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02-20-2008, 12:03 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 148
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Tequila Tuesdays
Its almost 1:00 in the morning on Wednesday. Tuesday, was my 4th ixempra treatment. Since it makes me feel a little drunk, I refer to it as tequila tuesday. I just kick back and pretend I'm having tequila instead of chemo. Actually, I have never had tequila in my life. I came home this afternoon and was awake until 7:00 pm. thru 10:00---out like a light----missed American Idol. Now here I am awake at 1:00 a.m. I sat by a very young girl in her early twenties. I think it was her first treatment, she had beautiful long brown hair. I know its unfair for any of us to deal with cancer, but my heart just broke for her. Now that I know my ixempra is working, it takes such a strain off of me, all the not knowing. Well, just wanted to check in--------wishing everyone well.
__________________
SHEILA (45)
09/2005--BREAST CANCER/8 POS NODES --A/C, MASTECTOMY,TAXOTERE, RADS, TAMOXIFEN,HERCEPTIN
02/2007--B/C METS TO OVARIES--HYSTERECTOMY, FASLODEX
12/2007--ENLARGING LYMPH NODES IN ABDOMEN--IXEMPRA, THEN TYKERB
08/2008--COLON TUMOR--A/C AGAIN,
12/2008--ABDOMEN TUMOR--AVASTIN/NAVELBINE FEMARA
05/2009--MET TO SPINE (L2) RADS
CURRENT TREATMENT
07/2009- START ZOMETA MONTHLY, XELODA & ABRAXANE......SURVIVING THE BEST I CAN
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02-20-2008, 01:13 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
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Congrats on the Ixempra... I too had a young friend in chemo - she was 19 and had advanced colon cancer. Heartbreaking, but she weathered it like a champ! I hope she is still doing well.
I used to joke with the infusion nurses about hooking me up to a margarita machine for the last 30 minutes of every infusion... haha. I know I would prefer tequila to chemo, although I had a few tequila hangovers back in my 20s that felt alot like chemo...
Congrats again! Keep us posted. I am ever so interested in Ixempra.
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
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02-20-2008, 10:27 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,193
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Hi Lop
I only got into some tequila one time in my youth
but come to think of it, the hangover was similar to chemo!
I am so glad that your tequila chemo is working and
has taken some of the worry away. Good luck with
everything and I hope you manage to get in some restful
sleep.
__________________
PinkGirl
Dx Aug/05 at age 51
2cm. Stage 2A, Grade 3
ER+/PR-
Her2 +++
Sept 7/05 Mastectomy
4 FAC, 4 Taxol, no radiation
1 year of Herceptin
Tamoxifen for approx. 4 months,
Arimidex for 5 years
Prophylactic mastectomy June 22/09
" I yam what I yam." - Popeye
My Photo Album
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02-20-2008, 01:30 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Sheila
Tequila and chemo...yep, I can see the anology...I only did tequila shots once in my life...many (many) years ago, and I remember having sea legs when i got up off the barstool...(although I did manage to dance with the cardboard Marlboro man (and he was quite good I must say).
Anyway, I am so hap[py that this drug is doing its magic...it may be in the future for me!!!!!
The other Sheila
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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02-20-2008, 06:27 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,756
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Hi Sheila, I like your style! I was just thinking about you today as I was in chemo, getting what may be my last Avastin infusion since the FDA is expected to make their final decision this week on whether to approve Avastin for breast cancer. Since the advisory panel recommended against it in December, it's expected that they'll concur. Blast! 'Cause this combo is easy on me and is slowly shrinking the skin mets.
But anyway, Ixempra is next for me, and I'll be the first at my treatment center to go on it. I was telling my nurses that at least one on this site(you!) is getting it and having a great response, so they're really excited. They'll be attending a lecture on it soon, so should be up to speed by the time I start.
I know you're getting it every three weeks; is it by itself or are you getting Xeloda too? Just wondering, and hope you're continuing to do well! Does the "tequila" wear off by the next evening so you get a full night's sleep tonight? 
<3 Lolly
__________________
Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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