TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

Taco1946

LOL CoachVicky. Have fun!

Cherry-sw

PoseyGirl, what a relief, this is good news indeed. I do not know anything about why one scan shows more than the other, I only had one, I know that arthritis can be seen on bone scan. I am just glad it came back clean. I have been told that psychical tension can cause thorasic spine to lock and it can be painful. You can go to the PT, mine helped me a lot and also you can google exercises that open thoracic spine. Cherry

Cherry-sw

Thank you everybody for noticing that I am doing better, I guess I am and I really want to stay in this state of mind because the alternative of losing my mind is not an option, that feeling ghat you lost everything and do not know how to go on, that was awful, if anti-depressives fixed my problems, I SM very grateful to anyone who both invented and suggested those to me, I did really need those.

deni1661, I know very few people who eat more onions than I do, raw and baked and cooked. We always ate lots of veggies, I know I have to cut on sugar and I already eliminated alcohol, and frankly speaking I miss it, but I do not know how it is possible to eat more veggetables than we already do. And I mentioned about us having turmeric in all our soups and stews. If plant diet is so important could anyone please explain to me how I got this bc? I eat veggetarian borsch every week when it is cold outside. I was not that caucious about buying organic groceries but now I am, it almost doubled our food expences, but I hope this will make s difference.Cherry

KimCee

Love it Hap!!! Thanks for sharing that xo

rljes

Thanks CoachVicky - I appreciate your wisdom and advice.  I have found I'm in a much better place since I got my first round of Chemo out of the way.  The anticipation was killing me.  My Dog Truman - I Thank God for him - I rescued him from the shelter last year - He was a mess, 11 years old with diarrhea and a mouth full of rotten teeth. Got him all fixed up with the help of a rescue group and he is the best!  He gets me out of bed everyday and Makes me go on walks back in our beautiful woods.  

I am trying to meditate.   Hard to settle my mind.  But I shall try. 

CVicky - You are going to Rock that party!

Thanks for the Grinch photo HapB!  sending you (( hugs )) 

Poseygirl - i havn't started anti-estrogen blockers yet = I dread that day.  I do know there is a site on here for Letrazole (Femara) users.  I'm not going to look until I have to start on the blockers.  

KB870 -  congrats on finishing your treatments! 

Take care all!

Cherry-sw

rljes, Truman is stinking cute, sometimes I wish I had a dog to walk out because I have not been walking as I should while on EC. Having a cat does not help much, her favorite passtime is sleeping so most of the time we just lay next to each other.

HapB, I know, my question was retorical, I ask it myself so many times what could have caused this bc at the age of 44 but I cannot blame it on bad eating habits, I usually have four kind of onions and four kind of cabbage in my fridge. It is just so unfair

PoseyGirl

I love the Grinch cartoon and I also love your pic, rljes...

Thanks, Cherry and Hapb...I'm happy to have a clear bone scan, but I'm still worried about the upper back pain. I had my blood work done a few weeks ago as I've had chills ongoing (not sure if that's related to the Letrazole or not) and I am mildly anemic. So now I'm paranoid about Myeloma. I just have got myself worked up over the past month because it's been a series of things. I am trying to calm down...

Yes, it's hard to know why any of us get cancer. I will say that my entire adult life I've had very dense and very fibrocystic breasts. I have always been worried and super vigilant about the right side in particular. And boom - I got cancer; my inner voice was right that it could come to me. In spite of all my other lifestyle flaws, I believe that this was the biggest independent factor for whatever reason. There are many, many people much unhealthier than I who haven't been touched by any such disease. So while I do know that the environment and diet and alcohol play a role, etc., there is much still to be known. Each of us has different immune systems and all it takes is for a few cells to get carried away and not stopped by our systems and off they go.

Anonymous

Love the grinch cartoon. Totally stressed and I am certain I will be until the diagnosis is back and I can develope a plan. Not looking forward to tomorrow at all.

SpecialK

fluff - hang in there

PatinMN

Fluffqueen, thinking of you and hoping you will be surprised with a better result than you expect

Cherry-sw

fluffqueen, positive thoughts your way

Cherry-sw

PoseyGirl, the chances of you having a second primary cancer are very slim, and even if bc would appear in spinal marrow, your blood work would had shown it, this what I have been told. If there was any indication the had done further testing. I know I am repeating myself but please ask a PT to take a look at your back, they usually can see whether is mechanical or ichemic and can come up with the suggestions.

I blame myself for some choices in my lifestyle too, but if somebody would ask me I would say the same, with my fibrocystic breasts I had four-five times higher risk to develop bc. Still the majority of women with this kind of breasts and even those who are tested bc genes positive are not developing any bc, so if if my lifestyle had contributed I have no idea.

