I was diagnosed three weeks ago with two lumps in my right breast and had a lumpectomy last week. I was told this would be followed by just radiation but as it turns out I now have to have chemo too.My sentinel node biopsy revealed that unfortunately my cancer is very fast growing as it is at grade three despite being in the early stages. We know that I've had it for 12 months or less as last year (2016) I started being screened 12 monthly and I was cancer-free at that screen. I started having the yearly screens because both my Mum and younger sister are breast cancer survivors. Since my diagnosis I accepted that I had to have surgery and radiation but I've been blown away that I now need chemo as my doctor felt pre surgery that this wouldn't be necessary. I'm just wondering if anyone has any helpful tips from their own experience with chemo to pass on? Am especially wondering how crucial it is to get any dental work attended to as that is what most of the chemo tip articles online say?

I think some of the major concerns about dental work relate not so much to the chemo but to some of the drugs that may be used to prevent osteoporosis if you end up having hormone treatment. I wouldn't want to be having dental surgery in the middle of it just the same.Ask your oncologist; stick that question on your list so you know for certain what you do, or don't, need to worry about.It comes as a shock when you think you are heading down be track and you end up getting pushed down another. It would be helpful if surgeons could refrain from giving advice about oncology, oncologists wouldn't speculate about plastic surgery and people didn't tell you stories about friends of friends who have exactly the same disease as you and had different treatment. Tune up your bullshit metre, you may need it.My best advice is try to keep informed but don't drive yourself mental, figure it if you trust your team, and if you do, let them do their jobs. If you don't, change them. Keep a diary and most of all, be kind to yourself if you can. Take any opportunity to rest. One step at a time. Marg xx

Re dental work - I have just had major dental in prep for hormone therapy. As I am post menopausal and er+ I am to take aromatase inhibitors in my case Letrozole. I am osteoporotic - these drugs thin bones further so need in addition a bone building medication in my case Prolia injections 6 monthly. Prolia and other bone builders risk osteonecrosis of the jaw if major dental work is done hence why I had this work done prior to starting hormone therapy which in my case requires bone building medication as well . I understand women who are premenopausal and er+ are to take tamoxifen which does not have bone implications hence no bone building drugs are necessary and major dental work is not an issue. I have no knowledge about chemo and major dental work however . Major dental work for me meant extractions and implants not minor stuff like fillings.

Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them. My concern about the dental work is that I've been holding off on getting a couple of crowns done. I will check in with my oncologist about it once I meet with her hopefully some time this week. Such a lot to consider!

To my understanding the issue with chemo and dental work is the risk of infection as your immunity will be compromised.If the crowns are urgent or leave you at risk of infection, you should probably have them done first but if not, and they are not going to cause you problems for a few months while you are having chemo, it is probably not so important.The chemo I was having, FEC and Docetaxol, affected my gums, making them rough, tender and in the case of FEC, receded around the teeth while I was on it.You just don't want to be going in for major dental work while having chemo if you can avoid it.There are a lot of articles on here regarding tips with chemo if you have a look, I found that reading through them gave me lots of good advice so I put together a coping kit with medications to deal with the side effects.While you are having chemo, you can also come on with questions if you are struggling to deal with something.Give your Oncologist and your chemo nurses LOTS of feedback about what side effects you are experiencing, you can ring them for advice at all hours, I had an email address for the Pharmasist at the hospital (Gosford Private) to ask questions and had a foolscap list of side effects I ran through with the Onco every review.Get a thermometer, and monitor your temperature regularly.If you start before chemo you will know what your regular temp is usually. Mine is always below the "usual" 37 degrees, so if it started to climb towards 37 I was wary and started to monitor.I ended up in hospital with two of the Docetaxol doses because of high temperatures. If you catch them early it is a shorter stay!Chemo is horrid, but doable and once you know how your body reacts you can manage the side effects better.Good luck, Jennie

Re dental work, agree with the advice given especially not doing work if you can do it before or after however worth noting that I had no dental problems while on chemo and my dentist said he would not have known if not duly advised before I started chemo. I had A/C and Taxol. No mouth ulcers either. I did swish and spit religiously twice a day - my oncology nurse said 4 times is great but people find it onerous or forget, always doing twice every day was just as good. I'm on Femara which is not good for bone density but the only problem (a deep seated crack) undoubtedly started before I went on Femara, although discovered later. No bone issues with an implant to resolve the problem, just a bit of bleeding but that's because I am on blood thinners!

Chemotherapy tips | BCNA Online Network

23 Replies

Aussiegirl19
Member
8 years ago
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them. My concern about the dental work is that I've been holding off on getting a couple of crowns done. I will check in with my oncologist about it once I meet with her hopefully some time this week. Such a lot to consider!
Romla
Member
8 years ago
Re dental work - I have just had major dental in prep for hormone therapy. As I am post menopausal and er+ I am to take aromatase inhibitors in my case Letrozole. I am osteoporotic - these drugs thin bones further so need in addition a bone building medication in my case Prolia injections 6 monthly. Prolia and other bone builders risk osteonecrosis of the jaw if major dental work is done hence why I had this work done prior to starting hormone therapy which in my case requires bone building medication as well . I understand women who are premenopausal and er+ are to take tamoxifen which does not have bone implications hence no bone building drugs are necessary and major dental work is not an issue. I have no knowledge about chemo and major dental work however . Major dental work for me meant extractions and implants not minor stuff like fillings.
Zoffiel
Member
8 years ago
I think some of the major concerns about dental work relate not so much to the chemo but to some of the drugs that may be used to prevent osteoporosis if you end up having hormone treatment. I wouldn't want to be having dental surgery in the middle of it just the same.

Ask your oncologist; stick that question on your list so you know for certain what you do, or don't, need to worry about.

It comes as a shock when you think you are heading down be track and you end up getting pushed down another. It would be helpful if surgeons could refrain from giving advice about oncology, oncologists wouldn't speculate about plastic surgery and people didn't tell you stories about friends of friends who have exactly the same disease as you and had different treatment. Tune up your bullshit metre, you may need it.

My best advice is try to keep informed but don't drive yourself mental, figure it if you trust your team, and if you do, let them do their jobs. If you don't, change them. Keep a diary and most of all, be kind to yourself if you can. Take any opportunity to rest. One step at a time. Marg xx

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