Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?
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Today is Day 14 after my first T-C tx and the hair is dropping FAST. No tingling or itching, just a LOT of shedding! Good thing I'm seeing my haridresser tomorrow to have my wigs trimmed to look nice on me. Tomorrow might me my first scarf/hat day.
It really makes you feel like a cancer patient when the hair is gone. I guess my denial is fading as fast as my hair! My best friend is mailing me some Harley Do-Rags. Can't wait to get them! LOL! Tomorrow is also my first post tx follow up with onc. I hope my blood counts are where they need to me. Feeling fine, so I expect so. Enjoy the last days of summer Bald Hotties!
Joyce
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Yes, those are my kids wearing their "sympathy" do-rags!! They are sooo cute! They even insisted on wearing them out to dinner Sunday night and I hadn't even shedded a hair yet...End of day 14 and just a tiny bit of shedding. Think they can hang on through Thurs. night for Meet the Teacher??
Misty - Good Luck on Thurs. for Tx #2
Have a great night Girls!
Stacy
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Misty, that is pretty funny! I've signed up for one of those workshops but it's not until mid Sept. I have felt pretty young in the waiting room at the cancer centre (I'm 44). I heard that the average age for breast cancer diagnosis is 62! I find that hard to believe.
Glad to hear the reports of most of you doing pretty well after treatments. My first one is Friday and my sister is going to come with me.
I've been looking for something to cover my picc line in the shower, came across some fancy black lace covers, thought that was kind of funny http://www.designforyourlife.com/My_Homepage_Files/Page1.html
Unfortunately I have come down with a cold of all things! So, I'm not feeling 100% going in to this....I'm taking everything I can think of to boost my immunity, get rid of this cold.
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Good Morning Ladies!! Well, ITS RAINING HAIR today! My two daughters spent about 5 minutes picking it off of my clothes this morning after I did my hair. DH left on a 4 day trip so, by the time he gets back, I'll be a different woman. GREAT! Interview didn't go yesterday as he had a prior commitment he forgot about. I guess priests are human too! He also reminded me to give me a medal of the patron saint of cancer sufferers when I come to see him either today or tomorrow. Well, got a full day of errands today. Should be fun as it has been raining for almost 3 days straight. May be having another baseball practice in the rain. Come on they are 8 and 9 years old for crying out loud!
Have a great day and I will check in tonight!
Stacy
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Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer sufferers-you can find a daily prayer to him on-line.
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Sallie- I found it! Thanks!
My head is burning/tingling and if I touch my head - out comes more hair!! YIKES
- here we go!! Went to pick up my son from my parents and my dad had shaved his head in my honor! He has been bald on top my entire life and we have always teased him to stop the comb over and shave it off. Well, he finally did it and it took me getting bc for him to do it. I love my Dad!Misty, How did it go today? Praying for no SE's! Hope it is just as easy for you with #2!
Who goes tomorrow??
Stacy
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Hi all - No one mentioned the undewear...LOL! I had to shave my head - I wanted some control over a seemingly powerless situation - I thought it would be too eerrie (sp?) to have fall out in clumps. There are other issues - no one mentioned: 43 yrs old - I hadn't really discussed the symptoms of Chemical Menopause - not hot flashes for me - Insomnia, 6 weeks of "my time" and counting! Is this not polite to discuss? I don't care - Chemo has also attacked my teeth...
Love to all of you - get mad, get happy, get out and let's get on with it!
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Hey Stacy,
I go tomorrow (Thursday) for round 2 of 4. My DH insists on going again. We'll probably be there for about 4 hours, so we will rent a movie again for the DVD player. The center also has some movies. Well, I just got back from my gym (which is very "hip", large, and filled with "pretty"people) if you know what I mean. I wore my wig and pulled her up and did my whole workout!! I even saw some people that I usually see there and no one said a word. I feel like I am pulling off the biggest caper ever!! I admit-I am very vain about having hair on my head when I leave this house. I was so excited to be there and doing another normal thing!!
How are you? Sounds like the hair is coming out-just like mine. When is your interview being rescheduled? I think this is going to be in the cards for you!! Take care, Stacy.
Everyone else-hello-I will post how round 2 of TCH goes tomorrow.
~Misty
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Treatment two of T/C for me tommorrow. No bad side effects from #one really. I gave in and got a short haircut today. Those long strands of hair on my arms made me feel like I was stuck in a spider web. I am day 20 today and still have more hair than my mother-in-law. Feels funny to actually feel air on my scalp. My hair was so thick I had never felt air on it. Wonder if I will keep losing or if it will stop. I called my sister and told her I have a "comb over". She thought it was hilarious. The pharmacy gang complimented me on my wig. I had to tell them it was still my real hair. My eight year old loves it! He said I looked like I was 20, well maybe 30. I'm 42. Hope everyone is feeling well.
