Chemo Update
 

Well, I've finished four rounds with the chemo Rx taxotere (after each round I got a shot of neulasta to boost WBC) and let me just say that it was a real bitch. I went from bed to couch to bed the entire time. On Jan. 2 I will start the first of four more treatments with a drug called Adriamycin Cytoxin--see? "Toxin" is right in the name! YAY!

I was at the oncs yesterday and the tumor has NOT shrunk ONE bit since we started all this in Oct. Doc says, "well, as long as it's not getting bigger..." I say, "I wish I'd just had the surgery right up front and skipped all this hair-losing, hot-flashing, shortness-of-breath and fatigue-making complete BITCH of a treatment!" I'm right where I started so what is the point? BTW, I called my insurance company--each time they did chemo on me it cost 9,600. Yes, that's right: nearly 10,000 dollars per treatment. Eight treatments--80,000 dollars. And that's just the chemo drug :3_eyes:

I am supposed to take a new "miracle" anti-nausea drug called Emend after each A/C cycle--a pill a day for three days. Each pill costs 200.00. Do the math: 600.00 dollars for three pills to keep me from puking. They gave me a voucher for the first three pills (the pharmacy had to order the meds b/c, as you can imagine, there isn't a big demand for 200.00 pills) and only one voucher per patient is allowed by the drug company. I think for the remaining three rounds I'll just be puking. Does anyone, anyone, see a problem here? I just watched Michael Moore's SICKO and I'm still pissed off.

anyway---wish me luck. I think I'll need it.

How much does aprepitant cost?
Aprepitant is available as a 3-day pack containing one 125 mg capsule and two 80
mg capsules. The average wholesale price is $312.


The above is quoted from a website:http://www.forourpatients.info/pdf/2-22/FOPAE242.pdf

I don't know how accurate this is. My onc told me it was 200.00 per pill and this is saying 312 for the three. At any rate, 100.00 per pill is still too expensive. What insurance co. would pay that?

All I had to do was stop drinking...

Try to focus on the good. It has stopped growing, that is important. You can assume the Doc isn't being completely random with his choice for the next toxin. They've been at this a long time, but you know that. Please keep heart.

I wish you more than luck, I wish you well.

Get well soon, Bri.

By xob and used by me.

Whatever it takes Bri - hugs and heartfelt, healing prayers are headed your way!

Thinking of you, and hoping the worst is over as fast as possible.

*hugs* woman.

You could still squish it under your heel, if it was outside your body.

good mental image, that.

I'll start meditating on that image instead of the one where light beams shoot out of the middle of my forehead (which was pretty cool, but not really "cancer-specific" like this one is!) :flower: :apinkr:

Seems to me (a complete layperson with the ability to google) that shrinkage wasn't necessarily the primary aim of the Taxotere, although (obviously) a desirable effect. The various sites I found seemed to say that the use of this drug was to weaken the structure and prevent further growth and spreading -many sites cited research that women treated with this drug were less likely to have cancer found in other parts of the breast during surgery.

So chin up. Good Luck.

and buy lots of unperfermud moisturister. Apparently dry skin in a common side effect of your next toxic cocktail. I use Vaseline Advanced Healing.

Would it be better if they were able to serve the chemo in cocktail form with little umbrellas and sophisticated olived arrays on sticks and the like?

thank you, monster! I've googled taxotere and I never saw that information---that is helpful--thanks.
:)

and thanks for the dry skin tip.

and, yes, it would help if they served it "cocktail" style--esp. if they provided a "pool boy" too!

Pool boys?

exactly the kind I had in mind! :)

What a coincidence, you're exactly the kind they have in mind.

Best of luck Bri. Each step you take is a step towards all this being done with and life getting back to normal. *Hugs*

You can do anything, Bri. I know you can. We're all thinking about you.

Glad to finally hear an update, Bri. Kick this son of a bitch's ass. You're gonna do it. Stay strong...you're obviously already brave.

I second everything that has been said, Bri...and I reckon Monster is awesome for doing some research.

Stay strong and positive.

Best wishes, and good luck with the new treatments!

I think you fancy me.... ;)

(if beest ever fucks up, I'll call......)

...orrrr...he could join in ;)

I was actually thinking it sounded like I was lusting after you, so I am not gonna start the thread thanking you for organising the Secret Santa.

Hey Bri- I hope your having good luck today....
:)

Stay up on the other possible therapies you could be using -- if you're refractory to one, you may need to change to another.

Best of luck to you, Bri. Be well.

thanks, all. I managaed to go to class yesterday (bought the books, sat for class AND went groceryshopping in one go!) and I felt so much better just to get OOTT and see people.. and the sun. and the road. I got a tim horton's iced cap and went wild!! :) thanks for all your love---esp. SG's love. I think I"m going gay on her. :) :) you'[re all stars, all of ya!

Nice to hear you're getting out and about Bri :)

That's great Bri! Keep at it. Trying to run your life as normally as you can is one of the best things to do.

Going gay on me is a common side effect of cancer treatment. I have been asked not to walk past the oncology dept in my local hospital any mor3e as it sends the wards crazy.

I am so glad you are out and about!
One day at a time though - don't beat yourself up if you don't make it out next time.

