Starting Chemo February 2009?

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  • MicheleS
    MicheleS Member Posts: 937
    edited June 2009

     Great news Grace!  I'm so glad to hear that it was "easy"...  It is so nice to hear when there are *relatively* easy parts to this journey!

    I have a question for all of you who had a bi-lat + recon.  I've had a mastectomy of the BC side w/out recon and will have another mastectomy + recon of both sides this fall/winter.  So, what do they do to check you for a local recurrance if you've had all breast tissue removed?? Anything??  Are the PET scans enough??

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  • xpectmiracles
    xpectmiracles Member Posts: 439
    edited June 2009

    Grace, I am so happy for you!!!

    Jaimieh, the redness is almost gone and I don't feel achy any more. I will have doc look at it tomorrow agian.

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  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 2,373
    edited June 2009

    Grace~  Whhhoooo it sounds like you got a drive thur surgery.  I am thrilled for you :) 

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  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited June 2009

    Hey gang!!  What does effraction rate refer to?

    Jaimieh---WOOOOOHOOOOO!! thank goodness "bump" was only expander! When does an expander come into play--with recon?

    I'm a ways out from recon but is there a risk of cancer coming back in a reconstructed breast with one's own tissue or silicone implant?

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  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited June 2009

    Hey gang!!  What does effraction rate refer to?

    Jaimieh---WOOOOOHOOOOO!! thank goodness "bump" was only expander! When does an expander come into play--with recon?

    I'm a ways out from recon but is there a risk of cancer coming back in a reconstructed breast with one's own tissue or silicone implant?

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  • xpectmiracles
    xpectmiracles Member Posts: 439
    edited June 2009

    Bethie, I think they are talking about ejection fraction rate. That is how much blood is pumped by one beat of the heart. Most people have a rate of 50-65%. The lower the ejection fraction, the harder the heart needs to pump in order to circulate the blood.

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  • gcpommom
    gcpommom Member Posts: 883
    edited June 2009

    Hi all.  Well, chemo #9 is done, it was the first chemo really where I still felt  'in the hole' when I went in, so I was nervous about that.  I spent the evening sleeping, and I am achy and tired, but ok.  I almost didn't get the tx because my absolute neutrophil count was 1.2, and if you hit 1, no chemo.  My WBC's are also at their lowest, but otherwise I'm good.

    Wow, so much news today! 

    Grace:  I am so happy that your surgery went so well.  I have yet to begin recon, but it is nice to hear that it can go smoothly.

    Kerry:  How did your rads appt go?  I hope you have no problems on the Tamox., keeping my fingers crossed for you!

    Cheryl:  Good to hear that the Tamox is not affecting you, and sooo glad the redness is going away...that's great!

    Jaimie:  I was so relieved to hear about your 'lump' being your TE....thank goodness! 

    Linda:  Your therapist sounds so nice...how wonderful to have  a therapist who is also a survivor.  That seems like it should be a prerequisite for bc patients' therapists.  I'm glad you had such a positive experience.

    Michele:  What tx # are you on now....is your tx tomorrow?  I know we are very close in our Taxol schedule.  I had #9 today, and have been having some neuropathy, and the fatigue is really building up.  Are you having any se's yet?  I, too will be having my recon started in the fall, boy we really are on the same timeline here....I see the PS for the first time on the 22nd.  I need to get off the coumadin first, otherwise I would start recon sooner.  I'm not posiive, but I think they use MRI to do yearly scans on the breast area after recon???  I'll check the recon thread, someone' s mentioned it there before.

    Funny story of the day:  I took my DS for a haircut yesterday (after I screwed it up doing it myself).  I had on only a very tight scarf.  We sat in the waiting area, a woman came to the desk, consulted her appt list, looked up at me and said "Natalie, you're next".  I just stared at her.  Um....I'm not Natalie, and I HAVE NO HAIR!!!!  I almost laughed out loud.  We ended up going somewhere else for his haircut, and THAT was a whole 'nother story, good grief....I'll write about that one tomorrow!

    Hope everyone has sweet dreams, talk to you all later

    Hugs, Judy

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited June 2009

    Oh, Judy, that is a funny story! Sorry your are feeling crappy, but the only way to the end is to get through it. and you are! Hope your Neutrophil count raises up a bit - when I ended up in Hospital my count was 0. Do you get the Neupogen shots??

    Terri - so glad you are seeing a Counsellor, and Linda, so glad your appt went well. It really does help to have a third party to talk to. I remember thinking "wow, she is so understanding" about mine!!

