Talking With Your Doctor and Nurse
Open communication between you and your healthcare team is important. Here are some suggestions for starting and keeping the conversation going:
Your concerns are important
Some people with cancer avoid bringing up issues because they are uncomfortable talking about them. Sometimes, they struggle with their concerns alone instead of getting the help they need. If you have metastatic breast cancer, no concern is too small to discuss with your healthcare team. They can help with the issues that are bothering you if you let them know exactly what they are.
It is okay to ask questions
It is natural to forget questions when you are under stress, so bring a list that you have written down beforehand. This will help you remember important questions you have thought of in between visits. You can also use the Questions for Your Doctor.
It is common to feel confused
Some people with metastatic breast cancer may hold back from communicating with their healthcare team if they are intimidated or confused by the medical terms they are hearing. Make sure that you understand what you are being told. If you do not understand something your doctor has said, ask for it to be explained more simply.
Take time to understand
Insist on taking the time to discuss sensitive issues with anyone on your healthcare team who seems rushed and busy. It is always possible to find a quiet spot, pull a curtain, or make an appointment for a phone conversation. Also, consider joining a support group for people with metastatic breast cancer so you can share your concerns with others in similar situations.
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ABRAXANE is a prescription medicine for breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. ABRAXANE is used after treatment with combination chemotherapy has stopped working, including anthracyclines, if appropriate, or when the cancer has come back within 6 months of treatment after surgery.
Important Safety Information About ABRAXANE®
WARNING: ABRAXANE for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) should be given only by a doctor who is experienced in giving chemotherapy. That way, if any problems come up during treatment, your doctor will be able to manage them.
If you have a low white blood cell count (neutropenia), you should not take ABRAXANE, since you may be more likely to get a serious infection. While taking ABRAXANE, you must get regular blood tests to check for any problems that could develop.
ABRAXANE contains albumin, a substance found in human blood. Albumin can affect the way other drugs work.
- ABRAXANE has not been studied in people with kidney problems
- If you are pregnant, or become pregnant, ABRAXANE can cause harm to your unborn baby. You should avoid becoming pregnant while taking ABRAXANE
- Men should not father a child while being treated with ABRAXANE
- If you have a very low white blood cell count, you should not take ABRAXANE. If your white blood cell count goes down while taking ABRAXANE, you should stop taking it until your white blood cell count returns to normal. If your white blood cell count drops very low, your doctor will lower your dose of ABRAXANE
- It is not known whether ABRAXANE interacts with other drugs, so be sure to tell your doctor about any medicines you are taking
- People treated with ABRAXANE often have a side effect called sensory neuropathy, a numbness, tingling, or burning in the hands, feet, and ankles. If you get mild sensory neuropathy, you will probably not have to lower your dose of ABRAXANE. If sensory neuropathy becomes severe, you may have to stop taking ABRAXANE until it improves, and then continue treatment at a lower dose
- Treatment with ABRAXANE can make liver problems worse. If you have liver problems, your starting dose of ABRAXANE should be lowered
- Treatment with ABRAXANE can cause irritation where the medicine is injected (injection site reactions). When taking ABRAXANE, you should be monitored by your doctor or nurse to make sure no problems occur at the injection site
- Since it is not known if ABRAXANE passes into human milk, you should stop nursing if you are taking ABRAXANE
- You should not drive a car when you are being treated with ABRAXANE. Side effects such as feeling very tired (fatigue), having no energy (lethargy), or feeling sick (malaise) can affect your ability to drive or use machinery
- In a clinical trial, severe heart and blood vessel side effects occurred in approximately 3% of women taking ABRAXANE. Side effects included chest pain, heart attack, fluid under the skin, blood clots in the veins or lungs, and high blood pressure. Stroke and heart failure were rare
- The most important side effects during treatment with ABRAXANE included hair loss, low white blood cell count, sensory neuropathy, weakness, muscle or joint pain, low red blood cell count (anemia), nausea, diarrhea, infection, vomiting, and sores in the mouth or on the lips (mucositis)
- Other side effects included vision problems, kidney problems, fluid retention, liver problems, and allergic reactions, and a decrease in blood clotting cells (platelets). Dehydration and fever were common
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS, and ADVERSE REACTIONS.