TNBC Has anyone had chemo terminated early - by choice or Onc decision?

MicheleR

Hi @Tasia,

Ive just finished taxol a week ago. About 9th cycle i had similar issues. Like @Afraser i was very worried about my feet and could barely walk and also my hands which were just all pain. I had a week off and then my oncologist reduced my dose. 

I think this helped my mental game. I daydreamed at week 9 about being told i could just finish chemo. 3 cycles seemed like forever. But i was oddly annoyed by the delay. I had been telling myself chemo would be done by end of 2020 but now it would flow over to 2021 which i hoped would spell more positivity. (Really made no difference).  On the plus side my hair started growing back with furvour so i now have a light carpet of long fluff (not full coverage).   My hands are much better. My nails are sensitive to pressure and my feet are still bright red and have some pain but nowhere near the pain they were. Im sure given another week or two will subside. 

Hope this buoys you along. 3 cycles isnt much when you havecalready gone through so much particularly at a reduced dose.

M

SoldierCrab

hi Tasia 
there is a strong TNBC facebook group which you might want to join. 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1166665270079659/

I had numerous changes to my chemo due to reactions etc.... 
I had double mastectomy with full lymph clearance on left hand side.  then chemo  rads etc I am now over 8 yrs out.... 

Soldiercrab 

Tasia

Hi @SoldierCrab,

Many thanks for the link, I requested to join

I have stopped chemo - what turned out to be a blend of decision outcome; I really didnʻt want to proceed and the onc assessed my PN and said she was happy to support my decision as PN would worsen with each weeks dosage. Now heading for surgery.

Tasia

MicheleR said:

Hi @Tasia,

Ive just finished taxol a week ago. About 9th cycle i had similar issues. Like @Afraser i was very worried about my feet and could barely walk and also my hands which were just all pain. I had a week off and then my oncologist reduced my dose. 

I think this helped my mental game. I daydreamed at week 9 about being told i could just finish chemo. 3 cycles seemed like forever. But i was oddly annoyed by the delay. I had been telling myself chemo would be done by end of 2020 but now it would flow over to 2021 which i hoped would spell more positivity. (Really made no difference).  On the plus side my hair started growing back with furvour so i now have a light carpet of long fluff (not full coverage).   My hands are much better. My nails are sensitive to pressure and my feet are still bright red and have some pain but nowhere near the pain they were. Im sure given another week or two will subside. 

Hope this buoys you along. 3 cycles isnt much when you havecalready gone through so much particularly at a reduced dose.

M

Dear @MicheleR,

Thank you for sharing your experience of Taxol. 

I presented my reasons for choice to terminate and onc ʻgot itʻ.
PN in my fingers and legs (not feet) raised concerns and the outcome fell into place.
I have met with the breast surgeon and planning surgery. 

The rest, once again, remains foreign terrain x

Tasia

Hi @rebeccamarie.

I am sorry to read of all the rough pot holes you have encountered in your treatment. My warmest and best healing thoughts to you for your upcoming surgery   

I have ceased chemo - my position hadnʻt changed and the onc supported it as PN became an issue of concern to both of us. 

Nail polish or hardeners were never an option for me as I am allergic to formaldehyde. Its the pain and impact on use of fingers and legs. Since stopping chemo, physical activity pistons are blasting to help my body into some form of wellness in preparation for surgery and then rad.

x 

Tasia

Dear @Abbydog,

Decision made and now propelling forward to surgery. 
As for nails; my toes are fine, its my fingers that have received the beating. Well, they sort of look like I have dipped them into an earthy mix of tye-dye solution.
I am ok with that as they will recover. Its the PN in my fingers and my legs that was alarming. 

Abbydog

Dear Tasia,
How many doses of Taxol did you actually have?
Which breast surgery will it be?
Are you happier now with the decision and plan ahead?
When will this happen?
Thinking of you.

MicheleR

Hi @Tasia,

Good luck with your surgery. Glad you are happy with outcome. 

M

Tasia

Hi @MicheleR, 

Thank you 

Tasia

Abbydog said:

Dear Tasia,
How many doses of Taxol did you actually have?
Which breast surgery will it be?
Are you happier now with the decision and plan ahead?
When will this happen?
Thinking of you.

Hi Abbydog,
I completed 9. Yes, I feel that is the right decision for me. I have had 13 out of 16 chemo session, I imagine that the work of chemo has been productive. The recent scan showed the tumour had shrunk to a very small size. I can only hold hope. 

We are still in discussions re surgery type. Going for op Jan 28th. 
If my BRCA results come back positive, I believe we will be going for a Bi-Mastectomy. If not, we are exploring conservative as an option. 

Thank you x

Abbydog

Dear Tasia,
Sorry to hear of your positive BRCA result.
I have no advice re surgery.
I would certainly be having both off one way or the other. I don't know much about conservation surgery.
All the best. I hope your descision  re surgery type isn't too hard.
Thinking of you 

Tasia

@Abbydog - I donʻt have my BRCA results, just waiting patiently. 

The breast surgeon said either surgery type would mean close monitoring post surgery. Standard - no guarantees.

Thank you x

Sister

Just remember that no-one is really sure how many chemo treatments are necessary - they just go for the maximum most can tolerate.  When I was having chemo my onc said that he would be very pleased for me to get to 9 out of 12 if I could and I have since read this many times.  I did get to the 12 but was closely monitored for the second part.  So it sounds like you have probably reached the goal that is recommended but even if you hadn't, it is only the recommended dose.