I had breast cancer twenty years ago. Lumpectomy, radio & chemo 5 years tamoxifen. Totally better for twenty years.
Found a lump in my neck just before my yearly checkup & it had sneaked back into 2 lymph nodes but amazingly, nowhere else. To my surprise, my oncologist has prescribed Taxol 3 weeks out of four FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR!! Have now had 5 months’ worth & the good news is that the cancer has completely gone & I’m in remission YAY! Everyone v pleased ( esp me! ) but I was really fed up to hear that I must have the other seven months of treatment as I am utterly exhausted, have bad neuropathy & joint pain. Oddly, my hair fell out but has grown back despite continued treatment, very short but just about wearable instead of a wig on hot days.
Is anyone else having treatment as long as this? It seems to be a new approach & I wonder how anyone else might be coping. Sometimes I feel so terrible, mainly with the bizarre exhaustion where I can sleep for 8 hours and wake unable to move. Also the weak legs, joint pain & numb feet and hands mean that, if not having to sleep for two days straight, I can’t exercise & feel thoroughly wretched and sorry for myself despite my Pollyanna-ish nature. I must admit I sometimes wonder how I’ll get through the next few months which.now stretch ahead endlessly. Any advice or general support very welcome.
Best of luck to us all from Frankie
Hi Frankie,welcome to the forum.Im afraid I can’t answer your particular question but hopefully someone will be along soon who has some experience of this .You could also ring the helpline as they have specialist nurses who can advise .A year of chemo sounds like a hell of a challenge ,great news that it has blasted the invaders in your nodes but bad news you have to continue for 7 more months.Have you asked your Oncologist for an explanation ?
Hi Frankie
My story’s a bit like yours,after my initial diagnosed I was fine for 20 years but when it came back that was a different story. I have been on various chemos for 5 years my last one was weekly Paclitaxel and I had 22, from last November till May, felt I tolerated it reasonably well but after my last scan showed it wasn’t working so well it was decided to stop. Last year from March to July I was on EC chemo. Both these chemos worked well while I was on them, but as soon as I stopped the cancer returned.
I am having a break at the moment feeling a bit like what’s the point, I have been offered a another chemo but for now I have had enough.
I understand how you feel and can sympathise with all your side effects and of course all those hospital appointments, then there’s the weekly blood tests doesn’t leave much time for anything else.
If your side effects do get unbearable maybe they will review your treatment plan, it’s so difficult for us to make these decisions.
Take care.
Jan
Hi Frankie
My story’s a bit like yours,after my initial diagnosed I was fine for 20 years but when it came back that was a different story. I have been on various chemos for 5 years my last one was weekly Paclitaxel and I had 22, from last November till May, felt I tolerated it reasonably well but after my last scan showed it wasn’t working so well it was decided to stop. Last year from March to July I was on EC chemo. Both these chemos worked well while I was on them, but as soon as I stopped the cancer returned.
I am having a break at the moment feeling a bit like what’s the point, I have been offered another chemo but for now I have had enough.
I understand how you feel and can sympathise with all your side effects and of course all those hospital appointments, then there’s the weekly blood tests doesn’t leave much time for anything else.
If your side effects do get unbearable maybe they will review your treatment plan, it’s so difficult for us to make these decisions.
Take care.
Jan
Hi Frankie
i have just been told the same thing. Thought I had finished after six months but now been told I have to continue until at least December with no explanation. Did you get any answers from your oncologist?
i had breast cancer six years ago and has since come back in my neck and spine. I have been told it’s incurable, and my last scan showed a significant decrease in size on my spine so it must be working. Just confused as to why I have to have it for a year when I only signed the action sheet for 6 months of treatment.
hope you are doing ok. Will be great to hear from you
anita xxx