HonCode

Go Back   HER2 Support Group Forums > her2group
Register Gallery FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-09-2019, 01:29 PM   #1
JessicaV
Senior Member
 
JessicaV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 206
Osteoporosis: is it caused by chemo?Not just aging?

I was reading about the body draws calcium out of the bones to balance the pH when the blood becomes acidic after too much protein hits this system, either from diet or from tissue death. I figure that this must happen on chemo, when all those rapidly-dividing cells get killed off by the chemo which must also dump a lot of protein into the system. I wondered if anyone has researched this as a different kind of osteoporosis to the osteoporosis that is part of the normal aging process. Because I read that some sorts of osteoporosis have been found to be reversible, eg in young people who have been bedbound for a time. This is probably different from the osteoporosis found in women on tamoxifen or AIs. But I am wondering if this may be bound in with the fact that most women with breast cancer have very low levels of Vitamin D3. Which would help prevent laying down good bone again after this loss. Maybe most of us could recover bone health after chemo by having all the nutrients needed eg magnesium, calcium and other minerals, Vitamins A, C, D3, E, K2 etc.
Any comments?
__________________
1997-2004 many cysts, many MG & U/S: polycystic breasts.
Sept 2013 found lump,Cyst?? forgot lump.
Dec 2013 GP check, Referred for U/S, MG,FNA.
7 Jan 2014 Radiology: Radiologist turned screen away from me. When asked she said "Not a cyst, very suspicious.See your GP asa results avail."
Cancelled my psych clients for the week.
8 Jan 14 GP: 2.2cm IDC in 6cm DCIS field. FNA=malignant cells. Referred to Surgeon.
Cancelled my psych clients for the month.
13 Jan
14 Surgeon said L mastectomy not lumpectomy, offered neoadjunctive trial, agreed adjunctive chemo after surgery a good choice for me. Booked Body scan and bone scan for staging (both fine) Surgery for16 Jan,
16 Jan 14 Surgeon also agreed in preop meeting to also remove 6cm fatty cyst in job lot. Good job done.
19 Jan 14 discharged home with 1 drain.
22 Jan 14 drain partly pulled out overnight, serious seroma (600 ml reducing removed every 2 days for a month) Serious staph infection because nurse said wait 3 days for yr surgeon appointment.
26Jan 14 pathology: 2.2cm Grade 3(3,3,2)ER-, PgR-, HER2+2 so to be confirmed by Sish test. Node negative. No vascular or lymphatic involvement. No metastases in scans.
30 Jan 14 HER2+ high amplification, 13 gene copies per cell.
21st Feb 14 Began 3wkly TCH adjuvant treatment at The Mount Hospital Perth, with 3monthly MUGA heart tests +Oncologist or Surgeon full physical check-up.
Cancelled my psych clients for 6 months.
Feb 14 First MUGA test: 71%,
First C15.3 test: 20
7th March 14 began Neulasta self-applied injections 24hrs after each TCH treatment. Bonepain helped by spa, heatpacks and
Claritin, reflux/indigestion helped by Somac.
July 14 completed docetaxol and carboplatin, ongoing herceptin to 12 months. Severe cognitive deficit/fatigue after 1pm daily.
Sept 14 Second MUGA test: 69%
Cancelled my psych clients for 2014
Dec 14 Third MUGA test: 70%
Second C15.3 test : 20
Cognitive fatigue delays return to work.

March 2015 Tachycardia pulse 168, night in hospital. Cardiologist says no heart disease, ALIVE ECG attachment for my mobile phone now regular monitoring.
July 2015 Worktrial, up to 8hrs per wk. Fatigue ongoing
Aug 2015 Heart good, no evidence of cancer, just Fatigue.
May 2019 Melanoma 1.5cm Stage 1 by right collarbone(was present as large freckle in 2014 and cut through by breast surgeon to remove fatty cyst at same time as mastectomy.) Melanoma removed leaving scar from shoulder to breastbone. In hospital twice for IV antibiotics. Told catagorically this could not be BC mets.
Dec 2019 Still NED, still fatigue in late afternoon, but have my brain back in the early mornings. So most days I watch the sunrise and hear the birds morning chorus in my bush backyard and am glad to be alive and to be me still.

