Chemo therapy

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lizmair
lizmair Member Posts: 24
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am shortly starting 4 treatments of a/c and 4 treatments of taxol. I have been told that adriamycin has a heart side effect. Has anyone taken this treatment, and what side effects did you have. Thanks so much for any help I can get.
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  • taleena
    taleena Member Posts: 1,612 Member
    #2
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    Liz... I can't help you with
    Liz... I can't help you with your topic... but many of our sisters here can... I just wanted to welcome you to the boards and to let you know you have come to the right place for support, encouragement and friendship... I am so sorry for the reason you are here, but glad you found us.

    ~T
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #3
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    I just finished AC and am in
    I just finished AC and am in middle of taxol. I did not have any heart side effects, I had an echo before and will have another to check. The oncs did not suggest a repeat echo I just wanted one to check. They check your hear function by calculationg your ejection fraction.
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #4
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    carkris said:

    I just finished AC and am in
    I just finished AC and am in middle of taxol. I did not have any heart side effects, I had an echo before and will have another to check. The oncs did not suggest a repeat echo I just wanted one to check. They check your hear function by calculationg your ejection fraction.

    A/C and heart monitoring
    I had echocardiogram before starting A/C and then after A/C and then I was on Taxol w/Herceptin and echocardiogram every three months and the Herceptin only and ejection fraction went low so put me on meds and monitored with an echo every three weeks until the ejection fraction came back to normal and now will monitor every 2-3 months while still on Herceptin and then will monitor after Herceptin treatment has finished which for me will be the end of August 2010.

    Margo

    Hugs,
    Margo
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #5
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    carkris said:

    I just finished AC and am in
    I just finished AC and am in middle of taxol. I did not have any heart side effects, I had an echo before and will have another to check. The oncs did not suggest a repeat echo I just wanted one to check. They check your hear function by calculationg your ejection fraction.

    ac and taxol
    Thank you so much for your help. I am terribly frightened, but know that I will get through it. thanks again
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #6
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    taleena said:

    Liz... I can't help you with
    Liz... I can't help you with your topic... but many of our sisters here can... I just wanted to welcome you to the boards and to let you know you have come to the right place for support, encouragement and friendship... I am so sorry for the reason you are here, but glad you found us.

    ~T

    chemotherapy
    Thank you so much, this is a frightening experience - I am so glad that I found you also. Thanks for your support.
  • girls4444
    girls4444 Member Posts: 34
    #7
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    Hi Liz
    I had a round of ac last week and 3 to go, and then 12 taxol. I had a headache for 4 days, other than that I did OK. I had a echocardiogram prior to starting treatment. The doctor said that they check your heart before you can begin chemo. Good luck
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #8
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    girls4444 said:

    Hi Liz
    I had a round of ac last week and 3 to go, and then 12 taxol. I had a headache for 4 days, other than that I did OK. I had a echocardiogram prior to starting treatment. The doctor said that they check your heart before you can begin chemo. Good luck

    Hi Liz, I also had 4 rounds
    Hi Liz, I also had 4 rounds AC then 12 Taxol with Herceptin. I had a few echo's durning treatment. I had no problem with the AC as far as the heart. Make sure you take nausea meds before treatment and continue to take as needed. I did fine. Good Luck
  • mlmjt1
    mlmjt1 Member Posts: 537
    #9
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    Hi Lizmair
    I had a/c then taxol/herceptin. I guess the adriamycin and the herceptin both can cause heart damage. My oncologist has orderred 2 muga scans for me. It tests the ejection fraction of the heart which I guess is how strong the heart pushes or ejects the blood. No one is at 100 percent. I was told that the average is somewhere in the high 50s. Mine was 70 percent when I started, then went down to 66 percent. I was told that the ejection fraction was kind of like a blood pressure in that it varies each time it is done. I have another one on Wed and I think its done every 3 months.

