Saturday, September 3, 2011

Femara prescription

Yesterday was chemo day.  Also it was my once a month check in with the doctor.  He ordered a PET scan to see what the scoop is with my swollen right abdominal wall.  That is where the liver is.  He also prescribed Femara because my tumor marker isn't going down.  This is a medicine prescribed for cancer that is estrogen positive.  What it does is suppress the estrogen so that the cancer cells don't have food to grow.  I had a hysterectomy years ago, so it is estrogen produced by my liver, and adrenal gland that will be suppressed.  The information that puzzles me, in the info on this drug, is that it has a side affect of causing fractures in bones.  This happens because of a decrease in bone density.  It also causes fatigue (yay!)  I have copied the basic info on this drug directly from the manufactures website. You can read it below:

Important Safety Information
Femara is only indicated in postmenopausal women. You should not take Femara if you are premenopausal. Your doctor should discuss the need for adequate birth control if you have the potential to become pregnant, if you are not sure of your postmenopausal status, or if you recently became postmenopausal. You should not take Femara if you are pregnant as it may cause harm to an unborn child. You should also discuss with your doctor what to do if you are nursing a child.
The use of Femara may cause decreases in the density of your bones, increases in bone fractures and osteoporosis. Monitoring of the density of your bones may be required.
Some patients taking Femara had an increase in cholesterol. Your doctor may require the monitoring of cholesterol in your blood.
Some women reported fatigue, dizziness and drowsiness with Femara. Until you know how it affects you, use caution before driving or operating machinery.
Some women had moderate, temporary decreases in white blood cell counts. The medical significance of this is not known.
The most serious side effects seen with Femara are bone effects (fractures, decreased bone density and osteoporosis) and increases in cholesterol. Other common side effects seen with Femara include joint pain, nausea, weight decrease, vaginal irritiation, and pain in the extremitites. Other important less commonly reported side effects include blood clots, other cancers, stroke, heart attack and endometrial cancer.

My concern is that I already have to be careful about using my arm and my hips because the cancer there can cause fractures.  It worries me to take something that can double the risk.  I guess I will have to cover this all with the doctor next month or call and talk to his nurse before I see him.  

I had my once monthly treatment of Zometa, to strengthen my bones along with my chemo yesterday.  This causes a lot of bone aches and pains.  Plus fatigue.  In addition I began taking the femara.  Today is a really gross feeling day for me.  I am tired and emotional.  I am trying to be positive and cheerful.  It isn't really a successful effort.  On a happy note my computer has just returned from being repaired at Frye's electronics.  As soon as Mo gets it all set up I can go back to using a speedier pc.  Hurray!!!!





Thursday, September 1, 2011

Colorado chemo break

The past week has been a great break from chemo.  I get a week off and it amounts to 13 days between treatments.  We spent most of that time in Colorado visiting both sides of our families, and also house hunting.  You see I have mets bc, and my hubby has cll.  That stands for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.  Both of our cancers are till death do us part kinds of cancers.  We will always have it until there is a cure.  The drug companies have no serious motivation to find a  cure as long as people keep sending them money for treatments.  That is just my humble opinion as a cancer insider.  With both of us having the big C, we have discovered how important it is to surround yourself with family and friends.  All of our family is in Colorado, hence the house shopping.  We may have found a home, but the sellers have until Friday to let us know.  Say your prayers and keep your fingers crossed for us. 

Tomorrow is back to the usual chemo routine of three weeks on and one week off for me.  Still I am taking the massive horse pill antibiotics for shingles.  They are all gone and I am better.  Having to take them till the bottle is empty is a chore.  You know what happens if you don't take all your antibiotics right?  Your illness can come back.  Who wants that?  Not me.  The night before chemo I usually spend cleaning up stuff I won't feel like cleaning while the few days after treatment.  Since we just returned from out trip, I needed to do these things anyway.  Stuff like clean the tub, run laundry, and deep cleaning the kitchen.  I am all done with that and now I wait for tomorrow.  I'm all hopped up on steroids, counting down.  Tick tock!

Trodelvy trial failed.