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View Full Version : treatment schedules?


Jackie
07-27-2004, 10:03 PM
Hello ladies,
I have a question relating to the amt of time that can be expanded between chemo treatments. I have been on chemo for mets to spine, skin, and a couple of lymph nodes for 1 yr (recent scans show nothing much new, a little uptake in the rib area, and no major organ involvement), during which I time I felt fine, worked, and exercised. However, this summer has been tough...I finally experienced what my onc calls chemo fatigue that really sidelined me from everything. This is not acceptable and we are trying to work out a schedule that will help. I am on gemzar + herceptin (+ zomeda),will have my first treatment since July 8th this Thurs and will try an every other wk schedule afterwards. Since I am starting to feel a little better, I'm dreading being knocked back again and wondered how many of you out there are practicing something other than wkly treatments for weakness or other issues? My onc is on the fence about continuing the gemzar but it's not supposed to be particularly hard to tolerate and I don't know if switching to something else will make an impact. Tumor marker test will be done this week, which is usually fairly acurate for me. I had a gamma knife procedure in June (as a result of reading here), and discontinued gemzar for 3 wks prior to it, then had 2 treatments, then really crashed. Sure makes me want to bag all treatment for a couple of months to get back on my feet, but I know I can't! Any information that anyone can share will be appreciated!
Love, Jackie

Lisa S.
07-28-2004, 07:55 AM
I am on Doxil, and it is given IV every 4 weeks. I have had 2 rounds so far and I find it very tolerable, no hair loss and no change in blood counts for me (and I am anemic normally!). I had one day out of 60 with the red and itchy palms and soles, vitamin B6 took that away completly and 2 days of mouth sores, not bad ones at all. I am tired sometimes but not to the point where I am bed bound. I am also doing radiation and take some pain meds so it's hard to know what's making me tired sometimes.
Ask you doctor about it. It's Adriamycin in a liposomal base, that's why it isn't as nasty as Adria. Plus I have had Adria previously in 1998 and it was fine to have it again. BUT, NO HERCEPTIN! I had to go off of that because of the cardiotoxicity that it may cause with the Herceptin/Adria mix....
Good Luck to you,
Lisa S.