Starting chemo July 2014

knmtwins

Did my first Herceptin yesterday. Thank goodness I had a mask on, as I was 'drippy', because I got my kids cold BUG TIME on the way home. Hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm doing hot tea, lemon, honey, Vaseline on the nose, etc. Gotta get better before surgery, in a week and a half. BTW - did any of us get anotomical implants? Having final apt with BS tomorrow morning. Whipettmom has suggested them as a possibility. Also, has anyone gotten hemroids during chemo? I don't remember that as a side effect, but...

knmtwins

Anyone have a medication spreadsheet? If not, I'll check a few other places, before making one. Also, I need to find a clipboard, you know I have some around here, that way my husband will have somewhere to write. OH, he loves his I-phone, I wonder if there is a medication spreadsheet and drains spreadsheet app.

dancingdiva

blown away, u have to worry blood counts even through radiation??? I haven't seen radiologist yet, but will most prob start in March.

dancingdiva

to the girls having mastectomies and radiation.......what did ur surgeons suggest for reconstruction if u r having any? Were implants a no go? Do u only have expanders in if u are having implants?

It's student teacher day tomkrrow and I have to be at school in 5 hours. It's 3 here and still noe sleeping!!

knmtwins

I just saw my PS. We do not know if I will need radiation, but the thought it no, but if I do, it is OK with the TE's. He did say on smaller breasted women, he will place the TE in a slightly different location (I think it was lower) as the skin does something during radiation. Reason it may be important in small rather than large, is a small change will be more noticeable. As I am doing a BMx, and I have mondo, wide, saggy, boobs that he will make smaller and have to remove skin, he is going to take the nipples on both for a more symmetrical appearance. Also, the right has to go, due to proximity of cancer, and there will no longer be 'pleasurable' feeling in the left, so why keep it.

magdalene51

Greetings July warriors. Got my biopsy results back, it is benign, a fat necrosis. Thank you all for your concern, prayers, and good thoughts.

Nancy2581

YAY Mags. So happy for you and now you can enjoy the holidays. Yippee

Nancy

ElaineTherese

Mags!

What awesome news! I'm so thrilled for you!

kmntwins and dancingdiva -- good luck with your surgery plans! I'm finally getting set up to meet with my surgeon soon. I have my MRI, PET scan, and heart scan all scheduled, and then it's FINALLY time to talk surgery.

Nancy2581

Yay for you too Elaine. Are you done with taxol? My neutrophils took a dive before #6. They were at 1.64. I was still able to get treatment, but my onc said I will probably have to do neupogen. I am going in on Monday (day before treatment) to check my bloodwork. So weird my neutrophils were slightly going up each week. Now I don't know what to expect.

Glad you have everything lined up

Nancy

knmtwins

OMG - that is wonderful news!!!!!!!!!!

Puffin2014

Great news Mags, so happy for you!

kebab

Wonderful news Mags! What a relief!

ElaineTherese

Nancy,

I still have three more Taxols, and then I'm through. I haven't had any really weird bloodwork yet, but you never know. Hope that your numbers look better on Monday!

VerukaNY

yay Mags!!! So happy for you!!

Blownaway

Dancing diva - I have read that radiation can lower your hgb - mine was not near as low before my last chemo labwork as some of the ladies on this website and they were continuing on with chemo and getting transfusions. How they get through it - I just don't know. I won't have labs again until Dec 18th (about 3 weeks after my last rad and Herceptin infusion on the same day (Nov 26).

Blownaway

Mags - so glad to hear the good news.  It was about time to get some good news, it's been overdue. So glad for you!

CoyoteNV

Yeah Mags. That is wonderful news.  Thanksgiving definitely starts today.

dancing - I have implants from 2012-13 reconstruction and I am currently having radiation treatments.  My RO says there should by no impact to the implants. We discussed it in depth.  With the technology available these days, TE's and implants should come through radiation fine; however, with that said, I will see my PS after I am finished with radiation. 

