**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

ann-idiot

My son had fungal infection under his fingernail last year. The doctor had us apply "Vicks VapoRub" twice a day (am and pm) and cover with a band-aid as needed. Took a few months, but it worked like a charm.

Krista

ccbaby ~ Be very careful with your nails if you are on chemo still.  While I was doing chemo I noticed that I had a small hangnail on my middle finger which was no real surprise b/c I get them all the time (pre chemo and all) and I pulled it.  Well low and behold a day later began to swell some and hurt pretty bad.  I soaked it in peroxide and hot water and it just wouldn't heal.  Finally after 2 weeks of it doing all of this and swelling up pretty bad I had my oncologist look at it.  Well needless to say they were NOT happy with me.  They told me I was lucky that I wasn't septic b/c of it and me waiting so long to do anything. They put me on some heavy duty antibiotics which took a week or so to really get anywhere with making my finger look better. I thought it was just a little hangnail.  Who would have thought.   So please just be careful.

buddy1

Hello, gals.   I'm back from the Oncologist.  The soonist (is this a word) I can start back on chemo is the 28th.  Which is only 8 days.  They make you wait 30 days after surgery.  Turns out my culture was negative so all the blood was not from an infection.  He said he didnt know where it was coming from . Possibly I was nicked in surgery or the clindamycian I was on too long.  Its scary I would like to know.  He said whatever it was is cleared up now since I am not bleeding.  Anyway.  I am so excited to be back in treatment.  As crazy as that sounds.  Only you girls would understand.  Love Buddy

chick717

I can't quit snickering "Ice cream has no bones!!" bwahaha!!  I needed that today!

Even though I had my last chemo already, I feel connected to this group.  I have been away for a few days - at a beach wedding (try wearing a wig on the beach - arrggh) and slammed at work.  But just wanted to offer encouragement and gratitude to everyone on here.  By our being here, we are both offering and receiving the support we need.  The sharing we do here is sweet, raw, poignant and sometimes hilarious (just read the ice cream thing again).  I am a single gal, and I felt alone at first, but once I connected with this board, I never felt alone again.  Francine, maybe your friend could start a new thread - for people in the stage of the process where she is - and they could go through it together instead of her reading about all of our experiences and being frightened - just a thought.

I had my first rad tx today.  One down.  Like so many of you said, I can't wait to be NOT a patient any more, to be "normal" and be able to make plans without wondering how I will feel or if it will be too hot/too cold/too late/too smoky, etc.

 Did I miss out on the post for how we want to stay connected - getting back in shape, motivational group, etc?

ginagina

Just popping in to say HI. Missed another week of my treatment due to low WBC. Delays just happen. My eye was itching the other day (they are watering constantly) and I inadvertently rubbed off the front part of my eyebrow (it had been thinning A LOT) but now there is a gaping hole.  No use putting on make up...rubbing my watery eyes just makes me look even crazier.

Ann - I stopped shaving my head. Lots of pale white fuzz...like you, it is really hard to tell what the color is/was/will be. I have a nice bald spot on the side too, just above my ear that is about 5 cm across (cant think of anything to compare it to). I may shave my whole head again before this is all over.

Michelle - I loved your comeback...I can't do that for the life of me. I think it is a gift. You are sooo lucky.

ccbaby - dont forget to mention this to your onco this week...or at least call the office and talk to a nurse. Nothing should be passed up. My mom ended up with a staph infection from a big toe issue like this. 

Janine, Tracy, MOB - good to see you. MOB and Tracy - have you started rads yet?

hugs all

edited to correct massive spelling mistakes. 

Krista

Buddy1 ~  I totally understand what you are saying...excited about chemo.  Excited about getting it overwith!  I remember on my last day of chemo I was rushing the docs and telling them to hurry it up that I wanted to get back to the treatment room so I could get OUT!  The quicker I could get out of there the better.  So yes, I understand....just want to get it on overwith and move on!  Keep strong!  We are here for ya!

DonnaDio

Reeny and Nadine..  Want this over too!!!TX #3 is tommorrow and i too am excited to get this over with!!! Want hair and my life back. Taking the Decadron tonight is no thrill either. Usually am in a better frame of mind, but am so done with this!!!

