Help and advice please

Hi  so sorry to hear you're finding the chemo so challenging.  I think everyone's reaction is different, but I read many stories of people who have a tough time though the treatment itself, but recover well afterwards.  It's very difficult to see an end I know. I am 8 months on from chemo now and I have my full levels of energy and am working full time, just as I was before.   Wishing you the strength and positivity to get through this x

Thank you so much! It gives me hope that I will feel better in the future. 

Hi ADCL. I too have two different cancers, the other is one of the blood cancers. 

About chemo. I have been on two different regimens. The first, while not exactly a walk in the park, was more or less tolerable. I did get a lot of side effects and there were some hard times, but I was able to keep going on that chemo for about nine months, getting it on three out of every four weeks, with immunotherapy added for two out of every three treatment (meaning, one treatment of both chemo and immuno, one with only chemo, then another of both, then a week of no treatment.)

When I was put on the second regimen it was a completely different story. This new one pretty much flattened me, and I was only able to do three out of the four planned treatments, with the third one at a reduced dose, and even then, it was clear that the balance of potential benefit versus actual damange had tipped. 

There were two reasons this happened. One, the later chemo was much harsher than the earlier one. My oncologist told me that going in, so that I wouldn't be surprised. Two, by the time I got to the second chemo my toxicity level was already very high due to the first chemo, and the gap after switching did not allow for the body to get rid of the leftovers from the first chemo before going into the second.

I am now three months past last treatment, and things are getting better. It did take a while and at some point I wondered if I would ever regain my stamina, and really doubted that. Now things seem better, so my own estimate is brighter too. I am planning to go back to work late next month.

So for me, the answer to, "will I ever feel well again after chemotherapy?" is yes, I will, I already am far better than I had been. Hopefully the same will prove true for you too.

About the lung cancer. Are they planning surgery? I had surgeries on both of my lungs, they thought at the time I had breast cancer mets in there and at first were not keen to operate. My opinion about my lung surgeon is that he is the best surgeon in the world, extremely highly recommended in all aspects.

Chemo is tough and a personal choice to stick with it but to add to everyone else's positive stories I finished chemo in Jan 2021 and have recovered well. I was feeling really great about 2 or 3 months after chemo, though not back to normal.

I am in a medical menopause and have exemestane on top so don't sleep well. I'm tired out from that and have to pace myself these days, but I think I am recovered from chemo. Hair and nails growing fast now, as they did before.

I had read that you should expect about 2 months of recovery time for every month of main treatment. I would include operation and rads in that which for me would be 7 months of treatment - 14 months recovery.

I think the hormone therapy is making me tired out, not the lasting effects of chemo. I had a really great spell last Spring and Summer of feeling really good but I think the constant lack of sleep catches up on you! 

I've been back to doing all the things I enjoy for a good year or so. 

I can’t offer you anything as I’ve only just finished my first rubbish chemo but day 9 I feel so much better. I really hope you’re back to your old self soonest xxx

Thank you so much! This gives me some hope! Unfortunately my lung cancer is not operable as it is cited close to a main artery and surgery is considered too risky. It does seem to have responded well to the first chemo and radio though. I just feel So ill and low at the moment it is hard to see any Light at the end of the tunnel. Good to know you are feeling better - hopefully I will too at some point xx

What chemo drugs are you on at the moment and how long ago was your breast surgery? 

On the lungs aspect, I get what you are saying. Of course it is better if you can get rid of that cancer by chemo and radio alone, but If ever you want a second opinion from a surgeon who is the only one I know who uses certain techniques, let me know and I will message you his details. (A whole MDT looked at my scans on different occasions and every time came to the same conclusions, only for this guy to take one look at one scan image and tell me he thought otherwise. He then got in, plucked the lot out, and turned out he was right.)

I am on taxil (Think the full name is Pacotaxil) My breast surgery was in October 2021. I then had the one months intensive treatment in January 2022 which involved five full days chemo followed by radiotherapy each day, two subsequent weeks of just radio and then chemo all day followed by radio for the fourth week. So ten full days of chemo and 20 sessions of radio in total. Then, I had one month off and started weekly chemo in March. This is for 12 weekly sessions with five days radiotherapy at the end and Herceptin every three weeks for a year. I am told that my lung tumour has really shrunk so maybe there will be a different view about surgery now….? Will have to wait to discuss with the Oncologist. I may come back to you about that second opinion although I have to say I don’t relish the thought of more surgery! Thanks for your really helpful reply xx

Thanks, ADCL. Yeah, surgery is not exactly fun. I found out, to my surprise, that the same surgery can be a different experience second time around. This was true for me both with my second lung surgery and with my second mastectomy. However, if I had to choose, I'd take another lung surgery over another mastectomy because overall I found the recovery from the lung surgeries easier and faster.

I am interested in what lung oncology says next, so I hope you will update here once you know, and of course, any other news. Here's hoping for better days for all of us!