October 2011 Chemo group

Moonflower83

Thank you for understanding!

It seems that everyone around me thinks when chemo is over life will bei the same it was before. And I´m just tired,  anxious and want to hide under my blanket.

We are nearly all finished with chemo... what is your feeling about getting hair again? For me it fells unreal.

I have a question: here in Germany I will go to a convalescent home ( I hope it is the right term) for 3 weeks after radiation. Are you going too or is there nothing like that in the USA?  My insurance pays for it, I just have to pay 10 Euro a day by myself.

Wilrumara: Are you BRCA1 oder 2 or haven´t you done the test? I know a few women which have family history and don´t have BRCA1 oder 2. Perhaps it is not necassary to have a bilateral masectomy, althoug I understand your fears.

Here the nearly don´t do mx when the lump is small. They say, lumpectomy plus radiation is as safe as a mx.

 stjude: How are you doing today?

fredntan

I struggle with same thing. I kept my left. BS wants to do mri in march- I guess she forgot I have TE in right. It has magnet in it,as does mri. Not a pretty sight. Guess she'll. Do Ct scan.IDK. one of my survivors I talk to had totally different type of cancer come back in her good side.

I just don't know if I could deal with another mast $ TE. I almost have my full range of motion back. Have done pt. Guess it just takes me a while. Met a woman like 3 weeks out from same Sx will and she had complete rom day out of Sx. I was so jealous.

stjude10

Hey Moonflower, I'm doing ok. I'm very sore from tx on Tues. Just makes me sore all over. I'm anxious for the hair watch to begin. I've never had short hair, and this will be a way to see if I like something other than what I'm used to. Tonight it's snowing here, so I am curled up with a blanket watching hockey. MO has me coming in tomorrow to get a bag of fluids. He thinks that will keep me from feeling worse like I did last time.

Good news, my DD bone marrow aspiration came back clean. Still in remission. Yippee!!!

Hope everyone is doing ok and will have an uneventful weekend w/minimal se's.

WIMusicMaker

Hi Everyone!

Moonflower-I will working part-time and living at home during my rads. I will not be allowed to go back to work full time until one month after my last rad. I have not heard of people in the US staying anywhere during rads unless they live really far away from their treatment center. 

St. Jude I hope you are feeling better today.

I am 18 days pfc and I have a five o'clock shadow of hair all over my head. It actually starting growing a bit before my last chemo. The top is a bit longer than the sides-maybe 1/8 an inch long. I find myself putting my hand up and rubbing my new hair all the time. Losing my hair was the saddest part of my experience and it makes me very happy to see it growing back! 

We had our first major snow storm in WI yesterday and it is beautiful outside. I was happy I didn't have to drive in it! 

10 more days until I return to work! I have never been as excited to go to work!

I hope everyone is feeling well today!

Mary 

Moonflower83

stjude

I´m very happy to hear the good news and hope you will feel better soon. Staying in bed is the right thing to do. After treatment I use to stay in bed for 4-5 days. Was this your last session or do you have another one (sorry, I don´t remember...chemobrain)?

WiMusicMaker: No, I´m not going there during my rads, I´m going after finishing the whole therapy, it is like vacation :-) Gratulations to your new hair! Mine is still gone and now my eyebrows and lashes start to fall out...

Today I was at the hospital for the blood test before treatment and everyone (nurses and onc) was excited because it would be my last one. So I told the onc that although I´m happy it still scares my that my security blanket will be gone and that I sometimes think if they could give me one or two treatments more- just to be on the safe side...and she laughed and said, she never heard this before and that no one asked for more chemo.

But thats not the case...of course I don´t want more chemo. I wish for everyone of us that we never need it again! But I´d like to have a guarantee...

The hardest thing about cancer is to go on with life after treatment and trust your own body again.

auntienance

cfdr - I will be starting letrozole too.  Thanks for the warning about the forums   I'm hoping for few side effects too.

Carla9112

Hi everyone - just checking in.  Lori - I am so happy to hear that your daughter remains in remission.  I'm doing the happy dance!!!

Last chemo next Friday and I already dread it.  I know it's the last one but I'm just now getting over the one from two weeks ago.  Oh well - I'll pull my big girl panties back up again and deal with it.  I'm going to be optimistic - maybe this time won't be so bad.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

sherrybaby

Finished my last chemo yesterday! So hard to believe this part is over with. See my MO on Monday to talk about going back to work and getting me started with rads.

 I hope the rest of everyone's weekend stays relatively SE free. I am already getting the achy bone/joint pain from the Taxol, but I keep telling myself this is IT!!

 Sherry

barbyjean

Hi, everyone. It's so good to hear about everyone's last treatment! My last one is this Thursday and I'm dreading it, I was trying to think of a way to get out of it. Knowing it's the last one does help, although I haven't recovered my energy after my previous one so I'm afraid this one will hit me really hard. I'm putting on the big panties and getting on with it! 

Moonflower, your convalescent home sounds great. Nothing like that here, that I have ever heard of. Well, I hope I will be strong enough after radiation to take care of myself. Looking forward so much to warmer weather and short hair and being done with the main part of treatments.

