Ah, normalcy. So this is what it feels like? I think I like it.Dr Z. was right, I had no chemo-complications this round. As Marcie pointed out, I technically didn't have chemo this time. I had non-chemo, or Nemo, if you prefer. The two drugs I received were a bone-building agent for my pelvis and a drug that cuts off blood supply to tumors. Technically, neither is chemo (thanks to Allison in the support group for the Avastin definition).
The only real chemo I'm taking now is my oral drug, and Dr. Z let me skip it for this round so I don't end up needing Imodium during Adam's Bar Mitzvah. I'm hoping I can enjoy a few runs without risk of the runs. Sorry if that's too graphic, but if you've been reading this blog for a while, you've been warned!
UPDATE - Right after I posted this, I received a comment from somebody at a group called FAMEDS, which is fighting a recent FDA decision to prevent Avastin from being used off-label to treat women with metastatic breast cancer. The drug is approved for colon cancer patients, and was tentatively approved for off label use for breast cancer, but now that breast cancer decision is being reversed. I don't know all the science behind this, but if you think that sounds like a stupid decision that might hurt the 17,500 US Women who take Avastin to treat metastatic breast cancer, click here http://fameds.org/index.php to sign the petition or to learn more.
Hi Myles,
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear the story and stumble on your blog! Have you heard about the non-profit org FAMEDs as the only patient advocate group fighting the FDA to continue to allow Avastin to be used by 17,500 women with metastatic breast cancer performing well on the drug? Please sign and share the urgent petition: http://fameds.org/petition.php