Adriamycin

[library2019]

Is any one on adriamycin how is it what side effects I start Tuesday was on xeloda terrible side effects and bowel blockage

[Hidden]

Hi Library2019 -

Wow, I'm so sorry about the issues with Xeloda! That sounds terrible!

I did Adriamycin 10 years ago and I'm not gonna tell you it's easy -- it's not -- bit it wasn't nearly as bad a I feared it would be. I was bald and tired, for sure, but no nausea to speak of and no other side effects that I noticed. I was able to work for the duration, not missing even a day, but I would not recommend this at all, if you can avoid it. I mention it only to give you a feel for how tired-but-functional I felt.

Is this your first IV chemo? If so, I think the mental barriers are sometimes the bigger issue...this was true for me, at least. At first it was a very weird experience for me, as for most, I'm sure...The "weirdness" wasn't all bad, and believe it or not, I found plenty to chuckle about along the way....so you do get used to it!

I hope you do well with it, e.g. few side effects, and - most importantly - that it works well!

I do want to mention something related....

.....I do intermittent fasting to help fight cancer. I was gathering some of the research on this yesterday because my son was asking about it. The info (from credible sources...university studies, etc...) is pretty compelling, in general, but it seems that there is A LOT of info indicating that fasting prior to chemo treatments significantly reduces side effects AND increases effectiveness. I'd be happy to re-find and share some of that info, if you're interested or if a quick google search doesn't get you there...

Again, best of luck with the new treatment...

Take care,

Lynn

[library2019 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the info I also had Adriamycin in 2002 with no side effects this time it will be once a week I was on paxlitaxel November til March no side effects my tumor markers keep increasing but I felt great. I would be interested in the info you talked about. I had an echo cardio gram last week since they said it can effect the heart.

[Hidden in reply to library2019]

Oh, wow, that's so interesting (oh, I'll find and send the info in a bit...might be tomorrow), but you're saying that you've done Adriamycin already but you can do it again? When I was dx w/ mets, call it 5 years ago, five years after original earlier stage dx and treatment, my doc said that this chemo (and a couple of others) were no longer options for me since my cancer had "outsmarted" them already....I would love to know that these are still available to me in the future...

Thanks,

Lynn

[Hidden in reply to library2019]

Hi Library2019...

Here's what I grabbed off a pretty quick search...

Good, serious research article/paper:

jeccr.biomedcentral.com/art...

Good general article, credible secondary source:

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

A very easy-to-understand general look at fasting vs. cancer: UCSF

osher.ucsf.edu/patient-care...

A skeptical view, maybe a bit dated, which, by my reading, still show promise re: the benefits of fasting.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

I hope that helps. I, for one, tend to find any even slightly possible advantages and work them. Who knows? But I do weigh them against my happiness...e.g. fasting, plant based diet, supplements, FIR = no decline in happiness. But giving up prosecco is a bridge to far, as they say!

Take care,

Lynn

[library2019 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the info I’ll check it tomorrow and good luck keep fighting🌹

[library2019 in reply to library2019]

Update on Adriamycin I went yesterday May 12 I go to Univercity Hospitals of Cleveland saw dr first then bloodwork and treatment it was an injection not iv took about 15 minutes Zoltan and steroids tough sleeping last night I asked if was safe to get adriamycin since I had it previously you can have a lifetime limit of 450-550mg I had 180 mg back in 2002 will be seeing cardiologist oncologist to watch heart I had echo before treatment was good so far no side effects 🙏the dose is 32mg every week so hope it works Zeloda was absolutely awful!

[Hidden in reply to library2019]

Thanks for the update re: Adriamycin...Very interesting about the lifetime limit, I'll have to find out how much I've already had.

And good luck with the treatment!! I hope it works well!

[Hidden]

Wow!!! That's great new for me! Thank you so much!

