Starting Chemo Feb 2010?

Done!!! Put up my smiley with the sunglasses!! Surgery to replace TE with something more realistic and removal of the port will be in approximately 30 days! One last week of feeling crappy and then it WILL start to become just a memory...so ready to start the next step of this recovery! I don't know whether to laugh or cry- might just go do both!!

1 day and counting!  Started my steroids today...I'll be up all night (oh wait!  I already am!)

Here's to good bloodwork!  Have a great day ladies!

Congratulations, Bambaloos! Isn't it weird to be on the other side of something that was so scary and difficult? Now it's just a memory!

Yea!  Sitting at my LAST chemo treatment!  Thank God.  I hope for smooth sailing from this point forward.  4 procedures in my near future, not including a PET scan that the Onc will order when I see him again in 3 weeks.

Hot flashes seem worse instead of getting a little better.  Doc is going to research what other drugs he may be able to give me for them.  It's humid here in AZ, which combines with the 108 degreee heat and makes it almost unbearable.  I'm sweating driving down the road with the AC blasting.

Last Neulasta tomorrow-something else to celebrate!

I hope everyone has a terrific day!

Burley:  Tell me what yours say about the hot flashes.  Mine have gotten worse, too.  I took a sip of white wine last night, and woops, there one goes.  Sometimes they make me really agitated-feeling.  I saw a different doc, a gyne, who did a hormone panel; talked about fooling around with levels of neurontin.  I'm leery, because I don't want to increase my mental fuzziness.

Congrats on the last chemos!

Burley any tips or news on how to control hot flashes most welcome. Mine are worse than ever but definitely after sugar intake. I do not eat after 6pm now in the hope of  getting some sleep. Lack of sleep makes me very irritable and fed up I'm sure we all feel the same.

 Talking of alcohol I read that it increases the production of Oestrogen which is not good for those of us who have Oestrogen positive cancers. I'm trying to restrict myself to one glass a week of lower proof fizzy wine. Boring !

My rad onco said crystal ginger and bee pollen for hot flases. 

hi everyone, just finished my 10/12 taxol yesterday. i have read alot on the numbness here however is anyone getting taste buds problems? i am smelling weird stuff too. taste and smell metal, its horrible! only fruits now don't put me off....another 2 more weeks and i am done.

cant wait to finish my last 2 taxols, crossing my fingers

hope everyone had a great day!

m2u-  I did notice a increase in taste issues the last few weeks I was on Taxol. The metallic taste was especially strong. This was after most of the other taste issues from the AC had long since gone. I am still experiencing a bit of this, but I still have Taxol in my system from last weds, so I am hoping that it will go away soon and not come back.  I have my post-chemo party scheduled for this Friday night, so I am hoping all the taste and neuropathy issues are gone or decreased by then.

Congratulations to those finishing chemo, and good thoughts to those who haven't reached the finish line yet.

Last week I had my first mammogram since all of the BC stuff started last year. The mammogram was on my unaffected side, so I shouldn't have been so worried, right? Anyway, I can't tell you the relief when I received the results in the mail that it was "normal (not cancerous)." Whoo hoo!  So, this Friday I'm finally getting my exchange surgery plus a lift on my unaffected side. 

I can't wait to be able to move on from all of this. Thanks to all for your help during the scariest time of my life!

Cindy 

Hey, cbranner!  It's good to see your face again.  Good to hear you're done with chemo and about 1/2 done with rads.  Sorry about the joint aches and hot flashes.  I wake up with really stiff hands, but some days are ok.  I will be sending good wishes your way for reduction in pain.

cbranner, I too read this thread a lot but sometimes don't post for awhile; it's so helpful and lifts my spirits. wow, I finished chemo on June 10 and experiencing some of the same - joint pain which I didn't have a lot of during chemo but now, 5 weeks out, I had a lot of it in the last 2 weeks especially while sleeping.  And hot flashes, which were consistent throughout chemo but now seem to be SO noticeable - I was at a work reception last night when all of a sudden one came on as I was talking to collegues and one of my male collegues handed me a napkin without saying anything to me while I was speaking.  So embarassing. Gawd!! This could last for a year? Ack!! Better than cancer, but geez. Glad you're done tho ; )

I too don't post but read.. so thought I'd join back in and say HI..I finished my last of cycle 6  yesterday.. so I'll take a pair of glasses.. next is a CT to see if I am done or if I get 2 more cycles (6 tx) then herceptin for life or until it decides not to work..but I'm being optimistic and going with 10 years at least.. until the next steps.. with all this decision time on what to do.. surgery... no surgery.. still have some C in my breast.. and even if lymph nodes are clear now.. weren't before.. it's all up to me no matter which Dr I talk to... but I can decide whenever...

Congratulations to everyone who is done with this journey.. I am glad you've been posting and helping me deal with the lovely hot flashes and tingling..

big congrats to those done with chemo!!  will be joining you soon.  so glad i was able to do my radiation while getting the taxol, instead of having this take longer.

had chemo yesterday & bless my onc, he ordered my port removal to be scheduled asap after my last chemo next week.  that will save me a few days of waiting!!!!  now i get to tell everyone who asks how i'm doing, i am being deported.  heh heh

Me too!  I wanna be deported!  Although maybe that's not as funny, considering I live in Arizona with all the illegal immigration crap going on...still funny.  Ha!

Holy cow, my tongue feels like I burned it on seriously hot soup...and the roof of my mouth.  The mouth issues just bug me all day long-can't get away from them.  I find myself eating and drinking more because of it-that would be the 3 pounds I've gained in the last week.  Alas, time to actually exercise.  I think I'll start with trimming my trees first.

Have a great day ladies!