Calling all TNs

TiffanyF4

Stupid boob- I had TC not AC but I will tell you this. They are very cautious giving your first chemo. The nurses put me right in front of the nurses station and asked my Husband to keep the curtain open. They were constantly checking on me for side effects. They also give it to you slow the first time. Explain to the nurse how nervous you are. They will give you something to relax. I slept through most of my treatments. I usually didn't start SE until a few days after. Make sure you take your pre chemo meds each time. Also being hydrated before and after chemo is very very important! My oncology nurse said that if I had side effects to make sure I communicate with the nursing staff in order to keep the SE under control. I did pretty well. Wishing you well, I will be thinking of you tomorrow sister!

hydeskate

Stupid boob- I had AC with no problems, just make sure you stay hydrated.  For me pre meds made me sick only took them before my first treatment which was suppose to Taxol and AC but I had the fastest allergic reaction to Taxol the nurses & doctors ever saw so I was switched to Abraxane, I choose then to trash the pre meds,  I made sure to listen to my body if it said sleep I sleep, had a water bottle by the bed and a snack usually tuna fish in the packet.  I would wake up hungry at 2am and no way was I going downstairs to the kitchen, I was very lucky and didn't have any side effects.

Rella40 and Titan...thanks the game was fun and made it on the local news apparently we are getting a trophy for winning the first ICA Kickball Tournament. And now I am really sore..

Huskerkkc

Ladies,

I read often but don't post much here. I have my final chemo on Friday with lab work and exam this afternoon. Am wondering what questions I should ask for my final visit...anything specific to TN follow up? I guess I am nervous about this. Will start rads in a few weeks, but that isn't scheduled either. Will get appt while at chemo and they anticipated 6-7 weeks. Who decides how many? The onc? The RO?

Any suggestions for things to ask or consider would be welcome.

Sugar77

Huskerkkc - congratulations on almost being done chemo...yay!!! Regarding rads, the radiation oncologist will decide how much and for how long. Mine was 21 sessions (16 whole breast and five boosts to tumour bed).  In Canada, it's done a little differently than the US whereas we get fewer, larger doses. It wasn't too bad other than the fatigue at the end. You're nearly done!!!

Fighter_34

Huskerkkc: the blood draw for tumor markers (I don't have my follow-up paperwork w/ me so correct me ladies if I am wrong), but I THINK I can safely say this will be done.  Just make sure you stay low fat as much as possible, feel for lymph nodes and do your monthly breast checks. We are all closet feelers here. I do my checks weekly and I am PROUD TO SAY SO! I I feel for lymph nodes everywhere.

Two week rule applies if something hurts longer than 2 weeks go to the DOCTOR.

Good Luck girlie and hand in there!!

JenC

Hello ladies.  I have not posted here in a bit but just catching up on the posts today and I cannot believe all of the newbies.  Welcome to you all.  It is sad though, knowing that so many more woman have to go through this crap.  You are all in a great place with lots of support and information.  Sorry to all of you that are having such a rough time with Chemo.  I had AC x 4 then T x 12.  The AC was the worst and I only finished 7 of the Taxol due to neuropathy then 28 rads.  I did work through the whole treatment process and radiation, besides needing the money it kept my mind off of things.  The hardest part I think was the day after the AC for being tired and the bone pain for 3 days with the neulasta.  But it is all duable and you CAN ALL get through it.  Big hugs to you all and best wishes. 

Jen

ellipses

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post. I was diagnosed in April at age 51 with a 4-5 cm triple negative tumor. I am having neoadjuvant chemo for 4 months, to be followed by surgery and radiation. I already finished the AC treatments and they really weren't bad. Also, for you ladies who are just starting, the hair loss was much less of a big deal than I had anticipated. Before I got treatment my hairdresser cut my hair to chin length. Then, once it started to fall out, I cut it myself very short. I didn't want to shave my head, so I now have sparse very short hair, which I cover with soft hats and scarves when I am out.

