How much more can one body take? Three years ago I wa diagnosed with MBC. I was always healthy. Guess 69 was not a good age for me. I now have 7 fractured vertebrae, my doctor has taken me off Ibrance due to low WBC, now I go to my GP for swollen ankles and find out I have a blockage in my heart. Been taking my BP and now my heart rate die t get over 55. He said I may have to have a pacemaker. Is it just time to give up? I’m in constant pain from the fractures and the pain dr says there is nothing more he can do for me. I had one kyphoplasy, been on every opioid, morphine and fentanyl no relief. How much more can a body and person endure?
Thanks for listening to my vent but I’m very depressed to say the least.
Hugs
Sharon
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Sharon0122
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Sharon l absolutely think "giving up" should not be considered until:- you have a 2cd opinion from another oncologist (l am 4 years older than you - l did fine on the lowest dose of lbrnce for most of the 5 years l was on it, sometimes l would take 2 weeks off the med instead of 1) lf Ibrance is still working absolutely don't stop it, rarely does the low WBC & low ANC cause a problem. Take common sense precautions to prevent infection.
-a cardiologist can manage your heart problem.
-get yourself a new palliative care doc. You may not be able to become pain free but it is not unreasonable to expect it to become tolerable and for you to remain as functional and independent as possible.
-it is not easy. You will have to advocate for yourself. You will have to get your records to the new docs. You will have to juggle relief and side effects of meds - but this should all be manageable with help from your team.
-ask for help: family, friends, a patient advocate, a social worker, a local cancer center/group.
If your mets are only in your bones and branch is keeping things 'stable' that's really good news.
Thabks for your reply. I just received a call from my cousin’s wife. He’s been battling MBC for five years. He’s in the hospital right now. He’s been o. 5 different chemos. So it could be worse for me. I’m 72, he’s 64, so I do guess it could be worse. The pain I have is just unbearable.
thinking. Thank you for your reply. It’s a lot to take in. In all my working years, I never missed a day of work for sickness. I’ve suffered with ankylosing spondylitis all my life and that was nothing compared to what I am going through now. Pain is not a stranger.
I looked up the difference between pain specialists and palliative care docs. The first usually deals with less complex illness while the second deals with things like cancer. Are you with palliative care?
I live there isn’t any available. We live in a small town, 24,000. We do have a hospital and a cancer center. My oncologist was trained at MD Anderson, so I feel I’m getting the best care there, OKC is 90 miles away, and that’s where I started my journey, but we moved here to be close to our only grandson. Then six months later he gets a job in Ohio. :(. But the money was double what he made here, so off they went!
I will check into palliative care, thanks for your reply and hugs!
I intended to put this in chat but could not make it work today. I live in Muskogee and apparently there is a new palliative group called Compasus (?) which serves several eastern counties.
Hi Sharon/ so sorry for the state of things for you at the moment. I don’t think it is the end but when ibrance stopped working for me I felt like sh€t too. Do try to be optimistic about the next chemo making you feel better and don’t worry about th pacemaker as now days they just pop those things in and then you will prob feel much more energetic and ready to face the challenges ahead. Concentrate on getting those two things done and then reassess. Probably do the pacemaker in the downtime from when you go off ibrance or as soon as you WBC allows… I hope that was helpful.
SharonWish I had some wisdom to share with you. No one should be in that much pain in today's world. Hoping you are able to find someone soon who can give you much needed relief. Best wishes and blessings, Hannah
So sorry you're going through this rotten situation Sharon. I wondered what you were getting for bone support? I'm on Denosumab 3 monthly now. Did you have radiotherapy on your vertebrae? I had one session early on, it made me really sick, but the referred pain, which was awful, did respond entirely. I take it your pulse & BP is different to normal for you. Mine is always in the low 50s, but normal for me. I also get on well with Ibrance lowest dose after being unable to tolerate other inhibitors. I think another conversation or a 2nd opinion could help. Wishing you a better outcome as soon as possible. Jo x
I guess I have to talk to my radiologist about that. We’ve never discussed it. I get zometa once every three months. My pulse is usually in the 80 or 90 range. Just have to wait and see elegant tge cardiologist says tomorrow. I’m very nervous about it.
Dear Sharon--------No one should have to endure all that pain in this day and age. Please find some doctor or doctors that can help. There must be someone that can help you significantly. Maybe you will have to go and rent a place temporarily near large cancer facility that have the personnel to help with your pain.
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Look what’s happened to me😪
Struggling
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Everolimus and clots
