My anxiety is through the roof. Honestly. Tell me how your symptoms progressed, or didn't!
Currently week 5 of taxol + carboplatin, but I had a 5 week delay in between infusions 2 and 3.
My symptoms are probably mild but with so much medical PTSD and anxiety, I feel like it's all going to kill me, even my sweaty palms. 7 more weeks and then AC is horrifying.
What was the size of your tumor before you decided to go into surgery for TNBC
So my oconologist called me to tell me the bad news about my PET scan- bone mets ( tnbc). So stage changed to IV. What really bothered me is that at one point I’m not sure if she was crying or just all choked up. I asked her why she sounded like that and she said because she had to give me this bad news. I since went on Reddit and many told me its not a death sentence and many tools in toolbox to treat. These past few days all I can think about is the way she acted. She is nice snd I like her. The facility is world class so I wouldn’t question her competency but I do think its kind of unprofessional… or she doesn’t think she can help me?
Sparklers for everybody! Happy Independence Day! I got the best call right before the holiday weekend… PCR! The call came nine days after my lumpectomy. Tumor site and three lymph nodes all clear, nothing but normal cells and dead cancer cells!
I was trying to be optimistic because I was BARELY stage 2, my tumor was 1.8 cm but imaging is so tricky and they kept saying my lymph nodes looked very suspect but they couldn’t confirm involvement. At my mid-chemo ultrasound the mass had shrunk to like a third of its size. But I also had to stop so many drugs for side effects ugh… 10 taxol instead of 12, 2 carbo instead of 4, stopped keytruda at 5, did all the AC so finally I could say I finished something.
Anyway I’ll have some radiation (how much, does anyone know?) just to make sure there’s nothing hiding outside of the surgery areas but it’s highly unlikely at this point and I am just so happy to be done with chemo!
I feel ok at the moment but I only started it yesterday and have a real phobia of vomiting so any slight nausea makes it hard for me to do day to day stuff. I’m gluten intolerant, vegetarian with IBS, probably gastroparesis and reflux. I’ve read that PPIs reduce the effectiveness of Xeloda and I asked the doctor about this yesterday, she said she’d get back to me but didn’t. They gave me domperidone but only 30 pills and the instruction is to take it 3x daily if needed for nausea but I have a history of vomiting undigested food 12 hours after eating so I feel like that should have been addressed… seems like some anti nausea meds make gastroparesis worse, others increase risk of QT elongation with the domperidone. This is going to be 6-8 months! Did you get nauseous or know of anything to avoid it / help it? (Also cross posting this to the main breast cancer group - hope that’s ok)
I've had two infusions with taxol and carbo so far and noticed right after my infusion my heart rate lowers quite a bit. My cardiologist and oncologist aren't worried if I don't have any other symptoms.
It's been two nights since my infusion and as I was trying to sleep I was woken up three times by feeling my heart "drop".
Has any experienced a lower heart rate and did anything different to prevent it for future infusions? Like switching to abraxane or lowering the pre med doses or something else? Thank you
Hi Im newly dx, 58 single office admin living south of Boston. Starting Keynote 522 treatment in 2 weeks. I had to wait 5 weeks to see surgeon (dont like) then med onc (do like). Over all it will be 8 weeks since my mamo found a 2cm mass. Is this common?
I want/need to work, my company is willing to let me be hybrid. Am I foolish for thinking I can work? Should I just take FMLA?
ER low,PR-,Her2-, No BRCA.Grade 3 Either 1B or 2A. Ive been getting yearly mamo since I was 30 bc my mom had Inflammatory BC and passed at 51. Dr said no link but seems more likely something hereditary. Also recently lost 80lbs on a glp1. Sad i will have to stop that and probably gain back the weight.
Starting keynote 522 soon. In my part of the world I have to take the subway ( mass transit ) to and from for treatments. Is this doable? I don’t have anyone to drive me. Has anyone taken the NYC subways to and from treatments?
I've done 5 infusions so far, the first two with zero reaction. The last 3 infusions (Taxol and Carboplatin every week, Keytruda every 3rd), I've gotten mild to severe fevers on infusion nights. The next day I can't really get out of bed and day 3 I can work on and off (remotely) but mostly off. Day 4 I feel completely normal and can exercise/do normal things.
On the days with fever I feel so awful like I can't even lift my head. I thought a fever of 100.4 was an emergency, so the first time my temp said 101, I had my husband packing a 'go' bag while I called the after hours doctor. They told me to stay put for now and call back if it got worse, alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen.
This week (week 5) I hit 103 fever (while on Tylenol) and the on call doc told me to go in to the ER. The hospital gave fluids, antibiotics, morphine, Tylenol, ibuprofen and did a bunch of tests. I left in the morning with a temp of 100.5.
These fevers got me feeling just really awful, like cannot move, do not want to even drink water, get up for the restroom. I am still pushing fluids as much as I can, but it's difficult to lift my head.
Am I overreacting and this is normal? The oncologist adjusted my meds down for the round this week and it's the worst week I've had. And they gave me extra fluids with it.
They told me this is generally the easier 12 weeks to handle, when I get to the rounds with AC it'll be worse. I'm not even halfway through Taxol/Carbo and I'm dreading infusion day. I can set my watch to when I'll start my decent into fever and pain.