I will be starting on Taxol in two weeks and I am a little worried about neuropathy. Any advice on how to prevent or deal with that? 

Suze35

This thread moves so fast, please forgive me for not catching up completely!



Yay to those done with chemo!! It is such a relief, and a great milestone.



ellipses - my doctor recommended something for the neuropathy, and of course my chemo brain can't remember! I'm sure someone will come along with good suggestions. I actually didn't have any neuropathy (I did weekly Taxol), I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.



~~~~~~~~~



A little good news tonight. My insurance company approved Avastin for 4 months, yay! I hope it can help me, I know it is hit or miss.



My liver function tests all came back normal, another yay! but we are still going ahead with the CT scan because it isn't definitive. My hemoglobin and WBCs are also still a bit low, but we think it is due to radiation. It won't stop me from starting chemo in a few weeks, but it is something we'll watch.



Have a good evening everyone!

Lynn18

Suze35:  Glad to hear your good news!  My blood counts were a little low also after radiation, my onc said radiation affects the ribs where a lot of those cells are made. 

ellipses:  Congrats on finishing AC!  I didn't have too much neuropathy when I had taxol, hopefully others can come along and give you some advice on that. 

Titan

Oh yes Suze...we will take the good news when we can get it!

alexanjb

Ellipses-my onc told me to take Vitamin B Complex when I started weekly Taxol.  I started to feel a little neuropathy on the 3rd week and they had me skip that week and the dose was lowered slightly for the next time. I didn't have the problem again. The main thing is to communicate any and all se's to the infusion nurse that is starting you out before each Tx.  They really didn't brush anything off for me.  I don't have any permanent neuropathy.

Titan

Stupid boob (still like your name)...how did the AC go?  I never had any issues..just kinda felt..I just can't describe it well...not really any pain..just felt weird....I did find that if I did a little too much I would feel a little dizzy and just kind of out there somewhere..

Ellipses...taxol..and neuropathy...hm..didn't have any real issues...my feet were a little numb now and then...kinda achy...if I sat for along time..I had issues getting up and moving again..I could usually walk it off...

Everyone experiences chemo differently..I tried to "pretend" that nothing had changed..that I was the same old person as b-4..but honestly I just couldn't pull it off..I had to actually sit in the recliner and rest and take a nap now and then...I did work but I know now that I wasn't 100%.

One night I had a "spell"...one day after AC..my son was in the regionals for track..we were rained on, then I had to make a million phone calls to change the date of his grad party, then got home, made dinner, laundry..all of a sudden the world was spinning around me..I was scared, very scared....but I sat down and I was OK after a minute or two..the next day my husband and daughter and some family got my son's grad party together...I just sat and watched..I knew that I had pushed myself too much...and had to chill a little.

This is serious crap we are dealing with..those chemo drugs are STRONG.

I chilled after that experience..and even though I was BORED out of my mind...it was probably the best thing to do.

TiffanyF4

I had neurpathy. But it went away before the 2nd chemo and didn't return.

Babs37

I had neuropathy on Taxol too but only on my left side, fingers and toes, weird..... It got pretty numb for the last 3 Taxol. Now I'm almost 5 months past Taxol and sometimes I still have numbness that comes and goes on my left fingers and toes but nothing serious. Just a little numb and it goes away fast.

Babs37

Suze- Yay for normal liver function!!!! And Yay for finally being set on your next chemo!!!! Happy for you that everything is moving foward as far as treatments go. Love the way your doctor pushes for all that is possible for you. You are in good hands. Hugs to you.

Going for rads #19/25. The Bolus part is making my skin pretty much "well done" but I have been putting lots of cream on it and it's holding on so far. Almost done.......

Have a great week-end everyone. xx

Luah

Ellipses:  On 12 weekly taxol, I had a little tingling in my fingers around weeks 5-9, nothing major and it went away. Hopefully your SEs will be minimal too.

