Adriamycin anyone?

[BangorBelle]

So after Ibrance, Taxol, Fulvestrant, Avastin (still taking Fulvestrant and Denosumab), Xeloda. It looks like my next port of call is either more Taxol (which I found fine for the first 17 weeks) or Adriamycin. Anyone tried this?I found Xeloda was so bad for my tummy plus tiredness but found Taxol fine. I guess we are all different. Will not start until after next scan at end of sept. Just Fulvestrant and Denosumab for now. Any thoughts?

[Teddielottie]

Hello ! I’m glad you are getting a short break from the harsh treatment ( sorry I can’t give any advice on the proposed treatment ) but I hope your next scan makes it all worth it in September . Hope you can enjoy the remainder of the Summer months in beautiful Bangor ! We have just gone back into a regional semi -lockdown here, but keeping busy otherwise . Much love ! 🤗 x

[BangorBelle56 in reply to Teddielottie]

Thanks.Forgotten where you live. Sorry about your semi lockdown. X

[Teddielottie in reply to BangorBelle56]

In Yorkshire , affected by the new semi- lockdowns ( Manchester , Lancashire and West Yorkshire affected in last week ) . x

[brake4country]

So sorry you are going though all of this. I understand your battle and want to provide you a bit of encouragement. You can do this!!

I had 4 rounds of adriamycin. One of the strongest chemos out there. Watch out for mouth sores, food cravings and yes, my favorite...blood clots. I had a clot on my lung caused from adriamycin. Just be sure your doc puts you on blood thinners before you start treatment to reduce your risk of clots.

Ibrance was wonderful. No side effects at all. Unfortunately, I stopped responding to it about 1 and 1/2 years of being on it. I am now on Everolimus.

Has your doc considered Everolimus?

[BangorBelle56 in reply to brake4country]

Will mention it to him thanks. What are your mets?

[brake4country in reply to BangorBelle56]

Bones only at hips. And you?

[BangorBelle in reply to brake4country]

Unfortunately, I have spine, liver and lung mets. My sister's mets went for her Brain One night she was at a party to celebrate her husband's 60th birthday. Took bad head and very sick. She went straight into a coma and died a month later aged 57. Feel lucky mine was spotted and I can get treatment. Ten years since she died and I miss her every day.

[brake4country in reply to BangorBelle]

I am so sorry about your sister. We are all warriors, past and present. I will pray for you for strength as you continue on this journey. New treatments come out every day so there is always hope! I am grateful to have this condition present day since chemotherapy options in the past were very limited. On a positive note, there was one treatment option my onc. was thinking about before Everolimus. She was thinking of Xeloda (capecitabine). It's an older chemo pill and her patients had a lot of success with it. One in which went into NED. Stay strong sister warrior!

[Bubbles001]

I took that drug as my first chemo when I was diagnosed five years ago. It is a powerful chemo and can knock the tumors back. You do lose your hair. A nurse injects it into your port slowly so you don’t have a reaction. Unlike taxol, once you’ve been treated with adriamycin (usually 4 rounds), you can’t take it again because it is hard on your heart. Not trying to scare you, just letting you know it is strong. It has been around a long time and many women have been successfully treated with it and have even gone into remission.

[BangorBelle in reply to Bubbles001]

Thanks for the reply

[seiler in reply to BangorBelle]

SOMETIMES is a very necessary word. Blanket statements are never OK. I was considered by all doctors to be terminal -- 28 years ago! Adriamycin was my treatment (it had been developed only the year before then, according to my oncologist and my surgeon) and I received 100% of my dosage for 11 courses. Then my white blood count went down and I opted to switch to methotrexate for the 12th course. It killed my grapefruit sized tumor and I stayed free of cancer till now. Adriamycin was not fun but well-worth it. I've been on Ibrance and Letrazole for 5 years for the recurrence, and my 13 tumors have disappeared, according to last month's PET scan. Ask question of your oncologist, ask for clarification till you understand, and if it sounds good to you, follow exactly what your oncologist's directions are. And believe that you will be cured. Believing in God and His drugs can do wonders. To Bangor from Honolulu with love and aloha.

[brake4country]

Yes adriamycin is super strong. Knocked out my IBC left breast but a few remained and regrew. Everolimus is working well, barely any side effects.

[BangorBelle in reply to brake4country]

Thanks

[Sunnydaz in reply to brake4country]

I’m supposed to start Everolimus with Arimidex, I believe. They will be starting me on the lowest dose. May I ask what side effects you had?

[brake4country in reply to Sunnydaz]

Good morning. I am on 10 mg Everolimus and 25 mg Exemestane. So far so good. Primary tumor decreasing rapidly. Minor side effects like a few mouth sores and fatigue. Ask your doctor for a steroid mouthwash to control the mouth sores. Ley me know how it works for you. Give it time though.

[Sunnydaz in reply to brake4country]

Thank you for responding. I was given this choice or the Emerald trial. The trial is only for 4 months and I wouldn’t be able to do this in the future. The choice was easy. I’ve been told I will be given a mouth rinse to swish 4 times a day and it should get better in about two months. I’m excited to hear you have done so well on this treatment. I wish you many more years!

I will let you know. Fingers crossed 🤞

Robin *

[library2019]

I am on weekly adriamycin 32mg I am already at my lifetime limit but they are checking my heart so far so good and they also give me Zineguard to protect my heart before I get the adriamycin so far tumor markers way down no side effects hope you do well

[BangorBelle in reply to library2019]

Great. Hope you have continued success

[Mcangel11]

Advancing made me so sick and lost all my hair in 2 weeks. Taxol didn't bother me as much except body aches but I do not know which one would be better for your cancer! Sorry you have to go though this!!

[Mcangel11 in reply to Mcangel11]

Adriamycin

[MacroMom]

I’m sorry Xeloda was so tough on you. Wondering if Eribulin is an option? I also have liver Mets and it’s high on my list of next options and seems to work well on liver Mets. I’m on Abraxane now but may be nearing the end of it’s usefulness. Glad you can catch a break before your next treatment too.

[Shelly1009]

I had four treatments of dense dose (every two weeks) adriamycin during my first go-round with breast cancer. It was pretty hardcore but tolerable. After my first treatment I had a rough few days. I worked with my chemo nurses and came up with a plan for the next three. As soon as I got home from chemo I would take zofran & compazine on a rotating schedule for the first 24 hours.. I also started Prilosec daily when I found that it gave me terrible heartburn. And thrush. Can't forget the thrush. I got thrush after every treatment so I made sure I had the rinse and some of the "magic mouthwash" on hand just in case. The anti-emetics dry you out so of course there's the fun of constipation for a few days after each treatment. So lots of hydrating and make sure to have some OTC supplies on hand to counteract that. Good luck. The good news is that it's a fairly short course of treatment. Good luck!!!!! You got this ❤️

[BangorBelle]

Thank you

[NamasteLove]

Xeloda did not work for me. Was on it barely a week when labs started to go crazy.

Taxol was not for me. I had many side effects, had a reaction 2 times during infusion, and I generally felt HORRIBLE- like I was dying when I was on Taxol. My labs began to go down as well.

A year before all of the above, I was on Adryamycin- did well with that in terms of limited side effects and labs improving. Had 4 cycles, then went on Ibrance- that wasn't for me either- labs did not look good.

I am on Doxil now. Feeling fine, labs improving, will have scans soon.

There really is no way to tell what will happen because we are all different.

Best to you.

Nama