Starting Chemo, November 2013 Group
Comments
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Lisa, thanks for the 2 open tabs suggestion. Very handy!
Patalameda, so sorry you have such a "professional" MO. Using "professional" in the negative here since this is not the job for a detached bed side manner. I like that in a surgeon but for a MO who spends 95% of their time helping patients through such a roller coaster of symptoms, emotions and treatments it really doesn't help. I had a great meeting with my MO before my 2nd infusion. Dr. Graff is a youngish woman who gives great information, simply in a very caring and supportive framework. The first thing she did was acknowledge what a tough time I had with the 1st round and laid out what we can do for the rest to make things better. Awesome!!!
Veronica, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! So glad you are around to celebrate it. Here's to many, many more.
Audra, Love your perspective on chemo! I've had the same thoughts but the car crash analogy is perfect for the people in our lives who just don't get it. I have a friend who is very much into holistic and natural healing and I agree with a lot of her view points. What really bothered me was a conversation we had a week or so after I had told her that I had decided to do chemo. She asked. "So, without chemo there is a 24% chance the cancer will reoccur and it could be anywhere in the body. Doesn't that mean there is a 76% chance it won't come back?". Luckily, I am only a hot head behind the wheel so I just breezed over the comment mentioning that if it comes back anywhere other than the breast it will likely be incurable and only controlled through.......chemo. If I was 10 years older and my son grown and out of the house perhaps I would play those odds. Not sure.
Gayle, Stick to your guns! You have to be an advocate for your own health. You have clearly done your research and are not acting from a place of fear. Perhaps a few tears is what your husband needs to turn him around. Perhaps a pointed conversation with your surgeon about their comments to your husband is what you need.
Have a wonderful day everyone!! -
It's a cold, yucky day. All the local schools are closed because it's supposed to be so bad a bit later. Glad I don't have to go out. My little Mustang doesn't like rain very much, much less ice or snow. Fortunately Hubby works a little less than a mile from here and drives an SUV so he'll be fine. Not feeling too good this morning. Really queasy. Hopefully the pill will help.
Glad to hear from Paulete. I was wondering earlier if you were having issues with the phone of the health.
Bec- I have 2 Vanity Fair bras that are scooped just right so that the straps miss the port, the rest of my extensive collection is in the drawer for the duration. I probably own 20 because it's so hard to find comfortable ones, I tend to get 3 or 4 at a time and never toss them out. I personally think that a man who hated BOTH his mother and his wife invented them ( and pantyhose too). Maybe the strapless ones would work too. I'll have to try them. I can't go without a bra for long because Big Ugly is heavy enough to pull down and cause pain.
You know, what I think I'd like most is to know what today will be like. Have a good day, have 2 lousy days, whatever. Instead I get up feeling lousy, feel better later, feel lousy by bed time. Get up feeling ok, start feeling lousy later then feel better by bedtime. Hate feeling queasy worse than any other feeling (ok, except for migraines).
And I have not the first clue how to open 2 windows on this laptop. Or any other computer for that matter. I know that I'm only 55, but sometimes I feel like a dinosaur. I only started texting about a year ago. Every time I manage to post a picture on Facebook, my girls congratulate me. -
Yay, Paulette! Hit a little hard by big #2? We want you back and posting!
PomPom, thanks for the words on my MO. actually in my case, I'd do it backwards. I saw my BS for trice weekly visits for months. She was very caring and supportive. I'm not scheduled to see the MO until the day of #4, she's skipping #3. So, I've now seen her three times, plus one emergency opinion. So, with the help of this board, she doesn't have to be too important a presence in my life. What's scary is my original BS was a real bitch who tried to bully me into getting a bilateral reduction. I couldn't stand her, but thought it wouldn't matter since I'd see her only a handful of times. Ended up with the best surgeon in the area, and I've seen her probably 30 times. She's really nice.
I slept 3 hours. Thank you dexamethasone. -
Paulette
I hope you are feeling stronger each day. I am doing exactly what you are doing. I am doing the chemo thing so I don't have it come back. I had a bilat mastectomy with negative nodes, but wanted the chemo so if I am not well for a few months, I have peace of mind that I did all that was available for me to do to prevent a recurrence., I have my first chemo on Monday and am actually looking forward to it.