JessicaV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2019, 02:18 PM   #2
jaykay
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 645
Re: Osteoporosis: is it caused by chemo?Not just aging?

I’ve had osteopenia since I went through menopause 20+ years ago (pre breast cancer). Being on letrozole for many years does not help but I’m holding my own. My vitamin d levels have always been normal, even during chemo.
__________________
March, 2000: 48, Post menopausal (5 yrs HRT) Left breast, IDC 3mm/DCIS 1.6cm, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, mod differentiated, MIB low, lumpectomy, node neg via SNB, rads=33 Stage 1a
June, 2000: Tamox 4.5 years,Femara for 5 years (end in Jan. 2010)
Sept, 2012: 61, Via mamm, ultrasound, biopsy, right breast, 2.3cm tumor, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, poorly diff, KI67 60-70%
BRCA 1 and 2 negative
October, 2012: Bi Mast with tissue expanders, port placement
Final Path: IDC 2.8cm, DCIS, 1/4 sentinal nodes positive (@#$%). Stage IIB
Nov 29, 2012: Begin TCH/6x/every 3 wks, H for 1 year/every 3 weeks.
March 14, 2013: Finished chemo
April 9, 2013: Begin radiation 28x
May 22, 2013: Finished rads
June 1st, 2013: Started Aromasin for 5 yrs.
July 15, 2013: Switched to Letrozole (Femara). Probably for the rest of my life
October 16, 2013: Exchange surgery
October 31, 2013: Finished Herceptin
December 5, 2013: Port removed
Glad this year is over!
jaykay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2019, 03:50 PM   #3
tricia keegan
Senior Member
 
tricia keegan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
Re: Osteoporosis: is it caused by chemo?Not just aging?

I had Osteopenia after a few years on Arimidex. I couldn't take Fosamax so my Onc gave me an annual iv of Aclasta (a Zometa generic I think) for three years which reversed it. I'm not sure if chemo caused it but it's certainly a side effect of Arimidex which I was glad to take for ten years as I'm still NED.
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
tricia keegan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2019, 07:10 AM   #4
Donna H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 307
Re: Osteoporosis: is it caused by chemo?Not just aging?

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at age 51 - right after a year of treatment (chemo, herceptin and radiation). My onc didn't say it was definitely a side effect of chemo but she did say I was really young to have full osteo in both my hips and spine plus osteopenia in my wrists. I've been getting Prolia every 6 months and my numbers have improved substantially. And no side effects!!
Donna H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-19-2019, 03:31 PM   #5
CutiePie
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 24
Re: Osteoporosis: is it caused by chemo?Not just aging?

This is very interesting I have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis in my wrist and osteopenia in my spine. A year after finishing chemo I have a total hip replacement and the following year had the other hip replaced. The year after the hip surgery I had wrist/thumb surgeries (3 of them). So I wonder if all of this is due to the chemo. My BC was Stage 1 fortunately but ER-, PR- and Her 2+++, so probably can't take the AI's. Have an appointment with an Endo next year, so fingers crossed I can rebuild my bones before suffering a fracture. I have been take Calcium with D, plus additional Magnesium and D3. My Calcium levels have improved with the supplemental D3.
__________________
Dx: 2005 (pre-men, age 46) IDC Stage 1, no nodes
ER/PR -, Her2 +++
Lumpectomy with sential nodes negative
Chemo ACT, Rads, Herceptin for 10 months
Genetic testing 2008 BRACA 2 positive
Oopthectomy in 2008
Bilateral Mastectomy 2010, Reconstruction with expanders then silicone implants.
CutiePie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2019, 10:39 AM   #6
Donna H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 307
Re: Osteoporosis: is it caused by chemo?Not just aging?

I have had really good success with Prolia injections (every 6 months). My onc was shocked at how much improvement I had after my first 2 years of Prolia. He was hoping my numbers just wouldn't get any worse. Instead they improved! I get another bone density test in 2020 so it will be interesting to see the latest results.
Donna H is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:57 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright HER2 Support Group 2007 - 2021
free webpage hit counter