Anyone starting chemotherapy in July?

Shellywin16

Hi everyone glad to see you guys are fighting like a girl a being a champion. I am coming up on my 8th and last round of chemo which is scheduled for November 3rd and believe me I cant wait. The pain on the 7th round wasn't as bad this time for some reason maybe because I doubled up on my steroids this time around. I am moving on to double mastectomy after chemo with my first visit with my plastic surgeon on November 2nd. I am scared and nervous about the surgery but know that I have to get it done since I am BRACA1 positive. I am hoping that my fears are from not knowing what to expect but will get to ease my mind once I have to appointment with my plastic surgeon next week. I would like to hear your past experiences with the double mastectomy if you've had one and don't mind sharing? Thanks in advance and I am praying for all of us because I truly believe prayers and a positive mind are keys to beating this damn thing. Ok ladies keep on being champions!!

Reichel

Meow0369

Hi Shelly, congrats on being done soon!! I finished 6 weeks ago it was tough for me. I'm also BRACA1 and had double maxtecomy in May. It's a tough surgery but I had more trouble w anesthesia than the actual surgery. The drains were annoying until I knocked one out of place than it got ugly. It's the best thing we can do. I ended up hsving additional undected DCIS and another 2 mm IDCIS tumor other than the 4 mm and DCIS on the other side. So it kinda was a blessing. None of that showed up on my B MRI. I'm suppose to get my ovaries removed too. I had nipple sparing w nipple delay which was what Angelina Jolie had with removing the first tumor then the rest of breast tissue removed. Will have direct to implant or nipple delay?

Cwhitney

Shelly, I wanted a double mastectomy even though my tumor was small and removed with the biopsy. Thank god I did. Like Meow, they found more dcis in the other breast that wasn't detected in the mammogram. I am brca2 but I found out months later. I had complications with my surgery. My cancer side tissue expander got infected so they had to take it out. My surgery has been delayed by chemo and my hysterectomy surgery in Dec. Feb they will try again. I am the exception. Most of my cancer friends did not have this happen. I will never regret my decision. It has given me piece of mind and I think my anxiety would have been awful every six months with mammograms. My advice is to rest and if you have a recliner, use it to sleep in. I was up walking around after a week. I think that helped. Good luck!

Shellywin16

Thank you Meow and Cwhitney for your input, I really appreciate it. I finished my last chemo treatment yesterday 11/3/16 and I am sooooo happy. I have my nuelasta kit attack to me as we speak for it to dispense in about 6 hours, usually I will begin to feel the aches and pain in my muscle starting the next day. My double mastectomy is schedule for November 30th and I am having the nipple sparing on the right breast which is cancer free but because i had skin involvement in the left breast where the lump was I cant get the nipple sparing per my surgeon. I will have the tissue expanders put in and then, radiation.I will get the diep flap reconstruction using tissue and skin from my stomach in about 6 months. I am really nervous and exited about whats in store but I thank God that I got this far. Hang in there ladies and keep fighting we are close to the end and we will get through this. Continue to fight like a girl!!

Shelly.

stephincanada

Hi all,

Just wanted to check in and see how people are doing. I think our group is largely done chemo, provided that there haven't been any other setbacks? Fingers crossed that everyone is on track and done/nearly done without difficulty and on the road to recovery. It is nice to know that the "good days" I am experiencing now won't be cut short by another round of chemo

Is anyone doing something nice for themselves to celebrate? The only thing I can think of is going for a coffee (which I haven't been able to drink since July) and seeing a weekday matinee movie (which as a working mom is the ultimate indulgence--never done that before!)

I think of you all often and wish you well,

Stephanie

Cwhitney

Hi Stephanie. Congrats on being done! I agree that it was so nice to feel good at three weeks and not have to dread the next go around. I still have to get 10 more cycles of herceptin which was yesterday but so far, I feel fine. I started running again last week and although I am much slower than usual, it felt so good to really exercise again. My echo came back normal which was encouraging. And my hair is coming back. Unfortunately, my eyebrows are starting to really thin. I still have so much surgery to so through so I made my husband promise a trip to Key West in July to celebrate the end of all treatment. It gives me something to look forward to. I hope everyone is feeling well and finishing up chemo. I too think about everyone and I am sending prayers to you all.

DancingElizabeth

Hi Everyone!

Congrats to everyone who's done with chemo!

Stephanie - I too have been going for coffee! I couldn't stand it during chemo and love it again. I've also been shopping for clothes (mainly). My therapist recommends that I get out more because I'm on a medical leave right now - so I end up at Macy's. 🙂Not good for my wallet but feels good to do!

Cwhitney - I hear ya on the missing eyebrows! I'm still a LOT of my eyelashes - but - am getting hair again. It doesn't look like my normal hair - it's fuzzy and white. So, I plan on getting it colored as soon as MO and/or hairstylist gives me the OK. As I'm only 49 and not ready for white hair...

