Femara is not working for me.
After being on Femara for nearly 20 days now, I don't think it is working for me. The mass below the right collar bone is getting bigger and new lumps are coming up.
I am feeling more tired than ever.
I was taking papaya leaf tea every morning on an empty stomach. Due to some uncertainty about the papaya leaf tea interfering with medication, I stopped taking it for a few days. Then I found that Femara is irritating my urinary tract. I kept feeling like urinating, like having urinary tract infection, but there was no itchiness or pain. I drank more water hoping to get rid of the irritation, but it did not seem to help much. I used chakra healing therapy and finally got relief. I realised that the papaya leaf tea probably helped me counter this side-effect, so I resumed taking it again.
Thursday 1 November 2012
Friday 26 October 2012
My ship is sinking
Following the repeated lack of response to conventional treatments, I cannot help but feel disappointment. After the amount of time, effort and money spent as well as enduring the side effects, I am sorely disappointed.
Right now, I feel like I am a captain of my ship. I have a mutiny on board. Some crew members rebelled, probably due to being overworked.
I seeked help from the authorities and they charged me a hefty price for services rendered.
Instead of coming aboard to help me quell the rebel, they bombarded my ship. Now, among the dead and injured, I have both rebels and loyal crew members.
My ship suffered heavy damage from the continuous bombardment. There is problem in the engine room and there is water leakage everywhere.
It was a long, drawn-out battle and the surviving loyal crew members and I are too tired and stressed out to control and overpower the remaining rebels. Strangely, they seemed to be tougher than us, as if being fed by some super charged stuff that I am not aware of. And, instead of being stressed out like us, they seemed to thrive on stress and anger.
Worse still, they seemed intent on getting the other members to turn against me, while I am doing everything I can to keep them loyal to me and to keep the rebels under control.
It looks like I may lose this battle and my ship may be sinking.
I am now bringing my limping ship to port. While I look for skilled people to help repair my ship, hopefully, with sufficient rest, good food, mediation, persuasion and whatever it takes, I can win over the rebels and come out of this victorious.
Right now, I feel like I am a captain of my ship. I have a mutiny on board. Some crew members rebelled, probably due to being overworked.
I seeked help from the authorities and they charged me a hefty price for services rendered.
Instead of coming aboard to help me quell the rebel, they bombarded my ship. Now, among the dead and injured, I have both rebels and loyal crew members.
My ship suffered heavy damage from the continuous bombardment. There is problem in the engine room and there is water leakage everywhere.
It was a long, drawn-out battle and the surviving loyal crew members and I are too tired and stressed out to control and overpower the remaining rebels. Strangely, they seemed to be tougher than us, as if being fed by some super charged stuff that I am not aware of. And, instead of being stressed out like us, they seemed to thrive on stress and anger.
Worse still, they seemed intent on getting the other members to turn against me, while I am doing everything I can to keep them loyal to me and to keep the rebels under control.
It looks like I may lose this battle and my ship may be sinking.
I am now bringing my limping ship to port. While I look for skilled people to help repair my ship, hopefully, with sufficient rest, good food, mediation, persuasion and whatever it takes, I can win over the rebels and come out of this victorious.
Thursday 18 October 2012
Phytoestrogen and xenoestrogen
The following information on phytoestrogen and xenoestrogen are taken from this website :
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/estrogen/a/estrogen_types_2.htm
Phytoestrogens - from plants and botanicals that have an estrogen-like effect on your body. Some plants that contain phytoestrogens are soy beans, red clover, beans, cereal brans and flaxseeds. The effects of these plant estrogens are quite a bit weaker than estrogen produced by your ovaries. In alternative medicine, products that contain phytoestrogens may be used to treat menopausal symptoms. Not all of those herbal treatments are safe in regards to breast cancer.
Xenoestrogens – from chemicals present in our environment, many of which are petrochemicals. Xenoestrogens are much more potent than the estrogen your body makes, and too much exposure to them can result in problems with development, reproduction, and may cause cancer. We use products that contain xenoestrogens daily: plastics, electronics, medicines, foods, soaps and pesticides. Our environment (water, air, soil and plants) is being polluted by xenoestrogens from manufacturing runoff and the disposal of products containing xenoestrogens.
