Starting chemo November 2012
Comments
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I hope you are relieved by now but, magnesium citrate is the answer if your constipated due to pain meds. I drank the entire bottle when I got the ok from dr. I thought i was going to die the night before! I'm taking pain meds and Valium for my tissue expanders, never had one stomach cramp just normal bowel movements!
I've had two chemo treatments since then; 1st treatment I had to take antibiotic for blisters on my face, horrible. 2nd treatment I am currently taking an antibiotic for sinus infection. So the antibiotics have fixed the problem. This 2 nd treatment really got me down! Sent three days in bed! Fatigue!!!! -
Soteria205,
I highly recommend look good feel good class too. Lots of good stuff and tips. I've just lost my hair but she taught us to properly draw on eyebrows. Great to meet and talk to people going thru the same things too! -
Can't sleep! Just read through several days of posts, as I read I paused prayed God's Will over each post! What a wonderful group of ladies here! Thank you for sharing your stories, your encouragements, and your complaints!! When someone calls to check on me I always say "I'm fine". Thank God I have a husband and children that really know how I feel!
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Maychen - I am so so sorry that you are stilll waiting for answers and fearing the unknown. That terror of what will be said was the worst part for me, and I wish this part was over for you. We all hope the spots are nothing, but are here to offer support to you as you wait to hear what all this means.
Michele - I really hope you feel better soon. We've had short discussions on here about bravery, and how women facing breast cancer have no choice but to be brave. But there is a choice. What is brave is plugging ahead with treatment when you continue to feel as bad as you do, after having already done this before, and yet still you keep going, even though you feel like you can't. That is brave. I hope that tomorrow you are better, so that all of this gets a tiny bit easier for you.
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Powermom~So you & I were in each others pockets yesterday!
I'm getting Adria/cytoxan every third week for 4 treatments, then 12 weekly of taxol.
My next treatment is December 28.
How are your SEs? I'm doing great so far. I hope that continues, especially for tomorrow so I can go to church.
Blessings
Paula -
Hugs and kisses to you all. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you girls to talk to. I feel blessed to have found this sight where I can voice my fears and concerns. My dh get frustrated with me because he says I am so negative. But I don't want to give myself false hope. I am more of a realist, I want to face the problem and fight it head on. Gonna put on my boxing gloves and fight this cancer shit!!!
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Paula - Yes, I was at the cancer center from 9:15 to 4:30 yesterday. Just extra time to explain everything, try to draw blood through my port, which didn't work. And they ran everything pretty slowly since this was the first time. I am on the TCH regimen, every three weeks.
I feel fine so far -- maybe a little woozy, but nothing else. I am trying to nibble a little all along and keep drinking water.
Glad to hear you're ok.
If all goes well, we'll be in each other's pockets again on the 28th!
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Day 2 after round 2 - mouth feels like it's been burnt. Hoping thrush isn't setting in already. Tummy littly upset but otherwise I feel okay.
Yes Tricia I saved your recipe. DD and DH are going grocery shopping and I have everything on the list to make my soup tomorrow.
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Junebug, drink that water and also use that baking soda/water swish... If you want, I can make the soup and bring it over - I need a vacation anyway - how far is it from NJ to TX??? Hope you have some ginger snaps saved for the tummy because we can't get them anywhere now that Thanksgiving is over.
Hope everyone has a "best as you can" day....
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Girls~do you think if we eat more yogurt and take acidophilus everyday, we might miss the Thrush Bullet? I'm trying anyway. I've always done that when I've been on anti-biotics
to avoid vaginal yeast infections which usually happen with those.
Anyway, it seems like it would at least take some of it away. Also try drinking Kefir, it's pro-biotic which may be even better. It's in the dairy case, and pretty tasty.
No SEs yet. Got a late start on my fluids today. Could stand a to take a good poop. I'm taking stool softeners, but nothing yet.
Blessings
Paula -
Paula, eat the yogurt - I just tried Chobani non fat Black Cherry and it was delish ..Put a little olive oil or some oil in your food and then wait for that good poop - in a few days you'll be praying that it stops cause you will be introduced to "Fire Down Below"""
Girls who got buzzed. Did those little hairs that were left ever fall out? I didn't lose all my hair and about 10% is still hanging there looking stupid, and my head is sore - wondering about every one else. and how did all you cold cap girls make out?
