Starting Chemo February 2009?

Kerry`~ Isn't it funny what we have found out late in the game ??

 Okay I added a picture so I wanted to check and see if it works.  It was so easy I am embarrassed that I put it off for that long.:)

Dx 12/24/2008, IDC, 1cm, Stage I, Grade 3, 0/2 nodes, ER-/PR-, HER2+

Thanks I was checking out to see if I like the ta-ta's ...lol....  I can take pictures of everyone else but I stink at taking them of myself. 

Can anyone help me with this question?  I just had my last AC yesterday and have done relatively well with the exception of one delayhed chemo because of low blood count.  I will start Taxol and Herceptin in three weeks.  Taxol weekly for twelve weeks and Herceptin every three weeks for one year.  Can anyone tell me how long the Taxol and Herceptin treatments take?  I am used to about 2 to 3 hours for AC.  Thanks for any help you can give me. My husband will be with a mission group in the southern part of the country for my first treatment so I will need to get someone else to take me.  Kathy

Ladies....

I now know what chemopause is all about   I wake up no less than 3 times in the middle of the night drenching with sweat and I do mean drenching to where you could scrap it off my neck and chest area.

I am also getting major hot flashes during the day also.  My temperature in my bedroom is about 40 degrees at night and I am still waking up all sweaty.

I sure hope this doesn't last for too long!

Thank you all for your hugs and love....I had to  stop at 3 dose dense AC, I have taken 3 taxotere dose dense and tomorrow is my last one!!  MY dd bought me a new outfit and cookies for the staff at the infusion center, I am so amazed at the wonderful people God put into my life. A kind word and a hang in there goes a long way! I had to see my surgeon today for a follow up, I am not sure why he has not released me yet, but he wants to see me again in 6 months?? Apparently there is a nerve that runs right through the lymphnodes he removed and he thinks it may be what is causing my arm pain, but he also said that all of these aches and pains may go away after they quite throwing all these chemicals at me.......something else to look forward to.............just think we can now see the light at the end of this tunnell and its not a train this time!!

Apple I am so sorry for you and your family,I have been praying. I know what you mean by over doing it.  One day I felt well enough to try to clean a  little, what a mistake..I was "down" for 3 days recovering and the house was a mess again in less then 2...I have 3 kids and 2 puppies.

I love you all and keep in mind that this to shall pass and we will survive!

Janice, thanks so much for your reply.  Maybe I will hear from some weekly does Taxol buddies.  God Bless, kathy

Oh Judy I would be upset.  Magic mouthwash didn't do crap for me but numb the mouth.  Malox helped clear it up quickly I am not sure why I didn't post that sooner, 

I had my PS appt. today and I am set to go besides my pre-op appt. and testing.  I am very excited about getting to my exchange.  It is still a ways off but I guess it is something to look forward to.  Then I am running away on a vacation if I am approved by nephrologist. 

Nephrologist is a Kidney doctor   Who is not bad on the eyes

Jaimie:  I like your new pic, you look great!  I can't wait to get my foobs, it will be at least the end of July before I get started on expanders.  I hope the mouthwash works, if not, how did you use the Maalox?  Swish it, drink it?  I wonder why maalox works, I know it's in the magic mouthwash, too.

Suzanne:  Well, chihuahua's aren't very easy to train.  We have 3 chihuahua's, ages 4, 3 and 2, and although 2 of them let me know when they want to go out, the third one has to be carried to the door each time.  And all 3 of them pee all over the house anyway.  They drive me nuts!  I've always owned yorkies (I have one yorkie, too), and they train wonderfully.  The chihuahua's are actually my DD's, and will move out some day (can't wait)!

Helen:  I don't know what it is with the Taxol, it could be the extra steroids they give, but I am always hungry!  Since they've lowered my steroids, the hunger isn't as bad.  And I've lost 3 lbs this last week (less hungry/mouth sore).

Jancie:  oh, I HATE the hot flashes!  Wake me up every night, come and go during the day.  I wonder if I will stay in menopause, I probably had a few years left, but was still very regular before chemo.  My doc said no unprotected sex for 18 months, because your period can still return after all that time. 

Kerry:  My big toes hurt most of the time, for about 2 weeks now.  It is worse if I am on my feet alot.  Weird side effect, really. 

I worry missing another tx, if it will make the chemo less effective.  It is the 2nd taxol they've postponed now.  She didn't even hesitate, as soon as she saw the sore, she said no tx today.  Totally took me by surprise, I'm gonna go search and see if anyone else has had their doc do this. 

Hugs to all

Judy

Judy, is that really you in the avatar picture? You look so young! Also, have you been able to eat because of the sore? I know you say it's real painful.