Janine... You poor thing!!!! Can they delay the treatment a week until you are stronger, i wonder. This is tough and i have two more to go and feel for the anquish of some of the se's people like you are having. 14 hours is way too long! Talk to your Dr and see what can be done to make this easier.That is what they are there for,to  make this at least bearable!!!So sorry.

ccbaby.. my nails are a peeling and chipping and just don;t look healthy.I am still puttin Nailtique protein on them as they need some protection. My toe nails are fine and growing?!Try some Tea tree oil for the toe nails. Helps me for fungus issues. They say eyebrows can fall out after the treatments are done?? Mine are thinner and have two more treatments.

Yankee fan here!!!!!

Tommorrow is treatment #3 and one more to go in June.

Good luck to all iin treatment and healthy thoughts,

Donna

chick717

This past weekend, I noticed that my lower lashes are gone and my eyebrows are thin at best, also with gaps.  I can draw on eyebrows and line my lower lid, but I'd really like to hang on to my upper lashes.  And like a 13-year-old boy searching for his moustache, I squint and move the mirror around trying to find head stubble...alas, no luck yet, 3 1/2 weeks out.  I'm sure it's a hilarious sight...I can't see up close with contacts or glasses, and without them, I have to squint and get the mirror right up to my face.   Leg stubble is definitely growing in.  No armpit hair yet (no complaints here) and the Brazilian is intact.

Dawnmrn1

ccbaby!  My nails are fine!! Did you ever hear of puttinh Vicks Vaborub on nail fungus?  Dr. Gott in our paper swears by it!! Use it twice a day and it is supposed to clear up!!  good luck, Dawn

ccbaby

Thanks for all of the great advice ladies. I will try the Vicks vapor rub and/or tee tree oil  and tell my onco about it next week. It isn't real bad, just a small spot on the outer part of my toenail but I don't want it to spread or get worse.

Alyad

Hi Everyone! I've been away for about a week and it took me hours to catch up on everything!

 I went out of town for 6 days on a trip to Virginia , the first day we drove to my friend's near Knoxville and had a lovely dinner with them and spent the night- they have a place on the TN river that is like a vacation in itself- lovely landscaping and relaxing vibe, we didn't want to leave, but the next day we drove 3 hours to Damascus VA for a big hiker festival called Trail Days. I can't even begin to guess how many people were there- thousands- all camped in a big park, wall to wall tents- we happened to camp next to some people who played music (as does DH)- so we got to drum a little and he plays didgeridoo and harmonica. I cannot really describe how cool the vibe is there-just the feeling that everyone there is already your friend, you just haven't met them yet.

I ran into a friend I hiked with for a month in 2001, but who I had lost contact with- she was the person I most had hoped would be there. Then we left that festival sat afternoon after the hiker parade and drove 4 hours up to Northern VA where a bunch of my friends from 2001 who I had stayed in touch with had rented a cabin near Shenendoah National Park. There were just over 20 adults and 5 kids under 3 and 2 dogs. This was the  6th reunion we've had- tho the last was in 2006, we live all over the country , such a rich group of friendships that have grown over the years. I feel so blessed.

I feel like this trip was the perfect medicine for me right now- the boost I needed to get thorugh the rest of this. It has gotten harder and harder- I had acupuncture twice after the last treatment- I had it day 2 and 4 and left on the trip day 8. I felt a lot better the whole time than I expected to. I think much of it may be due to being so pysched about the trip and where I was, seeing my friends, etc, but I am going to have acupuncture again next round and see if it helps again.

I went on one short hike with my friends , it was supposed to be flat- but it ended up having some short rocky climbs and it really worked my abs that are still really tight after my TRAM- I could really feel it the next day- I have A LOT to do to get back into shape.

I second using Tea Tree Oil for anything fungus related- also if you get cold sores- my DH uses a lip balm called Lip Rescue (found at health food stores)- he used to get cold sores 2-3 times a year and using that balm daily has not had one in a really long time. I have also used tea tree oil to treat yeast infections in the past. Good stuff.

moborn63

ok back from college graduation at Morehouse in GA. It was great. The speakers were Cecile Tyson, Harvard Professor Henry Gates, and Baseball great Hank Aaron.