I am still feeling tired (17 days post treatment ) waiting for that big burst of energy to come but not counting on it....
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One week since the 2nd chemo. I still feel blah with queasy stomach. I try to go out and do things but everything takes so much time. I stil have hair, very thin. My husband and kids don't want me to wear the wig, not that I'm looking forward to it but here and now I look like Gollum from LOTR :-)
Monday I see the therapist, I can't wait. And Tuesday I go for the wig no matter what. I don't feel like myself with this non hair.
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I admire all of you who are still working. I'm on sick leave. Every morning it takes me forever before I manage to get up and have some kind of breakfast. I can't concentrate even on reading a magazine, let alone work. I have two years before I can go back to work or I get fired.
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Megan, Trica, everyone - you ladies are so lovely. Thank you so much for the kick up the backside. I needed it. I wish we all lived close by but there's a whole Atlantic between me and most of you! :-(
I feel slightly better today. A friend came and took me to lunch and then to the supermarket. I needed it a) to feel somewhat human and b) to tire me out a bit physically. You know, I've got chemo fatigue but needed to get some exercise too. I always seem to be having chemo in winter which makes the idea of going out even less appealing. Ugh.
Still got horrible taste and rough mouth so thrush not gone completely. Getting frequent loose BMs. last night could only be described as a BE - a bowel EXPLOSION. I guess my odd diet isn't helping matters but I'm just having what I feel like, which includes lots of strawberry milkshake. I had a McD's thickshake earlier. Omg it was lovely.
Eleni - what drugs are you on? I have been feeling pleased with cold cap success and was told I'd normally be bald by now but your follicles sound like fighters too! Wondering if it's just going to take longer with me...
I admire those of you working through this. I had planned to be back at work within a few weeks of my surgery and then when chemo was mentioned I didn't know what to do. My onc said I wouldn't feel like working but said I could. I thought I would do the first cycle and see how I got on. Then I thought I'd just try one more and go back after the worst week is over. Now it's nearly Christmas so feel there s no point and then after that I'm half way through chemo so may as well wait. Quite frankly I can't be arsed with the idea of it at all. Throughout all my previous chemos I was either finishing school or starting college and I even went back to college just three months after a bone marrow transplant (against doc's advice -oops!). Now I just don't have the energy or frame of mind and since I get 6 months' full sick pay, I'm going to take it. Plus I work at a uni so plenty of people and germs about. I did also work 8 hours a week in a pharmacy - not getting paid for that any more but it was only pocket money. Don't know if I'll go back there after this. It was tiring as it was before this BC shit. -
Just flicked through a few old pages... Where's Dakota212?
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I know this is something I need to talk to my onc about, but just wondering about ACT or just TC. I want to do everything to fight this and last night started going through some threads. I am now concerned that I am not doing enough to kill this beast and am afraid I will regret it. I totally trust my onc, but I am now afraid.
I had an extremely low day yesterday, the lowest since I've been diagnosed, so that may have added to my paranoia. I really started thinking how much I do not want to do this anymore. Any thoughts or if you had a choice, why did you chooose what you did.
Just as an FYI, things are much better today, had my darling Ezra for the day, put up the Christmas tree, etc., but also am thinking I need more info to ensure TC will hopefully take care of any BC soldiers hiding out in my body waiting to amass an assault.
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Doing good here...we actually did some Christmas baking today with the kids..it was nice...and DH and I have been doing somew walking and I feel much better when I am not just sitting around (which I have done a ton of) it has been 1 months since my surgery and the pain is better...have 1 more week until next chemo, I figure this week my hair should start falling out but I dont notice any of it yet...anywhere..Glad I know what side effects I had this time so I can start to treat them before I need to next!
i am doing look good feel good on Monday and my wig should be here before that!
Question for you pre-menopausal women what is happening with your cycles? I got mine on Friday, Onc thought it would stop...is it just soon...he said if it doesnt they will stop it!
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5LuvBugs - Is the "fire down below" internal or external? I have been putting on a little Aquaphor as a shield, but if it's on the inside, that won't help. Love all your great advice and reminders, as well as "momness". You're not old enough to be my mother, but we all need some extra mothering sometimes!
