Thanks, Barton. It made such a difference having a few extra days ‘holiday’ from Cape. Also, the reduced dose has made SEs so much easier to manage. Start cycle 8 tomorrow.
Hope you had a lovely Christmas too. Can’t believe how quickly it has gone.
George x
Whoop whoop …Helen …that’s great news and long may you be a cape crusader …im gatecrashing here as I’m not in this club …yet
Carolyn xxxxx
Great news Helen xxx
Well I saw my oncologist on Thursday and I had it in my mind that she was going to reduce the dose of Cape to a more tolerable level for me to continue on, seeing that my mets had improved according to the recent CT scan on the 2 cycles that I completed. However she explained to me that I was lacking an enzyme, I think she called it DPD, which prevents me metabolising the Cape and that is why I had a reaction causing severe Ileitus a condition she had not seen for over 12 years with Cape.
Which means that I am now not a Cape crusader !!! so I will no longer be posting on this thread.
The good news is that she feels that because my mets have improved and I am feeling well she doesn’t feel that chemo is warranted at the moment so has prescribed Tamoxifen to maintain as I am ER positive. She will review me in 8 weeks and repeat CT in March.
Thankyou to all for your input on this thread, it has been truely helpfull when I needed info, support and advice. Ann xx
Hi Moijan
Thanks for remembering Onc appointment. I saw oncologist’s registrar on Tuesday as Onc still on leave. He looked about 12, but was very knowledgeable. Good news was TMs continue to fall on Cape, according to December blood test- now at 74 which, considering they were 700+ in July, is reassuring. Got CT and MRI scans on Feb 1st and, if they are okay, will have liver op early March. So lots of hospital visits coming up. Main worry is I will be off chemo for 6 -7 weeks leading up to op and then for some weeks after. Don’t think I can have hormone treatment either so that is making me a bit anxious as worried cancer cells might decide to have a big party; you know what the little critters are like.
Good news eribulin is working well for you, long may it continue?
Happy new Year to all ?
George x
Thanks for your encouraging response, Moijan. I am hoping Cape continues to work as it has shrunk liver mets. I have delayed op as it was due to be performed in January. I will have been on Cape for 6 months when I next have scans so fingers crossed and hoping for a miracle: that the mets have gone. I have 3 tiny ones, biggest 5mm, but consultant said would need to remove a third of liver. Yikes! I am at the QE in Birmingham. Like you, I also have bone mets.
Great news that your liver mets disappeared and that new chemo is so effective, always a relief.
Thanks again for response and good luck
George x
Hi Moijan
Thanks for that. Do you mind me asking, how long did it take you to recover from the operation? I might be eligible for keyhole which would reduce recovery time, all depends on results of scans. Never a dull moment ?
George x
Well, cant really recall, usually its a few weeks for incisions etc to heal…I didnt have keyhole tho, as it was my left lobe they operated on and have a very long scar as part of my collection…I needed a section removing, but yours is different and if its keyhole…well shouldnt be that long.xxx
moijanxx
Hi Barton/ Moijan
Thanks for your replies and positive response. Yes, I can’t believe how much TMs have fallen, never went below 350 on Taxol so will enjoy moment as I know how quickly things can change. I had an extra break from Cape during the Christmas period, Barton, and it did feel good. How long was your break? Hope meeting goes well on Thursday. Do let us know.
Have a good week all Cape Crusaders 
George x
Hi Barton, yes good luck for Thursday…im on the same page as you…for every little thing…battle with that a lot. I too get eyelid twitches sometimes, then they go. Anything that goes, I heave a great sigh of relief!
sometimes I make list of all the little worrying things and then I say 'well, I cant have ALL those things wrong with me at once ’ and then miraculously most of them disappear.
love, Moijanxx
Hi Barton
I bet you are feeling better after a short break from Cape. What is it like to have no chemo side effects? Are you on a hormone therapy? Got to admit, I am feeling okay at the moment following dose reduction, but then start to worry that because side effects are less, it isn’t working! You can’t win?I know what you mean about every little twitch and pain. Mind does go into overdrive.
Good luck again for Thursday. Keep us posted
George x
hi Barton, was just reviwing my current list, which includes seeing blue lights, dizzyness, nausea and headache…tickng noises in my ears…all adding up to brain tumours, vertigo, retinal detachment…had that checked…Last week Barton !
think these are all migraines…but did accidently come across ‘eyelid twitches’ Barton, think you mentioned them?
and apparently these are very common, (usually)nothing to worry about and often caused by stress…sorry if it wasnt youxxx
Moijan???
