Treatment Info

Everyone is due for an update on life thus far. I will have to continue adding to the past when I find time, but for now I'll fill in what I have time for.

As you probably don't know, I'm participating in a Phase III clinical trial:
Treatment Overview

This trial basically means that instead of the normal treatment schedule of Adriamycin and Cytoxan every three weeks by infusion, I receive Adriamycin by infusion every week and take Cytoxan every day for fifteen weeks. Then I will take Taxol every two weeks for twelve weeks, similar to the present dose dense schedules out there. I also give myself shots of Neupogen every day except for infusion day, and on days 4 and 5 I take an antibiotic so I don't get pneumonia. I also have a mini pharmacy in my parent's kitchen. Among the pills I take not mentioned yet: for nausea Zofran, Reglan, Emend, Decadron, and Ativan; for my port Coumadin; to increase my counts an Iron supplement; for the blister problem on my feet Valtrex; and a multivitamin. I also swish with Gelclair because I have mouth and throat sores. Basically I have become very high maintenance!

I decided to partake in the trial because it currently is the most aggressive chemotherapy treatment available. My doctor wanted me to be on it because I am a high risk case, meaning I have a high chance of the cancer coming back in the next five years. So far it has been a lot of work, but I know I need to do whatever it takes to kill the Beast!

Next Wednesday I will be going in for genetic counseling and testing...which can change a lot of things if it comes back positive. So we'll see, but I have to wait for six weeks for the results!