Starting Chemo February 2009?

Webwriter:  So sorry to hear about your pain, definitely didn't need that on top of everything else....60's I am so jealous...It was like -14 this morning...I think right now it is like 2degrees out, glad I can stay in today.  I have this need to try and get everything in order before chemo, kind of feels like nesting...too bad it isn't? 

I had a port placed when I had my bilat mast...my surgeon has great foresight.  Doesn't bother me at all, now the expanders are a different story.  Years ago I did have a picc placed for some long term IV and didn't care for it as my was very visible.  My port is covered by my clothes. 

Haven't started the chemo bag yet, but my very special husband has created a little oasis in my living room, green plants, water fall, soothing music and candles....love it and hope I feel too good to enjoy it:) 

Webwriter---Just saw your post about the fall---sorry that you are going through pain.  I hope you are ok.  I am still having pain from my fall, so I know how you feel.  For me, I found that babying it afterwards made it get worse, so after resting it for a few days, I started doing my exercises again, and think it is starting to improve. 

What happened to your shoulder in the past (you mentioned having it repaired in Nov.)?

Judy

Hi Artemis!  Same protocol as me (except I'm also getting Avastin thrown in).  Please let me know how your 1st treatment goes!!!  I'll be starting 1 week after you!!

Michele

Welcome Tricia.  I will also be having AC x 4  followed by Taxol x 12. I also will receive Herceptin to complete one full year.  I will be having my first chemo Friday, Jan. 30. I am very apprehensive also.  Frankly I'm scared to death.  It is nice to be able to read how everyone else was nervous and then got through it.  Apparently it is not fun but it is doable.  I will let you know after Friday.  I am getting my port in the morning.  I am seriously praying that it doesn't hurt.  This board has been a "god send" to me.  I think you will enjoy it as well.

Donna

TwillNW ~ Welcome!  I'm sorry you had to join us, but in the short time I've been here, I've found this to be a wonderful place full of support and information.

Donna and MicheleS ~ I had my port placed this past Thursday the 22nd.  I was awake enough to know they were doing things to me, but didn't care much because the nurse kept giving me what she called "liquid courage", lol.  I had pain that night (slept with ice packs), Friday and Saturday.  It's much much better today (Sunday) though I'm still taking Tylenol for it.  Good luck, Donna; I'm sure you'd going to do just great.  And, yes, MicheleS, I'll be sure and report on my first chemo.

Artemis

I will probably be joining the Feb 2009 chemo group mid-Feb. I'm still hoping to get out of it -- waiting for a second FISH test and oncotype. But my oncologist seems determined (the only question in his mind is whether I will get AC alone or AC followed by Herceptin). I'm not clear, though, why he wants me to do AC. It sounds like that's the worst of the worst. Why not something a little less horrible? After reading this forum, I am going to ask him at my next appointment.

Tricia

Hi guys - glad to meet everyone although I wish it was for a different reason!  I start chemo on Monday, Feb 2nd (AC) - getting my port on Friday first.  I'm normally a very headstrong positive person and this is killing me - I had a double mastectomy on December 31st (a New Year I will NEVER forget!) and I still feel like this isn't real.  I just can't get it into my head that I have cancer - I just turned 42 and I feel fine so why am I going to subject myself to hell?  I'm scared to death - even reading the posts about the port made me nervous - I didn't think that was going to be a big deal - I guess I should know better by now!  Today is a feeling sorry for myself day - tomorrow is another day although I get my tires inflated tomorrow so I'll feel like my chest muscles are bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger's!  On a positive note - I got my hair cut last week - 10 inches off something I would never have normally done and I actually like it (kids and hubby did too!) - too bad it's not going to last for long - but at least I know I can get away with short hair!  I look forward to future posts - we can do this.....I think!

January 29th I start Taxol and Avastin

Taxol, once a week for 3 weeks, the one off.

Avastin every 1st and 3rd week.

(I am so grateful to have a port.. it seems to make it so much easier compared to my sister in law who has a picc and seems to be always having problems (she's 20years older than me tho.)

Artemis-I also go tomorrow for my 1st trtmt.I've done it twice before but this combination of drugs is different-so don't know how it will be.

Apple-I'm doing the same combo as you-Taxol & Avaston.I did taxol the first time but never have had Avastin.It's fairly new for treating breast cancer.

