Chemo in July 2015

gargengirl09

I've been MIA due to the extreme fatigue the Taxol has brought on. I had my last chemo on Friday, November 13. So glad that is behind me. Hoping the fatigue subsides soon!

I start me every three week infusion of Herceptin tomorrow.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are doing something different this year. We are delivering meals to people who are home bound or don't have family to visit. A local restaurant makes the dinner for over 2,000 people! Will be nice to pay it forward. We are all running on fumes it seems. It's been six months since my diagnosis and we are just ready to get back to our "normal" lives.

Bliss58

@gargengirl, Congrats on your last chemo! Whoot!! Whoot!! My last treatment really kicked my butt with fatigue, too. I had my first Herceptin-only tx a week ago Thursday, and what a treat! It was a piece of cake, so to speak, compared to the TCHP. I didn't have any SEs and feel great. I'm hoping the same for you!

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate next week.

Peabrain

Hello, everyone!

It's been a rough week after my 9th T/C treatment, crazy short of breath. Think crawling from the bathroom floor to bed at night. My MO diagnosed me yesterday as "pretty beat up", sent me for hydration and gave me next week off chemo. The timing is great, with company coming in for the holiday on Monday. I might even be able to taste something on Tday!

Somehow in all that, my hemoglobin came up so I have avoided a transfusion this week. The weird looking rash on my hands is an allergic reaction to the Taxol. No one seems alarmed, so I am treating it with hydrocortisone.

It is seeming very likely that my chemo will be cut short, after my next (10th) treatment. I feel very mixed about not going the distance, but will be happy to start healing. Radiation can't be so bad, right?

When is everyone scheduled to finish up?

Hugs to everyone this weekend.

mdoc524

Hi All .. Rough week for me too.. Went for Taxol #6 yesterday & hemoglobin dropped to 7.4 - got my Taxol but had to get the dreaded blood transfusion today - 2 units - took 5 hours. Strange feeling having someone else's blood in me. I told the nurse I wanted Jennifer Anniston's blood & maybe my hair will grow back in like hers - a girl can dream! Don't feel any better probably due to 6th Taxol and/or Neupogen shot.

Gargengirl - great to hear from you! Congrats on finishing- must feel great. What an awesome pay it forward for Thanksgiving you do. Good luck.

Peabrain - my last day of chemo if no delays is 1/2/16 - knock on wood no more delays for me! I would have mixed feelings too but would love to end early - put a fork in me I am so done with chemo - the next 6 weeks seem like an eternity. Hope your rash goes away

Have a great rest of weekend everyone

Mary

PS - here is my lovely allergic reaction rash to Taxol that is now all over both hips, butt, elbows and left calf. MO gave me 6 day steroid pack to start tomorrow .. Sooo itchy

Batesburg

Hi Peabrain and everyone,

I have been really quiet in posting as it seems all my energy is in getting through the last of this chemo. The end is in sight and I love to hear all you others finishing up.....

Peabrain- I tell you that carboplatin is relentless. Glad you got through not having to get a transfusion. Our bone marrow just wants to do the right thing, doesn't it?? It gets slammed on a weekly basis and it still rises to the occasion and gets back to work producing blood cells. I am deeply moved by our bodies and their beauty in finding homeostasis even with chemo's toxic onslaught.

FYI: My MO's NP told me that getting 80% of a regimen is still considered completing a course of chemo successfully....so, 10/12 gives you an 83.33333333% completion rate. Take it and run!!! Any one else hear this about 80% completion = success.

I have completed my 2nd AC (getting this at the end of treatment)- they had to reduce the dose by 25% because I developed a very scary case of febrile neutropenia (AND platelets down to 14- major risk to spontaneously bleed anywhere in the body- needless to say, I got a hefty infusion of platelets very quickly) and was hospitalized for 5 nights. I had more IV antibiotics flowing into me than I thought possible. I literally peed every 15-30 minutes from all the fluids. Thankfully, my fever came down quickly and eventually my ANC came up to over 500. My MO says my bone marrow is extremely sensitive and so is my tumor to this stuff....have to take the bad with the good.

This weekend I am at my nadir of the reduced AC dose and I am feeling OK- no fever, thank goodness. So, two more reduced dose rounds and DONE! I will be done before Xmas!!!!

This AC is a cake walk compared to the carbo/taxol flu for 12 weeks!!! It is not only different, it is EASIER for me, aside from the stupid bone marrow attack. What I mean is I am really tired for 3-4 days and then I snap out of it and am basically functioning pretty well. Hope I don't have to eat these words with the last two infusions.

