Starting Chemo Feb 2010?

Random thoughts after my last chemo today:   Yahoo! to the last treatment.

I asked my oncologist for a prescription for generic Zantac or you can buy it over the counter.  I have had great success with it dealing with my heartburn.  I take one tablet at breakfast and one at dinner time.

Yes, my hot flashes are worse at night.  I do the bed cover "dance" too.  Seems to start a few minutes after I lie/lay? down.  I have a fan that is directed at me.   It helps cool me down when the flashing begins.   It takes a few hours for my body to settle down so I can sleep comfortably.  I also carry a cute folding Japanese fan when I am out and about and need to cool down fast.  It keeps me from melting down on the spot or screaming!

Tonight, boy I do feel like my body has been taken over my some very strong medicine and I am tired.  I was thrilled that I did not have any issues during the treatment.  I am going to take this recovery time one hour or day at at time.   I am just imaging how good I will be feeling on May 27!!

I did take the chemo nurses a thank you snack today.  I brought them croissant mini sandwiches, brownies bites, mandarin oranges, chips, plates, and napkins.   They were very appreciative.  The onco nurses have been very kind and caring.  Taking chemo is so scary, especially at first,  (well every time) and they were very nice through the whole process.   We shared hugs and it felt good.   One last Neulasta injection tomorrow.

I have been encouraged by veterans of this chemo process to eat spinach every day.  I need to follow that advice.  Also, the following foods are supposed to very good for us and help that with SEs:  yogurt, swiss cheese, almonds, eggs, applesauce (nausea), and yup, spinach.

For all you dear ladies that are done with chemo, recovering from chemo, and those still in the chemo process.  My thoughts ahd prayers are with you all!

Go Team February 2010!

roso80,

I am sending you an extra big hug.  I had a rough three weeks too.   It is strange that life goes on for most people and we are in this odd place called breast cancer treatment.  Take care of yourself.  It is okay to have a pity party.  Then we pick ourselves up and carry on.  We understand here because we all have different treatment journeys.  We care about you and your feelings.  (((((roso80))))   

Thanks, Leah58.

On bit of a dex buzz so I'm feeling better today

We should definitely continue with a May/June rads forum!

HI Ladies,

Roso-Big hugs to you.  I know when all of my friends were getting married and having kids wondering when it was going to happen for me too. And, I wasn't battle the whole cancer thing then and it was hard.  fwiw-i had pretty much given up on it ever happening to me and Mr. right finally appeared.  I was 39!  Had he appeared any earlier in my life, I would not have been ready for him.  Your time will come.  But, i know, it is SO hard.

Mo-I just had a 2nd opinion with the Rad onc and I am so much more relieved that i previously was. This doc was fantastic.  He is involved in all sorts of studies and really knew his stuff.  I am now going to see him, eventhough it will add an extra 30-40 minutes to my daily route.  I know that you and are similiar in or dx and the statistics he was giving me were so good.  It decreased my reoccurance rate by 10%.  I was also really concerned about Lymphedema and found that I only have a 10-15% chance of getting it.  That was a huge relief. 

Another interesting fact that he told me is that one of the new theories on younger women getting bc is that women who have kids later in life, late 30's and early 40's may be a contributing factor.  I had my first at 40 and my 2nd at 42.  My girlfriend who had her 1st at 43 also had breast cancer.  The theories is that the body needs to go through and entire pg earlier in life-estrogen issues and such.  I thought this was really interesting. 

Anyway, I am much more relieved about radiation than i previously was! 

Hope everyone is feeling good.  Many of us are finishing or getting close to the finish line.  Nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

V

Hey Girls! To all my February sister that FINISHED chemo ... You go girls. I wish you little to no SE. Tomorrow I will get my last T/C treatment... Hurray for me...!!!!!  I forgot that I will be up all night......Need to make an appointment for my exchange... Still need to make appointment for onco gyno for the ovaries....It seems it never ends.

To all my other Feb. Sisters going through treatment this week you are in my prayers. Courage and strength.

Donna

Hello everyone! I just got caught up and am so excited for those who have crossed the chemo finish line. What an accomplishment that is. I have been away from this board for a while, I guess I just needed to take a break from everything cancer. It tends to take over. I'm so glad we're all hanging in.

I finished my 12 taxo/herceptin and had my first FEC with herceptin Monday. So far have had worse hot flashes and chills and a headache but that"s it for SE's so far. I am taking Zofran for the next few days to prevent nausia. Didn't sleep much last night with all the chills & sweating. My onc didn't think anything was good for sleep so I am on my own there. She did say Effexor(sp?) might help with the hot flashes but weight gain was one of the things that would happen taking it so I decided to try to stick it out. I have gained enough!! That is wrong on so many levels! I have partaken in a little much medicinal ice cream for the sore throat and general discomfort. She said it was the chemopause & dex also. Now I'm getting more dex with fec than before. UGH! Skin breakouts also not fun. My fingers hurt and are wrinkled like they've been in water and the bottoms of my feet hurt too & toes are numb. Hopefully this will go away soon.