The only bad thing was that it was outside and it rained through the entire thing. So now I think I may have caught something because I have a headache, chills, and my muscles ache. I took my temperature and it is 101.4. I know I am suppose to go to the hospital if it is 100.4. But I really don't feel that bad and I am a work and no one to cover the floor. Plus the hospital in my town is filled with stupid people. (I have a chemo treatment tomorrow morning) I think I will just wait unless my symptoms get worse. What do you ladies think.

ccbaby

I am so glad that you had a great trip Alyad! Too bad we aren't in on the same day next week for chemo. I am in a way looking forward to it just so I am one step closer to getting done. Not looking forward to all of the side effects though. I am going to look for Lip Rescue at Mama Jean's (health food store here) and try it. I usually get cold sores in the summer because of the sun. Although I won't be in the sun much this summer.

Mom_of_boys

ccbaby... I second the tea tree oil.  I've been using it weekly (probably should be more), and so far no problems.  You can pick it up at Wal-Mart.

buddy... Yes, of course, we understand! 

gina... Another setback?  You poor girl... yuck!  For some reason, I've been in fear of losing my eyebrows since Day 1. 

DonnaDio... Good luck tomorrow.  Wishing you minimal SEs.

chick717... I'll be three weeks out tomorrow and I see no noticeable growth either.  Even my legs are very smooth.  BLAH!

Alyad... Your trip sounded wonderful.  I feel a BIG need right now, too, to get away.  Also, I agree on the getting back in shape.  I really, really hate how low my energy level has gone and my resulting working out/walking/etc.

Robin... Very envious of your grad speakers.  And... I think I'd go ahead and call your onc 24-hour line.  I realize, of course, they will probably tell you to go on to the ER, BUT I'd at least call them for a suggestion.  101.4 is not something to mess with.

chick717 and I are on the same radiation schedule.  We both had rad treatment #1 today.  All went well.

ginagina

Robin - I second MOB; I wouldn't mess around with a fever. At least give the after hours nurse a call.

Dayla - your trip sounded fantastic...just what the soul needs.

I am leaving Thursday morning for my college reunion. I am equally excited. I am using an absurd amount of miles and flying the least stressful way imaginable (hmmm: business class without my children and/or husband). The miles have been accumulating for years and we never use them because we usually don't have the flexibility of dates/fly times etc...PLUS, the expire in 2010, so what the heck?

Oh, and hopefully I am getting rescheduled chemo Wednesday afternoon (tomorrow!) before I leave. I think I will ask for extra steroids....if I can even get it. Weird thing....I feel TOTALLY normal (well, normal being relative, right?) When told my WBC was too low for chemo last week, I asked my onco "what can I do?".....

"Go home and eat a pepperoni pizza"

"Really?"

 "Nope, just kidding"

WAAAAAA

moborn63

I will call the after hours ONC To see what they say. I only have another 2 hours here at work and if they tell me to go I will. My temp has dropped some it is now 100.8.

sakura73

Gina I was told to eat strawberries for low WBC. Strawberries in champagne on a business class flight would be even better! And pepperoni pizza can't hurt, surely.

Robin glad  you are ringing the doctor. Fevers are not to be messed with.

Janine did you have Emend this  time? The time I went without it I was terribly ill, but with Emend I was largely nausea free. I hope the doctors can make the next treatment more bearable. But it will be your last one, so YAY for that!

I have a new fear - that I have so few SEs because I diluted the chemo by drinking too much water during and after the infusion so that it left my body too quickly. I seriously drank about 6 litres of water each time. I emailed the onco and got a typical scientist response "there are no studies to show drinking too much water reduces the effectiveness of chemo" and he told me I could keep drinking water  but 3-4 litres was probably enough.

So now I am freaked out that I have sabotaged treatments 1-3 by drinking more than that. Sigh.  It's awful how our minds can always  find something to worry about!

kellerka

It's been awhile since I posted but I have been keeping up and thinking about all. I took a week off chemo so I could feel good at my DD's wedding. It was fantastic. Everything went right and nothing went wrong. Even the weather was perfect. And of course she was the most beautiful bride that ever was. So tomorrow was suppose to be my last chemo but they called and said my WBC was too low. Gina, I feel your pain. I so want this over with. I'm going to go in and try the blood test again in the morning and beg if need be. I could use some crossed fingers and toes. Good days to all. Kathy

Janet0527

Robin - I understand the urge to wait with chemo tomorrow, but if your fever is still up there you should call.  BTW, I'm doing the same trial as you.  Taxol #1 is tomorrow for me.

