Starting Chemo March 2015

so-she-did

Sue, I found an instructional video!

Italychick

omg, seriously! I am laughing my ass off right now, no pun intended.

so-she-did

Where'd the link go? Having trouble with the live link because it is a video. I think you can copy and paste it now into a browser if I did this right. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pYcv6odWfTM

so-she-did

Definitely needed this laugh tonight!

Sloth - sorry you had a freak out moment starting radiation today. I go in for my consult June 15th so it has been helpful to hear of your experience.

Yay to those who finished chemo today!!!!! Congrats! And I agree, Molly you look like you are 12!

Katy - I'm sorry you have to delay chemo. Hoping that all of your blood work comes back looking great tomorrow and they are able to resume soon.

KB - a million thanks for sharing the hair growth pics and video! I didn't realize how little time had passed between the two BCs. I can totally understand not wanting to add the 16 month pic.

wpmoon

Theresa, I'm feeling okay. Mostly tired and dealing with some heartburn. Had hot flashes all last night and didn't sleek too well, likely due to the steroids.

Have my last chemo scheduled and my radiation consultation set up. No breaks for me as far as appointments go!

I'll have to watch the poop video later. I'm falling asleep 😴

greenae

Congratulations, Molly and Neverthought!

Katy, I hope you feel better soon!

TCx4, is my Trip Neg regimen, and I am done tomorrow. Will you're docs let you ring the bell with 4? I hope so!

To all at the bar this week, I hope you have an easy time, minimal SEs, and can feel better soon.

Remember, WE GOT THIS SHIT! And we have our sisters!

My Love and Thanks to All of You!

Wide Awake on Decadron, Arlene

P.S I have written my last med list...

Jackbirdie

Arlene- YES MA'AM! I will ring these bells for you tomorrow! I believe Leigh finishes her last AC tomorrow also. Congrats to both of you strong ladies for choking the sandwich down!

Let's see. Party hats, confetti, bells ringing, a marching band and the checkered flag for you two!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉📣📣📣🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔📣📣📣🎷🎺🎼🎹🎼🎺🎷🎷🎺🎹🎷🎷🎺🎺🎷🎺🎷🎶🎵🎶🎵. 🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁

And here's a trophy for each of you!

🏆🏆

greenae

Awww, thanks, Katy! And I want you to join us real soon. I see hats, confetti and bells for You!

I certainly will not miss the decadron. Have to be up in 41/2 hrs. Think I will gofind a snack before I shop online... Lol

Hugs!

Arlene

Positive_spirit

Bekah, checking in on you from the April chemo sister group. Are you any better with the anal fissure? Theresa suggested coconut oil. I used it over 3 days on my butt, and followed someone else's advice to make small suppositories and use those. Happy to report progress and much less painful bowel movements. On the way to healing, even if my MO rolled her eyes at this home remedy. She said "guess they use coconut oil for everything" and I know she does not have my butt problem!

Meme117

Congrats Arlene!! You are so organized with your list.

Amy I haven't watched the video yet but I will.

Sloth thanks for the radiation info. I was thinking of you yesterday, I think I'm really hoping to have to be prepped for that adventure.

Here's a blog article I liked this am http://www.stupiddumbbreastcancer.com/myblog/we-dont-get-over-we-get-through/5/16/2014

SC_Coqui

Theresa and Amy - you guys have me cracking up.

Congrats to the ladies finishing up. I'm jealous! Today is my #4 of Taxol/Herceptin. Sometimes it's hard to keep count! After today 8 more to go. Do we count Herceptin as still being "on chemo"?

I'm going to pick up some glutamine as some have suggested. I've started feeling some slight numbness on my pointer fingers but nothing major. If I can head it off then I will.

BBwithBC45

Hi Ladies, checking in.

Wonderful to see so many of us "graduating" already from chemo. And the others getting closer to graduation each day. I see that some chemo centers have bells to ring, some give out certifications. Mine didn't have any of this going on, but some of the nurses did come by and talked to me to mark the moment.

Last Tuesday I went for my Herceptin only infusion and it was so different from the previous chemo trips. It was easy-breezy - just blood work and then no pre-meds, just 30 minutes for Herceptin and I was on my way. I'm finally done with nausea, I think. I have a little soreness in my bones, but not much.