Cherry

Suburbs

coach Vicky, deni1661, and cherry-sw, thank for the words of encouragement.

Rjles, great pic with your puppy. You asked about hindsite. What would have been different about chemo if I knew then what I know now. Well, honestly, I think chemo would have been more difficult if I had a clear understanding of what was to come. I was informed about the steps and researched a fair amount, but did not realize how tough each step would be. If you are taking walks, and eating, then there is not much I can add. You are doing pretty well. Hold onto that thought and seek an anti-depressant if you feel down and don't wait. Diet changes are not easy when you feel rotten. I ate a lot of mint ice cream which was the only thing I could taste. Eat what you can.

Poseygirl, since starting Arimidex, I have daily pains, some random and some recurring. I hear you.

Fluff, thinking of you and hoping for good results.

coachvicky

rljes.... Truman is so cute! I think the best dog buddies are the rescue ones.

To ALL ... Have a wonderful week ahead. Best wishes those taking treatments.

Fluff, keeping you in my prayers.

Vicky

moodyblues

rljes, Truman looks so sweet.  Made me smile.

Hapb Thanks for the pic!

Fluff, Thinking of you......

ventureval

Hi Everyone, I am very new at this I am not sure if I am doing this right. I am triple negative as well. I just had my 2nd chemo on 12/14/17. My hair was coming out like crazy so, my daughter who owns a grooming salon, also has professional sheers just for her husband as he has somewhat of a bald head and she keeps him trimmed up. So last night I had her shave my head, because every time I got out of the shower I had hair all over me I felt I was shedding more than my 4 dogs. Seeing myself without hair was very upsetting I felt like one of the 3 stooges. Today I did go to work and I am wearing my new wig. I am adjusting to it. Thank goodness it is cold outside as it is helping me to adjust to it as it is keeping my head warm LOL I must say though it took the nurses a long time to hit my port this time. They had to stick me 2 times and they seemed to think there was a small clot so I had to get medicine to dissolve it. So last time I was there from 8 am to 2 pm this time I was there from 8 am and I didn't get home until 5:15 pm. Which I live only about 20 min away from the hospital. Has anyone else had problems with their ports. Is this normal?

SpecialK

ventureval - not that we don't welcome you, but all of us on this particular thread are triple positives - meaning we are ER+, PR+ and Her2+. If you are triple negative your treatment is likely a different regimen than many of us had, although some of the drugs may be the same for some of us. Because your hormonal receptors and Her2 status are not the same as ours your treatment may be comprised of different recommendations in addition to different chemo. I would recommend two things - join up with a group of folks that are at the same time point of chemo as you - probably the December 2017 group - I will link it below, and also the triple negative group. That way those who share your diagnosis can also share their tips, tricks, thoughts, and offer support. I hope you are doing well, and if you have any questions or concerns about breast cancer and treatment in general I am sure all of us on this thread will help in any way, but I want to make sure you are in touch with others with the same diagnosis as you.

December 2017 chemo group:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics/860443?page=2#post_5110154

Triple Negative thread:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/72/topics/752075?page=1016#idx_30451

This link has all the triple negative threads:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/72

Sounds like your hair is falling out at the typical timeline - glad you had your wig at the ready! As far as your port issues - this happens from time to time. My port was a very small one and there were a few times the oncology nurses struggled a bit to get the needle in. Are you using EMLA cream (a lidocaine numbing cream) ahead of time to help with any discomfort from the port access? If you don't have any, your oncologist can write you a prescription for it. I put a blob on the port about 30-60 mins before leaving home, then covered it with Press and Seal plastic wrap to keep it in place. Some centers also use a freezing spray that numbs. Clots are somewhat common, and the use of a clearing agent usually does the trick. I have a friend who was also TN and her port was a bit problematic - she was asked to lay back and put her arm above her head and this seemed to help - I have seen others lean over and swing their arms prior to the port access and this helps also. Because a number of us on this thread had as many as four drugs, plus labs and pre-meds, infused each time we also had long days at our respective centers - we all sympathize!

Cherry-sw

ventureval, you are welcome to hang here with us any time but as SpecialK pointed out TN threads will be of use to you too. Hang in there, hair was one of the most traumatic parts.

