Starting Chemo March 2015

Lovemylab

As you can see from my Avatar, Oliver got a new sweaky green bone which he likes very much. He is such a great dog. My aspiring vet daughter keeps remaining me that he is getting too big. We ( Oliver and I)don't use the FAT word. I tell her he is happy, gets lots of exercise but talks my ear off if I don't feed him soon enough. Not to much to ask. I'll see what the real vet says next week.

Sorry jabbering on about pets but I'm not to the stage of estrogen blockers yet.. One thing at a time. Was considering getting some backyard chickens as you can do that in St Paul... Now that chickens are royalty or gods on this site, I should think more seriously about it.

Mo

so-she-did

Crap! I got stuck on November! I don't know how you made it all the way to March, lovemylab.

So far my MO is saying 5 years for Tamoxifen but will revisit that once we get closer. I just keep popping that pill everyday and try not to think of how many years I have to take it. He also said that if my period doesn't come back within a year he would switch me to something else. Do I have to switch or can I just stay on Tamox? My thought is if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Right now Tamox hasn't been too bad. I don't want to switch to something else that may deplete my bones (I'm only 42!) or cause bone pain, etc.

Whitney, you are a terrific writer. You have put into words so many things I have felt. I hope you think about pursuing a book deal with your blog.

Still battling the radiation fatigue but it is very slowly lifting. The PT today worked on my neck and shoulders since, evidently I have reduced range of motion due to tight muscles. The massaging and exercises seemed to help with the fatigue, too. I felt more energized leaving that appointment and actually made it to the grocery store today. I still haven't managed to get myself to the post office to mail the bracelet but have that prioritized for tomorrow morning when I have the most energy.

shaz101

katy . Just finished watching your utube videos. Tutti is just gorgeous and I love your house. It has such a lovely feel. I'm looking forward to sleeping in my bed! I will probably start working out my dates soon.

I've heard somewhere that you can't fly long distances while on tamoxifen. Does anyone know anything about this?

Amy I got confused reading your post, my brain hurts lol. Why are you stuck on November?

Mo great photo. I love labs, they do love their food. I had one but she died from a bee sting. I cried for a long time after that. She was in the vets for a few days. Even they were devastated and shocked by it.

so-she-did

Hahaha! I can imagine that my comment taken out of context is quite strange! Sorry for confusing you Sharon. Lovemylab is getting treatment for chemo brain and one of the tasks she has to do is name the months of the year backward.

I'm wondering if the flying advisory on Tamox is due to the possibility of blood clots. Maybe compression leggings and moving around would help?

Italychick

Sharon, I have had the knee pain too, along with calf and behind the knee pain. The month after chemo ended, it was pretty bad, only taking Advil helped. It is getting better, but still not all gone yet. It is worse when I first wake up in the morning. I'm pretty sure it is chemo related. Also still get tingling in my lower legs, but not bad enough to be debilitating.

Jackbirdie

I agree, the concern with flying while taking T would be a slight risk of blood clots. Getting up and moving every hour, staying hydrated, and for sure address it also with your LE specialist. Flying can trigger LE. So you must wer your regular compression sleeve. Some people also wear compressions socks too for an especially long flight.

wpmoon

Tutti is adorable!

jumbledbamboo

well it's late and i wandered in here...IDK if i mentioned but my arm has been swollen since Friday. I got in and it is Lymedema. I caught it early that they say I should just need PT. It was very rushed as they squeezed me in. I will be starting PT but am upset that this is yet another in a long list of diagnosis. I am down. I wish I had started posting here sooner so I could have been more involved in this group. It would have been helpful in the bumpy ride !

Jackbirdie

Jumbled- never too late. Glad you're here now. So sorry about the LE. Another decker on the many-deckered shit sandwich. It's good you caught it early. Stop in more often!

jumbledbamboo

I will!

shaz101

jumbledbamboo I know exactly how you feel. I have LE there are a few of us in that sucky club. I'm glad you've caught it early. Have they given you exercises and self massage to do? Thinking of you xxx and it's never to late to join our family ☺

Thanks Theresa I'm sorry you had pain but I'm happy I'm not alone.

I normally fly with flight stocking on. Believe it or not I have LE in both legs. I have had it for over 10 years. It only bothers me in summer. If I'm fit it is much better. So I'm not sure how I'll go this summer.

Trvler

One of the MO's I was interviewing is involved in a study of whether you need to take those drugs for 5 or 10 years. I don't know specifically which one. He said they were 3 years into it. But I was talking to the nurse and she said she thinks they will conclude 10 years. Also, she said they give the one that starts with L (cannot recall all those drugs names) because people tolerate it better.

KBeee

Allison, They are probably putting you on Letrozole, the generic of Femera. I will be starting the same thing in October after rads. I had to have my ovaries out first, which was done back in February

Trvler

Yes, that's it, Karen. I just heard about it a few weeks ago so I couldn't remember the name.

slothabouttown

Sharon, how are you doing in general with the LE through radiation? Have the treatments added to your arm swelling? Are you still having to get that arm wrapped or wearing a compression sleeve?

