Breast Cancer Treatment With Chemotherapy

I found this interesting article entitled ... Breast Cancer Treatment with Chemotherapy. I've just touched on some of the many points in the article but if you'd like to read the whole thing, please feel free to follow the link.

For Breast Cancer, chemotherapy can be used in three different ways to fight the disease. Firstly, chemo can be given after surgery and radiation to prevent it from cancer from coming back as there is a chance the cancer may have spread through the lymphatic system. Secondly, chemo may be given to shrink a tumor before it can be surgically removed. And thirdly, chemo is given to metastatic patients to kill cancer cells and help them live longer. This is my category.

There are many common chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer but I've only listed the two that I've been treated with:

• Docetaxel (Taxotere)
• FEC - fluorouracil, which is also known as 5FU, epirubicin, cycophosphamide
  

I had six treatments of FEC back in 2000 after surgery and radiation. I've lost track of how many treatments I've had of Taxotere since August of 2008.

Generally, cycles of chemo are every 2-4 weeks and but can varies quite a bit. When on FEC my cycle was supposed to be every three weeks but ended up being every four weeks as my white blood cells would not recover in time ... so chemo had to be postponed. With the Taxotere, my cycle is three weeks.

Chemotherapy generally goes in via a vein. My six chemo treatments in 2000 pretty well destroyed or damaged any good IV veins in my left arm therefore in August of 2008 when I started chemo again, a CVC - central line was inserted on my chest wall. That worked for about eight months until I got an infection. Now I have a PICC line in my arm.

There are numerous side effects of chemo. Some of which include; hair loss, fatigue, nausea, weight gain and many more. Side effects vary quite a bit with the chemo you are on and based on my experience are cumulative.

With chemo there are a few danger signs to watch for with the main one being a high fever and chills. This is usually indicative of an infection. My thermometer is always within reaching distance.

With CT scans every six weeks, we can monitor my progress and see how the battle is going. Up to this point, I'd have to say I'm happy with the results ... we are shrinking some of the many tumors and have prevented any others from growing.

A Little Off Topic

Just up from what appears to have become a regular morning nap. Now that I'm up, I have a bit more energy.

Being the weekend, I thought I'd go a little bit off topic and post a video that has been kicking around the Internet for a while. Hope you enjoy it.

Beautiful Day Today

My CT scan when well yesterday. The nurses used the PICC line for the infusion of the dye. No need for another needle poke ... yippee! I'm not sure if anyone else experiences this but I get a bit of diarrhea a few hours after the CT scan or .... maybe the next morning. I'm thinking it may be from drinking two liters of water within 45 minutes. Anyways, it's only mild.

With the help of Adivan, I had another solid sleep last night. And this morning another nap. Boy I sure need that rest.

I'm off to the Cancer Institute to change dressing on the PICC line ....

Hope everyone is having a wonderfully sunny day today!

CT Scan Today

Thank you everyone for your kind comments. They really do make all this just a little bit easier.

I just wanted to mention that there are many outstanding blogs listed on the right hand side of my blog. Please do try and visit some of these blogs. Most are cancer related and each and every one of them have an individual story. Some have completed treatment and some are in the midst of treatment. All are motivating and inspiring.

I find the support I get from these bloggers is amazing and I hope others do too.

This afternoon, I'm off for a CT scan. I'm not sure when I'll get the results as I don't see my oncologist for almost two weeks ... just before the next chemo cycle.

It's going to be a nice day today and even nicer tomorrow.

Mini Meltdown

Just got back from the Cancer Institute ... from getting my PICC line redressed. It was a bit more eventful than I had hoped.

When the nurse (a different one than my regular one) and I looked at my PICC line we noticed the dressing was all loose and that the line had come out a couple of centimeters. When first inserted, the line goes into your body about 50 or 60 centimeters. I was devastated thinking they would have to remove this PICC line and get another one inserted.

Being this is only day 8 of the cycle, my emotions are still very fragile and it took all I had to hold back the tears.

Well, she said, we'll have to send you to x-ray to see if it is still located properly ... within the chest area. Off I go to x-ray. I step into the room and blam ... I couldn't hold back the tears. The x-ray technical says ... it's only a simple x-ray and you'll be fine.

