Thinking Of Quitting Chemo! Help

YIKES Christina! 

I am on week 8 of Paxlitaxel and I had to stop because my feet got big red sores on them.  Almost as much 'fun' as itching.  I can't do anything but sit around too.  I had FAC last year right after Christmas until about April.  6 rounds every 3 weeks.  Are they giving you anti nausea meds?  They gave me maybe 3 kinds in my IV pre-meds and then Zolfran and Comprazine to take at home.  I was supposed to take the Zolfran every 8 hours for 3-5 days and then the Comprazine (or something like that) if there was any 'break through nausea'.  That worked REALLY well for me.  ALSO for the first couple of times I had some nausea until I learned that if I ate during treatment and kept something in my stomach all the time I felt WAY better!  I guess the food distracted the FAC and gave it something to do besides aggrivate my stomach. 

They should be able to handle that nausea better for you - Tell them you need help and don't give up just yet. 

It should be easier - ask for help and keep us posted!!

As hard as it is try and see it through. If you don't they may possibly do chemo again after the surgery. That is what happened to my friend.

jamiegww said:

You don't have to put up with nausea and vomiting.

You need to let them know what is going on and that something has to be done about it.  There are lots of meds they can prescribe for nausea but you have to let them know you need help.  Maybe you need Emend or maybe you need suppositories but you definitely need something that works for you and please don't let yourself be that miserable for that many days.  Yes, chemo is tough but with the proper treatment you can get through it.

HUGS!!!

Jamie

I agree with Jamie.  You don't have to have all these side effects, or at least not as severely.  If the anti nausea drugs you were prescribed aren't doing the job, there are others.  Call your oncologist and ask for more help.  They expect us to call - I did plenty of times.  Part of their job is to get you through this.

Please don't quit chemotherapy.  Yes, it is not a guarantee, but it's the best defense we have and so many of us are still here because of it.  As our beloved Claudia/Chenheart says "we keep doing what we have to, so we can keep doing what we want to". 

Hang in there, get help, don't suffer.  You will likely not feel wonderful, but you don't have to feel horrible.

Hugs,

Suzanne

Christina82 said:

Thank you guys!!!

Thank you guys for all your kind words and thoughts! It means a lot. 

When I started the new chemo yes they did give me nausea meds through the IV and then gave me Ondansetron to take every 8 hours for the next 3-5 days. But even doing that I still felt weak and had nausea! I only had vomiting for 2 days. One thing I do notice while taking the medicine is that I get bad headaches so after the third day I have to be honest I stop taking them.  I am going to talk to my doctor and see if he can give me any other type of meds that can help me better . 

It's because of the way that I felt after doing the last chemo that I want to stop it. It is so hard to go back when now I know how I am going to feel afterwards.  I will keep you guys updated on the how this next chemo goes on the 14th. I almost to the end and had been doing so well up until now. I just think now I'm to the point that I am finally breaking down. I get so many compliments from everybody telling me how well I am taking all this since I found out I had BC.

Thanks again guys for your replies. I honestly feel a whole lot better! 

experience .. and struggles with you ..

I had breast cancer, but breast cancer no longer defines me. I am a breast cancer SURVIVOR!

=====================
August 14, 2010

First: thanks to all my breast cancer sisters for being out there. You women have given me more hope and valuable information than any of my doctors ever could. I just wanted to share my gratitude, feelings and thoughts.

18 weeks of consecutive chemo therapy -- ending on December 18, 2009 - dose dense chemo treatment plan .. I made it ... crawling to the finish line

1 year of Herceptin -- ending August 20, 2010
Lumpectomy -- 8-10-09
Breast Cancer diagnosis 8-14-09
Bilateral Mastectomy January 12, 2010
Vacation to Grand Canyon April 6th

Emergency surgery and 5 day hospital stay 4-18-10 to removed right tissue expander infection by staph (Staph infection and where or how I contacted is still a mistery to this day - My Infectious Disease Doctor has ordered me to stay in the US for the next 3 years // no traveling outside US)
5 weeks with 1 expander - Unbearable and emotional
Surgery to add a new right expander - 5-22-10
Exchange surgery -- 7-21-10 (no nipples, no aerola) Incisional scars very visible, and raised (due to the many cuts)

Severe reactions to my chemo drugs (TCH) -- insomina,depression and chronic fatigue appeared to be my only friends for so long. I cried daily, had many very dark days and nights, I did have family around - but found myself lonely and unable to convey my feelings. I was no longer the Vicki I remembered. 

