Good News Lump Not Cancer

is not cancer. It`s some kind of fibroid thing, and harmless, and was there before. The reason I can feel it now is because the breast tissue is less dense since I`ve been off HRT for about 7 months.
I`ve completed 5 out of 6 treatments of FEC-100 and made the decision that this is the end of it. The treatments, I mean. Enough is enough, and since my nodes were negative, I feel I`ve done all I can manage. Had my nodes been positive then I would force myself through the last one. But now, all I want to do is get better and start to heal. From the discovery of the cancer until now, it`s been over 8 months (including 2 surgeries and an infection). Time to heal, now.
My family think I should continue, but I can`t. Vomiting and nausea never, ever, stops no matter what I take. I want my life back now and hope I`m doing the right thing, for me.

Glad to hear the contralateral was negative.
Sorry you are having a hard time with FEC
Did they try an intravenous serotonin blocker eg Kytril or Zofran ( generic names end in ....setron) -with- the chemo? One of these works for most people, and it works a whole lot better than taking the drugs orally -after- the infusion. But they are expensive drugs.

Keep smiling, Luv Mazza xxx

No they didn`t try either of those, to my knowledge. Expense wouldn`t matter because we have an excellent health care plan for drug benefits. Wish I`d known about those possibilities before. Ah well, too late now.

easy What really matters is that you are comfortable with what you decide. I did a full year of CMF because I just couldn`t live with the idea that I hadn`t done absolutely everything that was possible. (I wasn`t nauseous and vomiting). We do what we can. Hope that you are soon feeling well.

ALL of this is just my "two cents" here and don`t mean to offend you by posting this. And I might add your perfectly free to ignore me as well..others do I`m used to it by now...{lol!} You posted to "Tim" that you weren`t offered those anti-nausea meds. You slso made the comment "well, too late now" {or something close to that?} Why not ask for one of these meds so you can get through the last one? I was too much of a whoozie not to finish all my treatments. I have always thought/beleived that the "number" of treatments chosen for a person`s therapy are decided on for a particular reason. There must be some things in a persons dx that make that number necessary for successful treatment. and the best chance that you get this taken care of the first time around. I could be wrong...it`s been known to happen here..not very often of course...{lol!!} Take care there dear and just be very comfortable with whatever you finally decide..I`d just hate for you to regret anything you decide now, a few years down the road. This is crud, and no one should have to do this more then once.. God bless you annie p/s I`m now going back to my corner and try to behave myself...I said "try"
Ultimately.....we know deeply that the other side of every fear is a freedom.
"Courage"...is *fear* that has said it`s prayers.

There are so many darned names for these drugs, it`s confusing. Actually, I guess they did try that. I was given Anzemet 100mg in pill form (also says Dolasetron Mesylate) to take before the chemo. The last treatment I forgot, so they put a bag in by intraveinous just before starting the nasty drugs.

Of course you don`t offend me! I post and read this lovely group for advice and I know that not all advice will be right for me. Or maybe it will be right, and I might be too stubborn to see it.
Actually, when I read the label on one of these pill bottles, I guess I was given one of the drugs Tim referred to. At least, the name ends in "setron" and the pills cost $80 each. My last treatment I forgot to take one, so they put in in by intraveinous solution just before the other drugs.
Annie, from reading your other posts, I know you have gone through much more than I have. You`re a brave strong person. Me too, but I really have reached the limit. Who knows, perhaps when I tell Oncology of my decision they may manage to talk me out of it. But I don`t know, even the nurse said, during my last treatment, that she didn`t know if I could get through another one.
There are no veins useable left now in my arm. Last treatment I was throwing up while they were doing it. The drug flow kept stopping, and burning and my arm was so red and sore. They had to move the IV line 3 different times and I was there for over 9 hours.
All of this crud has been going on since last October when the cancer was first found. One surgery in October, a severe lymph node area infection for all of November and December, second surgery (mastectomy) in January and I think chemo began in March. Now I have at least 3 kidney stones that they know of stuck causing a blockage and hydronephrosis in one kidney. One Tuesday I`m supposed to have a day surgery to try and get rid of the blockage. Throughout the past 4 months I`ve had terrible attacks of kidney stones trying to get out every two or three weeks.
Sorry, I sound like I`m whining. This past weekend my 4-month old grandson was here and I held him in my arms and cried because I`ve only seen him 3 times. I`m too carsick to drive 4 hours to visit.
I really need to get on with living NOW, right now, and start to heal in body and soul. I was a (beginning) Potter before all this crud. Last night I picked up some clay for the first time since last fall and threw a beautiful pot. It felt so healing. Yesterday I trimmed some shrubbery in my garden, managed to cut my finger, but it felt wonderful to be doing something other than laying in bed making mad dashes to the bathroom. Then I ran inside and threw up. Enough rambling.

one more thing they could have or might have tried, apart from switching between different serotonin blockers, and that is adding dexamethosone to the mix. It is a steroid and boosts the effect of the other anti-emetics. They would probably give metacloprominde too, which works on the dopamine system. It`s a good anti-emetic but it doesn`t seem to help much in the chemo-induced setting.

My wife Liz had FEC too, and was able to resume work usually three days after treatment. She was given dexamethazone, granisetron (Kytril) and domperidone (Motilium) to counter the sickness and mausea. After that, she went on for radiotherapy and Tamoxifen (6 months so far).
She says you could ask about these "Don`t stop now!", as she was sick only once, and the worst of the nausea went after two days. She kept really well hydrated (3l water/day) and snacked frequently. We also found ginger very useful - either snacks or in drinks.
It may be worth a try - email if you`d like more info.
Best wishes

Metaclopromide (Reglan) is similar.

Marianne, so sorry to hear of the difficulties you have been having with the treatments. No fun I do hope that you are more comfortable with any future treatments and that some positive intervention might be done beforehand to make it much more tolerable. My best thoughts and prayers are with you. {{{Hugs}}}

Hi Marianne, I don`t blame you for wanting to quit your treatment before it is due to end. I also thought about this, coz of such terrible nausea&CHRONIC vomiting. I hasd the same experience, where i was throwing up while they were administring the A/C! I would have given up, but my husband made me finish my treatments,of which i had 6. I know exactly how you feel. You get so fed up of being sick constantly and you just want to be normal again, whatever that is? But you end up getting so depressed and wonder why you`re putting yourself through all of this. None of the drugs they give you work! I had Granisetron, which are supposed to be quite strong and tend to work for most people. But we just happen to be the ones it doesn`t work for!
I can`t advise you on what decision you should make, as it such a huge and very personal one, only you and your family could possibly make. I just thought i would share my experience with you, to let you know that you`re not the only one this has happened to. I got through it and so can you!
I was diagnosed last Sept&had my chemo soon after. I had my mascectomy on the 14th April and am now am two days from finishing my rads, of which i`ve had 15.
Then i have finished my treatment and can get back to some kind of normal life again! YIPEE!
All the best,
Let me know what you decide

I just finished talking at length with my onc`s nurse, and decided to go back for the final treatment on the 30th. While I`m sorry you had all the problems I`ve had, it`s nice to know I`m not alone.

i believe noone knows better what is best for you than you whatever you decide will be whats right for you at the time.
Sometimes getting on with life is one of the most healing things we can do.
celebrate life enjoy your family,your hobbies
i wish you the very best for whats ahead and hope you have lots to celebrate now and in the months ahead.

Each Day Belle is a very special day when you work on fighting, I hope everyone knows we can win. Thanks belle