Update on new chemo
By daeckardt
@daeckardt (6237)
United States
August 17, 2012 10:44am CST
I don't know if I had mentioned it a couple of weeks ago, but they started me on topotecan. It was supposed to be given three weeks on and one week off. Only problem was my white counts were too low on the second two weeks. I saw the doctor again on Wednesday and she said she was going to go for a lower dose and start me with cycle two next week. I just hope that I am able to tolerate this because I really want this to be the end of treatment. One thing she did say that was good was that I looked better than I had in months and I really felt better that day as well. I hope this is a harbinger of more good things to come...like "Dancing with NED" again (no evidence of disease)! I wish I was there already!
6 responses
@GardenGerty (160777)
• United States
18 Aug 12
Can they give transfusions of white cells, like they do platelets,and other blood products? If so, what kind of a donor do you need, what blood type? It is good to see you say you felt better with this chemo, I know it is rough. Maybe using a lower dosage is the key to doing the whole course of treatment.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
18 Aug 12
I don't know if they do transfusions of just white cells and it has never been suggested. I am A positive. I hope that the lower dose will solve the problem because these delays are really frustrating. Have a great weekend!!!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160777)
• United States
21 Aug 12
I do not get money for my donations. They say I can give as often as every two weeks but if my platelets get up to 600,000 they cannot take them, and if I give really often my body just produces more and more. I like to go about every three weeks, but I give a triple when I do go.
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
20 Aug 12
I'm so glad to know that your platelets are helping someone. I used to try to give every so often, but it got to the point where the one vein they could use didn't look too good after a week or two of donating twice a week so I gave up since it was painful even though the money was good. I also gave blood when I could, but now I can't for various reasons and not just the cancer. I guess I have to be satisfied knowing that I did what I could when I could and not worry about not being able to do it any more. Oh well...
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
20 Aug 12
I certainly do hope that this current chemo that you are on is what it is going to take to give you the opportunity to have NED. I know that there haven't been many things that I can think of that have made me more happy than back in June when my husband had to go in for his six-month follow-up appointment and his oncologist told him that there was no signs of disease in his body at that point in time. In addition to that, he also doesn't have to have PET scans anymore, he will be having just CT scans from here on out.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
20 Aug 12
I only had a PET scan once and that was in December right before I went into the hospital with the bowel obstruction. The doctor called me to tell me not to worry about the results and he would talk to me in January more about the results. The next night I was admitted to the hospital. That was the start of the problems that are still ongoing right now. I just hope that things start going well soon! Have a great week!!!
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
18 Aug 12
im so glad you've started doing better dear. im praying for you all the time. must be why things are working for you. that and your attitude really helps i think. you seem to be a warrior in this cancer battle and winning. 
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
18 Aug 12
As long as I keep that picture of myself in my head then I do ok. I think when I stop seeing things that way is when I start having problems and feel scared and depressed. Where there's life there's hope! It is the hope that keeps me going! Have a great weekend!!!
@stk40m (1119)
• Koeln, Germany
17 Aug 12
beat the cancer, daeckardt. Don't let it beat you. If your doctor says that you look better there must be something to it. If you feel better that also means that you are spiritually dealing very well with it. By this you also give hope to others. All the best and best wishes!
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
18 Aug 12
This is a war that I intend to win. I may have had some unsuccessful battles, but the war isn't over and I don't intend to give up. The way I have been feeling this week give me more hope than I have had in some time. Thanks for the response!
