Starting chemo August 2017 - would love some moral support!

rdeesides

Marooshka, maybe I will try that.

Paulette, maybe it is nasal drip but I did also read in the paperwork for my chemo that cough can be a SE so it seems like I am getting every side effect, one at a time! Or else it's a cold. But i don't really feel bad so maybe not a cold

I am ok with it but my husband can't take it anymore and told me to call the dr and figure it out. Lol. He couldnt sleep last night because I kept coughing.

R

Kritti

omg! I have so few nasal hairs! I didn't even notice until y'all said something. Maybe that's why my nose has been a little drippy the past few days.

I had my mo check out my burn and she told me that she didn't know what it was and had never seen it before. But she didn't believe it was infected and was actually healing. Now it looked even better, still a little red and peely, but much better. I am confident that it was a small "infiltration" because of how the skin is peeling. Going forward I'll request they run the IV at a slower rate. Ive only got 2 more so I definitely want to power through them.

Cherry - I got a tick bite right after my first infusion. It was definitely nerve-wracking. I had a huge reaction - literally a red welt that was 9-10 inches long and 3 inches wide. My doctor did 1 dose of an oral antibiotic along with a steroid cream. I hope your bite clears quickly!

Positive for this weekend - it was my and my daughter's birthdays. I felt good enough to have a last minute party for her. Just 5 of her first grade girlfriends over for pizza and cupcakes. I painted their nails and they played a game. My daughter (turning 7) wanted an emoji party theme so I had fun with the cupcakes. They turned out looking like shit, but tasted awesome! 🤣 Then Saturday my husband and I went out for a nice dinner with friends for my birthday.

marooshka

Kritti that's so funny. My daughter was keen to inform me her "Half" birthday is this week so I promised a cupcake too. She would think those were hilarious Good for you for making them. As much as I love cooking, I have a feeling I might just pick something up.

Meanwhile I just scheduled ovary surgery for the day after my birthday. Yaaaaayyyyyyyy......sigh.

PauletteK

Kritti - that's so cute!! Glad to hear that you and your family had fun together. Now you noticed soon we might not have any kind of hair.

Rdeeside - you sure picked up all kind of SE, hope your cough is getting better soon

SimplySammi11

Hi all, I'm still here and lurking some days. My daughter has her last A/C chemo this coming Weds. then will start Taxol 12 weeks every week.

Dodgers & PL: I just ordered the ice socks you all had posted on here from Amazon and it looked liked it came with an extra ice inserts. Does it not and where can I find the correct ones to buy if I need extra for her?

Heather's treatments have gone much like everyone else's. After she has her first A/C treatment they put the Nuelasta Injector on her that worked the next day. She is so petite (99lbs wet) and had so much bone pain we had to take her to the ER 2x before her 2nd treatment (That's what the oncologist told us to do.) She went on for her 2nd treatment and they decided to lower the dosage by 2 ml but we had to take her in the day after to get the injection. They also put her on 5mg oxycodone as needed (every 6 hrs). She's still had some pain but nothing like before. Her blood work has been good. She didn't ha temp 99.5 to 100.3 nd although Tylenol helped we took her in. Her blood pressure was pretty low and high heart rate so they gave her IV fluids which worked so she's feeling better.

We also met with her oncologist to go over her PET scan and she doesn't have metastasis anywhere else in body but did have a lymph node show up but he didn't tell us about it. I had them fax me a copy of the PET scan and I found out by reading it. That concerned me a bit. I asked them for it because I was examining her to see if the mass seemed smaller and happened to feel a lymph node I hadn't noticed before. So I am telling Heather to ask him questions and tell him to explain things so she can understand everything to her satisfaction.

It seems like she was rushed into chemo by the surgeon before we had all her test back or details of the mass type etc. I've yet to see an Onco type/score in any of her testing. From all I've read and from feeling her mass to see if there's any change I really am wondering if chemo is working. Although the lymph node seems a bit smaller it was 1.2cm via PET scan and her initial mass 4.3cm. She's said, "I just want it out of me!" I'm trying to explain the surgeon wanted to shrink it if not get rid of it before she goes in and starts cutting on her. But my daughter said, "Couldn't waiting cause it to grow if the chemo doesn't help and couldn't it spread?" I told her that's what she needs to discuss with The doctors themselves at her appointments.