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Maraya, who knows. I was offered 6 rounds of either ACT or FEC OR 4 of TC. Was told the first two are completely equivalent. She went on to say that ACT is harder on the heart, and comes with a 1 or 2% risk of other cancers. For this reason, the onc told me it was essentially equivalent to the TC, which is 1-2% less effective than ACT or FEC, but easier on the heart and less risk of other cancers.
Might interest you to know that according to her, the big benefit came from the hormone therapy for those est/prog positive. She walked me through adjuvent online, that risk projection tool for cancer - and showed how if she put in my stats (age, tumor size, grade, node involvement) and then clicked the various chemos (we did it for each of the three choices), there was no difference in the prognosis or recurrence rate. Overall, the combined benefit was the same. You could ask your MO to do the same if they haven't done it with you already, and you find comfort in that kind of information. I found it useful and reassuring.
When this question came up last time, a few other people on this board had gotten similar advice about ACT vs TC question. Given how many of us are on it, it must be a ok choice.
Maychen - good for you! Get those gloves ready, and curse away!!
Michele - if you get paid leave, take it! Don't look that gift horse in the mouth:) And you have been in no condition to work... I am only working because if I take extended medical leave (I can take periods of sick days no prob), I would have to return home to Canada and I couldn't face the thought of packing up and moving and finding the kids schools and a house etc right in the middle of all this. You are right, halfway done. Work will be there when this is finished.
Glad to hear everyone else seems to be doing well right now!
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keetmom - my period showed up right on time.... hoping further rounds will banish it.
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Hi ladies !!
I am here. I don't know how I got lost. I am 3 A/C down 1 more to go and then onto 4 Taxol. Have been doing ok. Shaved my head exactly two weeks in definately the hardest part yet for me. Read thru the thread. Miss u girls
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maryah - I think there are a lot of factors that go into the protocol your onc suggests, but ultimately it's up to you and what risks/benefits you're most at ease with. I was originally suggested dose-dense AC-Taxol by my onc, but when I queried the different options with her she did say that I could also do TC (T as in Taxotere), which is a shorter protocol but equally effective in her eyes given my situation. She didn't think FEC was in my best interest, but she did say it has it's place, just not with me. This may seem vain, but I chose the increased risk of heart damage from Taxol than the increased risk of permanent hair loss from Taxotere. The risk of heart damage from Taxol is highest with certain factors that I don't possess, but that doesn't mean I can't be one of the unlucky few without risk factors who still suffer heart damage. Others have questioned my choice but I'm more at ease with having heart damage than permanent hair loss, this coming from a somewhat athlete. Ultimately, you just have to go with the one that has more benefit than risk for you. We're all individual and it's a personal choice. I had no idea how many unknowns and gambling was to be made in treating cancer until I actually had to go through it myself. I hope my daughter never has to make these decisions.
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Hi ladies... It's taken me a couple of nights to get through the posts since I didn't have the energy to pop on in a week. I would read a couple of pages then doze off, so I'm finally caught up.. Most of you sound like you've done ok with pain and such.
Where to begin.. Started chemo on the 27th, had 2 "good days" until it hit me. I was down, worse than a man complaining about having the flu.On day 3 my joints were in such pain. I tried a claritin but that did absolutely nothing. The pain lasted for 4 days, hardly slept then on day 5 the only way for me to describe it is.. It felt like all of my organs were throbbing. I almost went to the ER, it scared me so bad. I tried calling the MO but the nurse didn't return the call. Went in this past Tuesday for blood work (finally feeling better) everything came back normal, thank God!... Had anyone else experienced the throbbing sensations?.. Still haven't noticed any additional hairloss yet. If anything it seems like the last 2 washes that less hair has come out than normal. I feel a little sensitivitybut that's about it.
As I type this I can feel myself about to nod off again.. Going to try and finish this before I do though..
Another quick vent... Mom took me to my appointment and on the way home she says.. "See, so now you know how I feel after having my radiation for my thyroid." (1 round of radiation last year) She continues to tell me that no one came to visit her (mind you, she told us she had to be confined for 3 days) and at no point did I say anything about people visiting me... I didn't want anyone around feeling the way I was. Why she keeps trying to compare and "know" what I'm going thru just trips me out.