I had my second EC today, this time with Emend, Aloxi, steroids and a substance called mekhlozinhydroklorid. I ate Chinese chicken soup with tomatoes that did not taste anything, some cake chips and drunk tea with lemon and ginger. Later I thaw raspberries and ate them while watching a movie. I am in bed and I am nauseaus, they told me the meds would help but I am more nauseaus than I was before on my anti-nausea pre-med light version. They said if that would not stop I would have to come for Cyprexa infusions. Any advice on how to get rid of nausea? Could raspberry cause it? I ate a lot, they were half frozen and tasted salty, I know) I don’t want to ho to the hospital again but this EC is kicking my butt, pardon my French. I was ok when I came home ans cooked dinner but now I cannot decide whether I should try to eat a little, and whether it may help or if it would just make me to threw up. Sorry, it is gross

Cherry

bjquilter

Hi All,

Tomorrow I start taxol #8. I was wondering if I should expect new side effects? Right now I have worsening fatigue, hair loss, really bad acne, dry sinuses and weight gain. I'm starting to feel low. I question whether I should have shaved my hair. I feel guilty about being inactive and gaining weight. I'm angry because I'm trying to keep up with daily activities and outside commitments and no one seems to realize how hard it is for me they all say oh you're doing fine. Even my husband is becoming thoughtless to what I'm going through. He is my only support system and has his own health issues so it's hard to ask too much of him.

I swore I would never get on here and whine but if I don't, I'll carry my pity party and crabby attitude around for days.

Thanks for listening. I feel better already

Cherry-sw

bjquilter, I have whining here a lot so please do not make me feel bad knowing that there people here who swear never to be like me)) kidding, I have been doing a lot of complaining, ranting and venting and intend on doing ignor again if I would not be able to stop it. This is your place to whine too, so please go on.

About Taxol, I shaved my head after the 9th infusion and by that time I looked like Gollum. By my 4th Taxol I got so depressed towards the end of cycle and they put me on a mild steroid, I got better. The nurse at my clinic told me steroids were causing this depression but I knew that even if steroids had anything to do with it the primary reason was the horror of the diagnosis. It did get better with the anti-depressives I have to say. I see that we have the same problems with Taxol, I had skin problems, they are getting better now, gained weight, dry sinuses that I treat with nose oil, and, yes, it is true people outside have no idea what you are dealing with if you put up a bright face and decide not to bother them with your problems because you simply are a good-hearted person who was brought up this way. I lost two best friends over telling them how terrified I am and how I needed moral support as often as possible, which in their case since they do not live here was to listen to my whining and ask me about how I was over FB. They couldn't do it, so much for friendship, one of them stopped writing back in September and before that she did not write anything for five weeks, another one stopped writing to me and turn instead to my husband telling him that she did not know how to talk to me anymore and did not know how to help either, so she preferred instead to keep in touch with him and he could send his updates to her. I still cannot believed it happened, we were friends since ground school, close friends since junior high, I have not heard from her since October. And coachvicky mentioned once that she caught one of her close friends reading a book how to deal with a friend who got cancer. She also told me that I will see who my friends truly were which is a gift most people won't have. True, so true, thank you coach vicky.

To make a short story long) this is your time to be selfish, your time to ask people for help, often, as another person on this boards told me, they do not know how but if you define a task they would be happy to, or they would find a reason not to but then I would know. And the last thing, my hat off for all you people working through chemo, I work 25 per cent from home but did not go to the office since July. Cherry

Taco1946

quilter - many of us have to deal with our "Superwoman" syndrome. It isn't realistic for you or anyone else to expect you to carry on as before. You have been diagnosed with a serious disease which needs your attention. You haven't made your status public but I assume that you have already had some type of surgery and probably radiation in addition to the chemo, all assaults to your body. Many of us suffer from PTSD. Especially if you are younger (I'm 71), your friends and loved ones don't know how to respond to you, especially if you tell them that you are "fine." (A friend who was diagnosed with colon cancer shortly after my diagnosis said she told people she was fine when she was but only OK when she wasn't. And then let them ask questions and help her.) I choose to think that I now know who is my friend and who isn't and I am stronger for that. I found myself practically in tears yesterday after someone called me again to just see how I was since she hadn't seen me recently.

About hair - I buzzed mine about taxol 4 and shaved by 6. I actually liked my bald head better than the fuzzy, growing in phase. Mine has been VERY slow to come back and I'm not looking forward to the "thinning hair" that is a SE of femora but...

Be good to yourself and take time for yourself - a walk, a bubble bath, a massage. It's not to late to say your can't have 12 for Christmas dinner or throw your usual New Year's bash. And it's OK to come to these boards to whine and yell!

whywhy

Just come up for an update. Did my #1 chemo last Thursday. So far so good, no serious side effects yet. Once in a while, a bit numb finger and foot. Been drinking lots of water as advised. Should I drink the same amount of water all these chemo weeks or can I cut down a bit. It's getting a bit more difficult to down the water now.

Anonymous

So....good news! We think.

I went for the biopsy today. The doc could not replicate or find the same place that the first ultrasound had seen, so he said in good conscience he could not go fishing around for something he couldnt see.

He recommended that I get a ct scan with contrast. Called my doctor's appointment and an hour later I was having that. Got the results back and nothing jumped out. There is a mildly enlarged thyroid nodule that they are going to ultrasound specifically and watch. There is also a small spot of some kind on a vertebrae that they are pretty certain is a hemangioma, but are also going to watch that.

