Meeting with Medical Oncologist to plan my chemo treatments..need advice

gobluegirl90
gobluegirl90 Member Posts: 53
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am meeting with my Medical Oncologist in a few days and I am so eager to get these Chemo treatments started...just scared out of my wits too. LOL

Does anyone have any good advice on what questions I should ask him? Or questions that those of you already in or completed with chemo wish you would have asked them at that first visit?

I am reading about all of these different types of cocktails trying to figure out what which I will have..i guess i will find out soon.

I am 38 yrs with IDC Stage I, all nodes were negative, grade III (aggressive form?) Triple Negative also(i still don't understand the triple neg/thing and how it effects me does it make it worse prognosis or what?

Comments

  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #2
    Hi goblue! I did not have
    Hi goblue! I did not have the Triple Negative, but I bumped up a thread about it~ I hope you find some of the answers you are looking for.

    We all know how scary this journey is and you have now added a large, supportive family to your circle of friends. We are with you to hold your hand, hug you, let you vent, cheer, cry~ whatever you need at any moment in time.

    As one Sister wisely said: You are our past, and we are your future! Hang in there!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥
  • rrogers34
    rrogers34 Member Posts: 135
    #3
    Chemo
    I just completed my Chemo April 20th. My Onc and I went over what my cocktail would be. I too have IDC, Stage 1, Neg Nodes, Grade 2 but am her2+ which makes mine more aggressive. I am ER & PR + which means mine is hormone based. I had a lumpectomy in Dec. I asked what the side effects would be and what would I be given to help with them. He told me how I reacted to my first treatment would pretty much be how it would each time. I had 6 treatments. I have worked through it. I would be off on Tues which is when I would get treatment, feel okay for the next two days, then Friday would be my down day. Each of us are different, so remember you just because they list all of the side effects it doesn't mean you will get all of them. I will tell you what everyone here told me. Drink, Drink, Drink water to help flush it out of your system. Make sure you ask about any vitamins or supplements you are taking as they can sometimes interfere with the chemo. I know it is very scary, but it is doable. We are here for you. Once you hear what you will be on post it and those who have acutally been on that cocktail can give you more advice. I was terrified, but I got through it and you will too.

    God Bless
    Becky
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #4
    Take it easy when blood counts are low!
    This is not a question for the onc but just my advice: When you get weekly blood tests during chemo and your white blood counts and/or neutrophils are low, TAKE IT EASY! One week my counts were quite low. The nurse went over all the precautions -- no crowds, no salad bars, etc. etc. Well, I thought I just HAD to get groceries and run errands. Came down with a monster two-week cold and cough. Wish I'd listened. We have a hard time delegating and letting things go, but you have to sometimes. Plan on some rest and isolation!
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #5
    Gobluegirl
    I would assume that your doctor would go over the type of chemo you'll be getting, and the schedule for your infusions. This discussion should include possible side effects, so make sure to get as much information as you can about what you might expect, and ask what you might be able to do to counteract any side effects you may have.

    I think that one of the most important things to know before you start the chemo is what to do when you experience the side effects. I was very lucky that my cancer center had a 24/7 nurse hotline I could call if I had ANY questions, but I've seen messages on these boards from some poor ladies who were left over the weekend without support and in a lot of pain or discomfort. Make sure you have a way to contact someone, or just clear instructions on when you should go to an urgent care center or ER so that you don't have to go through that. Hopefully you won't even need it, but if you do need help over a weekend or at night, you want to make sure you can get a hold of someone within a reasonable time.

    Good luck,
    Cindy
  • Hubby
    Hubby Member Posts: 325
    #6
    Questions
    We will be meeting with the oncologist next week; stage I, grade 3, may be triple - (waiting for pathology to be redone); she is 47. My wife wants to know the actual percentages of what chemo will do; reoccurance with chemo is __% and without chemo goes up to __%; Why this chemo and not some other coctail; and of course the treatment schedule and side affects.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #7
    Hubby said:

    Questions
    We will be meeting with the oncologist next week; stage I, grade 3, may be triple - (waiting for pathology to be redone); she is 47. My wife wants to know the actual percentages of what chemo will do; reoccurance with chemo is __% and without chemo goes up to __%; Why this chemo and not some other coctail; and of course the treatment schedule and side affects.

    gobluegirl
    welcome to the site.I wish I asked about induced menopause. Also if you are going to have children you need to bring this up during your discussion with doc. Chemo can force you into early menopause and complicate after treatment fertility issues.
    Good luck,
    New Flower
  • gobluegirl90
    gobluegirl90 Member Posts: 53
    #8
    chenheart said:

    Hi goblue! I did not have
    Hi goblue! I did not have the Triple Negative, but I bumped up a thread about it~ I hope you find some of the answers you are looking for.

    We all know how scary this journey is and you have now added a large, supportive family to your circle of friends. We are with you to hold your hand, hug you, let you vent, cheer, cry~ whatever you need at any moment in time.

    As one Sister wisely said: You are our past, and we are your future! Hang in there!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥

    Triple Negative..bumped up thread
    How and where to I go to find these "threads" I keep hearing about on items, my concern at this time is the Triple Negative/with HER2 Negative also. Can you let me know where to go i am really concerned about this.

    Thank you for your post. How ling have you been cancer free and what was you type/stage and age when you found Cancer? (I hate the word) My 9 yr daughter won;t let me say the "C" word. lol
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #9
    gobluegirl90 said:

    Triple Negative..bumped up thread
    How and where to I go to find these "threads" I keep hearing about on items, my concern at this time is the Triple Negative/with HER2 Negative also. Can you let me know where to go i am really concerned about this.

    Thank you for your post. How ling have you been cancer free and what was you type/stage and age when you found Cancer? (I hate the word) My 9 yr daughter won;t let me say the "C" word. lol

    Lots of times, if we know
    Lots of times, if we know that someone recently posted, we simply find that post, and by answering it ( even just by typing "bump") it will move the subject to the top of the page.

    BUT~ go to the Breast Cancer Discussion boards, first page of them, and on the top right-hand side, it gives you an option of searching for topics posted to BC. Type Triple Negative, and all of the posts dealing with that subject will pop up for you! You can add them to your personal favorites if it is something you want to keep for future reference

    I am a 7 year survivor, btw, and doing just fine! You will too! Hang in there!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥

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