ACT Therapy

After meeting with Dr. Benjamin, when he laid out the plan, he told me the drugs  that will be used in my treatments.  This therapy is commonly referred to as ACT:  adriamycin, cytoxan, and taxol.  Dr. Benjamin told me that all three of these drugs are nasty, but the taxol would be a little less so.  The plan is to do the first four infusions, every other week, using adriamycin and cytoxan.  That will be followed by four more, every other week, of taxol.   I can expect to lose my hair   . . . I can expect to feel nauseous at times. 

Here are links to the information that I found on Scott Hamilton's CARES Initiative website (Cancer Alliance for Research, Education, and Survivorship).  Boring, I know; but I want to make it easy to come back when I am through and see how I fared, especially with the side effects.
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Before each infusion, there will be pills I take; afterwards, I will get prescriptions filled for steroids (three days each time) and anti-nausea drugs (five days' worth to use, as needed).

With the chemo, there will be shots (Neulasta) to try to keep my white blood count numbers up.


After chemo, then I will take hormonal therapy for five years.  First will be tamoxifen.  Then there will be aromasin.


Drugs are fast becoming my way of life.