    Well, Rads went well yesterday. It took a bit longer than normal as they had to take X-rays so the Dr could confirm I was mapped correctly. It was all a bit space age and weird, but think it went well. Certainly a lot easier than chemo, I can tell you that!  So, 1 down, 24 to go.....

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  • MicheleS
    MicheleS Member Posts: 937
    edited June 2009

    Judy~  I'm having lots of SE's now (fingertip numbness, nailbed pain, some bone pain on days 2-3, bloody nose, eye twitching, bad fatique..... but NO NAUSEA!!!).  I've only managed to work 10 hrs total this week and I don't know how long I'll manage today.  I had #9 last week and my absolute neutriphils were 1.5 (we really do lead parallel lives!!).  He told me that if I made it to 1.2 that I could 1) put off chemo for a week, or 2) get daily leucopen shots till the end.  I'm choosing #2.  So... tomorrow, I may be adding the fun of daily injections to my life.... ick.  Apparently, you can't do the big neulasta shot while on weekly taxol. 

    My onc told me that quarterly PET scans would be enough monitoring for foobies but that makes me nervous... I'm curious to hear what others are doing.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited June 2009

    Michelle - I got the daily neupogen shots. My husband gave them to me in my tummy. It stung a little, but was really not bad at all. The kids loved watching him do it - better than TV! So sorry about all your SE's, but, as you say, no puking! I get no follow-up scans apart from a yearly mammogram - only if I have a symptom. While I like the idea of avoiding scanxiety, a few follow-up scans would be reassuring. Quarterly scans seems like a lot...?

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  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 7,799
    edited June 2009

    good morning.

    i'm feeling great the day after chemo. 

    I stopped taking glutamine for a month and had some yukky hand fingernail neuropathy issues.. Started taking that expensive stuff again and feel soooooo much better.. no tingling  - no pain or throbbing and i feel so darn strong .. like my muscles are working well.

    i've been going out with my dramatic thinned but growing hair (think major bald spot on the top) and i feel pretty.. i looks better than a cap.. just a pretty scarf for a band decoration.. a little girl starred at me with worried compassion.. poor dear, i wanted to give her hug.  maybe she'll remember and get her mammograms and such. otherwise people are cool.. they are so nice.

    i'm going organ shopping today.. the house will be trashed probably when i come home.  I'm driving 50 miles to an old organ factory with a ware house of older electric church organs.  I found a contact of the other company who also has a warehouse.  so i'll get my pick at a good price. they both know about each other unfortunately so they'll be grovelling.. i hate that.  I hope i can get one and not make the other feel bad.

    so excited.

    happy JUNE

    i am mentally responding appropriately to all you above posts..

    wrueio  ruio bml; rg-o= $#%^&&*(()+_

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  • susan13
    susan13 Member Posts: 732
    edited June 2009

    Hey Ladies,

    I agree on the quarterly scans being alot... but my onc. told me that scans are the best way to monitor for recurrence when you have had pos. nodes.  I just had my scans and restaged in March and I'll find out tomorrow what my onc.'s plan is on monitoring me for future.  I think my visits now go to every 3 months with him... wow... what will I do without going to the doctor's every week?!?

    My hair is really taking off!  It's very fuzzy, but at least it's hair. I still have a little bald spot right in the back top, but it should fill in soon.

    3 months out of chemo this week and the insomnia has got me going insane. Last nite I tried taking melatonin... was awake more then I was asleep and this morning I feel very groggy and sort of fatiqued, just not feeling right.  Not sure if it was the melatonin or if I'm hitting the post rads fatique thing.

    I start tamoxifen this weekend. Already getting major hot flashes so it can't get any worse (I hope!)

    We are going away for a few days, first time since before my dx last August (it's almost a year already!!)

    Have a nice day all!

    Sue

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  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 2,373
    edited June 2009

    Susan~ Have fun going away.  I was told Melatonin takes a while to get into your system for it to work.  My psych. said it takes 2-3 weeks for it to work. 

    Apple~ Have fun organ shopping.  I hope you find a great one. 

    Michele + Judy~ Hang in there you are almost at the end of TX. 

    I went to get my echo. today and the tech. told me my effraction rate was 60% but I put little stock into it.  At my last scan she told me I was 58 and I was 46 so either way I am up 2 points as I see it. 

    I now have a cold but besides that I feel pretty good.  It's funny that now a cold is not a big deal at all.  I do have neuropathy in my toes and feet and it's more of anoying than anything.  I am very excited that I don't have any doctors appt. until next week. 

