Breast Cancer Now Forum

Dear Pam, Fingers crossed you're offered your vaccine really soon. I received a text last Thursday offering me the vaccine the next day at my doctors surgery! I didn't feel it and my arm felt fine! My arm did feel a bit sore the next day and in the evening I was really tired and fell asleep for a couple of hours and I felt cold, not shivery though. According to the leaflet these are are common side effects. I was ok by the next day and well enough to have my chemo yesterday. Ideally you should have the vaccine towards the end of your week off because your immunity is at it's highest, but when I spoke to my oncologist about it, she said just take it whenever it's offered!  I'm in Medway btw.  Eribulin is an easy chemo to have, the infusion is only about ten minutes! It does take a longer than that because of obs beforehand (and in my hospitals case, sometimes a long wait to have the chemo!) I'm getting on well with Eribulin, the side effects are manageable. I had chemo yesterday and I feel ok today, just tired. Not helped by the steroids you're given before chemo, which isn't so bad if its in the morning, but I had my chemo at 4 yesterday. I feel tired when I get home and then can't get to sleep because the steroids have kicked in! I usually feel quite tired tomorrow as well and then pick up as the week goes on, ready to start again next Monday! It's two weeks on/one off. I feel well enough to do normal things. I haven't been sick at all, they give you anti-sickness tablets to take home, but fortunately I've barely needed to take them! I wear the travel sickness bands whilst I'm having chemo and for a couple of days afterwards, so don't know if that's what makes any difference! I've had a bit of a sore mouth occasionally, but that seems to come and go and not really caused me any problems. In fact I'm eating really well on this chemo. I have found that my mouth can get dry, so probably drinking more. I had a scan at the end of Nov after 3 cycles and that showed very good results, which was encouraging! (I had 4 sessions of radiotherapy before I started Eribulin, so I don't know if that made any difference to the good scan results) I've got another scan next week (I'll have had 6 cycles by then) so I'll find out how it's working after that! As you can imagine, I'm feeling a bit anxious about it! My problem is not with Eribulin, but with the constant trips to the hospital. I've got a PICC line, so that's flushed weekly and with Eribulin being two weeks out of three, bloods taken, hospital for chemo and now I've been told that I've got to have a weekly Covid test! I did manage to negotiate yesterday that I could have the test on the same day as the line flush otherwise it was three hospital trips in a week! Hope this info will be of use to you, Jencat x   ... View more

Morning Pam, Just wanted to give you some reassurance about Eribulin and the Covid vaccine. I have been on Eribulin since the end of Sept and had my vaccine last Friday. My oncologist was keen for me to have the vaccine and my chemo wasn't delayed because of it. (I had it again yesterday) Ideally it's best to have the vaccine before you start a new chemo cycle because your immunity is at its highest, but my oncologist didn't seem too worried about that, she was more anxious that I got the vaccine when it was offered. I think I remember reading once that you're in Kent? So am I. Best wishes, Jencat x ... View more

Hope you don't mind me popping on to your thread (I'm currently on Eribulin, but I did have 13 sessions of Paclitaxel throughout the Summer) but I've noticed that on the Primary Chemo Thread that their threads seem to now be in order-the original post is still at the top, but then followed by the most recent reply unlike on here where you have to scroll such a long way to find the most recent one! I just wondered if the moderators were aware of this as I think Bee was going to complain to them? x ... View more

Hi Oggy, I'm so sorry to hear of your prognosis and I'm thinking of you x   I am currently on Eribulin, but I'm afraid I don't know anything about Vinorelbine, so can only give you my experience of the first. A plus side of Eribulin is that it only takes a short time to administer, about 10 minutes, so in theory with a flush before and after, you are only in 'the chair' for about 30 minutes. I have to take 4 steroid tablets just beforehand, but don't need anymore and the only meds I bring home are anti-sickness-so far I've been fortunate and haven't been sick. (Although I do wear travel sickness bands on chemo day and for a few days afterwards, so I don't if they're making a difference) I find on chemo day (mine was yesterday) I feel a bit weary afterwards, but then can't always sleep because of the steroids! Then today and tomorrow, I'm fine pottering indoors, but not got a lot of energy (although last Wednesday I did go out for a while and felt fine) and then by Thursday I'm feeling more like myself, but I do feel fatigued quite easily. I'm 61, so that might make a differnce! A positive of this chemo is that it's two weeks on, one off and I've found that's helped me physiologically. I have got some peripheral neuropathy in my toes and fingers, but I don't think this chemo has made it any worse as it never completely went from when I had chemo in 2017. I find my mouth gets dry for the first few days after chemo. On a plus side, my hair is growing back, I thought losing it was a side effect! I'm having a scan sometime this week and will get the results next week when I see my oncologist, so I don't really know how it's working yet-I've had a return of the breast cancer plus a 'nibble' in my sternum and a few lung mets. On the surface though since starting Erubilin I can see a huge difference in my breast, (mine is external) the lumps look like they're dying and have decreased in size. I'm no longer in pain, just a bit of discomfort sometimes-I was taking over the counter medication previously. Yesterday was the second of my 3rd cycle, but I saw and felt a difference by the second part of my 1st cycle. This might not be purely due to the chemo though as I had four sessions of radiotherapy just before I started it. Btw, I did get a second opinion at Guys (my consultant at the hospital was happy for me to do so and actually recommended the consultant to me) and it was him that suggested Erubilin and the radiotherapy, which my hospital had said no to! So, don't know if that is another avenue for you to possibly consider? Sorry to have rambled on, but hope it's of some help to you, Jencat x ... View more