    We have heart disease in my family. I told my oncologist she had to keep me alive until I hit 62 cuz that is when everyone in my family has their heart valves replaced and I didnt want to miss out on it!!!(lol)

    Hang in there...
    Hugs
    Linda T
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #10
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    mlmjt1 said:

    Hi Lizmair
    I had a/c then taxol/herceptin. I guess the adriamycin and the herceptin both can cause heart damage. My oncologist has orderred 2 muga scans for me. It tests the ejection fraction of the heart which I guess is how strong the heart pushes or ejects the blood. No one is at 100 percent. I was told that the average is somewhere in the high 50s. Mine was 70 percent when I started, then went down to 66 percent. I was told that the ejection fraction was kind of like a blood pressure in that it varies each time it is done. I have another one on Wed and I think its done every 3 months.

    We have heart disease in my family. I told my oncologist she had to keep me alive until I hit 62 cuz that is when everyone in my family has their heart valves replaced and I didnt want to miss out on it!!!(lol)

    Hang in there...
    Hugs
    Linda T

    Hey Liz. I didn't have
    Hey Liz. I didn't have chemo, but, I wanted to welcome you to this site and to wish you good luck. You will find lots of bc sisters here that will help you thru this with valuable info. Good luck!

    Debby
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #11
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    girls4444 said:

    Hi Liz
    I had a round of ac last week and 3 to go, and then 12 taxol. I had a headache for 4 days, other than that I did OK. I had a echocardiogram prior to starting treatment. The doctor said that they check your heart before you can begin chemo. Good luck

    chemo
    Thank you so much for your help
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #12
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    Kat11 said:

    Hi Liz, I also had 4 rounds
    Hi Liz, I also had 4 rounds AC then 12 Taxol with Herceptin. I had a few echo's durning treatment. I had no problem with the AC as far as the heart. Make sure you take nausea meds before treatment and continue to take as needed. I did fine. Good Luck

    chemotherapy
    thank you so much and too am taking four rounds of ac and four rounds of taxol. thanks for your help
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #13
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    I am on TAC which is
    I am on TAC which is Taxotere, Adriamycin & Cytoxan. I was nervous because I have a history of an erratic heartbeat. I was scared that it would trigger it. I also had a muga scan and EKG and everything showed up fine. I've had two treatments and go for my third (halfway through it!) on Thursday. I haven't had any heart side effects so far, thank God!

    Good luck... I'm sure you'll do fine!

    Hugs ~ Marlene
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #14
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    Marlene_K said:

    I am on TAC which is
    I am on TAC which is Taxotere, Adriamycin & Cytoxan. I was nervous because I have a history of an erratic heartbeat. I was scared that it would trigger it. I also had a muga scan and EKG and everything showed up fine. I've had two treatments and go for my third (halfway through it!) on Thursday. I haven't had any heart side effects so far, thank God!

    Good luck... I'm sure you'll do fine!

    Hugs ~ Marlene

    adriamycin and cytoxan
    thank you so much, were there any other side effects. I have four treatments of a/c and four of taxol. I guess they are splitting it up, but I am so petrified of the side effects. thanks again
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #15
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    girls4444 said:

    Hi Liz
    I had a round of ac last week and 3 to go, and then 12 taxol. I had a headache for 4 days, other than that I did OK. I had a echocardiogram prior to starting treatment. The doctor said that they check your heart before you can begin chemo. Good luck

    chemotherapy
    were there any other side effects. thanks I am really nervous about these drugs.
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #16
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    lizmair said:

    adriamycin and cytoxan
    thank you so much, were there any other side effects. I have four treatments of a/c and four of taxol. I guess they are splitting it up, but I am so petrified of the side effects. thanks again

    Hi Liz
    I know chemo can be scary Liz. But, just think of it as ridding your body of the cancer so that you can live a long and healthy life! Look at all of the good advice you can get here on this board. I hope that it makes you feel calmer about your treatment. I wish you good luck!

    Love, Jeanne ♥
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #17
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    Jeanne D said:

    Hi Liz
    I know chemo can be scary Liz. But, just think of it as ridding your body of the cancer so that you can live a long and healthy life! Look at all of the good advice you can get here on this board. I hope that it makes you feel calmer about your treatment. I wish you good luck!

