Anyone had to stop their chemo ?
Hi All 👋 Just wondering if anyone has travelled a similar road to me ? Had ILC Oestrogen/Prog + HER2-ve Grade 2, Stage 3. Infiltration into 2 sentinel lymph nodes. Axillary clearance with rema...
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Hi @Brooklyn16,
reading your story, I noted a lot of similarities to my own, so maybe my experience may help reassure you.
I was diagnosed with G2 IDC 9.2 cm stage 3, er+pr+her2-, Invasion into 2 auxiliary nodes, remaining 22 nodes clear, in Oct 2016.
I started chemo pre surgery (neoaduvant). I tolerated 3 cycles of FEC (1 cycle every 3 weeks), but developed severe tachycardia (very fast heart rate) chest pain and shortness of breath after my first cycle of Docetaxel. I was admitted to a hospital in coronary care, and remained in for a week. I saw a cardiologist and started a medicine called metoprolol to slow my heart rate. Once this stabilised, the oncologist decided to give me my second of the planned 3 cycles of docetaxel. Unfortunately, my tachycardia got worse despite the metoprolol, and I ended up back in hospital with an abnormal heart rhythm, and very unwell. My oncologist then decided that the risk of giving my last dose of docetaxel outweighed the benefits, so we stopped my chemo, and I missed the last dose. I was vey scared as I was worried it would lessen my chance of survival. I then went on to have surgery (double mastectomy) and radiotherapy. I am taking letrozole for 10 years as a preventative, however, I am vey well, and now back working full time 3 years down the track after finishing my treatment. My heart function returned to normal after 18 months and I stopped the metoprolol. I wish you the very best with your treatment.
Kate x
reading your story, I noted a lot of similarities to my own, so maybe my experience may help reassure you.
I was diagnosed with G2 IDC 9.2 cm stage 3, er+pr+her2-, Invasion into 2 auxiliary nodes, remaining 22 nodes clear, in Oct 2016.
I started chemo pre surgery (neoaduvant). I tolerated 3 cycles of FEC (1 cycle every 3 weeks), but developed severe tachycardia (very fast heart rate) chest pain and shortness of breath after my first cycle of Docetaxel. I was admitted to a hospital in coronary care, and remained in for a week. I saw a cardiologist and started a medicine called metoprolol to slow my heart rate. Once this stabilised, the oncologist decided to give me my second of the planned 3 cycles of docetaxel. Unfortunately, my tachycardia got worse despite the metoprolol, and I ended up back in hospital with an abnormal heart rhythm, and very unwell. My oncologist then decided that the risk of giving my last dose of docetaxel outweighed the benefits, so we stopped my chemo, and I missed the last dose. I was vey scared as I was worried it would lessen my chance of survival. I then went on to have surgery (double mastectomy) and radiotherapy. I am taking letrozole for 10 years as a preventative, however, I am vey well, and now back working full time 3 years down the track after finishing my treatment. My heart function returned to normal after 18 months and I stopped the metoprolol. I wish you the very best with your treatment.
Kate x