Jaimie:  I have no idea how I'm going to wear swimsuit/tank tops this summer.  I never got a real prosthesis, just have some foam ones in my bra, which is very uncomfortable and hot.  I need to find some cheap inserts for a bathing suit, but am worried it will look weird.  You are so lucky to have it done already; they were supposed to do immediate reconstruction on me, but then couldn't because they thought they'd have to remove some muscle during surgery (which they didn't have to do, could've had the recon after all)

Cheryl:  yeah, that's me.  Thanks, but I look much older up close, although my students always guess that I'm in my 30's (too funny, but not really a compliment since they think 30 is old anyway).  It has been sooo hard to eat with this sore, so I did end up losing 3 lbs this week.  Which is fine since I put on almost 10 lbs in the last month. 

Kathy:  No problem, do they add the Herceptin in with the Taxol, or is it given separately?  I swear, between the blood work, dr. appt and chemo, I am always there at least 5 hours anyway, they're so slow!  That's great that you got through AC with little problems, it was awful for me!  Taxol should be even easier.

Judy

susan13 -  this is nanaA from the march group.  I got steroid induced diabetes during chemo.  They sent me to a dietician who warned me against too little carbs.  Your liver tries to produce the sugar if you do not have enough and your liver is what is cleaning out the chemo, you do not want it working any harder than it needs to.  You need to have 40- 45 carbs per meal 3 time a day and can have 1 15 carb snack.  This is for a 1400 - 1500 calorie diet.  Fresh fruit except apple and bananas are about 15 per 3/4 cup or one peach, etc.  Vegetable are usually about 5 per serving unless they are starches like potatoes or corn.  Bread, buns, popcorn, etc you can find on the package.  Cereal for breakfast is on the box.  I usually have a bowl of cereal with fruit in it, or plain cereal and a bowl of fruit.  The only days I have had to give myself shots is Tuesday which is chemo day and take 5 tablets of dex at bedtime and 5 more again in the morning and then they put more in the iv.  Watching what I eat has also helped me lose 20 lbs since this started.

MrsRockytop55  - I am doing the weekly taxol.  Finished # 7 today.  I go in at 8:30 and have labs drawn and wait and hour for them to get back.  If they are ok they order the prescription for all the meds up from the pharmacy downstairs and usually start them by 9:50 or 10 done by 1 or so if only taxol add another hour for herceptin.  Add much longer for 1st two treatments because they give them at a much slower rate the first two times to make sure there is no reaction.  I get two bags of premeds.  dex and zofran and benedryl.  Benedryl given too fast can give you restless legs.  The only Se that has been major for me is the numbness and tingling in hands and toes.  We are watching.  They told me that I am the one who decides on what is enough.  I ask myself each week if this is permanent at this stage can I live with it.  So far I can.  I would like to get thru at least 10 if not all 12, but herceptin is the reason I am on chemo.  They do not give it normally without chemo to start.  I want to get far enough so that I can continue on with the herceptin even if I have to give up on the taxol.  Day 5 i usually crash with fatigue.  I really think it may be a steroid let down along with the chemo and the fact when you are high with the steroids you don't rest as much as you should.  If you have more  questions I could answer let me know.

Annette  

Kerry:  I had rads during the summer, and i went swimming during rads.  Doc told me to use lots of sunscreen in the area being treated.  My skin did very well during rads, though, so I suppose someone who was having problems with their skin may not want to go swimming or out in the sun.  Also, we have a pool, and I'm not sure you'd want to go in a lake where the water isn't clean.

omg, I got practically no sleep last night, the mouth sore was at its worst, kept waking up in pain....hot flashes and hubby snoring finally did me in, so I got up at 5am to go sleep on couch--but DD and her fiance were up, she wasn't feeling well, so I gave up.  I think I got like 3 hours of sleep, and have a day full of appointments ahead of me.  Sooooo tired.

At least it's going to be  a nice day here, sunny and warm!

Jud

Kerry, I sunburn very easily, so I don't think there is a connection.  I did use cocoa butter and RadX cream daily, and my skin did not burn.  Some light redness, but no pain/blisters/peeling, etc.  On the days I was red, I would just throw a t-shirt over my bathing suit to swim in.

Just a note, in my own pool, I do not keep the chlorine level too high, but I know chlorine can be drying, and some public pools keep it very high.  High levels of chlorine wouldn't be a good idea.  

I would see what your rad onc thinks about swimming, though.  Who knows if things have changed since 2004.

Judy

Okay I woke up this morning with mouth sores   Which means I was running a fever sometime yesterday.  Gotta start the malox rinse again....