Good luck to both of you & all the rest of us,I just want to get these 9 wks over with & get back to feeling good.This just takes over your life when you're going thru it.

Hello, Webwriter,

I will start my chemo on 02/09. DD AC X4+Taxaol X12.  I was trying to sign up for avastin trial, but my low platelet problem disqualified me.

Starting dd Taxotere x 4 Jan. 29th, so I'll join this group.  I already did 4 dd AC's from Sept-Oct, then had bilat. mast. with tissue expanders.  Darn nodes were pos. so here I am again.

Someone asked about Gatorade, I drank it on my last tx's, and the onc. nurses said it's better than water, more stuff in it to hydrate you.  Also ladies make sure you take something for constipation... cause that can and will get very bad if you don't keep on top of it.  Something like Senekot for the first 4-5 days of treatment will work.  Good luck to all!

Sue

Hi everyone. 

I saw my onc again yesterday, and I start chemo next Tuesday, 2/3.  I have my choice of either doing AC/T dose dense, or participating in study S0221, which is looking at how an increase in frequency of dosing may or may not help  reduce recurrences.  With this study, I could end up having weekly doses of both AC and T, or some combination of every week and every 2 weeks, for about 26 weeks.  I worry about having no time to recover from se's with having chemo every week.  So, I am still researching that.

They are making me go to the dentist before starting, I need some work done.  So that is why I don't start until next week.  My hospital has a dental school, so they said I should be able to get the work done for free or almost free. 

Hope everyone is doing ok.  Web, I hope your shoulder heals up soon.  Welcome to all newcomers to the group, although it really stinks that there are so many of us in this situation.

i have been thru chemo before and found the steroids way too much.  I don't think I even went to bed the first time I took 4 the nite before.  After the first week, I saved them and LOVE them for deep house cleaning.  They are also absolutely excellent for piano performance.   I play as if I had the hands of Horowitz.   I can see why athletes get hooked on them.  I still have 10 left over and hope they give me some more.

(don't worry I only take about one a month and check with the doctor).

I thought that my treatments would be over at the end of January.  I had a MAJOR scare with what appeared to be a brain tumor requiring immediate surgery... that coupled with further lymph node involvement.   thank goodness the brain thing turned out to be nothing hopefully.  chemo alone doesn't seem too bad.

I take my keyboard and music into the treatment room w/ headphones and practice.   Carol, I'll be following you closely since we seem to be doing exactly the same thing at the same time.m  I'm doing 3 wks. of Taxol, and one week off, with the Avastin administered on weeks 1 and 3.

I'm hoping the taxol doesn't do a number on my fingers and nails.

hello lovelies,

just got back from the oncologist and my brain is reeling. i'm exhausted. so this will be a cliff notes version.

1. LOVE my oncologist. confident he and i will be a good fit. he seems more reactive than proactive, ie: we'll deal with the side effects if and when they happen. but he wasn't dismissing my concerns either. he's funny and bright and warm and honest and open and we've already cussed in front of one another, hee. he seemed optimistic that the worst i would suffer is hair loss and fatigue.

2. i don't know how to do all the abbreviations, but my regimen = (4) 2-wk cycles of AC (um, just realized i forgot to write down what the 'A' is and what the 'C' is ...? Adriamycin? Cytoxan? crap!), (4) 2-wk cycles of tamoxifen (or taxotere? forgot which one). so unhappy that it's not the original 12 wks that my surgeon predicted.

3. i requested emend (thanks to suggestions listed here!) & he was happy to comply. his niece works for merck. hee. 

4. he wants me to start chemo next weds, 2/4 - which shocked me a little. i think it's partly that he wants me to have my treatment at that specific facility (where all my doctors are, one stop shopping!), and he's only there wednesdays. plus less time for me to Dread. (i told him i'm prone to anticipatory anxiety.)

5. i had to scurry to get all my doc appts in order: preop exam (for port surgery) tomorrow, my final fill w/ PS on friday, port "installation" on mon eve, and then chemo weds. he was able to pull strings and have my heart sonogram done in his office right then and there. (a heart sonogram with expanders is a trip and a half.)

6. made my wig appt for monday morning. i have high hopes for the salon, based on kind email replies and an even nicer phone call. 

i feel a leeeetle bit betta. but i need a cuppa tea and a book and a nap and no more internet research today. this is all so overwhelming.

(((group hug)))