Starting Chemo July 2013

soriya123

Hang in there Angela, you almost there.  (Hugs) . Hannariggs, i still have my eyebrows n eye lashes, but i am bald.  I did not see anything different at all. .....still bald   2bluestar, i am so happy for your good news....cancer free !!! Rambo,  I hope you doing ok....and have a speedy recovery.

Mellie289

Soriya - so happy for your path report! That's such good news.

2bluestars - I'm with you on the drain pull. I saw so many people say it didn't hurt to have it pulled out. Mine was a misery for 10 days and I almost went through the ceiling when the surgeon pulled it out. Congrats on your massive clear margins and nodes!

Rambo - thinking of you and I hope you are recovering well.

JeriGrace - "Cut . . . Poisoned . . . Burned . . . DONE!!!" Love it! That will be my battle cry on Tuesday!

{{{Angela}}} Hang in there, dear! Have a good cry - that helped me get things out and get a little strength back to go forward with my last two chemo cycles. You have come so far and been through so much already. You can make it to the end!

My hair and eyebrows are growing in like crazy. I am eating loads of protein every day for my rads, but I bet that's helping the hair growth too. I saved most of my brows and lashes throughout. I don't know if I was just lucky or if it was the Brian Joseph's conditioner - I think it was the conditioner because I ran out of it half way through and that's when I lost some lashes and brow hairs and the fallout stopped when I started up again with a new vial. Now that I'm done chemo, I switched to a brow growth accelerator and a lash serum I bought from Amazon for way cheaper. I'll need to get my brows shaped again soon as they are now very thick (becoming Brooke Shields!).

I have some lingering neuropathy as well. Occasionally, I feel it in my toes and hands, but the thing that bothers me is my left hand - I've had some limitation in the movement and my grip. My RO gave me the okay yesterday on taking the B vitamins recommended by my MO for this (my MO said I could take them when I'm done rads, but my RO said I don't have to wait - I can't take vitamins that aren't an antioxidant). I feel lucky it's not worse like some of you have.

This last week, I've finally felt some real progress in recovering from the muscle weakness and pain from chemo. Not really near normal yet, but I feel positive finally that things are going in the right way. If things keep going at this rate, I'm hoping I'll be able to get back to normal in time for some New Year's resolutions involving diet and exercise. My RO nurse suggested I check with the LE physical therapist I'm seeing on Monday about physical therapy to regain my strength. Is anyone doing physical therapy or joining exercise classes/groups for people finishing cancer therapies?

angelanature

Hi All,thanks for the support,I'm having problems swallowing(sore throat)from the rads to my lymph nodes in my throat area.Luckily,i gained back some of my chemo loss so alittle more weight loss won't kill me.Soriya,your hair will come back and you still have eyebrows and lashes so that's wonderful(though it might not feel like it).I have to do 10 boost days of rads because my margins were<1mm,so counting down to jan.14. The depression and endlessness of all this is really getting to me.Oh well,I just have to take it day by day.Hugs Angela

Hannariggs

Hi Angela,

Feel better soon sister! We are all on the downhill side. Yes, there are days I still think of what lies ahead with the port removal and follow up visits, but so much farther than where we have come from. Keep your chin up, it will get better. Just take it day by day, try not to look to far ahead. We are all behind you in love and spirit.

angelanature

Thanks Mellie and Hannariggs,I spoke to my rad oncologist today and he was such my cheerleader,The 10 boosts i have to get after the normal rads will be in a different area of my breast so not over the major burn areas i already have. I can do this,I have to do this! It sucks so much but I've said this before and will say it again,I'm doing this for my children,hubby,and family that love me and want me around.Love you all too,hugs Angela

Girlstrong

HI girls...need a pep talk or boost of encouragement.  This last chemo has me feeling more tired than I have ever felt before.  I can hardly keep my eyes open despite sleeping alot!!!  To make matters worse, I am now in the midst of scheduling surgery and reconstruction.  However, no one yet can tell me if I need radiation until I meet with the RO on January 2nd and so it seems like my treatment plan for new boobies is in limbo.  The PS I met with yesterday said he won't do any type of TE or reconstruction until 12 months after rads!!!!!!  That seems like a lifetime.  I am meeting with another PS Dec 26th, maybe he'll do TE before rads?  Anyone else having these issues??

GraceB1

My PS will be placing a TE during the SMX but will not do any other reconstruction until a year after rads are done. Filling the TE ends as soon as radiation starts (about a 3-4 week window). He says the radiated tissues keeps changing and while you can find PSs who will do it before then the results are better if you wait. Radiation really damages the skin and plays havoc with TEs.

Mellie289

Cut . . . Poisoned . . . Burned . . . DONE!!!

I can now say it for real! (I just had to quote JeriGrace with that!)

