Help Please VERY important - CANCER DX

I have been recently diagnosed with metastatic cancer and I have to undergo chemotherapy ASAP. Has anyone with WLS undergone chemotherapy, particularly for breast cancer, that can give me any advice. I know the toxicity for most people, but we as WLS patient are different and most oncologists/radiologist, and hematologists don't know much about WLS patients or how to deal with them. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Missy

Missy, all my prayers. Wish I had info, I'm sure you'll run across just the right folks with info. Drop it on several boards! Best Wishes- Dx

Missy, So sorry to hear you have cancer. I too have had breast cancer..but not since I had WLS. I can tell you that when i had chemo it didnt effect me that much just made me tired. I could eat with no problem...never got sick. So dont believe that everyone gets sick and is miserable. I hope all goes well with your treatment. Go in with a good attitude...you will beat this...I am 6 years cancer FREE as of april 2006. I never capitilize the cancer because we can and do beat it...its just another thing to get out of our system. You can and will do it! The best to you and sending prayers your way. Cha

Missy, I am sorry to hear that you have cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with you. My sister is cancer free from breast cancer for 3 years now. Good luck on finding the info that you need. Lynn

Missy, Sorry to hear your news. My sister is undergoing chemo right now - her cancer was not metastatic though. She has completed 6 of her 8 treatments but she isn't a WLS patient. The chemos are usually given intravenously so I don't think the fact that you had WLS will matter for that but...the drugs that they give you to counter the side effects of the chemo might be an issue. I do know that the one drug was given to her in both oral and suppository form. I think the suppository form so that if she was nauseous... she could get the benefits of the med. That might be a good delivery mechanism for a post op so you wouldn't have to worry about absorption. My sister has done very well with her treatment. She had 4 "AC" treatments and had aversions to food smells and some acid reflux from the treatments or to the drugs to counter the side effects. She was put on Nexium, I think and it helped. She is now taking Taxol. That can cause muscle soreness. I think she may have been told to take Advil for that but that wouldn't be something a post-op should take but she found that the Advil wasn't strong enough anyway so she took Vicodin. Good luck to you. Best wishes, Kathy

Missy, sorry I can't help with your question, prayers going up for you now, you can and will beat this. Best wishes, Dana

Missy , My prayers are with you . I was given a scare last year and had to wait on the biopsy and I was so afraid. I prayed almost constantly and GOD was good and mine was not ..PRAISE THE LORD... I pray you will have the same results... God Bless you and your family sweety . Love and Hugs Shirley

Missy, just wanted you to know that you're in my prayers!!!!!! Hugs, Tracy B

I took my last chemo treatment for breast cancer on 03-01-06. The chemo lasted 4 months. I had double mastectomy on 10-21-05. I had my rny on 12-04-2006. The chemo was not bad. Had a small problem with nausea and fatigue but that was all. Took the anti-nausea meds they gave me and did ok. Never lost any weight during chemo. I am now on Tamoxifen for the next 5 years and doing that well also. Went back to work full time 2 weeks after my last chemo treatment and have done well with that also. Am scheduled for breast reconstruction 08-23-06. Try to keep a positive attitude. Seek out the cancer resources in your town. In my town they provided free make-up and lessons on applying it, free wigs and scarfs/hats, free massages for myself and my husband once a month, free classes on a multitude of things (nutrition, scarf tying, exercise, support groups, etc), and so much more. This was available through one of our hospitals and a facility that specialized in cancer treatment. Hopefully you will have something similar near you. I wish you the best!

Hi Missy, I just finished breast cancer chemo about a month ago and am finishing up radiation right now. I was OK with the adromyacin and cytoxin but had an allergic reaction to the taxol and had to increase the time of the infusion and receive more steriods before it was given. I have come through OK and am starting to feel better. My blood work stayed amazingly good, just a little bit of low iron. I had a shot of neulasta after each chemo that helped them to stay up God bless and bet wishes, you can email me with any questions. Kaye Atkinson [email protected]