Peabrain, I will most likely have to have radiation - they did find a positive lymph node and even if I get a mastectomy, I imagine I will have to get radiation for the lymph node and other. Kind of like, seal the deal with this final onslaught of cancer killing rays. Someone told me that radiation is much easier than chemo but a bummer because you have to go daily.

Best to you all for a glorious Thanksgiving remembering all there is to be grateful for each and every day!

Peabrain

oh boy, ugly rash photos! Here's mine. My MO says it's an allergic reaction to the Taxol centered on my joints. Instead of itchy, it's sort of hurty like a scrape.

Batesburg - I'm very glad to see you resurface! And cake walking, besides! For me, the first two AC were the worst, so hopefully you're in the groove.

I like your math. 83% and running. Or add my AC treatments and call it 14 of 16 for 87.5%. Better than a half marathon.

I noticed tonight that my head hair is starting to grow - fluffy wild wispy ones on my head. Too goofy looking when they catch the light. Might have to shave them again until they get real

Thunder7

Dear Peabrain,

My MO also said when we were discussing chemo (TC dense dose) that if I started to have serious neuropathy I should stop treatment. He went on to say that if I completed 3 of the 4 infusions that I would have most likely taken care of any cancer cells. The 4th infusion was for "insurance".

I am so sorry about your rash.

Mary sorry about your rash too.

Gardengirl, congratulations on completing Taxol!! Whoo Hoo!

I am 8 weeks PFC, feeling really good. TE's were installed on Oct 26th. Since I had sub pectoral implants before BC he was able to remove old implants, add some allograft and fill the TE's half way. Have had 2 additional fills and hope to finish with the fills mid December, then patiently (I must admit I am way more patient now than before BC) wait for 3 months for my exchange.

I think of all of you daily and hope your continued journeys are smooth sailing. Thank you all for the fabulous support.

Have a great Thanksgiving ladies!

Love,

Thunder7

PS My hair is now 1/2 and inch long, eyebrows are coming back after having disappeared a week ago along with my eyelashes. I think the eyelashes are returning but DH thinks I have a little too much wishful thinking. :-)

Sharazhad707

Hey everyone, sorry for the delayed response, The road to Mordor is not an easy one Thank you all for the supportive words. I think I have finally come to terms with losing my breasts and taking the future a day at at time. My recent chemo-side effect is Chemo-brain, you know where you forget things, and speak slower, and lose track of events and sometimes make incoherent sentences? Anyone else getting this? Im not suprised honestly since my brain is marinating in a cocktail of cyto-toxins.

Anway apart from that, I wanted to bring this to your attention. http://www.cosmopolitan.co.za/health-fitness/body-...

Instagram bans pictures of post mastectomy tattoos etc!! WTF... Not cool at all... I think we need to make some noise about this....

mdoc524

Hi All - coming up for air from what was probably my lowest feeling day on Taxol yet yesterday! I got 2 pints of blood on Saturday and thought maybe I would get a boost of energy and feeling good - Taxol had other plans and just felt so beat up and had to start 6 day Steroid Dose Pack too - hoping it cures my rash. Not really sure how if I am reacting to Taxol that one week of steroids will stop the rash from the rest of my 6 treatments - so fingers crossed.

Batesburg - so great to hear from you - sorry to hear you were in hospital for neutropenia and platelets .. I actually was in for 4 days on my 2nd AC for neutropenic fever - not fun - hope no more of that for you and your last 2 go smoothly..

Peabrain - your rash does not look fun - it looks like it hurts - hope it gets better - can you put anything on it ??

Thunder - so glad you are doing well and TE's are in without an issue.. I have had my TE's since May and have to wait 3 months post Radiation for the exchange which puts me at probably May - - the waiting is the hardest part sometimes! Good Luck

Sharazhad707 - totally can relate to chemo brain - just hoping when it is all over brain recovers ... now I knew there was a reason I don't go on Instagram .. horrible!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! In the spirit - I am truly thankful for all of you and this site! Your support has helped me thru some really rough spots in this lovely fight against BC! Gobble Gobble - Enjoy! We are very fortunate here as a few of the Mom's of my boy's friends are cooking us Turkey Dinner and delivering it to us as we decided not to join our families this year and stay home! People are just so generous!

Mary

mdoc524

Happy Happy Thanksgiving my friends! I am so thankful to have "virtually" met you all & for your support! Hope everyone can enjoy the Holiday!