Hi Moijan,
Hope the eyelid twitches and other effects have subsided. Think chemo sends our bodies into overdrive.
Bousy, I have heard from.medical staff that there is no correlation between side effects and efficacy of chemo. I had awful side effects on first treatment, but TMs kept rising. Following reduced dose of Cape, I have few side effects apart from peeling skin on fingers and feet. Due to see Onc in two weeks. What dose are you on? Sorry you had chest infection, but sure antibiotics will sort it. Good luck for scan.
Barton, thanks for your response. Good luck with Onc tomorrow. Keep us posted
George x
Hi Geourge, Bousy and Barton,
Bousy, I absolutely agree with Georges medical advisers! When I was on Cape…had loads of s/e at the beginning, and was just stable for two years…on Eribulin…have few s/e at all and my tms have hit the floor!
The only thng I get really is a bit low in week 3, …
Best wishes Moijanxx???
George, thank you for that…
the list I was describing wasnt a side effect list really…more of a worry list - an example of how several tiny wrinkles can sometimes hit you at once…when that happens…I tend to make a list in my head to show myself how unlikely it is that I would be suffering from all those illnesses at once…
I find that can buck me up and stop worrying! However, Since posting earlier and thinking about your reply…I realsed I do have some very minor side effects from the chemo that I have just gradually accepted as normal…not always sure which chemo each one is from either!
But still have numb feet from Taxotere after 15 years.also slight numbness in my legs and dry, crusty eye’s which I know are from Eribulin, but tend to ignore. Also get thrush more or less constantly in the nether regions and frequent urine infections…actually if anyone else is troubled by these…im becoming quite an expert in the topic of preventing and self treating them! Altho cant seem to avoid them - despite doing all the right things!
As this is the cape thread…on Cape I used to get cracked skin on my fingers and frequent cellulitis in my arm. At the beginning I got dreadful nausea and vomiting and sudden diarrhoea without warning…but thankfully, none of those on Eribulin…like Bousy, I was on the highest dose at first and with a reduction and change to one week on, one week off things improved a lot.xxx
Moijan???
Hi Moijan,
Good news that Eribulin is effective and is giving you few side effects. I think you are right, our bodies tend to adjust to some of the longer lasting side effects and we just accept them as normal- for us anyway.
Bousy, I wouldn’t worry too much about TMs. To be honest, I wish my Onc didn’t give them to me as it means I worry every 3 weeks instead of every 3 months when I would be getting scan results. It is also good news that side effects are not too bad as it means you can, as far as possible, get on with things. It is bad enough having cancer without having to deal with awful side effects from chemo. My first treatment gave me horrendous mouth ulcers, skin rash, mouth infection, etc. At one point, I had to drink through a straw. Cape, now I am on the reduced dose, has been much ‘kinder’. Anyway, good luck with your scan in a few weeks. I am booked in for CT and MRI on the same day in February. Yikes?
Good luck today, Barton
George x
Hi Moijan
Feel free to stay here. After being on Cape for quite a while, you can certainly give us some much needed advice. If all well with scans, I will be having a chemo break to prepare for op, but certainly intend to check in. Have a good weekend 
I agree with Barton, Moijan, the more the merrier☺Keep your posts coming.
Fantastic news, Barton, that is amazing that the TMS continue to fall after your break and, in percentage terms, it is a significant drop. I hope you have something nice planned for the weekend.
Bousy, once you get feedback via scans that treatment is working, you will feel better. It is the uncertainty that is so hard to deal with. Every day is different and sometimes it is difficult to remain positive. Hope you also have something nice planned for the weekend. (And you too, Moijan)
George x
Hi George,
thank you. Just thought id pop back and say Brrrrr! Had anyone hoped for snow? Plenty here if you want some…!
It started falling just as id popped out in my new(er) car to pick up my better half…everyone was speeding home and pedestrians were crossing roads, phones clasped to ears and not looking! And it was dark…pretty scary for me. However…no mishap so far.
hugs. moijanxx
Woke up to a thin layer of snow, but nothing too heavy. Very cold though:snowflake:
Just building myself up for a walk in the park:relaxed:
Have a good weekend