My sono was good and the tumor has shrunk more than 50%, radiologist said phenominal response! Good news! Also met with my breast surgeon and she said With this great response the options for surgery were equal, lumpectomy or mast. Still trying to figure that all out. Such a hard choice. I really would prefer not to go through this crap again! Anyone? Too bad there's not just one easy answer. How did ya'll make that choice? Most have already had surgery.

So I'm just waiting for the rest of my hair to fall out now. 

Either it's the chemopause, low blood cell counts or just plain being down...but I have zero personality.  And everyone is noticing it.  It's driving my husband crazy-I don't cry, get mad, smile.  It just isn't there!  I feel absolutely flat ALL THE TIME.  Anyone I see asks what's wrong with me...am I feeling o.k....tries to make me smile.  Ugh.  Is it only me?  Is anyone else feeling flat lately?

Leah, and Michelle--congrats on finishing!!!!  Roso, hang in there--we are all entitled to a pity party. Burley, I think I am just the opposite. I cry at the drop of a hat. I snap at people sometimes (esp people from the insurance company he he). But its funny, when I go into work, everybody tells me great I look, and how upbeat I am, and what an inspiration I am, etc. They should see me at home, no make-up, no hair, glasses not contacts, schlepping around in sweats all day. Not a very pretty sight.

Had my 3rd Taxol Tuesday, and felt great but I can feel the SE's starting to kick in tonight, mainly losing my taste for food again, and dry mouth. Fingers and toes still numb. Nurse told me to use Vicks Vapor rub on them so am trying that. When I went to schedule my final Taxol treatment for May 11, the office told me they were booked that day, could I come in the 12th? I have May 11 on my calendar circled and starred and arrowed--when she wanted me to come in the 12th I almost started to cry. I don't want to wait one extra day!  so they are letting me come in on the 10th, so I get done a day early woo hoo! And I asked my doc about needing the Neulasta shot after my final treatment, and since my last WBC count was 15.1, I don't have to come in and get a shot. Double woo hoo!  I have really been lucky with my blood counts, I guess the Neulasta worked well for me. My hemoglobin is getting a little higher too, 10.3 from 10.1. I also want to get the visiting nurse to come out and remove my PICC line the day after chemo. I can't wait to take a decent shower without my arm wrapped in Saran wrap, and then put on a short-sleeved shirt, or maybe a tank top!  (PICC still beats that awful Portacath I had though).

Since I have been continuously crying at the drop of a hat (and the new breast lump scare really put me over the top in terms of emotional labially) I asked if I could have something for depression/anxiety. He gave me a prescription for Lexapro, which I will take for the first time tomorrow. I felt funny asking for something and I think I've held up well, but these last few weeks have been tough. and I've heard that it gets worse when chemo is over....hey but I still have radiation to look forward to!  I think a May/June rads group would be great. I need to call the rad onc this week and make an appt and find out what that all entails.

Oh and my hot flashes started like a month ago, and I too am either hot or freezing with no in between.  Sometimes I have chills....and then 15 min later I am hot. And they are worse at night. Luckily I am not a big "sweater" so I don't have to change my clothes or sheets or anything, just less covers, and the sleep hat is OFF.I have been cold my entire life, so these hot flashes are a new experience for me. I guess it was bound to happen since I haven;t had my period since mid-Feb. Can't wait till I start the tamoxifen for more continued fun and games....and I am happy with my 10 lb weight loss--I just know that drug is gonna make me put weight back on. Dammit.

Oh well, still taking the Dex and rambling, sorry girls!!!  Gonna go to sleep now (hopefully) and wait for the bone pain to kick in soon. But this time in 2 weeks I WILL BE FINISHED CHEMO! Never thought I would get thru it, thank you girls--this site has been such a blessing to me!

Wishing you all a restful and SE free night..    

I recognise all of the side effects and emotions on this thread. I am sweating at night but not when I sleep during the day. My mood can fluctuate at the drop of a hat or more likely a comment or even nothing making it so difficult for my very patient understanding husband. Had a sweaty disturbed night, did a two mile walk wiht the ipod on and felt good enough to consider a drive to the shops to buy more mastectomy bras and then suddenly couldn't face it, what's the point I thought and sat and ate chocolate ! I seem to be so irrational. This time next week I will be feeling the side effects of number 4 and I know I should enjoy today and relish the fact I am not nauseous or tired but it just drags me down as it does all of us. I also look at others enjoying life and don't begrudge them it I just wish I had my life back. I am so pleased to read of those of us who have finished or are nearly finished with the chemo, it certainly cheered me up. 

