Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?

Roya, my husband and girls all have Swiss citizenship too! Though my dh grew up in France.  His family's from St. Gallen.  But we haven't been able to afford a trip there.  We're hoping to send my oldest to a summer camp next year for Swiss citizens living abroad. Small world, huh?

We lived in Issy-les-Moulineaux for four years when oldest was born.  Now we visit my MIL in the eastern suburbs.

Dawn, I hope your headache goes away!  I did get the Head On here in Ontario, now I can't remember where I got it - maybe the chemo brain setting in!  Probably Shoppers Drug Mart or Walmart.  I haven't tried it yet. I asked my homecare nurse about the fresh fruit and veg thing and she said she's never heard such a thing and she thinks they're happy as long as you're eating something. 

I think my hair may be just starting to come out, just more hair in the tub after washing it.  I don't think I'll wash it again for a few days!!  

Watched Stand Up to Cancer last night, and I think I will be ok with losing it (I say now), I think we should be proud (maybe not the right word) to be fighting this disease and it may help for others to see that we are, raise awareness etc.  We'll see.  

I'm going to a real life support group tomorrow for newly diagnosed people with cancer, I think it's breast cancer, not sure now!  

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.  We're supposed to be having a picnic today, hopefully the rain clears up by this aft.

Deirdre

Hello to all.   I've been off line for about a week and I see I have a lot of post reading to catch up on. Welcome to the new members.  I'm down tx #2 this week, anyone else get their tx this past week?  So far so good.  I gave myself my neulasta shot yesterday and had a slight headache this morning but my Dr gave me a nasual spray that seems to be working.  

Me and DF went away for a long weekend and it was lovely.  I shaved my head Friday morning before we left, put on a wig and out the door I went.  I think it was the best thing to do.  I didn't give myself time to think to about it and had the opportunity to wear my wig around people that didn't know it was a wig for a few days.  It really helped me get acclimated to the wig and a woman that I was chatting with in a store commented on how beautiful she thought my hair my hair was. 

Roya, I think we were at the same stage of hair loss.  How are you doing? 

Gotta run, chores to do .  Hope all are feeling well and no SE's.

Denise 

Monique, could it be allergies?  I had something similar before my first treatment, thought it was a cold but the onc said it was most likely allergies.  Then I noticed it seemed to be worse when I had been outside.  Took some claritin and it went away within a few days. 

Good luck Tuesday!  I go for my 2nd on Friday. 

We ended up having our picnic indoors because it was raining, then went down to the beach when it cleared up.  A fun day.

Deirdre 

Hey all,

I just wanted to share with you all, that you can get a complimentary Women & Cancer subscription.  I went to the Stand Up to Cancer site then Shopping for Cancer link. You'll see various vendors donating proceeds to Cancer.

Jeannine

Deidre: I wanted an "In Treatment shirt" but didn't see it either.  I guess we're all surviors though! The Women & Cancer site is very informative. 

I just ordered 2 beautiful scarves from the Anokhiusa site. I ordered Pink Raindrops and Black Zebra. My daughter loves that print. Thanks Stacy! I couldn't make up mind.

Prayers & Hugs all,

Jeannine

Deirdre - I hope it is allergies - I'll find out tomorrow what the doc thinks.  I had thought about that myself since the ragweed is really bad here right now!  Thanks for sharing about the Stand up to Cancer site, I will def. check it out.

Jeannine - I  know how you feel about the chemo brain - it's really annoying sometimes.  I was wondering about that In Treatment shirt too!  If you come across one let me know.  When are we considered survivors?  I wondered the same thing as Deirdre.  I am officially bald too!  It isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I am more concerned about loosing my eyebrows and eyelashes.  Does everyone loose those too?  Anyone know?

Monique

Hi, all ~  Well, I finally let my DH buzz the few remaining wisps of hair that were driving me crazy, and I'm not sure it was the smartest thing to do.  I don't think anyone else has mentioned this, but my face is tan and my head is, well, very white, and I think I look so weird.  Oh, well - the flyaway wisps probably weren't any better. 

Does anyone know if your WBC can be seriously too high?  Mine was 49 on Friday (my onc only checks it midway, after  tx #2).  Anyway, everyone in onc's office says too high isn't a concern because your count goes down as tx goes along.  But last night, I was looking for more detailed info' on the internet, and I didn't like some of the rare side effects listed for Neulasta, like damage to your spleen.  If anyone has any additional insight, pls. let me know.  I'm also going to post this question on the TC board.

Dawn ~  Good luck with #2 tomorrow.  And if you can't find Head On where you are and want me to send you some, just PM me.  I've never used it, but it's probably worth a try, and no problem to pick one up and pop it in the mail to you.

Who else goes this week?  Let us know!  It's hard to go back through 15 pages to figure out who's up again this week.

