down in the dumps

gottod

hi, i was off chemo for 2 months (6 mo of taxotere) and in those short months i had growth of new lymph nodes, newer liver mets and more bone mets... very disheartening...
now have staarted navelbine -- it's weekly but last was unable to get because my wbc's was too low.....

anybody else out there with advice or also on navelbine???

with liver, lymph and bone mets???
this is now my 4th type of chemo and not many (or any) more types to try ,, i'm not sure
hoping for responses... donna g

mjdp2

Hi,
Go to Google.com and type in navelbine. It has a description of its usage. It hasn't gotten FDA approval yet but is used for as long as it shrinks tumors. Article also lists side effect. Praying for you. Margaret

cat1switzerland

Hi Donna,
Hang in there ! Do you have friends or family you can talk to ? I have read a book by Guy Corneau, I don't know if it's translated in English (he writes in French, is from Quebec). His point is our body starts illnesses as a way to get our attention. And it won't stop until we've fixed the stress or internal conflict that's hidden underneath. He says a psychological pain can be more threatening to our brain than a physical disease. So the brain can "create" a physical disease in order to force us to stop whatever we were doing wrong previously. I have been doing a lot of thinking since having breast cancer, and I am changing my lifestyle. Are there things you could do to relax during your treatment ?

Take care,
Cathy

lhakons

Donna:

There is a new drug in clinical trial called Gleevec. It's the first of hopefully a family of drugs that appear to "know" which cells are cancer, and go after them. There is a rare form of Leukemia that is always fatal -- my cousin has it. Since they started using Gleevec for it, the survival rate has been very promising. And they believe it will help some types of breast and prostate cancers. So here's at least one new drug that may benefit you. You might check to see if there are any clinical trials you might qualify for.

Prayers coming your way!

Blessings!
Lisa

luckyj

cat1switzerland said:

Hi Donna,
Hang in there ! Do you have friends or family you can talk to ? I have read a book by Guy Corneau, I don't know if it's translated in English (he writes in French, is from Quebec). His point is our body starts illnesses as a way to get our attention. And it won't stop until we've fixed the stress or internal conflict that's hidden underneath. He says a psychological pain can be more threatening to our brain than a physical disease. So the brain can "create" a physical disease in order to force us to stop whatever we were doing wrong previously. I have been doing a lot of thinking since having breast cancer, and I am changing my lifestyle. Are there things you could do to relax during your treatment ?

Take care,
Cathy

Hi Donna, I believe in the mind body connection and trying to have a healthy lifestyle too! Risks for breast cancer include a lot of factors...genetics, hormones, environmental hazards, maybe our diets...blah, blah. We need to take really good care of ourselves..live and love well...feel the feelings and take steps towards recovery. I also think we should be careful not to blame ourselves for having breast cancer. I'll be thinking of you as you face this next challenge. Love, Luckyj

bdean

Dear Donna;
I know you are depressed. The xeloda (sp?) that Tiger is on has helped a friend from my chemo lab who has been through several chemos without any luck. It took it 2 or 3 months to really start showing improvement, but the last time I talked to her she had gotten so much better that she had plastic surgery on the bad scar tissue that her last cancer leisions had left on her chest. So keep positive, I am praying that your mets will start regressing real soon!! You are in my thoughts and prayers. May God bless you and have mercy.
Brenda from GA.

shawna

My grandmother, who doesn't use the computer, is on Navelbine as well as Cisplatin for her Stage III or IV (we are not sure) lung cancer. The tumor in her lung wrapped itself aroung her spine. She has had breast and lung cancer 15 years ago and had thyroid cancer when she was 25 and they told her there was no hope. She is 69 and stayed cancer free the first time for 30 years and then for another 15. She says she is still alive because she did not give up, and you don't either. She says she lays down and closes her eyes and envisions the cancer going away. She stays active and positive and will try ANYTHING anyone has to offer. That is what she did when she was 25 and it saved her life. The Navelbine has given her no real side effects. She has it every week and has Cisplatin every two or three weeks. She has not been nausiated or had any thinning of her hair. We have not been told by the doctors if it is working but she is in less pain so it is not hurting. We will find out next Tuesday I believe. E-mail me and I will let you know what we find out and whether they stay with the Navelbine or not. Hang in there Honey, you can do it. Oh they also suspect mediastinal lymph node involvement with my grandmother. And my mothers good friend lost both breasts, had cancer spread to her lungs, chest wall, brain, literally everywhere who hung in there and lived many years. And cancer treatment was not as good then as it is now. Please don't give up. I will pray for you. Shawna

gottod

cat1switzerland said:

Hi Donna,
Hang in there ! Do you have friends or family you can talk to ? I have read a book by Guy Corneau, I don't know if it's translated in English (he writes in French, is from Quebec). His point is our body starts illnesses as a way to get our attention. And it won't stop until we've fixed the stress or internal conflict that's hidden underneath. He says a psychological pain can be more threatening to our brain than a physical disease. So the brain can "create" a physical disease in order to force us to stop whatever we were doing wrong previously. I have been doing a lot of thinking since having breast cancer, and I am changing my lifestyle. Are there things you could do to relax during your treatment ?

Take care,
Cathy

hi, thank you very much for the reply, though i'm not sure i believer (or really it is i'm not sure i'm able to believe that I (in bold letters) created this physical disease of cancer to force me to stop something i was doing "wrong", it is quite interesting and creates guilt that i caused this horrible ordeal that's been going on for my family and me.
i read your web page and found the parable of rocks and sand.... AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!!!
yes, it will get me thinking and rethinking,
thanks again, donna gotto

gottod

shawna said:

My grandmother, who doesn't use the computer, is on Navelbine as well as Cisplatin for her Stage III or IV (we are not sure) lung cancer. The tumor in her lung wrapped itself aroung her spine. She has had breast and lung cancer 15 years ago and had thyroid cancer when she was 25 and they told her there was no hope. She is 69 and stayed cancer free the first time for 30 years and then for another 15. She says she is still alive because she did not give up, and you don't either. She says she lays down and closes her eyes and envisions the cancer going away. She stays active and positive and will try ANYTHING anyone has to offer. That is what she did when she was 25 and it saved her life. The Navelbine has given her no real side effects. She has it every week and has Cisplatin every two or three weeks. She has not been nausiated or had any thinning of her hair. We have not been told by the doctors if it is working but she is in less pain so it is not hurting. We will find out next Tuesday I believe. E-mail me and I will let you know what we find out and whether they stay with the Navelbine or not. Hang in there Honey, you can do it. Oh they also suspect mediastinal lymph node involvement with my grandmother. And my mothers good friend lost both breasts, had cancer spread to her lungs, chest wall, brain, literally everywhere who hung in there and lived many years. And cancer treatment was not as good then as it is now. Please don't give up. I will pray for you. Shawna

i re read your message from may something and thank you much for the encouraging thoughts, how are things going for you and your family and grandmother?? still using the navelbine??
i have beenusing it weekly since first week of may, skipped once due to low WBC and once due to vacation,
basically feeling well as long as i don't overdue it . no hait thinning or not enought to speak aobut, i won't get a nother scan until late july,, keeping my fingers crossed and counting on friends like you,
thanks dg