My echo cardiogram was as clear as every other test has been. That was a relief, but still left a huge question mark over my head about how we were going to treat the swelling. I finally met with my oncologist today. My blood pressure was 150/100 *sigh* but the swelling is mostly gone.
She feels that the swelling and other side effects were direct results of the Tamoxifen. The problem is that there is no other drug that is effective in pre-menopausal women. Post-menopausal women have several to choose from. This demands that we find out where I am in that respect.
Guys, stop reading now. You're welcome.
I haven't had a period since June of '12, when I started chemo. That's to be expected. Starting Tamoxifen was expected to yield the same result, so no shocks there. The problem is that it prevents us from counting on the obvious symptoms to know my menopausal status. So they drew blood. Mom? This is where you remind me how old you were when you went through it.
For now, I am still off Tamoxifen. I don't like that, since I want every weapon available to me in this fight, but I'll deal with it for three more weeks. At that point, I'll go back to see the oncologist and see what my blood work revealed. If I'm pre-menopausal, they'll likely give me an injection (or injections? I don't remember what she said) to stop my ovaries from working, throwing me into menopause. Then I can start one of the many drugs aimed at that.
More waiting. More unsettled worrying. More and more proof that cancer effing sucks. I suggest you avoid it.
Showing posts with label blood work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blood work. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Monday, August 13, 2012
Brief Update (Complaint Warning)
When I finished the A/C portion of my chemo and started Taxol, I was under the impression that it would be easier. I got my first infusion on Thursday, and felt pretty darned good. Friday, I went to work, still feeling good and thought I had it made.
After work, I had to stop for my Neulasta shot (it brings up my white count and is always 24 hours after chemo) and noticed, by the time I got there, that I was VERY tired. Oh well. I felt enough better that I may have overdone things a bit, and the weekend was here for me to recover.
Saturday, I was shocked at how badly my bone hurt. Traditionally, Neulasta causes bone pain, but it's been very predictable for me. I get the shot on day 2, and have pretty rough bone pain for 1 or 1 1/2 days around day 6. This was much worse, and much sooner, so I did some research and realized that Taxol causes bone and joint pain, too. Great.
Sunday was even worse, and by the afternoon, a fever had joined the party. WooFreakinHoo. Kevin called the on-call doctor (why do I never get sick during office hours?) and she told him to give me Tylenol and see if that brings it down. It was too early for me to be nutropenic (super-low whites, which hospitalized me last time) from the chemo, so she was willing to give it time to work itself out.
The Tylenol slowly brought down the fever, which had reached 101.8 at it's highest. With the fever down, we avoided a trip to the ER and I was told to go get blood drawn this morning. I woke feeling like I'd been drug behind a horse through the desert like in an old western, but showered and managed to get to the car. It was one of the few times ever that I was sorry to drive a standard transmission. My legs were screaming.
My blood counts were OK, but they drew a couple more vials to do some cultures on. I was then told to go home and rest. I did, which I will regret greatly on payday, but the four hour nap sided with the fact that I needed it.
The chemocare page on Taxol says that the pain duration should be "a few days." I am truly hoping that means I'll be able to tell a marked difference in the morning. I have pain pills, but I'd rather not take them at work unless I have to. I'd also like to be able to walk without wincing (and sometimes crying.) Mom made dinner for my family tonight, or it would have been ramen for sure.
Here's to a better tomorrow.
After work, I had to stop for my Neulasta shot (it brings up my white count and is always 24 hours after chemo) and noticed, by the time I got there, that I was VERY tired. Oh well. I felt enough better that I may have overdone things a bit, and the weekend was here for me to recover.
Saturday, I was shocked at how badly my bone hurt. Traditionally, Neulasta causes bone pain, but it's been very predictable for me. I get the shot on day 2, and have pretty rough bone pain for 1 or 1 1/2 days around day 6. This was much worse, and much sooner, so I did some research and realized that Taxol causes bone and joint pain, too. Great.