I am ready for the hair loss as I have been losing my hiar since I was on antibiotics for a tissue expander infection.
I feel for all who have had complications with this breast cancer treatment. The infections are especially frightening. They are not really uncommon. I was especially frightened for Amazon as I kept hoping she would not progress to a sepsis. I think you are already in a weakened state when you have a cancer or have recently had surgery. Any infection, cold or flu is harder for your body to fight. It really is almost impossible for it to fight it alone and meds are really necessary to give you a boost. It is so depressing to think that you not only have to fight a cancer but a common cold or flu or that what in most people could just be a very small infection can be a serious to life threateneing thing in us.
I keep trying to think of them as just bumps in the road, but the nurse in me always go to the worst thing that is possible. I pray that this cold and flu season lets all of us avoid colds and flu and keeps our WBC counts up. The neulasta isn't a fun thing, but it has helped keep many many people out of the hospital for what would normally be minor illnesses. Thank goodness for modern pharmacuticals!
It is very hard to swallow the cost of these drugs. I have been told that my course of herceptin and TC with be about 80,000.00. Sounds outrageous, but I believe my life is worth more that that. I have insurance, but will end up paying for part of it. I am grateful for that. I am also grateful that the drug companies are helping those who cannot afford to pay for their care with drug grants.
I was shocked when I got my bill for my BMX as I had tissue expanders and the alloderm was outrageous. Two 6 x 6 inch pieces was 14,000.00 out of a 36,000.00 bill. The antibiotic Zyvox was 2600.00 for 7 days. I thought I had enough to worry about without thinking of the medical bills. I hope all of you are getting excelling medical care and not having care influenced by ability to pay.
Have any of you noticed more women with crew cuts and wearing hats and scarves since your diagnosis? Shopping yesterday I realized I never noticed so many women with hats, scarves, and short, short hair. I never realized there were so many. I knew I would not be alone. I have my wigs, scarves and hats ready. I don't know how often I will wear them though. I hate being warm and being in menopause with hot flashes doesn't help.
IT sounds like most of you ladies are comfortable with your baldness. As women, I think it is hard to think about losing our hair.
I am ready, I think. What did you all tell yourselves to help you get through it? I think I am going to do what most of you have done and have my hair stylist shave my head when it comes. I like the idea of making it happen on my time, so thanks for the suggestion. Takes the power away for the drugs and puts me back in control since so much is out of my control now.
Anyone else feel like that is one of the worst parts of this... being our of control?
Gayle -
Glad you are back Paulette! Hope you are feeling better!
I was supposed to get my nuelasta today, but closed due to SNOW!!! It is gorgeous! So nice relaxing weekend here! yay!
No side effects yet from chemo #2 yesterday and hoping for no more to come, slight headache but I can handle that! I do get to get neulasta on Monday they said, I don't want wbc to get so low again and to try and be 'functional' through the nadir and bad times...
wallymama, paulette, bec-
Also the Zofran for nausea I found causes drop in serotonin (feel good mentally naturally in us) and I was a mental mess last month...so I'm trying to not use that, using Ativan and Phenergan instead...so hoping that will work as I DO NOT WANT nausea...will keep you posted.
I am hoping for NO period, got one last time that about put me about over the edge!
What do you think happens if get neulasta 4 days later? Does anyone know?
My hair is dropping with each shower and then I use the lint roller thing and I could keep using it as it pulls droves of hair out each time but just get tired of doing it...have bald patches and then short little stubs that come out...it is weird...but I am interestingly not sad anymore about it, it's all to be expected with this and it is killing those possible cancer cells, so bring it on!!!
Hope you all have side effect free and happy days! -
Hey audra...I got the neulasta shot last week after my second chemo. The shot, which was placed in my stomach, didn't hurt at all. Nor did I get any "flu-like" symptoms some people get. However, six days after I had the shot, I woke up with shooting pain in my lower back and hip joint pain. I toughed it out for 12 hours before calling the nurse. She said they were typical side effects of neulasta and a good sign that my body was busy making WBC, hahaha. (I'm thinking she should have tried it before she had the right to chuckle about it - it hurt!) She said to use heat and wait it out. After I got off the phone, I took a percocet left from my BMX and felt way better. When I woke up the next day, I had no more pain. I did a quick count of my remaining pain pills and plan to save them for this.
