how long before chemo is totally out of system?

Jane_M

Goodness - I'm 7 months PFC (last Chemo 1/19) and I'm STILL not back to "normal"  Maybe it's the Femara.  My nails are still awful.  I lost my lashes and brows for a 2nd time at 5 months PFC.  FATIGUE is UNBELIEVABLE.  I still haven't lost the wait I gained.  I hope normal comes soon for me.

JudyNaomi

Hi, I have a question for those of you whose eye lashes are coming out again now. What chemo did you have? I had 4 A-C and 4 Taxol DD. My brows and lashes are both thinning and coming out.

Should I expect this to continue happening for the next 6-7 months?

Thanks, Judy x

Texas357

I'm 4 months after FEC/Taxotere and the effects of Taxotere are still lingering. I have stinging sensations on my arms when I go outside into the heat, my fingertips are still numb as is the roof of my mouth and the tip of my tongue. My fingernails are very slowly recovering. I have about half my eyelashes and very few eyebrow hairs.

But after 6 months of every side effect in the book (and some they didn't mention!) I'm happy to be on the waning end of things.

Lisa1964

I was on 6 rounds of taxotere/carboplatin/herceptin, followed by 5 rounds of herceptin only and I have 3 of those to go.  My brows never did really come back and about half the lashes fell out again about 2 weeks ago.

Jane_M

I did 4 cycles of AC followed by 4 cylcles of Taxol - dose dense. My brows and lashes fell out the first time right after I finished the Taxol.  Then they grew back and fell out again.  My lashes still aren't very full, but at least I don't look sickly.

trishK_

LISA- So glad to hear you are able to do the normal day to day chores with your horses. That is encouraging! Right now i go out to the barn with my best Friend (i board my draft mare) and give her a lesson and sit in the shade and she does all the work. The day that i can clean a stall and carry a goody bucket across the ranch will be a great one! Hopefully sooner than later.

I notice that fatique really vairies amongst us ladies. Some are good after a month or so and others are still struggling after a year. I found that this past weekend at 3 1/2 weeks i went from 50% to about 70%.  I still cant walk for more than a few minutes at a time, but feel like i recover much faster than i did a week ago. They sure do not prepare you for how much you will still contend with after chemo has ended! All my nails are a mess, and my muscles are so sore an stiff. I can hardly bend over to put shoes on right now, i feel like I'm made of wood!!!

Has anyone had "after chemo massage"? I hear it is really helpful but a bit painful, I was wondering if anyone has tried it and how it worked for them.

ccbaby

Trish...I am wanting to get a massage so bad because my entire body is so sore...but I can't lay on my stomach because of my expander.  It would be so easy for me to get one too since I work in a beauty shop and we have a massage therapist there, but I will just have to wait.

JudyNaomi

Hi all, I have another question for you:

Today I bought Valerian, a herbal capsule which is supposed to help me relax. Now the doctor thinks that the discomfort in my stomach may also be anxiety related. Have any of you tried anything natural like this? I would rather stay off the prescription valium.

A massage sounds fab! I am still a little sensitive about being touched. Does that sound strange?

Judy x

echosalvaje

Hey Trish, I've been getting massage once a week hoping that it will help move all the toxins out of my body quicker. It also seems to be helping my muscles remember why they're there.

Lisa1964

Ladies!!  Get the massage!!!!  I highly recommend it!  Right after I finished the "hard chemo" (TCH) I went every week for about 6 weeks - it was great!  Unfortunately, I can't afford to do that every week. Christy, talk to the massage person in your salon. I bet she can figure out away to work around the expander issue.

TrishK - The fatigue is awful, I agree.  I used my horses to help combat that.  Even something as simple as brushing your horse for 2 or 3 minutes is so good for you.  The more you let the fatigue get to you now, the longer it will take you to get back in shape.  I forced myself to ride during treatment.  My tx's were every 3 weeks.  On weeks 1 and 2 I was useless, but on week 3 I hooked up my trailer, loaded my horse and hit the trails.  I always went with a trusted friend just in case I had an issue, but I was fine.  I would be pooped at the end of the day, but it was so, so good for my mental health.

Have a great day all!

Lisa

Lisa1964

Ladies!!  Get the massage!!!!  I highly recommend it!  Right after I finished the "hard chemo" (TCH) I went every week for about 6 weeks - it was great!  Unfortunately, I can't afford to do that every week. Christy, talk to the massage person in your salon. I bet she can figure out away to work around the expander issue.