On a related (and trivial) note, I am going for a pedicure today after 1 1/2 years!  My toenails have finally completely recovered from taxol. Looking forward to open-toed shoes this summer.

Suze35: Great news on the liver function!   

Suze35

babs - you are almost done - yay!  I know what you mean about looking fried - I have had a bolus every other day, and the skin is brown.  Only two more of the axilla for me, then 8 on the scar line, and who knows how many left on the clavicle, lol. 

Luah - Enjoy that pedicure!!  My nails are still wrecked, but it was the AC that did it for me.  Hopefully it won't take 1.5 years to get better .

I'm cautiously optimistic about the liver function test, but as my doctor said, it is a positive indicator but not a perfect one.  So, until I hear the all clear, I'm keeping myself busy.

Today my mom and I are getting our tomato and pepper plants, and hopefully will put them in this weekend.  It got a little colder here after all that wild weather and tornadoes, so I want it to be a smidge warmer.  My broccoli and brussel sprouts are growing like crazy though - I'll have FRESH organic broccoli in just a few weeks, yay!

Kymn

Good morning ladies,I am just feeling tired today. Had a good sleep lst night but just feel like curling up on the couch and watching tv too bad Im sitting in my chair at work lol. I am trying to pretend I am not going for treatment next week dont even want to let my mind go there. Hope you all have a great friday

Hugs Kymn

MBJ

Ellipses: For prevention of neuropathy (no guarantees here) Vit B6 200 mg and Glutamine 1000 mg.  Hope this helps!

I have had a busy week and having a rough one too.  Congrats on those finishing chemo and for those in the middle of it:  Know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Happy Friday!

bak94

What is bolus?

Anonymous

I've been at the beach all week teaching beach ecology. Tomorrow we sail. I'm feeling.... water logged!

Babs37

 What is Bolus?: A specific thickness of bolus (it's like a sillicone membrane) can be applied to the skin to alter the dose received at depth in the tissue and on the skin surface. A typical example of this is the application of a defined thickness of bolus to a chest wall for post-mastectomy chest wall treatment, to increase the skin dose. The thickness of bolus applied is dependent on the skin dose required and the angle of incidence of the treatment beams.

kyroheal

A bolus is just a dose of some sort of drug, it is usually an injection (ie. injection bolus very 3 weeks)

Babs37

kyroheal- I get the bolus with my rads and it's not an injection. For rads, a bolus is something, like a membrane, they put on the radiated area to increase the skin's radiation dose. That is why that area of skin becomes more burnt then the rest. 

Suze35

Yep, my bolus is a thick gel-type pad that is laid over my chest wall and axilla, it concentrates the rads on the upper level of the skin.

CT scan is set for Tuesday AM, so I'll know by Wednesday evening if anything is going on.  I'm back to feeling nauseated these days, hoping it is just radiation.  Wugh.

Heidi - the beach and sailing??  Oh, that sounds like heaven.  My dad lived on a boat for most of my teens/twenties, I loved it so.  Enjoy!!

Babs37

Suze- Did your arm swell up a little on the side they took nodes out since you started your rads? My forearm is a little swollen and is tender since a couple of days into rads. I showed it to my RO and he said it's eodema and it should go away after rads are over. I hope it's not lymphedema......

Suze35

Babs - my upper arm has been a little swollen since surgery, we are assuming it is mild LE. I do have what I would say is a little edema on the side of my chest where the rads are hitting me though...I would assume it is LE to be safe, and get a referral for an LE PT as soon as possible.  They can fit you for a sleeve and show you how to do LE massage.  I go twice a week and it has really helped! 

Babs37

Suze- Thanks. I see my RO next tuesday. I will ask him for a referral for an LE PT. I really don't want to take a chance with LE because I am going on vacation next month by plane so don't want anything to happen on the plane ride. 

Sugar77

Hmmm, I didn't get a bolus. I got 16 full breast and 5 boosts but no gel pad or anything like that.  

bak94

Anybody been tested for basal type breastcancer? My doc has never brought this up and I did not see it as being tested on my path report.