Anyone from Mississauga???

Eden - yes I took Neulasta.  I used to get it at the pharmacy at CVH as it was less expensive (only $2,700 per shot!) and they stock it. I took Claritin for five days, starting on the day of the shot, to help avoid bone pain. I read about it here on bc.org and it seemed to help. My chemo was Taxotere/Cytoxan so I'm not familar with FEC but I think the "T" you'll be getting is Taxotere.  I hope all goes well today with your first treatment.  

Sherri

Hi Rachel, Sherri - I got my first does of FEC on Friday. I had a slight headache the rest of the day and did not have any side effects. I was a bit anxious though. Slept well that night and woke up fresh! Unable to believe that there were no side effects yet!. I was a bit weak but that was all. Had my regular break fast on Saturday. Around noon a nurse came by to administer Neulasta. She poked it in my tummy. Again I was waiting for any side effects and nothing came by till the evening. But I had a sever heart burn from either my break fast or lunch or stuff that I had been eating. Could not shake it off. Went to bed with the heartburn. Woke of couple of time because of heart burn. By 6 this monring I was wide awake despite disturbed sleep last night. No side effects to report except my heart burn continues, though a little subdued. I had my breakfast. I think I may be constipated. But I have decent amount of energy, some slight headache. If this continues this way I think this Chemo therapy thing is not so bad!!. I hope it results in what the Oncologyst is aiming to achieve, though!. I am sure it will be alright for you too Rachel.

Hi Sherri - I will give you details of FEC in my next mail. The T is Taxotere. FEC is a coctail of 3 meds. I do 3 sessions of FEC and then 3 of Taxotere. I also bought Neulasta at the pharmacy at CVH. I was more worried about Neulasta but seems to be OK. No bone pains yet after almost 24 hrs. How was it for you?

Regards

Eden and Rachel, I will send both of you private messages with some tips about chemo. Hang in there!

Sherri 

Hi every one,

I just found this forum and felt very relaxed after reading the informative experience each of you had during and after the chemo. I live in Meadowvale and found out the lump while I was breastfeeding my 11months old son. I got my lumpectomy and axillary node dissection 2 weeks back, going to see the Surgeon tomorrow for follow-up, then I will also have the pathology results too, at CVH. I recovered from surgery pretty fast, looking forward to carrying my little son. Little scared about the chemo !  I'm waiting for my oncologist's appointment at CVH too.  Best of luck to everyone. Looking forward to meeting up with you guys too. Naz

Hi Naz--I start chemo on Friday, I am nervous but excited to get this thing underway. It sucks...that is for sure but am hopeful that the side-effects wont be as bad as I think....we'll wait and see. I am around Glen Erin/Castlebridge--so very close to you all. Rachel

Naz - I see you are ER and PR negative.  What about Her2 (the third receptor they test), do you know if it was positive or negative?  Mine was ER-, PR- and Her2- (triple negative). Let us know how it goes with the oncologist.  

Rachel -  I'm thinking of you and hope all goes well on Friday.

Eden - are you feeling better this week?  Has the heartburn eased up?

Sherri 

Hi Sherry - Thanks for your message. Naz, Rachel, keep up your good spririts. Chemo is not as bad as I thought and Sherry gave me a lot of hope. It is 7th day after my first Chemo. The side effects were no where near what I imagined them to be. First 3 days after the chemo, I had decent amount of energy was moving about OK. I had some pretty bad heart burn and constipatiion by the 2 - 3 day. There was very little nausea, just a bit queezy. 4,5,& 6 days, I was not having much energy left and was feeling exhausted. I started getting some fever during the afternoon and my body temperature goes up to 37.6 C but comes back to 37 C by night and stays there. My mouth did not taste good and all food was tasting bland. But each day was an improvement over the last, with the 4th day being the worst. Last night I suddenly felt hungry and was able to eat a good meal. I woke up with a lot of nergy and feeling fresh this morning. The feeling surprised me since I was feeling low last few days. I can feel all elements in my body are getting back to normal. I have had a hearty breakfast and enjoyed it. I hope this is the end for the SEs for this session. I have dealt with it one day at a time and giving in to any negative thoughts. I am sure both you will feel the same way I did and will be back to normal within 7 days. Regards. Eden

Hi All - Today is the 13th day after my Chmo session. I am fit as a fiddle. No hair loss yet!!. Just a little bit tired by the evening. I started going to work from the 10th day. I leave an hour earlier than usual, just to beat the rush hour traffic. I am eating well and going about my routine life. My next chemo session is on the 27th. I hope the rest of the sessions are as eventless as this one. Rachel, glad to know you are over the hump for this session. Did you get a shot of Neulasta? I will keep you posted further progress. Regards - Eden

Hi, just checking in to see how everyone's doing. 

Naz - any word yet?

Rachel and Eden - how are you doing with your chemo treatments?

I'm thinking of all of you!

Sherri 

Rachel - thanks for letting me know.  I was thinking of you today and figured you were probably getting ready for your next chemo.  So glad to hear about good bone scan. Hang in there!

Sherri 

Naz - wow, JK for your daughter,  That will be an exciting day.  Be sure to get lots of photos! Mine is going into grade 6.  I don't think she even wants me to go and wait in the school year this year.

Kind of itronic... had my biospy last year on the first day of school and this year I return to work on the first day of school. 

Good luck to all going through and starting chemo.  

Sherri 

Hi Sherri and all,

Sorry for not keeping you updated. Been busy with the arrival of my first grand daughter.

Finished 2 sessions of Chemo so far, all FEC, going in for the third round on this Friday, Sept 17. That leaves 3 sessions of Texotere. I go low the week after the sessions but pick up subsequent week. I am working 2 weeks and taking a week off work for the chemo.  The tumor appears to be shrinking but not sure. I hope the chemo is effective.

Regards

Hi Sherri---Congrats on back to work! I will hopefully see you on the Run for the Cure day--I have a team there aswell---family/friends team called "Rach's Pink Ladies and T-Birds". We are now a HUGE group of people....hopefully the weather is good.

Eden--Congrats on the arrival of the first grandchild--you must be so happy. Please let me know how your "T" treatments go. I went to a support group last week and heard a lot of horror stories about the "T" treatment (Sherri--was it so much worse than FEC??)

My next chemo is Friday, Sept 24th--at that point--I will be half way (woo hoo). Looking forward to ticking another off the list. I am doing really well--started Yoga and Support group at Wellspring -- Reiki massage. I am going to give Reflexology a try aswell--may as well make myself useful while off work  

Hi everyone

Finally got a short haircut and nanny for kids right on time for my first chemo (FEC) today. I am doing good, just feeling a little bit of nausea and pains in legs and headache. All bearable. Listening to body so taking naps when I feel like, this has surly worked for me till now, it's been 12 hours now let's see what happens in next 24 hours.

Congratulation Sherri on back to work. Your activities at Wellspring are inspiring, will definitely give a try soon.

Good luck with your next chemo Rachel, hope it also passes away smoothly.

Congratulations Eden on becoming grandmother , good luck with your next chemo

Take care 

Naz

Hi Jackie--I am almost at the same spot as you--just about to have my last FEC. I was at support group last week and a few people started telling horror stories of the Taxotere. I'm not sure what to believe as then I spoke to another person who said she was fine throughout. My Doc warned of not listening to others "war stories". I just hope that it isn't as hard as I have heard. You'll have to keep me posted as you are a chemo ahead of me and will start Taxotere first. The one thing that I did hear is to keep your fingers/toes iced throughout the treatment and afterwards to avoid nail problems. take care, Rachel