I am a Breast Cancer Survior, NED paid me a visit on January 17, 2010. I still find myself very emotional, I don't cry not as much, its just very hard to accept what has happen in my life. I try to be positive but that has its moments. I always wonder will it come back, the dreaded "C" word. My husband is very supportive of all of emotional craziness, as my Oncologist gave us statistics from my prognosis this past Friday. I face several reconstructive surgery, and no health insurance at the end of September 2010.

My next step and goal -- do all that I can to affect a good outcome (exercise, meditation, massage, foods etc) but I also accept that the outcome is ultimately not in my hands, and I am trying to “live in the here and now. However, I do worry that going back to my old life and work and pretending like nothing happened is denial rather than acceptance and that if I don't use this time "wisely" that I will regret it later. I am adopting my teenager's sense of invincibility, with slight caution!

Putting 1 foot in front of the other :-))

WE ARE WARRIORS!!!!

Vicki Sam

‹

Christina82 said:

Holding on!

I don't know what to do, I am so confused! I mean I know for a fact that I don't want to go through this again!!! Will finishing chemo and getting a double mastectomy guarantee that the cancer won't come back?? 

I have two lumps on my right breast, one is at 6 o'clock and the other is at about 9 or 10 o'clock close to my under arm. On my left breast I have nothing. Everything is good with no problems. (For now) I had the genetic testing done and it came back positive. My mother passed away at the age of 27 (I was 2 yrs old) of breast cancer and two of her sisters have been diagnosed with BC also. One of my aunts passed away from it about 4 yrs ago. That's why I am thinking of having a double mastectomy done. To be honest I really just wanted a lumpectomy done but after the genetic test results I am being told this is better for me. 

All of this has happened so fast in a short period of time and has been very emotional for me. I am still working at a full time job just to try and keep my mind busy. I haven't really spoken to anyone about all this till now with all you guys.  

It sounds like you guys have gone through so much more than me and it makes me feel even bad for complaining of my issues but at the same time it's giving me that push and strength that I probably need to finish my chemo!

Last night I also spoke with my kids (I have 4) about my thoughts of quitting chemo and the look on their faces just broke my heart. First question I got was "Why? So are you going to die?" 

So this takes me  back to my first question, will doing and finishing all this treatment Guarantee that it won't come back?? Will I ever feel back to my normal self again?

To be direct and answer your question...no, there is no guarantee.  Just like there is no guarantee that you will not be in a car accident. 

Will you be back to your normal self?  Sadly, none of us have a crystal ball.  We can't see into the future.  Maybe (and it happens) when you are done with all this, you will feel it has changed your life for the better.  Many cancer survivors feel more appreciative of each day and more appreciative of their relationships.

Yes, some of us have more treatments and more challenges.  But this is YOUR challenge...we are all different.  Your cancer, your treatments, are just as valid and important to you as mine are to me.  The only thing those differences mean are that we both get to join this sisterhood.  So there is no reason to apologize.

You are trying to make a very difficult decision and predict the future.  What treatment plan will keep cancer at bay permanently?  I wish I knew the answer to that.  But I do know that whatever you decide, it will be the right decision for you and your family.  And I do know that whatever you decide, we are here for you.

Hugs,

Linda

Christina82 said:

Thank you guys!!!

Thank you guys for all your kind words and thoughts! It means a lot. 