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Misty - I knew you were a Thursday...I guess I had a chemobrain relapse! I am still hoping enough hair holds on at least through tomorrow night! Good Luck tomorrow! How much hair do you still have?
nursekim - Your hair story about the comb over is hysterical! Good Luck tomorrow to you too!
vision4utoo - I think it is totally appropriate! I have been trying to start my period for 3 days now. Don't know what will happen. Haven't discussed chemical menopause with my onco yet. 6 weeks?? Oh my Goodness
Peaches - LOVE the underwear story!! Made my day! How are you doing?
To other Catholic girls here...St. Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer sufferers. You can find a prayer online at www.catholic.org/prayers'prayer.php?p=76
Once again, Misty and nursekim and all other doing Tx tomorrow GOOD LUCK and may your SE's be few or nil!
Stacy
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Stacy - The photo of your 3 kids in do-rags is so adorable! And your Dad shaving his head - what a sweetheart! My hair is also starting to go. If I run my fingers through it, I get about 10 strands each time, which is more than was happening yesterday. I think you and Tonya and I started tx on the same day (8/6), which means we now have two full weeks under our belts! Yeah!
Misty - You inspired me to sign up for Look Good Feel Better, which will be 9/9. I'm sure I'll really need it by then! I also signed up for an art therapy class this Friday that sounded sort of interesting. Will let you all know how that goes.
Jeannine - Where in California are you?
Lashon - How are you doing? I know I'm not the only one who has been concerned about you and hoping you're feeling stronger than when we last heard from you.
I wanted to share a little tip from an onco nurse I tried this week with good results. For mild nausea, rather than a med, try gingersnaps. I got some from Trader Joes that have little pieces of ginger in them. You can probably use crystallized ginger if you don't want cookies, but they tasted really good and seemed to help with the slight queasiness I've had a few evenings.
Misty & Kim - Good luck with tx #2!
Deanna
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good evening ladies,
very busy day today, second day of tx only two hours today. My best friend J.J. sat with me today and then it was off to work. Meetings all day.
No SE today that I can tell. Last night I had a little nausea but I took one of the pills and ate a cracker and in 30 minutes it was gone. Booster shot tomorrow morning then off for three weeks. I plan to get my hair cut really short this weekend and start wearing my wig to get used to it and to be more in control of this thing.
Misty, That is a very funny story about the "look good" class. I think that's great that you had a great laugh and got some goodies.
Wishing everyone a SE free night and day tomorrow.
peaches
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Short note tonight...Day 2 post tx #1...nausea worse today, but no vomitting so meds take the edge off. Trying to delegate some work for the office but damn computer software problems so here I sit at 11pm trying to sort it all out, so I can pass some work on. Frustrating! Went for my MRI of both breasts today and then for ABD U/S tomorrow to check for mets...have to be NPO after midnite tonite for that one so hopefully that won't make the nausea worse. Will type more when not feeling so tired and crummy. Hope everyone else is well!
Dawn
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Hi all. I'm down one week from my 1st tx and feel great...knock on wood...I can't believe it. The main SE that I have experienced so far is a sinus headache that lasted 4 days. Had a little dry mouth and need to remember to take stool softener next tx. So I'm very thankful to the SE goddess for watching out for me.
I see some new pics up and they are all so cute. I don't know what I would have done without this group to chat with and share info with, you are a great bunch of chicks my Aug Chemo peeps!
I think of you all everyday and keep you in my prayers.
denise
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Well its 1am and i start my first treatment in the morning. I cant sleep, have a headache and feel sick. I was hoping to feel pretty good going into this
Im also upset that i have to start on Taxol instead of Abraxane since my insurance company denied it. Im really nervous...teresa
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Misty1 - good luck today and I hope no SE hit you on this tx!!!!! Good luck to all the girls going tomorrow too! Hope you all have a SE FREE weekend!!!! I finally have my bathroom issues under control so I am at about 95% on feeling like myself. ONLY to go next Friday for tx #2!!!! Oh well we are all kicking some cancer butt!!!!! Hair is coming out more each day but I still have it - my wig is on my vanity waiting for me!!!!! Good luck girls and you are all in prayers!!!!
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teresa - The not sleeping is most likely the steroids. Read the other posts here and know that everyone has done just fine so far and so will you. You will feel much better once you get this first one under your belt!
Stacy
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Hello ladies. Hope everyone is doing well. Misty and teresa-anne I hope you tx's go well today. I will say a special prayer for you today. Peaches I am so glad you are feeling well. Halpino sorry you are having some nausea but at least its not too bad. Good luck on your tests. NurseKim good luck to you today also. Hope tx #2 goes great. Stacy, that is great that your Dad shaved his head. What a man. Good luck to you on this job also.
