Anyone out there going this regime at present, or recently? Would be grateful for any information or advice with side effects. had my first treatment yesterday and ok so far but still on steriods and anti-sickness.
Not sure it will work as I am triple negative and had 4 chemo regimes in past, so possibly this is my last option. been on oral vinorelbine since last october but this has now failed with increase if soft tissue invelvment in chest and fluid on lungs.
Marmite x
Hi marmite
Really sorry to hear vinorilbine has failed. I had 6 cycles of gemzar/carboplatin last year. I was supposed to have both drugs on Day 1 for 6 cycles and gemzar alone on Day 8. But gemzar was very hard on my bloods (platelets I think)so I only had 2 cycles with both drugs but did the whole 6 cycles of carboplatin. As usual for me tiredness was my worse side effect. I was told I wouldn’t lose my hair…but I did…not completely but enough to wear my wig (hair very very thin). After the six cycles the tumours in my neck etc were exactly the same size, but they grew again as soon as I stopped.
Like you I am triple negative and have run out of standard treatment options though a second opinion at Marsden yesterday had a couple of other suggestions which I’ll post about later or pm you.
This is one awful disease and triple negatives have a particularly short straw in relation to treatment options.
very best wishes
Jane
Hi, I’m only on gemcitabine so can just give a few pointers as to what it does to me. I have it on day 1 and day 8. Day 1 is OK but a few hours after my day 8 dose, I am wiped out with tiredness. Usually only for the evening and feel OK next day as long as I take it easy, though sometimes the fatigue can last a couple of days. Also I have had swollen legs for a few days. They feel really bruised from the knee down - quite unpleasant. Hope this is a little help to you and, obviously, hope the combo works well for you.
Jenny x
No experience of this, Marmite, but did want to wish you luck with it. I remember when we met, we talked about the problems of running out of options, so am thinking of you and hoping that this does hold things at least for a little while longer.
Kay xx
Thank you all for helpful comments. Very interested in how your Marsden second opinion went,Jane as I expect thats what I will do when this chemo fails. It may not even work at all. I also have, and have had many lumps in neck, both sides. Only went secondary last October after 7 years. But had regional recurrances in my neck for previous 3 years.
Not too thrilled to hear about severe hair thining, as I opted not to have paclitaxel again for that very reason. Apparently not that difference clinically. I recon if I lose my hair again, it won’t ever grow back again, as it usually takes a year with me, and unfortunately not sure if I have got that long! But if it goes I’ll spend some of my small pension pot on a really good human hair wig.
Would be interested to hear how your treatment is going Kay.
Otherwise really enjoying the summer.
Marmite x
Hi,
Just to say l have just been reading about you. I have just been diagnosed with invasive lobular breast cancer. I think l have a different type of cancer to you. Had my op and start radiotherapy next week, along with Tamoxifen. I stopped all dairy products (they contain animal hormones) and feel well really. I have a heart condition, asthma and osteoporosis so hope these conditions don’t get worse with the treatment. I was in the medical proffession so l am keen to do all l can to research all this stuff and eliminate this cancer. I also take a herbal remedy which is known to kill cancer cells. I wish you lots of luck and hope you do well on your next treatment.
God Bless, Barbara xxxxx
Just to say, following the last post that there is no evidence that a dairy free diet is beneficial for cancer patients. The leading advocate (Jane Plant) of a dairy free diet protecting against breast cancer does not have proper scientific evidene.
I’m also not sure which herbal remedy you use Barbara-Anne. As far as I am aware none have between proven to kill cancer cells. If you are taking a herbal remedy its a good idea to tell your oncologist as some remedies can interfere with maintream treatment.
Jane
Echoing Jane here, but in my trial of one (ie me) the macrobiotic, dairy free vegetarian diet with every supplement ever suggested to combat cancer thrown in did precisely nothing for me. My cancer came back again and again. I have said before that I am sure the benefits of healthy nutrition are felt by cancer cells as well as all the other cells.
The gin and chips diet didn’t seem to work either, though.
Sigh.
Deirdre
Hi all,
On following this thread we have asked the nurses to comment.
Jo, Facilitator.
Hello,
We just wanted to jump in here to echo some of the other posts: currently there are no clinical trials that we are aware of that have shown that taking herbal remedies can kill cancer. However we do recognise that many people feel very strongly that taking herbal remedies will benefit them, and of course this is always a personal choice.
As Jane RA has just mentioned, if taking herbal supplements it is important to let your medical team know what it is you are taking in case there is any potential interaction with your current treatment. The link to our complementary therapies booklet is included and more information can be found on page 14.
breastcancercare.org.uk/upload/pdf/complementary_therapies_aug07_0.pdf
Kind regards
Information Nurse