TrishK - The fatigue is awful, I agree.  I used my horses to help combat that.  Even something as simple as brushing your horse for 2 or 3 minutes is so good for you.  The more you let the fatigue get to you now, the longer it will take you to get back in shape.  I forced myself to ride during treatment.  My tx's were every 3 weeks.  On weeks 1 and 2 I was useless, but on week 3 I hooked up my trailer, loaded my horse and hit the trails.  I always went with a trusted friend just in case I had an issue, but I was fine.  I would be pooped at the end of the day, but it was so, so good for my mental health.

Have a great day all!

Lisa

trishK_

Judi- I hear that the Valerium is good, i have used HOLY BASIL and found it helps as well. It has licorice root in it so you get a little bit of licorice burps from it ha ha ha. I use holy basil when i fly in place of a valuim or xanax and found it took the edge off my anxiety and made me feel calmer. So if the Valerium doesnt work for you try it as well! Good luck!

I think i will schedule a massage this week for sure! I am  more sore and tight each day as i get further from my last chemo. my lower back is really aching. The doc told me this morning that i can excersise to help (like you just said Lisa!) get me past this cycle of fatigue. So now that the fires are calming down here in so cal, i am going to start a little walk each night and build up to my old routine.

Thanks for the advise on the massage ladies!

JudyNaomi

Thank you so much TrishK for your posting. I will keep on the valerium and see what happens.

I feel that I have taken a few steps back these last couple of days - last night, I tried to eat a regular meal (have had v bad heartburn etc during and since chemo) and I couldn't digest it and well...you can guess the rest. Has left me weak and depressed today, because I really thought that I was making progress.

Just wanted to share - thank you as always for being here.

Judy xoxox

ccbaby

Yes, Lisa, I think I will take your advice and talk to my massage therapist at my shop...I am achey from the chemo and now since I started rads it is even worse. I am so tight in my upper back from having to have my arms raised for so long.

Lisa1964

CCbaby, you will be amazed at how tight you really are.  Just the stress of the last months alone is enough to tighten you up.  Then add surgery and rads to the mix.  Get that massage and let me know how it goes!

oldCowgirl

Hi girl, I am back from my horseback riding/camping trip and had the time of my life. Could not have asked for the weather to have been better and getting away with my friends and horses, well word just say enough.

LISA, I agree with you 100%, Don"t let the fatigue get to you, push yourself a little more each day with things that are hard for you to do and you will get better faster. I had TAC treatments every 3 weeks, on week 1 and part of 2 was pretty wiped out, but on week 3 we would also hooked up the trailer and go ride somewhere. My hubby did put my saddle on my horse for me, but I did the rest. Also on week 2 and 3 I went to work as usual, just alway felt I need to keep things as normal as possible for my mental health. The one thing I kept saying to myself during all this, when I would get feeling down or tired was "COWGIRL UP" and FIGHT LIKE A GIRL ! So girls, hang in there and Fight, for this is a battle we are going to win! 

trishK_

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. I sure enjoyed the beach for 3 hours on sunday and it was wonderful, i even got a little color (under some spf 15 of course!) and i cant tell you how much better it made me feel to have some fresh ocean air and vitamin D. I look so much better just having some natural glow on my skin again!

 COWGIRL- I am so glad you enjoyed your trip, must have felt so good to travel again!

I have to say that after-chemo is a whole new world. I am still very impatient for the SE's to subside, I feel like i got the most random of the list. I have figured out that my leg pain and fatigue is part of the neuropathy which is very frustrating. Does anyone know if something helps? I am thinking i may try accupuncture , it has helped inthe past.   I also am officially loosing a nail on my right ring finger. It is kind of upsetting because i have no clue how to doctor it/ it hasnt fallen off, but is totally lifted off the bed and i cut it as short as i could stomach and wrapped it in gauze to keep from snagging or bumping it. What else do i do? it is so sore!

 I am planning a massage for this week for sure and will see how it helps with the muscle tightness.

 I am now 4 1/2 weeks post tx and my hair is just starting to sprout but not near as fast as i hoped. the front and top are still pretty sparse. But fatique is getting better every few days. I keep pushing and making myself active in order to battle it.