I hope everyone else is doing Ok. I switched MOs for more aggressive treatment (after getting 4 second opinions!). And, just started AIs along with radiation because the chemo put my hormones in a definite menopause (per the bloodwork) and my BC is very ER++++tive....

HelenWNZ

Hi Stepanie and Cwhitney and of course everyone.

I finished chemo on 21 October . So pleased to have survived - definitely won't recommend it as a "fun" thing to do.

Last Friday back to herceptin where I had a boost treatment of 90 minutes. The next 13 should only be 30 min infusions every 3 weeks. I'm finding that apart from being pretty tired all the time things are getting back to normal. My mouth is coming back to normal too but funny enough chocolate still tastes off.

On Monday 21 November I start my 5 weeks of radiotherapy. Unfortunately it's in another city so I need to move away Monday to Friday and come home at the weekends. It's a bit of a nightmare as my kids have big things going on with their schooling while I'm away. Plus my last treatment is the Friday before Christmas. Which I have not even started to think about.

After radiotherapy I start on Femara which I'm not looking forward to either as I'm already stiff and sore.

My hair hasn't started to grow back yet but the bristles I do have are pure white. My eyes brows are gone and I'm not too bad at drawing some on when I go to work. My main upset is my finger nails which are just awful. I'm on antibiotics now as two are infected and pussie.

I also developed lympedema and today started to wear a sleeve.

On the whole though things aren't too bad. It's nearly summer here so I as hoping to be more proactive in the exercise department.

I always check in hoping to catch up with how everyone is going.

Take care

Helen

xxyzed

HelenWNZ we are on the same schedule again. I start radiation on Monday and finish up just before Xmas as well. The radiation nurse told me to not leave my Xmas shopping to the last minute. My next Herceptin is this Monday on the same day as my first radiation. Fortunately my radiation centre is only 15 min away. Another city is hard work. I'm sorry you will need to be away from your kids during a busy time of year. My lymphedema arm is pretty achy as it is so I'm quite concerned radiation will make it worse. I've been wearing a sleeve and glove since about 4 weeks after surgery. I am also glad to have survived it.

CWhitney I get my heart scan results Monday. Fingers crossed all is ok. My fitness has felt terrible the last 2 cycles but am starting to feel like it is coming back. Certainly no running for me. Very slow swimming but my distance is increasing each time.

My last chemo was 28 October. It wasn't as bad as the 3rd cycle and in the last few days I've started to get some energy back. No sign of any hair growing back. I still have some that didn't fall out that I didn't bother shaving as I kept expecting it to fall out each cycle. I also still have some eyebrows but they might fall out yet.

My main lingering issues are a tingling forehead, sore lower back, stomach ache and aching lymphedema arm. My new annoyance is night sweats from the chemo induced menopause waking me up all night.

stephincanada

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xxyzed: I feel your pain re hot flashes and night sweats. I suppose we can be thankful that we are bald as we suffer through those moments of oppressive heat. How's that for finding a silver lining in all this misery?

Natalie: (if you are reading): did you make it through the alternative chemo? Any more allergic reactions? I have been worried about you!

Helen and cwhitney: turns out I have been doing my eyebrows all wrong. Watched a YouTube instructional video the other day. Now I know why mine looked like two fuzzy caterpillars in the middle of my forehead. Highly recommend the two line approach, then Fill in the space between the two lines. https://youtu.be/KvhhZ1LS6rk You probably already knew this but thought I would share

I will start radiation early December. They are radiating my lymph nodes too, which I hadn't expected. I look back an the efforts I made to avoid electrical radiation in the past and laugh. I will be gettting a mammoth amount of the stuff in short order.

Helen: it really sucks threat you have to be so far from your kids while you are doing radiation. Hopefully they will keep the show going with you gone. I would have little faith in my two monkeys.

RE Christmas shopping: Helen and xxyzed, hopefully they have good online retailers in Australia. Best way to get it all done, especially in these circumstances. Good is good enough.

Cwhitney: your trip in July sounds fantastic. I think we will aim for a hiking trip to Utah over Easter. No time to cross things off the bucket list like the present.

Scared67: good for you for switching MOs. That must have been a difficult decision for you, but I have opted for the more aggressive treatment at every turn. In the wise and "to the point"words of my brother in law who has given me some guidance through this journey: "you don't mess around with cancer".

About to drift into my medically induced sleep. Love to all,

Stephanie

Natalie68

I'm sorry I disappeared for a long long time 😟 I cant recall but I had three allergic reactions to paclitaxol. They changed me to docetaxol and I got thru four rounds of that the last being 28 December.

I managed to grow hair and a new tumour. I was exhausted by the docetaxol- still trying to work and feeling generally very miserable.

I had my mastectomy 10 days ago. Still have an incredibly sore drain in. They found I had her2+ and will start 12 months of herceptin in a few weeks now. I have rads starting around 20 February. It's been a rough journey. I'll get back to reading where everyone is up to and again I'm sorry I checked out for a while.

Ahh it seems you all got through chemo mine became quite extended - six months worth almost to the day!