Tuesday was my second dose dense EC tx. Went just like last time. They got it in alot quicker about 2.5 hrs instead of all day last time. I spent the night going between nausea and queasiness but just took a pill before bed so I wouldn't wake up sick and no more nausea. My problem is that on Sunday I started feeling bad and very weak. When my blood was taken Tue I was quite anemic and I went for a blood transfusion yesterday. That was kind of disheartening but I was anemic going into this ( I have been slightly anemic most of my adult life) so I guess I should not have been surprised. I feel much better today and am planning on going back to work tomorrow. What I want to share with you all is that if your RBC ever get low please be aware of this information. When I went to Duke to see the breast oncologist she brought this to my attention and 2 of my onc nurses told me this also on Tue. The Procrit shot that they normally give you to bring up your RBC (its like the Neulasta) has been known to make breast cancer grow. Duke advised me not to take it to only take the blood transfusions if it ever came to that. The nurses also advised me the same thing. When I spoke to my local onc about it he said there are studies that have come out saying that so if I would prefer the transfusions then he would respect my wishes. The nurses said this info is on the FDA website. They told me to google procrit and breast cancer and I would find plenty of info on it. I haven't done that yet but you may want to so if you are ever in a situation like this you can make an informed decision. Or even just talk to your onc before it ever happens and see what his take on the situation is.
Is anyone else on here doing this dose dense stuff? Its a little rougher than I expected. I wish I was going every 3 weeks like most of you but being triple negative they wanted agressive tx for me. By the grace of God though it has not been TOO bad. My WBC were right back up so I was happy about that. I am glad you all seem to be doing so good. My hair is coming out LIKE CRAZY. It started on day 14 and this is 16 and it comes out by the handfuls. Luckily it is thick and its just thinning right now. I am sure I will be shaving by the weekend but I am trying to put it off as long as I can. Wig, bandanas and skull caps are ready to go though.
I hope everyone has a good day. Lashon I hope you are well. I think of you all often.
God Bless,
Tonya
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Tonya, The Neulasta info is very interesting. I will look into it.I am also slightly anemic but have only had one treatment so far. They did mention a blood transfusion if neccesary. However, my chemo is dense dose every two weeks also. When I asked about it at Lahey Clinc (where I'm being treated) they said it was very usual. First, 4 treatments of AC two weeks apart then 4 treatments of Taxol 2weeks apart. The surgeon and onc said they would be aggressive with me (possibly because my tumor was 4cm) but I am 43 and in good health going into this. I did also have a mascetomy because an MRI found two additional lesions that I didn't bother to have biopsied because the size of the original tumor whould have disfigured my breast quite a lot. I also had less than a millimeter focus in 1 out of 19 nodes and are border line for radiation
God Bless,
Sallie
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thanks for the thoughts and prayers! i just got home from my first treatment. using the port was a breeze and if you use the numbing cream its no worse than a finger prick. i was having major anxiety about that.
My first treatment was Taxol/Avastin and 4 premeds. It was a VERY long appt. 10am-3pm. The only problem i had was shooting pains in my right foot and restless leg syndrome where i had to get up out of the chair. they said it was the benedryl and next time they will slow it down. it was only for a few minutes and it went away. the rest went well and i even drove us home. they said teh premeds would get me thru today and tonight. i guess tomorrow the real s/e could begin. hopefull i wont have any or at least they will be manageable. the anxiety leading up to this appt was def worse than the treament itself.
Keeping everyone in my prayers... God is good.
teresa
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My hair is coming out in gobs today. Intellectually, I knew this was going to happen, but suddenly I don't feel as detached from it as I was just thinking about it. I pulled my thinning hair into a ponytail and put on a baseball cap when I went out, but it felt awkward and uncomfortable, and I couldn't stop noticing women with full, luxurious heads of hair. Oh, well - at least we know the chemo is working, and that's what's important right now!
Hope everyone has had a good day ~ Deanna
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Okay Girls,
Round 2 went smoothly. I was still there for about 5 hours, the pre-onc meeting and the infusion. I had a really nice nurse again. The TCH drugs went in without any reactions. I felt a bit tired when I got home. The steroids I took yesterday did not give me a good night's sleep-hopefully tonight will be better. I plan to go to work/school tomorrow. NurseKim and Theresa-hope yours went just as well.
More strands of hair were coming out today after I washed it. I did the same thing as you Deanna-just pulled it through a cap. I don't know how many more days I will be able to do that. I am going to get to the weekend being able to do that without having to wear the wig to my brother's pool.
I think I am off to bed early tonight. Took all of the meds, took the phone calls...
~Misty
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Hello All,
Sounds like a few have you have gotten a few treatments done and over with, thinking of you all and no SE's for you. I had read, a few pages back, about the patron saint for cancer. My Mom gave me a statue and a prayer card on the patron saint of breast cancer, St. Agatha. If anyone is interested in her story I'll be happy to share.