 I woud love to hear your progress, hearing other people really helps give a better guideline of what to expect. I feel my expectations were way too high at first.

 Happy 4 day work week to you all that are working again!!!

JudyNaomi

Hi TrishK

Good to hear from you! I am 6 weeks out of chemo and my hair is just showing through.

My lashes and brows are falling out and coming in at the same time. I think my expectations were also too high at first.

Let's all keep each other posted.

Have a good evening, Judy x

oldCowgirl

Hi Trish, It did feel good to get away and do something that I truly love. Glad you got to the beach and had a good time, also something I like to do. As for the neuropathy, it is frustrating and does make things harder. I have extreme fatigue in my thighs along with the numbness in my feet that is very painful at times. My thighs are very weak, but there is always a way around anything. To get on my horse during my trip I used a mounting block and while in the woods riding there was always a log of rock around to help me out, just have to improvise. My hair is coming back in now and hair on my arms and legs,darn have to start back shaving my legs again that has been the only thing about this whole deal that was not bad, not having to shave my legs and underarms. I have started my next battle with all the weight I gained during Chemo and the steroids. I am proud to say I have lost 28 pounds since July, got about 30 more I want to loss. Not all of it is from the Chemo, I had gained some unwanted weight before all this happened, so I am working on losing the Chemo weight and and unwanted weight, hope to have it all off by the end of the year. It's just another battle I plan to win!

MAGOB

Hi - My name is Mary.  I could use your help.  Did TX 2 on September 9, taxotere and cytoxan.  Started feeling slight muscle stiffness after TX 1, kept moving, and it got better.  Now it is getting bad.  Not just thighs, but in abdomen and arms.  Workouts help - doing a class in a warm pool.  Just bending my legs from straight to a 90 degree angle causes pain.  How "normal"  is this?  I have Fibromyalgia - maybe it's just me.  Worried that I will be sidelined by this if it gets increasingly worse with two more treataments.  Starting to get tired, too.  Would like to know how bad you may have had this SE, and how long it has lasted afater treatment.  Thanks!   

echosalvaje

Hey Mary, I had the same thing. It started after my 3rd of 6 treatments. It is an amazing weakness in the muscles that makes doing anything difficult. By the time I finished chemo, I could no longer do stairs or go to yoga. I am four weeks out from my last treatment and am beginning to get a little more strength back. I can go up the stairs now without stopping to rest. I found it hard to describe to people, they made the assumption that I was tired......oh no, I was anything but tired....I just couldn't make my muscles do anything. My mantra has been to keep moving anyway just to keep atrophy from kicking in. Stay strong in your heart, this is just another part of the process. OXO, Mary

MAGOB

Thanks, Mary.  Good to know you are improving in just four weeks.  I can do this.  XO, Mary

trishK_

MAGOB- I had the same thing. I am now 6 weeks post treatment and my legs are still very sore and tight. I have been getting a massage (three so far) weekly and it is helping. The massuse tells me that my leg muscles are so tight she cant belive it! It doesnt tickle to have her work on me, but it is really helping. I was unable to go up the stairs without cramping up badly in my thighs and hamstrings. but now i can go up the stairs without stopping too. My muscle soreness hit my upper back and arms and shoulders right after my first chemo, but the legs didnt get bad until after my 5th of 6.

Hang in there and if you can afford it, get a massage when you can. As soon as I got the first one, i was signifigantly better the next day. 

Also, part of the fatigue in your legs can be due to a lower Red Blood Cell or Hemoglobin count. I got slightly anemic and that will always affect your larger muscles since they are not getting as much oxygen as they are used to. My counts were not low enough for any extra meds, but just low enough to feel like i was going to faint after a flight of stairs! 

Hang in there! I promise it does get better with time.

vangoghpro

Hi Ladies,

I am about 2 months PFC. I still have some stomach issues as the Taxotere (or maybe it was/is the Herceptin) gave me terrible gastritis/gall bladder problems. I am meeting a surgeon next week to decide if I need my gall bladder to be removed. I am losing weight (about 14 pounds) because I am unable to eat later in the day. I started Arimidex in August and have joint pain from that - I find that it comes and goes though. Once I am active, the joint problem seems to lessen.

