how soon pain reduction?

MyMissionRemission · 06-09-2007, 07:14 AM

I thought my onco said I should feel better in the first round of Herceptin/Taxol/Zometa. I have had 2 treatments (liver, lungs, bone mets) and do not feel any reduction in pain. Did I just think that is what she said? I am fearful that the treatment is not working.

chrisy · 06-09-2007, 07:57 AM

Do not lose heart! I'm no expert in these areas - but I've read that with bone mets, scans actually can get worse initially when the treatments are working. Maybe this is also the case with the pain. Are your treatments weekly? If so, give it a little bit of time but do talk to your onc about this.

I do have experience with liver "pain". In the fine print of the Herceptin literature on all the side effects of Herceptin, one of the possible side effects is "pain at the tumor site". I had no pain from the multiple mets in my liver, but did experience a dull pain there during treatment, which I attributed to the Herceptin. I was on Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin and that combination slapped me into remission in 6 cycles.

Taxol and Herceptin is a very powerful and synergistic combination. You've got the big guns out on this, and I hope it will kick the pants off the cancer and you will soon be able to shoutl

MISSION REMISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Lala · 06-09-2007, 07:39 PM

Hang in there, pain can occur from Zometa or Taxol. I have been achy from Zometa and other chemos in the past. Sometimes it takes a while for drugs to respond. If you are having Bone Flare this can be the case (it gets worse before it gets better.) You can request the Tumor Markers CEA and CA27-29 be run biweekly to see the trend. On average it takes 8 weeks for chemotherapy to show its response in scans.

In the mean time ask for something for the pain. There is no need to suffer you can take something to help ease your pain.
I truly wish you the best.

Hugs,

Lolly · 06-10-2007, 06:07 PM

I concurr, some of the pain is likely to be from the drugs themselves rather than the cancer, but the main thing to remember is these drugs kick major btt. Especially true of Taxol, but I had to have Neurontin plus Tylenol while on Taxol as it caused significant muscle and bone pain for me. Plus, Zometa is in the bisphosphonate class of drug which are notorius for causing various aches and pains.
Do ask for help with the pain, and here's to kicking btt!

<3 Lolly