I am also crossing my fingers I get chemopause soon. I got my period the day after I had my first chemo and then again the day after my second chemo - only 3 weeks later!
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Based on AC#1 I should be feeling better today, but instill have a bit of nausea. My hair is falling out very quickly and I may be working myself into a state about it! I was just going to let it go and see what happens like Audra, but there is so much and it is so messy, I am thinking of cutting it all off. The only shaver I have is the one I use to groom my dog. I don't know what to do.
Paulette, glad you are back and feeling better. I admire how you are handling your hair loss.
Lisa, I also wake up hot under my blankets and I take off my socks. I didn't know that was a hot flash because I am not sweating.
Bec, I am an dose dense AC and dose dense Taxol. So it looks like we are on the same schedule. Will you be doing radiation?
Glad to see everyone is doing well. Hoping for a good weekend. We are expecting snow up here in New York. -
HAPPY DANCE!!!! At 3.5 months post-op I'm FINALLY cleared to start chemo on Monday! I'm jubilant! Never felt so glad to get to feel like sh$t. Any advice my dears? Hope you are have good days! -
quirkygirl. Best news of the day. Fantastic -
smrlvr-
Just showered and coming out in droves, after I shaved to 3/8 inch...scared to cut it close to scalp for nicks and all..and our clippers had some rust on blades..I am using the roller ball and that pulls out tons, then showering tons more, then rubbing with towel, tons more, then I'm using argan oil on head and that gets handfuls then the roller thing again...PHEW...it's a process....but my sweet husband said, wow, you look cute bald! SO sweet. just what I needed to hear...I am actually OK with it now...but home and not going anywhere so who cares..
Hope you can deal with it too - it is an adjustment, but only for this short little span in our lives...
Quirky- YIppppy you can join the rest of us chemo girls and discuss your side effects and compare notes...
Thank God for this site! Keeps me sane and knowing what is normal or not...sometimes Dr's office doesn't seem to know all of the real trenches info..
How are you feeling WRenn?? BEtter?
Paulette- ready for your news.. -
Good morning!
Re night sweats...HATE THEM! For the past several years I was taking the pill continuously for nine weeks, then getting my period the tenth week, only because when I got my period, I would have the most drenching night sweats every night. It was terrible, but it was so nice to be able to control its frequency by taking the pill. Now, yay for chemopause, but I'm left wondering what I was doing to myself by feeding my hormone-positive cancer every morning with a hormone pill.
Lisa, I'm right behind you with my teeth! My mom's had dentures for years, and I have the worst receding gums ever. I'm trying my teeth stuck in place as long as possible, but someday I'll have fake but beautiful pearly whites that have no gaps between them at the gumline.
Pat, I'm with you about eyelashes. I've replaced my hair with better "hair," but penciled in eyebrows and missing eyelashes are just that, missing. Before all this I wore contacts and used reading glasses which I wore on the top of my head when I didn't need them. I switched to wearing glasses all the time back in October and got a pair with frames which I hoped would distract from the lack of eyelashes and brows. I doubt it will work at all now, but it made sense at the time. Mine have been thinning, but I understand they will come out totally once I start Taxol. Boo hoo.
Phebe38, welcome!
Paulette, welcome back! I missed giggling with your posts! I'm sorry you've been having a rough time.
Wallymama, I think my bra strap/port issue will be better once this stupid sore on it heals. My port is right under my clavicle, and it protrudes A LOT. On the inner side of it the catheter is a high spot, so no strap can go there. On the outer side of it is my sore, which is right where my comfy Coobie bra strap wants to go. My nice lacy bras can go right on the port, but not for the first few days after a treatment. So, when I'm home or just go out for a walk, I rock the Flat Stanley look. I don't care anymore. And I totally get you about wanting to know how today will be. Just yesterday I was getting all cocky about the whole cycle concept of this -- four days of steroid energy, four days of feeling like crap on the couch, six days of relatively good times. Then I got a random (bleeping) headache last night, on a night which "should have been" one of the six good days. I am a control freak and LOVE predictability. I wanted to able to work on that issue on my own terms, not like this!