Mellie289

GraceB1 - sorry you are having such a hard time. Sounds like your fatigue is killer! I had lumpectomy, so I can't relate about most of the things you are going through with TEs, but I can see why your PS wants to wait. I am so swollen from rads right now, but my RO said my breast will shrink back down over months, and I could end up with with being smaller than before the treatment. It's probably two cup sizes bigger now than it was a the start.

angelanature

Yah Mellie!!!Sorry Girlstrong and Grace,I can't imagine all these surgeries you all have to suffer through. My doctor ordered "magic mouthwash",lidocaine,maalox and benadryl,I can't believe my insurance doesn't cover it.I can barely swallow thanks to the radiation being so close to my throat(lymph nodes).Of course I bought it but jeez,how crazy is that!Ugh,Angela

soriya123

Girlstrong, if you have BMX or single MX, why do you need to do radation? From what I was told for you to do radiation, unless you had lempectomy, MX with 5 or more lymph nodes involved, or if your tumor is by a chestwall or tumor 5cm or bigger.  Pls correct me if i'm wrong.  

Girlstrong

soriya123, thanks for the info. Your right about the radiation guidelines, however I have recently learned that they still may consider radiation if the tumor is aggressive (hate that word, I think HER2 falls into that category). My surgeon say she doesn't think I'll need rads but my MO says yes????? I am confused. I wish my RO appointment were sooner, bit it's not until Jan 2. I'll keep you posted. One thing I do know is that I'll be having a BMX. Did you get TE's placed at the time of surgery? If so, how do they feel?

soriya123

MY RO said I dont need radiatio.  Now, I am confused as well cus my MO, RO and BS did not say anything about radiation cus of agressive tumor.  Yes I had TE placed at the time of surgery.  It felt tight and hard but not that bad. 

LanaM

From what I understand, RO's might recommend radiation after MX in any of the following circumstances: 4 or more positive nodes; large tumors (over 5 cm); positive tumor margins; or lymphatic vascular invasion. Those are considered most at risk for recurrence so there has been a trend to consider radiation. My tumor was 4.6, I had vascular invasion and am TN so my RO and MO both recommended rads. I'll do the rads if it will possibly lower my chance of recurrence! 

2bluestars

Well ladies after reading your post about radiation, now I'm confused.   I see my bs for a 2 wk post op checkup on Thursday.  He's actually going to taking the glue off my incisions.  I'm going to ask him about it for sure.  My tumor was 2.5, pet scan showed 2 positive nodes, but pathology after surgery came back negative.  And I choose to do a bmx.  What's to radiate?  Maybe because I'm triple negative???  I want to do them because I want to know I did everything I could, but I am curious about the "why".

Girlstrong, I got the same news about recon.  I have to wait a year after rads before I can start the recon process.  I'm not thrilled about it but I do want the best possible "look" and making sure I'm completely healed will insure that...that's what I'm telling myself anyways.  I am going this week to get some prosthetic boobs to wear.  Would have gotten them already but bs said to wait on that too..at least 2 weeks because I'm still sore and swollen from surgery and they are heavy, unless I want to get the temporary cotton ones...I'm going Thursday for that too.

I finally have noticeable hairs growing on my head!  Nothing major, just noticeable.  It looks black.  I don't care what color, I'm just glad to see some progress.  :-)

It's been two weeks since my surgery.  I'm feeling pretty good.  I cleaned my house top to bottom today.  Probably over did it a bit, but I was feeling good.  My range of motion sucks, but it's getting better.  My left arm, non cancer side, feels almost normal.  On the right, my arm pit and the back of my arm still hurt and I have the t rex arm going on but getting better every day.

Hugs!

soriya123

Lana, yes you re right about positive margin,lymphatic vascular invasion, and I noticed some TN also need radiation.  

Girlstrong

BC girls, thank you so much for posting on your thoughts and decisions about rads. I can't tell you how good it feels to know that I'm not the only one going through this craziness . You gals are a lifesaver. Although I wish none of us were having to go through this, It is comforting to know that there are others in the same shoes. I will keep posting on everything I learn; there is strength in numbers...no matter where we are geographically. Blessings 

Hannariggs

Congratulations on being "done"  Mellie"!   I love that saying too. Except I look more like a butterball turkey and waiting for the day my little red thermometer pops out(Dec 27).  That is if I can even find it. lol    How many rads did you have to take?   Did you have any accumulative fatigue with the rads?  I know I will be crawling to that finish line.   I am exhausted!

Another breast cancer patient at our center that had a double mastectomy is also going through radiation.  She was really upset, as she was told no rads if she had a mastectomy.  Not sure the reason, but they are making her take 33 rads.  Poor soul showed me her burns.  Thus far I have been luck. I have some redness, but no burns.  Maybe its because I use a lot of cream. I just know the next 7 days will feel like an eternity.   Love and prayers to all.

