A go 4 Breast cancer Chemo, MPN in holding pattern
 

Finally getting the ball rolling to kill my breast cancer. Get a port inserted 1-19 and first Chemo on 1-20.

They had me stop the Hydroxurea for 2 weeks after Lymph node biopsy. Platelets started climbing. I can tell because my BP starts climbing. Anyone else experience high BP with high platelet readings? The BP pills are harder on me than the BC surgeries. I would stop them but 181/84 is too high. I do not want to stroke out. To fight this hard to get cured of one cancer to have a BP pill do me in, no thank you.

Hope everyone reading this are staying warm, even here in Sunny Florida it has been brutally cold. Today it is better. Fearing the coming electric bill. Trying to hibernate in one room. The dogs do not understand.

Have a great day, post your experiences if you get a chance. How else can I learn about this stupid stuff? Share what works best for you, it might help someone else.

Janice

feeling better now that I have restarted hydroxurea
 

The Doctors had me stop the Hydroxurea for 2 weeks following the completion of my breast cancer surgery. After the 1st week I started feeling terrible. Old pains I used to suffer came back with a vengeance. My blood pressure became practically uncontrollable. My feet hurt and in the evening my toes would become inflamed and too sensitive to touch.I had forgotten those side effects.

I have been back on Hydroxurea for 11 days and, Thank God, the foot pain is gone. My BP still runs high once a day but only to 160 not 184. I am positive there is a direct connection between BP and high platelets. I am going to have to nail the Doctor down about that. I feel it is an important issue. I suffered with that foot pain for about 2 years before I was diagnosed. Since none of the Drs knew what caused it they dismissed it.(Just wait until one of them gets it and see how long they dismiss it.)

Anyway, that makes me feel better.

Hope the forum is quiet because folks are doing OK.

Kind regards,
White-Stone

Hi White-Stone,
I am so sorry you're having such problems. You are a brave soul to be dealing with so much and keeping such a good attitude. Keep up the great work and keep the faith!!
God Bless,
Sally

Not so brave as all that
 

Hi Sally,

Thank you for your reply. I thrive on interaction with other people.

Take care,
White-Stone

Platelets at record low (for me)
 

Yesterdays reading was 249,000 down from a week ago of 382,000. Hydroxurea reduced from 3 x's daily to 2x's daily. That is great news to me.

Chemo for Breast cancer going well, no side effects of which to speak. Happy camper.

Now to get over this head cold.

Hope everyone is doing as well as possible.

Cheers, White-Stone

Well done, White-Stone!! May the good news continue...

Update, of sorts
 

Finished the 1st half of Chemo. No more Taxol and I only go every 3 weeks for Herceptin. However, the Taxol was working on the high Platelet issue and now that it is stopped they are climbing back up. I can tell because my Blood Pressure is rising. Next treatment is June 2nd. Will get the new Platelet reading then.

I began Radiation treatment 5-23rd. Every day, 5 days a week for 21 days. That effectually eats into a day and all I manage to get done is get there and back, feed dogs & cats, read some and sleep. So far it is not unpleasant. Hope it stays that way but I believe it will peak around the 3rd week. One day at a time.

I had no problem with nausea from the Chemo but it killed my finger and toe nails. They are all in the process of coming off. When they began to die it was very painful but now it isn't at all. It is just a waiting game for the old nails to come off and the new nails to regrow.

Spending a lot of time reading and I don't mind that at all.

Enjoying a break from the summer heat we had last week, I know it won't last but right now it is 75 as opposed to 90 of last week. If I was younger, I would do a happy dance.

Regards to all,
Janice