Ellischestnutgirl, yes! I definitely have been noticing crew cuts, hat and scarves more. But, even more than than, I've been noticing boobs more than a teenage boy would! I wonder when I see someone who's extremely flat chested if she's had surgery. Or when someone who is beyond the age of nursing babies is lop-sided. I'll even wonder if someone with normal looking boobs is walking around with a ticking time bomb like we all were. Crazy! Re control issues and I hair...I got my head shaved pretty early on because, although I wanted to experience the falling out part (weird, I know), it was getting messy and I didn't want to deal with that anymore. I will say that I still freak out after I shower and I get a look in the mirror at what my body has become in less than four months. For me (and my family, actually), my wig makes all the difference. Maybe once my eyelashes and brows go things will be different, but for right now, my wig makes me look pretty much how I always looked to myself and everyone. So, even though I can't control what really is happening, I like being able to control the outward appearance of it to a certain extent.
Smrlvr, yep, radiation for 4-6 weeks, then hormone therapy for five years and an aromatase inhibitor for another five. My MO also mentioned back in October that I may be a good candidate for a clinical trial too, so I may be doing that for a year once hormone therapy starts. Weird how similar our profiles are, right down to being mathy types!
Woo hoo, QuirkyGirl! I totally get being excited...you're on your way to being a cancer-killing machine!
Good day vibes to everyone! -
@Pat - I'm sorry you were cranky, but... you're hilarious when you're cranky. Your sarcasm reminds me of me. :P
I think I may make myself a tee shirt that says "Hydrating. Do no disturb."
Oh, Paulette, I just can't bring myself to do the look good feel better thing, I really can't. lol... My husband thinks I'm cute no matter what, so that's really the only self-esteem booster I need....most of the time, anyway. I just have no patience for all that primping and fixing and never have had. On the upside, I can get out of bed in the mornings and be ready to leave the house in under 20 minutes if I need to.
I hope you're feeling better soon!
Pompom21: You're welcome! There's no way I could write a coherent post without multiple tabs.
wallymama: If no one who is using a laptop helps you out with opening new tabs, I'll get my husband to send you a step-by-step via private message. He uses a laptop.
@ellischestnutgirl : I'm feeling really lucky that we went with the insurance plan (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) for me that we chose a couple of years ago -- and really lucky that I get to keep it after all, after thinking I was going to have to lose it. It's an HSA plan, but we don't use the HSA aspect (though we should.) The way it works is, I have a $5,000 deductible (which seems high...until you get cancer) but once that is met, it covers EVERYTHING. No co-pays, no coinsurance, we're done for the year, and there is no yearly or lifetime maximum. When we chose that plan it was basically because, as I told my husband, "I am healthy, and even when I'm sick, I don't go to the doctor. ALL we need is something to save our butts if I get into a car accident or get cancer or something.... we CAN afford 5k per year if we have to." It's turned out to be quite awesome: In september I had a mammo, two ultrasouds, two MRIs, two biopsies, a CT scan, numerous appointments with my surgeon, etc. That 5k deductible was probably met REAL quick, and this hasn't cost us a dime since then. In January we'll start over, but considering chemo and Neulasta shots, I reckon we'll be done paying in January too, and spend the rest of the year with no co-pays, no co-insurance, free prescriptions..... I love it because there are NO SURPRISES. We know what we'll have to pay, and that's that.
To make it all even better, my husband had some sort of premonition last spring and signed up for Aflac, and specifically for the cancer package. So this year at least, we've gotten a pretty good chunk of our original 5k deductible BACK via Aflac. Cancer is expensive but for us, so far, so good.
