Done with chemo, now what?

Braveheart

Hi ladies,

I wanted to start a new topic to all of us that are done with chemo. We still need to support each other and check on eachother. Maybe some ladies that have finished chemo months even years can offer advice as well.

1. How long after chemo did you start to get your energy/taste back?

2. Hair come back?

3. Bone pain relief?

4. Period back?

I just finished june 1st so I can't offer any advice but would love to hear from others. Congrats to all of us to making it past chemo!

Tiger_Blood

Congrats on finishing!!!  This is a topic my wife would be interested in.  She can't wait to get her energy back so she can Zumba again.  Her last one is on July 7th.

Rupe

Mimidi

Braveheart I have treatments on June 9 and June 16 and I am finished with the chemo.  I started the first of January.  I am so looking forward to finishing,  Oh, to look in the mirror and see hair again.

NatsFan

Brave - I finished chemo in June 08.  Two weeks later, I started a gentle yoga class.  I wasn't able to hold poses long, and often had to stop to catch my breath, but it eased me back into exercise.  I also hopped on an elliptical - I lasted 5 minutes and the machine kept blipping off because I was going so slowly.  But I kept at it and gradually worked my way back.  It took about 6 months to where I could begin to approach my former level and really a full year before I could sustain daily workouts at a good level of intensity.  However, I'm also on an AI which causes fatigue, so it's hard for me to tell whether I would have bounced back faster if I hadn't been on AIs. 

As for hair growth, I had peach fuzz by Labor Day, and by Thanksgiving I ditched the hats for good - I had about an inch of hair by that time, and I spiked it with gel for a sassy look. 

I didn't have any bone pain during chemo.  However, I do have joint aches now from the AI.

I was 52 when I had my first chemo, and I never had another period after that.  (A fact for which I was extremely grateful at my age!!)

Good luck ladies - you can get your stength back.  Just get out there and try and do what you can.  Don't push too hard - if you're taking zumba for instance and have to stop after 5-10 minutes, do so.  If you have to put the resistance on the elliptical down to level 1, do that.   If you have to stick to the "granny trails" when hiking, do it. If you have to use one pound hand weights, do it. (And of course if you've had any nodes removed at all, you'll need to take lymphedema precautions if you do any weight bearing exercises.  The Lymphedema section on this board is filled with some extremely knowledgable women who can give you all kinds of excellent information about avoiding lymphedema.  Even someone who has had just a SNB is at increased risk for LE and needs to learn the proper precautions.)  

Check out the "Let's Post our Daily Exercise" thread in the Fitness section.  We have lots or regulars there from women still in active treatment to women who are years out of treatment, but we all ecourage each other to get out there and do what we can for the level we're at.  It's a fun group of women who understand the special challenges of regaining fitness after b/c because we've all been there.

Someone on this board once said that for every month of active treatment, allow two months for recovery.  It's probably as good an estimate as any.  

Paula1231

Interesting topic!  I finished chemo the second week of February.  First week of April, I had exchange surgery and breast lift on the right side at the same time.  By mid May I was feeling good, but when I would tackle say cleaning up a closet, I would still be very tired after.  Now, I am walking an hour a day and cleaned my whole house up last weekend.  I feel great!  I had forgotten how good feeling good feels!!! 

I was very slow to grow hair back and it is only still about a half an inch all over but it is thick now.  My eyelashes are totally lush!  Back to shaving my pits and legs...that was the only good thing about chemo..no leg hair. Now if I could only grow enough hair to lose this wig!

mdg

I finished TCx4 on May 4th so I am a month ahead of you. I can taste food again!  My brows are thinning but still there.  Lashes are still there (hoping they stick around!).  I had less energy the 2 weeks right after completing chemo than I did all through chemo.  I did force myself to exercise 5 days a week for an hour a day all through chemo and I still exercise 5 days a week.   Some days I do more than others, but for the most part I am feeling OK.  I had the "chemo legs" for part of the time during chemo and for the few weeks post chemo but it is minimal on most days now (you know burning, tired thighs).  I have not had a period since the first week of March when I started chemo.  Who know if/when it will come back - but I am premenopausal at age 45.  As far as hair elsewhere - I did cold caps so I still have a full head of hair but I have not shaved legs or underarms for a long time.  I feel a little stubble here and there - stray hairs but no hair growth yet that is obvious.  I only ha bone pain after my first chemo - I took aleve and claritin and had no more bone pain after that first treatment. 

Good thread!  I was wondering a lot of the same things!

Scrabblelady

I fiinshed  my chemo on Feb 16th.  I'm still on Herceptin through November.. By the 6 weeks post-chemo  my eyelashes were just beginning to grow back.  I really missed them.  Around  8 weeks I realized that I could everything normally and my nose had stopped dripping.  I also seemed to be at my normal energy level. Although, even now I have a low energy day every 5-6 days.I notice "peach fuzz" on my scalp  around 4 weeks pfc.  My profile picture is at 12 weeks.    If you want to look at some other pix os hair growing back, check out the "Hair, Hair, Hair: discussion in the Chemo-Before, During After forum.  Page 303 has some good photos.  Fortunately, I never had any bone pain.    And as for blood counts, my rbc  hemocrit and hemoglobin are still just below normal.  My wbc is a hair below normal at week 15.

