Hello dear friends - it has been some time since I posted - two years in fact!  The cancer aspect of my life has been positive - but I have had to return to dealing with the reality of my osteoarthritis.  When I was at a new Dr last month, he mentioned my reduced kidney function from the blood work from my oncologist last summer (a year and a half ago!) someone had written stage 3 kidney disease -- !!!  I was like - WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???  No one had mentioned anything about that.  Now it seems I have lost 7 more points on the 0-100 scale.  My last test showed 37% kidney function!  This INternist believes it is from the antiimflamatory medication I have been taking - but it seems to strange to me????  Could my kidney's have been damaged due to chemo and then worsened with the anti infamatory?  I have been taking one kind or another for 25 years.  I was always worried about ulcers and tummy trouble - but I had never heard about kidney damage.
I am off my arhtitis meds for two weeks -- and scarecely able to walk - crazy!!  Now that I have had time to think about this it does not seem to make any sense.  Anyone else on this?
I've recently retired and moved from the Washington DC area (where my onocologist is) to tim-buck-too in lewes delaware at the beach.  I have zero confidence in most the the Dr.s here - for anything more complicated that the usual.  I will look forward to hearing from anyone PLEASE who has even a clue to what I am talking about!
Many thanks -
Becky

BECKY - age 57
DX Dec. 08
16 tax/carbo/herceptin
Mast July 28 08 - Blood supply cut off to wound
Healed in Oct. 08
Started mapping for rads but found another lump
Second surg. in Nov 08 - dev. infection - healed Jan. 09
26 rads - 5 boosts (will finish March 3 09)
Est +   Her2nu+
Herceptin and Femara

Hi Becky and good to hear from you again although I'm sorry you have this issue to worry about!
I had'nt really thought about kidney damage from these meds either but when I did a search there's lot of info out there and here's one link I found http://www.chemocare.com/managing/nephrotoxicity-renal-toxicity.asp
 
What are your Dr's recommending for this??  it seems you do need to be taking some meds for the arthritis but obviously its a concern if they're damaging your kidneys more, I don't have any answers but would speak to your Dr again about this and maybe get a referral to a specialist who may be able to suggest a med for you that wont be as harmful. 
Please keep us posted and hopefully this is something easily treated!

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex /Zometa 1 x yearly
Carepage- survivortricia

Becky, I hope you looked at this link!  I did and while I did have Carboplaten as part of my treatment, I also have been on methotrexate previously and know that the NSAIDs are a big no no.  Since I have had arthritis for years I find all of this relevant to me as well.  But if I were going thru what you are, I might also questions the other meds listed that could be creating issues for you as well.  Good luck to you!!

Jean S

Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops...at all.
Emily Dickinson

IDC Stage IIB Grade 3 BC DX on 2-10-09
HER2+++
ER/PR+ 90% 
2 of 6 Node Positive
Double Mastectomy 2-23-09
Completed Chemo TC 7-10
Herceptin until 3-20-10
Arimidex for 5 years Started 8-09 

Hi Becky,
Your post caught my eye because something similar is happening with my Mom.  She has been on many cardiac drugs for the last 40 years, and along with that has used NSAIDs for osteoarthritis for at least that amount of time.

She was dx'd with stage 4 kidney disease last year after her GFR dropped to around 24 (It's now 21 and will be checked again next month).  Her nephrologist believes the NSAID usage was a large contributing factor in the dx.

If you doc has not explained your kidney function and the GFR, ask him/her or one of the NPs to sit down and explain it all.
There are things you can do now to improve , but if you need the NSAIDs to function, I'm not sure what the protocol would be. 

You might try a doctor at Christiana Care in Wilmington.  They have a pretty good reputation .  Going back to DC or Johns Hopkins IMHO would be an option as well, or to one of the teaching hospitals in Philly.

I'm posting the link that I found very informative when researching my mom's disease.

http://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease/ckd/knowGFR.cfm


Hoping for the best for you Becky

dx ILC/dcis excisional biopsy 5/30/08
r segmental mast (partial) snb 6/4
node neg stage1 gr ll
er+/pr- Her2 - Oncotype Dx 11
R mast 9/22/08 w DIEP
tamox,now AI 
BRCA 1 & 2 NEG
davinci hyst/bso,  

Sorry you are going through this. I'm late to the party, but do know that NSAIDS add a huge burden to you liver and kidneys.

If you are in that much pain that you can't function without NSAIDS and acetaminophen, you should ask your doctor for a consult to a pain specialist. It may be that you would need to have a pain pump and catheter inserted into your spine (if you pain is the worst on your spine), and you can get direct injections of pain meds to the site(s).

My sis in law has liver cancer and chronic pain and they did the pain pump. She now no longer takes oral pain meds. Her kidneys were messed up from all the pain meds and chemo that she took. Taxol was one of the ones that really jacked with her heart and kidneys.

Bx Confirm Invasive Breast Cancer 5.13.11
ER+ PR+ HER2- on 6.10.11
KI-67 22% 6.13.11
Chemo x 4 - Adriamycin/Cytoxin, 
Chemo x 4 - Taxol 
Bilateral Mast with Expanders 11.1.11 - 12/31 nodes with active cancer. Grade 3 tumor. Stage IIIC. Radiation finished 1.25.12  Femara Generic started 11.24.11

I can do all things through God who strengthens me. Phil 4:13