I'm often incredibly slow on the uptake, so after responding to a post the other day, I said to myself...Hey, wait!! So many women on the board taking Ibrance/Let/Faslo and similar still have A, C, T still available to them, but I don't!!! I had pictured myself transitioning through these easy oral treatments, then being left with only hail-Mary type chemo that might not be worth the trouble.

Don't get me wrong...I'm okay with that, big picture, but it shifted my self-perception a bit...I sometimes worry that I'm like a "lightweight" on this site, la-la-la-ing through like "cake walk" side effects...I really had all but forgotten (my mind = mush) that, yeah, I have experience with the big guns!

Anyway, thank you for sharing that info. I've sort of calculated my life expectancy (based on averages, of course) by adding up the expected durations of my remaining options. I feel like you just gave me extra time!

Best,

Lynn

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

OMG, if I'm going to live longer, I'd better slow my rate of spending!

[Wolverine19 in reply to Hidden]

Yes Lynn I find myself thinking the same thing. I sometimes calculate my approximate life expectancy as well. The questions come, should I live high and spend more money for the remaining time I have left or would that backfire and I end up living longer than I expected because one of the treatments respond better than I expect. I am thinking as time goes on I will live a little bit better and spend a little more money and enjoy, but you never really know how you're going to react to the meds so quality of life may go down as we go along too. I really like your philosophy and the way you reason about things.

[Hidden in reply to Wolverine19]

Thanks, Wolverine19!

I've had the exact same thought!

When I was first diagnosed metastatic, I asked my doc, with whom I have a great relationship, "So, should I spend my money?". She said "Yes, spend it." So I went a little nuts the first year, taking several extravagant trips. At the same time, I didn't buy any "things"...Why buy a new winter coat or car?

I've throttled back on the spending, for sure, just in case somehow I live a long time, but still don't buy things unless I really need them, which is a good idea anyway! And I'm still driving the same car!! If "she" (my car) dies, I figure I'll lease one, not buy...Why acquire an asset that will just have to be sold when I die? Folks will have enough tasks to deal with...Plus I have a small superstition about the car, i.e. by keeping her going I'm doing the same for myself...

I do make decisions based on the assumption that in the future I'll not feel as well as I do right now. I think this is pretty reasonable. But that's part of why this virus pisses me off so much....I'm always aware that the current year could be my last good one and to spend it in isolation is really annoying!

I think that by looking the facts in the face -- even calculating/forecasting life expectancy -- we are able to make better decisions and make the most of our remaining time. Yes, these are averages, but we can also refine the forecast based on our own circumstances. And that's better than throwing our hands up, surrendering to uncertainty. I mean, people always make decisions based on some underlying assumption...e.g. how much to save for retirement.

Anyway, nice to meet a like-minded woman!

Take care,

Lynn

[13plus]

Best of luck for your treatment today! My advice is to drink lots of water to flush it through your system! Take it easy as you need to, especially the first couple of days after infusion. If the steroids rev you up do NOT start cleaning the house ! Lol.

If you get nausea and like ginger, get some preserved ginger(wash off that excess sugar) and chew on that.

Lastly make sure you look after your gums well to avoid ulcers and cold sores. That is, brush your teeth every time you eat, rinse your mouth with that saline mix they should recommend (I forget the baking soda dose). Keep your lips moisturized. And see if you can get hold of a lubricating mouth solution. (The one I used to buy they changed/stopped making- Biotin I think??)

Hope this helps

[illini9]

I had adriamycin with Cytoxin as my first treatment with MBC. Did 6 rounds dose dense. I second the advice about water. I was told to drink 64 ounces a day for the two days following chemo and then at least 32 ounces on the other days. I'm not sure if it was the combo v. one or the other but I did have cumulative fatigue. I tried to take a walk every day - even towards the end of chemo. I just found benches on my walk so when I needed to rest I could. Before chemo I could easily walk 5-7 miles a day. That came back quickly after.

Like someone else said I thought it was going to be much worse than it was even though it is tough. I didn't find many issues with nausea but often on the first couple of days my stomach was just more unsettled.