I hope everyone's week is going good. I'm so grateful for the support on this board!!

Barb 

TAPPY

Lor i - so glad to hear about your daughter.

One more treatment for me....but I dont think I will be back to normal for a while....

but I am so looking forward to putting this behind me.

stjude10

Thanks Tappy

I still have 2 tx left to go. Getting that bag of hydration on Friday really seemed to help w/the se's this time around. Also looking forward to warmer weather and rockin a short 'do this summer. I keep watching the hair every day looking for a magical growth. I'm getting anxious!

Here's hoping all has a good week. Just think, 1 week closer to being done for all of us. We are strong! 

Carla9112

Hey ladies - so good to hear that everybody is doing good.  Okay - something strange going on with my head.  My hair is growing back!!  Now I'm trying to think if that's a good thing or not.  As you may recall they reduced my chemo dose starting with treatment 4-6.  I was getting neuropathy really bad so my onc cut the dose just a bit.  Now I'm worried that he cut it too much since my hair is growng back.  Of course, I think of the worst thing instead of being happy that my hair is coming back.  What do you think?

auntienance

Carla, I started getting some hair growth after my 3rd tc treatment. I kept waiting for it to fall out, but it never did.

wildrumara

Hi ladies - Its the night before my last treatment of TC X 6.....YAY.....although, I am dreading it too!  My MO reduced my Taxotere last time due to my eyes watering like crazy.  I think I rebounded much quicker this time.....unfortunately, it didnt help with my eyes!  So glad everyone is doing well.  We are almost there ladies!!

LoriKristine

Carla- I have white fuzz like infant hair growing on my head! I had taxol and Herceptin #7 last week with 5 more to go. I think it was going to happen for you whether your doc cut it back or not. It just means we are getting closer to the end of this whole ordeal. Yea!!!!

barbyjean

Hi, ladies. Congrats, Wildrumara, by now you have had your last one! I also have my last TC x 6 on Thursday, and my eyes have been watering so bad I can barely see. They didn't offer to cut my dose back. I'm really tired of this s---. Can't wait to be past the next week!

Lori - what does the hydration help with?  I'm going to ask my MO if it might help with my se's. My worst complaints are extreme fatigue, weakness, and brain fog. And I cry constantly for a week or so.

This too shall pass!!!     Barb 

stjude10

Barb, MO thinks that getting a bag of fluid cuts down on the se's for me. I too was dealing w/complete fatigue after tx and would catch a cold or cough, etc. I had it the last 2 times and it seems to ward off any major exhaustion. I still get tired, but not so severe. Since it has worked for me, it's now gonna be standard practice a couple days after tx to get it. The nurses say that it's common, so you should definitely ask your MO if you think it will help. I hope so!

fredntan

Looks like a lot of poeple are done with chemo. I'm in until feb 28. only 6 more treatments. I'm knock on wood-feeling pretty good. 

just having issues wiht my arm and have to go back to pt. devoleped some cording. had to stop the s trenghing exercises. feels better after I stretch it. 

Carla9112

Hi everyone - off to the last treatment.  I'm excited about it being the last one but sure do dread it.  The thoughts of putting the poison in one more time makes me sick.  I hope everyone else that had a treatment this week is doing good.  I'm pretty happy too because I can literally see my hair getting a little longer each day.  Hope the poison today doesn't stump the growth!!

Hope you have a great weekend.  Talk to you soon!

stjude10

Fran, I still have 2 more to go. I'll be done on Feb. 7th providing there's no delays. I hope that we are not hearing from the other gals because they are doing so well. I too have some cording in my arm that my pt has been working on. It goes away for a while and then it's back.

Congrats Carla! I am so looking forward to being done and watching the hair growth.

susanwmcg

Hi Oct. girls,

I am 6 weeks PFC. Most days I still crave a nap. My hair is coming in but is 90% white. My lashes and brows are slowly falling out now. I had a LE scare right before Christmas. I saw an OT and wore a sleeve. I checked back in with my PT and she found a lot of adhesions under my left arm and TE. She thinks it is localized edema rather than LE. It hurts like heck but she has been trying to break up the adhesions before my swap surgery next Tues. My measurements in my left arm have gone back to normal so hopefully we are on the right track. My BS was shocked I would have LE with one node but I know it does happen.



Glad most of you are finishing up chemo soon. Every hurdle feels great to clear,

Susan

Carla9112

Hi everyone - Lori it's so good to hear from you and to know that you're almost finished.  Susan - how wonderful to hear from you that you'r'e finished now.  How long is your hair?  I don't care if mine comes back in white - I'll just color it when it's long enough.  I hope sure that it's just your TE causing the problem and be quickly fixed.

 I've had Malinda on my mind lately.  You may recall she was posting regularly through December but ended up in hospital.  Her posts were just always so uplifting and she's been gone for a while.  Anybody heard from her? 

 I hope you have a great weekend!

wildrumara

Hey Ladies -

 Carla - So glad you mentioned Malinda....I agree, haven't heard from her in awhile....I think she was having some complications, but then rebounded, from what I remember??  Saying prayers for her.....

