March 2010 Chemo Start

I had my first of 12 rounds of taxol yesterday and last night (six hours later) I was at dinner with my 8 year old for her birthday!  I was easy, I have had very no SEs so far, well none from the actual drug at least...I do a fine job of cause myself nausea just by thinking of and smelling my treatment facility!   The only problem I did have last night was from the steroids, I was exhausted but my legs had a different idea.  I have a feeling that the next 11 weeks are going to be long but fairly easy, thank God!  I am hoping that my hair continues to grow, it would be nice to have a little fuzz on this melon of mine.  Good luck to all of you still trudging through chemo...we will get to the end of the dark tunnel, it's just going to take us a little longer!  xoxo, Angi

Proud of wife.

We went to the "chemo chamber" today for her weekly Herceptin infusion and before the session started Carolyn told the nurse that she was not going to take the ESA type shot. At first they looked surprised but soon discovered that her choice was based on good science. Carolyn works for a Pharmaceutical firm as a research scientist and as soon as we found out that they wanted to give her the shot to increase her RBC we started to investigate. What she discovered was that in her case the benefits did not outweigh the risks of this drug. 

Bottom line, this is your body, your life and you should be an active participant in the treatment. Her choice was not based on anything emotional, but on research and consultations with others familiar with ONC drugs/treatments.

Bottom, Bottom line.......When in doubt ask around and use good sources. 

 Next week Big Chemo day = TCH

One week and one day after last TC treatment and I finally feel good.  I think "wider and shallow" is accurate.  Also, this is the first day that I have found myself feeling actually happy that there are no more chemo treatments.  I think I am really healing.....physically and emotionally.  I know it's only one day, but it feels good!

It is such a journey through this cancer.  Only people that have gone through it would understand. We are a strong group and stronger even because of each other.  

Wishing everyone a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with few side effects and an even better next week. 

With love,

Linda   aka LillyC 

Hi all,

4 days after first taxotere, and everything is OK - tummy a little unsure of whetehr it wants to be busy, or just wants to hang out, or maybe could do with some more rice pudding. And other than that, my head is heaps better compared to the FEC, so it wasn't just the steroids making my head bonkers.

My hair is starting to grow a bit too, just a little fluffy lengthening around the front and top -  the back and sides are soft as a babies botttom. I'm hoping my leg hair, and upper lip hair decide they want to stay quiet like, maybe, forever.

Hugs to all, have a lovely week-end,

Lisa

CarolSue - Wow .. Yes, I think we are more alike than you know.  My mother passed away when I was 10 ... diagnosed at StageIV when I was 5. Amazingly she survived for 5 years ... traveling to Houston (MDAnderson) and trying numerous crazy treatments before she finally passed away. My brother and I recently reminisced about the "sugar diet" she was on at one time.  As kids we thought what a great thing to get to eat candy bars every day!  I think now about the "hell" she must have gone through and how scared she must have been. Being a kid, it was difficult to  appreciate what is really happening. My mother's older sister, the one I mentioned in my post, was diagnosed with BC a few months before my mother passed away. I speak to her frequently and I now understand so much of what I didn't as a child. Since that time, my mother's younger sister and now three of my cousins have also been diagnosed with BC.  But they have all survived and are now living disease-free lives!  Their stories and support are what give me hope that I too, will be among the ranks of survivors!

To those of you with WATERY EYES - I went to the eye dr. today and had my tear ducts irrigated and also dilated. The dr. also gave me an eye drop designed to decrease tear production since he felt my eyes were producing excess tears. The whole process was not fun but wasn't too painful either ... maybe uncomfortable though.  I made an appt in 2 weeks for follow up in case my tear ducts "stenose" again since I am only a little over 1 week away from my last treatment of TC.  I feel tons better now that I am not dabbing my eyes every 30 seconds!

For those of you having SEs, hang in there!

Hugs, Charley

Update 6 days after 4th chemo - Just wanted to check in and let everybody know that I am doing well 6 days after my last treatment.  As many of you had said this treatment was slightly easier to deal with than #3.  I was pretty tired on day #3 but wasn't bedridden like last time but instead laid around on the couch so it felt like an improvement.  My onc was out of the office so i saw her partner and he had me start taking 2 different anit-nausea drugs on an alternating schedule.  I took Zofran and compazine on top of the emend for the first 3 days and the nausea was much better.  I recommend if anybody is having problems ask about this combination because it did make a difference for me.

I hope everybody has a good side effect free weekend and I know I have said this before but to all of you who are now done with chemo congratulations and thanks for sticking around to see the rest of us through.

Had my fourth (last) treatment on Tuesday.  Tuesday night I got extremely sick (two days "early"  and ended up spending Tuesday thru Thursday night in the hospital on fluids and anti-nause meds. . I was SO glad to get home even though I wasn't totally nausea--free but I have gone almost twelve hours without being sick so I have high hopes.

All in all, it could have been worse and I"m glad it's over.  I am exhausted and hope to have a "normal" day soon (if I can remember what those are like..

Next step: radiation ...

Good luck to eveyone .....

Horsedoc - congrats on finishing!  It does feel good! It has been a slow but steady process of feeling better ... just a little everyday.  I have to remind myself it's only been a week and a half since my last treatment because I am mentally wanting to conquer the world and I am just dragging my poor body along.  I did too much during the day yesterday and then spent the whole evening exhausted and sick to my tummy.  I am going to be more careful today ...

