Adriamycin?

brittd01 · 07-23-2008, 11:37 AM

Hi there,
It's been a long time since I've posted but I read just about every day. My Mom was diagnosed at Stage IV in March of 2004. Since then, she's been on several chemos. She just found out today that she has a few new spots on her spine and new spots on her liver (her liver has been clear since late 2004). Her onc is starting her on a single agent Adriamycin today. She was most recently on Abraxane/Herceptin. Does anyone have experience with Adriamycin? I've read that it can be rough. She's already looking very frail and thin to me so I'm worried about the toxicity. Any information would be very helpful.
With love,
Brittany

Mary Anne in TX · 07-23-2008, 12:15 PM

Hi Brittany!
I'm so very sorry that your mom must add yet another round of chemo to her BC list. I did experience Adriamycin with Taxotere and found them to be very difficult. I took all the side effects meds they gave me and would have taken more! I think it is really different for everyone. I talked with a fellow bc patient at the clinic a few times ago who had sailed through both drugs with little or no side effects.
Hope your mom has good results and tolerates the drug well. Come back and ask questions as often as needed. There are so many here with so much wisdom and caring to help. Lots of love and best wishes for you and your mom. ma

Believe51 · 07-23-2008, 01:46 PM

Hello Sweetheart, sorry to hear about Mom's situation but thankful you are in her court. Adriamycin dosing goes by BMI (body mass index) so Mom will get her limit from a formula they do for these purposes. It is important during these infusions for Mom to eat a popsicle or drink something cold to prevent mouth sores. Also consider the BIOTENE mouth products to further help her mouth-health. Nausea meds should be taken BEFORE the nausea sets in. My husband never vomited during any of his chemo but I have friends that did. Try asking the doctor for something called "EMEND" for nausea, it is taken for 3 days....one an hour before chemo and one for two days after. Eating and appetite has always been a problem for my dear husband. If Mom is that frail, try to see if she can see a nutritionist, although if you do not feel like eating, you do not feel like eating. My husband's name is Ed and he went on something called "MAGACE". Magace is used for aids and chemo patients for the appetite issues and it did prove to be effective in helping him to desire.

I will keep you both in my prayers. As Mary Anne stated, come back and ask questions, concerns or just to vent. We will always be here for you both. Best wishes to Mom....give her lots of hugs and smiles....you are up for the Daughter of the Year Award too, Brittany!! (smiling at 'cha)

PS: Ed has been on more than the lifetime limit of Adraimycin since we had no choice, but we are heading for NED (no evidence of Disease)

I am wishing the best for Mom. And remember, try to keep the faith as you search for the 'perfect chemo cocktail' for Mom, may this Adriamycin do the trick!!

Believe51

Oh, and Mom will be getting her heart checked on a regular basis to check for function. Does she have a PORT??

MJo · 07-23-2008, 02:14 PM

I remember Adriamycin! It is no picnic. But it is very strong and can really destroy those cancer cells. Popsicles are a good suggestion. She can also try gatorade. Adriamycin can really deplete your white and red blood cells and leave you open to infection. I got a respiratory infection. I went to the supermarket, to the drug store and to the mall while I was getting adriamycin. My friend avoided supermarkets, drug stores and malls. She got no colds or infections. If your mom can't avoid going into crowds, make sure she uses a lot of hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, etc. All I wanted to eat while I was on adriamycin was ice cream and melted cheese on bread. Weird. Other people on this chemo would gag at the thought of it. We are all different. If she can eat iron-rich food, it could help with the blood counts. I wasn't terribly nauseated on Adriamycin. But I couldn't sleep and started to feel dazed while I was awake. Someone told me to try Tylenol PM, but that didn't work. Looking back, I wish I had used more Xanax. Tell you mom that we are all pulling for her here.

