Starting Chemo in July 2009

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  • Hopeful-1
    Hopeful-1 Member Posts: 72
    edited August 2009

    These are just my thoughts and I don't mean to offend anyone - As for aspartame which is an ariticial sweetener, if you look on the labels of jello, yogurt and other foods, it is an ingredient in many foods now a days and not only in certain sodas and drinks.  I agree that moderation and variety are key, but when eating many foods that contain an unhealthy ingredient, I think it can have a negative affect on the health of that person.

     Also, I'm ER+ and PR+ so I need to watch my intake of soy products.  Yesterday when I went grocery shopping I saw it in Ovaltine and the grinder rolls that I wanted to buy and both contained soy and I was surprised.  Anyways... I'm trying to be mindful and read labels and I'm really amazed at what I'm seeing and finding.   I'm trying to prevent reoccurrence and spreading so if that means I need to read labels and take a proactive approach, then that's what I intend to do.  BC won't rule my life, but I need to do something or anything so if anything happens I won't have any regrets or say I should have done this or that.  If my posts offend anyone please let me know and I'd be happy to keep my thoughts to myself.

     Niknak0320 - Luckily I'm covered by two insurance companies (mine and my husbands).  I checked with both and one will cover the $3000 brca gene test 100% and the other 65% so I'm confident that I will not end up with a bill after both insurance companies process the claim.

    GillyOne - Hope your feeling better and your bones heal soon.

    I'm getting my first Taxol on Monday and I'm done with AC. Steroids and Ativan are the only meds prescribed. Dread taking steroids, but doc says if no allergic reaction then steroids will be lowered for future Taxol treatments.  I'm planning to take Claritin and L Glutamine to help with potential bone pain.  My WBC was 26.3, doc was happy with blood results and my progress thus far.  I've felt great lately so I hope he's right when he says it's should be uphill from here on forward.  Love his positive vibes and encouragement- definitely helps me get through the treatment!

    Hope all have minimal or no SEs!

    Connie

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  • LovingLifeToday
    LovingLifeToday Member Posts: 39
    edited August 2009

    Hi Triple J's!!

    It's been about three weeks since my last post :-(  Nausea stinks and like Joni1, I get hit hard!!  My nausea starts while sitting in the chair getting the chemo and lasts through day 16. So I have to get stuff done while I'm feeling like I can.  Third AC  is coming on Monday. yippee :-( 

    My anti-nausea drug reactions~ Phenergan makes my throat cramp up and hurt badly... like trying to swallow something way to big to go down... while I'm not eating or drinking anything. I was put on Ativan this time to replace it... started seeing double by day two and my mom told the dr. that I was moody, acting drunk and was slurring my speech. I don't remember any of this!!  After reducing and then stopping it all together... my mom and fiancé said it was great to have 'me' back... oops... did not know I was having any issues other than the double vision.  On day 8 I was given decodron and that did help a bunch... will be taking that again starting on day 2 :-)

    Joni1~ I will be asking the dr. about kytril... I pray it works for you!!

    Hair~ Started loosing it on day 16 after 1st AC... My DD tried her hand at using the clippers, fiancé took over... to make things easier she started using scissors to make it shorter so the clippers would go through easier... she was on one side and he was on the other. He was doing such a wonderful job... but.... when he got to the other side... she had cut my hair shorter than the clippers!!!  Needless to say, we went down a clipper size. I took a shower to get all the loose hair off of me...  got out of the shower and was drying my head with the towel... the rest started falling like rain... so my fiancé shaved it for me. :-)  I either wear a terry cloth turban or nothing around the house and wear a wig when I go out. I still have stubble on my head, peach fuzz on face is gone... still have eye brows and lashes :-)... absolutely no nose hairs...lol  almost no arm pit hairs... but I have to shave my legs!!!

    I'm soooo weird I know... While a many of you are experiencing menopause issues... I'm having pregnancy type issues.... lol  as said before, major nausea.... and cravings... I'm craving stuff I don't even like!!!  I even get up during the night to eat (only during the first 16 days) Weird combinations too. One minute I want something the next don't even want to think of it. Finger nails are growing like weeds.

    Breaking my post into two... I have to get caught up while I have a chance... :-)

    Elizabeth~ LovingLifeToday

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  • LovingLifeToday
    LovingLifeToday Member Posts: 39
    edited August 2009

    more....

    Cancer~ I've been wondering too what caused it... I don't think I've had a total of two diet sodas my entire 44 years of life. Alcohol~ nope, I was married to an alcoholic for 21 years and hated what I saw and was hoping that me not drinking would be a plus for my kids. Gardening~ guilty... I love working in the yard/sun and have had my raw hands in the pesticides.