So, my treatment was on Tuesday....went well.  The nurses gave me a certificate and sang "Happy Days are Here again..."   Oh, how I hope they're right.  I don't ever want to sit in one of those chairs again in my life!!   SEs this time seem a little worse......I was hoping since it was last one that psychologically I would be in a better place; therefore, physically, I might not feel so ill, but that's not the case.....very nauseaous this time....I should probably be taking more anti-nausea meds, but I have boys to run to hockey games and a daughter to sleepovers......its been rough.  I should be turning the corner Monday...at least I hope.  It's the not eating that makes me feel like *hit, but what are you gonna do?? 

So hard to believe chemo is over....now I have to be in a holding period again before surgery.  Not sure if I can wait till 2/29, but I don't think I have a choice......with my schedule, the BS schedule and the PS surgeon's schedule,  that is the best day.....Hopefully I won't get too anxious waiting for the time to pass.  I sure have lots of appointments in February, so I will be busy with those!  

I am really really wrestling with my surgery decision......just not sure if I should for BMX.  Its been discussed 1000 times on these forums and I've probably read as much as I possibly can.  I know, ultimately the decision is mine.  I just pray that God will give me some clarity in making this decision.  I have a lot time to pray about it.......

Well, need to get back to life again for awhile.....kids activities are done for the day.....maybe take a warm bath and some Aleve and rest.......

Can't wait to eat something good....taste buds should be back soon enough!!

 Love to you all!!  

TAPPY

One more Taxol treatment this week then I am on to Tamox.   I wonder how fast that takes place,

and how often I have to go in for check ups...it all seems surreal to me.

Went out to eat last night, but could not really taste a whole lot and could not eat alot either, but good to get out.

I went grocery shopping and it whipped me out..so nap time this afternoon

How long does it take to feel normal again ?

WIMusicMaker

Hi Everyone!

Tomorrow is a big day for me as I return to work, part time. I am a teacher and have not worked at all this school year. I am so looking forward to getting that part of my life back again!

I am almost 4 weeks PFC and am feeling pretty good. I do not tire as easily and am able to do many more things around the house(darn!). My hair is coming in, dark brown, and still too short to tell if it will be curly or not.  

On Wednesday, after work, I go in for my simulation of radiation and on Thursday the real treatments start-for 6 1/2 weeks. I am gearing up for being knocked down again as I have been warned by week 3 I will start to feel the fatigue. I hope and pray this portion of my treatment will be a breeze compared to chemo!

Tappy please keep us up to date on how you are doing with the Tamox. I will start that once rads are done.  

I am keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

Mary 

sherrybaby

Hope everyone is doing well. I am a week out from my last Taxol. My joints still ache pretty bad, but I am dealing with it. The worse part is the neuropathy in my hands and feet. We are hoping that since it would get better for me between treatments that it will resolve now that they are done.

My MO put me on Arimidex, rather than Tamoxifen,  since I had a complete hysterectomy about 2 years before my cancer diagnosis. So far, so good even though my hot flashes seem to last longer than they did before.

I see the RO for the first time tomorrow. Assuming it will just be a consultation appointment. I had hoped to have a bit of a break before starting rads, but I figure it is better to just get it over and done with.

Hope everyone has a good week!

Sherry 

Lady-di

Hi all,

My last taxol is on Wednesday..happy dance!. Have started Herceptin and I have an appointment tm with oncologist to go over tamoxifen SE and get prescription. Not sure yet when she will have me start it but I'll keep you utd.

I still have neropathy in hands and feet and I think they will lower my last treatment dosage

Still tire very easily and can't really do to much. Mostly wearing out the couch cushions.

I can't believe January is almost over.



Mary. Hope you had a great day at work and I can't wait to have hair again!!,



Have a great week everyone

Diane

Moonflower83

I finished chemo last week...and I still can´t believe it.

They want to put me on Tamoxifen and Zoladex in 2 or 3 weeks. No time to breathe.

Hope everyone is doing well?!

stjude10

Congrats Moonflower and Diane on being finished w/chemo. What a relief. And Tappy, aren't you done this week too?

I go in tomorrow for tx, and then I'll just have 1 more to go. Yipee! Looking forward to watching for hair. Am losing my eyebrows and eyelashes, but not my fingernails. Got my 1st fill in my TE last Wed. and get another fill this Wed. Getting kinda excited about not looking lopsided anymore.

Carla9112

Hi everyone!  Finished my last treatment on Friday.  Trying to get over it still.  Hopefully I will feel well enough to go back to work tomorrow.  I woke up yesterday though and noticed that half of my right eyebrown was gone WTH????  All of sudden - like they fell out during the night.  Here I was so happy because I still had enough to work with.  I tried to draw them in yesterday and it was not pretty.  Oh well - at least chemo is over! WooHoo!  How many of you are on to radiation?  I get about four weeks break before starting it.  Gals - we are getting there.  I really think the worst is behind us and I'm soooooooooo grateful.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!