We are fortunate here - sad to stay home & not be with extended family but 2 Mom's of my boys friends are cooking & delivering turkey dinner for us - people are just so nice!

Mary

27heart

Hi everyone, I've noticed that some of you have completed chemo, and I just graduated yesterday!! I rang the chemo bell 4 times, in dedication to God, Family, Friends, and the Heath care team! It was a very emotional moment. Chemos over :')

Will be hanging out in surgery threads now, I'm heading for my bmx in Jan, then radio therapy in Feb.

Hang in there girls! See you at the finishing line!!

27heart

mdoc524

27Heart - you are absolutely beautiful and Congrats and hugs to you for completing !!! I bet it felt awesome with each ring of the bell!! Good luck with surgery - keep us posted on how you are doing! surgery will seem like a breeze compared to chemo ...

Mary

Thunder7

Congratulations 27Heart You look wonderful. Will be keeping you in my prayers for your surgery. Thunder7

Peabrain

Rash update: I was able to put cortisone cream on it and it is mostly healed. Just in time for Monday's chemo treatment!

@mdoc - is your rash any better?

Had a wonderful family Tday, had a beach picnic yesterday and today is turkey enchiladas with the whole crew. Tired but happy.

Happy Thanksaturday to you all!

RuthElizabeth

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I added a little pink for the kids, haha. Hope everyone is doing great. I'm 3 months out and finally getting some hair. I'm going to look like a reversed skunk. White on sides and grey on top, haha.

Super congrats 27heart for finishing chemo. Good luck with surgery, it is definately the easy part. You look beautiful....

Mary, it's so nice to have great friends. I Hope you were able to eat a little thanksgiving dinner. I will be so happy when we can all talk about this when its behind us....

Peabrain, I hope your rash keeps silent. Good luck....

Thunder, hope you are healing.... I still didn't talk to a surgeon yet.... I need to. No boobs make my belly look way too big, haha

Prayers, Love and Peace to everyone. And I agree, I wouldn't have gotten thru this without you all. Thanks so much for being part of my life.... Love You All ! Rut

mdoc524

Hello All ..

Ruth - love the pink you are beautiful! Glad you are doing much better!

Peabrain - Rash is still there only on my hips now and very faded. It is not itchy at all anymore. I finished the steroid pack and still put cortisone on it as I am afraid once the steroid wears off it will come back - fingers crossed!

I just finished Taxol #7 Friday and 5 more left - glad to be past the halfway point - countdown is on .. Have to get 3 days of neupogen shots every week now and they just suck - way more body pain then Neulasta for me...

Can't remember if someone posted about this here .. I now have what looks like white very soft peach fuzz on my head - top and sides - does that mean my hair is going to come back in white or does this fall out too?? Only 46 and while I did have to dye my roots before - was hoping to not be all white/gray when it grows back ??

FYI .. Transfusion (2 units of Jennifer Anniston's Blood last week brought my Hemoglobin up from a 7.4 to a 12.6 - the highest it has been since before treatments..

Happy Sunday & hugs to those still dealing with crappy chemo SE's

Mary

RuthElizabeth

Mary, as for the neupegin shot, are you taking Claritin before and during? I took it the day before and then two more days. It helped with the pain and headaches.... Also, haha, as for the hair-peach fuzz.... No clue. I was blonde and lots of white.... Now I am grey on top and white on sides. No color. I'm hoping this falls out and turns to some color, but no clue. I also did color, but who knows what we will end up with. I will keep you up to date, haha... Rut

Thunder7

Mary and RuthElizabeth,

My hair came in pure white for about 1/2 inch and now is my regular strawberry blonde at the roots (1 inch total). I went and had the tips colored because it looked really odd :-) Now can anyone tell me when my Mohawk will lie down? The hair on the sides and back have slowly come to rest against my scalp but a 3 inch swath down the top center still goes straight up!

Eyelashes now visible without magnification!! Eyebrows are back but oddly dark colored.

Thunder7

Bliss58

Hi all,

27heart, congrats on finishing chemo!! Whoo Hoo for you! You look fabulous.

Peabrain, that rash on your hand looks exactly like what I got on both my hands with Taxotere after 4th tx. I'm normally not allergic to anything, so I wasn't getting Benadryl in my infusions. I took OTC for several days and the rash went away. For my 5th and 6th txs, I took the Benadryl OTC the day before, day of and two days after and didn't get the rash again.