Jumbled, I'm sorry to hear that you've developed LE too. I wear a sleeve every day and it drove me crazy for the first few weeks, gave me such anxiety I had to leave work early some days because I couldn't stand the compression. Now I put it on every morning and don't notice it all day. It's amazing what we learn to tolerate through all of this, and what we eventually accept as normal.

When I replaced my sleeves last month I got a black one instead of the bandage colored one. Then I picked up a nonmedical black sleeve at a sporting goods store so if I am out and don't want to feel self conscious I just wear a sleeve on each arm under my t shirt and people just think I'm sporty. At least that's what I tell myself, I'm sure with my chubby frame, my flat chest and my 1/2 inch long hair I'm not really fooling people!

Jackbirdie

Carrie- I'm guessing you are on final countdown to your surgery tomorrow

I just wanted to let you know I'll be thinking of you. They will take good care of you and i'm sure it will be smooth sailing after what you've been through already.

You are strong. And you have all of your March sisters around you. Hugs, Katy

wpmoon

Saw my MO today - mentioned I'm still having daily nosebleeds, despite being 9 1/2 weeks PFC. He's concerned, so I'm seeing a head/throat doctor tomorrow who's gonna have a look up my nose.

Apparently I won't be starting Tamoxifen until after Herceptin is over in February/March, so I have a ways to go before I need to fall down that rabbit hole. Hoping I can lose my chemo weight in that time frame so that way I can counteract any Tamoxifen weight gain.

Overheard in the waiting area before my appointment today: "I'm so grateful I'm not here being treated for cancer. I know a lot of people who are here are getting chemotherapy, and I'm just here for iron infusions."

Well, GOOD FOR YOU!

Jackbirdie

Whitney- ugh. People can be so fucking annoying. Sorry you had to hear THAT! Good luck with your nose. Hopefully it's just irritated and dry due to allergies or something simple like that.

Jackbirdie

just came around the corner and saw this. Awwwwww......

ksusan

Awwww.

pboi

Ugh...Whitney, so awful you had to hear that! Sorry to hear about the nosebleeds still. Hopefully it's something that will resolve on its own very soon. Maybe you're just taking a little longer to get over the Taxol SE?

Katy...so cute! Are they best friends mostly? Or is it a love/hate relationship?

PB

Jackbirdie

PB- somewhere in between. Jack is a bit jealous. But Tutti seems to know how to pick her moments. She's so long!!!

SizzleStitch

Just want to say hello. I pop in every now and then to check on everyone here but mostly check the Facebook page these days. By the time I read through all the forum posts , I completely forget it all and feel totally inadequate to write anything :-/. I still don't have any retention. I know for the most part, you all are doing pretty well and I am so glad for that.

I still have problems with anxiety of reoccurrence and sometimes reading the posts here make it a bit worse which is the main reason I only check in occasionally. I wish I felt stronger. I do keep all of you in my thoughts. ❤️

shaz101

sloth, I wear the sleeve everyday. The arm went down a little but I stuffed it up on the weekend when I trimmed the hydrangea. I was so angry with myself! That's a good idea with the black sleeves. I think i might pinch that. I have to wear a gauntlet too as the back of my hand swells. I'm also getting used to it and it doesn't generally upset me as much (apart from the fact that I've undone all the good work! I hope it goes back down). The gauntlet part has caused a sire spot between my thumb and finger.

Katy that photo is gorgeous.

Whitney. Some people are so stupid.

Sizzlestitch I'm glad you popped in to say hello. It's very overwhelming trying to catch up. Don't try, just say hello! We all understand. Many of us are going through a bit of anxiety of reoccurrence. I think it is very normal.

Carrie37

Thanks Katy! And Tutti is so cute! I'm in the countdown to surgery for sure. In 17 hours they are supposed to start. I am so emotional. It just makes me so sad. Cancer is so stupid. I can't believe that I am so upset over losing part of my body that has tried to kill me but my breasts also provided nourishment for my son for the first 1.5 years of his life. I worry how he will feel when he sees me after surgery. So many emotions. I can't even tell you how grateful I am for all of you. Thanks for always being there.

slothabouttown

our thoughts will be with you tomorrow Carrie and we'll celebrate together when we get your post surgery update! You've got this!

Italychick

Whitney, have you tried using saline nose spray? They sell an atomized version at the grocery or drug store, I use it all the time, and it seems to help with my nose. I haven't had any bleeding, but do get dry nose, especially when we go to the mountains, and sometimes I get nosebleeds there.

As for the comment you overheard, pfffft to that person! People are so stupid sometimes. I had to hear a woman today tell me about every cancer person she knew and their story. I hate that. It started with her asking me how I was doing, and she never waited to hear, just launched into a bunch of cancer stories. Yeah, thanks, keep that crap to yourself please!

Carrie37, so sorry. I will be thinking of you, and hope all goes well.

We've gotten a little heavy lately. Somebody needs to tell a joke or funny story!

jumbledbamboo

Well I feel a bit put off. The visit was so rushed. In out. No exercises given. I tried to call about PT got shuffled around. My arm is more swollen today. I really want to get treatment started like yesterday! Family crap doesn't help. Wuugh.

littleblueflowers

Joke: what do you call 2 lepers in a hot tub??

Italychick

can't even guess!