Have a restful night,
denise
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Good Evening Ladies!! Well, did the genetic testing today. Even though I don't have a strong history of breast/prostate cancer in my family, given my "young" age it was recommended strongly. Geneticist said I have between a 10 and 15% chance of having the mutation or a variant. She said she normally treats younger bc patients who get a "variant" result as if they had tested positive for a mutation. So, when I get the results in 2 - 3 weeks I will know if my lumpectomy will turn into a bilateral mastectomy and ovary removal. She did say that those who test positive and have a bilateral mast have a 90% reduced risk of a recurrance and a 90% reduced risk of a new primary. Ovary removal in hormone + with a BRCA + result reduces risk of ovarian cancer by 96%. Those sound like good odds to me. Also, found out insurance will cover most of it as it is considered medically necessary given my age. So, for those reasons, and the fact that I have 2 daughters and a sister along with 10 other female 1st cousins on my dad's side (paternal gm had bc), I gave them my blood and had it sent to Utah. Praying for negative result!!
Hair on top is shedding like crazy!! ..I am anxiously awaiting the no more leg shaving for a while!
Misty - glad it all went today. Hope the SE's stay away. I don't know how much longer my hair will hold out either. Did make it through the kids meet the teacher night tonight. I think I left a hair trail through the entire school though! Hope your day at school tomorrow isn't too taxing!
Deanna - My hair is coming out by the handful too. I too am finding I am more attached to my hair than I thought. But, like you said, at least according to the SE's the chemo is doing what it is supposed too! How are your kids doing now that the hair is coming out? I am trying to make it "funny" for my kids and laugh when I say "time to pick the hair off of mommy's clothes!" My 5 year old thinks it is hysterical to run her had through my hair and see how much comes out. I don't think she will think is funny in a few days when I have none left!
Denise - watch the dry mouth! I got thrush as did several others here...biotene mouthwash works wonders. You can get it a Walmart or the grocery store in the toothpaste aisle. Use it constantly!! Glad your Tx went well. Here's to continued minimal SE's!
Well, girls...the kids are in bed and hubby is stil OOT. So, I am off to take control of the tv for awhile and then off to bed.
Am I crazy? Just realized that I signed up to be a lunchroom monitor, library helper and room mom for 2 of my 3 kids classes!! Must be chemobrain relapse!! Oh well, I haven't had the chance to do those things before as I either had little ones at home or was working. Still think I may be nuts though...hope I don't scare the kids. Oh no here comes the hairless mommy again!!!
Good Night...may it be restful and SE less!
Stacy
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Hello all! Thanks for the thoughts and prayers today. All went fine. I gave in and my husband shaved my head tonight. He did the mohawk thing first and my 8 y/0 thought it was a hoot. He said I could come to his classroom anytime and be the cool mom with the mohawk. Hope I continue to feel well and so does everyone else.
God is Great!
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Go Mohawk Kim!! I love it!!
Stacy
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Dawn, how are you doing?! I'm going for my first FEC treatment today. You're the only other person I've found that's getting it. Did you suck on ice or do anything special during the treatment, and if so during what part?
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Hi Deirdre,
I'm doing fine...extremely tired with some nausea, but coping for sure. I had a busy week as my onc had sceduled me for a MRI of both breasts as well as a u/s of my abd, plus my kids had soccer tournaments this week, hockey camp and back to school shopping... and now the 8yr old is down today with the stomach flu, so even without the chemo I would have been tired! Just be sure to drink drink LOTS of water, as it will flush the chemicals out faster. The "E" will turn your urine red for a couple of days. I didn't suck on ice or anything. My first tx was Aug 18th (this past Monday) so you're not too far behind me. I hope all goes well. Keep me posted! Be sure to take all the meds they offer you...I really think it helps and the steriod may keep you up at night so a sleeping pill is a good idea too. Talk soon!
Dawn
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Thanks Dawn! If you can do all that I should be ok, I don't plan on doing anything. I don't have a steroid prescribed, asked the nurse about it and she just said something like this dr doesn't use them, or maybe just not for the first treatment. Did you take all the nausea meds regularly, even if you felt ok? I have one that I'm supposed to take for a few days and 2 others " as needed", nurse said to try one first (reglan I think) and if it doesn't work try the other one 4 hours later. That's one thing I didn't get is sleeping pills, but I guess if I'm not getting a steroid I shouldn't need them. I'm used to being awake a lot during the night, looking after my daughter.
Oh well, at least I'm getting this started! Should be an interesting day. My sister is going to stay with me, my husband is driving me (40 minutes away) and picking me up.
Deirdre
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Good Luck Dierdre! You will do great!
Hair is coming out in gobs!!!
Hood - how are you doing? Hope all is well!
Stacy
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