Mary Jo · 07-24-2008, 07:23 AM

I, too, remember adriamycin well. However, I was one of the fortunate ones and can say that although the side effects were their, they were minimal. I didn't feel like eating - craved only certain things - and was tired but overall, it wasn't just too bad. I did avoid acidic foods because of the mouth issues too. I could feel my mouth was kind of sensitive when I ate certain foods so I didn't eat them. When I brushed my teeth I did it quickly, with minimal toothpaste and always made sure I rinsed my mouth with a salt water solution. Thankfully, I never did experience the mouth sores.

I pray that your mom doesn't have difficult side effects. She is blessed to have a wonderful daughter such as yourself.

Hugs to you and prayers surround you,

Mary Jo

carstell · 07-24-2008, 09:32 AM

I had Adriamycin too. I found that if I stayed on top of my side effects, I was OK. I actually made a med chart of my anti-nausea meds (yes I am a nurse) So I could keep up with them. Also helped me remember which ones I had taken, which one was next and how well they worked. It made me very tired! I didn't have an issue with my white count, but was on Neulasta for the duration.
I wish you and your mom the best of luck! Just keep asking questions. There are a wealth of answers here!
Cheryl

StephN · 07-24-2008, 11:00 AM

Sorry to hear your Mom is having to go back on hard chemos. Any way they can put her on anything else besides Adriamycin??

I took Adriamycin as my first chemo after surgery. My schedule was every week. This way I had a smaller dose, but more frequently. I also needed the shots for white cell support. I gave them to myself at home. This will keep her neutraphils at a more healthy level.

IMPORTANT. Try to get her TOPOII tested. This component of her cancer will show if Adriamycin will be a good drug for her or not. Many of us HER2 positive women did not do well on Adria for the reason that the TOPOII was not at the right level for the Adria to work effectively.

If you do a search for TOPOII on this site you will get links to Dr. Slamon's work and some discussion.

brittd01 · 07-31-2008, 12:05 PM

Okay so that didn't go very well. Mom had her first infusion of Adriamycin last Wed. On Saturday, we had to take her to the ER. She was in excruciating pain and short of breath. The pain was coming from her liver and wrapping entirely around her lower rib cage which we knew had two new areas of cancer. She also has two new small spots on her spine. Now granted she was having discomfort in her tummy before the tx and it has been a little swollen, but the pain was nothing like it's been since the Adria and Neulasta shot. She hasn't been able to get out of bed and she is not eating very much. The hospital just sent her home with more morphine.

My question is could the chemo have exacerbate the liver pain? She said she was never ever doing the Adria again. I don't blame her but I just don't know what's going on. I'm guessing her onc will come up with a new treatment plan. I just don't know...

rinaina · 07-31-2008, 01:14 PM

I took Adriamycin with Cytoxen. I took all the anti nausea meds and had very little nausea. Emend is terrific and I would definitely see if your mom can get it. I did not feel well a few days following treatment which was every 3 weeks and then about 5 days before next treatment I would feel better. I had other side effects and was very weak and tired. My white count kept going down so I needed the shots for that and I did run fevers each treatment which made me feel pretty yucky. One emergency visit while on Adriamycin due to very high fever. But I made it through and it has been 2+ years since. Best of luck and make sure mom takes all her meds when she is suppose to...this will really help.

christie · 08-06-2008, 11:29 PM

hi i am on adriamycin right now, i feel sick the first 3-4 days , but then i get better. the very sight of Adriamycin bottle gives me shivers, i am scared of it,... psychological?? i have just finished 2, what side effects can i expect in the next 2? when i read the posts here, it did scare me about adriamycin.

love
christie

Patb · 08-07-2008, 05:44 PM

I had adriamycin and cytoxen and had no problems
They were very careful to give me premeds and anti
nausea drugs. I think we are all different and it also
matters how often we take the chemo. Dose dense
is harder. Best of luck.
patb

Sherryg683 · 08-07-2008, 08:09 PM

They call it the "red devil" where I go. I didn't do it but my friend did, it was very rough on her..I will pray for your mom..sherryg683