So, I hope to know more on Thursday after the ultrasound but the supraclavicular node seems to be clear. That was my biggest worry.

Thanks for all the good wishes. I was a mess yesterday. Couldn't even wrap presents or focus. Sleep didn't happen. I may have taken ten years off my life in stress.

Quilter...whine away. That's what we are here for. There are things I have said on here that I could never have said to my husband or family. They just wouldn't get it. On things to expect with additional taxol side effects, my counts were my main thing. They held in the normal range but were about as low as they could go at the end. My fingers and toes were always freezing. I wouldn't worry too much about your hair. I did not shave mine, but by the fifth one, I had what I called the Beetlejuice look. I was not going out in public that way.

ElaineTherese

Oh fluff! What good news. I'm so happy for you!

Simbobby

HapB - I too am having cardiovascular issues after 4 bi-weekly rounds of AC and 3 weekly rounds of Taxol with herceptin and perjectin thrown in every third week. (No history here of heart disease)

MO ordered an immediate echocardiogram today to be compared with my baseline echo from September. He said no more perjectin or herceptin until I meet with a cardiologist tomorrow. They are concerned about my "muscular heart" and the fact they are putting these tests on the fast track has me concerned but glad they're doing it.

I'm so sorry you are going through this as I suspect it means some difficult decisions need to be made.

I'm feeling a little low today - when one door closes, another door closes. I will be following you in hopes there is a solution for this.

Thanks for sharing your story. Nice to know that PLU's (people like us) have this safe and supportive place to come to

Cherry-sw

fluffqueen, phew! what a great news! You and your family must feel such a relief. I can nearly picture when you are saying how you felt. It is not about being a mess, it is a feeling of this is it. I already said it but I hate this disease for turning women who most certainly have nothing to worry about into trembling cornered wretched animals . Even worse, animals do not have the same sense of what may come next. I am referring to myself in the first place, you can pick me from the floor with a sponge as soon as any strange symptom appears. And I have such a trouble trusting the doctors because I knew already by September last year that something was wrong with my left breast and despite the appointments, mammos and US they did not found anything until I found a lump myself.

Once again, great news, take a deep breathe and wrap your presents, hugs Cherry

moodyblues

Fluff, I am happy to hear that all seems well.  Do you still wonder in the back of your mind about it or are you feeling satisfied?  I know about waiting on tests and the results and the lack of sleep, maybe now you can take a deep breath and rest.

Bjquilter, So glad that we have each other to express our frustrations, fears, anger, aches and pains and remedies with.....Oh and tears!   I agree totally with Taco when she mentioned what she called the "Superwoman" syndrome and when she said:  It isn't realistic for you or anyone else to expect you to carry on as before.  BCO and the TP thread is amazing.

moodyblues

Hey everyone, I had an interesting occurrence yesterday at a Dollar Tree when I was there with my grandchildren.  Out of the blue, a woman walked by me and said "I went through it" (I thought maybe we were blocking the aisle, but yet we were well out of the way and I thought she said "she could get through it")....I looked confused and she said again, "I went through it" and I realized she meant BC.  We talked for awhile and THEN another woman came up, apologized for eavesdropping and said she heard a few of our words and had to let us know that she too was a BC survivor.  Three women at the same store, in the same aisle, on the same day and at different phases of our recovery....I believe God put all of us there to encourage and uplift each other.  We shared thoughts on reoccurrence (the one lady had a reoccurrence), the treatments we went through, the chemo, how we were feeling now about the dx and also about life with this terrible disease.  I am amazed... Three women at the same store.......

Melanie

coachvicky

Fluff ... I am happy for you!

Melanie ... At some point I think "know." We can see it in others. That is amazing that all three of you were there, same place, same time. It must have been divine intervention.

Early on a woman stopped me at the grocery store and told me how she liked my hair. That was back when I was still crying. I started crying again. She said something like I know and you will get on the other side of this. She shared that she had.

About whining ... I have been on BCO for some time now. I have never read whining from anyone. It is here that we can find our voice and express it. I believe when we express ourselves here, it is easier to express ourselves other places.

Vicky

Binniebin

fluffy, excellent results you must be feeling so relieved.

Cherry, you may have overdone it on the raspberries. Try bland. I find a couple of pieces of toast with a smidgen of butter settles my stomach. I don't tolerate oily Salty, sweet, or even mildly spicy food for 2weeks post AC, , 3rd week a little flavour is ok. I'm on nexium for chemo induced gastritis. Mostly it's ok. Oh but I long for butter chicken, Camembert, salami and quince paste....

See no whining, just venting with you lovely ladies who can relate!