Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?

Hey mommy3; my stats are similar to yours. I start chemo later this month. I had biopsy, mammos, MRI and left unilateral mast on 7/29 - discovered it is in nodes -  will have PET scan later this week. I dont meet with oncologist until TH but my surgeon has told me a lot about what to expect, said to count on chemo. 

What started out as DCIS mushroomed quickly to much more. My kids are 15 and 20/ they have been great. wish I could say the same for hubby who is hiding out at work and keeps asking me what I want him to do? well, stop asking me and take some initiative.... that would be a start. ...  ugh./ I wish I was feeling better about my relationship and it makes me cry.

I am still in disbelief about all of this. I wish it would go away, but I have to get psyched up and focused now that I have a treatment plan. Geez, I was worried about turning 50 and that is such a non issue now. I dont have my fist chemo date, but anticipate august in the next two weeks.

hang in there ladies.

I'm back for a brief update...

July 29 was the first attempt using TC.  I had an allergic reaction immediately.  In fact, they say I only recieved 5 drops total. 

Aug 5th we started again but received AC.  Everything went well.  I did start the day with a headache so I left with a headache.  I thought I would eventually get rid of the headache but today, day 4, I still have it.

Nonetheless, the days up until now have been pretty easy compared to what I expected.  Day 1 was hard to sleep.  My body was tired but my brain was wide a wake.  Day 2 the vomiting started and then I remembered that I could take pills for that.  After the pills I was okay and even did most of my usual chores - with breaks in between them.  Day 3 the same thing.

I did notice a little extra bleeding when I scratched a misquito bite.  I think if my blood is getting thin allready then I better be a little more careful. 

I hate to keep taking so much tylenol for the headaches.  Tylenol alone upsets my stomach.  Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Good after noon all,

Keryl, I understand your frustration and disbelief.  It all happens so fast doesn't it.  I'll keep you especially in my prayers that you and hubby will get on the same page and fight this together. While my mom was here for my surgery my hubby hid at work too.  I really thought he wanted to run, but now he's back in the fight with me.  One thing I'm trying to do is not look at the house, which is hard for me.  Our house is just going to have to be messy for a year, it's not the end of the world.

I found out my chemo drugs, you gals are going to have to help me with the abreviations.

FEC series, which is 5FU, Cytoxan and Ellence, once a week every three weeks for three or four treatments, Then Taxotere weekly treatments for three weeks then week break, then Herceptin for a year.  Does that make sense to anyone?

I have appt. on the 13th to have port placed then my first chemo is 19th. 

I'm going to my friends new home in Dallas this weekend. I plan to sit in her pool and try really really hard to forget about Cancer and Chemo.  I've had this huge lump in my throat all day. Don't want to talk to anyone and sure don't want anyone asking me "how are you doing".  I really haven't had too many teary days so I guess it's OK.

 I will pray for all of us this weekend for the journey we have ahead of us.  I do believe that God will pick us up and carry us through this.

Everybody try to do something for yourself this weekend and I'll talk to you Monday.

Hello Ladies,

My update.  Started chemo yesterday.  From arrival to finish took nearly 2 hours which included waiting for my meds to show up after being ordered.  I noticed toward the end of receiving the Cytoxin, I had a metallic taste in my mouth.   No other S/E's noted until I woke up to take my steroid and antibiotic.  I threw them up about 10 minutes after taking them.  Now I will be short a dose of each.  I don't think that will matter.  I also didn't sleep very well last night but I was told that the steroid that I received pre-chemo might cause that. So I was not surprised.

Kymberlyn, I am glad that you are feeling better from your allergic episode.

Jdpeaches, I have a port and if not for the sight of the few sutures healing on my chest, you would barely know that the port is there.  It is like a very small raised area barely noticeable. After insertion, it only caused diminishing discomfort for a couple of days.  The chemo nurse told me that most people keep the port until the 6 month checkup appt after chemo and then decide from there.

Welcome Nico. This is the most wonderful gathering of sisters filled with warmth and caring.

Stacy, I was advised to cut my hair very short before chemo then shave it  a week later.  So far, I have cut it very short...........dreading the shave part.

Hi Keryl,

I had a similar situation; nodes were pronounded clear during surgery (bilateral mastectomy with expanders) but final path report indicated 1 node positive.  My PS is going forward with the expansion (had my first fill yesterday) and says he will work fills around my 4 TC chemo treatments.  He won't do the exchange until after chemotherapy is complete.  I won't be having rads.  He did tell me that if rads had been required then that would affect the expansion and exchange process.

I will be starting chemo in August. I am new and was diagnosed July 2, 2008. I had a right mastectomy  July 21st and unfortunately I still have the drains. I go Tuesday to have it removed. I met with the oncologist last week. She said I need to have the drains removed and be healed before she would start chemo. I look forward to getting to know everyone. Does it take very long to heal from the drains?

Hey Stacy,

I found the cap now.  I searched for the name at the website.  Thanks!  Do you work out regularly?  I was told not to eat too many of my favorite things because of the taste changes.  they say that you won't feel like eating them after Tx.  Interesting that you are feeling the shrinkage.  Maybe your first Tx is already working!  I'll keep my fingers crossed that you will be done by the holidays, too.  If I stay on schedule, I will have 4th and final Tx on 10/2, then recover.  I have to get the exchange done with implants.  I really want this done by Xmas.  So, let's think positively for each other!!  I will still continue with Herceptin, but that won't be like the chemo.

