so we start chemo again on Monday

[onethatcares]

as a preventive measure the oncologist today decided my wife would undergo 4 months of chemo using the drugs Xelada/Cisplatin.

Reading the side effects is frightening but he said although the cancer was removed there may still be cancerous cells throughout her body just begging to unionize and really do damage.(I like unions, I just used the term)

Geez, she's been doing really well and now on to this section of treatment. Hopefully it goes as well as her surgery.

I hope you all are doing as well as possible, Peace to ya all.

[locks]

1. Thinking of you

I had my second breast surgery in January. Very fortunate chemo not needed as surgeon did not remove lymph nodes. So I have had it "easy" as compared with some of my dear friends and I try to be grateful. I think you are doing the right thing but I truly wish we had more information and that all the cancer survivors and those who did not recover could have a network of good information. There are so many kinds of cancer, treatments, and results and we are all so different. So many years and so many billions have been spent. I hope and pray our grandchildren will not have to suffer as you have. Peace to you.

[Solly Mack]

2. I'll be thinking of you both.

[slipslidingaway]

3. Preventative chemo after treatment is a tough decision ...

hard to balance what is with what might be. Take some comfort that you have a recommendation for the path forward.

Facing something similar, although we are told there is no data of how the drug might work after a second bone marrow transplant ... decision is pretty much our call.

Wishing you both well!

[onethatcares]

4. yeah, it's a damned if you don't

damned if you do situation slip. thanks, and I wish you both the best.

It seems the side effects of the drug combo will be worse than last time and of course we are
waiting for our insurer to approve and to find out what our co-pay is going to be.

[slipslidingaway]

9. Wishing all goes well ...

I think of the commercials where people run through high grass on a bright sunny day with smiles on their faces while they list the side effects.



Whoever said life would be easy!

Currently leaning towards doing the 'insurance drug' and keeping a close eye on side effects as this is a nasty mutation. The drug is not FDA approved for this cancer, but is approved for other cancers so there is some leeway in how it is used.

You just never know.

One day at a time!

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I think the chemo is a wise choice for her. Hope she has smooth sailing

with it and minimal side effects.

[Tab]

6. Not familiar with those meds

but I get the impression the cancer was removed through surgery, and you have to clean up the rest from spreading? That does sound like good news (I know it's not pleasant at the time, but it's nice to have it eradicated and not think any more of it).

Best wishes to your wife and yourself. Let us know how it's going.

- Tab

[wordpix]

7. I also had my tumors surgically removed but had to do chemo for same reason

to kill circulating cancer cells. I did FOLFOX (5 FU, oxalyplatin and leucovorin), 12 rounds.

I was feeling great after recovering from surgery and seriously considered refusing chemo. I was and still am on a 100% organic diet with lots of exercise, eating a lot of raw foods and juicing. I did a lot of research on the chemo + in the end decided to try it (based on a better survival rate with vs. without), and told my doc that if my health went downhill on the chemo, I would quit. I had a terrible 1st round (felt like I had a terrible flu) and threatened to stop but he reduced the dose of one of the drugs and I was fine after that. He reduced again 2x in later rounds (reductions in both drugs) when I had problems. So I got thru all rounds.

I think it's important to set your parameters and have an oncologist willing to work with your wife like mine worked with me. He didn't have the attitude, "It's chemo, suck it up." He worked with me so I would not have awful side effects. I did have some but he managed them well.

Currently I'm "cancer free" 6 mos. after chemo ended. This is great but I have stage 4 so it can easily recur. Good luck with your wife's treatments and hang in there

[onethatcares]

8. thank you for the info.

we could not start today, there was a mix up between the pharmacies and the insurance carrier.

the beginning is set for next Monday the 30th.