My Breast Cancer Journal
May 7-14
Sunday, May 7, 2000
I've been reading about chemotherapy drugs and it looks like the drugs of choice for someone my age with my type of cancer would be the first three on this page plus tamoxifen.
Chemotherapy and You: A Guide to Self-Help During Treatment
Understanding Chemotherapy: A Guide For Patients And Families
posted by Karen Weber Sunday, May 7, 2000
Monday, May 8, 2000
Well, I talked to the nurse at the oncologist's office, and she says he wouldn't start me on chemo tomorrow when I go in. He'll probably want to run some blood tests and wait for the results before starting. So I could start Thursday, or more likely, next Tuesday. I was shocked to hear that treatments would last 3-6 hours. Wow. I can't say I'm too excited about that. They did say I could bring my laptop with me if I wanted to, as long as I'm not distracted by other folks watching TV. Since I often have the TV on while I'm working, that's no biggie. 3-6 hours. Wow.The vet came today to see 3 of the cats for their annual shots and checkups. We are lucky to have a vet that comes to the house. With 6 cats, it's pretty hard to take them to a vet's office, so we appreciate Dr. Turner. Lyss was really riled up today. I couldn't find her before the vet came - finally had to resort to catnip to get her to come out. Then, she tried to take my arm off when I put her in the bathroom so she couldn't hide from the vet. Then when the vet arrived, she tried to get out past us and dug 4 deep gouges into my foot. The vet lectured me about proper care of the wounds, emphasizing that the chemo is going to suppress my immune system and that even the smallest scratch from the cats could be very serious. Fortunately, they never act this way normally, and the vet won't be coming back out until December unless something unforeseen happens.
posted by Karen Weber Monday, May 8, 2000
Tuesday, May 9, 2000
OK, I am home from the oncologist's office. First, I'm scheduled for a MUGA Scan on May 15th. That will determine whether my heart is strong enough to go through the chemotherapy.Next, I am scheduled to have a Port-A-Cath placed on May 22. This may be moved up. My surgeon's office has been good about doing that in the past, so we've got to hang loose about that date.
Forty-eight hours after the port is place, I can begin chemotherapy. The chemotherapy my oncologist recommends is IV Cytoxan and adriamycin every 21 days, four times, followed by IV taxol every days four times. Then I'll have about a month off before starting radiation and tamoxifen.
Here's some information about Adriamycin.
Here is information on Drug Information: CYTOXAN.
Understanding Taxol: Information on Taxol, uses and side effects.
I've been to have my hair cut. Michelle, my stylist, has a history of breast lumps herself. She has been very supportive through this. She cut my hair during her lunch break today and then she didn't even charge me. She said it was her pre-chemo gift to me. She gave me a couple of big hugs and told me she knows that I'm going to do just fine. I was really touched by her kindness and care.
The oncologist also told me that a lot of the vitamins and supplements I've been trying to deal with the hot flashes have to be discontinued. So I guess I'm going to throw up the white flag and call my family physician about a prescription for Paxil or Bellergal-S.
I also called Mothers Supporting Daughters with Breast Cancer so that they can match up my mother with someone to support her. I had contacted them earlier, but they wait to do a match until you have a definite diagnosis and treatment plan. So mom, they should be contacting you through email.
posted by Karen Weber Tuesday, May 9, 2000
Wednesday, May 10, 2000
Well, I talked with the surgeon's office this morning and the May 22nd appointment isn't for surgery. Just a pre-surgery visit. Sigh. As if he hasn't seen enough of me, quite literally, in the last couple of months. The front office people know that I'm home and available at the drop of a hat, so I'm hoping I can get in sooner than that.I saw my family doc this morning to get something for the hot flashes. It blew me away when he mentioned Evista (raloxifene) because it CAUSES hot flashes. He hadn't realized that; he just knew that it was good for post-menopausal women. I made him get out his PDR to look it up. I got the impression from him that he thought I was having standard, borderline annoying hot flashes.When I told him that I sleep with cold packs and melt down 3-5 of them a night, his eyes bugged out. I didn't even tell him about the super-duper 5 hour long hot flash I had one night. Anyway, he wrote me a script for Bellergal-S, saying that if people in my support group were having success with it, they know more than he does. The pharmacy only had 4 tablets, so that will take me through tomorrow when I can pick up the rest of the prescription.
I was doing OK with all this yesterday, but the reality really hit me last night just before bedtime. I cried for a long time in Rick's arms last night. I'm weepy again this morning. I'm having more trouble than usual with the crossword puzzles in the newspaper. I've heard of "chemo brain" but I haven't heard anything about "pre-chemo brain." I sure feel out of it today. Very labile and not "with it."
The FIN (Friends in Need) site has some great tips for dealing with chemo. I picked up some hard candies to use during chemo and a sleeping cap for when my hair starts thinning/falling out. I also got a little cordless fan that hangs around your neck and fans your face and one of the thermometers that takes your temp in your ear. One of the things that you have to do during chemotherapy is monitor your temperature and report any fevers. I no longer have any ability to judge or regulate what my body temperature is doing, so it's probably best that I check it every day.This is important because of the immunosuppression caused by the chemotherapy drugs. Any kind of infection, even a simple cold, can be extremely dangerous, so you have to catch it right away. Since the chemo drugs also cause mouth sores, I thought that doing it through the ear would be easier.
Here is why my oncologist is recommending against vit E and vit C: OncoLink FAQ: Antioxidants
OncoLink: Chemotherapy for Patients: Introductory Information
OncoLink: Treatments for Chemotherapy Side Effects
This is why the oncologist doesn't want me using soy or other phytoestrogens for the hot flashes: OncoLink FAQ: Estrogen Receptor and Flax Seed
More about the soy controversy: OncoLink FAQ: Isoflaovones in Soy Foods
OncoLink: Frequently-Asked Questions about Symptom Management
This press release talks about the treatment regimen that my oncologist has recommended: TaxolŽ Regimen Significantly Increases a Woman's Chances for Breast Cancer Cure
OncoLink: Breast Cancer: Treatment Options - News
If my white blood counts drop too low due to the chemotherapy, the oncologist says he would prescribe Neupogen. Here is OncoLink: Frequently Asked Questions about Neupogen (Filgrastim)
posted by Karen Weber Wednesday, May 10, 2000
Friday, May 12, 2000
Well. The Bellergal-S does seem to help the hot flashes, but it also wipes me out completely. Come to find out the gals in my support group take just one at night before bedtime.I think that would work for me as well. But I wish I'd asked about that before spending the last two days staring at my navel stupidly. At any rate, the doc says I can take up to 4 a day, but just one yesterday at 10am and I didn't need any ice packs over night and slept like a log. No hot flashes that I was aware of. So this could be the answer.
posted by Karen Weber Friday, May 12, 2000