Nocompromises2013

just something to bear in mind - if you have had rads once you cannot usually irradiate the same place again. Hence the risk benefit ratio on lymph nodes, margins etcetc. I am not having them -as decided By BS and Onc. But am very happy to know IF anything did return I still have rads as part of my arsenal of weaponry !!! 

Rambo50

Hi Firecrackers,

Got my drains removed today from mx #2 - I'm officially DONE!!!  Feels SO odd - surreal actually - after nearly 7 months of this.

For some reason I wasn't getting email notifications about postings so missed a bunch (but was likely too "out of it" to respond ).

As for rads, I, too, was told they were unnecessary, even though my tumor was fairly large AND I had LVI.  Guess since they got good margins with surgery (took 9 nodes, 2 were positive) the chemo was the systemic treatment for the LVI.  Prayers for those of you going through them - there's obviously a reason and belief that they will provide some "insurance"

I'll go back in January to see my MO and have started my hormone suppression therapy, but cried in my surgeon's office today.

2bluestars - sounds like you DID overdo it!  I'm still requesting lot of help - especially where house cleaning is involved .  I will probably have to do some moving of stuff as Christmas approaches. 

I actually lost ALL of my lashes and all but 1 brow hair - lol.  BUT, within the last 3 days, I've seen amazing growth with both!!!  And yes, Nocompromises, my chin hairs are growing like crazy too!  Fuzz on my head too (hubby shaved his head one more time last week after my mx so we can grow back in together).  Sadly, we lost his father on Sunday and will bury him tomorrow...  Been a tough few months for our whole family.  

2014 will be better for ALL of us!!!

2bluestars

Congrats Rambo!  And sorry about your father in law.  This has been a really hard year hasn't it.  2014 will be so much better!

Went to the bs, he removed my glue, like a band-aid.  I actually thought he'd use some type of solvent to wipe the glue away, heck no.   He did say I'm healing nicely, I can resume normal activities and I don't need to see him for 3 months, I guess I was so excited about that I forgot to ask why I still needed rads.  I see the mo on the 23rd, so I'll ask him.  I want to do them, just curious how it was determined and nocompromises, that's a great point.  Having something left in the arsenal so to speak makes a lot of sense, since my options are limited with tn.

Merry Christmas!

soriya123

Hello, my lovely ladies, I just wanted to stop by to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!    Hugs to all!!!

2bluestars

So I got to speak with my mo today.  I was hoping to clear up why I need rads still, chemo killed the cancer in the nodes, they are clear.  I did have a small spot left in breast, but it was small less than a mm, double mastectomy took care of that with extremely clear margins.  Basically it comes down to me being triple negative.  That's it in the nut shell.  It gives me a little extra insurance policy so to speak.  So I'll start that next month sometime.

The first thing my mo said to me when he walked into the room, he stuck out his hand for a handshake and said congratulations you are cancer free.

I'll see him in 3 months for a chest xray and blood work.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season.  Merry Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Girlstrong

Congratulations Bluestar!!!  What a wonderful giftr to be cancer free.  Thanks so much for sharing and for updating us on the decision for rads.  Merry Christmas Eve and Christmas to all my BC sisters.  Many blessings for all of us in 2014!!

TwoHobbies

Merry Christmas!  I think I have overestimated my abilities this Christmas. Too much trudging through malls and standing in line last weekend and I am exhausted so I hope the rest of you did not make that mistake. I wish everyone a happy but unstressed day!  

angelanature

Yah Bluestars and Rambo(so sorry about your father in law)but cancer free,yahoo! I'm glad you're getting rads bluestars,though I've almost quit a couple of times because of horrible burns,it's the proton rads that cause bad burning not traditional as much. 

Merry Christmas all Firecrackers!! We made it to christmas and next year will be our year!! Love all of you and Happy New Year means alot more this year(for me anyway)than ever before.Hugs Angela

m1970

Merry Christmas!

Rambo I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Congrats on being drain free and DONE with treatment. 

2blue, good luck with rads. It wasn't too bad for me, just a giant PITA. 

My brows and lashes are coming in and itchy. I'm starting to look normal again. 

I'm am ambitiously planning my year and registering for a dance weekend in April. I'm just hoping I'm healed from my January surgery. I want to get back to my busy lifestyle!

LanaM

Merry Christmas to all! 

Rambo50

Merry Christmas Firecrackers!!!

Hair, brows, and lashes gradually reappearing 

Yes, I overdid things too, but am just waking up from a nice holiday nap!

Love you ladies,

Lynn

angelanature

Hi All,I just weighed in on the fall rads thread.My skin from radiatiion started bleeding and oozing last night,I'm on day 26 out of 35 and my skin has given up.I'm not sure what to do at this point,I'm going to ask for today and tomorrow off,anyone else had skin breakdown with severe burns?This is beyond any sunburn I've ever had,it's awful and I'm ready to quit!!Angela