I've been thinking and praying for all of you. I'm sorry to those that have had some set backs but it seems everyone has been great supporting each other and I'm so glad. Anyway, keep up the fight andbhang in there.

Let me know about the extra ice packs for those socks and what you have found works best for your hands for icing. They don't do it there we're at but, will allow her to although they say it doesn't work. Hmmmmm. It's so funny how different clinics say different things. Much love to all. Here's a pic of my sweet Warrior

~Sammi~

PauletteK

Sammi - I have ordered my ice socks but it hasn't arrived, once I got it I would know how many ice pads they included. Then I will send you a message. So sorry your daughter got so much side effects with the AC, sounded like she suffered a lots. She is so pretty and young, I really feel bad. From what I read she hasn't has her surgery?

Cherry-sw

Kritti, Happy Birthday to you and your daughter! The cup-cakes are awesome and really funny. The cupcakes theme became very trendy here for a few years ago and back in 2013 I did a cup-cake birthday party for my youngest. Since then she just wanted more and last and these year we did different sorts on the cake dishes, I ordered macarones, her girl-friends loved it.

My tick bite got swollen and itchy, I called the nurse office and told them that I want a doctor to look at it. I am now heading to my 4th infusion and they told me that a doctor there will take a look at it and then they decide what to do. This is so annoying, I still cannot believe that it got there and how.

I will now head to the clinic, talk to you all later.

VL22

AC#3 is kicking my a$$! The nausea just won't stop. I am wondering if it is because I was due for my period this weekend? I didn't get it, but maybe still made everything worse.In bed most of Saturday, up last night 2am until got out of bed at 6. I'm requesting the patch for nausea next time. I just want to be normal again

Kimberbir

Kritti Happy Birthday to you and your daughter, cupcakes are super cute.

Sammi I also ordered the ice socks and I only got one set of ice packs haven't tried them yet, your daughter is beautiful wishing her all the best on her journey!

Leatherette

Kritti, isn't it great to just be able to do those "mom" things for our kids? I feel like I have to back out of things I normally would have done with/for the kids, and I feel guilty, even though that's silly. My daughter turns 14 one week after my last infusion, so it will likely be a down time for me physically. Your cupcake picture is inspiring me to plan to do it earlier, right before the infusion, when I feel good!

VL22-sorry about your nausea-hope it gets taken care of quickly!

SimplySammi, glad to hear Heather is feeling better. From a Heather who does not have any support from her mother, I just have to say, you seem awesome. Best to you both.

rdeesides

VL22, Sorry to hear you are getting your ass kicked with AC#3! What is the nausea patch? I haven't gotten that but maybe I should try it. I am going to ask for my medical marijuana card as it is legal here in California. Actually recreational is legal too, but I don't think that starts until Jan 2018, so for now I need a card. I need to find something to get the nausea under control. Even though it's mild, It still doesn't feel good and if I take the medicine they have prescribed I turn into a zombie. Ugh! Trying to find the right combinations of medicines is really the trick. I'll probably get it all figured out in time for my last treatment. ;-)

R

SimplySammi11

PK and Kimber thanks for letting me know. I'm hoping they'll stay cold during the actual Taxol infusion. I'll help her and not put them on her until the Taxol is started. As far as hands told my hubby we'll use bags of veggies.

Leatherette: Keep your chin up! I tend to adopt anyone who needs a momma so I'm here for you anytime. Feel free to pm me. If anyone deserves support it's definitely you ladies. Much love.

VL: Sorry you're experiencing so much nausea. Heather had done well with it as long as she had her Zofran but after the 3rd treatment she too actually had to take more than she previously did and even had to take a couple of phenergan I believe the 2nd and 3rd day after her 3rd one.

Oh today when we went in to get her blood drawn and the last time they had a hard time getting Heather's blood to come out. She had to lift her arm up to get the valve of the pump to open up to get it to flow out. Has anyone else experienced this? They didn't seem concerned but, any little thing that doesn't just go as its supposed to kind of gets me so I thought I'd ask.