Sunday was even worse, and by the afternoon, a fever had joined the party. WooFreakinHoo. Kevin called the on-call doctor (why do I never get sick during office hours?) and she told him to give me Tylenol and see if that brings it down. It was too early for me to be nutropenic (super-low whites, which hospitalized me last time) from the chemo, so she was willing to give it time to work itself out.
The Tylenol slowly brought down the fever, which had reached 101.8 at it's highest. With the fever down, we avoided a trip to the ER and I was told to go get blood drawn this morning. I woke feeling like I'd been drug behind a horse through the desert like in an old western, but showered and managed to get to the car. It was one of the few times ever that I was sorry to drive a standard transmission. My legs were screaming.
My blood counts were OK, but they drew a couple more vials to do some cultures on. I was then told to go home and rest. I did, which I will regret greatly on payday, but the four hour nap sided with the fact that I needed it.
The chemocare page on Taxol says that the pain duration should be "a few days." I am truly hoping that means I'll be able to tell a marked difference in the morning. I have pain pills, but I'd rather not take them at work unless I have to. I'd also like to be able to walk without wincing (and sometimes crying.) Mom made dinner for my family tonight, or it would have been ramen for sure.
Here's to a better tomorrow.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Awake. Again.
This morning I will go get blood drawn to see if my counts are back to normal. I went to work yesterday, acting like I suffer from mysophobia and avoiding direct contact with everyone. I hope I'm back in normal range or I'll be cancelling my plastic surgeon appointment and likely postponing chemo this week.
I feel OK, although very tired. That makes me wonder if I'm still low. The other troubling fact is that a lot of side effects that we'd gotten rid of have returned. I've had a headache every day for a week, I cannot sleep through the night (with OR without medication,) and I'm moody as all get-out. We've also now added night sweats to the mix, so I'm a real bundle of fun.
I woke this morning at 1:45 and tried for 45 minutes to go back to sleep. I finally gave up, ate a bowl of cereal, showered, and paid some bills. Even if my blood counts are back to normal, I don't see me making it 8 hours at work today. I hate to be negative, but since I'll be leaving for 2 hours for my appointment, I'd have to stay until 3:30 or so, and I'm not sure how well that will mix with waking so early.
I do have enough built-in paranoia from the last Dr visit that I'm packing a small bag. LOL Poor Kevin had to log about 150 miles last Tuesday because I was admitted into the hospital with nothing other than what I had on. I am sure they won't admit me this time, even if my counts are low, because I don't have a fever or any other symptoms. If for some reason they do, however, my glasses, contact case, and phone charger will be in the car.
OK, 4:00. That means Kevin will be waking soon and I can quit being so quiet. I'm ready for work, so I only have to kill another half hour before leaving. Phew. It's already been a long day.
I feel OK, although very tired. That makes me wonder if I'm still low. The other troubling fact is that a lot of side effects that we'd gotten rid of have returned. I've had a headache every day for a week, I cannot sleep through the night (with OR without medication,) and I'm moody as all get-out. We've also now added night sweats to the mix, so I'm a real bundle of fun.
I woke this morning at 1:45 and tried for 45 minutes to go back to sleep. I finally gave up, ate a bowl of cereal, showered, and paid some bills. Even if my blood counts are back to normal, I don't see me making it 8 hours at work today. I hate to be negative, but since I'll be leaving for 2 hours for my appointment, I'd have to stay until 3:30 or so, and I'm not sure how well that will mix with waking so early.
I do have enough built-in paranoia from the last Dr visit that I'm packing a small bag. LOL Poor Kevin had to log about 150 miles last Tuesday because I was admitted into the hospital with nothing other than what I had on. I am sure they won't admit me this time, even if my counts are low, because I don't have a fever or any other symptoms. If for some reason they do, however, my glasses, contact case, and phone charger will be in the car.
