November 2009-Starting Chemo

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited May 2010

    Hi Girls,

    Tumour marker tests are not really reliable. They can be an indicator you have cancer but they also may not show you have cancer when you do. My DH's markers never showed he had cancer both times.

    Melinda: The rad onc doesn't do much in my opinion. They work out the dose. Mine didn't even have any input when they measured me up. My weekly visits with her were just little chats where she asked how I was going. She didn't even want me to undress to show her the skin until I got the raw area and I stripped off to show her. It's almost healed by the way. I reckon I can go without the dressing today.

    My back is getting better again after a relapse over the weekend and 2 physio visits and lots of heat on it.

    Hugs to you all

    Sue

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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited May 2010

    Yes much info on the tumor markers.  It is a tool.... not sure how reliable it is ~ Oncologist felt me up and felt under my arms and the foobies.  Doesn't feel a thing ~  My white counts, platelets everything is in the normal range.  She feels the markers will be fine, I have to call for those results on Friday.  She will see me again in 6 months.  She got all emotional when she saw me.  Said I looked beautiful and she was so happy to see me feeling good.  I also had my gyno check up yesterday.  He drew blood to see if I am in menopause for good.  So awaiting those results and my pap results.  A bit nervous with all the testing but feeling GOOD !

    Hope your back feels better Sue, hope your nails are just fine Melinda !

    :)
    Alicia

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  • doronet
    doronet Member Posts: 342
    edited May 2010

    Melinda:  Today was my one and only follow-up with the rad onc.  She basically just checked the rad area to make sure it had healed.  We talked about reconstructive surgery to fill the lumpectomy caved-in area and to straighten the nipple.  She said for me to wait 8 mo. or so, though, to make sure any changes that are going to take place, have taken place.

    My DD went with me to the appt. but first, we stopped by the chem building to say "hi" to my chem nurse.  She is an absolutely fantastic person.  I also made sure I said hello to the rad techs, as they were awesome, too.  Told them I missed seeing them, but I did not miss coming to radiation!

    I have a comprehensive mammo next week.  Am NOT looking forward to having my lumpectomized boob smashed.  Have a follow-up with the breast surgeon, re: the mammo results, a week later.  Then I'm done with docs until the first of Aug. when I have my medical onc follow-up.  I truly won't miss going to any medical center for a while!

    So, tumor markers are only determined through blood work.  Sounded more involved that that.

    Have a great evening.  Nette

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited May 2010

    I asked DH what the onc said about his blood tests for the markers. He said the onc thought it was good there were no markers even though he had a secondary in his lung. They are certainly not a definitive test for cancer presence.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited May 2010

    Alicia: I presume, like mine since we are being treated by the same institution, your onc just uses tumor markers to check for recurrence. After what I read about them today, I'm less happy that they are reliable. But then again I had both a PET scan and a CAT scan prior to surgery and neither picked up the cancer in the sentinel node. So they are not foolproof either.

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited May 2010

    Hi Girls,

    Just giving us a bump so we don't fall off the radar.

    My nasty skin is almost healed now. The 3 numb toes on my left foot are giving me the shits. I started taking a hair and nail formula today which has a high content of biotin - it's not growing fast enough :) My back is feeling better but not 100% but I am doing my exercises now as instructed. Couldn't do them last week cos of the sore boob - that's my excuse.

    Happy weekend everyone!!! (((((HUGS)))))

    Sue

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  • Melinda41
    Melinda41 Member Posts: 672
    edited May 2010

    I haven't had a needle in me in two weeks! But next neek, I have three pokes scheduled so I will enjoy it while I can.

    Mabelle: Have you met with your rad onc yet, let us know how that goes.

    Nette: Good luck on your mammo, hope the smush doesn't hurt.

    Alicia: Glad you are free from Onc for 6 months,

    Suepen: So glad your skin is healing and your back is a little more comfortable.

    Does anyone have anxiety being done with treatment, fear that nothing is actively fighting the cancer. Or do you feel comfortable it is gone and you are free to enjoy life now. That has been a topic that has come up in cancer group and I have read that after treatment anxiety is common. So I was wondering how y'all that are done are feeling, emotionally.

