Effects of Treatment plus Sjogren's on Nervous System

I wonder if UNC will give me a medical degree for all the time and research I have to do, learning how to live with the crappy cards I drew in the Game of Life.   Speaking of the Game of Life I am seriously gone to add some cards, Like ur Fucked Stage III blank cancer, Chemo go back to start, Debt you will forever be u owe $500,000 for Chemo, lol.   Hey apparently UNC (undergrad) has been handing out degrees with there no show classes for over decade what is one more degree for someone that spends more time their than at work/home….Sorry I had to do it and yes I hear u calling my school Moo U.   I am grateful for all the people who work at UNC Hospital especially those in the Cancer Hospital because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them.

I never realized the complexity of the Peripheral Nervous System apparently it is broken down in to “four cardinal patterns of peripheral neuropathy are polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy, mononeuritis multiplex and autonomic neuropathy”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_neuropathy.  Accroding to the site the following are symptoms (see below) of autonomic neuropathy and since my endoscope and barium scan showed no malfunction other than a sliding hernia moves us to looking at more drugs.

Gastrointestinal tract: dysphagia, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, malabsorption, fecal incontinence, gastroparesis, diarrhoea, constipation

From what I can tell drugs usually used to treat depression and apparently POT, might need to move to Cali…..oh wait I am poor can’t afford to live their….and isn’t the big one coming any day…lol
”A range of drugs that act on the central nervous system such as drugs originally intended as antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs have been found to be useful in managing neuropathic pain. Commonly used treatments include using a tricyclic antidepressant (such as amitriptyline) and antiepileptic therapies such as gabapentin or sodium valproate. These have the advantage that besides being effective in many cases they are relatively low cost.

A great deal of research has been done between 2005 and 2010 which indicates that synthetic cannabinoids and inhaled cannabis are effective treatments for a range of neuropathic disorders”

Not sure how I feel about more drugs, I do want to try Ritalin to help with the fatigue and concentration aka Chemo/Fog Brain whatever u want call.  The big question is can I take it plus the ones to control the nerves in my digestive system that is the answer I hope to get on Monday at 3pm.   I will continue to research this weekend.

For those of you who don’t know when my ONC put me back on Abraxane the 2^nd time after being NED for 9 months and 3 scans the Pharmacist decided to increase the dosage since I essentially had no side effects from the Chemo, minus the continuous Sinus Infection that keep my on antibiotics the entire time.  It got to the point my ONC wrote me 2 years’ worth of refills for antibiotics so I can take it when needed instead of having to drive back to the hill.   I made half way thru before I started getting tingling and burning sensation which signaled the Pharmacist to dial it back a little.  I didn’t have or lose in dexterity issues, for those that don’t know before your next treatment the Pharmacist (at least mine) would come before me ONC and ask some questions and perform dexterity test like button things up or picking a needle (sewing) up, etc.  

Basically it boils down to damage caused by the drugs pumped in me to extend my life plus my immune system continual attacking health cells has landed me where I am at today.  As I have said before the doctors have no clue of the long term effects of aggressive treatment on young woman since there isn’t that much data because as they stated “You are to young to have breast cancer”.  The reality is there are far more young woman, mother’s, sister’s, daughter’s, cousins and friends that have Stage IV Breast Cancer.  Slowly as each month passes I meet more and more scattered across the world, because we are so far spread out many of us connect via the internet to share our stories, success and to support one another thru this long taxing battle.   I wish my schedule would have allowed me to attend the YCS conference that was in a city I have on my list to visit, hopefully it want conflict with my track schedule next year.  I am still look at the possibility of going to a Stage IV Conference in Philly in the month of April.  Sadly many woman are brushed off when the go to the doctor thus by the time the doctors figure it out, they are already at Stage IV.