I only caught the last 1/2 hr. of Stand Up To Cancer, but thought it was great.  Thank God, someone is finally facilitating a multi-disciplinary approach to research.  Hopefully, it will yield some big breakthroughs! 

Take care all ~   Deanna

I just got this reply from Stand Up 2 Cancer:

Thank you for your inquiry regarding StandUp2Cancer t-shirts.

3 of the 5 shirts that were worn on the show are currently available via our online store at:

http://www.cafepress.com/su2c

The other 2 will be available at a later date.

Please check back soon if you don't see the shirt you want!

Hi all you beautiful ladies:

This site is fantastic for all of the great information that really helped me get through my first TC chemo treatment. Thank you all you wonderful ladies for your advice. I was sick up through day 9 post chemo but finally turned the corner and feeling better. I did get one hell of a yeast problem first in my mouth and GI tract and then around my not quite healed mastectomy/reconstruction wound so I am still on Nystatin swish and swallow and Diflucon 100 mg for 7 days.

Before chemo I took a very strong probiotic that had more stuff in it than acidophilus since I am a long term asthmatic and have had problems with all kind of yeast infections prior to this cancer dx from long term steroid use. I have been eating yogurt every day but stopped taking the probiotics because of fear they would give me an infection when my counts were low since they are bacteria.What do you  think about taking probiotics like acidophilus? Has anyone got an infection from them? What brand would you recommend? I was taking 1/4 tsp. of Jarro-Dophilus+FOS (has 12 billion organism of six different probiotics (including acidophilus) which has worked in the past to keep my yeast problem in check. Agnes

Keep going SheRee!  You'll make it and it will all be a distant memory.  I feel your pain.

Is anyone taking longer to get energy back following tx#3?  I am incredibly tired all the time.  My legs feel constantly like they've just run a marathon.  I'm trying to exercise, but it just makes me so tired (and cranky) by the end of the day.  

I am having so much trouble keeping my 2 yo busy all day long.  I'm putting her in daycare only on treatment days and the day after.  I should probably get her there more.  I just don't want her to be gone all the time.  But the days seem so incredibly long to me.  I find something to do and it takes, like, one hour.  Then what?  I finally took her to the beach yesterday and it was soooo great to watch her play in the sand all day and get all tired out.

 Keep moving girls!  We'll get there soon!

Hey Everyone,

Well, another week begins.  I am feeling great, eating like a pig, and loving life.  And then, TX #3 on Thursday.  I guess I will slim down after that since I won't feel like eating much for a week. 

Bette-have fun at the workshop-I went a few weeks back-the goodie bag is fantastic!!  I am saving all of the good stuff for after treatment.

Hanami-you look great in your pic!

Everyone else, let's just get another week over with!!

~Misty

Hi Everyone,

I started in early August (four rounds of AC) and I am having my LAST TREATMENT this Friday, September 12!  Horray!

Everyone is talking about side effects and I think I have been very fortunate to have had very few.

Of course, my hair came out between treatments 2 and 3.  I knew it was about to happen because I got a tingling feeling in my scalp like when your mom made your ponytail too tight. When it started coming out in hunks and clogging the tub drain, I had my daughter buzz me.  There are still a few wispy hairs handing on up there and I still have some eyebrows and eyelashes, though they have thinned as well.  I so hope to keep what I have, but I'm doubtful. One of the "good" side effects is not having to shave under your arms or shave your legs!

I have had all the treatments on Fridays and that night I have trouble sleeping (well, most nights I have trouble sleeping, but that night is worse).  The following three days I want to sleep all day and all night and I don't want any food that tastes like anything.  Potatoes and noodles are about it.  I start "bouncing back" around Tuesday or Wednesday and start eating like a pregnant woman. Anything goes and I love restaurants.  My poor husband does not know what to expect of me!  

I seem to get weaker and weaker as the treatments progress.  After surgery (bilateral mastectomy with chest expanders on July 2) I was able to walk a mile and a half no problem.  Now I get tired after 1/2 mile.

Other side effects are zits (one giant prominently-placed zit per treatment) and a couple of mouth sores. Also after treatment 3 it became very painful to roll over in bed.  The expanders hurt so much I wake up and yell out.  I don't know if this is connected to treatment or that it is my nerves growing back. I have also noticed my skin looks a little grey.

 I have two wigs (Gabor "luxury collection" monofilament) that I wear when I go out, but around the house I wear a scarf, a baseball cap, or nothing at all. I don't wear anything under the wigs and most of the time they don't itch. I was also in a high wind the other day (Hanna) and it did not blow off!  For some reason, I feel like I look really good wearing long, dangling, stand-out earrings when I'm "rockin' the bald" as my daughter says.

 I'm going to my first breast cancer support group meeting tomorrow and I have asked my friend who sells Mary Kay to come over and make some recommendations for my gray skin and my eyes. I need to go back to work soon and I don't want to look half-dead when I get there!

 Good luck everyone!

 June6