Chemo May 2011

bak94

Feeling wiped out. Abraxane #5 is a tough one! Could be because he upped the dosage because I was feeling good and my counts were good, fraid that is not so now! Starting the scanxiety and it isn't even until the 22nd!

blondelawyer

Sorry you are feeling wiped out bak94.  I hope you get some rest today!

Beaglesgirl

'bak94, I had my dosage reduced because of neuropathy and nose bleeds... and after todays tx I only have 3 more to go. But I am sorry to report that I feel like junk junk junk. I felt pain in by bones right away on my way home from tx and my stomach hurts so I dont think I can handle taking my vicodin right now. I may have to because I'm looking at a long night of writhing in pain. 

I got very sad this evening because my family is trying to cheer me on saying 'only three more weeks' the fact is that that is a long time to feel this much pain or take pills to not.

I'm just venting. this has been a long journey I am starting to lose my stamina emotionally, I just want my life back 

Laura 

DebRox

Laura:  I am sorry you are losing stamina.  It is a long hard road to ride and you've hung in there this far.  You are almost there sweetie. The end is in sight, you are almost done.  Hang in there! 

Same with everyone else who is still here.... Bak & Blondelaywer hang in there.  I check up on you guys often, but don't post much.  I keep you in my thoughts and prayers.  The end of treatment is in sight for all of you.  Hugs to everyone! 

Someone told me today that I am a strong woman, my reply I didnt have a choice.  We are all in this together, we don't have a choice but to get through treatment as we all want to live a happy long life.  And we all will!!!

bak94

Laura- I get it! The efffects are cumaltive so it does get worse with each treatment. I have been having the bloody nose also but doc doesn't seemed too concerned. I had one avastin and am due for another tomorrow so I don't know what will happen. Yes 3 weeks is too long to be in pain and that certainly will cause depression. I struggled to make it through work yesterday but a couple gals pitched in and helped me so I made it the whole day.

blondelawyer

I get so frustrusted when people say to me that I'm

almost done or in the how stretch or whatever. This is a LONG road and most people don't seem to understand that.



Hugs to everyone!



Lisa

ecopam

Thanks for your post Lisa! I'm brand new to this forum and one week after my 6th and final TCH! Everyone keeps congratulating me and saying it's all good from here, but we all know it's not that easy.

I've looked for help here with my two most annoying SE's.(i  need to learn the shorthand so help me please!). #1 My fingernails are sooo sensitive and starting to lift, and i have an appt with the onc tomorrow  to get treatment for fungus which started to cause quite an ugly odor in my nails!  I've cut them back and expect they'll get uglier before they start to grow back nice, but any advice is appreciated. 

#2 - my muscle fatigue and shortness of breath has grown worse with each round, and I couldn't even take my around-the-block walk yesterday. Can I expect this to diminish now that TCH is done and only Herceptin through the final 8 months? 

 I look forward to healing with you all!

 Many hugs,

Pam

bak94

ecopam, not sure how long it takes to feel better after treatment, expecially with herceptin as I never have had it. Seems like as your blood counts return to normal you will start to feel better, but I do know it took me awhile with my first diagnoses 8 years ago.

The nail issues, I have the same problem, without the fungus though. My nails are lifting. look ugly and worse of all they hurt now along with my fingers. It's weird, as sometimes it hurts and then the pain will go away. L carnitine does help, 1000 mg 3 times a day. I bought a liquid form that tastes terrible so I have had a hard time taking that much.

Yeah, it is a long road, and since I have a later stage ( i guess it is also true for any stage) I worry that at anytime things can change and that it could mean treatment for life, and I don't like that thought! I am tired of being bald and tired. Today my hubby wanted me to go for a drive to a lake to video him fishing and I was just too tired, worn out from work yesterday and errands this morning, now thinking about taking a nap when I need to do laundry.

blondelawyer

My hair is starting to grow back!  I'm just worried that it is going to fall out again with the next round of chemo.  

Also, my incision site is not healing quickly enough--I really don't want to have to postpone radiation, but I don't know what else to do.  I have steristrips on the thing, but they aren't working.  I am going to call the nurse tomorrow and hopefully have her go in to look at it.  I wish that he could have done stitches and staples or something so that I would still have some support for keeping this darn thing closed. It is so disgusting! 

mccrimmon324

Blondelawyer, my lumpectomy incision (at the top of my breast) had a horrible time healing, they eventually took all the stiches out and left the whole thing open to heal from the inside out with steristrips.  It delayed the start of chemo for about 3 weeks.  Can you wrap an ace bandage around yourself/it to keep everything nice and snug?  I actually had to wear 2 bras stuffed with socks to keep everything lifted and secure, 24/7, so sorry this is happening to you.  I was devasted when my incision opened

blondelawyer

The nurse told me not to put anything over it (no compression).  They said that it will heal from the inside out.  I just want to get on with treatment!  