I'm sorry if that didn't make much sense, I keep nodding off.. I'm so thankful for you ladies. I really wish we had some sort of video chat for all of us to chat on... Mama LuvBugs, a big hug would be awesome.
Hugs to you all and may tomorrow be better than today. Good night dolls
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Gee Wiz, you girls have been busy posting tonight...I just don't know where to begin so I'm going to keep scrolling back up-hope I don't miss anyone.
My little Jenifer get ready for this big bear hug (((((O))))))) and I'm throwing in some kisses too xxxx maybe your mom just has a hard time being affectionate and sympathetic = she probably compares everyones issues to her own, some people are just like that - their's is always the best/worst, you know what I mean..Anyway, you know we all understand and you can come here anytime for hugs.
Well I have to stop already because it isn't even 6 am and I am sitting typing in the dark, my eyeballs are rolling so I'll come back later..........
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Jenifer - hugs to you. Sorry your mom is not more supportive but remember we are all here for you!! I did have horrible bone painpn day 4 thru 6, too. Hope it gets better.
As for the question on which chemo, my mo said she prefers the TC combo to ACT. Since I joined the clinical trial to see if TC can become the standard of care for us ladies, I will get 6 rounds of it. Hoping I don't lose my hair permanently. I have a ton of it so if it get a little thin I won't mind but too thin is another story.
5Luvbugs - I buzzed my head a week ago. It's been so much nicer since I did. Couldn't handle the handfuls of hair everywhere. Last Sunday between the shower clogged up with hair, combing and blow drying, I had a dust pan full of hair. Now it doesn't bother me. Yes I have short hairs on my towel and in my hats but it doesn't seem to stress me out as much as the long hair. Also, I have lost about 75% of my hair.
Day 3 after 2 TC - no nausea, no headache, feel pretty good.
They are calling for snow flurries in Texas in the morning. Not something that happens around here frequently.
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Maryah, I had a choice. And I'm actually doing it for the second time. It was a very tough decision. The whole October I spent it panicking, waking up in the middle night, couldn't think of anything else. I was reading all the doom scenarios online and couldn't make up my mind. My body was screaming NO, while my mind was saying: that's the wise thing to do.
Why did I choose chemo again? I'm triple negative, no correction, my tumor is triple negative. (I shouldn't define myself with the type of cancer I have). That means I can't take Herceptin, it won't help. Chemo is my only weapon against cancer. The tumor is gone, and I'm fighting the loose cells that might still be around. I might be doing chemo for nothing, 70% of the patients (in my case). But 16% are getting helped by it. Since I got BK again, without having BRCA1/2, it means my body doesn't fight it as it should regardless the bloody green tea and broccoli :-)
Besides, going back to "normal" after the operation and radiation felt weird to me. It wasn't normal. I was sick and had to accept that I'm a cancer patient.
Sorry it is so long. The answer was for you, but also to remind me why I'm doing it. I had a really hard time when I was sitting at that chair feeling the chemo dripping in.
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Michelle, I got sick of being in the house and got out with a friend. I made plans for my good weeks cause if I stay any longer in the house I'd have to clean it :-))
I'm on FEC. I don't like the state of my hair, so I think I'll go Tuesday to get rid of it. They're closed on Monday.
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So the hair down there started falling out today and I am a mess because I know the rest of it is coming...thought I would be ok with it..now not so sure...I just want this whole thing behind us...wish I could go to bed for the next 2 months!
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Keetmom - I know that feeling. I just want the next few months to be over with!!! I have until March 15th if all goes according to schedule then after that start radiation.
I am BRAC 1 positive. I have two sisters and neither of them want to be tested. Said they would worry all the time about getting cancer. I don't understand this at all. They seem to be in an uproar about it all. I talked to my oldest sister today and just broke down crying. Told her I didn't mean to upset them but I don't want them to have to go thru this like me. I understand they're thoughts about worrying about getting cancer. I have to worry about it coming back or getting a new one ALL THE TIME!!! I've sent them my test results so that can take them to their doctors. I can't do much more but am trying to understand.
On the other hand, my daughter is making her appointment to get tested. At least someone in my family is being proactive. -
It's true I live for feb 14 my last chemo. I don't want to rush the holidays but I can't wait for this to be OVER!!
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