    Love, Jeanne ♥

    Wishing you good luck with
    Wishing you good luck with your chemo Liz! We will all be here to help you thru it, however that we can.

    Lex♥
  • blazytracy
    blazytracy Member Posts: 157
    #18
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    You are going to
    You are going to be on exactly what I am on...4 of A/C and then 4 of Taxol...I just finished my 2nd A/C today. I did have an echocardiogram before starting chemo which they said was just fine. No heart symptoms as of yet anyway.

    The Adriamycin (they call the RED DEVIL)is exactly that - red. Your urine will be red a couple times afterwards so drink lots of water.

    So far, I have experienced really no nausea - about 10-15 mins about 6 hrs after 1st chemo and none (so far, 4 hrs after 2nd). They want you to chew on ice chips, or in my case, they gave me popsicles, while they are pushing in the adriamycin because the coldness tends to really lessen the chance of getting mouth sores.

    Good luck, when do you start? I will be thinking and praying for you. Stay in touch and let us know how you do. Remember the fear of the unknown is far greater than the chemo itself.

    Tracy
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #19
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    blazytracy said:

    You are going to
    You are going to be on exactly what I am on...4 of A/C and then 4 of Taxol...I just finished my 2nd A/C today. I did have an echocardiogram before starting chemo which they said was just fine. No heart symptoms as of yet anyway.

    The Adriamycin (they call the RED DEVIL)is exactly that - red. Your urine will be red a couple times afterwards so drink lots of water.

    So far, I have experienced really no nausea - about 10-15 mins about 6 hrs after 1st chemo and none (so far, 4 hrs after 2nd). They want you to chew on ice chips, or in my case, they gave me popsicles, while they are pushing in the adriamycin because the coldness tends to really lessen the chance of getting mouth sores.

    Good luck, when do you start? I will be thinking and praying for you. Stay in touch and let us know how you do. Remember the fear of the unknown is far greater than the chemo itself.

    Tracy

    chemotherapy
    thank you so much for your kind words. I start next week thursday and I am petrified. Do you have a port, I put one in on Friday. I will drink a lot of water as you suggest and suck on ice. I have stage II breast cancer. They only found it in my lymph node and no where else. But because of the lymph node involvement, they feel chemo is necessary. Please keep me informed as you go and I will do the same. Thanks again.
  • lizmair
    lizmair Member Posts: 24
    #20
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    Alexis F said:

    Wishing you good luck with
    Wishing you good luck with your chemo Liz! We will all be here to help you thru it, however that we can.

    Lex♥

    thank you so much for your
    thank you so much for your support. I really appreciate it as I am completely terrified of chemo.
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #21
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    lizmair said:

    chemotherapy
    thank you so much for your kind words. I start next week thursday and I am petrified. Do you have a port, I put one in on Friday. I will drink a lot of water as you suggest and suck on ice. I have stage II breast cancer. They only found it in my lymph node and no where else. But because of the lymph node involvement, they feel chemo is necessary. Please keep me informed as you go and I will do the same. Thanks again.

    Sorry... I just saw you post
    Sorry... I just saw you post asking about other side effects. Like Tracey, I have not had many other side effects. If you are getting the Neulasta shot afterwards, that makes me feel achy for a couple days but it's bearable... just kind of makes me feel like I have a touch of the flu. I feel tired at times, but I feel very fortunate in that I don't get nausea or so far any other side effects. I rinse my mouth & gargle with salt water & baking soda every night and don't have any mouth sores and have not even lost my taste buds like many seem to (not sure if it's related or I'm just fortunate). As I've said, I go for my 3rd tomorrow and am hoping for much the same.

    It really is the fear of the unknown and it seems we've heard so many scary things about chemo, but they have come a long way in administering different meds to counteract the side effects. My doctor gives me lorazapam intravenously before chemo to relax me so I'm very comfortable while getting the treatment.

    Take a lot of deep breaths and try not to focus on the negative. I'm sure you'll do fine!

    Hugs ~ Marlene

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