Gina - LOL at your oncologist joking about the pizza.  Gotta love a funny doctor.

Rachel - Funny, I had the same thought/question early on, whether too much water would flush the chemo out of my body too quickly for it to be fully effective.  I can't imagine this being the case though.  I drink lots of water, especially days 1,2,3.  I've also fared well with side effects, but no, I don't think it's because I've diluted the chemo.  It's because I was in good fitness and health before all this, and I'm lucky.  I'm sure the same is true for you. =)  Relaaaaaaax.

NanaA

Ladies, I did # 9 of my supposed 12 weekly taxol and called it finished.  The neuropathy was at the point the onc wanted to switch me to 4 weeks of taxotere instead with a whole new set of se's for only 4 weeks. (I have not seen where any of you have just had taxotere weekly). I said no to that and did one last taxol and will start the herceptin alone next week. My second opinion onc agreed that this was a reasonable thing to do since it was the herceptin not the chemo that was the big benefit to me since I am stage one.  I am sorry I did not get to do them all but not to the point of have permanent nerve damage to feet or hands.  I meet with radiation onc on June 10 to plan for radiation that will probably start in July after our week vacation on Lake Michigan.  I will continue with the herceptin for balance of one year and have another echocardiogram scheduled in June.  I will also be taking an AI of some kind.  I will be  see onc in June when results of echo are back and will decide about that then.  When I see some of the other ladies getting chemo doing whatever they can because they are stage 3 and 4 it made me realize how lucky I am to have a choice and not have to take anything and every thing they want to throw at the cancer   I know he was being conservative, but i have read that 8 or 10 weekly taxol may become the standard not 12.  Who knows how many is actually the right number for any particular patient.  They just  pick a random number when they do the testing and that becomes the standard until someone else proves that less is better.  They are doing trials in Finland that are showing that 3 months of herceptin may be as good of result as 12 months.  I am glad I had the 2nd opinion , and a friend with me to listen to what the Dr. had to say.  She has been thru cancer with a 12 year old son and they had made some decisions along the way that others did not agree with but turned out to be the right ones in the long run.  She agreed with my choice today.  I am looking forward to getting some energy back.  Blood counts were better today and should continue to improve with no more chemo.  I made it thru with no neulasta shot and No hair loss only thined, but I think the diabetes and neuropathy made up for that.  I am celebrating with those who have finished and  wish those of you with more to go very minimum se's  Wishing you all the best Annette

jdeking

Gina!!! Welcome back! Same to MOB, Kathy, Dayla!

Sorry to hear about the setbacks Gina & Kathy. Hopefully you will get right back on track. Sending good vibes your way Kathy that your WBC's will be better this morning. If not, start loading up on the berries! (With champagne sounds wonderful, good suggestion Rachel!)

Robin - hope you are doing ok, fevers are scary if left untreated - I would take no chances! Let us know how you are when you can!

CCbaby- I have noticed some pain and possible fungus on my 2 big toes also. I painted them dark so I wouldn't have to see them. How is that for denial?? I heard tea tree oil works wonders.

Thanks Donna & MOB for the encouragement. Rachel - I had my doc switch me to Emend this time since everyone seemed to do well by it. I think the problem was that the idiot took away all the other anti-nausea meds that I would normally get in my IV! So apparently Emend by itself does not work for me. Next time I will get Emend, Aloxi and Ativan. If I go. I may just run away!

Ok, no I'm kidding, but it is tempting to just NOT DO the last one. I'd be kicking myself down the road if I ever had recurrance/metastasis, so I won't tempt fate. If I were Stage I, low grade, or had no nodes, maybe I would talk my way out of it. Alas, that was not my case.

Annette - congrats on finishing this part of the journey! I hope your neuropathy improves by leaps and bounds!

 Good luck today Donna and everyone else having treatment!

PattiB

Janet - I totally agree with you.

crusader1

Hi All,

Quiet today.

Alyad I knew you were away and hoped you had a grand time . I do agree what great medicine this was for you.

Moborn. What an awesome collection of speakers at the graduation . Its funny after my frist chemo on a day when I was feeling real bad I put on the local PBS station and saw a very interesting documentary given by Gates about middle and upper class moving to the South . How did everything turn out with your fever? Did you get your chemo?

