working during chemo

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mupix
mupix Member Posts: 19
in Breast Cancer #1
Hello everybody,
I am new here. Was diagnosed with breast cancer a month back. Had a lumpectomy. triple negative.
Starting chemo tomorrow. I am a dentist. I was wondering if I can work through the chemo atleast part time or it is better to stop working for sometime as it could be stressful. My treatment schedule is
4 cycles of cyclophosphamide and doxirubicin 2 weekd apart and then 12 cycles of taxol every week. that make it 5 months
followed by radiation, I am assuming for 2 months or so
any advice will help.
thanks

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  • wirak
    wirak Member Posts: 26
    #2
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    I did the exact same regimen
    I did the exact same regimen as you, except my 4 cycles of A/C were 3 weeks apart instead of 2. This is how it affected me: I had my A/C on Fridays. I slept mostly Friday-Sunday and was pretty nauseaus on Monday and Tuesdays. I am a high school librarian. I almost always had to miss Mondays and the school was good to work with me to go in late (say 9:00 instead of 7:00) the next several days. Weeks two and three were much better. If you have to get the Neulasta shot, the bone pain coupled with the nausea made for a rough couple of days though. I worked all the way through my Taxol and never had to miss any days. For me, the effects were cumulative, and the last couple of weeks the bone and joint pain made it hard to stand/walk for long periods of time. Since I had a mastectomy, my onc didn't make me do radiation. I have been off the Taxol for almost three weeks now, and I am still waiting for it to wear off. Just FYI- my hair fell out almost 3 weeks to the date of my first A/C but started growing back as soon as I started my Taxol. I now have (very short) real hair! Best of luck to you. It is not fun, but it is doable. Let me know how you're doing.
    Hugs,
    Kari
  • ksf56
    ksf56 Member Posts: 202
    #3
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    Sorry
    I'm so sorry you are going through this. I had the same cancer - TN - and close to the same treatment. The schedule sounds very much the same. All of it is pretty exhausting so keep that in mind. You are going through so many emotional and physical changes. Work if you think you can handle it - I marvel at people's ability to do so. We're all different. It matters on nausea control etc. Just remember to take the best care possible of yourself. If you're like me, thinking about yourself first is a novel idea, but now, it needs to be that way. I hope you do well throughtout your treatment! I wish you the best!

    You're in a good place here to have support!

    Hugs and prayers!
    Karen
  • ksf56
    ksf56 Member Posts: 202
    #4
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    Sorry
    I'm so sorry you are going through this. I had the same cancer - TN - and close to the same treatment. The schedule sounds very much the same. All of it is pretty exhausting so keep that in mind. You are going through so many emotional and physical changes. Work if you think you can handle it - I marvel at people's ability to do so. We're all different. It matters on nausea control etc. Just remember to take the best care possible of yourself. If you're like me, thinking about yourself first is a novel idea, but now, it needs to be that way. I hope you do well throughtout your treatment! I wish you the best!

    You're in a good place here to have support!

    Hugs and prayers!
    Karen
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #5
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    Welcome, you've found a
    Welcome, you've found a great place for advice and help. The people here have kept me sane through this journey.

    I did 6 rounds of TAC (3 week cycle) chemo and was off work during that time. I really appreciated being able to focus on family and my health. Since you are a dentist, my biggest concern would be any peripheral neuropathy you might have. The other side effects you could probably manage. (BTW, if you do neupogin or neulasta ask your doc about claratin to manage the bone pain. It worked for me.) Also, I found that I had slightly different side effects as treatment progressed, and the effects of chemo are cumulative. For me, the fatigue was especially bad toward the end.

    I also did xeloda, and later abraxane while working full-time. I did my treatments on Fridays, and worked Mon=Thurs, and sat. It eventually got to be too much for me, and I am now back on medical leave. Again, I am really appreciating the time with my family, and the ability to more conveniently schedule appts and stuff.

    I hope this helps you with your decision. Please come back and let us know how you are doing. There is so much experience here that you'll find someone who has "been there, done that" when you have questions. And we care.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • mupix
    mupix Member Posts: 19
    #6
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Welcome, you've found a
    Welcome, you've found a great place for advice and help. The people here have kept me sane through this journey.

    I did 6 rounds of TAC (3 week cycle) chemo and was off work during that time. I really appreciated being able to focus on family and my health. Since you are a dentist, my biggest concern would be any peripheral neuropathy you might have. The other side effects you could probably manage. (BTW, if you do neupogin or neulasta ask your doc about claratin to manage the bone pain. It worked for me.) Also, I found that I had slightly different side effects as treatment progressed, and the effects of chemo are cumulative. For me, the fatigue was especially bad toward the end.

    I also did xeloda, and later abraxane while working full-time. I did my treatments on Fridays, and worked Mon=Thurs, and sat. It eventually got to be too much for me, and I am now back on medical leave. Again, I am really appreciating the time with my family, and the ability to more conveniently schedule appts and stuff.

    I hope this helps you with your decision. Please come back and let us know how you are doing. There is so much experience here that you'll find someone who has "been there, done that" when you have questions. And we care.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    thank you so much everybody.
    thank you so much everybody. I feel so much better. I did not know about the bone pain. I will start on thurs. and get neulasta on fri. afternoon. I was thinking of wroking tues and wed. maybe. Not sure. I am so used to working full time adn I have 3 young kids that I never took care of myself exclusively before. feels strange.
    will keep in touch. thanks once again.
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #7
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    I worked throught
    treatment. I'm also TN and after 2 lumpectomies (the 2nd to get clear margins), I had 4 rounds of Cytoxan/Taxotere, 2 rounds of Cytoxan/Taxol and then 33 rads. I worked the entire time, taking off Fridays for chemo and either Monday or Tuesday when the bone pain became too much (from the Neulasta shot on Sunday). My chemo was 3 weeks apart. I was only nauseaus once...but I was very tired and had trouble lifting my legs to walk at times. It is cumulative...I had more energy at the beginning of treatment than at the end. Although working was a challenge at times (I'm a bookkeeper so I get to sit), it did take my mind off of what I was going through and kept me busy so I didn't dwell on treatment. I would come home after work and collapse on my bed most evenings. I took 1 evening class and a class every other Saturday. I could do most of my life but did learn to say no when I just couldn't face being in public. My hair fell out 17 days after my first chemo treatment and I gained weight during chemo. My tastes changed--I only wanted pasta with butter and garlic most days. My husband did the shopping and what little cleaning got done -- cleaning is not my priority.

    You do need to limit your exposure to other people to prevent getting sick...your immunity will be compromised. I had to train people not to hug or kiss me while in treatment.

    Good luck to you...it isn't fun, but it is doable.

    Hugs,
    JoAnn

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