  All I can say is that each day gets better after chemo is done.  My appetite isn't back to where is was before, but I can stand to lose a few more pounds!   

lago

1. How long after chemo did you start to get your energy/taste back?
Taste issues were only off for a week each treatment so after the 2nd week post chemo it was normal. I also never had really bad fatigue but I would say I was much better after 5 weeks.

2. Hair come back?
I wasn't really looking believe it or not. I knew it would take a bit. I finished chemo Jan 18th. Here is my hair transition (dates in the lower corners). My hair grows pretty fast: linky

3. Bone pain relief?
I was more stiff, actually very stiff. Around week 5 it finally started to get better.

4. Period back?
Last period was 2 weeks prior to first chemo. I was 49. Turned 50 two weeks after chemo ended. My period better not come back. I'm on Anastrozole (generic Arimidex). I am being monitored but if my period comes back I will have to switch to Tamoxifen or maybe my onc will want my ovaries out. I don't even want to think about that.

But remember everyone is different. Don't get frustrated if you don't recover from some of the SE as quickly. BTW I still have neuropathy in my left heel/foot. Not terrible but still there.

christine1922

Hello Braveheart,

 I just finished chemo on May 31st !  I don't have any advice but I wanted to Thank you for writing your post it was exacting what I was thinking.

Thanks again!

Christine

marial

This is a great topic..thanks for starting it..I just finished chemo June 2nd. I have a lot of fuzz on the back and sides of my head..enough that I can grab it..but am wondering how long til the fuzz becomes hair? It's white fuzz like a chicks head..



I am also wondering about how long until the neuropathy gets a bit better for those that had it in their feet.



Does it ever get better as far as being able to fall asleep or stay asleep?



I never had any taste changes the whole 16 sessions..one thing I don't need to worry about

Braveheart

I'm so happy to see all you ladies here sharing your experience post chemo. I'm 8 days post chemo now! Fingers are numb but the bone pain is getting better. I've noticed usually day 10 after each chemo injection that I feel very down, sad and lonely. It lasts about 2 days and then I snap out of it. Is this happening to anyone else? I have about 4 eyebrows left on each eyebrow. Not much of any eyelashes. The taste of water is getting less metalic, food is slowly starting to taste like food. My treatment was 4DD AC + 4 DD Taxol. I had radical mastectomy a month prior to starting chemo. 

My onc sceduled me for an appointment 6 weeks post chemo. Blood test and then he'll do manual test to see if he feels anything. What is/was your 1st post chemo appointment like?

Thank you ladies for your input this is so helpful to all of us.

marial

Braveheart - my eyebrow and lashes sound much like yours..I also have numb finger tips and toes from taxol..hoping that will get better soon. My oncologist said every 4 months..but she is always quick to respond to my emails with questions and will see me if I am uneasy about anything..I also asked to have a pet scan so I am getting that done on Thus which will be two weeks post chemo

Braveheart

3 weeks post chemo...nose still running, dry eyes, no period yet. lost 24 lbs. energy not bad but feel tired all of a sudden. almost all eyebrows and eye lashes gone. no hair growth, just white stubble. numb fingers. Anybody else care to share?

marial

3weeks post here too..nose bleeding much less..fingers and feet still numb..white fuzz on back and sides..nothing much on top going on..gained 20 PBS on chemo still need to get rid of!..lashes growing back..brows still hybernating

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ruthbru

reported above post as spam

Binney4

Me too,
Binney

rolynla17

Braveheart (love the user name)



I am 3 days post last chemo treatment. TC every 3 wks x 4. Hair is peach fuzz which has been for a while now. I don't expect much more for quite some time. Eyelashes thinned out but still there and still have my eyebrows. Time will tell if I end up losing those as well.



Bone pain not too bad this final round so far and too soon to tell about the period. It can stay gone for all I care. :-) I'm 47 premenopausal.



Friday is genetic testing. I had HER+ in the left breast and Triple Neg in the right so they want to test the BCRA genes. No family history of BC or ovarian cancers so I hope that all comes back good. If so, it's on to 6 weeks of radiation!



Hope all is well!

abbebrownny

Thank you for posting this! My last chemo is scheduled for July 30! My oncologist said I'd feel a lot better 4 weks after treatment ends. I hope that is the case!

Moderators

HI abbebrownny, and welcome to Breastcancer.org!

We know you'll find great support here, while you're finishing your chemo. However, this thread hasn't been posted on since 2013. If you'd like to chat with others currently going through chemo, we suggest posting on the July 2015 Chemo thread.

We hope this helps and happy posting!

--The Mods

FUCancer_

New to the boards. Completed 9 out of 12 Taxol infusions & had to stop due to developing lung toxicity issues from the Taxol. Felt like crap through most of the Taxol & wanted to quit at 8, but oncologist convinced me to continue. Then developed toxicity issue...guess my body was telling me at 8 that I was done. Should've listened! Now I'm 9 days out from my last infusion of Taxol & having my typical crappy Sunday. Thought it was going to be better since I stopped chemo over a week ago. Feeling bummed! Could really use some support. Thanks