HAPPY DAY! I am officially on a CHEMO BREAK!

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lindaprocopio
lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I just left my gynecologic oncologist. He disagrees with my chemo-onc (who wants me to do 6 rounds of carbo-taxol again) and sees no reason why I shouldn't be on a break from chemo!! I have been on weekly taxol for my 1st recurrence for 10 weeks, and my mid-treatment-point CT/PET surprised everyone when it came out CLEAR, with no "uptake" of any kind, and 2 of the enlarged lymph nodes we were treating now INVISIBLE, and the other shrunk to 11 mm and did not light up at all on the PET.

The controvery between oncologists comes in because my CA-125 is 42.5 and has been hovering in the mid-40's for 6 weeks now, even though I have been getting weekly chemo. My CHEMO-oncs reaction was that we probably need to step up to a stronger chemo. My GYN-onc thinks that the mid-40's may be my new 'normal' CA-125, as I have radiation inflammation that may keep it elevated, unlrelated to cancer activity. (My low CA-125 was 11 following my initial treatment protol, and spiked to 155 when my recurrence was diagnosed in November.) The compromise is that I will take a treatment break and have a CA-125 taken in 6 weeks. If my CA-125 remains in the mid-40's range without chemo, we can assume that this is my new normal range. I will then continue to be monitored by internal exam and CA-125 every 2 or 3 months. I'm to use this break to get strong and healthy again and to forget about cancer for awhile. And I intend to do just that! That way if I need to jump into carbo/taxol or Doxil a few months from now, I will be 'battle-ready'!

I may actually get a chance to grow some HAIR!! :D

Comments

  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #2
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    great news
    Thanks for sharing your great news.
  • froggy1
    froggy1 Member Posts: 205
    #3
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    Happy Day
    Wow,
    This is the best news. You must feel as if you are an emotional roller coaster! 'Go have some fun! Luv, Froggy
  • NCEllen
    NCEllen Member Posts: 115
    #4
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    froggy1 said:

    Happy Day
    Wow,
    This is the best news. You must feel as if you are an emotional roller coaster! 'Go have some fun! Luv, Froggy

    Time Out!!
    That's great news! Time out and stay out as long as you want - no curfew! +++++ Ellen
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
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    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #6
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    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    So pleased
    So pleased for you Linda it must be a wonderful feeling.


    Tina xxxxxxxxxxx
  • Mawty
    Mawty Member Posts: 133
    #7
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    I just have to say...
    WOO-HOO! Good news! I do hope the 40s are your new normal so you can have a nice, long break. I think our bodies need it.

    Marty
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    #8
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    Yea!
    This is absolutely
    Yea!

    This is absolutely wonderful news!

    Enjoy, Enjoy!

    Sharon
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #9
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    Yes, Yes, and YES!!!
    Chemo break and HAIR, here she comes!!! I am so happy for you and have complete hope, you can go into full remission, Linda!!

    So happy for you!

    Kathleen:)
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #10
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    Celebrate
    Dear Linda, Congratulations and Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate! :-D It is great to take a break to give our bodies a chance to recoup and yes maybe a new head of hair.

    Prayers ♥ Hugs Bonnie
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    #11
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    BonnieR said:

    Celebrate
    Dear Linda, Congratulations and Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate! :-D It is great to take a break to give our bodies a chance to recoup and yes maybe a new head of hair.

    Prayers ♥ Hugs Bonnie

    Honestly, Bonnie, you are one person I would give my break to.
    Bonnie: have you never really had a break from chemo? I thought I read that and yet I so hope that isn't true. You are one person I would 'hand off' my chemo break to, if that were possible. You are always so generous and so gracious to all of us. Funny that when my CHEMO-oncologist was recommending that we go 'balls to the wall' one more time and try and kill the beast once and for all, I was all gung-ho to do that. But 4 days later, when my GYN-onc disagreed and felt that I could safely take a chemo break now, I JUMPED at the chance, quickly tossing out my earlier resolve to "go for the cure, ROUND 2" in favor of the more enticing chance to have a 'Spring Break' from chemo. That's how powerful the allure of a treatment break is for me, I guess. I truly hope you will tell me that you have enjoyed at least a few rests in your long cancer journey. ((((Bonnie))))
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #12
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    lindaprocopio said:

    Honestly, Bonnie, you are one person I would give my break to.
    Bonnie: have you never really had a break from chemo? I thought I read that and yet I so hope that isn't true. You are one person I would 'hand off' my chemo break to, if that were possible. You are always so generous and so gracious to all of us. Funny that when my CHEMO-oncologist was recommending that we go 'balls to the wall' one more time and try and kill the beast once and for all, I was all gung-ho to do that. But 4 days later, when my GYN-onc disagreed and felt that I could safely take a chemo break now, I JUMPED at the chance, quickly tossing out my earlier resolve to "go for the cure, ROUND 2" in favor of the more enticing chance to have a 'Spring Break' from chemo. That's how powerful the allure of a treatment break is for me, I guess. I truly hope you will tell me that you have enjoyed at least a few rests in your long cancer journey. ((((Bonnie))))

    2 sweet
    Dear Linda, You are way to kind :-) I have had short breaks way back when, in fact every now and then I got 7-12 weeks off. We are hoping that when we try the avastin/cytoxan I well finally get a 3 month break or at least that is the goal. I pray this is a permanent break for you, that miraculously the cancer is remission for good and you get lots of curly hair to enjoy. Hugs Bonnie
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #13
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    Congratulations
    I get the same discourse between my chemo/onc and gyn/onc. Maybe that is normal. Saundra

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