Mycophenolate and Chemo.

[bones-bones]

Has anyone been in the situation of taking Mycophenolate..or any other immunosuppressant......while having Chemo ? Do you have to stop taking it ? It won't happen for a few weeks after Christmas.

[AgedCrone]

Ask whoever prescribed the chemo...it should be in your notes....if that person doesn't know about the Mycophenolate you should tell them before starting chemo.

[bones-bones in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you fellow aged crone ! I am ahead of myself. I am having a mastectomy on 7/12 with Chemo sometime in the New Year. I am between Rheumatologists and wondering if should stop (slowly) I'm sure It will be sorted out. I'm thinking of all the worst case scenarios at the moment as I only got the diagnosis on Thursday.Trying to take one thing at a time.....

[AgedCrone in reply to bones-bones]

Well it's 9/12 today...do you mean 9 January?

Whenever ..you will have a pre op assessment prior to your surgery.....I had breast cancer in 2003 & at that meeting they note all your meds & tell you if you need to stop & whether you need to taper them or if you can just stop straight away.

I remember it is very scary when you first get the news,but it does all fall into place & becomes less scary as you find out how everything will go ahead.

Also...you might find as I did that after the surgery it was decided I didn't need chemo, just 6 weeks of radiotherapy.

So take it one step at a time, Why not ask your GP...if he doesn't know the answer he will be able to find out for you.

Good luck...

[bones-bones in reply to AgedCrone]

Sorry 18/12 ! Proves my brain is elsewhere !

[leslieliesel in reply to AgedCrone]

Chemo wasn't recommended for me either..and no radiotherapy because I did BLMastectomy...didn't have Lupus back then though....

[AgedCrone in reply to leslieliesel]

In my case it was decided no chemo after biopsy of tumour after surgery....it's not a one size fits all science.

[leslieliesel in reply to AgedCrone]

Yes....I learned so much about how different we all are...I did BLmastectomy not because I was told I should, but because I had such huge fear of cancer all of my life...pus my mammo didn't pick it up...so I said Off with them both!!

Horrible implant reconstruction..looked fne but felt HORRIBLE...so last March I did DIEP reconstruction...(belly fat to breast area)....then Lupus DX.....anyhow...Glad you were not told to do chemo.... Xx

[leslieliesel in reply to bones-bones]

I'm thinking of you xoxoxox...My mastectomy was 12 years ago My VERY Best to you

[Fennella02]

I've often wondered about chemo and immunosuppression and blood counts that are already low etc. I'm sorry that this lies ahead but I can tell you my father's story which may help. He has aggressive RA which flared badly when he heard his dx of advanced colon cancer 2 years ago. He had refused immunosuppression thus far. The theory was that the tablet chemo that he was scheduled to take for 9 cycles after the surgery would knock the flare on the head. He was in a really bad way at one point.

I hope it is of comfort to hear that he is currently in remission from the cancer. The RA is also completely quiescent at the moment.

You certainly need sound advice about this one - your oncologist should liaise with a rheumy about your case and tailor-make a treatment plan. Take care, Clare xx

[bones-bones in reply to Fennella02]

Thank you Clare. Reading these replies makes me wonder how AI s seem to improve after Chemo. Interesting.

[Barnclown]

Good question bones-bones: i’m interested too because of my history of malignancy, and ongoing high risk of multisystem cancers

For what it’s worth, a good friend my age also has lupus. Our cases are relatively similar. She was diagnosed with cancer last year, taken off immunosuppression (myfortic, pred....) and given v long courses of chemo over many many months. As i understand it, her medics explained that her type of chemo treatment makes immunosuppression unnecessary. my impression is that, meanwhile, my friend has had no lupus probs

😘🍀😘🍀😘🍀 coco

[bones-bones]

Thank you Barnclown. I suppose looking at it logically if you are having Chemo you are going to be immunosuppressed . Therefore you would be unnecessary to take another immunosuppressant.

I can't say I'm looking forward to Chemo for months but what can you do ?

I'm sure the oncologist knows exactly what to do without me fussing. 🎄🎄

[Barnclown in reply to bones-bones]

I think you’ve pretty much used exactly the same explanation my friend gave me ....courage, my friend 👍 😘🍀

[Ccupcakes]

Hello bones-bones

I'm sorry to hear your story.

Although I didn't have cancer, I did have chemo for another Lung disease.

If it's any help, before I started chemo, I was given an information leaflet about it, and at that time I was taking Azathioprine, another immunosuppressant which was stopped before the chemo started. I was given lots of information about all this and discussing it with my Rheumy helped a lot.

Wishing you the very best of luck

C.c xx

[bones-bones]

Thank you cupcakes, (Soon I will have no C cups....more one pancake 😱 ) I feel very reassured. Hope you are now ok.

[leslieliesel in reply to bones-bones]

Xx

[Ccupcakes in reply to bones-bones]

😂😂😂😂xx