    The pill~ Always having female issues since my second period at age 13, major cramps and cold sweats, dr. put me on a low dose birth control pill when I was 18, I was on that for 2 years. Went off the pill and was in the hospital 2 months later with a cyst that had ruptured on my ovary and also that ovary was removed. Then was pregnant 4 months later (just three months after getting married). About two years later, I had trouble conceiving another child then had a miscarriage, found out my body does not produce enough progesterone to keep a baby. I took progesterone suppositories and was able to have another child. When my daughter was 18 months old I had a laparoscopy and had more cysts removed. Both of my children were c-sections and had cysts removed both times. Still having issues, I was put on the pill again at age 38 for a year and had horrible migraines, dr. told me to pick the best of my two evils and be happy with my decision.... no, I never went back to him!! At age 42, nearly bled to death... no joke... The day I was supposed to end that month's period... it hit again, but worse. I would say like a hemorrhage would be like... I went to a new dr. and she told me to go across the street I was getting a dnc... hemoglobin was down to 8 (lowest for a woman should be 12). Went across the street and they rushed me through admitting then quickly drew my blood again, hemo was 6, they quickly as quickly as they could being they had a hard time getting veins, put in two IVs and a transfusion and rushed me into the operating room, hemo went to a 5 something. I got three transfusions and it only brought my hemo up to an 8. I was then put on a massive dose of iron and on Yaz. The path report showed that I body did not know what time of the month it was... some parts said I was at day three and others said I was at day 21 and different days in between... so it decided to bleed. Like I said before.. I know I'm weird!! lol   Later that year I had a uterine ablation (Novasure) and the dr. zapped me twice... awesome, no more periods!!  I just knew that my cancer had to do with hormones... nope... I'm e- and p-.

    I know they talk about breast feeding helps keep cancer away... I'm wondering about the medication that they give us to 'dry' the milk up... maybe that's an issue and not the lack breast feeding itself??? How many of us took that medication???

    Elizabeth~LovingLifeToday

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  • LovingLifeToday
    LovingLifeToday Member Posts: 39
    edited August 2009

    Ok... I'm posting three :-)

     I just wanted to add that I too beleive all of us are going to be blessed with a healthy future... this is what I saw in the sky the day I found out that my biopsy confirmed cancer... I took it with my cell phone..

    God's Gift

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited August 2009

    Light in the darkness. Amen

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited August 2009

    Hi  Elizabeth, I was one of those women who took that medication with my first baby, and when i had my second one I ask for it again. The Doctor said that no longer that medication was given because it increases BC later in life. Other than that i had no high risk factor. My BS has lot of sense of humor he said to me one day that " My cancer was an accident"

    Have a peaceful weekend.

    Smile Sheila Smile

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  • LovingLifeToday
    LovingLifeToday Member Posts: 39
    edited August 2009

    Joni2~ Amen

    Hi Shelia~I took it sooo many years ago... twice Frown  It was just something they gave us way back then... never knew the risks...  I did not even know they discontinued it... does anyone know the name of the drug?

    (((hugs to all)))

    Elizabeth~LovingLifeToday

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  • PauldingMom
    PauldingMom Member Posts: 927
    edited August 2009

    As for nursing and BC, my mother and I both nursed 3 children. Gosh I think my oldest was like 18 mos. when he finally gave it up. All nursed for at least the first year. 

    Love the pic LovingLife.

    Got some issues here with FIL so going to keep this short.

    Have a great weekend.

    Lisa 

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited August 2009

    Elizabeth, Maybe there were other drugs. I took mine July 1977. second time when i asked at 1980 it was already off the market. I don't know the name but it doesn't make a difference.

    PauldingMom.. We all try to think of something that caused our BC. They talk about being overweight, then half of the country will have BC. If its not this its that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

    All I know is never smoked, occasional glass of wine yes, ate fresh fruit and vegetables, used EVOO ha ha I sound like whats her name Rachel....I always walked. Why am i getting so excited now??????? I guess sometimes it hits you right to your face. Sorry Ladies

    Undecided Sheila

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  • Carole01
    Carole01 Member Posts: 29
    edited August 2009

    Anyone having any problems with skin irritations?  I have what appears to be bug bites on my legs that  itch like crazy.  I thought it was bug bites but they have spread to my arms and chest which made me wonder if it was something else.  I have had 3 A/C treatments and have not had anything like this until this week.

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited August 2009

    Carole - on page 37 I posted about a strange to me skin irritation I have on the tops of my hands.  Your description doesn't sound like what I have, but on page 38 I wrote the name of the cream the doc Rx'd me-and it's for skin irritations of different kinds.  Seems to be working.  My skin was stingy-the cream seemed to take that away pretty quick.

