New to group

[Hbryan]

Hello I am new to this group. I was originally diagnosed with stage II breast cancer 4/2017. 2+ cm lump in left breast with one lymph node involved. I had chemo, lumpectomy, lymphectomy, and radiation. I was told all cancer was removed. I had 13 lymph nodes removed that were all negative. In April 2018 I found an enlarged lymph node in my neck. It was biopsied and came back positive. My original breast cancer was triple negative and now I am ER+ Her2- I stared Ibrance a month ago with hormone therapy. I saw my oncologist yesterday and lymph nodes have no visible changed but there are more of them inflamed. All my other scans have come back negative so far. She is going to give me another month on the meds and then repeat the scans. My only real side effect is fatigue but my whit blood cells plummeted to 2.3K/MM3 and neutrophils are low too. Has anyone else experienced this drop and if so what did your oncologist suggest. Thanks for any help.

[nstonerocks]

Hello Hbryan

I think most of us, certainly myself, experience a drop in wbcs and neutrophils. When I first went on it I had to stop for at least 3 weeks until my counts came up. I now run low normal. So what is happening to you is normal and hopefully and probably you will tolerate it better in time or your onc can lower the dose. I am sorry for all you have been thru. It was hard enough for me to be stage 4 from the start. I think being told you are cancer free then told it has spread is even harder. I am big on juicing. It helps me w fatigue and I feel much better. But I also feel tired a lot. You will learn what helps you. Check out Kris Carr’s website for juicing info and lots more. She has a slow growing liver cancer w Mets to lungs and has made wellness her mission in life. Also there is yoga for cancer patients. Check out Tari Pristers book. There are certified y4c teachers around. Has helped me w mobility and pain in my hip. Glad you found this site. 🙏

[Hbryan in reply to nstonerocks]

nstonerocks. Thank you for your response. I will check out those web sites for sure.

[Snowcone16]

My wbc were at .9 during my 7 days off Ibrance. I went back 10 days into Ibrance cycle and they were back to 1.7 I think. Dr said it was fine. They require 1.5 to continue. I juice and take vitamin c, d and calcium supplements.

I was diagnosed stage 2 in April 2016. It was 2cm and I had micromets in 1 of 4 nodes. My oncotype score was 26 with a 15% chance of recurrence. If I did chemo, 13%. I opted for radiation and tamoxifen- no chemo. Stage 4 dx on January 30. Mets to bones and spot on scalp.

Nice to meet you.

[Hbryan in reply to Snowcone16]

Snowcone16. Nice to meet you too. Thanks for you response. I am going to start juicing. I am taking calcium and vitamins D and just started vitamine C today. Thanks for the info on how low they have to be before they may stop the Ibrance. Hoping for good results at my scans or they may be looking into chemo and I do not want to go down that road again. There is a chance it may be chemo resistant and then I would go thru all that again with no results.

[lynnhbtb]

Hi Hbryan - Welcome. Only been on here a couple months myself. Found it to be helpful, supportive and informative.

Been on Ibrance, Faslodex and Xgeva -- ~ 4 months now. WBC, ANC and RBC goes down, but they seem to recover. I am more tired, but after first scans last week showed full treatment response, it's worth the side effects. Have had a couple infections, but I stay aware of my body and take it to the doc or call when needed. After one infection, I stopped Ibrance until finishing the antibiotic and then resumed. If levels get too low, they pull you off for a while. I am on lowest dose 75 mg., but it's working and not creating too much havoc. ( Just FYI: Been stage IV since 2012, was NED after treatments, then had a recurrence last August.)

Sending positive energy your way.

[Mizrei]

I have Stage 3 ER+HER2- SMALl lump in my right breast and high concentration of cancerous axillary lymph nodes. I had a lumpectomy and axillary dissection followed by chemo TAC and now I’m going through radiation while taking Ibrance, LETrozole and goserelin injections. My white blood cells also dive very low.

[Jerseygirl45]

Welcome to the group🙂I am on Ibrance and Faslodex xgeva my WBC never goes above 2.3. I do get tired, not enough to nap but I do vacuum sit, put in wash sit clean bathroom sit. So I do a lot of sitting. But as long as things are shrinking I will put up with it.I will be having ctscan this month hoping there is no activity. Hope you feel better.

[Loriterranova in reply to Jerseygirl45]

The best of luck to you!!!!

[Wintervt]

Hi,

You will find this group to be very supportive!

It stinks to be deemed cancer free and then have a recurrence.

I think low WBC and neutrophils are par for the course with letrozole and ibrance. Mine have plummeted as well but the meds are working, as my tumor markers are trending down (400 to 75 in two months). I am on the lowest dose of ibrance and just got my blood work back and my oncologist wants me to wait a week before I start my third cycle.

[Jerseygirl45 in reply to Wintervt]

Wow! Wish my markers would drop like that. They are going up. I am on Faslodex and Ibrance since March. Will have petscan this month. Hope it shows improvement.

[Wintervt]

Sending prayers for a positive outcome from your pet scan results. 💕