Starting Chemo in July 2009

Quarter, I hope you feel better soon.  Don't not post - it's not just happy trails here, I think in the thick of it, most of us are going to be sad or sick or both.  Im still there but the amount of support here has helped me tremendously.  Kathy described it as humanistic as possible and I can go weeks as happy as a clam and then out of nowhere it just hits me that I have cancer and I find myself depressed for a long while. So so so many things going on in my head lately but the good of this disease is how it brings people together.  People want to help and support.  It really is phemonenal how people step up and take good care of you when you are down.  I know I am blessed and this helps me get thru the harder times. 

Gill, how are you feeling?  How is your ankle?  I hope you feel better soon.  Im not sure what state you live in but in the northeast the weather was brutal last week as Im sure that didn't help your situation and being dizzy.

paulding mom, how is your speech coming?  Did you come across any stats on self exams and finding bc that way?  Just curious bc the drs never really cared too much that I found mine, in a way that was noted that is.

LoriJo, that is hysterical.  I need to get my licence updated with my new married name but Ive been holding off bc of the chemo, etc...  lmao

 I saw a commercial today for eco something (a galvanized steel water bottle) - they were saying that the breakdowns of the chemicals from plastic water bottles contaminate into the water when they sit in the car.  They used the words 'leads to breast cancer' in that commercial. Wow was all I could think; that's pretty ballsy to write.  Then I started thinking about how at the time I had a backseat full of empty water bottles and how I felt that I was being 'healthy' and not drinking the diet pepsi fountain sodas like I wanted.  So it leads me to this question: how do you feel about how you got bc?   

Anyway, Im rambling tonight.  Preparing for no sleep. Im going to put the fan about two feet from my body in the hopes that the hot flash that lasts fron 4:30pm to 4:30 am will not be too bad. Im afraid to take anything hormonal so Ive been just dealing with it.

Hang in there girls Ihope those of you who had tx this week are doing ok.  just think, only a few days and you'll feel much better. 

stef58, Had #5 yesterday, Taxol & Herceptin,I was there for 7 1/2 hours. The first time the herceptin was longer, after that it is only 1/2 hour. Taxol is about 4 hrs. Did pretty good with the treatment,noproblems and I felt pretty good when I got home. They say this is alot better than the AC except for bone and muscle pain. My 4th AC was pretty bad. So far this morning I am feeling pretty good. We will see what the next few days bring. Hope you feel good.

Ladies...Had to take a break from the board for awhile. I was being consumed by bc i felt. So just needed to step back and try to find some normalcy...no luck really. Normal has been redefined by this disease. After AC #2 I was nauseated, actually vomited and lost my smell/taste for almost 11 days!! That made almost all smells sickening to me and everything tasted bad. I've had a few good days now, and will have #3 on Monday....ughhhh!!! I'm discouraged, but not giving up. Blood counts are good thanks to nuelasta. Got a new nausea med (kytril) $831.00 for 20 pills!!!!! Thank God for my insurance which paid it all. Hoping it will end the nausea.

I'm right in the middle of all the se's with all of you....hot/cold, sweating, teary eyes, yukk tongue, mad, sad, glad (sometimes), bald, cranky, etc.....yet grateful i'm alive and able to feel all these things!!!!

Dh flew with ds to enroll in college in LA. Sad I couldn't go due to feeling so crappy. Good for them they could get away together for a few days.



Hang in there,

Joni1

Hey  triple J's Had number 5 yesterday. The steriods keep me up last night for the first time. They have me taking them for 2 days after  on docetaxol/taxotere. Anybody else do this, hard to wind down. Seems to be a gentlier drug so far. when does the tingling start , any advie from the TC people on this thread?  So far so good.  Hugs and strength Dianne

I don't know about the diet drink thing, but I do know that the plastic thing is a big concern....as are cosmetics. As soon as I feel better, I am replacing all my makeup with all natural cosmetics.  There has been some research to suggest a link from homones in cosmetics to breast cancer...just an fyi!

LindaSue~  In the book ANTICANCER, the author says to stay away from any cosmetics, moisturizers, etc. that have parabens and phthyalates in them. After I went to Look Good Feel Better and came home with all the makeup, I looked at the labels and over half the products had these in them. Started looking at everything, and couldn't believe all the lotions, soaps, nail polish,makeup, shower gels that I had that have them. Got rid of it all. You know, I was thinking of friends who rub progesterone cream on, and it made me realize how our skin really does absorb stuff very well. I'm now trying to not use anything on my skin.

Joni1

OK-so I called the doctor today re: the weird stuff on my hands and got another Rx-a cream, called Triamcinolone Acetonide cream-I'm afraid to research it!! I've done one application & the stinginess is gone already.  Still looks painful, but doesn't feel as sensitive.

