August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!

1WonderWoman

Good evening, girls:

Lady: I include you in my evening prayers. I sure hope the results on the path are very good. A stomach bug on top of what you are already going through just plain, old sucks. I think you just have so much on your mind and with what you are going through, your defenses are down and so something like a stomach flu could sneak up on you. May you get over this stomach bug immediately!

Omaz: I wonder if there is any link between BRCA+ and the potential to develop ovarian cancer?

JSW: it has been hard for me to sleep since tamox. I am getting to sleep at 4ish, getting up at 9 (in addition to getting up several times during that 5 hours) and then I go back to sleep for a few more hours. I really need to get as close to 8 as possible, no matter how fragmented. In any case, I was getting all upset because now I am getting up at 12-1ish and I just decided to not worry about it and to just base my day from 1ish to the time I go to bed and don't get so worked up about it. I think we can really stress ourselves out if we are not sleeping when we deem sleep "should" be taking place. If you are not working, take it easy and sleep when you can. I am looking forward to a normal sleep schedule again but, for now, I am just going to sleep when I can and not get too concerned about it for now. The weirdest thing: most days now I eat breakfast later than when I used to eat lunch!!! What a life!

Adey: you missed the best part on SNL which was in the beginning, Bill Hader was doing Charlie Sheen and mock interview of all of those "winning" which was Hosni Mubarak, Muammar Gaddafi, Lindsay Lohan and there was one more! It was beyond hysterical! The best I have seen on SNL in a long time.

Well, I am going to do a few more things and watch "Entourage" and then try to get to bed by 2, shut the tv off and try to hit the hay a little earlier tonight!  BTW, there was just some big study about the use of portable electronic devices close to be time and how it is causing sleeplessness.  I forget why!!!

Big deal Wednesday: I have my annual gyn appointment   Here we freakin' go.  Poking and prodding, looking for more cancer hiding places.  I just remembered when I was filling out their bring-it-with-you paperwork that I had a suspicion of some cervical nonsense about 13 years ago, had a :colposcopy and all was clear.  I am only pretty sure they will be revving up that hunt-it-up machine to see what is going on there!  I am so not looking forward to all this crap.  Here we go....ah-gain! 

lisasinglem

Lizzy - I was told that BRCA affects both breast cancer and ovarian cancer.  My grandmother died of ovarian (even after she had had her ovaries removed), my mother had breast, I had breast, which is why I took the test.  It came back negative.

I just realized this week that my neuropathy is GONE!  I had some remaining numbness and kind of dulled feeling in a couple of toes and fingers, but I can feel everything normally this week.  Yay!

Has anyone else been told they should keep their hair this short?  I've had 2 or 3 people tell me I should keep my hair like this.  DH disagrees, but I'm not sure how I feel.  I'll definitely let it grow a little more before I make a decision.  It is really easy to take care of, though.  I wash it once a week. :-)

1WonderWoman

Lady: I thought of you tonight as Joy Behar interviewed Kathy Bates.  I learned through this interview she is an ovarian cancer survivor.  She said she had to keep it quiet because unlike breast, cervical etc..., in Hollywood ovarian could have been a career killer.  She says now she is much more open and has recently done some PSA's on ovarian.  Joy Behar made a good point in that if you have ovarian, you are lucky to find out and to find out early as there is no test for ovarian.  It may sound silly but I had no idea there was no direct test for ovarian.  In any case, it is a crappy dx but at least you found it, found it early and had the ooph which led to the findings.  Today it may not seem so great but I do think you are lucky for catching it early and there may yet be a silver lining here

Lisa: all I know is since I have had no hair, and now this military buzz style, when I see women on tv with long hair, especially curly hair, all I could think is it looks uncomfortable and annoying.  Like a few nights ago I was watching a show set in some humid, down south climate and this woman had all this curly hair and I was getting uncomfortable looking at it.   I will let you know in a few months if I am going to stay short but I say do what feels good for you.  I know men generally like longer hair so wear a wig once in a while!   I saw a woman at Macy's a few weeks back with a super short cut and it just looked fabulous.  I suppose if I can find a cut I like, I may keep it short.  BTW, the easy-to-take-care-of thing is what is really leading me to consider staying short....and the savings on coloring, highlighting and shampoo! 

Gingerbrew

Lisa that is great news about your neuropathy. It gives me hope too. I am still numb, numb numb.

