Starting Chemo March 2015

Trvler

Ok, I know you will so no way but..I hate liver twice this week and my hemoglobin was up over 12 again. Coincidence? Maybe.

Jackbirdie

Lee- I am overjoyed and so thankful for that path report! Thanks so much for sharing. Made my day!

KBeee

Allison, I hope your kiddo feels better. I hope you have a big can of Lyson and spray every single handle, railing, etc in the house to help keep yourself from getting it. I was thinking of you today too. #8...CHECK! Rearview mirror. Onward forward. 4 to go.....woohoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HGB of 12...wow!!!! I about did cartwheels of joy when mine came up to 10.8!

Lee, Awesome news on the path report!!!!!! Makes all that chemo nastiness so worth it! My PS put almost nothing in during my surgery. Said an extra fill or 2 would save me a lot of pain. My recovery was a breeze. I don't get why some PSs fill so much. Stuffing my bra for a couple weeks was a good trade off for a super easy recovery.

Ninja, How many left for you? My blood counts changed very little from last week, so I was super excited.

Katy, That is a cute, cute hat. Love it!!!

Leigh, I was pretty much fine through 1-5. After #6, days 5 and 6 became my bad days. I just run a low grade temp and feel a little fluish. I still get out and about and work, etc...just a little short in the energy dept. I took Ibuprofen this week once I saw my temp was not going any higher those days and it made a world of difference. Days 1-4 and day 7, I really feel pretty darn good, all things considered.

Carrie, The base of the nails looks good, so if you keep them short, the bad stuff may grow out. I lost one last time and it was blue right down to the base.

Trvler

THAT'S GREAT, Lee!!! Yeah for PCR!!!!!!

rleepac

SueH - it's very common to jump to the other eye and was probably going to do that anyway. If you can stay away until at least 48 hours on antibiotic and everyone is practicing REALLY good hygiene and handwashing, it really should be ok. But if your brother has been exposed and doesn't have symptoms yet and isn't on antibiotics yet then id avoid him if you can for a few days to see if he develops it. Again....hygiene is essential with pink eye

eheinrich

Bekah: did the bracelet come?

Trvler

Daughter got for nausea...you guessed it…Zofran. I told the doctor I had a pile of it already laying around. Ugh. lol.

SueH58

Alright Lee! That's awesome news! Congrats. Take your pain pills and relish on where you are.

rleepac

Yes Eileen! Wearing it proudly

SueH58

Bekah, thanks so much for your professional expertise. I did call the MO and they didn't tell me I couldn't see my brother, that worse case scenario they'd just give me drops. But things are going pretty well for me and I don't want to put a wrench in things right before 5 of 6. I saw my brother Sunday night, and this trip may have to be a one-night visit.

shaz101

thanks Allison ☺

Lee I'm so happy for you. News like that would help you feel much better. You're kicking cancers butt!

neverthought

Treatment norms do seem to vary a lot geographically.

My MO doesn't plan any scans except mammogram one year after initial diagnosis and thereafter. It makes me nervous but on the other hand I hate tests.

My BS didn't lean either way about having a bilateral mastectomy other than to tell me that insurance would pay for it if I wanted it, but she didn't think it was necessary. I don't know if it's just in my state but she said insurance would pay for me to be symmetrical, either bilateral mastectomy or reconstruction. I don't know if I did the right thing having just one side done but didn't think I could handle recovery if I had both because of living alone. Plus nice to have one side that is not numb. I do continue to worry though about every little patch of dry skin or funny bump.

Where I work (GP office) pink eye is thought to be caused by a virus similar to a cold and shouldn't be treated with antibiotics unless it doesn't improve on its own, kind of watchful waiting they do for kids ear infections now.

Norm here seems to be AC+T then surgery. But my surgeon said CT only should be sufficient and MO went along with it, though she did recommend AC+T.

Meantime 6 weeks since last treatment and hair is growing back, though still some bald patches. And itty bitty eyelashes, or maybe I'm just kidding myself about that. Tingling in sole of foot today is a little scary as I was told neuropathy could pop up anytime and did have that hand/foot thing during chemo.

Cautiously optimistic.

Sharon - did you ever think your post would generate almost 6000 posts back? We are so lucky you started it for us. I don't know what I would have done otherwise.

Dx 1/31/15, Stage I Grade 3, 3cm dcis + invasive + lobular 0/4 nodes, ER-/PR-/HER-

Surgery 02/04/2015 Mastectomy (left)

Chemotherapy 03/11/2015 Cytoxan, Taxotere

slothabouttown

Lee, it is so great to see GOOD NEWS on this thread. You must be feeling so relieved right now. Really happy and celebrating your response!

Today I went to the MO to get my tamoxifen talk. I left realizing I really do want to fire her. I get better attention from my lawnmower repair guy when I have questions, seriously. In fact, today she chose to ask and answer all the questions herself, I guess she thought that would make things go quicker. So she sat there saying, "will I get my period again?" and then she would answer, "you may or may not get your period again." I wanted to just get her a little bald cancer patient ventriloquist dummy - she could have her own show. I don't care about my period honestly, but I did have some questions I'd been waiting for two months to ask her. When I asked her about a couple pains I'd been noticing she said, "that's weird." Now it seems like all cancer doctors should be taught what not to say to patients and "that's weird" should maybe be number one on the list. (By the way it was just about some abdominal pain which I don't really consider all that weird.) Bottom line, she said it "didn't sound like cancer" and i should talk to my pcp and she'll see me in 6 months.