@Audra -- for that first round at least, I found that just the Phenergan(sp?) was really all I needed, so long as I stayed on top of any vaguely queasy feelings I had and didn't let it get out of hand. Preferred to save the Ativan for better uses, such as "breakthrough" anxiety, and for getting that occasional night of Ativan-sleep...which is truly some incredibly restful sleep. Oh yeah, and Maalox. lol. Phenergan and Maalox. My mantra.
Has anyone tried just waiting til their hair was mostly falling out and then just....well...*vacuuming* it? Just curious.
QuirkyGirl -- Congratulations! My advice is don't go too crazy shopping for chemo supplies ahead of time. Wait and see what YOU need at any given time, because we are all different. DO get the baby wipes, a couple of extra things for indigestion/nausea/general queasiness. DO have several beverage choices on hand even for the first night--- I've been shocked at what I do and do NOT want to drink but it's important...imperative...that you drink, drink, drink, drink, drink. You'll see: If you have a day that you don't drink enough you will feel so much worse , but if you spend a day making sure to keep super-hydrated, you'll feel *almost* normal at least part of the time. Otherwise, wait and see what you need and have someone ready and willing to dash off to the store for you. Also, don't be too nervous about starting chemo. It's not actually THAT bad. If you've ever had the flu, you've pretty much already done this. It's doable.
Going out to eat Japanese/Thai food tonight with friends. With a sore tongue and two sore teeth. Can't have sushi...and this is my FAVORITE sushi restaurant. Argh. Should be fun. :P -
Omg Bec, I've been looking at other womens' boobs too. I figured that one had to just be me....but especially if I see someone whose boobs look like they might be heavy and dense like mine were (though not especially large,) I catch myself thinking "You're gonna have problems with those someday...." I don't MEAN to think it, I just do. Or I'll see a young girl looking all fresh and happy and healthy and catch myself saying a little prayer that she never has breast cancer.
I think I need to learn to take off my breast cancer glasses when I go outside, and just look at the world the way I always did. I'll try to do that tonight. -
lisa137 and BEC-
I look around a room and wonder who else will get it or has it and doesn't know it...isn't it 1 in 8?? So we went out to lunch the other day and about 60 women...just made me wonder, they were all happy and had long hair and I remembered when I was that way too...I was in my scarf and bald and no glass of wine...just sad to be at the point I am at now to me...Want to be that 'normal' person with hair again someday...laughing without a care in the world..
No worries of tests, scans, pokes, side effects...
But I am also thankful to be getting cured..and able to fight this and win! Just hard to not be a little envious of those girls that don't get this..right?
It will be great when we come out on the other end! -
Audra -- yep, to just be carefree again.
I don't know, I'm not sure I ever was. I think I always "knew" something big and bad would happen in my life. The more time went on, the more I felt it. I was leaning more toward a bad car accident being the culprit, certainly not cancer in my 40s. Now that I look back on things, I realize big, bad things did happen earlier, I just survived them. So, now I"m learning that bad things happen, and I deal with them, and then the new normal is okay. (Okay, I realize I went a totally different direction than you were headed, but I guess I needed to get that out!)
Okay, I feel like I need to lighten up...I'm going to bundle up and go for a walk! -
Kind of worried...got my period today & its heavy (normal for me). But I am 14 days post first chemo dose. I was really hoping I would have the period-stopping side effect. I am worried about the blood loss & chemo effects on the blood. What should I watch for?
No hair loss yet, but my scalp is super tender today. Must be coming soon.
Other than that, I feel ok. No fever. Tired from a bit of insomnia last night.
Hope you all have a wonderful minimum side effect weekend! -
Quirky,
You and I will be starting together. Glad you can finally start too! I had my mastectomy Aug. 12 so it has been a long time coming fo me too. I am so anxious to get started so I can get my new boobs. Having a DIEP as soon as March.
It is hard not to notice boobs, now.
I was not going to tell people about my BC at first, then I realized that it could possibly encourage others to have their mammograms and it has had that effect. You would think working in a hospital people would be on top of things like that, but they aren't. I work on a unit with 105 employees and I know of 4 women who had mammograms scheduled after I told them about my BC. I haven't worked in 4 months so I don't know if they followed through, but I hope so.