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited May 2010
    Melinda: Remember we are still having herceptin and that's fighting it!!! I must say that I do get depressed about the whole thing. Yesterday when I was doing my fruit and veg shopping, I saw a girl who works there, whose Mum had been fighting bc. I asked her how she was and she said she passed away a couple of weeks ago after a 14 year fight. I cried. The thing is, that she was having herceptin in the later stages which indicates she may have been HER2+ve all those years ago. We are so lucky to get this drug these days especially for early bc patients - this story just reinforces it.
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  • kayh
    kayh Member Posts: 37
    edited May 2010

    Hi Ladies,

     Went to see my Onc Dr. before scheduled appointment to have a talk about my neuropathy. Got sent to hospital for a week of extensive tests. Did not even have a chance to go home to pack.

     Apparently it is usual to effect the right and left hand side the same, mine has effected the left leg much more. I have a dropped foot and pain in the leg. Not walking at all well.

    She was checking for cancer mets and stroke. Luckily all tests of brain, bones, and blood have come back with negative results. So now I am waiting for an appointment with a neurologist.

    Have had 22 rads so far and going quite well, just a small red itchey area. 3 more to go and 5 boosts. I did not miss any as they wheeled me down in a wheelchair from the cancer ward to the radiation dept.

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited May 2010
    Kay: Glad to hear you are ok. Good news on your tests too!!!
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  • doronet
    doronet Member Posts: 342
    edited May 2010

    Whoa, kayh.  Scary to be sent so quickly to be checked out.  I'm glad nothing "bad" was found.

    In and earlier post, I mentioned a book I am reading, called After Breast Cancerby, I believe her name is Schnipper.  (I'd have to go back a couple of pages of posts to see what I wrote), but the book has a section on the way we handle the after treatment emotions and she says that it is all over the place from relief to fear to dread...that anxiety about recurrence, etc. is especially common.  The book is truly an amazingly informative book.  I have read things and thought, wow!  That's just what I was feeling/thinking/wondering about! 

    FYI:  My rad told me to make spread out all my doc follow-up appts. to make sure I was seeing someone every couple of months in order to "keep tabs" on things.  She even did a breast exam during my follow-up with her last week. Between the 6 month mammos, seeing the breast surgeon after those, the med onc every 6 mo. and my cholesterol test every 6 mo., it won't be hard to keep to that every-couple-of-months-schedule!

    Happy Saturday!  Nette

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  • Melinda41
    Melinda41 Member Posts: 672
    edited May 2010

    Kay: That sounds very scary but I am glad the first round of test came back clear. In physical therapy, we see a lot of neuropathy, so maybe some PT would help.

    Nette: I have a book After Breast Cancer written by Musa Mayer that I was given in one of my "welcome to cancer" gift bags. She talks about the after treatment anxiety quite a bit.

    That was a good tip about spacing out all the follow-ups. I would have a tendency to schedule them all at the same time to get them over with. Thanks for sharing that great tip.

    I don't know who y'all are doing with the facial hair issue. I am starting to look pretty werewolfish. It is all clear hair, but there is a lot of it in front of my ears. I am scared to shave it, but I did take scissors and trimmed it close to my face. My 10yo DD walked in on me doing it and I had to swear her to secrecy that she would never tell anyone that mommy is giving her face a haircut.

    Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

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  • livelife
    livelife Member Posts: 38
    edited May 2010

    Hi,

     I've not been on here for ages but ending up in bed with pain from tissue expander fill has provided good opportunity to read how everyone is doing. A couple of things that I have been reading are the benefits of taking Q10  and also taking 75mg (enteric coated aspirin)- apparently there is some research that shows it might interfere with one of the pathways that breast cancer uses to spread.

    xxx

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  • mabelle
    mabelle Member Posts: 80
    edited May 2010

    Kay - so glad to hear they didn't find anything, but sorry to hear you're still having so much trouble. My left leg is still numb on the inside - but there is no pain at all, and my onc is unconcerned. 