4th and final A/C for Heather on Wednesday!! Yay! It's funny how we celebrate things like this now and how much more we appreciate uneventful or what we used to call normal. If anything this disease really makes those with BC and caretakers put real trials and everyday worries into perspective. Keeping the faith!

~Sammi~

Also please excuse typos and grammar I'm typing on iPhone and Siri has ideas of her own as to what is typed. I'd be editing all day just to get one post up if I tried to correct her.

SimplySammi11

PK: Heather is having neoadjuvant chemo. She's not having her surgery until after Taxol treatments are complete.

I'm not sure if I missed some post but was wondering for those doing chemo first if they've experienced shrinking of their masses. Heather's feels a bit different now but I wouldn't say smaller. Although the lymph node does seem to have gone down some. Her main mass was 4.3 and after the first 2 treatments seemed to feel harder than it did but now seems more rounded and not quite as hard but not so much smaller. I didn't tell her that though I told her I felt a difference to some degree.

~SammI

PauletteK

VL 22 - I felt 3,4 kicked my behinds hard. I wish I have more time to rest up before taxol

rdeesides

Sammi,

I had the same problem with nurses having a hard time getting blood out of my port. They had me lay back with my arms up. I think this just happens from time to time.

KByTheLake

Kritti--Happy Belated Birthday to you and your daughter! I love the cupcakes!

My birthday isn't until December 26 but it will be the first one without my mom. I'm already worrying that it will be a hard one without her so today I signed up to go on a sled dog ride that day. I'm even going to get to drive my own team (after a little training)! It will still be a hard/weird day but I think having something excitiing to look forward to will help.

Tomorrow is infusion #2--I hope it is uneventful like the first one, especially since I am driving myself

PauletteK

K - good luck to your infusion tomorrow, I lost my mom 29 years ago I still missed her

VL22

R - the MO just said there is a nausea patch you wear for a week, I believe it begins with an S. of course, like everything, it has SEs itself, the biggest being constipaton. He did say insurance can be a hassle, so if you know you want it give a week's notice. Isn't this fun?!

Thanks all for your support!

Paulette - I hear you. I hope all goes well with Taxol - you deserve a bresk

Cherry-sw

VL22, Sorry the chemo is hard on you, I hope you will have easier time with Taxol, it is rather more doable chemo I was told. Are you taking any meds? Zofran, Compazine? I was prescribed Zofran and Primperan, an equivalent to your Compazine, to take Zofran an hour before injection and Primperan days after. I felt so bad on days 3-4 of past my first injection that I was just thinking is it how it is going to be the upcoming months? Like completely wasted and restless at the same time and could not do anything except for laying in bed trying to take a nap. Then towards the end of day four I wake up feeling slightly better and though that I maybe should stop taking this Primperan because the SE were not appearing to be those of chemo but of something else, so next time I stopped and it went fine. I am also taking Herceptin once in three weeks and this week was my second Herceptin, so it could be causing it, I will see tomorrow. Zofran is fine though but it causes big C. Ask for Zofran if you did not get any, otherwise it is terrible feeling this yuck.

So far, please try pour some hot water on lemon and grated ginger, let it be tepid cold and then drink, usually helps and you also get fluid that helps to get the chemo from your system. I Know I am a big fan of ginger but it does help against nausea.

Cherry-sw

SimplySammi11, I am sorry your daughter is having such hard time with AC and hope Taxol will be easier. Sorry she is going through all this at all at such a young age. Now I am not so old either but still 30 is extremely young and she looks so small and frail in that picture. Your reply to Leatherette was so touching and brought up a smile. I miss my mom too, she just went home after staying with us for one and half months, one can only imagine how hard it can be on a mother.

I cannot tell much on the icing, the clinic I am treated in provides both socks and mittens, I only bring the ice cubes for my mouth. Now I have already told it so many times I am sorry for repeating myself but my oncologist is saying that icing will not prevent the neuropathy, it could do vitamin B6 but only then the symptoms are appearing. Icing is only for saving the nails and only when there are the symptoms. I am doing it anyway though.