I hope all can enjoy their weekend. It is cold and raining here in southern PA but no snow. I am not looking forward to chemo in the winter due to it being the cold and flu season, but I am looking forward to the chemo.
Nice to be able to go through this with sisters....especially those with such encouraging and helpful tips.
Gayle -
Oh, am I glad someone brought up looking at boobs!!! I was beginning to think I was a pervert or something. I find myself staring at them and thinking, are you feeling those puppies up regularly?? So I'm just a normal person after all. Thank you so very much.
Bec- you did NOT feed that thing. I only took BC for maybe 4 years in my very early 20s. My mom never took them or hormones. It just happened. I spent a lot of time wondering what I did, how did I miss it until it was the size of a tangerine? I did nothing, it crept up on me, nature threw all of us a curve ball that we couldn't hit.
Lisa- I guess I was fortunate in that this happened right before both of our open enrollments Hubby was able to get his from his job, and get a higher out of pocket plan, and I could go with my job for a really sweet $3000 out of pocket plan. And getting them separately turned out to be much cheaper
lorrymom- can't help you with anything on the periods. Stopped that particular problem several years ago. Though I've read that the therapy I'll need after everything else may STILL cause the nasty 'menopause' symptoms. Really isn't fair to make it through naturally with no problems only to have chemicals screw me up.
I discovered something that seems to help with the pond scum tongue thing. I felt lazy last night, and instead of making the baking soda rinse I brushed my teeth and tongue with the baking soda then swished water for a minute to rinse it out. It seems to be keeping the nasty mouth at bay longer, as well as helping the sore tongue.
Hubby is outside battling the snow, plowing our 130 foot driveway with his lawn tractor plow blade. Unfortunately, there's a layer of ice under the snow. Tonight's dinner is going to consist of snow ice cream. It's a southern thing mom brought up here with her from Arkansas (along with chocolate gravy). Not especially good for me, but hey, it sounds like it will at least feel good to eat it. -
You all are so funny. I also look at women's boobs, those that could be particularly dense and wonder what is lurking in there. It's hard not to. Although, I would not wish thing on anyone. I want to scream at them to examine themselves monthly because my mammogram never picked up my BC.
It's hard to tell about bc pills. I was on them for 27 years and I wonder if they had anything to do with my BC. Doctors will never speculate on that. -
Lorreymom-
I got mine last time about a week or so after 1st chemo...they told me it must've been coming and didn't get stopped but should miss this next one...we will see...I've heard on this website of girls that get theirs throughout and then even on Tamoxifen...doesn't sound good...I am hoping to NOT get one this time.
I worried about extra bleeding too and didn't get nuelasta shot or anything and my rbcs and all were good just wbcs went way low...so I don't know= everyone is different- but I don't think the blood loss is that significant...and I bleed super heavy too. -
thanks audra!! That is reassuring. I have this odd rash start this morning too...maybe cuz I am worrying?? It looks yeasty & is very itchy. I have had similar rashes in summer from heat...but this started today about 2" around, now it is about 4 - 5" around. Spotty red patches with some whitish areas. I took an antihistamine & oatmeal bath. Smeared red areas with antibiotic (polysporin)& antifungal (canestin) cream. Put on fresh laundred PJs. If that doesn't help, guess I will go to emerg. No fever! Monitoring my temp closely. Worried that this may mean my WBCs maybe low??? Or delayed reaction to meds??? I had CT scan on Tuesday and they said allegic reactions to the contrast agent can happen...maybe that is it??? -
Thanks for everyone's encouragement and support. I'm so relieved.
lorreymom, can you call you MO about it? Mine told me today to call in anything that was extensive or very itchy.
Gayle - we'll be the "younger sisters" of the November group and learn from their wisdom and experiences! My surgery was August 19- seems like forever ago. -
Ya know, I haven't really spent any time thinking too hard about what might have caused my BC.
Could be hereditary; my mom's had DCIS and uterine cancer, but she didn't have any sisters and I don't have any sisters so the "first degree relatives" comparison thing kinda stops with just us. We're 2 for 2, lol. My grandfather's sister also had BC; I grew up seeing her take care of her mastectomy scar, acquired in the late 1960s when that sort of thing wasn't talked about much, and I guess basically they just cut it off and sent her home to hope for the best. So yeah, I might have been "destined."