I am 1 month post final chemo, 2 weeks into rads, and feeling so-o-o-o much better.

dancingdiva

mags, so happy for you!!!! Yay!!!! Big hugs

Blownaway

Coyote - I have implants and the doctor slowed my rads down. I had 7 weeks instead of 6.

RainDew

yaaaaaaaaaaay mags!! Awesome news!!

Puffin2014

Here's this week's photo, the back is definitely filling in, still patchy in front, but pleased how much difference I see even in just a week.

pinkninja9560

yeah Mags!!! That is awesome!

Nancy2581

puffin YAY for hair growing back. You've actually got quite a bit. If I ever get through this darn taxol (6 left) maybe mine will grow back too. Hate being bald it's just a constant reminder

AJ62

Yay for you Mags... good news!

Puffin : How nice your hair is growing back ! Mine is still fuzzy wuzzy!

I am done with CHEMO as of Monday the 17th!! Because of my neuropathy so bad in my hands and now my feet, my Onco says to skip the last one for Monday the 24th!! So no bell to ring other than the bells in my own head from this long journey since July 18th! LOL

Friday I had a MAMMO and it ( the tumor ) looked SO much smaller... it was up to 8x9cm a few months back! *Sigh*

Then I went for my MRI with contrast right afterwards, and will get those results I guess on the 2nd of Dec. when I go for Pre-Op.

Tuesday this week I go for my thyroid biopsy, as the ultrasound showed a solid mass that was almost 2 inches big... and a smaller one or two in there and I should have the results the same day for pre-op as my surgeon was the one whom ordered it looking at my neck and being I am hypothyroid already....my right neck is swollen a bit.

Oh.. also am to see a Pulmonologist before surgery as there was wheezing I was having with this bronchitis I have had and a constant cough throughout this journey.

Anyone else dealing with such horrible peripheral neuropathy in their hands or feet? I am now Type 2 diabetic from this chemo...Oh joy! NOT!

Bad enough I have carpul tunnel as it is... this crap is the pits!! My fingers are just horrible, have broken my nails, all but my thumb nails, could not tell I did so when they happened.

On a good note... I live on a slightly remote road, no bus line.

It had rained last night here in Florida, mushy grass every where....puddles.....and on my way to the convenience store I saw a lady walking. I have seen her before and figured she lived in the condos by me or neighborhood off the curve....well she was still walking after my store strip for milk, and I said, I am going to take her home.

I stopped and asked where she was heading. OMG, she was going to WALK OVER 5 MILES too work... bad enough she will have to walk it home, but I drove her and mentioned I would if I could next Saturday if she is not off, take her. We exchanged numbers and she gave me her work schedule..... Makes me sad seeing women out there having to walk...men too but WOW... here she is a CNA and stands all shift.

I felt I should give back and did today as I was driven to quite a few treatments from the cancer society.

I feel like crapola a bit today but I helped some one in need. I could not walk that to save my life. *S*

dancingdiva

AJ, liked ur story of giving back.

How come u have mri done after chemo

knmtwins

Imaging after chemo is for those of us who are doing chemo before having the cancer removed.

Now - I agree, why? I'm having mine removed the day after my MRI.

magdalene51

I'm scheduled for a second PET scan at the end of December. MO said it's because of the spots they couldn't remove with surgery last May. There's a node behind the sternum that would have required opening the chest for and they didn't want to do that. (Wow! I can't even imagine!) So they want to see if that has shrunk at all. I had an MRI before my surgery as well, knmtwins. I think they do that to make sure they know more closely the location and size of the tumor(s). The PET is to determine whether there are mets anywhere.

Nancy2581

mags - good luck with the pet. I hope that little sucker is completely gone.

I had taxol #7 today. My neutrophils are hanging on by a thread. Pretty sure I am going to have to do neupogen shots at some point. My absolute neutrophils were at 1.59. If they are between 1.0 and 1.5 they will still give you chemo and then neupogen shots. If they drop below 1.0 chemo is delayed a week. I hope not. I am suppose to be done December 30 th. I'd like to start the new year off without chemo and put this year behind me.

magdalene51

Nancy, wouldn't we all?

Nancy2581

LOL Mags - you're right. We would all like to put this stinky year behind us.