    My rad appt went well. About 10 minutes with the rad onc., then onto the CT scan and tattoo parlour. That middle one sure did hurt! Right over the ribcage - ouch!! I'm scheduled to start the week of June 7th - though I haven't been given any times yet. 28 tx later, and I'll be done.

    Welcome back Natalie! Hope you're doing well - besides the tissue expander pain... I can relate to that! I had heard about the aspirin once, but never did any further research on it. Is it controversial at all or just not in the mainstream yet? 

    Melinda - I can't imagine being upset about being finished treatments, but since that's so far away for me, I haven't really had to think about it. I've definitely heard women talk about it... we'll see how I handle it.

    Have a great weekend all! 

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited May 2010

    Mabelle:  Looking back - rads were so much easier than the chemo even after my skin breakdown - which is nicely healed. How is your hair going? I do hope you're starting to see some growth.

    Sue

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited May 2010

    Hi Girls,

    Just giving us another bump up the ladder. Herceptin tomorrow and then we're off on Thursday for a 3 night trip away to a beach resort an hour and half south of here to a tax conference for DH. I get to go too!!! I'm using the full day on Friday to go and visit his stepmother another hour south as we haven't seen her since DH's father passed away in December. Don't get excited about it being at the beach - it is full blown winter over here now - although it might be nice for a walk.

    Hope you are all feeling well.

    Sue

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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited June 2010

    Kayh ~ so sorry to hear of your neuropathy problems, but glad all your tests came back negative.  As if the cancer isn't enough all of these side effects are just too much.  :(

    Natalie ~ hope your tissue expander pain goes away real soon.  I found motrin really helped.

    Sue ~ it is WINTER in Australia???  hmmm.... Have a nice trip !

    Melinda, Michele, Mabelle, Nette, Brenda and everyone else BIG hugs !

    :)
    Alicia

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited June 2010

    Alicia,

    "Winter" in Queensland is 69 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night. It will get down to 44 or a bit less at night eventually.

    Today it is just glorious - beautiful sunny day - no wind - just perfect.

    I must be feeling better - just cleaned my bathroom - haven't lifted a finger arond the house since I hurt my back.

    Sue

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  • mabelle
    mabelle Member Posts: 80
    edited June 2010

    Still not much in the way of hair growth I'm afraid. It looks like old man hair - thinning and a receding hairline.

    I've got my herceptin tomorrow as well. Hopefully it'll be a quick in and out appointment. Still haven't been given a start date for rads. Just that they'll start sometime the week of june 7th. They don't seem to like to give us much notice!

    Have fun at the beach Sue. I thought Aussies were metric - I'll have to look up what 69 degrees is in celcius. hot or cold??

    to everyone else, have a great week! 

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited June 2010

    Mabelle: 21 during the day and 10 at night - the coldest I remember at night would be 4. I had to convert to put it in the message. I still wonder why the US has never gone metric - crazy!!

    I started taking an Ultra Silica Supplement which has 2.5mg of biotin in it - great for hair and nails. Might be worth trying. I'm so sorry it's not coming back very well.

    My herceptin takes about 2 hours, so I just relax and read and eat :)

    Sue

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  • Melinda41
    Melinda41 Member Posts: 672
    edited June 2010
    Michelle: Happy Birthday!!
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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited June 2010

    HI girls,

    Just when I am feeling good... I got another dreaded call.  My gyno called and told me I have atypical cells in my pap smear.  I have had this before and had a biopsy done in 2008 which was fine.  He now wants to look again and do the same.  I go next week.  Now I am a nervous wreck.  Enough is enough already............... 

    Wow Sue that is cold ~ Keep warm ! 

    Michele ~ Hope you have a wonderful Birthday !  CELEBRATE life ~

    Wishing everyone a good day,

    Alicia

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited June 2010

    Alicia: I think we all have a heightened sense of doom because of all we've been through. But remember the biopsy turned out fine the last time. Hoping for you that it will this time too. So sorry that you have to go the rest of the week and the weekend worrying about this.

