@BeamBlossom@Tinazzie so sorry you're both suffering similar challenges. Just don't let it get you down (easy to say, I know). It is fixable. Hey @angel27....lobster in the chowder...ooooo, I am so jealous.
So @Tinazzie I take it you're at the end with this 6th coming up? I feel for you for sure. I expect everyone else on here remembers how exhausted and drained they were by the end of their chemo. For me, I could barely sit myself down for that last one I was so fed up with it all. But, you do begin to recover...some fast, some at slower pace. And the blood issues are not at all uncommon.
Hi everyone! Sorry to hear from some of you that you have had delays in your treatment. I can definitely relate. My 3rd and 4th treatments have been each delayed a week due to low neutrophils. I'm now doing Grastofil injections.
@BeamBlossom I'm stage 3C but no chemo pre surgery for me either. My surgeon had plan A and B. A was to go in, see what was there and if all could be removed then proceed that way with 6 cycles of chemo to address anything that might not have been visible. Plan B was to see what was there and if far too much to get at, then close me up, run me through a few cycles of chemo to shrink or get rid of some of it, then surgery and then another set of chemo cycles to follow. Fortunately I had far less than they expected so Plan A worked for me. But lots of my friends went through the process similar to yours and Tinazzie.
So I had a pre-chemo appointment with the oncologist before Tuesday's session got cancelled. I know follow up care in most places is different, but I was a bit surprised when I asked what the follow up care would be after my last chemo round, to be told that they typically do not do any scans or blood work - just follow up appointments with gyne oncology every quarter. They indicated that they depend on the patient's symptoms and then a CA125 test if needed. I was quite taken aback and told them that my condition before surgery was serious because I had no symptoms until the cancer had already advanced. The oncologist said that there is usually always something in the scans - not always related to the cancer - and how would I cope with that pressure?
Hi @BeamBlossom. Yes the Grastofil is for white cells, specifically neutrophils. they were low for treatments 3 and 4. Treatment 5 is scheduled for Sept. 3 but it all depends on my blood work. Hoping the Grastofil helps.
And btw, I also remember the first few rounds of chemo feeling really quite good. Day of I'd be dopey. More from the antihistamines and steroids I think. But day 3 I'd rebound with endless energy. I remember thinking this was a real walk in the park. But as time went on the cumulative effect hit me too and fatigue got worse and worse, blood cells counts went up and down like a yo yo. But I really started to feel a change about 3 months post chemo....less brain fog, more energy, no issues with blood and small steps of progress day by day. Patience is not my biggest virtue but I learned I had to exercise some or I'd go nuts. Now then, I have to say the past month or so I'm been getting fatigued again..and several of my "sisters" have been saying the same thing...along with sleep patterns going screwy. Maybe the weather?
@cbot I managed to get thru all 7 rounds of chemo with no problems with blood counts. Now that I’m all finished ( last chemo July 3), both my RBCs and WBCs are too low. This cane as a big surprise to me, thought I’d made it home free.
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