Finished with test and starting chemo

[Babycat21]

Greetings to everyone

I've been busy with doc's and tests it seems everyday it seems like forever. My surgeon did a fine needle aspiration to the left node. Test came back consistent with metastatic poorly differentiated carcinoma, ER/PR Her2/Neu neg.

Had my PET/CT scan turned out very good (just had metastatics to 2 lypmh node). Showed the lump in left breast 3.4 x 3.3 x 4.4 cm. I had two abnormally active lymph nodes in the left axilla, which one is 1.5 x 1.5cm., larger lymh mode is 2.7 x 2.7cm.

I will be seeing my onco tomorrow to dicuss my lab results. I was looking at lab results and my MPV is a little low (Mean Platelet Value) should be between 7.4-10.4 and its 7.0 hopfully it will not be a problem.

Last time I saw my Onco we dicussed Adriamycim (red devil as I heard it was affectionatly called),Oxorubicin and Taxol. My surgeon suggested chemo frist. So I am a little scared about the chemo's side effects. Also I need to ask my Onco about herceptin he said something about year of that. So wondering if it will be given with the other drugs or after the chemo. Anyway chemo will be every two weeks for eight weeks to shink the tumor, then surgery.

Estrogen receptor: Neg
Progesterone receptor: Neg
Her-2/Neu: 3+ Pos
stage 2b
2 lymph nodes
I know this is a a long post but I am wondering about takeing antioxidents, like CoQ10 100mg and others like garlic gel tabs. I ask my Onco about antioxidents and he said that it interferes with chemo treatments, even taking vit c.

I am going to start drinking about 2 pt of carrots juice a day. But was wondering if I could get some feed back about chemo and antioxidents and what other Onco had told anyone else about them. OOHH almost forgot had bone scan and MUGA Onco has has results so prayer that bone scan is clear. Thanks for listening! http://community.breastcancer.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hugs and prayers to all
Annette

Estrogen receptor: Neg
Progesterone receptor: Neg
Her-2/Neu: 3+ Pos
stage 2b
2 lymph nodes

[tousled1]

Annette,

You are correct in calling Adriamycim the little red devil! I had a large primary tumor and the Adriamycin/Cytoxan followed by the Taxatore did reduce the tumor size. Good luck to you.

[MJo]

My oncologist gold me not to take herbal supplements or coenzyme Q10. He said they might interfere with chemo. He didn't even want me drinking an herb tea with a combination of relaxing herbs. Centrum, fish oil, garlic and calcium were okay with him. His practice does serve green tea to patients ,though. I'm even more convinced there is something to green tea now, because this man is very skeptical about supplements and herbal remedies.

You will probably get taxol and herceptin together because taxol intensifies the effect of herceptin. Everybody experiences chemo differently. I had no trouble with Tax and Herc. Adriamycin is not my favorite, but I'd take it again if I have to (I trust I won't ever have to). Taxol is made from the Pacific Yew and taxane (?) is made from the European Yew. In folklore, the Yew is a symbol of eternal life. I like that.

P.S. I got "dose dense" chemo too. I heard of other women getting 12 weekly taxols. I thought they were getting more taxol than I was and worried about it until I realized I was getting 12: four triple doses every two weeks. That's why it's called dose dense. Maybe most women figure this out. I didn't until it was almost over.

Best of luck. Chemo and herceptin are the medicines that save our lives. The memory of my chemo is fading -- It's been 7 weeks since my last treatment. MJo

[Unregistered]

Annette,

Hi. I just want to add that I have read that antioxidants can interfere with treatment. You will find during treatment you have to eat what you are able to. I had a mandated chemo class before I began and the one thing they stressed is protein, what they recommended was basically back to the meat & potato diet during chemo. Of course, always ask the doctor & chemo nurses (I called them chemo "angels")

Also, here is a link to check out, if you search the forum you will find other information on Diana Dyer's breast cancer diet.


www.cancerrd.com

Good luck with your upcoming treatments.

Mary

[tousled1]

MJo,

My understanding is that once you receive Adriamycin, that's it, you can never receive it again.

[al from Canada]

Most of these chemos are "oxidizing" drugs, that is, you want to keep the cancer cells senzitized to the chemo by not adding anti-oxidents. That is also why they don't give hormonal treatments with chemo. The theory is that anti-oxidents will protect the cancer cells as well as the normal cells. The one exception you may want to consider is taking CoQ10 when you start taxol / herceptin as it may have a cardio protective effect. That is a trade-off which makes sense, to me anyways, but no more than 100 mg per day.

One other comment, careful with this carrot juice stuff as there have been toxic reactions similar to over-doses. I thought carrot juice went out in the early 90's??
Good luck,
Al