Calling all ladies in their 20's

Hi ladies!

today I was my 17th round of radiation. I only have 13 more to go! The process is nothing compared to chemo for me and I am getting used to the routine. I drop the baby off at my parents then go to the hospital come pick the baby up and go home. Its my routine its easier that way. Saw the nurse today as I do every thursday and the skin under my armpit (because they are radiating my axila) is getting really sore. I put the glaxal cream they told me to get on it but its not really helping. Today they told me to use saline compresses. Is there anything else that might help? Other wise radiation is going well.

 My hair is growing back and thats very exciting. Texasrose thank you for reassuring me. I felt like they were never going to come back but I am learning to be patient I guess! All other hairs are growing back as well!! some of these do not please me lol. I just want my eyelashes back!!

 Also Mel I'm glad that your period came back! and a little jealous!! i am still waiting for mine to come back! I wish for it every day! haha. which I NEVER thought I would. Heres hoping!!

Diane,

So sorry to hear of your sadness. I can (and I'm sure everyone will agree) certainly empathize with you. I also took pictures before my surgery (although not professional! that would be really cool though) to try to "remember" the ladies.

Sad days do happen. But now, 6 months out of my surgery, they are far less. I only occasionally miss my old breasts. I just keep thinking about the reconstruction and how much "better" (hopefully!) they will look. We'll be the only ones in the nursing home with perky breasts!

The nipple loss was hard to take as well. BUT...the upside is that you don't have to worry about "peeking" through clothes. I have come to absolutely love this. I don't wear a bra either. And no one knows! Although I feel like I will get new nipples when the reconstruction phase starts, I did consider possibly not even getting any because it's pretty great not having them to worry about.

I don't think it's something that we will ever "get over"...but the only thing that got me going was just trying to look at the positive and focus your energy on that. You really can only go one day at a time. Sometimes it's one hour...sometimes it's one minute.

Good luck with your infusion tomorrow. I remember my first day was terrifying for me as well...but just think of it as the first steps toward a cancer-free body. You will do great! I am sure

This too shall pass. I'll be thinking of you. 

just wanted to say hi and introduce myself.  i was diagnosed on my 26th bday which was less than 2 months ago.  i've been doing pretty well, had my lumpectomy, been trying to stay strong.

i am sort of breaking down now.  my onco score was 19 - so frustrating!  tomorrow i will consult an oncologist and i'm extremely nervous about chemo.  my surgeon gave me the impression that i wouldn't need it but i'm beginning to think otherwise.  i'm so stressed that i made yself sick (like i feel fluish).

 anyone have an onco of 19 and not get chemo?

Alicia,

I can totally relate to you, as I'm sure many here can. I am soooo anxious to get my hair and eyelashes back. I started working again once I started my rads, and being around women all day is killing my spirit a little bit. There are a couple young girls I work with who have gorgeous, long hair and I'm so jealous. They play with it in front of me, not on purpose I'm sure, but it still stings knowing I can't do that. I've only got 10 out of 35 rads down, so my skin is still doing pretty good, but I'm very nervous to see what happens.

Sometimes being "strong" and "positive" can be exhausting. You ARE almost done and you CAN get through it. And you are ABSOLUTELY a survivor!!!

Much love to everyone! 

NannyBaby,

I had ALL the same side effects! As well I also had neutropenia, and my onc did lessen my infusion and it got a bit better. Also they prescribed me stronger pain killers for the joint pain. it really worked. I hope he can do something better for you! once it lessens it will get better!

 Alicia

shiramg - I had 4 rounds of TC and overall tolerated it well.  I had a reaction to it during infusion the first 3 times but once it was stopped and then restarted after more premeds I was fine.  THe last time they started it slowly and it worked a treat!  I had basically one week where I was pretty tired and just generally felt crap. And apart from some 'minor' things felt well enough to do stuff weeks 2 and 3. 

Everyone has different reactions to chemo it's just a matter of monitoring your side effects (and reporting them to your onc team) and taking whatever meds they give you to help.  Don't be scared of the negative things as lots of people tolerate TC very well. 

Oh and I"m 10 weeks out form last one and have hair covering most of my scalp - not enough for a style or anything but it's definitly coming back, and hair everywhere else is pretty much back to normal, except for the eyelashes and brows - didn't lose them during chemo but they just all fell out about 7-8 weeks after last chemo, very weird but they're on the way back now.

Hello everyone!!