#2: Prior to BC treatment #3, if you tapped my veins, you'd get pure Diet Pepsi.  Ive said that for YEARS-I'd say a good 20-25 yrs, of lots of DP everyday (the earlier years not quite as much as I also drank a lot of alcohol back then), but honestly, I NEVER drank anything but DP for probably the last 10.  Very rarely water, and it didn't matter if the DP was from plastic, can, or fountain!  But since last Thursday, I have not had but 1 DP, and dumped more than 1/2 down the sink-tasted terrible.  Now that I'm starting to feel better I am not sure if the taste will be better now, but Hey-I've kicked the habit, guess I should continue my DP sobriety.  Wish me luck!  Joni2    

Hi Fellow Diet Soda Lovers......I hate to be the bearer of potential bad news...BUT....all diet sodas contain potassium benzoate.  Somewhere in my chemo fogged brain I remember reading that "benzoate" or any derivitive of that can be a cancer causing agent.  For some reason straight sodas do not contain that which is why occasionally I will have a regular soda or mix half n half.  I have gone through periods of no soda, then once I have one I seem to get addicted again.  Since diagnosed with BC have been making a true effort to cut them totally out.  Natural sodas like Hansen, Blue Sky contain no preservatives (benzoate) so should be much safer.....they don't taste as good either, however.  But when I have a craving I resort to the natural soda which is better than nothing.

p373...I was also awake when the port went in, its a very short procedure. When the surgeon took it out I was fully awake just local. Believe me I take the port anytime comparing the core needle biopsy.They put that blue drape so you don't see nothing. And its very practical nobody has to poke your arms. For me it was a blessing because I have very tiny veins. My oncologist was afraid that chemo would burst out my veins.

Good Luck to you on Monday

 Sheila

Hello Dazed-and-Confused - I also had bright, red pimples on one shoulder, my neck and my head after my first treatment. I a sked my doc and he said it was due to the steroids (dexamethosone also known as decadron).  I used Melaleuca Gel on my pimples and they were gone in a couple days. Most of my SEs were due to the steroids and not due to the AC so since I had no nausea he cut my steroids in half.  When my doc cut my steroids in half it virtually eliminated all my SEs and I felt good or great almost all the time.  Glad to hear your wife is doing well through treatment and glad that your lurking has helped you and her through this trying time in your lives.

 Connie

Hello Triple-J's,

Sorry to post again, but I wanted to thank PS-73 and the others for the information on cosmetics and diet pepsi.  I don't wear a lot or hardly any makeup or drink any diet drinks. I know people who had arthritis symtoms, surgery and issues that were later found related to diet coke and diet drinks.  Some stopped drinking diet soda and felt so much better - it took 2 to 3 months before they stopped feeling arthritis type symptoms.

I also know a chemist who said fertilizers and chemicals used to treat gardens and bugs have known carcinogens that cause cancer in mice and rats. I found this interesting because both me and my mom have or had BC and we are avid gardeners. Although we don't spray our lawns and gardens we do buy bags of potting soil that probably contain the chemicals and we don't wear gloves.   I wonder how many other BC members are gardeners?  After my diagnosisis, I removed all cans of Off, Raid, houselhold cleaners and many other products.  I use Skin so soft as a bug replellent and bought 10 bottles to give to my daughter, sisters, and  nieces.  I only use natural, organic household cleaners and vinegar.  I read all labels for all products whenever possible.  I was amazed how many yogurts include aspartame which is also not good.

Luckily my 5 sisters, daughter and nieces don't like gardening so if that contributed to my mother's BC or my BC, hopefully they wont' get it.

I'm having my BRCA test on Wed and will get the results on Sept 23rd. The lady at Yale Cancer center said only 10 to 12 percent of BC patients test positive so it will be interesting and helpful to find out the results.  My insurance said it is a $3000 test, but is covered since I'm under 50 and was diagnosed with cancer.  Maybe the 10 to 12 percent is not really accurate since probably many don't have the test or can't afford it. If my results are negative then it is due to environmental  and lifestyle factors.

Sorry for the long post, but I'm glad we are sharing information about known carcinogens and other unhealthy products that we use.

Have a good weekend!

Connie 

Hi gals. Hope everyone has a SE free weekend. 

jewlls - I would probably be nervous also if I were awake.  Fortunately for me, surgeon placed the port when she performed my lumpectomy.  The good thing is that you will absolutely love the port!  I do not have good veins and the port has been wonderful!  Maybe they will give you some valium or ask them to cover your face.  I had lasik eye surgery several years ago, and of course, you have to be awake for that.  Dr. gave me valium and covered my face with steril cloth.  Good luck!

Pam

Well, about the not having babies or having babies late as a risk factor, my grandmother had 5 sons and had 2 miscarriages as well and she ended up with breast cancer anyway when she was around 70 give or take (she lived to be 92).  So all those pregnancies didn't seem to provide enough protection against breast cancer for her...

As for potential causes - I did take the pill for quite a number of years myself, so I do wonder.  And I don't like to waste calories on beverages, so I do drink diet drinks.  They've changed their minds so much about what's good for you and what's bad for you, I don't know what to eat or drink.  Variety and moderation are key, I think. 

For nausea, they give me Aloxi via IV before T/C and I have had no nausea.  I've read that Zofran and Aloxi are pretty much interchangeable, but sometimes one is better than the other for some people.