bak94

Yay for hair! I am jealous! I wouldn;t want to post pone radiation either, but I think that is better than starting without being healed. I should be a chemo pro by now, but I am having anxiety over my treatment tomorrow. This will be 6 of 12, halfway done with abraxane. Baby steps, I can't get too far ahead of myself and think of surgery and rads!

bak94

Where all all the may gals? I know many are done but I don't want this thread to disappear! Did number 6 of twelve yesterday! Halfway done with abraxane. CT scan next week-scanxiety sets in now.

justme1

I am here i am here ! I have one more taxol then surgery . Not sure if i will have chemo again or not depends on my margins and lymphonodes . I hope i am good but if not i will get 6 more taxols .Oh well someday i will be done .Feeling the chemo today head is fuzzy and feet/hands tingle fighting to keep myself out of bed but i think  i need a nap. The worst part of all today is my taste buds I wanna taste my food. I have scans next friday mri and a mamgram and ultra sound i got scanziety too .Cant wait then at the same time dread em ....

Beaglesgirl

I'm here too... just keep getting worse and worse vision and often miss things. Still standing with you as I have three more taxol tx to go! ((hugs))

bak94

Justme, Same week for scans! We can wait together. My taste buds are bad too but unfortunately it hasn't kept me from eating too much, probably the steroids doing that to me. What kind of surgery are you doing? I will be doing bmx after my chemo as long as my scans are good.

Beaglesgirl, you are doing weekly taxol, right? Have you found they have gotten worse with each treatment? Mine abraxane was pretty easy until number 5 and now I just had number 6 and I feel sore all over and the tingly fingers and feet. I need to buy more l-carnitine, it was really helping and now I ran out. Sorry about your vision, is that because of the taxol? My vision was fuzzy when I was on the ac but seems to have gotton better once I finished. I have more aches and pains so you probably know where my mind goes, but I am trying to convince myself it is just the se's. When I did taxol 8 years ago I couldn't believe how sore it made my whole body, that is why I asked my doc if we could do abraxane instead of taxol this time. Abraxane has been much easier I must admit.

justme1

I am leaning towards mastectomy .The last surgen app he said wait and see what the mamagram and ultra sound and mri  tells us but i am soooooooooooo done with this.I wish i had the nerve to just get em both gone. But i am afraid of the healing time  pain scares me .

40-years-old-now

I just had my last chemo yesterday the 15th. Had neulasta shot today, very sore and tired today. Never really recovered from last chemo 3 weeks ago.

I just want to sleep. Currently up because Had to take bunches of meds. 9 pills total. UGGG!!

All I have been doing is sleeping yesterday and today. When will I get energy back??

Another 5 mins and I will be able to lay down. YEAH

Candice

bak94

Hi Candice! Yes you will get energy back, but it will take time. Are you walking ok now? How is your pain level? Thinking of you!

blondelawyer

Celebrated my 34th birthday yesterday.  A good friend came over from my hometown and we had a good time.  I was very glad for the distraction.  I even went shopping and got a couple of pieces that I wouldn't have picked pre-BC and probably wouldn't have been able to wear pre-BMX (the DDs would make shopping hard.

Next week starts Xeloda and maybe radiation.  I have appointments with my MO, BS, and RO tomorrow!  It's going to be a long week.

I hope that everyone is doing well! 

bak94

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLONDELAWYER!!! Glad you had a good time with your friend! I will be at swedish tomorrow just for a neupogen shot, maybe we will run into each other, I am the bald one, ha ha. That is alot of appointments for one day. I have shot on monday, ct scan on thursday and doc appointment and chemo on friday.

blondelawyer

I have so many appointments this week, I don't even want to think about it!  Back to the cancer grind

MamaV

Happy Birthday blondie!!!!! 

MamaV

Did you feel that earthquake about 45 minutes ago?  Sorry that was just me jumping for joy!  After 9 months of cancer treatments, I am DONE!  Did you hear me?  I am DONE! DONE! DONE!

bak94

Congrats MamaV!!! Now on to the road to healing and feeling good!

Beaglesgirl

I am sooooo happy for you MamaV!   I'll be thinking about you in you post treatment life. ENJOY!

justme1

Happy Late Birthday wishes to BLONDELAWYER !

justme1

WAY TO GOOOOOOOOO mamav THATS so gREAT to hear !!! So Happy for u ! Dont leave us now keep being our cheer leader !

justme1

does anyone have a fast heart rate mine has been really fast lately

MamaV

thanks ladies!  I'm not going anywhere!  We need each other!  I am your biggest cheerleader for sure! 

I led the way and will wait for all of you I promise! 

Vicky