Hi Daisy, I'm so sorry to read what an awful time you are going through. I was diagnosed with SBC in February. Although I am very happy with my onc, I wanted to get a 2nd opinion just to double check that there aren't different treatment options available to me. I don't know if it is the same in all cases, but my onc wrote to the specialist for me regarding another opinion. I was a bit worried that she'd be offended me doing this, but she said it was quite usual and actually recommended the specialist to me. I am going to see this specialist privately, but I think you probably have to contact your onc/specialist and ask them to refer you. Jencat xx ... View more

Hope chemo goes well for you today Jennie x Yes, I have tried the cold cap when I had FEC-T in Oct'17. Unfortunately it didn't work for me and I discontinued it after finishing FEC. I don't regret using it though because it enabled me to still have my hair until after Christmas and it also gave me time to adjust to losing it, which was something I found hard to deal with when I was told that I would need chemo. I haven't used the cold cap this time, I wasn't sure if it was even an option because of the COVID situation and also I didn't want to add to extra time at the unit as the chemo is weekly and also because it hadn't worked last time. The cap is very cold to wear, but if you can get past the first 10-15 minutes you don't notice the cold too much and it's doable. Hopefully it will work well for you. I meant to say, a couple of other side effects of Paclitaxel I get is a bit of a loose tummy and also flushed cheeks and the top of my chest for a couple of days, but my temperature has been normal, so not a cause for concern.  Love, Jencat xx   ... View more

Hi Jennie, I'm having similar treatment to you-3 weeks on/1 off. Originally it was to be 9 rounds, but because I've responded so well, my oncologist has increased it to 18. My breast lump is on the surface and was causing me problems and I was in quite a lot of pain prior to going on this chemo, to the point where my SBC nurse had suggested referring me to the hospice for pain relief, now I'm just taking the odd paracetamol! I could see a visible difference in my lump after 2 rounds, not even a complete cycle! My oncologist was thrilled at the difference when I saw her a couple of weeks ago, tbh I think she was surprised and doesn't want to see me again for a couple of months unless I've got any problems. I have got a few small mets in my lungs, so hopefully it's working well on those too, I think my oncologist is fairly confident as she doesn't feel I need a scan again yet. The side effects of Paclitaxel aren't too bad because of the smaller dosage, my main one seems to be tiredness for several days, not helped by having steroids before the chemo and then a couple of days afterwards. I find I can't sleep on the day I have the chemo and it takes me a while to sort out my sleep pattern again! I also find a need a nap some days, but I'm nearly 61, so it could be partly down to my age! I have got some neuropathy in my fingers and toes, but I'd still got that from when I had chemo in Oct'17. The downside of Paciltaxel is having to go to the hospital twice a week to have the chemo, bloods and line flush and also having to have chemo weekly and not allowed anyone with me, which I'm finding harder as the time has gone on, probably not helped because I'm only half way through now, but if it works, then it's worth it! One thing, I don't know if you've been told is that you have to have pre-meds before the chemo infusion, so it takes a bit longer than my oncologist had told me. One of the pre-meds is an antihistamine, which I found made made me feel really drowsy and not a good combination with the IV steroids! I enquired about the dosage a few weeks ago and discovered although I was only having a third of the Paciltaxel at each round, I was being given a full dose of the antihistamine! My oncologist was happy to reduce this to half and if I had no reaction whilst having chemo, to stop it altogether (I think she said it comes under The Royal Marsden guidance) and so far I've been fine without it. Hope it goes well for you tomorrow, Jencat x ... View more