Synthetic Estrogens – made by pharmaceutical companies and included in prescription drugs. This kind of estrogen, like the xenoestrogens, is more powerful than natural estrogens. Before 2002, HRT was prescribed for a variety of reasons including treatment of menopause symptoms, and to help prevent heart disease, bone thinning, and certain cancers. The Women's Health Initiative Study, published in 2002, revealed that HRT actually increased the risk of breast cancer and provided limited or no benefit for heart disease or stroke. It is interesting that when large numbers of women stopped using HRT, the rates of new cases of breast cancer began to decline.
Herbs that breast cancer patients who are estrogen positive should not be taking are :
I was stunned as, for about a year, I had been taking red clover together with other alternative herbal supplements for my condition. Red clover is supposed to support kidney functions among other things. However, it contained isoflavones, plant based chemicals that produce estrogen like effects in the body.
It was like I was using a chemical based weed killer (chemo) to kill the weeds (cancer cells) plus a herb (red clover) that I thought would assist in getting rid of the weeds. It was a shock to find out that what I thought was a herbal weed killer turned out to be a fertilizer for the weeds instead. How wrong I was! I stopped taking red clover immediately, even though it had other good uses.
I had to go through my supplements to check if they contained any of the forbidden ingredients.
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/estrogen/a/estrogen_types_2.htm
Phytoestrogens - from plants and botanicals that have an estrogen-like effect on your body. Some plants that contain phytoestrogens are soy beans, red clover, beans, cereal brans and flaxseeds. The effects of these plant estrogens are quite a bit weaker than estrogen produced by your ovaries. In alternative medicine, products that contain phytoestrogens may be used to treat menopausal symptoms. Not all of those herbal treatments are safe in regards to breast cancer.
Xenoestrogens – from chemicals present in our environment, many of which are petrochemicals. Xenoestrogens are much more potent than the estrogen your body makes, and too much exposure to them can result in problems with development, reproduction, and may cause cancer. We use products that contain xenoestrogens daily: plastics, electronics, medicines, foods, soaps and pesticides. Our environment (water, air, soil and plants) is being polluted by xenoestrogens from manufacturing runoff and the disposal of products containing xenoestrogens.
Synthetic Estrogens – made by pharmaceutical companies and included in prescription drugs. This kind of estrogen, like the xenoestrogens, is more powerful than natural estrogens. Before 2002, HRT was prescribed for a variety of reasons including treatment of menopause symptoms, and to help prevent heart disease, bone thinning, and certain cancers. The Women's Health Initiative Study, published in 2002, revealed that HRT actually increased the risk of breast cancer and provided limited or no benefit for heart disease or stroke. It is interesting that when large numbers of women stopped using HRT, the rates of new cases of breast cancer began to decline.
Herbs that breast cancer patients who are estrogen positive should not be taking are :
- black cohosh
- blue cohosh
- chasteberry
- dang gui (angelica sinensis or Chinese angelica)
- ginseng
- hops (for making beer)
- licorice
- motherwort leaf
- saw palmetto
- rhodiola rosea
- red clover
- soy
- vitex berry
- wild yam
I was stunned as, for about a year, I had been taking red clover together with other alternative herbal supplements for my condition. Red clover is supposed to support kidney functions among other things. However, it contained isoflavones, plant based chemicals that produce estrogen like effects in the body.
It was like I was using a chemical based weed killer (chemo) to kill the weeds (cancer cells) plus a herb (red clover) that I thought would assist in getting rid of the weeds. It was a shock to find out that what I thought was a herbal weed killer turned out to be a fertilizer for the weeds instead. How wrong I was! I stopped taking red clover immediately, even though it had other good uses.
I had to go through my supplements to check if they contained any of the forbidden ingredients.
Wednesday 17 October 2012
Why I don't agree to Herceptin
Herceptin is a protein inhibitor and
it attaches onto HER2 receptors (protein) on the surface of cancer
cells and prevent the cancer cells from dividing and growing. It is
supposed to encourage the body's own immune cells to destroy the cancer
cells. It is also supposed to reduce the risk of cancer coming
back in women whose breast cancer cells have a large number of HER2
receptors (HER2 positive breast cancer) on their surface.
My cancer cells are HER2 positive, ER positive and PR positive.
This is the second time I am having herceptin. I had accepted herceptin very unwillingly as I had a heart attack from my very first dose in 2008. My doctor had insisted that as my cancer cells are HER2 positive, it will be more effective if I have herceptin together with a chemo drug.
Herceptin is expensive and no government subsidy is offered. My first dose of herceptin cost me S$2636. After medishield (insurance) and medisave, I ended up paying S$600+ in cash. I don't understand why, as herceptin has been taken by patients in Singapore for some years now and the doctors like to recommend it to patients whose cancer cells are HER2 positive.