I smoked for years. Could have been that. Artificial sweetners? Yep, tons of 'em. I may have been a DES daughter; I do know mom had several miscarriages before she had me and that she was given SOMETHING to help prevent miscarriage --- whatever it was, I guess it worked, because I was born a month LATE.
I was on birth control pills for a few years....maybe as many as 10 years, before I had my tubes tied.
Mostly I think what caused my breast cancer is the fact that I am a woman and I had breasts. It's a crap shoot. -
Hi all, I had my first chemo nine days ago and have been fighting severe nausea ever since. I have been taking the anti-nausea meds but they just don;t seem to work. This is my second go round, I had breast cancer, double mast, chemo and rads nine years ago. I am really struggling this time around and can't imagine five more months of this.
Kim -
Thank you. It ended up taking about 6 hours, but that was just because the one of the pre meds wasn't approved yet. It's day 2. Chemo yesterday, shot today. So far it's been way better than I imagined. Do I have chemo brain or do I feel like I can't focus on anything because of all the anti nausea meds and steroids. I felt amazing this morning. I went shopping bright and early, had a great day. I am sure this will probably end tomorrow so enjoyed it as much as possible. I was wondering if I should be taking anti nausea meds only for the first couple of days, or continue regularly until I have my next appointment just to be on the safe side. Thanks for listening.
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Hi Special K,
I noticed you switched to Femara after about a month on Arimidex. Can I ask why and how you are doing on Femara? I've been on anastrozole for about a month and have joint pain in my hands. My MO is more than happy to make the switch. I am weakly ER+ (1%) and PR- so the benefit of these drugs is not compelling to begin with. I'd really appreciate your thoughts....and others who may have opinions as well!
Best to you all.
Gracers -
@notsostepfordwife (Kim) : Have you talked with your medical team about your nausea? -
@Mikesgirl -- I took the anti-nausea stuff for the first few days because I was feeling queasy when I'd wake up in the mornings, and I'd take them again if I felt queasy again later in the day. Once I stopped feeling queasy, I stopped taking the drugs. Seems to have been a workable plan for me. -
Update - woke up at 5 am due to itchiness. Looked in mirror - rash is receding. And my period is lightening. Wonder if the 2 things are related?? Whatever I am doing is working!! Woot. Smeared it with more antibiotic & anti-fungal cream. So relieved!!! Going back to bed now!! I will tell my onc...I took pictures to show him. -
I have lost about 70 % of my hair now. I didn't buzz it off yet, just waiting to see how far this hair thinning and balding will take me. It's like watching a few leaves hanging on the almost bare branches in the middle of winter by some miraculous powers. And yes, I have used a vacuum to suck up any loose hair to help the process a little.
Yesterday I ended my day crying my eyes out while taking a bath. I told my husband sobbing that ' I look like crap and feel like it too'. He said that 'no matter what I'll always be his girl', and that ' I may look like an ugly grub now, but that grub is going to turn into a butterfly one day'.
Loosing my hair doesn't seem to upset me as much as the fact that I still have the LUMP. What bothers me the most about it is that it does't seem to get smaller with the antibiotics. It seems to be the same size as when I was in the hospital. It's swollen and tender to touch. The lump is being precisely that: A LUMP, just sitting there doing NOTHING.
I want it to go away so badly. I am even visualizing it to be shrinking. Praying to the highest heavens, putting creams on, but the lump just sits there and doesn't want to part with me. Sucker!
'Looking at boobs' phenomena touched my life as well. When I see a woman with nice set of boobs, it makes me wonder how long she is going to keep them for. Even when I think of my son's grade 3 class and those cute 9 year old girls, it makes me wonder how many of those innocent girls would be, God forbid, in my situation down the road. Weird, eh?
Pat & Quirky: I do appreciate you sharing your 'infection stories' with me. In a way it makes me feel that I am not alone in my struggles. Other women were in similar situations and survived.
We have to keep on fighting!
Cheers.
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