I collected myself and went back to daycare where they already had the results of the x-ray. Everything was O.K. ... the line was still intact. I tried to wipe away the tears and collect myself as best I could but when the nurse called me to have the dressing changed, she could see I was holding back the tears. The sweet nurse reassured me everything was fine and just let her know what I wanted her to do and we'll get through this. She said your emotions are high because of the chemo ... just try and relax and it will all be O.K. I needed that.

When we took the dressing apart we noticed that nothing was holding the PICC line down. We had so much cortisone cream and Vaseline soaked gauze in the dressing that made the steristrips ineffective. Today we changed up a few things including adding a 'lock' to secure the line.

I may have to write a book ... PICC Lines for Dummies.

Tired .... Tired ... Tired

Last night I made a decision not to go to class. I was just too irritated, tired and unfocused. I ended up going to bed at just after 7:00 pm. I took an Adivan around 7:30. I was sooo tired I can't even tell you. Shortly afterwords, I fell asleep and woke up around 12 hours later. This morning I had breakfast and once again fell asleep for about an hour and a half. I may do the same this afternoon. I'm just so tired.

Yesterday afternoon, I went and had my dry dressing changed on my PICC line. When the nurse took the dressing off, we saw a couple new irritations. The Friday before when she changed my dressing she said she was afraid the PICC line might come out if not secured properly so she may have secured it a bit too tight which caused some new sores. Her concern was that without this little lock 'thingy' we haven't been using ... because my skin is too sensitive, there is a chance my PICC could slip out.

She just reminded me to stay away from yard work. To be honest, I don't do much of anything anymore, so that isn't even a concern. My concern would be that I would inadvertently pick up something that is heavier than I should.

This particular nurse had a great suggestion and that was for me to always book appointments with her instead of a different nurse each time. That way she could see how the area was healing. What a great idea ... I'm all over that one. I no longer have to explain to each nurse all the different adhesives we've tried and yes my skin is that sensitive and so on.

So we are switching to dressing changes every two days and see how that goes.

So in our chit chat, we briefly talked about the Mayo Clinic, going to Mexico for treatment and the 'mashed asparagus' breakfast dinner lunch remedy. I still haven't heard any good reason to change treatments. I think what I'm getting right here right now is the best I can get.

I just received an email regarding a fellow metastatic breast cancer survivor. She passed away today. Thou I'd never met her I was told she was quite the lady ... a real fighter.

May you rest in peace, my fellow pink warrior.

It's Official .... Spring Has Sprung

Due to the chemo, yesterday was not a very good day for me.

One positive thing is that my sister, on behalf of my mother, dropped off these lovely geranium planters. Aren't they lovely?

Unfortunately, I was feeling pretty bad so our visit was very short.

Later this afternoon, I have my dry dressing change on my PICC line at the hospital. I've canceled my patient support group meeting for today ... and tonight I have class. Not sure if I'm going to even try and make it to half the class. I'm still feeling weak, tired and irritated and need to be home resting.

I'm a bit slow responding to people's emails and phone calls ... I just need to get over a few more of these ugly days.

Just Up From A Nap

Here is my routine ... something to eat, some sleep, something to eat, some sleep.

Thanks everyone for the great advice .... 'rest is best'. It is so simple and yet such an important reminder.

Yesterday I mentioned I struggle a bit with digestion but a prescription of Metoclopramide does a good job resolving that. If you read the linked article it talks about it helping with nausea or vomiting but that is not what I need it for.

What it does for me is get the gastric muscles moving and therefore, moving the food down the intestines. What appears to happen for me is that I'll eat and the food sits above my stomach and in my throat. It's like my stomach refuses to process the food. Anyways, this medication seems to stimulate movement and food digestes.

The only other major side effect I'm experiencing is intense cold chills. So all and all I'm really doing pretty good.

Got Some Better Sleep Last Night

Last night I went to sleep at 9:00 pm and slept solid till about 3:30 in the morning. After that is was a bit choppy but still pretty good.

The next few days of the cycle have me feeling a bit worst than the other.

So for example, today I'm feeling a bit weaker, my stomach is a little upset ... not wanting to digest food. I have a heightened sense of smell. One of the smells that really turns me off is that I can smell myself ... kind of a chemoy smell. Unfortunately, even nicely scented things smell bad.

My plans are to just take it real easy.

Blogging will minimal for the next few days.