MomoB....I chose the lumpectomy over the mastectomy based on my needle biopsy path report, which showed "well-differenced" cells, and thus was supposed to be a less aggressive cancer. I decided on the lumpectomy, followed by a one-week intensive radiation therapy ("mammosite", where they put a balloon in the surgical site and you go get radiation seeds placed directly into the surgical site twice a day for a week and thats it. sounded good to me.)  But when my BS did the lumpectomy, he found that I had lymph node involvement and thus the mammosite went out the window and I had to have chemo. I also had to have my surgical margins re-incised, which took even more breast tissue.  So now I am a full cup size different, hard to find anything that is flattering to wear, and I don't think I can do anything to fix that. Plus then I have the new (but benign!) lump in my other breast that we have to keep an eye on. Had I had the opportunity to do this again, I would probably opted to have the mastectomy instead of the lumpectomy and be done with it.  As for now, I also need radiation--something I would not have needed if I went the mastectomy route.  My decision was based mostly on cosmetic reasons because it sounded like I would be OK to do it that way but at this point I wish I did the mast and recon. And I hate to be vain, but I wish I did the mast and recon also because of cosmetic reasons, more so than the chance of recurrence...I'm actually kind of envious of you ladies that will be walking around with matching breasts someday.

Wow, started my Lexapro this am...feel kind of shaky. Maybe its due to the combo of Lexapro, Dex, Emend, Claritin, vit B6, Prilosec, and coffee......before this happy little cancer journey I was on NO meds whatsoever. UGH.  I feel like my mother-in-law.....

Last night I had a giant wave of nausea hit me out of the blue...6 days out from the last treatment.  Weird.  It was definitely uncomfortable being nauseous and having a hot flash at the same time.  I think a major part of the problem is not having any hair-my head temp is all messed up.

I'm not sure which would be better-being flat, or being emotional.  I just know my lack of personality is driving everyone crazy.

Now I'm worrying about weight gain with Tamoxifen!  I swear, that would put me under.  I've always been naturally thin, and only had to seriously diet once when I packed on 30 pounds for some reason.  I'm not sure how well I would do emotionally if I started to gain weight.  Bald, fake boobs and fat would not be a good combo for me.  My self-esteem is already in the dumps right now.

Haven't posted in a while.. but got a CT scan yesterday so I will post now... I have had 50% shrinkage in my largest spot and some of them are gone.. the rest are shrinking.. 2 of 3 lymph nodes no longer visible.. Looks like Taxol is doing its job..   I am half way.. 3 of 6 cycles and will be done in July IF my body cooperates.  I don't get any shots so my blood counts are not so great.. but I am off for a week now so hopefully they will build back up... I'm on Herceptin for life.. and at this point no idea if I will have any surgery.. depends on response rate.. etc... BUT, I am thrilled with my results so wanted to share.. I'm still working full time and enjoying each day at home with my little one who turned 5 months yesterday and my really good supportive teens and DH!!   The side effects are not fun.. the worst being tingling fingers and feet.. but found supplements to help.. Have been excersizing each day to make sure my heart can take all the Herceptin.. switched to a macrobiotic diet.. so I've been quiet but busy.. I read each day and am so happy for all who are DONE.. very exciting!! 

Thanks for listening...

Marina

My February Sister! I"M DONE... Today was the last of 4 T/C... I'm so happy... No Se with this treatment either. 2 out of $ isn't so bad.... I'm on dex so the flushes are coming and going... Very tired this round... and tomorrow I get my Nuelasta shot... So on May 10th I go for a consultation along with my blood work to see where I go from here...I know that I have to have a hysterectomy... Trying to see if I can do the exchange and hysterectomy at the same time...

Good luck who ever had chemo this week... I hope SE are going smooth..

Tired now .. Catch up tomorrow.

HUGS,

Donna

Marina --that is wonderful news!!!!

Donna -- Congrats on finishing chemo!  Yay! Another graduate!I

I am day 3 post Taxol infusion, lots of neuropathy already. My prescription for Lexapro is 10mg a day but I have 20 mg tablets that I can't break in half because I cant feel my fingers <sigh>.Took me like 15 min to break one in half this morning.Oh well, gives me something to do.....tried the Vicks Vapor rub on my hands and feet last night, I don't think it did much to help with the neuropathy but at least I don't smell like "chemo".  Bone pain is starting in earnest today too, so just took some Darvocet and gonna take it easy. Tomorrow its gonna be 90 degrees here in PA so I think I will slather myself in SPF 60 suntan lotion, big ole sun hat, sunglasses, and lay outside and soak up some warmth. Its been a long winter.....Happy Friday Girls, tomorrow is May 1st!!

Donna, I would be very interested in the answer to you question about trials. It's my understanding that in cases of cancer treatment, placebos aren't used. I don't know where I got that impression, but I would love to know if it's true or not.