I had read that 40% of patients who had had herceptin for breast cancer later ended up with metastasis to the brain. Probably because molecules of herceptin do not cross the brain blood barrier. I brought this up to my doctor but her argument was that my cancer cells are HER2 positive and that results will be better if I have it.
In fact, when I checked the side-effects and warnings of herceptin, I should not even be prescribed herceptin. The cancer has mets to my liver and I have a history of pleural effusion.
So, as far as oncologists are concerned, their target is the cancer cells. Kill the cancer cells no matter what.
Herceptin has a whole list of side effects, including cardiac failure and pleural effusion.
I recalled that in 2008, after I had my third dose of herceptin, the pleural effusion came back. Now, after the second dose and I was already coughing out phlegm. With the third dose, it was worse. Sometimes I would just be sitting there coughing out phlegm continuously. If I leave home, I have to bring tissues (wet and dry ones) and plastic bags to collect the phlegm. Herceptin not only did not work for me, it burnt a hole in my pocket and added greatly to my discomfort.
Sometimes, it is so difficult to get the phlegm out that I coughed so hard till I pulled the muscles on my back. With the chemo and radiotherapy, my throat has become very dry. Sometimes the phlegm irritated my throat so much that I ended up having coughing spasm, and also coughed till I vomited.
The following info is taken from this website :
http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/20100511b
The HER2 protein receives several signals to make cells grow. These signals are called ErbB1, EeB2, and ErB4. Herceptin blocks only the ErB1 signal. Tykerb blocks the ErB1 and ErB2 signals. The experimental medicine neratinib blocks ErB1, ErB2, and ErB4. Because neratinib blocks all three signals, it is called a pan-HER2 inhibitor ("pan" means "all"). So neratinib might be a good treatment for HER2-positive breast cancers that don't respond or have stopped responding to Herceptin and/or Tykerb.
Unfortunately, neratinib is not available in Singapore yet. I won't be surprised if this drug will cost a bomb too.
My cancer cells are HER2 positive, ER positive and PR positive.
This is the second time I am having herceptin. I had accepted herceptin very unwillingly as I had a heart attack from my very first dose in 2008. My doctor had insisted that as my cancer cells are HER2 positive, it will be more effective if I have herceptin together with a chemo drug.
Herceptin is expensive and no government subsidy is offered. My first dose of herceptin cost me S$2636. After medishield (insurance) and medisave, I ended up paying S$600+ in cash. I don't understand why, as herceptin has been taken by patients in Singapore for some years now and the doctors like to recommend it to patients whose cancer cells are HER2 positive.
I had read that 40% of patients who had had herceptin for breast cancer later ended up with metastasis to the brain. Probably because molecules of herceptin do not cross the brain blood barrier. I brought this up to my doctor but her argument was that my cancer cells are HER2 positive and that results will be better if I have it.
In fact, when I checked the side-effects and warnings of herceptin, I should not even be prescribed herceptin. The cancer has mets to my liver and I have a history of pleural effusion.
So, as far as oncologists are concerned, their target is the cancer cells. Kill the cancer cells no matter what.
Herceptin has a whole list of side effects, including cardiac failure and pleural effusion.
I recalled that in 2008, after I had my third dose of herceptin, the pleural effusion came back. Now, after the second dose and I was already coughing out phlegm. With the third dose, it was worse. Sometimes I would just be sitting there coughing out phlegm continuously. If I leave home, I have to bring tissues (wet and dry ones) and plastic bags to collect the phlegm. Herceptin not only did not work for me, it burnt a hole in my pocket and added greatly to my discomfort.
Sometimes, it is so difficult to get the phlegm out that I coughed so hard till I pulled the muscles on my back. With the chemo and radiotherapy, my throat has become very dry. Sometimes the phlegm irritated my throat so much that I ended up having coughing spasm, and also coughed till I vomited.
The following info is taken from this website :
http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/20100511b
The HER2 protein receives several signals to make cells grow. These signals are called ErbB1, EeB2, and ErB4. Herceptin blocks only the ErB1 signal. Tykerb blocks the ErB1 and ErB2 signals. The experimental medicine neratinib blocks ErB1, ErB2, and ErB4. Because neratinib blocks all three signals, it is called a pan-HER2 inhibitor ("pan" means "all"). So neratinib might be a good treatment for HER2-positive breast cancers that don't respond or have stopped responding to Herceptin and/or Tykerb.
