chemo side effect a blessing (long)

[Guest guest]

I think I must be the only person ever who is thankful to be

undergoing chemo. Don't get me wrong, I hate having breast cancer, I

hate some of what chemo is doing to me. I hate what the cancer and I

am putting my family through. But having said that there has been a

side effect of the chemo that I hope lasts forever. I have had Lupus

since I was 12 years old (59 now) and have had arthritis as a result

of the lupus since I was in my teens. Recently the Lupus has been " in

remission " and my only problems with it has been the joint problems

and inflimation from the arthritis.

When I was daignosed with breast cancer I was told that if my Lupus

came out of remission I could not have Radiation, and because there

was no way to get completely clean margins (there was micromastistis

at the deep margin--chest wall) radiation is a must. Since stress

takes my Lupus out of remission and Chemo is very stressful I was

afraid that it would take my Lupus out of remission. My Onc explained

that in extremely sever cases of Lupus they are using chemo to help

these patients. While that helped put my mind at ease I never

expected what has happened to me as a result of the chemo. I have had

3 rounds of AC and my arthritis symptoms are nearly completly gone. I

am mostly off of all anti-inflamitory meds, and while the damage that

has been done in my joints will never go away the inflamation is gone,

along with most of the pain and the range of motion seems to improve

almost daily. What a huge gift, when I asked my Dr. he says he has

not seen that happen before and has no idea if it will last after I

complete chemo or not but I sure hope it does. So while I have all

sorts of side effects from the chemo, tired, nausea(treatabel) tremors

from the nausea meds, really " sick " for about a week after each

treatment, I in some ways feel better than I have in 20 or more years

and am able to do things that I haven't been able to do in a very long

time. Never thought I would say this but having chemo has been a

really good thing.

Sorry this is so long but I had to share my odd and plesant

reaction to chemo--somehow it has made this whole journey easier and

more bearable.

Thanks for reading my story.

in Denver

[Guest guest]

,

How amazing and what a wonderful thing. Silver lining.

Mine is much less dramatic but my skin is clearer and better than it

has ever been in my life. I know that it is the hormones (hormone

positive so on taxotere (ac+t) regime and almost overnight the acne

that I have had since mid 30's disappeared and my skin became almost

radiant.

I hold onto every positive thing about this I can...

lyn

>

> I think I must be the only person ever who is thankful to be

> undergoing chemo. Don't get me wrong, I hate having breast

cancer, I

> hate some of what chemo is doing to me. I hate what the cancer

and I

> am putting my family through. But having said that there has been

a

> side effect of the chemo that I hope lasts forever. I have had

Lupus

> since I was 12 years old (59 now) and have had arthritis as a

result

> of the lupus since I was in my teens. Recently the Lupus has

been " in

> remission " and my only problems with it has been the joint

problems

> and inflimation from the arthritis.

> When I was daignosed with breast cancer I was told that if my

Lupus

> came out of remission I could not have Radiation, and because

there

> was no way to get completely clean margins (there was

micromastistis

> at the deep margin--chest wall) radiation is a must. Since stress

> takes my Lupus out of remission and Chemo is very stressful I was

> afraid that it would take my Lupus out of remission. My Onc

explained

> that in extremely sever cases of Lupus they are using chemo to

help

> these patients. While that helped put my mind at ease I never

> expected what has happened to me as a result of the chemo. I have

had

> 3 rounds of AC and my arthritis symptoms are nearly completly

gone. I

> am mostly off of all anti-inflamitory meds, and while the damage

that

> has been done in my joints will never go away the inflamation is

gone,

> along with most of the pain and the range of motion seems to

improve

> almost daily. What a huge gift, when I asked my Dr. he says he

has

> not seen that happen before and has no idea if it will last after

I

> complete chemo or not but I sure hope it does. So while I have

all

> sorts of side effects from the chemo, tired, nausea(treatabel)

tremors

> from the nausea meds, really " sick " for about a week after each

> treatment, I in some ways feel better than I have in 20 or more

years

> and am able to do things that I haven't been able to do in a very

long

> time. Never thought I would say this but having chemo has been a

> really good thing.

> Sorry this is so long but I had to share my odd and plesant

> reaction to chemo--somehow it has made this whole journey easier

and

> more bearable.

>

> Thanks for reading my story.

>

> in Denver

>

[Guest guest]

I, too, had terrible arthritis in my hands and especially my right knee.

Infact, prior to the discovery of my breast cancer, I was saving up my sick

leave at work for surgery on my knee - I was certain that I was going to need

it, because the pain was so great I could hardly walk some days. Once the chemo

started and, once I began taking steriods, the pain went away.

I hate to tell you, though, it doesn't last! You have relief while the chemo

process is going on and for several months after that, but my chemo ended in

April and here it is October and the pain has begun to come back again. Not

severe, like before, at least not yet; the pain is dull and not constant.

Most likely it is the steriods that are making your pain disappear, though I

was told the chemo can do that, too.

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