OK, 4:00. That means Kevin will be waking soon and I can quit being so quiet. I'm ready for work, so I only have to kill another half hour before leaving. Phew. It's already been a long day.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Home
They released me on Friday morning, and Kevin came to get me and bring me home. The only thing that really concerns me is that I have NO idea if my whites are still climbing. I just have to assume that they are. I am pretty much on lock-down for the weekend, avoiding public places and close contact.
Monday morning, I'll go back to work, still avoiding close contact until Tuesday's blood work gets drawn. I had accrued 28 hours of vacation time toward next year, and that will cover most of the 4 days I missed while in the hospital. I'm thankful that those were available, but a bit scared to have my safety net gone. This simply cannot happen again. No problem.
The worst part so far is that it seems that all of the side effects from early on are back. I have a nearly constant headache, I can't sleep, and I'm emotional as hell. I had a really bad headache last night, so I took what felt like enough pills to drop an elephant, and was back up at 1:30. *sigh* I had been sleeping fine for a couple of weeks (without pills) before this setback.
Basically, I think the quarantine has afforded me too much time to think. When I go to work tomorrow, I'll be busy, and that will help. My blood work is set for 3 in the afternoon on Tuesday, but I may see if I can go early so I can wait for the results. If my whites aren't back in the normal range of 4.0 - 11.0, I have to cancel my plastic surgeon's appointment and my chemo on Thursday will likely be postponed.
I would think, after over a week on antibiotics, my counts will be fine. However, I would have thought they'd climb higher than .7 after 4 days on IV antibiotics. They were .6 on Tuesday .5 on Wednesday, .43 on Thursday, and .7 on Friday. They can't tell if that was a "trend" toward upward numbers, or just a fluctuation. They let me come home, though, because there was nothing they were doing there that I cannot do at home.
I'm home. I figured the "I'm home" post would be happy and fun. Call it lack of sleep, the headache, or the whiny state I'm in, but I missed that goal by a long shot. My feelings are hurt by the slightest little thing, I'm exhausted, but need to expend energy in order to get more sleep. For the first time in my life, I'm in the middle of a weekend that seems to be going on too long. Sorry, my working friends. I know that comes as a betrayal to you all. I promise to be crabby about Monday like the rest of you.
Monday morning, I'll go back to work, still avoiding close contact until Tuesday's blood work gets drawn. I had accrued 28 hours of vacation time toward next year, and that will cover most of the 4 days I missed while in the hospital. I'm thankful that those were available, but a bit scared to have my safety net gone. This simply cannot happen again. No problem.
The worst part so far is that it seems that all of the side effects from early on are back. I have a nearly constant headache, I can't sleep, and I'm emotional as hell. I had a really bad headache last night, so I took what felt like enough pills to drop an elephant, and was back up at 1:30. *sigh* I had been sleeping fine for a couple of weeks (without pills) before this setback.
Basically, I think the quarantine has afforded me too much time to think. When I go to work tomorrow, I'll be busy, and that will help. My blood work is set for 3 in the afternoon on Tuesday, but I may see if I can go early so I can wait for the results. If my whites aren't back in the normal range of 4.0 - 11.0, I have to cancel my plastic surgeon's appointment and my chemo on Thursday will likely be postponed.
I would think, after over a week on antibiotics, my counts will be fine. However, I would have thought they'd climb higher than .7 after 4 days on IV antibiotics. They were .6 on Tuesday .5 on Wednesday, .43 on Thursday, and .7 on Friday. They can't tell if that was a "trend" toward upward numbers, or just a fluctuation. They let me come home, though, because there was nothing they were doing there that I cannot do at home.
I'm home. I figured the "I'm home" post would be happy and fun. Call it lack of sleep, the headache, or the whiny state I'm in, but I missed that goal by a long shot. My feelings are hurt by the slightest little thing, I'm exhausted, but need to expend energy in order to get more sleep. For the first time in my life, I'm in the middle of a weekend that seems to be going on too long. Sorry, my working friends. I know that comes as a betrayal to you all. I promise to be crabby about Monday like the rest of you.
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