Aussie Breast Cancer Forum

Well, tumor markers still steadily rising.
Not too drastic but we dont want them to skip away he said.
Ok have to have all tests again over the next 2 weeks.
Just had bone scan yesterday. All stable! If anything we
would have thought that's where something would be brewing
as my cancer seems to prefer the bones.

I have Mamm/ultrasound tomorrow. I have had tenderness
along the ducts on side of breasts for a couple of weeks now.
So fingers crossed they come back clear also.
I suppose I will still be on IV. He has taken me off Xeloda now.
& I am booked in to start IV Navelbine Friday week.
based on the tumor markers rising.
If all tests are clear then I am guessing microscopic.
I really hope all tests are clear. At least that will be a relief
I only had all of them 10 weeks ago!

cheers, Jan

Hi Cheryl, As soon as I find out I will let you know.
I am also scared of going back on chemo.I dont want
to go through all that again. I am used to feeling normal!
My veins weren't a problem back in 2004 but now after all these
& blood tests every 3 weeks for 18 months & CT & bone every 6moths
my poor old veins are getting very cranky!

The way my oncol spoke it was not as bad as the drip method I was
on before.
I have one last chance at hope next week with my blood tests



Jan

Jan, will you let us know about the IV push. my veins are also shot to pieces and I get so stressed when I need to go for injections. I think when I need chemo I will opt for a port.

That is a wonderful site! so much information!
I read that Hair loss is rare so maybe I might get to keep my hair!

If I do can I keep it coloured during treatment?? or cut it short &
let it go grey?? lol
The Vinorelbine doesn't sound too bad, better than the EC & taxol I was on
back in 2004. I had to be taken off the Taxol as the bone pain was unbearable.

Thanks girls,
all the best to you all
love Jan

thank you Chris! I thought I read somewhere that it came in oral as well!
He told me there is no tablet form in this drug as yet.
strange! He knows how much I am dreading the needles! I have no more
veins left!
I will ask him again on the next visit on the 3/8.

love Jan

Thanks so much Janine,Nat & Cheryl
for all your work!
I imagine the nurse will sit there & inject it like you say.
Takes about 15mins my oncol told me. He knows I fear the
needles & said it is given by IV Push I didnt take much notice
when he said it but I got the feeling it would be kinder than the
usual canulla we usually have. I hope so! lol
I think this is a sister drug of Taxotere & Taxol. I was originally
supposed to go on Taxotere along with Xeloda back 18months ago
but my cancer responded very well with just the Xeloda alone!
which he said was very good. My cancer is like a chronic illness.
He said it was not aggressive which was wonderful to hear those
words.

I just hope I don't lose all my hair again! He said it was a 50% chance.
Rats! just when I got it under control after 2 & half years!
It is so soft & back to normal now. Oh well!
Have to nip this in the butt.....right! Keep me well he said & get the
numbers down.

My tumor markers have gone like this:

CEA 6.9 up to 10.8 on the 12/7
CA15 76 up to 87
It has been staying stable before that but just hanging out
or normal. creeping up slowly.

I had a virus back on the 20/6 which pushed it up too (the CA15)
but the CEA isnot effected by a virus.

Thank you girls, I will check out the links you gave me.
love, Jan

Hi Jan just looked up Vinorelbine on cancerbackup.org.uk which is a relible site. Seems you can also get this drug in tablet form & the side effects sound similar to Doxetaxil Chris

Here's another one - this is a definition from a US insurance company website

IV push is a rapid infusion of a drug. It can be administered via an injection of the medication directly into the IV cap or the medication can be in a small bag and is rapidly infused into the patient. The key with a push administration is that a health care professional must be continuously present to observe the patient.

Sounds like what you said, Nat.

Jan, I'm sorry you are going through it all again.
Just checking your story and posts. What are your markers up to? Is it definite yet that you will be having this tx?
We don't have very many advanced ladies here so possibly noone has had Navelbine. You might get some info from the girls on the US boards - bcmets or bc.org. Please let us know what you find out.
Fingers crossed that those markers come down.

I had my first round of chemo 2 weeks ago - I'm on FEC.

The F & E were in big syringes that they attached into a port on the side of the canula tube and the nurse sat there & manually syringed them in. There were 6 in total & it took over an hour for her to do.

I presume that this is what they refer to as IV push?

The C was in a normal IV bag.

Hope this helps

Nat

I too looked on the net, but very hard to pin the terminology down. looked to one of the overseas boards for the info and they came back with::

1)one said =Adriamycin is a "push" IV injection-whenever the nurse has to manually inject(push) a med thru an iv=but she wasn't sure.

2)another said=some chemo agents are injected into an extra little tube in the IV line. that is how she gets 2 huge syringes of adriomyacin

starting to become clearer

Hello Cheryl, that's what I would like to know
I can't seem to find a lot of info on the net about it.
they use a catheter instead of a canulla. with this drug.
My oncol told me it takes about 15mins. I have to have
it again 8 days apart. 3 week cycle.
My X eloda has been struggling for a while.My scans are
clear so it's microscopic. We just don't want it to skip
away,have to hit it on the head now.
I am just so scared of the needles, my veins are so sore.
Also afraid of side effects although he told me I would
not be sick, just some numbness in my fingers.
I dread going through this all over again, it is a nightmare!
I still have hope that my blood might turn around, I just
pray for this!




Have to stay positive! right! not imagine things that might not
even happen.

Jan

sorry, whats IV push injection??

Anyone been on this chemo??
It is given by IV push injection. Is this less painful
than a canulla? I am hoping so!
I have been told I have a 50% chance of losing my
hair again. Shouldnt make me sick & I may get
some numbness in my fingers.
If my blood tumor markers have risen again in
the next week & half I will definately be starting on this.
I would like to know if anyone has lost their hair
& any symptoms they suffered.

much appreciated girls.

Jan