I am 27 years old and was diagnosed in February. I wish I had been given the option of chemo before surgery to shrink my tumor, but everything happened so quickly the surgeon told me I needed to have surgery ASAP and so I did (not knowing any better). Since my tumore was 4.5 cm (and I had to have a re-excision to get clear margins) I now have a scar that takes up half of my breast and a big concaved area. Anyway, I had 4 doses of AC which I didnt too well thru. I had sooo much nausea I was taking phenergan for it, but that would knock me out!! I have a 3 year old son and I felt like such a horrible mother because I couldnt do much with him. I like Mel, also had 4 doces of Taxol and had Horrible boin and muscle pain with that! (Not to scare anyone). I was given morphine for it which I didnt find very helpful, and they changed me to Naproxen. I had several moments I wanted to give up, but now that its all over with I am so glad I stuck to it! I've heard of people that have been able tp keep exercising normally thru it all and I am just amazed!

I finished my chemo July 15th, (still need radiation, tamoxifen for 5 years and surgery) and was supposed to start radiation late August. Now I want to get a double mastectomy (never want tot worry about going in for breast exams and what they are going to tell me!!) with flap reconstruction but I'm trying to find out if my insurance will cover it. Another thing is that I still have to have radiation, but I was hoping to have immediate reconstruction. The doctors that perform DIEP reconstruction have told me that I can do radatiation 8 weeks after flap reconstruction and that most women do fine with the flap being radiated... but the radiation therapist wants me to do the mastectomy, then radiation, then reconstruction (which I would have to wait 6 months for)... There are so many things to consider.!!! I wish things were more black and white!

My hair stated to grow back about a month and a half after chemo (just peach fuzz) and now I pretty much have all my eyebrows and some eyelashes. What I do is that I use eyeliner and people cant tell that I dont have eyelashes unless I tell them !!! I just got my period this past weekend! I was so tired of the hot flashes!! Does anyone know if you get those on Tamoxifen?

Nanna~ Congratulations on your good news!! I am so very happy for you! I think doing the pictures was really cool. I barely drank any water while I was doing chemo.. it was the most horrible thing in the world to me! lol... my husband would make me fruit shakes with milk (yummy) and if I HAD to have water, I would drink Iced tea and sometimes the crystal light packets added to the water, but never straight. I was told not to have any alcohol, so I didnt try beer! lol

I look forward to keeping in touch with my fellow younsters! lol

Red~ I hope everything went well for you today! Please let us know how you are doing.

Mel~ Don't worry about your hair, if its coming back everywhere at least  you know its coming back!!  all my body hair was back before my head and face as well!! hahaha.. Today was my first day out of the house with no hat, wig OR scarf!!! I was really afraid people would stare at me but I wore really big earrings that made me feel fabulous! and no one starred!!!! plus I got compliments on my earrings!!! I feel so proud of myself! LOL...

Shiramg~ I never had the onco test done. I lived in Texas when I was diagnosed, and was originally told that I was triple negative. I am now in North Carolina, and my Oncologist called the person who did my pathology in Texas and found out that I am actually slightly ER+! How crazy is that??? Thank god she called to get clarification! But don't be scared about the chemo.. it goes by faster than it seems, and the more positive thoughts and feelings you have, the better you are able to deal with side effects. I don't have any friends or family here and it was really difficult for me as I often felt very down, but I noticed when I had friends come visit, I didn't feel as bad physically or emotionally. I wish I would have found these forums sooner It would have really helped me! Just know we are always here for each other

Thank you Nanna! So glad to hear  you are doing well and getting your tates back! You're dinner sounds soooo delicious you just made me so hungry!!! (cheesecake is my favorite!! lol).

Mari - Sure! After the mast, they put in the expanders, under the pectoral muscle. It's sort've there to hold a spot where the implants will go. There are 2 ports under my skin my plastic surgeon would inject saline into every week or couple weeks to "expand" my breasts. So every time I'd go, they'd get bigger That was the cool part. Painful? Umm..maybe the first or second time I went it hurt a little bit, just because it was stretching the skin and stuff. But after that, I got more used to it and it didn't hurt as much at all. She over-expanded me on the R side, since that's where the radiation is aimed and I guess radiation shrinks the skin or something...so that's fantastic. Haven't had any problems with that yet though. I chose to do expanders because I didn't want to have to heal from another part of my body.

Nanna - Yay!! Sounds delicious! I LOVED getting my buds back into gear! I ate everything in sight just because I could finally taste it and it all tasted great!

Shira - I had Taxol and Cytoxan, not sure if that's the same? Or do you mean Taxotere? I had my infusions on Thursdays, and by Saturdays I was feeling crappy. Did fine on Friday, just tired. 

did you give yourself the neulesta shot?  any pre-chemo advice? i'm super nervous.

i had chemo this morning- and no se at the moment............ only time will tell