Unfortunately, neratinib is not available in Singapore yet. I won't be surprised if this drug will cost a bomb too.
Tuesday 16 October 2012
Onco visit 15 Oct 2012
12 Oct 2012 - cancer marker 155
I saw my doctor on 15 Oct 2012, Monday.
With the cancer marker up and the tumors still present, my doctor cancelled my navelbine infusion. She put me on Femara (Letrozole).
Femara is a type of hormone therapy known as aromatase inhibitor, which works by reducing the amount of estrogen produced in the bodies of post-menopausal women.
I was given a 1 month's free trial, and at the end of which, I have to purchase another 2 months' supply before I see my doctor on 31 Dec 2012.
According to the Femara website, Femara has the following side effects :
may cause decreases in the density of bones, increases in bone fractures and osteoporosis, so monitoring the density of the bones may be required;
may cause an increase in cholesterol;
may cause fatigue, dizziness and drowsiness;
may cause moderate, temporary decreases in white blood cell counts.
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 irritation, and pain in the extremities. Other important less commonly reported side effects include blood clots, other cancers, stroke, heart attack and endometrial cancer.
I saw my doctor on 15 Oct 2012, Monday.
With the cancer marker up and the tumors still present, my doctor cancelled my navelbine infusion. She put me on Femara (Letrozole).
Femara is a type of hormone therapy known as aromatase inhibitor, which works by reducing the amount of estrogen produced in the bodies of post-menopausal women.
I was given a 1 month's free trial, and at the end of which, I have to purchase another 2 months' supply before I see my doctor on 31 Dec 2012.
According to the Femara website, Femara has the following side effects :
may cause decreases in the density of bones, increases in bone fractures and osteoporosis, so monitoring the density of the bones may be required;
may cause an increase in cholesterol;
may cause fatigue, dizziness and drowsiness;
may cause moderate, temporary decreases in white blood cell counts.
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 irritation, and pain in the extremities. Other important less commonly reported side effects include blood clots, other cancers, stroke, heart attack and endometrial cancer.
Friday 28 September 2012
Navelbine - side effects
I had navelbine + zometa on 20 Sep 2012.
The following day, I experienced extreme fatigue again. This time, it was worse. The extreme fatigue continued the following day, Saturday. I was unable to stay alert for meals, and as a result, my mealtimes went haywire. I had indigestion and was feverish.
I was still unwell on Sunday. Monday, I was fine, however, on Tuesday, I was sick again.
I was becoming more and more tired with the last two doses of navelbine.
I cancelled my appointment for navelbine infusion on 1 Oct 2012, Monday.
The following day, I experienced extreme fatigue again. This time, it was worse. The extreme fatigue continued the following day, Saturday. I was unable to stay alert for meals, and as a result, my mealtimes went haywire. I had indigestion and was feverish.
I was still unwell on Sunday. Monday, I was fine, however, on Tuesday, I was sick again.
I was becoming more and more tired with the last two doses of navelbine.
I cancelled my appointment for navelbine infusion on 1 Oct 2012, Monday.
Thursday 20 September 2012
Onco visit, blood test, iv chemo
20 Sep 2012 - appointment was supposed to be 24 Sep, but my doctor would not be available, so it was brought forward.
Cancer marker 100 - a drop of 6 points, after so much herceptin and navelbine, is a disappointment.
White blood cell count 2.5 (low)
I was supposed to have iv chemo on 24 Sep (Monday), but my doctor suggested to have it today.
I was coughing badly and I told my doctor I did not want anymore herceptin. She reluctantly agreed to drop herceptin after I said that I also could not afford it. Each dose of herceptin costs me more than S$2000 and there is no subsidy from the government. I could only claim from medishield (insurance) and medisave (which is still my money or my husband's money).
I had navelbine and zometa infusions today.
Cancer marker 100 - a drop of 6 points, after so much herceptin and navelbine, is a disappointment.
White blood cell count 2.5 (low)
I was supposed to have iv chemo on 24 Sep (Monday), but my doctor suggested to have it today.
I was coughing badly and I told my doctor I did not want anymore herceptin. She reluctantly agreed to drop herceptin after I said that I also could not afford it. Each dose of herceptin costs me more than S$2000 and there is no subsidy from the government. I could only claim from medishield (insurance) and medisave (which is still my money or my husband's money).
I had navelbine and zometa infusions today.
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