Way to go Marilyn!  I don't have the guts to do that yet ... I'm doing good to wear my scarves walking around my neighborhood. My head has a big bump on the back of it ... it has been there for years (at least 20+) and supposedly nothing to be concerned about, but I feel it makes me look like a dork!

Lisa - I wish this process had made me a Martha Stewart ... unfortunately I go out to eat more than ever.  Once I start feeling better maybe I will get back in the kitchen.  My wallet is hurting!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend ... or at least tolerable!

Hugs, Charley

I've been craving orange sherbet push ups, eggs, cereal, and strawberries. Did I say craving? I should have said that is all I'm eating  ... for weeks it seems ...    Today, I ran across a lemonade maker that I had bought years ago and I'm going to try that since I can't seem to stomach much of any type of drink and maybe the lemons will get past that ..

Thank goodness for cancer insurance - it has allowed me to stay home during all of this.  My hat (scarf) off to you guys - I don't know that I could do it.

Good day to all ..

Elen  

Hi all, Badger I like your new screen name. Day 8 today and coffee is tasting great - yahoo. It's been interesting comparing effects between FEC and taxotere because other than a higher steroid dose, everything else in treatment is the same. I've had much more aching joints with the tax. and thats with taking the recommended claratyne, and anti-inflammatory pain killer. So I'm thinking that taxanes really get into and cause a reaction in bones - well good. I'm back to thinking about the SE's as being an indicator of chemo kick assedness. My guts have been less happy - good. My head is clearer -mmm, not sure how to feel about that but I am enjoying not being such a numbskull. I'm going into the office today to turn on my computer and download some data for my research project - time to get the grey matter ticking over. I have been working on a renovation project at home in between treatments - and the house has been half re-buiilt with new weatherboards along one side, and just waiting for the painters to arrive.   I think my next project will be my head - I want to try and plan for the next phase of the rollercoaster where the peaks and troughs may not be so deep but they're there. Just negotiating the options of what is and is not available to us can be a bit overwhelming. Hope all who are coming down from chemo are enjoying each day, and anyone with side effects, they're shortlived.

Lisa

Hi all,

Wow, a lot happens when you don't get on the boards for a few days! I had my LAST TC chemo last Thursday--what an emotional rollercoaster between the joy that I will never have to feel this way again, and the fear that maybe I will have to feel this way again...make any sense?

Spent the weekend asleep, basically. I almost made it out of taxotere land without the neuropathy, but I noticed a little numbness in hands and feet a few weeks ago, and now my feet are miserable little things that won't let me sleep. My bones feel like hot electric shocks or something. Also keeping me from walking, I've had two falls and many wobbly moments. Any suggestions on how to keep active while wobbly?

I also feel depressed. I think I mentioned before that I do better in battle mode, in the moment. I just feel kind of lost now. I don't know when/where/who my rads are happening and can't seem to care enough to call. Gah hate this helpless foggy feeling.

It is wonderful, though, to see all the progress many of you are making. I'm so lucky to have this group.

Hugs to all  

Teemee, I'm sending you a big hug. Are you talking to your oncologist or primary care doctor about these different things you're going through? Don't forget that you have been in a battle, and now your body/mind is in the first take a big breath stage. Imagine you'd just run a 400metre race, or you'd just been chased by a big lion, and you've only just jumped over the fence but can see it on the other side. Your first job was to outrun the lion, which was difficult and scary, now you've made it over the fence, and need to get further away. The adrenaline is still settling, you're a bit wiped out from the exertion. You were just walking along minding your own business, when stupid bloody cancer came along and very suddenly changed everything. You're only just getting through treatment, and you've got some side effects that are troubling you. Give youself some time to take some big breaths in, and let yourself heal a bit. When you've got your breath then you can call about the rads. And see if you can get one of your doctors to help with the pain/electric shocks you're having in your bones, that must be tiring you out too. And Lilly, I hope your breathlessness and energy start improving soon. Looking forward to the day when we no longer think about lions, but about sipping dacquiris around an island lagoon.

hope the lion analogy wasn't too stupid, love to all my March sisters,

Lisa

Lisa:  Love the lion analogy.  Excellent.

I haven't been writing lately, but I have been lurking nightly.  I am now 4 weeks out from last TC and feeling anxious.   Like others have been saying, I'm sooo glad to be done with chemo, but it feels scary to be done.  Make sense?

 Anyone else planning on taking Arimidex?  I'm starting on it this Friday and having read a lot of the Arimidex threads, I'm worried about side effects.  For a change, more side effects!  Also, gearing up for my "exchange" surgery later this month.  Anyone else exchanging soon?

Hope you feel better teemee and to the rest of the Marchers, I send warm and good thoughts. 

Hello Ladies,

Sorry haven't posted lately, I have been keeping up with the board.  Congrats to all who are finished and onto their next adventure and those who are not hang in there you'll be done before you know it.

I've had a hard time these last few weeks, last cocktail 4 weeks ago and things aren't right.  Been back to the onc dr and also my regular dr.  My feet, ankles and legs blew up like balloons so much so that I had pain walking.  Been taking 80mg of Lasix to help rid me of it.  Started rads on the 24 and for those of you who are going to be starting be aware that the fatigue catches up to you.  I was fine the first week but this week I am wiped.  They tell me it's a combination of the accumulative chem weeks and now rads.

I continue to pray for all my fellow marchers.  My best to all - Stacey