RuthE, love the pink in your hair; so sassy! My hair is growing back as white/gray peach fuzz. I'm thinking maybe it will keep growing in white/gray, but then maybe gradually start turning back to some sort of brown color it used to be? ha.

Batesburg, sorry to hear you've had some tough times, but glad to "see" you posting again.

Mary, sorry you're still having some rough times, too. Hoping things will ease up for you going forward.

Best to you all and hoping all who celebrated Thanksgiving had a good one.

Barbara

Suzanne1971

a very belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all! So nice (you know what I mean) to see so many of you here, and I know I'll see many of you in the Rads thread. Not sure when that will start, prob early Feb.

Surgery is just about 2 weeks away, and trying to stay calm. I've never been admitted to a hospital, so this is just another "first" to add to my growing list.

I'm about 5 weeks out from my lady chemo, and feel better everyday. My heart goes out to all of you that are still in it- I wish for you to be on this side more than you know. It's a really wonderful feeling to be done (I still go every 3 weeks for Herceptin infusions). There are days that I barely think about all of this, and I'm so used to my appearance (my collection of hats and caps is awesome). At a recent craft show, a customer told me to "be well", and it took me a moment to understand...ah, right, I have no hair!

Thinking of you all and will try to visit and post more often

Sharazhad707

Congrats 27heart! You look so good (and incredibly well!)

Suzanne, my surgery is in two weeks as well... Incredibly nervous

Just heard the news today that the lump hasnt shrunk after 7 sessions of chemo... It has infact grown (7cm x 6cm) as opposed to the initial (4cm x 5cm). It feels like the size of an apple. Anyway TRAM-FLAP is off the table. It's now a radical mastectomy with no reconstruction. What a slap in the face... My last chemo was scheduled for 15 Dec, and I was so looking forward to making a sign and everything!

Anyway thinking of you all, and looking forward to hearing more success stories.

Lots of love.

S

Peabrain

hello!

I went in yesterday for my 10th TC but my white blood cells weren't up for it. Got a Neupogen shot (2 Tylenol takes care of the side effects for me) and will go in tomorrow for the chemo.

Today I got to go to my company holiday party. Bought myself a fancy hat and had a fantastic time seeing everyone.

My rash is almost gone, scared away by OTC cortisone applied liberally. We'll see if it comes back with tomorrow's treatment.

I too have fuzzy fluffy white hairs coming in and the last of the stubble from when I shaved my head is also growing, so it's a weird mix of white fuzziness and dark stubble. Will be interested to see how goofy I look for how long. I have also lost my right eyebrow, but still have my left. A classic look....not.

Although I am supposed to have 12 TCs, I think tomorrow's (10th) the last one. I am still not sure how to feel about this, especially since it's been over two weeks since the last one. Guess I'll just enjoy it being the end and move on to radiation... My chemo center does not ring a bell or anything. So anticlimactic.

Hugs to everyone still slogging through the SEs!

Bliss58

Sharazhad70, so sorry to hear your most recent news. That's such a let down, but I want to send you a big cyber (((hug)))! I will be thinking of you as you go through surgery. Wishing you all the best, Barbara

MissBee123

Ruth: I love the pink! What a fun way to celebrate!

Mary: My hair grew in much much darker than my original blonde. In fact, like Thunder, my eyebrows are nearly black! It's bizarre. It's also incredibly thin. Although I have probably a good 1/2" at this point my scalp is still very visible, and there are patches where no hair has grown back at all. Your Jennifer Aniston commend made me laugh so hard I scared my dog!

27heart: Congrats on finishing chemo! Such a wonderful day!

Suzanne: best of luck with surgery. I'm a month recovered from mine and I'm amazed at how well I healed. My best tip is take as much pain medicine as they will allow you, and plan your walks (they'll make you get up several times each day) about 60-90 minutes after your most powerful pain med is given. For me, I waited about a hour and a half after each oxycodone injection which really did help. The first walk after surgery is BRUTAL, no two ways about it. But it was never again as bad as the first day, like they promised, and each day got easier. Comparing the two, I would take surgery any day over chemo.

Sharazhad: I am so sorry for your news. What is the reasoning behind no reconstruction? Will you be able to have it later on? My tumor did not grow, but after 3 chemo infusions it had not shrunk either so they sent me for surgery. They did allow me reconstruction, though. I will be thinking of you.

Peabrain: Clearly you need to bring your own bell! Or a giant dinner gong. Either one.