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  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited June 2009

    Judy--Hope you feel better soon and that goes for all my furies!!! ((((((HUGS)))))) Just curious as to why your WBC counts were so low; mine were 9800+

    Michele--hope your nail issues go away soon!! My toenails are dry, brittle and black and blue; have polish on them so I can't see how disgusting they look otherwise.  When will they return to normal?  Also, was I fatigue today!!!! I thought about coming home from work early.  My body felt like I had the flu and my back ached, as well as my legs feeling heavy.  I managed to take an aleve and got through I somehow, as I need to build my time back up, although my boses know what I'm up against!!

    Hugs to my furies!

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  • Terri42
    Terri42 Member Posts: 56
    edited June 2009

    Hi guys - just checking in - I had a good day although I'm in pain I'm hopeful that this Neurontin will help - anyone else taking this?

    MicheleS - I have had a bilateral and I know that I no longer have to go for mammograms but I don't know how they check for recurrence...

    JamieH - yep I'm on the H train for one year - I have had two injections and didn't notice a thing.  I have my reconstruction on June 19th!  2 days before my 1 year anniversary to my new hubbie - that is his present!

    Gotta go - will check in tomorrow!

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  • Gramof3
    Gramof3 Member Posts: 301
    edited June 2009

    Furies--I know Webbie promised to post the Auntie A and Little Monkey stories and I just found the Auntie A story over on "The Road to Hell--Laughter the Best Medicine" thread.  It's funny. 

    Hope everyone is having a (relatively) good evening...Terri, glad you're feeling better.

    Take care.  Helen

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited June 2009

    Hey everybody! I'm doing my best to keep up, but I'm having kind of a down week, so have been mostly to myself trying the standard pep talk stuff. Think maybe I'll call someone tho. Seems to have done a lot of you a world of good. I dunno. Guess maybe the hormones are coming back or something. I haven't felt like this since PPD.

    Thanx Helen, for pointing everyone to my story. ;)  Despite my rotten attitude of the moment, there IS still a ton of humor to be found in it all. Gotta get Little Monkey's story up, but have just really been struggling with words of late. I hope it's worth the wait when I finally find them, haha!

    I've been following ALL of your stories tho, and wanted to pop in with my thoughts and best wishes. It's amazing to me how much we expect of ourselves so fast after chemo ends, how little slack we cut ourselves for feelings that are "normal" and how little outright THIS SUX we allow ourselves with every new hurdle--be that rads, herceptin, exchange, Tamoxifen, lingering chemo SE's, other meds' SE's, more surgery or all of the above. 

    I'm obviously doing a lot of self examination and reflection right now. (In my spare 30 seconds.) But I did read an article that made me think. It was about the mind/body connection and C-Type Personalities. Like I suspect an awful lot of you, I've always been a decidely Type A. 

    On the way IN to this I remember coming to pieces over all of the things that I couldn't control. On the way out, it seems I'm falling apart over the things that I CAN. 

    How messed up is that?

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited June 2009

    P.S. Marybe, please PM me your details! I still can't see straight half the time and can't find my notes to get you added to the front page list. I'm sorry.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited June 2009
    Webbie - big hugs to you today. This whole post-treatment crash is so normal, it even has a name - my Onc told me but I can't remember what she called it! But if you can get to see a counselor I think you might find it helpful. I do think at the beginning everything happens so fast, surgery, chemo, etc etc, and we are so busy just trying to get through it we don't mentally absorb what is happening. Now we are faced with a changed body, many of us will be on hormonal drugs for the forseeable future, some of us are facing more surgery, and we will have the constant fear of the beast rearing its ugly head again.  I just got an email from my Dad - "don't worry, in a few weeks you can put this all behind you" Like, I don't think so.
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  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 2,373
    edited June 2009

    Webbie~ ((Bighugs)) It's hard because we do expect ourself to bounce back after the last treatment.  Hell I am 2 weeks out of my last treatment and have done more in the last 2 weeks than I think I did the entire time I was in chemo.  Then to top it off I am upset because I can't do more because I have sooo much to get done.  BTW, loved Auntie A's story I almost peed my pants..lol.... 

    Kerry~ People do not understand that it will never be behind us.  I have a blog that I posted about the fact that it will never be behind me that cancer is a sneaky bitch that can creep up at anytime.  So far I haven't got that comment in a while since my post. 

    13 days until exchange (you all know I love #'s) and I'm not ready yet.  I am not thrilled at the can't lift more than 5lbs restriction afterwards but I will live with it.  I am just hoping for a smooth surgery with some pain relief. 

    I called this morning about my card. effraction rate and I passed I had a 55.  I started this mess with a 56 (after mastectomy with expanders) so this was really great news for me.  I can get my H on Monday...whooo...I'm doing a happy dance now.  I guess I better get off here and get to the laundry that has been staring me down. 

