Author Topic: No Treatment Today  (Read 218 times)

Linda

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No Treatment Today
« on: July 02, 2020, 08:10:13 am »
I went to the treatment place today and first got my blood drawn, then sat for an hour to wait for the results and then taken into see the doctor.  My blood counts were all down more so he said no treatment today.  He asked how I felt and I told him I had 2 bad days this week and I wasn't feeling that good today, not like I normally would feel on Wednesday.  He says I need a rest and hopefully the blood will come back up.  Sometimes he said people need a blood transfusion, so that is a possibility.  I got the appointment card for next Wednesday and I only have times for blood work and seeing the doctor, no time scheduled for a treatment so I guess I'll be missing two weeks.  I hope I will start to feel better now, probably a little better each day.  This means the treatments will be extended out farther now but I can't say I will mind having a break. 

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DarienJ

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2020, 09:29:31 am »
It's a double edged sword really, it would be great to get the chemo over and done with, but a little break will be heaven sent for you ((((((((((Linda)))))))))) Rest up and take care now.

Linda

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2020, 11:55:28 am »
I feel just awful tonight and I'm wondering how long it is going to take me to feel better again?  I feel an early bedtime coming.

DarienJ

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2020, 08:30:55 pm »
Oh my dear friend, I am so sorry you feel awful. Did the Dr tell you what to expect with your bloods being so low? If you are still feeling so awful tomorrow, I think you should call them and let them know. ((((((((((((((((((((Linda))))))))))))))))))))

Moira

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2020, 08:39:43 pm »
Awww Linda I thought you may feel better not having to have the treatment today. (((((((((((((((((((((((((((Linda))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
I was awake again at 1am..... and I thought of you maybe being sent home with no treatment ! Have an early night and enjoy a good sleep and wake up feeling better tomorrow 
Just read your post Darien and I totally agree with you.

I have just read this answer to a woman's question about low blood counts.

 It is just down to the dosage of chemo that they have give you being too powerful and not leaving your body strong enough to fight. What they may do is reconfigure it accordingly as they start everyone off on the highest dose to see how their body reacts and then adjust it to where your body can cope.
Maybe next week they will adjust your chemo Linda ?

Linda

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2020, 07:44:20 am »
I don't know what the doctor will do, if he will lower the dose or try that dose again, it's whatever Mayo tells him. He just follows their plan so he will talk to them.  He told me I wouldn't feel the greatest so I wasn't surprised but I didn't expect it to be quite as bad.  I'm better today, I can't say I feel TERRIBLE, I'll be taking a nap but on really bad days I am almost not up at all.   When I say I felt bad, I just mean that extreme  fatigue, not sleepy but bone tired.  I did LOVE last night, I slept like a log and normally I hardly sleep at all on Wednesday night.  The doctor seemed very surprised that I had gone so long without the low blood counts, did I say  that both red and white cells were down along with everything else that had to do with the condition of my blood.  I hope to feel a bit better each day now and for SURE I hope to feel a lot better than I normally would on a Friday!!

DarienJ

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2020, 10:22:13 am »
Sadly it a very common side effect of chemo and why some people have to stop the treatment. As you have gone along for (is it 8 treatments?) you will just need a rest before you continue I would think. I have done a fair bit of reading, but not knowing what your chemo is called, it makes it a bit harder to do a proper search.

You remember Robert's brother Ryan don't you? He couldn't have chemo at all as it immediately effected his blood cells and he had to be hospitalised for a while each time he tried, he decided to not bother with it after two traumatic tries.

Linda

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2020, 12:30:55 pm »
My chemo drugs are Paclitaxel and Carboplatin, more Paclitaxel then Carboplatin.   I didn't remember that about Ryan but definitely remember Ryan and his battle with cancer.  How long was he sick?   I know the low blood is a very common thing.  I think I have had 8 treatments, I believe yesterday would be the 9th and the half way mark.   Did Ryan have radiation or just no treatment. 

DarienJ

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2020, 08:25:46 pm »
I just did a quick look at them, you are certainly copping a lot of the side effects I suppose it will be over soon enough

Ryan had a very short illness, a matter of months from the time of diagnosis to his passing, but we knew there was no cure from his blastoma brain cancer :(

Moira

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2020, 08:33:36 pm »
No cure for brain tumour and that is what killed my mate Celia... too soon :( 
You are doing very well so far Linda and managing to cope with all the side effects. I can only imagine the bone tiredness and lack of motivation in wanting to even move around (((((((((((((Linda))))))))))))))))) Maybe a week or 2 or even more with no chemo will help then you will feel more normal and will give it another go feeling more like yourself.
I was telling Ange and she said she would pack it in if it was her !!!!!! I just read about the drugs .... well a small amount and I feel sick !

Linda

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2020, 05:10:24 am »
Yes, I think I've been doing pretty well tolerating the chemo.  Does Ange know that I have a high grade, aggressive cancer?   If my blood counts don't come up then I suppose I would have to stop it and move onto the radiation.  I didn't ask about that, he seemed to think I would recover. 
They gave me a packet of information before I started which shows all the possible side effects of each drug.  It also mentions that not everyone gets every single side effect and so far I haven't had many of them.  I know the steroids and the other things they give to me before each infusion help keep the side effects at bay. 

DarienJ

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2020, 09:20:20 am »
No, you can't just stop if you are able to keep going, hopefully your blood counts will start to rise after a break, if not as you say you can go straight to radiation. This time in six months all these treatments will be over and you will be in remission with a smile for the world to see

Linda

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2020, 09:40:48 am »
I'll be interested to see what my blood work looks like next week, hopefully it will be better. 

Moira

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2020, 09:02:28 pm »
I told Ange what you had said and about your cancer  and she did say it has been a long time since she did any cancer stuff but she did nurse John's sister Margaret through her breast cancer and chemo then when it later metastasised to her liver, Margaret refused more chemo.  But equally Margaret did not tell anyone that she was sick again and would not go see the doctor !!!!!!!   Ange just picked up on her moods  when she visited !    Sadly it did kill her and she was only in her 60s.  I think Ange saw the effects of chemo and then it was all in vain in Margaret's case and that is enough to put anyone off.  I could never ever be a nurse !
Keep smiling Linda, we need you here other wise Darien and I  may get boring !((((((((((((((((((((((Linda))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Linda

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Re: No Treatment Today
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2020, 08:46:27 am »
Oh  yes, I'm smiling!    I don't know when John's sister was taking chemo but probably quite awhile ago.  I think it has improved greatly over the years, not sure but I think it has.  Believe me, I thought about whether I wanted to do it or not and my inclination was to think NO, but I knew more than anything my family wanted me to do it and I figured if I couldn't take it, I could quit.  If it were that bad my family would not want me to no matter what.    I know SO MANY people who have taken many treatments and end up dying of their cancer anyway.  Since my cancer hadn't spread it seemed like a logical thing to do.  At least what they can see hasn't spread, but because of the tiny cells that could be hidden I need the treatment.  My kind of cancer comes back easily so it seems good to try to get all of it out of my body that can possibly be eliminated.   I don't know what the radiation is supposed to do and I don't even go to Mayo to talk to them until October, so I'll see then.
I'm feeling better today than yesterday so maybe my white and red blood cell count is going up.