Day 10-felt great all day, still having food/drink taste changes.  I am just sticking to water and milk.  I added this Special K Protein Iced Tea mix to the water, and it actually tasted okay.  No real pains from the Neulasta shot on Thursday, just some hip pain overnight.  I think I will take the last claritin tonight.  No sign of hair changes yet.  Driving me crazy waiting for this to happen.  Got some very cute hats at Target to get through the rest of Aug/Sept by the pool.

It seems quiet around here over the weekend.  Hope everyone that has started Tx is doing well.  All others who have joined, hope you are learning that this is not that bad!!

~Misty

Wow!  You all are doing a lot better than I did (had ACT 10 days ago now).  The last time I posted I said I had a great time with my neighbor, but then all went black for 3 days.  It was like being stone drunk for 3 days straight (memory loss, severe can't-wake-up sleepiness, nausea, etc.).  And now I've had diarrhea for about 5 days.  I'm due for my next treatment on the 18th and I'm really hoping something can be tweaked.

 About myself, I turned 40 in January.  I've lived abroad since I was 19 (including 4 in Paris for the mama who lives there -- we visit twice a year now.  My husband and girls are French.).  We spent the last 3 years in Ukraine.  My husband is making the final move to Vilnius, Lithuania this Monday.  I have two girls who are 8 and 2 1/2.  Mama-ing a 2 yo is not much fun at all right now, especially with no papa around.  I was visiting my mom in Portland, OR, who has breast cancer (just finished chemo the day after I started) when I was diagnosed too.  I started out with a simple DCIS diagnosis, but now have IDC with lymph node involvement.  I had a mastectomy on July 17.

As for the shaving or waiting, my mom shaved hers off, but felt it was early.  I am going to shave mine when my scalp starts to hurt or I start to shed quite a bit.

Roya, my husband is in Ukraine right now and is making the final move of everything to Lithuania tomorrow.  I won't be done with chemo until October, so my youngest and I will fly directly to Lithuania.  And my oldest leaves on the 25th, directly to Lithuania, to start school.  I hate that we'll all be separated so long.

Mommy3abm, how sweet to worry!  Thank you.  It will be interesting to compare notes with you. I just really don't want to be so out of it; people had to take my girls and everything and I don't remember any of it. I have mysurgeon follow-up tomorrow, too.  Did you have a lumpectomy?

 Jacquelyn, just wanted to say that I started chemo very close to surgery date because of my time constraints.  Nobody has said anything about needing to heal completely.

First Chemo Aug 14th

Taxol/Avastin but im going to inquire about Abraxane/Avastin. Every week for 3 weeks then 1 week off with Zometa once a month.

Was supposed to have started last week but the PET machine was broken and couldnt get it in time to start chemo. I had started the Decadrom steriod last week and im wondering should i still be taking it or do you just take it like the day before and for a couple of days?

Good luck everyone and m praying for all of us!

Hi, all ~  I'm new to posting, although I've been a reader for awhile, and gotten wonderful tips from these boards.  I started TC on 8/6 following a 2/25 lumpectomy that turned out not to be adequate treatment, and a subsequent mastectomy with Diep flap reconstruction on 5/20 that took extra time to heal.  So, believe it or not, I was actually thrilled to get chemo underway at last!  So far, except for feeling exhausted and sleeping a lot, it hasn't been as bad as I'd feared.  I live in California, have an incredibly supportive husband and 26-year old son.    Deanna

Hi, Nico ~  Thanks for the warm welcome!   To answer your questions, I live in Bermuda Dunes, which is near Palm Desert.  I was dx'd and started treatment in the Palm Springs area, but when things started to look more complicated than first thought (it turned out to be multicentric disease), I decided to go to UCLA, which is where I had my mastectomy with Diep flap.  I've been fortunate to have been able to arrange to get UCLA's recommended chemo regimen with a wonderful Onc here in the desert.  I started Taxotere + Cytoxin on 8/6; 4 treatments, 3 weeks apart.  Radiation has been recommended, but I am still mulling that one over.  5 years of an aromatese inhibitor is also recommended. 

Something that I have found extremely helpful in this journey (in addition to faith, family & friends), that I don't think I've seen mentioned here, have been guided imagery CD's.  One of my sisters-in-law had given me one for surgery, and I recently purchased one for chemotherapy.  I am normally a very positive person, but these have helped me reframe some nagging fears about surgery and chemo in a much more positive light.  If anyone's interested, I can elaborate on what I've used.

Thanks again for welcoming me into this group!  I am adding each of you to my prayer list ~

Deanna 

Roya, that's kind of what I understood the difference was.  No, I wasn't given a choice between the two.  Maybe that's just what they do here, or depending on the individual case.  Maybe we'll be able to fit in a mini-trip locally if I'm feeling up to it.  Otherwise we will make up for it after treatment's over!

It's been very interesting reading everyone's reactions to their chemo.  My oncologist wanted to wait 8 weeks after my mastectomy to make sure it's healed, before starting chemo.