When I started the new chemo yes they did give me nausea meds through the IV and then gave me Ondansetron to take every 8 hours for the next 3-5 days. But even doing that I still felt weak and had nausea! I only had vomiting for 2 days. One thing I do notice while taking the medicine is that I get bad headaches so after the third day I have to be honest I stop taking them.  I am going to talk to my doctor and see if he can give me any other type of meds that can help me better . 

It's because of the way that I felt after doing the last chemo that I want to stop it. It is so hard to go back when now I know how I am going to feel afterwards.  I will keep you guys updated on the how this next chemo goes on the 14th. I almost to the end and had been doing so well up until now. I just think now I'm to the point that I am finally breaking down. I get so many compliments from everybody telling me how well I am taking all this since I found out I had BC.

Thanks again guys for your replies. I honestly feel a whole lot better! 

Ondanestron is not the only meds out there for nausea, so keep asking. 

I hate to mention this, because I know that it can cause permanent tardive dyskinesia (so don't pm me please), but metoclopramide (which has a black box warning for td) saved my life.  I don't know why it worked so well for me but it did.  I went from being unable to even make it into chemo, to being mildly nauseated and was then able to finish chemo and even go back to work.  Discuss various meds and risks with your onc.

Anyway, don't give up!  A good specialist should be able to work on this with you.  And don't forget to ask your onc nurse! It was actually my onc nurse who recommended that I try metoclopramide.  My point is not to recommend metoclopramide (and I only do because it really did save my life), but that there are many, many new options out there.  Don't give up!!!  I was 33 when first diagnosed and I will be 60 this week (YIKES).

"Tardive dyskinesia is a known side effect associated with metoclopramide. The current prescribing information contains information on this risk. Health Canada is working with the Canadian manufacturers to include stronger, more detailed warnings in the drug labelling that contain the following information:

• Tardive dyskinesia may develop in patients treated with metoclopramide. The elderly, especially elderly women, appear to be at increased risk.
• The risk appears to increase with treatment length and the total amount of drug taken.
• Tardive dyskinesia is more likely to be irreversible with long-term treatment (over 12 weeks).
• Less frequently, tardive dyskinesia can develop with short term treatment at low doses; in these cases, the symptoms are more likely to disappear either partially or completely over time, once treatment has been stopped.
• Tardive dyskinesia may not be easy to recognise in its early stages.
• Metoclopramide treatment beyond 12 weeks should be avoided, unless the benefit is judged to outweigh the risk.

Tardive dyskinesia usually appears as involuntary movements of the tongue, face, mouth or jaw. These movements can include lip smacking, chewing, or puckering, or sticking out of the tongue. Sometimes, movements can include the torso or limbs, such as leg shaking. There are no known treatments for tardive dyskinesia once it has become established."

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2011/2011_99-eng.php

Finch_Lady said:

Ask for Sancuso Patch

Christina, I had severe nausea with the common chemo, Adriamycin and Cytoxin.  The day of my 2nd treatment, they wrote a script for a Sancuso Patch.  You put it on the back of your arm the day before treatment and it continuously works for 7 days.  It did wonders for me.  It's very expensive though, even with insurance.  It helped so much that I didn't care how much it cost.  You might ask about it and ask if there's any financial help.

Thinking of you Christina!

Hugs, Jan

Bella Luna said:

Hang in There

Christina... I am sorry you are having to deal with cancer.  It's not an easy road, but I hope the support you get here and, most importantly, from family and friends be of comfort to you. 

Please let your doctors know about your side effects.  If the drugs they are giving you are not working for you, let them know so that they can prescribe something else.  Hang in there.  This is the fight of your life.  It's a scary time, but you can do it.  One step at a time, one breathe at a time.  We are pulling for you all the way.  We are on the other side of the finish line cheering you on!  Hang in there, stay Strong dear Pink Sister!

Hugs,

Ines

 

I'm so sorry Christina.  I hope that you will let your doctors know how you are feeling physically and mentally.  They can help you if they know what to deal with.  Please keep fighting and never give up.  We will help you however we can and keep posting so we know how you are.

We're here!

Hugs, Leeza