Emotional Support

WMH_27

Hi Everyone,

I guess I am just needing emotional support and I am reaching out to all of you tonight. I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer, including affected lymph nodes, in late August. I went through four treatments with Adriamycin/Cytoxan. The cumulative side effects were awful but somehow I got through that period with my spirits still positive. Now I have had only 3 treatments out of 12 with Taxol. Then I "look forward to" a radical mastectomy and reconstruction.

I was doing okay until this week when the side effects from the Taxol started to increase, including the beginning of peripheral neuropathy. I didn't expect that they would start this early on Taxol and suddenly,this evening, I can't stop crying. I have been staying busy and physically active, eating well (even tho' everything tastes bland now). I keep in close touch with friends and family via text,email and phone calls. I have a wonderful psychotherapist with whom I have weekly telehealth sessions. I think about all of the things that I am grateful for every day.

I would love to hear how others with a similar treatment regimen are coping, and be reminded that I am not alone.

Thank you.

WMH_27

moth

Hey WMH_27, sometimes the enormity of everything just catches up to us. You're still doing OK. Crying is OK. Being upset is OK. You don't need to be positive and grateful. You can be mad and sad for a while. This is OK. Your support teams and healthy habits will see you to a sunnier day, but there is nothing wrong with what's happening to you emotionally now.

Re the taxol - are you a member of the weekly Taxol thread? Join if you're not and you can compare notes. For the neuropathy, icing, B6 and l-glutamine are often very helpful. I just had Taxol #26 of 2020 (+ 12 in 2018) but I "ice ice, baby" Very minimal neuropathy - just more of a bruised feeling and sensitivity to cold. So just to encourage you that neuropathy can possibly be averted. (also, in 2018 I didn't ice from the beginning. I started when I developed early symptoms. It halted progression and couple months after finishing it was all gone!)

big hugs & soothing cups of tea sent your way

oh & a song. The beginning starts with lots of repetitions of "I know. I know. I know. I know......"

cry if you want to

WC3

WMH_27:

I finished chemotherapy two years ago but I did have some low points during it that I chalk up to the cumulative effects of fatigue from the mental and physical toll. Trust me though, you will get through it. Try to give yourself enough rest and let your MO know about the neuropathy if you have not already.

You might still be able to taste marinated and lemon seasoned things as well things like salsa though if you have mouth irritation or acid reflux these things might seem unappealing.

MinusTwo

Moth - WONDERFUL song. Thanks for posting.

hnsquared

WMH_27......Moth has given great advice. I’m not sure I can add much but I’ve been there and you will get through this.

I started AC-T on April fools day this year. They had me do the 12 taxol first due to covid (thinking it would get better by the time I did AC and my immune system was more compromised). I iced my hands and feet during taxol and have no neuropathy in my feet and slight, occasional tingling in my finger tips by the end. I also wasn’t as good about icing my hands because I was on my iPad or reading. I bought some booties from Amazon that had ice packs and then bought an extra set of ice packs that I brought in an insulated lunch bag. The taxol thread and chemo threads are so helpful. My MO wouldn’t let me do supplements while I was on chemo.

All this is hard to swallow and everyone wants you to be positive all the time....it’s okay to have bad days and cry and get it out...and then you move on. My advice for getting through chemo is lots of water, lots of protein and try to get some exercise everyday even if you just take a walk. Chemo just wears on you after awhile.

I was feeling great several weeks out from my last chemo and then had my bilateral mastectomy 9/21. I felt like it all hit me after surgery and I was teary but then I started feeling better. I think it’s normal to have ups and downs regardless of how good your supports are.

I hope this has helped...what you are feeling is so normal. If you need anything don’t hesitate to reach out. Sending you big hugs

WMH_27

Moth,

Thank you for your comforting words. They mean so much and even more knowing from your message that you are going through hell.

I had not been told by anyone about icing my hands and feet to prevent or lessen neuropathy. I went online tonight and ordered cold mittens and gloves to be delivered by Sunday, as my next treatment is Monday. I used the Penguin cold cap system during A/C. I switched to the dignicap system when I started Taxol, but I found that too unbearable after two sessions. I had already lost almost all of my hair so it was really not worth continuing. I hope the mittens and gloves are not as painful. I will check out the Taxol site. I have only been using breastcancer.org for a short time so I am still learning way around .

My very best wishes to you.

WMH_27

WMH_27

Dear hnsquared,

Thank you for sharing your experience, This is all so dreadful. It helps so much to hear other women's experiences and know I am in the company of so many brave, strong women.

WMH_27