@Sue I had elevated ALT liver enzymes at the end of my 3rd cycle of FEC (usual pre chemo blood test day had them at 260 vs normal range of 10-40 for women) and ended up having my first THP cycle delayed by 2 weeks. They went ahead with cycle 4 when my ALT was down to 67. By day 13 of cycle 4, I was down to 30 – totally resolved.
In my case, they think it was a combo of chemo, antibiotics for an infection (cellulitis or thrombophlebitis), some dehydration (went hiking in the Wye valley over the 3 days before my pre chemo blood test), and some small amount of alcohol consumption (1.5 pints of 3.8% beer spread over those 3 days), with the first 2 being the suspected main culprits. To help my liver recover, I drank lots of water – at least 3.5 litres a day, plus other fluids like tea, diluted coffee, OJ, detox smoothies – and kept things easy. My breast cancer nurse also recommended milk thistle tincture drops from A Vogel. They taste disgusting and I have no idea if they helped, plus the oncos are always advising against supplements, so I would advise talking to a member of your team before trying them. I only did so when my first 2 follow-up blood tests still had my ALT above 200, but it may have simply been the extra time between ending antibiotics and last beer that got things resolved.
As you know, I have had an awful time with FEC, and was due to start Herceptin and T on Thurs and Friday this week, but because of all the neutropenia and hospital admissions, I had a meeting with the head oncology nurse on Thursday instead of treatment. Onc has decided that I am very over sensitive to chemo drugs full stop!.. I tend to agree !!!
So they have planned to only give 75% of the full dose, even before I start… and only 50% of the steroids. Don’t understand all of the technicalities, but the nurse said that they are trying to keep me out of hospital. They’re giving less steroids because he said they didn’t appear to make much difference with FEC, and even with the white cell booster injections, I still had neutropenia and 3 trips to A and E with high temp. and infections.
They are giving me 2 whole weeks of fluconazole and mouth washes too, since the oral thrush was so bad that I could hardly open my mouth whilst in hospital last time. When they asked me to say the obligatory
‘aaaaah’, I only came out with a very husky oooooooor!! ??..
So it’s Thursday for Herceptin and Friday first T.
Love to all, especially those on treatment this week or next
Cdc Aunt sally cheeks on t are quite common but please do check your temp and check with your unit in case it’s a reaction darling ???Georgie, everyone’s Chemo is specifically for them a 75% dose for someone could be someone else’s 100%, your onc will have seen every scenario before and will know exactly what to do darling keep ??? come on cdc you and me leading the girls with a bit of locomotion by kylie on the dance floor ???Shi xx
I’ve not had a red face on the paclitaxel but I’ve had some nice sleeps during chemo with the piriton. These a couple of us that have it at the same time and we all fall asleep at various times. Yesterday I fell asleep before the taxol drip even went on and woke up 15 minutes after it had finished (I had 45 minutes left on the cold cap timer). Luckily Linda in the next chair had ordered my lunch cos she knows I always have a tuna sarnie.
Hello everyone, well its all happening on here isnt it.
Cdc i like Tingle… tingle isstill tingly and numbish and sometimes the tjngles go up my arm like pins n needles but hopjng it will sort itself ss chemo gets out of system. Im startjng to feel better slowly, v tired but worst thing is still the waterh eyes, sometimes i cant cven focus as they water so much. I hope your red face is lessening, at least nobody can say you look pale and ill. I had a red face with first fec snd everyone kept sayjng looked like i had been sunbathjng. Its shocking how manh women get bc bc isnt it, and a realky good thing your cousin got checked out too. It just seems the age for screening is too high!!!
Im not sure who asked but j had high liver enzmenz one cycle too, it didnt delay the chemo but they said it was all the drugs we have to take plus the chemo and our poor livers work soooo hard. It came down for the next one though.
I also had a reduction jn my chemo on T, the nurses said there are safe levels to use and as they dont go below or above these levels its fine.
I also have fluconozole each cycle after my stint in hospital and severe Larry mouth, it has defjnately helped , i start taking it as soon as my mouth starts to feel odd, usually day 4 for me, and take one a day for 10 days plus i swish mouth with salt water every couple of hours and after eating and have avoided the ulcers since. Even Larry hasnt been so lardy.
Well i have the last antibiotics today, then no more tablets until Tamoxofen!! Will be strange tomorrow not popping the pills but looking forward to giving my body a rest. Will be even weirder nsxt weekend not startjng the steroids for chemo, havjng friends over to celebrate that fact! Hope i can stay awake!!!
Ok ladies here is a question about a delicate subject, so skip if you want to!!
Has anyone else had problems with their waterworks as a result of chemo? Even if I am not bursting I find that I peak on the way to the loo. It is not the same as stress incontenance as not a cough leak, but not pleasant at all. Kx
@ktk
I know exactly what you mean. As I understand it the chemo irritates all of the cell membranes from top to toe and as the drugs are processed through the bladder eventually, I would guess these get a bit sensitive too. I’m only guessing as I have no medical knowledge about this but it makes sense to me. It’s always a good idea to rule out a UTI but you are definitely not alone. It’s just one more indignity to deal with.
?
KTK, funny you should ask that. I had problems when actually having a wee, when I thought I had finished I would find I stood up and then had a waterfall… I actually found out hat having no hair down there also made peeing straight difficult… who would have thought. I do think its chemo doing it, as everything gets hit by the bloomin’ stuff. It has improved now though, was worse during FEC and first T… and to think I was most worried about being bald… I never imagined there would be so many more problems to contend with!
I haven’t – but I take vitamin D already. It may be related to your most recent blood test results, or just something your hospital routinely does, since most people in the UK (this general latitude and further north) are vitamin D deficient over the winter months.
I remember asking the surgeon at the beginning of this journey in April if it was worth taking vit D. He said that you could not buy any commercially that was enough to make a difference. I am happy to take them, but am confused that it says not to take with bisphosphonates which I start in a couple of weeks. It also says don’t take with steroids so I have put off starting until they are out of my system. Kx
I’m not on chemo, but on letrozole and AdCal - just wanted to add my twopenceworth re: bisphoshponates.
I’m post menopausal, and before the oncologist had a chance to give me a resume, the lovely breast radiologist talked about drug regimes, and mentioned the contraindication of bisphosphonates and possible jaw necrosis!! That was enough to put the fear of god in me, as I weighed up bone thinning (I’m borderline) against my teeth falling out, not having the best of teeth in the first place!! I am afraid the oncologist only got a 1 out of 3 with me, as I refused them, and also the prospect of chemo, as again I was borderline for that. ( As I left that initial appointment, the specialist oncology nurse spoke with me, just to double check my opinions and advise - and I said to her, " I know I’m quirky, I really do appreciate everything being done for me, but chemo is a no " to which she said " You’d be surprised, about 50% of the people I have seen through here this year have refused chemo ". I was surprised.)
What an interesting thread, ive not had or been told anything about vit d or anything else but then i dont get told much it would seem. Interesting to note!
I think it is age/menopause related Kip. I am post menopause (57) so I guess the risk of osteoporosis is greater and warrants the bisphosphonates and vit D. But what do I know?!?
@ktk I am 47 and pre menopause and my plan currently has bisphosphonates in it – though I am not yet at that stage of treatment, and we haven’t yet discussed it in detail. Indeed, I have not even had a bone scan as yet. My guess – and it is a guess right now – is that the bisphosphonates are related to length of hormone therapy they are considering for me. They have been talking about 10 years in Zoladex. I suppose I should mosey over to the hormone therapy boards to gather more info…