    Joni2

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  • PauldingMom
    PauldingMom Member Posts: 927
    edited August 2009

    After my first treatment of T/C I had what I thought were bug bites on my hands. Kinda like little hives. Itched like heck. Doc said it was the Taxotere trying to get out of my system. Loaded up with some Hydrocortisone cream and it took the itch out. It took a couple days to go down.

    Seyla888- I would like to think there is some doctor sitting behind a computer somewhere writing down all the reasons why we think we got this and comparing and reasoning and coming up with the reason. But I think it's like the common cold, there are thousands of reasons and then again, no reasons at all. Hopefully one day they will figure it out and we won't have to deal with this anymore.  

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  • ssimmons66
    ssimmons66 Member Posts: 51
    edited August 2009

    LovingLifeToday.... I also took the medicine to dry up my milk after my 1st preg. hmmm...I know everyone of our breast cancers are diffrent...like mine is her2 only.  I have never taken the pill...I have always been a little leary of taking medicines...I don't even get the Flu vac. because I was always worried about it. I just pray one day they do figure out what causes this and until then I am going to just give it to God that it doesn't come back!!  (((((HUGS TO ALL))))

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited August 2009

    Let's see, as I try to contemplate the cause of my cancer, these are some things about me.....

    Excesses......experimented with many drugs as a rebellious teenager and young adult

                  .......drink coffee..3-4 cups per day...for about 25 years

                  .......eat salt on everything

    Did Not........... drink diet soda..maybe 25 in my life

                  .......take birth control pills, or medicine to dry up milk

                  .......drink any alcohol since teen years

    What I have been studying about is the idea that many who get diagnosed with cancer have a major life crisis in their lives the year or two prior. The body's response to anxiety and crisis is to produce an abundance of cortisol which causes inflammation in the body. This inflammation is a breeding ground for cancer. Now this gets my attention....I did have a major crisis prior to my diagnosis that involved my child. And for about a year I was devastated. I'm really curious to learn more about this.  Just some food for thought. Our bodies are so miraculous, yet seem so vulnerable in the face of this disease.

    AC #3 tomorrow....hope to not be down more than a few days.

    Joni1

                 

                  .......

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  • PS73
    PS73 Member Posts: 469
    edited August 2009

    Hi Js, Ive been lurking. Had bad SEs pretty much all weekend and miraculously today I feel great.  I was on arixtra and coumadin for my clots and stopped the arixtra three days ago and after much overall feeling of crap with skin irritations all over my body and face, today its mostly gone.  whala.  I hope to never go on that again.  Coumadin i hear is called rat poisin on the streets so I figured it was this and even demanded to have my port out pronto but alas I think? its the arixtra and that is gone.

    Wow, lots of different diets above.  I have to say though, two years ago, I was in a horrible accident which involved an 18 wheeler and my tiny car.  I survived it obvioiusly but am devistated to drive shot gun now and between the insurance screwing me over and commuting w/ a broken back four hours a day, (add a broken heart); I had never been so stressed in my life.  That was two years ago and the drs say my tumor was two years old. 

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited August 2009

    Joni1-Where are you getting the info re: crisis vs cancer.  I'd like to read that.

    Joni2

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  • Jayne_in_UK
    Jayne_in_UK Member Posts: 517
    edited August 2009

    Hello Triple J's

    My 3rd round of FEC definitely hit me harder than the previous ones. I felt better enough by last week that DH and I went away for a few days in North Wales. We had a really good time, then on Friday I noticed one of my eyebrows was tingling although there was nothing to see. By Saturday when we were coming home it was red and I also had a rash on my forehead and down the centre front part of my scalp. It is a holiday weekend here and my usual dr's surgery is closed until Tuesday so yesterday I went to the local drop in medical centre. The dr there thought it was probably shingles but said I needed to go to the hospital to get blood tests done in case I was neutropenic. We went straight there, first to Accident & Emergency then got sent to the Emergency Assessment ward, we were there 5 hours altogether. They checked me over very thoroughly, I am not neutropenic but I do have shingles. To my relief they didn't keep me in overnight, just gave me anti viral tablets to take home. The shingles is very close to my eye and could damage it if I don't take the tablets. The Emergency Assessment dr said I cannot take steroids while I am taking the anti viral tablets, so it looks as though my next round of chemo scheduled for Wednesday will have to be delayed. I was due to start Taxotere and they want me to take steroids starting the day before.

    Elizabeth I still have to shave my legs too, very disappointing! Also my finger and toe nails are growing like weeds. Love your sky picture.

    Gill I hope you are feeling better now.

    I wish you all the best week possible.

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2009

    Jayne - shingles!!! Make sure you get lots of rest, shingles can be quite debilitating.

     I am feeling much better, the antibiotics must have kicked in. I too think I may have the next tx postponed (because of low white blood cell count). I have a blood draw today and tx4 of DD AC tomorrow.So fingers crossed. I'm lugging my boot around and suppose I am used to it now, but boy does it slow me down.I'm going to try driving today!!