SOOO, what's a dignified way to switch docs without being labeled some kind of trouble maker or pain in the ass patient? Any suggestions?

eheinrich

Just do it. I did and if someone thought I was undignified or a trouble maker or pain they didn't express that to me. This is all about you. If you had a sucky lawn mower repair guy you'd find another one, right?

SueH58

Sloth, your file will probably be flagged just like Elaine Benis' and you'll be blackballed from all Dr. Offices!  (Hope you enjoy the humorous comparison). 

Italychick

Sloth, I agree. It isn't personal to them, but it is to you. If I lost confidence in my MO, I would be out of there in one second, no looking back. Some of the assistants at my facility aren't that good, but I bypass the ones I think don't know what they are talking about.

Lee, I am so so glad to hear no cancer was left by surgery. You have to be so relieved! Awesome, awesome, awesome! Now just get through the pain of the mastectomy process and live your life. I also agree about pain medication. You have to stay in front of the pain, taking pills once you are in pain are less effective. We are a household that doesn't even take Advil normally, but when my husband broke his leg (spiral fracture) he took Percocet until the pain subsided. And I would take them too if necessary, had to take pain pills and muscle relaxers after a back injury. If the Percocet is not working for you, maybe ask about a non opiate pain reliever like Toroidol? Opiates make me nauseated. Can I say again, I am so happy for you?

slothabouttown

Yeah, I'm pretty much certain now that I need to switch. Do you think I should call my nurse naviator or maybe my breast surgeon to get help choosing another MO at the same cancer center? Or am I faced with having to have a conversation/confrontation with my current MO letting her know I need to fire her? I do kind of feel like an Elaine! just trying to understand the process of switching midstream.

Italychick

sloth, I would find another doctor however you can, and just tell the current one, no offense, but our personalities don't work well together. Find out who is better before you do the firing, and interview that MO. I interviewed four, kind of in the same network. One was such a gloomy Gus I felt I was headed for death after talking to her. The one I chose is no nonsense, answers all my questions honestly, and doesn't presume what I am going to ask her. I go in with a note pad of questions, and she answers me. I may not like the answers, but she does answer my questions. And takes everything I say seriously.

KBeee

Sloth, I changed MOs. Yours sounds like she could be related to my former MO. Same personality and callous disregard. I called nurse navigator. It is actually quite common. She reassured me that the personality fit between you and MO is critical since you willow seeing him/her for years. Contact every person you know locally who had had cancer and ask what they do and/or do not like about their MO to help you choose a better one.

Alluson, I hope your daughtrr's nausea is better. Hopefully she is on a lower dose of Zofran than you!

Trvler

I don't take the Zofran. I hate how drowsy those things make me feel. She seems better this am. She still has a slight fever.

Sloth: You owed that doctor NOTHING. I am in the process of switching. I am interviewing 2 MO's, one at the same center and one at a different place. See if you can get some recommendations on this board so at least you are flying blind. I put out a request for a specific hospital and got the same name from two people. I was talking to a survivor at Jazzercise and she also said this doctor was great. When I switch, I have no intention of telling the other doctor. If I pick the one in her center, I might see her around once in a while. I don't even care. She has made me so miserable during all this I am angry.

ninjamary

kbee - I have three (3) chemo's to go! I'm all paranoid because I've seen two ladies get booted out at #10. Usually I go the day before to get my blood drawn. Now I'm waiting until the day of the infusion for any levels to go up...even if it's just a little.

Trvler

One word: liver. Lol

Can anyone tell me what is the cutoff that if something does go wrong, it is ok to stop? 10? 11?

Leighrh

Just a random chemo life hack............ I glued down my roge tonail that wants to come off with eyelash glue....... LOL don't judge.... I wear open toe shoes everyday... I need that painted toenail.... LOL!!!!

Leighrh

AND.... YEAH LEE!!!!!!! SO glad that peskey Cancer was GONE!!!!!

KBeee

if you compare doses of people who do 4 higher dose Taxol to those doing 12 low dose, once you finish #9, you have exceeded the total dose of the 4. I always figured if I had trouble and made it to that point and had to stop, I would feel confident I had enough to get the job done.

Leigh, love your life hack! I draw my eyebrows on if I get up to per st 3 am... I will not judge!!!!

slothabouttown

Thanks everybody, I'm going to work on finding a new MO. I sure appreciate everyone's recommendations, and suggestions. My surgeon was awesome and such a skilled communicator and listener. It would be great to find someone like him, but really just someone who refrains from saying "that's weird" would be a big improvement.

ksusan

Sloth, I've been happy with everyone I've interacted with at OHSU. I've been going to Beaverton, but a lot of the docs seem to work across campuses.

pboi

Yay Lee, that's great news!

PB

Trvler

Yeah, Sloth. It's like being the one who has a SE that they say no one has ever mentioned before. Makes you feel really confident. I am sure you have read all my rants about my MO. For a moment, I thought maybe we had the same one.

Leigh: Hey, those are the kind of tips we need around here. I haven't had one go but I know exactly which one will go if it does. I get random twinges of pain in one of them.

Ok, I am going to say my hair is growing pretty fast now. I was happily surprised to see it this am. I am no Bekah but hey, she is about 2 weeks ahead of me. BTW, Bekah, we would love a new pic. It gives us hope.

Katy: How are you feeling?

Lee: I am sorry if I asked you this already but what scans did you get to see cancer free?

SueH58

Hi Gals! As I posted last week, recently came down with a yeast infection. Well my niece, who majored in Health and Wellness promotion and practices what she preachers, got me set up with probiotics gallore to clean out the yeast. Here are a couple of articles I thought you'd enjoy. Good for all of us.

http://foodmatters.tv/content/7-things-you-need-to...

http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/three-foods-that-could-change-your-life