    Michele~ No one has talked about my foobie follow up yet.  I hope whatever it is doesn't include any injections.  I am sick and tired of needles.  I stopped counting at 25 needles....

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  • Denali
    Denali Member Posts: 347
    edited June 2009

    Webbie, I highly recommend you talk to a therapist--preferably someone who specializes in cancer or chronic illnesses.  Your oncologist's office or ACS can recommend appropriate therapists.  The session really helped me and I haven't burst out crying once since my appt with her on Tues.  I'd talked over the same things with my grown daughter, but it was just different talking to the therapist--especially since she's had BC twice.

    I'm going again this morning.  I wanted to sneak one more session in before next Monday, which I'm so dreading.  All of the sudden the dr's exam is scary to me because I know she's searching for more cancer from now on out since my last chemo will be that day.  Now all the focus will be searching for more cancer rather than chemo side effects. 

    Also, since my blood counts were down a bit last week, what if they're still down by Monday and I can't get chemo?  EVERYONE has asked when my last day will be (one chemo buddy scheduled her dr appt so that she could be there), but what if it doesn't happen?  Here I am going through cancer and I'm so worried about hurting people's feelings!  Crazy. 

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  • Terri42
    Terri42 Member Posts: 56
    edited June 2009

    I really wish we all could get in one room together - think how much we have exchanged over the months and 79 pages!  We started this chemo ride together and now I'm glad to have you around for the "recovery" or whatever you want to call it phase since so many people don't understand and really how could they?

    Webbie - I hope you're feeling better - I'm finding this stage very difficult and I think it's partly because there is no timeline for when we will feel better - I'm looking for my onc to say in 4 weeks you will be feeling completely normal and two months you will have hair and so on and so on!  So far all I get is "it just takes time"...yeah and I'm tired of giving time to this disease!  Aren't we all!

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  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited June 2009

    Webbie--(((BIGHUGS))))) You need to talk to someone girl!! And of course you have all of us furies too!!!

     Kerry- I think your dad meant well, he just didn't verbalize properly!! Are you and your dad close that you could tell him how you feel?

    Denali- If you don't mind me asking, what were your blood counts?  I was told if blood counts were 1500 or lower they wouldn't administer chemo.  If yours are above this, you should be OK, but check anyway to be sure.

    Terri42- I agree!!! Although I've been fine for the most part, I wish there wasn't that 3 week break between chemo and rads!!! I want to move on, and get on with my life!!!  Granted it wil always be a part of me now, but I want that "normalcy" back" whatever it may be!! I'm too stubborn for my own good sometimes!!

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  • Denali
    Denali Member Posts: 347
    edited June 2009

    Bethie:  Last week my Platelets were only 84 and they have to be at least 100 before they'll do chemo.  Luckily, I wasn't scheduled for chemo that day. 

    When they REALLY tanked and I had to have a blood transfusion, my  RBCs were down to 2.5 and my platelets were down to 39. Even with the transfusion, which only contained RBCs, my counts weren't high enough to do my scheduled chemo the next wk.  Had to delay a week.

    Hoping my numbers are back up by next Monday as that should be my LAST chemo.  Wish me luck!

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  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited June 2009

    Oh, definitely Denali!!!! Thank God everything was in place for me!!!

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  • gcpommom
    gcpommom Member Posts: 883
    edited June 2009

    Good morning, TGIF! 

    Michele:  How were your Neutrophil counts?  Were you able to get tx this week? 

    Apple:  did you know that Walmart and Target both carry the L-Glutamine for 9.99?  Saves lots of money that way!  I was at an estate sale yesterday, and there was a big organ there with all the switches and pedals....and I thought of you, the sign on it said make an offer.  Did you find an organ yet?

    Susan13:  I remember being very tired for a few months after rads, so it could be that.  It's great that your's and Michele's docs want to monitor you guys closely....I know my doc will be much less accomodating, I'm expecting scans only twice a year from him if I'm lucky...they really like to play up the "you'll be fine, everything's fine" crap. 

    Oh, for the hot flashes, I've read that Magnesium/Calcium supplements really help (and as well with those aches and pains from chemo).  It is a 1:2 ratio, and you can buy it already combined like that.  I paid $5 for 2 bottles at Meijer this week, but I haven't started mine yet because I am waiting for my anticoagulation people to say it's ok to mix with coumadin, but I'll let you know if it works....these hot flashes have been hell!

    Jaimie:  good news on the effraction rate, Whoo whoo!  My doc doesn't seem to worried about re-scanning the heart, but I will push for it when I'm all done with tx.

