When can you have surgery after chemo?

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dysonsphere
dysonsphere Member Posts: 204

My last Taxol chemo is on 6/18. I am currently on disability and so far it's only approved through 6/22. I was assuming I would just have surgery after chemo and wasn't worried about getting the disability extended. For those that had chemo first, did you have to wait a certain period of time to have surgery? Now i'm worried I may be expected to go back to work before surgery. Thanks!

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  • Spookiesmom
    Spookiesmom Member Posts: 9,568
    edited May 2020

    Seems like it was only a few weeks in between. I was scheduled for around thanksgiving, but caught bronchitis, that pushed it to midDecember. 8 years ago, hard to remember exactly.

  • dizzywombat
    dizzywombat Member Posts: 16
    edited May 2020

    My MO told me a minimum of 2 weeks after my last Taxol treatment before I could have surgery.

  • Maryjv
    Maryjv Member Posts: 306
    edited May 2020

    Mine was 3 weeks...SO did not want to wait any more than that

  • FarAwayToo
    FarAwayToo Member Posts: 255
    edited May 2020

    Mine was 4 weeks after the last dose. A lot of doctors want to wait at least several weeks after last chemo due to lower platelets/WBC. It's not likely that you will have your surgery immediately after your last Taxol.

    What surgery are you planning? After AC +Taxol I had BMX with TE and I took 6 weeks off work (I was working 16-24 hrs a week during chemo, but decided to stop working just prior and immediately after surgery). I can say that there was no way I could work in the first 2 weeks after surgery (I have a desk job that I do from home). Starting week 3 I could probably work a little, but I chose to stay off for 6 weeks. I then went back to work full time - I ended up not needing radiation.

    Even if you have lumpectomy, you need some time to recover, so I think you need to get your disability extended.

  • OnTarget
    OnTarget Member Posts: 447
    edited May 2020
  • Marmotka
    Marmotka Member Posts: 26
    edited May 2020

    The standard of care is between 4 to 8 weeks after last chemo round with the optimal at 6 weeks. It's for the red and white blood cells to rebuild to acceptable levels.

    Because of covid, mine will be delayed further....still don't have a date. So they are putting me on tamoxifen starting this week.

  • morrigan_2575
    morrigan_2575 Member Posts: 824
    edited May 2020

    My MO and SO are planning for 3-4 weeks post Final Chemo

  • Maddy83f
    Maddy83f Member Posts: 84
    edited May 2020

    I had 3 weeks between last chemo and my surgery (implants replacing tissue expanders). Last chemo was April 28 and surgery was a week and a half ago on May 18. All has gone very well and I feel really good. I am on short term disability - and mine was extended for the surgery.

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