Hi Amy, I'm so sorry to read about your diagnosis, I am in a similar situation to you. I was diagnosed with bc in June'17, Stage 2 and TN and had chemo the same time as the lovely Shi. Unfortunately my bc returned at the end of last year and I've now been diagnosed with SBC in my sternum (a 'nibble' I was told!) and whilst on Carboplatin, some spots showed up on my lungs. My onc suggested I went on weekly Paclitaxel as I'd responded well to Docitaxel in 2018. I'm having it 3 weeks on, 1 off. I'm finding the side effects ok, but I do find I'm tired and a bit weak for a few days afterwards, probably not helped by the steroids you have for a few days afterwards and that I'm nearly 61! It's also a bit of a pain having to go to the hospital a couple of times a week for the chemo and the blood test a day or two beforehand. On a positive note though, so far I've had a good response from Paclitaxel. My breast lump is external and I've had problems and a lot of pain with it. After only 2 rounds (2/3 of a cycle) I could see and feel a difference in my lump and after 2 cycles, my onc was thrilled when she saw how much my lump had reduced. Infact she has now doubled the cycles so that I will be having 6 instead of 3. My pain has also significantly reduced-I only need paracetamol a couple of times a day now, previously my SBC had suggested I contacted the hospice for pain relief advice.  Hope it all goes well for you, Jencat x ... View more

Hi Sarah, I'm from the Oct '17 chemo group, where the lovely Shi is from too  🙂 Unfortunately my bc returned at the end of last year and I have now got SBC in my sternum and a few spots in my lungs. I've been having weekly Paclitaxel since the middle of May and coping ok on it-I have 3 weeks on, 1 off etc. The side effects are much easier than the three weekly Docetaxel, which I had in 2018. The main side effect I'm having is that I'm tired and feel a bit week for a few days, but I'm nearly 61, so that might be a factor! On a positive note I could see a difference in my breast lump after only two sessions of Paclitaxel, so even before I'd completed a full cycle! Originally my onc had only put me down to have 3 cycles, but because so far I'm doing so well on it, she's suggested I have another 3 until the middle of October. The pain from my lump has reduced a lot too and I'm not needing to take painkillers on a regular basis now. The worst part of it really is having to attend the hospital on a regular basis, I have to go twice a week because of having a blood test a day or two prior to having Paclitaxel.  It also takes a little longer than I'd thought because you have pre-meds before the chemo and then you have to wait 30 mins afterwards before the chemo can start. One of the pre-meds is an IV antihistamine, which I found really knocked me out and made me sleep for ages when I got home! A few weeks ago I enquired about the dosage and was told I was receiving a full one, so I asked if I was only having a third of the chemo dose at a time, why did I need this and so my onc was emailed and I was told it could be halved! I've since stopped having it all together as I didn't have any reaction to the half dose (my onc said it's on Royal Marsden guidelines) so if you find it affects you, it might be worth asking about it. Hope it goes well for you, Jencat x ... View more

Thank you Chaffinch x hope you are keeping well x ... View more

Thank you for your kind message Jill xx ... View more

Thank you Shi x we did mention trials yesterday to the oncologist, but she said they've been stopped at the moment-she had mentioned previously about putting me on one xx ... View more

Thanks for your reply Jill x Unfortunately my gut instinct about why I was offered a face to face appointment rather than the phone was right. The chemo hasn't worked (which I had a feeling about) and I've got a few specks of cancer that have gone into my lungs. I'm starting a new chemo next week, Plaxitol (not sure how you spell it!) which will be every week for 3 weeks and then 1 off. My oncologist seems quite optimistic about this one working, but I'm feeling upset and quite deflated at the moment xx ... View more

Morning Oct'17 girls, hope you're all keeping well and coping ok during lock down. x Feeling a bit anxious this morning as I've got a meeting with my oncologist and will get the results of my first CT scan since my diagnosis in February. My lump grew quite a bit before I started chemo and I can't see any shrinkage, even although I had a higher dose last time and I'm still in some pain with it. Also, overthinking that I've been offered a face to face meeting with my onc if I preferred rather than the planned telephone-she's had Covid-19 and is at my local hospital this morning and as ED said, she's probably offered me the choice as she knows that I'm worried about my lump as she briefly had a look at it for me when I was there for chemo a couple of weeks ago. I'm also worrying that the small spread in my sternum might have gone elsewhere xx ... View more

Buddyfan, hope CT scan has been sorted and review took place ok and you're keeping well x ... View more

Happy Easter to you all xx  🐑 🐥 ... View more

https://forum.breastcancernow.org/t5/Chemotherapy/bd-p/4435   This is the link to the Chemotherapy part of the forum x ... View more

I meant to say having chemo before surgery or just chemo x ... View more

I forgot to say DebR, I suppose it might also be worth posting on the general chemo thread as well to see if people on there can help you x ... View more