 I have this fatigue from rads going on. I feel like I am filled with lead and move sluggishly about.   I begin my 10 boosts tomorrow and go to a pt for a LE check on wednesday. 

I hope everyone is doing well. Lady Bama I always keep you in prayer.  I hope everyones colds and such are retreating. I just heard on TV that you can get strep throat from your dog. Now I want to know where is your dog going that he is exposed to strep? I will not give up sleeping with my pal Harry. 

Seriously my dog is the least of my worries. 

Omaz

Lisa - Great to hear your neuropathy went away, YAY!!  Gives me hope too.  Yes, many people have said I should keep my hair short.  DH thinks it's really cute, DD likes to rub my head and instead of a baby eaglet apparently now I remind her of a puppy (much better!).

IowaSue45

Omaz

Nice pic Sue!

LadyinBama

Lisa: Post a pic and let us see your hair. For that matter, everybody who has hair post a pic and give the hairless among us some hope that we WILL have hair one day. I've still got the GI Jane look and I'm 3 months out. But at least my entire scalp is covered now, I was worried for a while I was suffering from male pattern baldness.

How do you post pics? I never can get them to work.

I'm feeling better today, thanks for the good vibes.

Omaz

I can't post pics from my pc either.  I don't see the browse choice in the insert menu.  I only get the image URL choice. I use IE and Firefox.

jsw19

Lizzy Ditto what Lisa said about BRCA and OV CA.  Having a BRCA mutation increases your risk for both breast and ovarian cancer.  Here's some more info: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/BRCA

Hair I am only one month post chemo so I still don't have much hair yet but I have read some of the other threads about hair on these boards and it sounds like a lot of women end up deciding to keep their hair short after chemo.  It seems like once you experience how easy and low-maintenance short hair is then it is harder to go back to having long hair!  Before all this I liked having my hair between chin and shoulder length but I wonder if I will end up keeping it even shorter than that.  And I agree with Lady, it would give me hope that my hair will return if I could see pictures of some of you gals with your hair back!

Lisa Good news on the neuropathy going away!  Hopefully that will be the case for everyone!

rachel5738

Lady..hope you feel better soon. Nothing like adding some flu to all the other stuff!



I had the testing done and it was negative. I had the testing more so due to my young age with two cancer diagnosis rather than family history. If you test pos....increases chances of ovarian issues.



Sleep....I finally had about 4 hours sleep last night...woo Hooooooooo! Hoping it will get a little easier as I feel tired and have a headache....my body doesn't do well with lack of sleep.



Hair...I am 14 weeks put from chemo and my head is covered with hair..it isn't terribly lo g but it seems to be coming in thicker now which is nice. I will try post a pic!

ckptry

all - I may stay with the shorter hair, I loved long but always had it in a ponytail with the kids anyway. However, I won't be keeping the mousy gray crew cut I'm starting to sport now - how soon before we can color?

Carolyn

 Lisa -wanted to add you have a beautiful face so I think you'd look great either way. I think guys would get over the long hair thing if they ever had to mange it themselves for a week;-)

calamtykel

Hi all!

 I've been having some weird symptoms and I'm wondering if I'm in menopause.  I turn 42 next month.  First, my last period was in August, right after my first chemo; then it never returned.  I had hot flashes on the chemo and steriods, but they tapered off in December and early January and even during the 3.1/2 weeks on the tamoxifen, I didn't really have an hot flashes.  

However, about three weeks ago they started up again suddenly, as night sweats mostly.  I have sudden vaginal dryness which I've never had in my life before!  My eyebrows, which when they finally came in after chemo, came in thick and dark like overnight.  I shaped them and they've pretty much maintained their shape and I don't see tons of new hairs growing back.  Of course I'm using this Present Moment oil on my face and it is citrus based so it could just be lightening my brows- they are definitely a lighter color. 

Anyway, I'm wondering if I'm in menopause.  I guess I can get a blood test to find out?  I am sorta hoping it will be a good thing - to reduce my overall estrogen (which I'm working to do through exercise and diet) and because having a period was always a horrific experience for me - they were SO heavy and long!  My nutritionist wants a full hormone workup on me anyway so I'm hoping to get what he wants tacked on to whatever bloodwork I have so insurance will cover it.

