Adriamycin/cytoxan chemo every 2 weeks-can i change that

jd1224
jd1224 Member Posts: 15
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Last treatment this Monday. Anybody ever stop after a few of these? I'm going for my last treatment out of 4 and I'm so tired and sickly from 2 weeks ago I'm not sure how i will handle it. I'm doing dense dose which is every 2 weeks verses every 3 weeks because my doctor wants to treat my tumor aggressive. Last Mondays doc. appt. he said he could not feel a hint of the tumor anymore. I'm stage 2 IDC. This treatment has kicked me in the a**. Can i ask for something other than the Adriamycin which is also referred to as "The red devil". This is a chemo drug that is so toxic there are times i feel like i am dying, and that's no joke. I know i only have 1 last round but I'm petrified of this drug now. I told my doctor last time and he said I'm not alone, that my treatment is harsh and one of the worst chemo cocktails you can get. Someone? Advice? Did i mention i was diagnosed on April 1st..April fools day. nice.

Comments

  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #2
    The effects of the chemo are
    The effects of the chemo are cumulative; therefore, you will feel more tired, etc. as you receive treatments. You only have one more and if this is the protocol for your dx and also gives you the best prognosis, I would say try to finish it. I didn't have this cocktail, I had taxotere and cytoxan. So, I am not speaking from experience. I am sending strength your way to not only complete your treatment but to also find the answers from within that you are searching for. Good luck and keep us posted.

    P.S. I can say that April 1st is a good day for me...it's the day I met my husband, eighteen years ago.
  • TawnyS
    TawnyS Member Posts: 144 Member
    #3
    Reading your words takes me back to my chemo days. I tell ya, I absolutely thought that AC was going to kill me. I couldn't move, eat, even talk for days. Then as the AC built up the days I was sick added to where I just couldn't bounce back. I don't know if this will help you, but what always got me through was thinking how lucky I was to be able to receive treatment when there were so many women out there diagnosed with cancer that wasn't treatable. I always thought even though I thought my life was the absolute worst that these women would love to be in my shoes. The chance for their life to be saved. I always would think about the people that were diagnosed terminal. I kept going back for them, for my husband, for my 8 year old daughter, for my grandmother that died from breast cancer in the 70's where she didn't have a chance with the treatments they had then. I kept going back for me. You can do this. I know it is so miserable right now, but you don't ever want to think back that maybe you should have taken that last round of AC, or what if I would have taken that last round of AC. I am guessing you are having the neulasta shot to get the AC every two weeks? I do know that you can do AC every 3 weeks. I did twice when I didn't get the shot. That would only be prolonging the inevitible, though. It would just give you another week to think about not wanting to get it. I know it feels so bad. Please keep us posted on your decision. I know you can do it. You've already done 3...you can do it one more time. Have you gotten fluids/hydration the following day from chemo? This helps a lot. Even though you may not feel like getting back to the clinic the fluids help. I got fluids every single time after chemo. For the AC I would get fluids for 2 or 3 days following chemo. Good luck to you! Sending big hugs to you!
  • jd1224
    jd1224 Member Posts: 15
    #4
    TawnyS said:

    Reading your words takes me back to my chemo days. I tell ya, I absolutely thought that AC was going to kill me. I couldn't move, eat, even talk for days. Then as the AC built up the days I was sick added to where I just couldn't bounce back. I don't know if this will help you, but what always got me through was thinking how lucky I was to be able to receive treatment when there were so many women out there diagnosed with cancer that wasn't treatable. I always thought even though I thought my life was the absolute worst that these women would love to be in my shoes. The chance for their life to be saved. I always would think about the people that were diagnosed terminal. I kept going back for them, for my husband, for my 8 year old daughter, for my grandmother that died from breast cancer in the 70's where she didn't have a chance with the treatments they had then. I kept going back for me. You can do this. I know it is so miserable right now, but you don't ever want to think back that maybe you should have taken that last round of AC, or what if I would have taken that last round of AC. I am guessing you are having the neulasta shot to get the AC every two weeks? I do know that you can do AC every 3 weeks. I did twice when I didn't get the shot. That would only be prolonging the inevitible, though. It would just give you another week to think about not wanting to get it. I know it feels so bad. Please keep us posted on your decision. I know you can do it. You've already done 3...you can do it one more time. Have you gotten fluids/hydration the following day from chemo? This helps a lot. Even though you may not feel like getting back to the clinic the fluids help. I got fluids every single time after chemo. For the AC I would get fluids for 2 or 3 days following chemo. Good luck to you! Sending big hugs to you!

    Thank you all for being there
    I'm so much having myself a private pity party right now. Yes, TawnyS, i get the neulasta the day after chemo. Its hard to drag myself in to even get that shot, but onward i go. You are right about others in the past who never had a chance. I feel I'm being selfish with my complaining and crying on this subject. I truly am petrified and scared out of my mind for this last treatment, when i know i should be smiling ear to ear that its finally coming to an end. I think my mind has been cloudy and I'm praying for relief from nausea,achy joints,crying, worry, fear, hair-loss,dry skin, dry eyes etc.. and everything we all just are so very tired from. I can't stress enough how lucky i am to have found this board to vent on. My family is so wonderful. 5 brothers and sisters who are there for me, both of my parent,my wonderful husband who has taken on all of my duties without complaint and 3 children ages 16,18 and 20 who walk in and kiss my forehead, wrap there arms around me and ask if there's anything i need. Who could ask for more? right? I know i will go for my last treatment. I owe it to all of them and to myself to get well. I always thought i was stronger than this. I guess we all have our weak moments.
  • GenieM27
    GenieM27 Member Posts: 30
    #5
    jd1224 said:

    Thank you all for being there
    I'm so much having myself a private pity party right now. Yes, TawnyS, i get the neulasta the day after chemo. Its hard to drag myself in to even get that shot, but onward i go. You are right about others in the past who never had a chance. I feel I'm being selfish with my complaining and crying on this subject. I truly am petrified and scared out of my mind for this last treatment, when i know i should be smiling ear to ear that its finally coming to an end. I think my mind has been cloudy and I'm praying for relief from nausea,achy joints,crying, worry, fear, hair-loss,dry skin, dry eyes etc.. and everything we all just are so very tired from. I can't stress enough how lucky i am to have found this board to vent on. My family is so wonderful. 5 brothers and sisters who are there for me, both of my parent,my wonderful husband who has taken on all of my duties without complaint and 3 children ages 16,18 and 20 who walk in and kiss my forehead, wrap there arms around me and ask if there's anything i need. Who could ask for more? right? I know i will go for my last treatment. I owe it to all of them and to myself to get well. I always thought i was stronger than this. I guess we all have our weak moments.

    I know to well what you're feeling
    Jd, I know to well what you're feeling. I hated that A/C chemo dense dose every 2 weeks. I just finished mine back in February. It was beyond brutal, but I totally agree with Tawny. I too, thought about others who had terminal cancer (like my mom) who had no option. My faith played a very important part, because without it I don't think I could have gotten through it. It's okay to have your weak moments I too had mine too. You can do this and get to the other side!!! I felt so proud of myself when it was done and you will too! I will be praying for you! Hugs Genie!
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #6
    I had the.......
    I had the same chemo mix as you. Also had it every two weeks. I was tired and I developed pretty severe neuropathy for awhile.
    But I finished, and I am glad I did. And don't let the nickname given a drug scare you so.
    No, it is not easy, but neither is cancer.
    Discuss your concerns again with your Dr. If she feels that you are truly at risk from the drug, she will stop it, I'm sure. Otherwise, I hope you will finish.

    CR
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #7
    Only you can know what is right for you
    For me, the A/C was not bad at all. 2 days after the infusion I was tired 2 days out of the 14 days between doses but resting/napping helped on those days. Taxol on the other hand totally put me out, resting/napping DID NOT help at all. When I saw my chemo Dr before the 10th weekly dose I told him how lower than low I was feeling - his reply was that I could stop if I wanted to as the Taxol had already done 85% - 90% of what it could do or I could tough it through the remaininng 3 doses and get 100% of what it could do. As I'm IBC - a very aggressive type that doesn't have the greatest survival rate - it was a "no-brainer" for me - had to 'dig' deeper and pull through it all. IF I hadn't done everything possible to beat the beast - how could I tell my Hubby of 34yrs, our Son and Grand-daughter that I had wimped out rather than stayed the fight, if/when something shows up again? I might have to tell them in the future anyway that the beast is back somewhere else - they will know that everything that could be done to keep it from coming back was done.

    As this will be your last dose, you might ask your Dr about not getting the Neulasta shot after it - some have had a lot of problems from the Neulasta - I didn't - all it did was, almost to the minute, 2 hrs after the shot I would go to sleep for 2 -3 hrs and then wake up with no other problems from it.

    We are all very different and our bodies react differently to treatments so you and only you can know what is right for you and yours.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #8
    GenieM27 said:

    I know to well what you're feeling
    Jd, I know to well what you're feeling. I hated that A/C chemo dense dose every 2 weeks. I just finished mine back in February. It was beyond brutal, but I totally agree with Tawny. I too, thought about others who had terminal cancer (like my mom) who had no option. My faith played a very important part, because without it I don't think I could have gotten through it. It's okay to have your weak moments I too had mine too. You can do this and get to the other side!!! I felt so proud of myself when it was done and you will too! I will be praying for you! Hugs Genie!

    tawney and the others put it
    tawney and the others put it so eloquently. I was very sick on chemo and i also felt like Iwas dying. I didnt know how I could do one more, and frequently said to my husband "I quit" but I didnt even given the option to not do the last taxol. I had to make sure I did all I could. Some people are told to quit and that is different. YOU CAN DO IT!
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #9
    Rague said:

    Only you can know what is right for you
    For me, the A/C was not bad at all. 2 days after the infusion I was tired 2 days out of the 14 days between doses but resting/napping helped on those days. Taxol on the other hand totally put me out, resting/napping DID NOT help at all. When I saw my chemo Dr before the 10th weekly dose I told him how lower than low I was feeling - his reply was that I could stop if I wanted to as the Taxol had already done 85% - 90% of what it could do or I could tough it through the remaininng 3 doses and get 100% of what it could do. As I'm IBC - a very aggressive type that doesn't have the greatest survival rate - it was a "no-brainer" for me - had to 'dig' deeper and pull through it all. IF I hadn't done everything possible to beat the beast - how could I tell my Hubby of 34yrs, our Son and Grand-daughter that I had wimped out rather than stayed the fight, if/when something shows up again? I might have to tell them in the future anyway that the beast is back somewhere else - they will know that everything that could be done to keep it from coming back was done.

    As this will be your last dose, you might ask your Dr about not getting the Neulasta shot after it - some have had a lot of problems from the Neulasta - I didn't - all it did was, almost to the minute, 2 hrs after the shot I would go to sleep for 2 -3 hrs and then wake up with no other problems from it.

    We are all very different and our bodies react differently to treatments so you and only you can know what is right for you and yours.

    that is a great idea about
    that is a great idea about the neulasta esp if you dont have to do taxol.

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