12 days after last chemo was surgery and I feel quite jealous of everyone finishing rads pre xmas! Oh well I'm getting there but of course now I'll be herceptining till after next xmas. This really is a long blessed journey. I believe there are few side effects from herceptin so I really hope to get back into it all.

Haha I'm still so darn tired ........

Natalie

stephincanada

Natalie!!!!

So sorry to hear about your new tumour. I didn't think it was possible for cancer to grow while you are on chemo!! Herceptin is pretty easy to tolerate--I just feel tired for a couple of days after the infusion. Stay strong--you have been through a tremendous ordeal.

xxyzed

Hi Natalie. I agree it's been a rough journey. I had a tough time with allergic reactions to taxol as well but was able to complete treatment with very slow infusions. I'm 4 weeks past finishing radiation and feel that my burns have healed but am yet to get my energy back. I can see it's improving and am able to do more and more of day to day life now. I find herceptin easy to manage. I get a drippy nose, a sore back and need to spend a day close to the toilet. Annoying but nothing in comparison to the chemo. Hang in there. Ugh to the new tumour. Presumably that was the her2 positive one that herceptin will take care of. I must admit while it's nice seeing my disgusting nails grow out and my hair grow in I also know that if there is any trace of cancer left that too is now being given opportunity to grow. Scary stuff.

stephincanada

hi xxyzed: sorry to hear about your radiation burns. I have them under my arm. Can't figure out if it is best to leave the skin naked and exposed to air, or to slather on this gel they gave me at the hospital. As for fears of recurrence, I wish that there was something I could say to take your worry away...

HelenWNZ

Hi Nalalie - sorry to hear about your setback. The gift that keeps on giving isn't it?

I finished radiation on dec 23 and am now on herceptin till August and femara for next 10 years. We had a holiday in our caravan for two weeks and I started back at work on the 9th after 7.5 months off. I had gone in on my good weeks and did odd jobs which did make things easier. Took the plunge and went commando - no hat. Being summer here I find it extremely hot and not to mention the hot flashes! Very very short grey hair does make people look twice. I'm getting pretty good at drawing on eyebrows too. My fingernails are dreadful. I ended up ripping them most off so the pus underneath could dry.

The skin held up pretty well just a bit dry and crusty but I use heaps of moisturiser. Being tired is the hardest SE here.

I'm having another bone scan in February to check out a grey area in my hip area.

Besides being totally paranoid about every niggle things aren't too bad. My lovely family got me a Fitbit for my birthday as it has been good at encouraging me to get out there and exercise.

Keep in touch everyone as I like to here that everyone is doing ok

geeyes

Hi Helen, l too have them bad fingernails- pus filled and oozy. Painful too. Are you using anything to help the drying process? My MO prescribed Domeboro a soak that helps drying. So far it seems to have helped dry up all my nails except one stubborn thumbnail that simply won't heal or dry.

Good luck and take care...

I finished my long chemo journey last week and have until Feb 21 before surgery.

HelenWNZ

I cut them right back to the area of dead nail. Unfortunately it left more skin than nail. The nails themselves kept catching on everything so we're best off gone. My 2 big toenails are on there way out too after all this time as chemo finished in October. All the best for surger

Cwhitney

Hi girls. It was nice to see your posts. Natalie, I'm sorry to hear about your new tumor. But herceptin seems to be a wonder drug that will most likely shrink that sucker. Stephanie and xxyzed, I have the same side effects from herceptin..feeling tired the day of, running nose and diarreha. I too need to stick close to home after my infusion. Otherwise, I have no other side effects. Helen, I shed the wig right after Christmas and felt so much better. My hair is growing in slowly but it's growing. I had to buy hair powder to cover some bald spots that works great. It looks like I have a very short Caesar cut. I still get looks but I don't get the "oh she had chemo" look so much. Otherwise, I am feeling pretty good. I had a full hysterectomy before Christmas and had to deal with some minor hot flashes but none that bad. I started the aromatise inhibitor two weeks ago and had some joint pain in my fingers and hands but it didn't last. I will be on it for the next 15 years. Now, I have reconstruction surgeries ahead of me. I am finally done with the "scary" surgeries for now and it feels good. I will be very happy when I can get this awful port out. It drives me crazy when my kids bump into it. I was so happy when 2017 came because it was such an awful year. I wish everyone good health and recovery after all that we have been through!

stephincanada

Hey there Natalie,

I just wanted to check in and see how you are faring. Hope that you recovered smoothly from your mastectomy and that Herceptin is treating you well.

Stephanie

Natalie68

this thread seems to have come to a halt. I thought I would check back in now I have finally finished active treatment some 19 months after it all began! Had my last herceptin two weeks ago and had my exchange surgery last November. It’s been over a year and my hair has finally grown to eye level. Can’t wait until it’s long enough to tie back 😊.

It’s been a tough few years with all the treatments, kids and working to keep my head above water. I had to sell my house and downsize but I’m now in a lovely new townhouse. Starting to try and get fit again but boy that’s hard after so long on the sidelines.

Hope everyone is going well and back into their wonderful lives