[Chrissy7]

Are there any lupus patients who have cancer and had to have chemo? I have triple negative breast cancer. I read on the Lupus Foundation Website that breast cancers are not very common in Lupus patients. I don't know my family history, whether or not my mother had breast cancer, so I am getting genetic testing to see if I have the BRCA gene and also whether or not I have any other mutant genes that could cause cancers in other parts of the body. I am currently waiting for those results. In the meantime, I have a mastectomy scheduled for mid October and by then the genetic results should be in. When you have a triple negative breast cancer, chemo is always given. I ask if any patients have had chemo because I am highly sensitive to medications. I can't even take lupus meds. I tried prednisone and plaquenil and both drugs made me extremely ill. I only take Tylenol arthritis 1300 mg a day. It's barely enough to manage my pain but there are no side effects. I have to get chemo 6 weeks after surgery. I cannot imagine someone as sensitive to drugs as I am having to put something as toxic as chemo in my body. Does anyone else have sensitivities to medicines? Has anyone else had chemo and if so what kind?

 

[mark176]

Well about 7 years ago I had testicular cancer. At the time I had no other health issues. The chemo was put in with infusion and when it was going in I felt fine. Its about 24-48 hours later that it hits you. Then I felt quite sick.

About last year following several vaccines, i managed to develop a lupus type derivative.
Allergies and sensitivities have developed since then.

What I would suggest is allergy testing for the chemotherapy drugs prior to them being used?

They can do spot testing and possibly challenge testing?

Hope that helps
Mark

 

[Chrissy7]

Well about 7 years ago I had testicular cancer. At the time I had no other health issues. The chemo was put in with infusion and when it was going in I felt fine. Its about 24-48 hours later that it hits you. Then I felt quite sick.

About last year following several vaccines, i managed to develop a lupus type derivative.
Allergies and sensitivities have developed since then.

What I would suggest is allergy testing for the chemotherapy drugs prior to them being used?

They can do spot testing and possibly challenge testing?

Hope that helps
Mark

Thank you for your reply Mark. I never thought of spot testing. It gives me an idea to talk to the oncologist about. I can never introduce too many new drugs into my body at one because then I don't know which one is causing side effects. This chemo cocktail they want to give me has 3 specific drugs in it. I wonder if they could infuse one and wait and see what happens or if I could tolerate it. Then maybe the next time they could add the next one and see how I tolerate that. I feel it's the only way to really know. As much as I want to get the chemo over with, I would be far better off to introduce it slowly as tolerated, because I am the type of person who wants to just stop taking a med if the side effects are too severe. I am also going to call my lupus doc and talk it over with her. She has given chemo to lupus patients who had organ involvement and chemo is a common treatment.

Thanks again,
Chris