As far as neodjuvant chemo is concerned, they are doing it to shrink the tumor, in this way they can also see if there will be pCR, pathological complete response, which is a way to see whether the tumor reacts for chemo. For those who do not do neoadjuvant chemo there is no way to see whether the chemo is working so tell you daughter it has its advantages. Chemo is working the best on quickly dividing cells so if she has high Ki67 the chemo tends to be more effective. Of course high Ki67 is a sign of an aggressive tumor but the more aggressive the more effective chemo is. Try not to touch it for a while and then do it in order to see whether it has shrunk, anyways ask the doctor specifically about pCR after surgery.

You can also get a lot of information if you start your own thread, some ladies on this board have been here for long time and possess so much knowledge.

Send Heather my regards, it could only get better from here, I really hope it will for all of us.

Cherry

Cherry-sw

KByThe Lake, good luck with your next infusion. I had my yesterday and am still high on cortisone.

Cherry

DodgersGirl

Sammi- the foot socks with ordered from Amazon came with 4 small ice packs and 4 larger ice pack for top and bottom of foot in3 complete sets. I then ordered a spare "set" so the I would have enough to last for the hour of Taxol.

Best of luck to your daughter!!

Willow22

Hi everyone, like most of you, Chemo #3 kicked my butt (nausea, fatigue and 100.6 temp w/ chills, but thankfully on call dr said I didn't need to go to ER because it was too soon to be caused by low counts). Feeling MUCH better now and ready to get off the couch 😊. I don't know how you ladies who have kids at home and/or work manage it - you inspire me! Love the cupcakes - made my day as that kind of summed up the weekend for me!

Simply Sammi, your daughter is gorgeous! I'm sorry to hear she's had such a rough time with side effects! It sounds like her MO is working hard to find solutions for her side effects, but it sure makes it hard to ask "big picture" questions at the appointments when you feel terrible and have urgent side effects that need to be addressed. I like to keep a little notebook where I can write my questions down as I think of them, and bring it to visits. It helps me remember everything I'm wondering or concerned about, especially the questions that don't have to do with current side effects, and it lets my dr know I have a bunch of things to ask.

Oncotype testing is only done for certain stages of ER + tumors to make treatment decisions about whether radiation or chemo is needed along with surgery and tamoxifen. if I remember right, only stage 0 DCIS and stage 1 are recommended to have the test, but you can search "oncotype testing" on breast cancer.org's main site to read all the details.

Wishing everyone a good day today!

Willow

Kimberbir

I had chemo #3 last thursday and it kicked my butt too, good to know it's not just me.

PauletteK

Kim - at first I thought I was good at #3 then it hit me hard on day 5 I was totally down for two full days. Then 4 came wasn't bad but energy level can't get back to before anymore. I feel so tired also emotions hit the bottom. I need to pick myself up for the next treatment I hope taxol is easier for my body.

KByTheLake

Infusion #2 was totally uneventful but it took three sticks to get my IV going. My veins have never been very cooperative but I really didn't want a port for just 4 infusions. The nurses assure me they can get the last two done with IVs.

I met my new onc today and he spent a lot of time with me and answered all my questions. (I met his sister shortly after moving to my new town and she only lives a block away from me!) He prescribed me lorazepam since I'm allergic to Ambien so my upcoming bad days should be more tolerable. We talked about my need for a mastectomy after chemo and he agreed that next spring or summer will be soon enough. I want a little time to completely heal from chemo and to get settled into my new home before having major surgery.

My #1 cheerleader just discovered she has bc again--just 3-1/2 years after her first diagnosis and while she is taking tamoxifen. What a shock

PauletteK

K - so you planned to have mastectomy after lumpectomy because you worry about the recurrence issue?

rdeesides

Im getting really nervous about tx #3 since everyone had such problems with it. I have it on Friday. Hope everyone is hanging in there.

PauletteK

rdeeside - I'm with you side by side I'm having my taxol #1 on Friday.

KByTheLake

Paulette--This is a recurrence in the same breast. If I hadn't been in the middle of a big move, I would have had a mastectomy instead of a second lumpectomy in July. But my surgical oncologist said that since it was early stage, a lumpectomy was a reasonable choice under the circumstances.