On the horsey front, I have three horses but I share the care with my husband who rides every day. After chemo treatments I could not go to the barn for 6 days, but two weeks out from my last chemo I have felt well enough to go every day. I am able to clean stalls, haul feed bags, and lunge the horses (even with anemia). I still find muscle weakness when riding, but I am ok if I just take a ride at the walk around the stables. It has been so darn hot though for the last three weeks in the Los Angeles area that it is unpleasant to ride. Oh well, this is the last weekend of summer so we should feel a cool down in a few weeks.

London-Virginia

Dear Ladies - very nice to meet you.   Lovely horses - I envy you the riding.

 For tightness, using a Powerplate machine is v. helpful - I had leg trouble a couple of years back and this really helped - you don't stand on the machine, you just would sit on the floor and rest your calves on it.  It gets the blood cirrculating really well and loosens up the muscles.  Also, you wouldn't have to do it for long - say 5 sets of 2 minute.  Maybe a local gym would let you just use the thing for free, as it is only for a little burst.     The great advantage would be it requires no effort from you, so if fatigued etc is a good way forward.

 I realise as I write this it sounds like crappy advice, but I had really severe plantar fascitis and use of the 'Plate really helped me get going again and enabled me to start doing my 10k steps per day.  Also, I guess you might be able to get a cheaper version of a Powerplate on e-bay.  You wouldn't need a particularly powerful one in this context.  You could also do ther normal type exercise if it felt ok.  Having a massage is great, but what worked for me was being able to hop on or do a massage session whenever I felt like it, and it got me unstuck quite quickly.  I have always tended to have tight hamstrings - this really did the trick.

Can't wait to end my chemo, best of luck to all of you - 

London-Virginia

Actually I just remembered, you do get an initial energy boost when you start with Powerplate.

vangoghpro

Hi Virginia,

Where in London do you live? I am originally from the UK and as a teacher I worked in Islington and lived in the Elephant and Castle. I used to live just down the road from the Labour Party HQ. I haven't heard of a Powerplate, but it sounds like it might be helpful to alleviate muscle pain.

Linda

Lilah

Hi -- My name is Lilah and I'm not sure I've posted yet (but been lurking for a few months); I did try to post something a month ago (long) and then I hit the wrong button and gave up (couldn't retype it all)!  I have DCIS that, after first lumpectomy, proved to be invasive; had a second lumpectomy (both were in June, was diagnosed in May) that got clean margins in all but one spot, which was close.  My ONC decided to start me on Chemo before final surgery (which will be one final lumpectomy to get last clear margin, to be followed by radiation, after I finish the next four Taxol treatments).  I started Chemo in beginning of August -- just finished four A/C DD treatments and start Taxol DD/Herceptin on 9/28 (4 taxol DD every 2 weeks, Herceptin once every three weeks for like a year).  I am HER2+ but ER/PR-... so far, I've had very little SEs... some diarrhea (usually the Friday following my Monday chemo), some fevers (treated once with antibiotics for that).  No nausea thanks to the other meds my ONC has given me (I assume); my hair has mostly fallen out (I have fuzz everywhere -- kinda look like a Hollywood idea of a hairless witch if you ask me, but hey it is what it is -- so far I have eyebrows and lashes.  I'm nervous about starting the Taxol/Herceptin, especially after reading this thread and seeing all the bad SEs people are experiencing... but I guess I'll have to just deal with whatever I get.  I'm with COWGIRL: you have to live your life and do your best every day to keep it normal.  I have noticed THIS week (post A/C #4) that I'm more tired than I have been... but at this point I'm just hoping for the best. 

Cheers,

Lilah

JudyNaomi

Good luck Lilah! We are always here for you to vent.

Take care, Judy x

trishK_

JUst wanted to give an update on my progress after treatment. I am now 7 weeks post tx and I am feeling so much better. It started to feel better at week 5. It seems like that was the magic point where i realized i could go shopping in the store without looking for a place to sit down!

My eyes still water a lot and my hair is taking it's sweet time to grow back but i have lots of stubble now. I am jealous of all the ladies whos hair seems to just grow back thick and fast! oh well i guess we are all different and this must be my lesson in paitence.

So for those of you who are just finishing up, know that it does get better! i didnt believe it but i am now back to doing my own laundry, brushing my horse, shopping and walking (even did a walk on the beach on sunday in the sand!) my next goal is to ride my horse and get back in the pool for some real workouts!

Hope you are all doing well, would love to hear about your after-tx progresses!!!!

Trish