March 2010 Chemo Start

Right now I'm scheduled to start on March 17th but that may be changed to the 19th. Either way definitely that week of March.



PowerPort "installed" during my bilateral mastectomy on Feb 1st. Going for my first "flush" tomorrow (and am nervous about it because my oncologist won't use EMLA; see my thread about Port Discomfort) because it will be six weeks between the installation and the start of chemo.



I'll be getting Taxol + Herceptin weekly for 12 weeks, then for the rest of the year it'll be Herceptin alone every 3 weeks. Planned premeds will be Benadryl, Decadron, and Aloxi. Going on "house arrest" because I can't afford to get Neulasta shots (cancer + no health insurance, what a joy) on top of the cost of everything else. Fingers crossed that Genentech will agree to supply the Herceptin...



Going for my baseline MUGA scan on Wednesday, which I assume is the only other thing that could derail the chemo plan (an unacceptable baseline ejection fraction).



Also am planning to wear the frozen gloves and slippers during the Taxol treatments in hopes that it might avoid hands/feet damage.

Just want to give you guys some encouragement from a March "alumna"  -- I was a March 2008 chemo gal.  I did 6*TAC.  From one who has been there, I can honestly tell you that it's doable.  It's not a walk in the park, but it is doable.  I worked through treatments, taking treatment day and the next day off, then working part time for the next couple of days, then I was able to go back full time again.  I bought a great wig, but ended up wearing it only a few times - I ended up wearing mostly baseball caps with dangly earrings. Everyone is different when it comes to what, if any, headcoverings you will use - some are like me with baseball caps or other hats, others wear their wig all the time, others get into pretty scarves, and some "go commando" and just go bald.    

While losing your hair is no fun, on the good side it's really easy to get ready for work in the morning when all you have to do is towel off and don't have to spend time blow drying and styling your hair.  Also, think of this - no shaving for months, yet your legs and pits stay silky smooth.  Those nasty little chin hairs - gone!  And you never have a bad hair day. 

Please feel free to PM me with any questions you may have - lot of chemo "alums" gave me info and support while I was going through chemo, so I'm glad for any opportunity to "pay it forward."   Rely on each other as well - I could not have gotten through my chemo without the frank and wonderful support from my fellow March 2008 ladies. I hope all of you will develop a strong and supportive community for each other as well.

It won't be easy, but you CAN do this. Going through chemo helped me realize that I was a lot stronger than I thought I was, and the strength I found has helped me in other parts of my life as I've moved beyond active treatment.  I even found the strength to ask for help when I needed it - that was the hardest strength to develop of all.  Good luck to the March ladies!

frosty1, thanks so much for adding me to the list. There's a small correction, though: After the 12 weeks of Taxol + Herceptin weekly, I will then be getting Herceptin every 3 weeks for the next 9 months... so won't be done (assuming all goes well) until March 2011.



*sigh* Wouldn't it be nice if it WERE only the 12 weeks?! But ah well, 'tis what it is! ;-)

Frosty1 , I also started in the Feb thread as I too was to start in Feb (tomorrow 2/25), but I am now scheduled for 3/2/10.  I believe I am TCx4, with another surgery following the chemo.  My first surgery was 12/4, did not have clear margins, re-excision on 01/25 with a close margin clearance, therefore just to make sure my surgeon along with my onc doctor feel I should have another "touch-up" around the margins to be sure.  After all that, radiation and of course Tamoxifen.  These boards are the greatest, great advise and encouragement, and everyone shoots from the hip and doesn't sugar coat anything.

Frosty - before your port install tomorrow, put a line around where your bra strap usually goes to make sure that they don't place the access point of the port there - you don't want your bra strap rubbing on it all the time once it heals.  Chances are your onc will want to leave the port in for some time after you finish chemo, so you really don't want to be dealing with that issue.  I had my port installed the day before my first chemo - it was a little sore but there was really no problem installing it that close to chemo.  After your mx, the port install is nothing.

Hello to everyone, fellow March chemo ladies and others that have kindly visited.  

I have been doing a lot of following of the Feb. group, as I, too, was supposed to start in February. Did the pre-meds, drank oh-plenty of H20, was totally psychologically there and then, NO!  The onc that was covering for my vacationing onc thought my reconstruction zone (t/e's fully, and I mean fully, expanded) looked "pinkish".  Sent me away with Augmentin, 875mg, (nice on the stomach) and told me to re-try after being re-examined by the PS (who, was also on vacation that week, so had to wait for him to get back this week).  Anyway, 7 days of antibiotics later, still pink.  PS says its the "just" the stretching and now, I'm scheduled to re-attempt chemo on 3/2. 

This waiting and anticipating is hard on the psyche...really just want to get started.  I keep telling myself, mantra-like, that chemo is not the enemy, but the ally.  Though dread looms large, we need to move through so that we can move on!   Totally helps to read the Feb. thread, as those ladies. and all the others that have come before us here, are amazing.

 Looking forward to getting to know you all and moving through this together. 

Hello all. I am popping in from the March 2009 Warrior Princesses thread to wish you all the warmth and support I can as you set out on this journey. I did chemo from March-September (AC then Taxol) last year, then radiation. You'll get through this fine, I promise. We all did.

I felt such wonderful companionship from the other women on my thread and I am sure you will find the same this year. I strongly recommend the Shopping List for chemo thread, and my own number one tip is - see a naturopath for supplements that can assist your body in withstanding the chemo.

best wishes

Rachel 

i'm scheduled to start on the 15th, TCH.  not sure of the specifics yet as far as how long the chemo will be but i know herceptin will be a year.  a couple of things may delay treatment but i hope not!!  i've had enough delays.

~M

I agree. It still amazes me that I was diagnosed a few days before New Years, had my BMX on Feb 1st, and am starting chemo March 17th. I could start a little earlier but want to just give my body those extra 2 weeks to recover fully from the surgery before subjecting it to another onslaught. Plus, maybe enough Spring will be in the air by then to lift my spirits the way it always did before. Mental therapy. :-)



It does still amaze me that it's only been less than 60 days since I got The Phone Call. It both seems like forever, and also seems like yesterday.



I have a friend who had to wait almost 5 months between diagnosis and start of chemo (mostly red tape from insurance companies + medical incompetence) and it practically drove her over the edge.

Good luck to all the March 2010 ladies!  Just think - next year at this time you'll be the one posting encouraging comments for the 2011 March "newbies". 

Hopefully one day there will be a cure or preventative, and no more need for March chemo threads.

How kind of you to write to this forum. You've offered your strength, and I'm listening. Thank you.