Any advice for how to tolerate these reactions? Am I being too sensitive and these fevers should be no big deal?
At what point during neo-adjuvant chemo did everyone receive a “status check” ultrasound and/or MRI if everything with treatment was going relatively normal? I just had my 5th treatment today. I’ve only had breast exams by my MO so far since all my initial staging scans. I know we will do MRI during AC as we get close to planning surgery but like did you have something before then? I want to know for sure what’s going on in there and if the fucker is on its way out. I swear mine looked like the shape of a rat on ultrasound 🐀 initially.
Patience is a virtue.
Did anybody on abraxane experience heart symptoms? Like slowed heart rate after treatment and flutters/papiltations and shortness of breath even at rest. I went to the ER all my blood work, EKG, and X-ray came back normal. But I just want to see if anybody else has experienced these things?
I’m in a trial but got randomised to the control group. I’m a little disappointed not to get the new targeted therapy but in England even the control group gets additional pembrolizumab (usually that would only continue for those who got PCR and be switched to Xeloda for those who didn’t) so I’m still going to receive extra treatment compared to going to the nearer hospital. Anyone else in a similar position wanting to touch base like a buddy system and go through it as a group? Anyone got any tips to reduce side effects?
Ihr Lieben!!
Ich hatte mir ja so Sorgen gemacht, weil nach drei Chemos Taxol wegen etwas anderem ein MRT gemacht wurde und der Tumor größer aussah als auf dem Ultraschall und CT vor der Chemo.
Heute (vier Chemos Taxol mittlerweile und eine Woche nach dem MRT) wurde ein Ultraschall gemacht, um etwas anderes abzuklären und gleich auch auf den Tumor geschaut und siehe da: der Ultraschall zeigt nur noch 6mm an!!
Ich möchte euch Mut machen, falls ihr auch ein MRT hattet und einen Schock bekommen habt, ob der Tumor reagiert oder nicht. Ich freue mich so sehr!
My wife was recently diagnosed with tnbc and we are currently in the middle of all the tests, biopsies, meetings, scheduling nightmares. I know everyone says this is the worst part, I’m trying to keep my head afloat for both of our sakes. My wife is 37 and we have a 17 month old at home. Our friend group and family have been there for us so much already. My slogan has been “one day at a time” because that’s all we can manage.
I don’t even know what I need or hope to accomplish by typing this but I’m committed to staying positive and helping her beat this thing. We just got mri results yesterday and it wasn’t good news. Currently in the waiting area as she gets her bone scan and CT. We are also getting a second opinion from a comprehensive breast cancer center here in town. We are now very familiar with a lot of terminology and phrases we’d never heard of before. Keynote 522 is already the plan and we have a port install date. I am in the process of contacting my company HR department so I can figure out how to manage work expectations.
I will take any and all kind words, thoughts, advice, anecdotes, whatever you got for me. I am so ready for her chemo to start so we can start shrinking this stupid thing inside of her and getting rid of it. Thanks for reading.
For context, my original tumor was 4 cms with indeterminate lymph nodes status. Had sentinal node biopsy with 3 nodes removed + mastectomy. All clear and achieved PCR. So now I’m wondering what’s the latest standard for radiation. I’m meeting the doctor in next 2 days, so want to gather information on what this group or people with similar context thinks here.
Any information is greatly appreciated.
Hi all. I need advice. I’m halfway through AC chemo and suffer from terrible night sweats. My pajamas and beds are drenched and then I get chills from being wet. It really interferes with my sleep. Does anyone have any ideas how to deal with this? Sweat wicking pajamas or bedding ideas?
Why did or did you not choose to participate in this trial?
Hallo,
nach 4 PC-Chemos mit zwei mal Keytruda wurde wegen etwas anderem ein MRT gemacht und gesehen, dass der Tumor noch nicht geschrumpft ist.
Ein Ultraschall wurde noch nicht gemacht, das machen sie hier erst nach sechs Chemos . Hatte das auch jemand, dass es ein paar mehr Chemos gebraucht hat zum Schrumpfen? Ich habe viel von Leuten gelesen, wo er direkt weggeschrumpft ist.
Mache mir sehr Sorgen um meine Mama.
What would you guys do in my situation.. so today I went into my office visit before my third infusion. I had some confusion with my pathology report after surgery but never asked until today. My report says “DCIS size/extent: Up to 1.3 cm greatest dimension (intermixed with invasive carcinoma).” “And IDC 1.3cm greatest dimension” so I’ve always wondered if my invasive size was smaller since it does say it’s intermixed with dcis. So I asked my onc today and he looks and says “oh your idc was only 7mm” but I don’t see that anywhere on the pathology report.. I know my biopsy said it was 7mm but he specifically said my path said 7mm.. but why wouldn’t he have told me that in the beginning?? I’m just confused and don’t know what to do. Because now he’s saying chemo is up to me and there’s only a 2-5% benefit of chemo with a 7mm size.. I just need opinions.
My imaging wasn’t clear apparently so my team assumed it’s first stage but turns out after surgery one node out of 14 came positive. So it’s stage 2B
I’m on adjuvent therapy
Fec*4
P+C*4
Every 3 weeks.
I haven’t been reading this regime for any of the people here