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  • BrendaSharon
    BrendaSharon Member Posts: 506
    edited June 2010

    Alicia,

    As Mary said remember that everything was fine the last time. I also think that because we have had the BC that Drs. seem to be x-tra cautious with our situations than before and feel the need to keep check on our -C- situation. You will be fine! I am praying for you.

    Mechele,

    Hope you have just an awesome B-Day. Live each day to the fullest, & enjoy every minute of it.

    Sue,

    I don't think I would be feeling it was perfect weather if the temp was only 21 in the day. This old Florida girl gets cold when it is below 50 degrees. But, I'm glad to hear your feeling good and got ambition to clean up. I have been sooooo lazy of late. No energy what so ever!

    Nette,

    Thanks, Good idea on the Dr. visits. Because of my long drive, I had been trying to get them altogether, but it never works. Instead they end up about 1-2 days apart from each other. Then when I need to talk to one of the oncs it seems forever again before I'll see them. Response on the phone never works, always get an answering machine. Not the same. So, yeah, I think I'll start doing the same. With 3 Drs. I can see a different one each month not even including my regular Dr.

    Tomorrow I go for my 1st radiation follow up. Hope all you girls have a great day.

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  • Melinda41
    Melinda41 Member Posts: 672
    edited June 2010
    Alicia: Sending you "happy pap" dust, sorry you are having to deal with this stress, hopefully it is nothing at all.
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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited June 2010

    It's not 21 farenheit - it's 69!! I put the celcius temps for Mabelle so she wouldn't have to convert. My earlier post had the farenheit temps. It's 69 during the day and 50 at night. This is sunny Queensland we really don't have much of a winter here.

    Alicia - hugs for you. I hope it goes ok.

    Happy Brithday Michelle!!!!

    Had my 9th Herceptin yesterday - 1/2 way - yippee. Got my script for Arimidex and a bone density request form. The onc said he will get me to have 4 x 6 monthly infusions of Zometa to protect my bones. I got worried I would have to keep my port but he said not. We can use the port for the first 2 and then I can get it out when the herceptin is finished. I get upset every time I go there now even though it's only for the herceptin.

    Brenda - what's going on with your port - any idea when you can have it out?

    Sue

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited June 2010

    Alicia, I am sure that all will go well with your pap...i had mine a few weeks ago and all went well...or at least I think so...they didn't call, so I take that as a good thing.

    I had a great birthday so far.  My son gave me a gift card for a massage...yahoo....can't wait for that...My coworkers got me a cake and my friend bought me lunch.  Then I dropped it on my new white skirt...oh well.  I got beautiful flowers, and my daughter made me brownies.  My DH is going to give me a foot massage, with cream.  And I don't even have to put out after....now that is a birthday gift.

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  • BrendaSharon
    BrendaSharon Member Posts: 506
    edited June 2010

    Michele,

    I'm glad to see you had such a wonderful birthday!!! Your family treated you just like you deserve!!!  I like that you got a couple of massages in there! My fave thing for sure.

    Sue,

    I still don't know anymore about my "port" coming out. The onc said he wouldn't discuss it with me till I seen him for my next follow up with him on the 11th. So, maybe by next Friday I will know something.

    Seems my biggest problem now is the fact I keep getting charlie horses in my legs, in my back, and in my neck. It is very painful at times. I will see if the radiology onc has any advice for me today. I've upped my water intake, I eat a banana everyday, I'm taking a multivitamin. So, I'll just see what goes today at the oncs. Is anyone else getting cramps or charlie horses?

    (((((WARRIOR HUGS)))))

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  • Melinda41
    Melinda41 Member Posts: 672
    edited June 2010

    That glowing lymph node has been terminated! Yeah Hoo!

    Onc did say that something new showed up but he feels pretty sure that it is from the surgery, but he will keep an eye on it. It is right where my chest is so dented, he poked on it and seemed pleased that it wasn't tender.

    So I finally get to graduate to radiation!

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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited June 2010

    Melinda ~ I already commented on your FB but wanted to say here too ~  I am so happy to hear this great news.

    Hope all you WARRIORS are plugging along and having a good day.  Michele glad you got spoiled on your birthday you deserve it sister.

    :)
    Alicia

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