Wish you were here so I could rub your fuzzy head for luck. As it is you will have to rub your own. I'm rubbing mine right now in the library in case that works for you. Well you gotta try everything right?

Keep us updated xxx

See? I love her!

I bet love shrinks cancer cells better than the toxicthingy.

Here's some for you. :hearts:

P.S. Have you tried the all natural, herbal, somewhat illegal anti-nausea remedy? Cheapter than the 200/per pill, I'd say. (Just a thought).

Hang in there woman! One day at a time eh? :D Wishing you the best in your recovery.

Update please Bri.
I've read that you're bald, puking, despairing of never having sex again and drinking too much. Is that pretty much an update?

Don't worry, you sound like Yul Brynner after a heavy night and I'm sure he got sex. If not, don't fret too much, there are other options. Like DIY, then go round giving everyone stink finger all day. Or I've heard rohypnol can be quite good?

Seriously, I am getting myself and my life into shape girl. Once I come off these anti-depressants I intend to whore myself out to medical science and then I'm have the plane fare to come over and sort you out. You have been warned. More likely I will also end up bald and puking as I drunkenly persuade you to shave me in a spirit of sisterly solidarity...

Any time you feel down, just think of me struggling to lose weight, stay off the booze and not snort with laughter in AA meetings when people talk about how God sent them visual hallucinations to stop them drinking (he's got a weird sense of humour) and really you got off lightly with just a little bit of cancer. And then think of my thinner and fitter and stronger and a militant teetotaller headed for your door, and realise things could be worse :)

I want to pour olive oil over that bald head, and rub it all over my body...








for starters...

Yul was sexy! And I'm sure you are too! Hey, they make great scraves. You can be the Cellar fashionista!

the good news is my tumor IS shrinking! I can barely feel it--it's gone from, like, lime-size to pecan-sized! the A/C is working! YAY! I've also only got two more treatments left. After that, they wait a month or so to let your body recoup a bit then do surgery THEN radiation, which I will refuse to do. After surgery, Im done with it all. I can't go thru any more bullshit and rad. is five days a week for months---forget it.

anyway, tho I'm tired, I am feeling better. thanks for all the good vibes, great posts and best wishes. you all have been great thru this! *hugs* to you all!!! :)

AWESOME!

SA-WEET!

And you could STILL crush it under your heel if it was outside your body, which it soon will be, this fucker has totally FAILED to take over and you are gonna crush it like a bug.

Brianna WINS!

I save this word for special occasions. ::: checks special word committee, approved:::

TOTALLY FUCKING AWESOME!!!!!!!

You've got the upper hand, keep going hard on the bugger until it is finished. Yay yay YAY!

Congratulations on the chemo.

Don't worry about side effects. I've dated women who didn't have any hair (alopecia) and had a lot of fun. Sexual attraction has a lot of factors. Once you get your equilibrium back, I'm sure you will rediscover your 'inner babeness' and everything will be cool.

BTW, if you do see a guy looking at you, just walk up to him, look him in the eye, lean over and whisper in his ear "It's not just my head that's bald".

At the very least, it would be fun to see the reaction.

Hooray Brianna!!

<-Bri Tumor->
:blownup:



Wheeeeee!!! Great news!!!

Fantastic! I'm so happy :D

This is second hand information, but I work with a lot of people going through treatment. They tell me the radiation is a walk in the park compared to the chemo. The hardest part was finding a parking spot at the radiation place, but it was so quick and painless they could double park in a pinch.

You go girl! :ggw:

Woo fucking hoo!

Fan-dabby-DOZY! :celebrat: :girlband:

Awesome!!!!!!!!

YAY Bri, yet again, you are my hero.

I better get an invitation to the SG + Bri party.

done and done!

That is great news... I've been rooting for you!!!:)

wow--melidasaur--it's been a while! glad to see you back!

Really pleased to hear the news :)
The only downside will be my Mum believing it is her prayer circle that has healed you!

Keep getting all the help offered - treatment or otherwise. We really want you 100% well remember.

I've changed my plans for this afternoon now - I was going to sit on here for another hour, but I think I will celebrate my health and yours by going to the gym!

Awesome news!!

GREAT news Bri. Awesome, awesome, awesome!

Yay, Bri! I am very happy for you, like so many others. Can I come to the girls makeout-er...I mean celebration too?

You're all invited!

I can no longer feel the tumor unless I really TRY---two more chemo's and done with that--surgery end of march, prolly. No pain--just tired. I'm going to one class and feeling like I might live thru this after all. *hugs* to you all--you've been great!! :)

*still bald, though

You're a winner, Babe. Bald is beautiful.:comfort:

she's not just a winner....she has the Eye of the Tiger

just imagine your name is .....Glen...or Roy:

had second to last chemo today. one more (Mar. 4) then a month to recover and then------SURGERY! YAY! l look forward to surgery b/c you get many goood drugs and people treat you nice for a while (not a long while, but a while nevertheless) and offer to do your laundry, etc.


the A/C makes me sweat like a pig and I'm bald and have very dry skin and I sometimes wish wish wish I could be a fairy and live in fairy land where everything is fixed with the wave of a well practiced wand. (ain't it the truth, ladies)

Good luck finishing up Bri!

In the third turn, on the last lap, heading for the finish line, a WINNAH!