SC - I call my Herceptin only treatments pseudo-chemo.

I'm getting ready for my revision surgery on Monday, that is if my primary doctor clears me given my not-so-perfect blood work results.

I will be starting Tamoxifen after the surgery and I'm a little anxious about its side effects. I know one of them might be nausea and I so hope I will be spared that one. The thought of being on this med for 5 years is sometimes overwhelming especially because I wasn't on any prescribed meds for a long time before BC.

Leighrh

In the chair right now!! Last AC... No bell ringing because I have Taxol to go on to. But certainly hoping it's an easier time!!!

Congrats to all Chemo graduates!!! Here's to no more SE's and hair growth.

Jackbirdie

Leigh - oh yes you do get bell ringing today! This is an important milestone and you should celebrate yourself!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🎺🎷🎺🎷🎼🎼🎺🎷🎶🎶🎶🎵🎶🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏆

Italychick

Positive Spirit, glad the coconut oil helped. My MO also doesn't hold much faith in anything that hasn't been through trials and proven to work, but she also can't account for my minimal side effects during chemo, so I guess they don't know everything. I have mainly only had icky mouth and some intestinal issues for a few days, and have been able to ride my bike, work and do everything through chemo. A couple of my fingers have gotten funky but not too bad, and of course I lost body hair except for my legs lol. Still have to shave them.

I'm on a decadron high today, but I am still able to sleep 8 hours at night even with the steroid. Guess my bike riding tires me out enough to sleep.

Katy, my bike charm came and it is cute! I will try to post a picture later. My brother is still here, and we are going to Legoland today with all the kids. So it will be a pretty hectic day, but fun.

Wpmoon, hang in there. We only have one more chemo treatment - woohoo!

avmom

Leighrh, congrats on finishing AC. I finished AC a while ago, and was in the chair on Tuesday for my third of four dose dense Taxol. For me, the Taxol hasn't been easy, but the nausea has nearly disappeared. My tummy is still twitchy, but it is much better.

Joining in on the poop theme, I have now replicated someone else's experience (I forget who, chemo brain has got me tight in its grip today) in that I am today pooping out completely undigested food. I made a vegetarian stew last night, with sweet potatoes, chick peas, and red peppers, etc. which didn't taste too bad, considering that my tastebuds are shot at the moment, but this morning, when I had my bm, damned if the red pepper didn't slide out, in exactly the same state it went in. Super wierd. I can't imagine I'm getting much nutritional benefit if food is just going straight through.l

Looks like today will be a rough one. The artificial energy from the dexamethasone has worn off, and the bone pain is cranking up. Think I'll lay low for a while.

Gentle hugs to all.

molly1976

I was up all night from steroids for the first time ever! They never bothered me until my very last dose, go figure. At least that's over.

I met with the RO today and she thinks I will only have to do 4 weeks of rads which would be so awesome. I might be done with all this crap by mid-July!

SpecialK

I did not require rads as I had ALND and good margins in the tissue removed by mastectomy, but a fellow poster from Triple Pos used this skin care regimen for rads.  Her doctor was so impressed with her skin at the end he started implementing the regimen for his patients.  I have also passed this on the friends here locally who have had rads - they all did very well with it too.  It is a lot of steps, but worth it if it keeps your skin healthy.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topic/764183?page=142#post_2810892

Look for the January 18, 2012 post by OMAZ.

Congrats to all finished/finishing!  For those who have hit a roadblock, it will get figured out - try not to worry. 

It is indeed true that for breast cancer patients finishing active treatment there can be a period of anxiety - this is super common.  One of the reasons I think this happens is that at the beginning we are shell-shocked and don't really process wtf just happened.  Once treatment is winding down we start processing on a mental/emotional level - this is a good time to speak with a counselor and take care of yourself - have regular massages, pedicures, do yoga - whatever ways you spoil yourself - you have all been through an ordeal.

For those now on Herceptin only, it is not chemo but rather a targeted monoclonal antibody, and the SE are usually pretty mild - it can slow hair growth and the runny nose usually continues.  If you experience bone pain ask to have your infusion slowed either to 60 or 90 mins - this works for many.  The dosing instructions authorize a 30 min infusion, but it can produce bone pain.

molly1976

My chemo nurse said giving extra fluids with Herceptin helps with the bone pain, too. That's what they do for patients at my center who have problems with it.