Anyone else having similar symptoms?  My last treatment was November 22...........

lisasinglem

calamtykel

Ginger -- strep is actually in many places.  Many people carry it in their throats or membranes for long periods of time, just like we all carry bacteria, but it never "flares" up  until your immune system is down and it takes over. 
Not to worry-- strep is all over, probably least of which is the dog.  So keep your immune system good and hit the doctor if you have sore throat.  It's easily treatable!   Within 24 hours of the antibiotic you are no longer contagious. 

lisasinglem

Lets try this.  If you go to this link, there is a pic - probably need to copy and past it:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ivMSFXTIS76l1yNFszzK48NJyu1K1nxN4Y6l_SLM6wY?feat=directlink 

Omaz

Hi, I am getting my herceptin infusion right now, my onc office just got wireless this year. 

Just got my prescription for tamoxifen.  My onc nurse said that I have to be without periods for 1 year post chemo and then I can switch to femara (AI).  So that means I will be on tam until December.  I asked about the dose, everyone seems to get the same dose, 20mg, and she said they did clinical trials  that show this was the best dose for everyone.  Hummm.  She also said that if you are estrogen positive and stop having periods during chemo and if they come back its best to make them go away again with some other meds.  Any advice for me for starting the tam?  Did any of you start slowly?

Omaz

Oh yeah, I also asked about what else I could do to prevent relapse.  She said weight in normal range, eat healthy, probably not drinking at all is turning out to be best, take the anti-hormonals, exercise. 

IowaSue45

Not as thick as I'd like this is 10 weeks post chemo

Omaz

Coming in Sue - nice eyebrows too!!

Adey

Sue-  I am so jealous!  (c:

2 months out and barely some fuzz, two and a half eyebrow hairs, and about 12 eyelashes!

Omaz

Adey - but you're not counting....

Adey

The hair I can wait on but I do miss my brows and lashes.  I went to a Look Good Feel Better thing yesterday and they drew brows on me... I felt like Groucho!  Happy Fat Tuesday.  (c:

16 rads down, yay.

IowaSue45

Adey- those eyebrows are very thin for me, I am one with caterpillar brows normally. Yes my brows  are super thick and they just about got down to nothing and as soon as they were about gone they started to come in, I should post a new pic. with my massive eyebrows.

Adey

Massive eyebrows.... she says dreamily.....

Omaz

Yeah I still just basically have two spots of brows.  I can see the new ones a-comin but they are taking their time and apparently can't remember what it means to have color.

1WonderWoman

Iowa: you have a lot of hair! Nice pic

Adey: counting lashes? I can barely see the money in my wallet! You must have some good vision, woman.

Omaz: tamox has been a non-event for me. I have been on it 2 weeks and all is well. I totally thought the 20-mg-1-size-fits-all was weird also. I just dumped the pill in my chops with my morning vitamins and synthroid and down it went....with the help of chocolate milk!!!!!!!! He he he!!!

Brows and lashes: one brow is kind of sparse, the other not so much. Eyelashes have been fine, thankfully. Truth be known, I do have some good, long lashes!

Gyn visit: she was cool, quick, easy going, near my age and all went well. She simply told me if the pap is good, I will get a card in the mail and see you next year. Oh yea, she also said BRCA+ should get oophs. We also talked about fat cells and their desire to make estrogen and the exercise connection to knocking down estrogen is intense exercise. She likened it to a track runner in high school with very little body fat and intense workouts. She said they will have very little body fat and therefore their bodies don't have the opportunity to make estrogen. Geez, I can't wait to finish nursing school as my new avid interest is in the human body and how it works!  She also said tamox is well worth any SEs as it's benefits far, far outweigh the SEs for us bc girls.

Omaz

Onc nurse said today that tamox reduces whatever risk of relapse you have after your earlier treatments by 50%.

1WonderWoman

Medically we all had a pretty expensive year, no doubt, and the following is a reminder about write-offs and how much your medical expenses would have to exceed as percentage of your income etc..., as follows:Deductible medical expenses include payments to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. They are deductible to the extent that they exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income, or, if the taxpayer is subject to the alternative minimum tax, 10% of AGI, said Stephen Dale, a Walnut Creek attorney and member of the Special Needs Alliance, a nonprofit group made up of attorneys specializing in disability law.

So, if you have $50,000 in adjusted gross income, your medical expenses can be deducted if they are more than $3,750 or $5,000, respectively.

LadyinBama

For the second time in two days, I typed a long post and I got kicked out when I went to submit. Anyone else having problems?