    Bethie:  the thing that made me nervous about applying dark nail polish was that I couldn't monitor what the nail was doing....I would not have known it was about to fall off, or if it was getting infected beneath the nail, which thank goodness it wasn't, I've read about those nasty infections. 

    Webbie:  I do hope you can work through this, maybe talking to someone would be the best thing, it's certainly worth a try!  ((hugs))

    Linda: Good luck,  I hope all goes well on Monday and your counts are good....having to miss the last tx would be hard, but you will finish, even if it is put off another week.... being sure you're able to safely receive you tx is really important!  I know how hard it is to miss a week, I've had to skip 2 already, and am very close to missing another if my neutraphils drop any lower.  *sigh* 

    Terri:  getting together would be nice, wouldn't it?  We have all shared so much, and we have helped each other so much....how did women cope before the internet? 

    Well, off to wake up my son for school....4 more days of school left, and that includes a field trip on the Detroit River Diamond Jack River Boat (I'm not going, I get 'seasick').  I will be nervous whle he's gone on that one....boys do like to mess around and push each other around at this age, don't want him going over the side!  He's graduating 6th grade next week, on to Middle school.

    Hope you all have nice, warm weather to enjoy....

    Hugs

    Judy

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  • Terri42
    Terri42 Member Posts: 56
    edited June 2009

    Good luck Denali - I actually didn't even get my last round of chemo - the Taxol was doing such a number on me my onc decided to forego the last one - that was a weird feeling!!!

    Judy - my 14 year old son is going on his class trip to an amusement park next Tuesday and I'm nervous already because I do worry about the "boys will be boys" thing - especially around all of those rides!  Yikes!

    JamieH - I woke up this morning and my first thought was 2 weeks until my exchange - I can't wait - every morning I am sooooo sore from these hard things! Yipppeeee!  Oh and I have had 2 doses of Herceptin and didn't really notice anything but then again I'm already sore and having hot flashes so who knows!?

    Sue - keep us posted on the Tamoxifen - I haven't started it yet - I wonder will my hot flashes get even hotter :)

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  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 7,799
    edited June 2009

    i can sure tell i'm in my 5th round of taxol... my mouth is killing me... all in all, not too bad tho.  I'm functional... still working my tail off.  i got one kid off to boyscout camp and the other boy goes Sunday.. a whole week without boys.  what ever will i do?,,  they crack me up.  they only will work if i nag them.  i am so looking forward to the peace and quiet.

    about the organ.. below is a pic of the one that is available from one guy.  i talked with my pastor (who has a masters in organ performance) and he set me up with a guy (Steve) who has a warehouse with a few traded in smaller church organs that i will see this next week.  i can get the one below for about a thousand. Steve begged me on the phone to wait till i saw his organs.. that he could definitely beat any price that he had a greater selection... that in fact he would be happy to sell me one for under 500,  What i am looking for is an AGO specified pedal board (as in the pic below) so i can acquire some skills.  this one is actually perfect for my needs, altho it is missing a volume pedal which is crucial to voicing.. to balancing the two manuals above.. making one louder and one softer.  that creates interest..  i'd be happy with this one, but i think i can do better.  a new one with about the same features costs around 10,000. this one is pretty small and basic.  A church can pay 80,000 for a big electric organ and all the speakers etc. 

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  • MicheleS
    MicheleS Member Posts: 937
    edited June 2009

    Judy~  My neutrophil count was a whopping 1.2.  I managed to get chemo anyway.  However, I was told to not go in to work today and to stay away from crowds.  I started the daily neuopen (sp??) shots today to boost it up before the next treatment (thurs).  My oldest goes to camp Sunday afternon.  I really want to go with DH to drop him off... by Sun afternoon, I will have had 3 shots so I may go... we'll see. 

    Apple~  Neat organ!!  When will you buy one??

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  • Artemis
    Artemis Member Posts: 759
    edited June 2009

    Hi, Furies ~
    I'm home safe and sound.  Well, as sound as one can be with no boobies, lol!

    Everything went fine for the surgery Monday morning, but Monday night til Tuesday morning were something else.  I think I stole Michele's crown by throwing up on anyone who came into my room!  Apparently, Demerol and I don't get along the way we used to.  I threw up on nurses, myself, my bed, the floor, and oh yeah in those little pink plastic bins, too!

    Once we got the pain meds changed, I was fine.  I came home on Wednesday with 2 drains.  Mr. Artemis and our son are taking great care of me.

    I hope you're all well.  I'm going now to catch up on what you guys have posted since I've been gone.  

    Hugs to all,
    Artemis, Usurper to the Vomit Queen Throne

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