    I still have hair everywhere except on my head.

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  • Dazed-and-Confused
    Dazed-and-Confused Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2009

    Well my wife's 3rd round is over and so far so good. The only thing she really noticed is the metallic taste in her mouth came on rather quickly. For the first 2 treatments it took about a week for everything to taste metallic, this time it only took a day. She does use a good mouth wash Tea Tree Therepy and Biotene toothpaste and so far knock wood no mouth sores. If only she could get rid of that metal taste. Good luck this week ladies.

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited September 2009

    Jayne, shingles - bummer dudette!  Please take care of that, especially so close to the eye.  Good thing you went in right away after noticing a problem & didn't wait!

    The whatever it is on my hands is slowly but surely fading-no longer painful, stingy at all and not near as puffed.

    It was pretty warm here today and I had worn a silk scarf knotted and twisted down the side of my head like a braid, with a straw hat on top (looked quite distinguished Tongue out)but the scarf ended up irritating the back of my bald little head because of sweat due to heat!  Commando or cotton top tomorrow for sure!

    Hope that the week goes ok for everyone!  Day 12 after tx #3, curious to see if my fuzz falls out in a couple days!

    Joni2   

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  • PauldingMom
    PauldingMom Member Posts: 927
    edited September 2009

    I'm still fuzzy day 16 after! Even had to shave my leg to get down a few staglers. 

    Hope everyone is doing great this first day of Sept. Rabbit Rabbit!

    Lisa 

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  • stef58
    stef58 Member Posts: 288
    edited September 2009

    Hey Triple J's.  Sound like everyone is healing up. I found that I have thrush in my mouth from the steriods that they gave me for the docetaxol. Got medicine for it , taste terrible. Peppermint which I hate. It is doing the job. Has anyone having hair come back and what are they doing about it. i have stubble on top and was told that hair might start to grow. Just wondering about anyone else. Hugs and Strength Dianne

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited September 2009

    Lisa and Dianne - I still have stubble on my head that seems quite happy to stay there. I am quite surprised - I had expected all hair everywhere to be gone by now. 

    Tx 4 of AC today - the last one yeah!!!! Then I move on to taxol. I am so pleased to be going today. I was worried that my blood count would not be good enough after last week's activities but the blood draw yesterday was good.

    Good luck with tx everyone and let's keep those SEs at a minimum.

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  • LindaSueH
    LindaSueH Member Posts: 70
    edited September 2009

    Hi Ladies.....

    OK...my tongue is KILLING me!  Kinda like I burnt the tip of it, and seriously, everything I eat or drink hurts!  Anyone else have this issue?

    Linda

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  • josybee
    josybee Member Posts: 86
    edited September 2009

    LindaSueH, Yes I had the same thing,just keep rinsing the mouth. I am constantly rinsing my mouth with Biotene mouthwash or salt & water, every time I eat something I rinse and even in between when I don't eat.

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  • LindaSueH
    LindaSueH Member Posts: 70
    edited September 2009

    josybee.....do you think it's the skin sloughing off, my lips are also burning?  This didn't happen for me until after my 3rd tx, and it even woke me up last night :(

    Linda

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  • josybee
    josybee Member Posts: 86
    edited September 2009

    Linda, I don't know what it is, but my tongue always burns, not my lips, but as I said, I am always rinsing and I always put chap stick on after rinsing. I also bought a tongue cleaner I use sometimes, I don't like to use it cause it makes me gag but they said it is good to use.

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  • pdaw
    pdaw Member Posts: 202
    edited September 2009

    gill - you must have your AC every 2 weeks cause I started July 3 and am having 4 tx on Thursday.

    Linda - are you using any type of mouthwash.  My dr. prescribed something called "magic mouthwash" and I've also used the Beotine mouthwash and toothpaste.  I've noticed that my mouth and throat are much more sensitive to cold.

    Pam

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited September 2009

    Pam - you are right I have been having AC every 2 weeks. Just got back from my fourth and last AC!!! Next in two weeks will be taxol on the same schedule.

    Linda - I have been using biotine toothpaste and mouthwash regularly many times a day and they really help with mouth issues.

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  • Carole01
    Carole01 Member Posts: 29
    edited September 2009

    Had my fourth  and last A/C on Monday. Never shaved my head and I still have hair, looks like I have one of those halo wigs on with my hat.  Onc could not believe how much hair I had. Still have eyebrows and lashes, leg arm and "other" hair.

    Hopeful 01 told me to eat ice chips during treatments to help with mouth issues.  I have not had any mouth problems at all.

    I start Taxol in 2 weeks 4 of them an I am done.  8 weeks to go.

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