I saw my oncologist today and found out I am going to have to have a lot more chemo. I'm now one of the lucky ones with both neoadjuvent and adjuvent chemotherapy. It will start again in January and I'll have 3-4 rounds of AC every 2 weeks followed by 12 weeks of weekly Taxol and Herceptin. So much for being done!

Thyroid surgery next Friday...happy holidays. My husband and I will celebrate our 2 year anniversary on Monday. That man is a saint for sticking by me through all this.

Sharazhad707

Hi missbee

My oncologist said that the tumour is resistant to chemotherapy that's why it's grown. It's a subtype of trip negative and pretty uncommon. Basically they're worried that reconstruction would cause relapse, due to the aggressive nature of the cancer.

Aaahh I'm sorry you have to go through more chemo...especially with red devil (shudder). I'll be thinking of you. Happy anniversary for Monday .

mdoc524

Hello All - rough week - fighting that upper respiratory virus on top of chemo - not fun!!

Thunder - hope your Mohawk calms down- sorry but it made me laugh!! Karma is a bitch so I will probably get one too LOL

Suzanne - good luck with surgery - so glad you are feeling so great after chemo - can't wait!!

Sharazhad - my heart broke when I read your post - so sorry for your news and that just means its time to get that tumor out!! Hugs to you and thinking of you as you get ready for surgery! I totally understand the sigh/bell thing and would be disappointed too - if you want to make your sign and share with us - we would love it!!!

Peabrain -hope your whites came back up - you are hilarious with your classic eyebrow look- at least you have one HA! And agree with MissBee you should bring and ring your own bell!!

MissBee - good luck and thinking of you for Thyroid Surgery.. UGH more chemo in January - you can do it and we will cheer you on!! Let us know whatever you need from us here ... Hugs to you! Happy Anniversary!!

I will share got some surprising Good News from our Insurance company .. due to my white counts constantly low - Dr ordered 3 Weekly Neupogen shots for the rest of chemo - not fun back and forth to hospital 3 days following chemo - need my husband to drive me as not comfortable.. Dr office tried to submit request to do Self Injections at home back on 11/12. Insurance Pharmacy plan denied it - not covered. Got letter that Blue Cross wants to cover self injection under Medical plan and got call that Injections will arrive at my home tomorrow at no cost to us ..I of course am waiting for the catch but am happy we don't have to drive 30 minutes to hospital for 5 minute shot every Satuday, Sunday and Monday at 8am ... Weird though - My white counts last week were the highest they have ever been and Nurse at MO's office said I still need to get the shots every week - curious why .. I would think that on weeks my counts are good no shots ?? Anyone else have to get shots every week >?

Mary

Peabrain

Hello!

@Sharazhad & MissBee - ARGGH! Just what you did not want to hear. Very best of luck with the surgeries and keep us updated.

@Mary - Sometimes when I get the shots, my counts go soaring up. When this happens, they do not give me more shots until the counts drop again. Usually it's just one shot and then I get chemo,again, but it has been as much as 6 shots in 8 days for one cycle. I'm think it's a little weird to keep hitting your bone marrow when it has already done its job. Maybe ask again and see what your MO is up to.

Great news not to have to make the drive, though! I have about a two hour round trip each time.Think they'll let me do my own radiation at home?😝💀

Twnkltoz

so sorry I've been quiet! Thinking about all of you and grateful i found you. Congrats to this who have finished chemo, and loving, positive thoughts to those still in it. I'm getting stronger every day. Hair is growing, but it doesn't really show in pics yet. Looks grey to me. Neuropathy is almost completely gone.

Tomorrow I get my modified radical mastectomy. Lots of feels today.

mdoc524

Peabrain - wouldn't that be great to get RADs at home - LOL! Did you have any se's from the shots - I am on my 3rd week of 3 shots per week and the bone/joint pain sucks but this week - nose bleeding and stomach not good and was curious if it was due to shots building up .. I wish mine MO would stop the shots when my WBC/ANC are in normal range and they said no ..

Twnkltoz - Thinking of you for tomorrow - good luck! Great news on neuropathy. Mine is increasing each week... feel better that it does go away ..

I actually got Christmas presents wrapped yesterday for the kids - trying to wrap what I have each day it arrives (all online shopping here) so nothing left til the end .. I have chemo right thru the Holidays with as of now my last day of chemo which has changed a few times will be January 2nd - will ring chemo bell to ring in the new year!! My chemo day is Friday and I thought maybe I would get the week off for Christmas - NOT - have to go day after ..

Mary