Trvler

Special: I think the whole experience is going to bear some resemblance to PTSD.

Congrats to everyone who has finished. I have been out of it this week from worrying about my first Taxol and all the kids' activities. May is the month for all of the year end stuff and I am trying not to miss any deadlines.

Jackbirdie

Theresa- absolutely cannot wait for the updated F bracelet pics.

Special- thanks again so much for watching over us and always leading with the accurate and the positive. Not mutually exclusive thank goodness!

Allison, I've been thinking s lot about you and sending the good mojo. I know you're not yourself. Feel this hug coming your way now.

Just got done with labs. All fairly decent. Liver enzymes perfect! Yay! WBC dropped a bit, as well as baby whites, to be expected. They rescheduled me for next week so not too bad. Here I am wearing a gift from a friend. The heart earrings and the scarf. Things are definitely looking up. Thanks for all of the wonderful support.

molly1976

Glad you are feeling better, Katy!

BBwithBC45

Allison, how is your heart issue going - the clot? I'm hoping it's back to normal now.

Carrie37

I am home from Taxol #5 and sitting in a warm bath because my rear hurts from diharrea. The worst part for me is that I also feel constipated. That has started earlier this week. A little bit of the D followed by not much else but the urge. MO ordered an X-ray to check for any blockage. Anyway, sorry if TMI, they said my doctor would get the results late today or tomorrow. They will call if there is a problem. Yea right, I'm not falling for that one and will call tomorrow AM. I can't imagine there is blockage as I have had D since I left their office. But apparently you can have both at the same time. Either way, I am so over these bathroom issues. It changes from moment to moment. Ugh, cancer is so stupid.

Katy, glad to see you sitting up and feeling slightly better about the delay in treatment.

Bekah, how are you doing after infusion today? Other then the bathroom issues my infusion was uneventful today. I know we have other chair twins on Thursday but I can't remember who. Hope all of you have minimal SE' 😊👍

SC_Coqui

Carrie, I'm going through the same constipation / diarrhea issues. Totally sucks. I've been taking probiotics and it seems to help.

I'm home from infusion #4, 1/3 of the way done with Taxol. That's the way I keep myself going is by going based on fractions and percentages of what's complete. I'm exhausted both from the chemo and from being in the chair for 5 hrs. My AC infusions were much shorter. And this one wasn't as bad because my lab work was done. Next week I need to get labs as well so that will be at least 6 hrs of being there. I've asked them to move me as early as possible in the day.

I've also gained some weight even though I'm not eating as much, not fair! And right now my stomach is cramping up something fierce. Also my last few eyebrows seem to be ready to give up... just 2/3 left of taxol, just 2/3 left of taxol...

SC_Coqui

How I'm feeling about all of this right now...

Carrie37

right there with you SC! Ugh!

TerryMarie

Had my last sesh Friday past, I know I already announced that, SE's are just as shitty as before, today was an especially crappy day and I'm losing my care giver this Saturday ( mom ) , time to pull up my big girl pants and get over this on my own ( with help from daughters and a friend ) ...diarrhea, sore, aching bones, horrible mouth feel, all my fave foods taste like salt and only salt (except ice cream which is still good and funnily enough, ice cream cakes are the best). Can't breathe well out of my nose , face is still red , eyes look like piss holes in the snow . It's been 7 days since the last one and Im so ready to start feeling half way normal, I think Im a few weeks out of that though.

I know this is a moot point but why the hell does it have to be so freaking hard.

Feeling crappy , but theres a light, it's done and we will come out the other side. This I know. Until then, Im a miserable cranky woman.

Italychick

Just got back from Legoland, followed by Neulasta shot, I had them reschedule an appointment and they printed me a new schedule. They scheduled a round 7 for July 8! I'm like what is this? They said oh your MO puts a round 7 on there in case she wants to do one more round. I said there is no way I am doing a round 7, I am done at 6. wtf? No way in hell. I'm still not convinced I even needed 6, and on steroids today I will take anybody on lol.

Burning gut a bit today, mouth feeling a little icky, and I have a houseful tonight.

But a bike ride tomorrow for me! Still can't believe I could do one right after my chemo infusion yesterday.

Feel like a complete bloated cow today.

Italychick

Here is the bike charm!