Liver enzymes up - what is this??
 

Just had second bloodwork for chemo done Wednesday and being sent for PET because liver enzymes up and not going down. This is one test prior to all chemo and one after first TCH. Help - what does this mean?????? Also, now have to learn to give myself neupagen shots as white cells fell from 14,100 to 1,400 in one week. I hear this causes bone pain - any suggestions? Geez.

Rebecca,

I'm not sure whether the T in TCH is Taxol or Taxotere, which are related drugs, but Taxol causes liver enzymes to rise.

I had Adriamycin, Cytoxan and Taxol.

In any case, it's good that you are getting a PET scan, just to be on the safe side.

As for the Neupogen, you can get preloaded syringes, and it's easy to just pop one in the top of your thigh, by hold up the skin between your index finger and thumb. Remember to keep the syringes in the refrigerator.

I had no bone pain with Neupogen, but it can happen.

I'm sending good vibes your way for a noneventful PET scan.

Joan

I think I received the 'shot' a couple of times during my chemo when my blood count was low. Yes, it made my lower legs very, very heavy. Don't know if it is the so-called 'bone pain'. It is tolerable, though.

Found this paragraph in <breastcancer.org>:

A study that compared Taxol to Taxotere along with other chemotherapy showed that the regimen containing Taxotere was more effective for metastatic disease than Taxol after anthracycline chemotherapy (Adriamycin) has stopped working. It was better in terms of shrinking the cancer, in how long the response lasted, in the time it took for the disease to progress, and in overall survival.
In addition, data show that Abraxane, a newer taxane, may also work better than Taxol or Taxotere with fewer side effects.

i had neupogen probably a dozen times during my ac and taxotere. the first time was the most excruciating pain i've ever had in my life...all over my body. subsequent shots were not nearly as bad. be prepared with good pain meds (ask onc). mine said tylonel but that would not have touched it in a million years. i've heard that clariten D before shot works wonders but i didn't hear about that till after i had chemo. towards the end of taxotere i had a scary allergic reation to neupogen and had to change to leukine. but i was getting shots several days in a row. i'm only telling you this so that if you have any symptoms that seem extreme to you (like my 103 fever) be sure to call your onc. at once. good luck, gm

During chemo my liver enzymes were high. They were also high when I first starting taking Arimidix. I was sent for a scan and nothing was found to be abnormal. My liver enzymes are normal now. I did have bone pain when I took neupogen. It was terrible but doable. I stayed in bed (I'm not one to stay in bed) and took Tylenol. Ask your onc about pain medicine just in case. You'll come through it!!! Wishing you the best...

Rebecca,

I was diagnosed at 31 and I also did TCH and I also had to take the neupogen injections for seven days after each chemo. My husband gave them to me and we used my stomach as it was the easiest for us to use. I did have a lot of bone pain mainly in my thighs...it felt like a really deep flu like ache. But very doable. I was already on vicodin and that seemed to help me alot. As far as the liver enzymes go.... I didn't have any problems until after chemo and started tamaxofin..... and it was the opposite... my liver became very inlarged and still is, but all my enzymes come back fine. My onc says its the tamaxofin thats enlarging my liver. I was googling liver issues and came across a site...I think something like national liver foundation or something like that...and it listed a few drugs that really have an impact on the liver and tamaxofin was on that list. My onc says once I am off the tamaxofin it will resume normal size. We'll see. But the neupogen is doable and kept my counts where they needed to be and I never got sick with a cold or flu or any other infection... I did really well. I did however get really sick on the TCH, but I am past that part hopefully forever.... remember you will get through it...just take it in stages. Good thoughts to you as you battle on.
Tricia V.

When I was on a different chemo, navelbine, my liver counts were high - but nothing was found in the liver, so it must have been the navelbine effects. Also on navelbine I had to take neupogen shots. I gave myself shots for 3 or 4 days after each treatment. I don't recall any leg/bone pain (but it's been a few years). I gave the shots in my stomach - if I did it quickly it didn't hurt. When I was tentative with the syringe it did hurt, so I learned to aim, take a deep breathe, and push it in fast.

Rebecca - There is a girl in my group who takes claritan plus benedryl the day before - the day of and the day after and says it eliminates bone pain. I would ask your onc for guidance on the highest dose you can safely take of these.

Thanks everyone!! Had first neupogen shot last night and it really burned and kept burning for about an hour. Doc said tylenol which I did but did not touch the pain. I am going to call him and ask about the Claritin or benadryl. I work for a health care company so have plenty of nurses to give me the shot - at least I don't have to buck up to give it to myself!. Thanks for all the great advice, I'll post about the PET after Tuesday test.

Reishi mushroom extract raises wbc
 

Hi Rebecca
During my second lot of chemo I took reishi mushroom extract (Greenridge Immune support). It worked for me..raised up my wbc ,my onc said "your bloodwork is beautiful!"

I took it about 2 days after tx and continued until 3 days before the next one. I was hardly ever sick, no ulcers or anything.
Food for thought.
Jackie (down under)

Ditto on the reishi mushroom to raise WBC's
 

Even when I was on chemo back in 1998, I did the reishi mushroom and it worked for me...just one note...once you are off blood-lowering types of chemos and just on Herceptin by itself...you might want to discontinue the reishi mushroom daily doses...eating mushrooms or an occasional drop or two is probably ok, but you do not want to find your self in a position where you are raising the WBC's either as there are some concerns about increasing cancer risks...

fyi,
Gina