Gina- Your college reunion sounds great. Another treat for all we have been through. What college did you go to? Hope your SE's get better.

Kellerka..More good news on this board. That's what we want to hear...Congrats on your daughter's wedding.,

For all the YANKEE fans out there. Seven in a row. Can it really be true. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Sakura- I am sure you did not sabotage your treatment. We were all told to drink alot of water.

Luv to Sing- Your comments are always right from the heart. Great to have you on our board

I went to see the Oncologist today and she gave me a prescription for Arimidex. She said that this is what is prescribed for post menopausal women to take for five years.

Oh yes ladies I went to a lecture last night. It was said that many of you probably will get your periods back.

Hugs to all,

ann-idiot

Sakura - I'm glad water helped with the Side Effects, but I don't think it did anything to hinder the Effects. A co-patient's wife got a wee bit on her finger while fixing his tubing, flushed her hand with water under the faucet, washed the puddin' out of her hands and the skin on her finger was bleached white for nearly a week. Chemo laughs at water. Staying hydrated is a good thing.

7timewinner

Sakura's water thread has me drinking tons more water today...tomorrow is Tx #4 of TC for me.

All digits crossed for an uneventful treatment and limited SEs this time! It's all getting a little old

Best wishes to everyone in Tx this week~

Nadine

kellerka

Nadine - Good luck tomorrow. I got my TC #4 today. My WBC went up .2 and I guess that was enough. SO glad to be done. I have a good feeling this one won't be bad.

Crusader1 - I'd like to hear any SE you have with Arimidex. I will start it in about a month.

Good days to all.

Kathy

Ricki13

Hi all, been off the board for a week or so with lots going on!  

jdeking - before I forget...there was an article in the NYT this week about a scientific study on ginger taken BEFORE chemo treatment.  Apparently it is almost as effective as anti-emetic drugs.  It certainly cannot hurt.  While on FEC I had awful nausea despite being on everything..Emend, Kytril, Dex, Maxalon, Stemetil.  Adding the stemetil (suppositories!) did seem to break the back of it but did not completely take it away.  Some people are just more sensitive apparently.  Try the ginger? 

Well what a week I've had.  Coming off my first Taxotere I had problems with oral thrush and developed an itchy rash on the palms of my hands about day 7 for which I took claritin.

Had a couple of really great days at work...very sucessful. At work today geting a few things sorted.  Funnily enough in the GFC my company has never been busier.  We're gaining more business everyday!  Not taking it personally that this happening while I am only here 5 or 6 days a month...

Then...I took my sister to an orthapedic surgeon about what seemed to be painful arthritis in her neck.  He thought he could see something on the CT films that shouldn't be there and sent her for an MRI. At this point we were freaking out to put it mildly given she has had sarcoma on and off for 16 years now.  More backstory...a scan picked up some tissue on her kidney a couple of months ago and a biopsy confirmed cancer.  We've been waiting to get the results of a PET scan which finally came in yesterday (In a city as big as Sydney...4 million+ people...there are only 2 PET machines).  It shows no sign of living tumour on her kidney or anywhere else.  They think maybe it is necrotic.  It's all very weird but as a family we've been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past couple of weeks. 

Hopefully, they'll confirm once and for all her current status and it will be a good story. Phew!

BTW re water....my Onc and nurses encourage me to drink lots of water post treatment. 

Hope everyone else is having more up days than down days!

R xo 

Ricki13

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/health/15cancer.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ginger%20cancer&st=cse

This is the URL for the article about ginger relieving nausea for chemo patients

Ricki13

Gina - my eyebrows are starting to get patchy too.  I've been told to make sure I am eating plenty of protein for cell rebuilding. Normally I would eat anything and everything but right now I have no stomach for red meat, some seafood, or eggs.  I am eating so much chicken I think that instead of hair coming back I will get feathers!  R xo

ann-idiot

Nadine - Good luck with #4, just to let you know, my 3rd was the worst for me and the 4th was really ok. Just kinda tired/dizzy from the low blood count. . Maybe it's a coincidence, but I became lazy about hydrating during the 3rd tx and got back on track with the 4th. I'm not sure how the chemo zaps us of water or where the water goes, because with lots of drinking I never seemed to pee much more than usual. Hope you breeze thru chemo tomorrow. Take care.