outcomes: your cancer becomes metastatic or it doesn't. With TN, this is your best shot at trying to achieve the second outcome. Everything will become much more difficult if you don't beat it back now. It's just a couple more weeks.

HopeBry, I want to say that I respect your decision either way. No one except you can know how you're feeling.

That being said, I hope you'll be able to finish AC. I've had two local recurrences, and I'm at extremely high risk for distant recurrence. Believe me, your life does not get better if your cancer comes back... it's hard, but it really is better if you "do it right the first time," as one MO I saw put it.

If the AC chemo is working, and your tumor is smaller, that is EXCELLENT. My point is this: there's no guarantee that any chemo will work on any particular cancer. (My strongly ER+ cancer actually grew during some chemos - which was disappointing to say the least.) Anyway, if AC is working for you, I'd do that 4th dose.

However, you could also ask your MO about alternate regimens if you really can't tolerate more AC. They do use Xeloda for TNBC, but Xeloda is typically used in addition to ACT, not instead of ACT. But there are many, many other chemo options out there too.

Best wishes to you on your decision.

hopebry I understand how you feel I’m a week from my 4th TCHP infusion and feeling so weak, I can hardly eat or drink. Feel like it’s not worth it. Looking for encouragement on what to do to feel better

I was given taxotere carboplatin. another option.

sometimes they can adjust your dose slightly

They did that with my last 2 taxotere and they assured me it didn’t reduce efficacy. It made a huge difference in getting through the last round.

I had a terrible time on AC as well. I was NOT one who breezed through chemo. I got through it. It was incredibly hard but I did

Newfromny terrible debilitating nausea and bone pain. I lost 10 pounds in months. I even had to go to the nutritionist to help me with maintaining my weight I was so sick.

I was on a different chemo regimen. I was on FEC-D,C is the culprit in yours. The nausea was with the first part, nothing really helped I just slogged through it. They reduced my D because of the bone pain I had. ( it’s a taxol)

I found that I had to keep Ensure by my bedside and drink a bit first thing in the morning and eat tiny amounts all day to keep the nausea down didn’t take it away but a tiny bit of relief I feel for you that was horrible

I would ask maybe it would help apparently there is a safe zone where they can adjust your dose