2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

Amy,
I have to do rads as well. 25 of them, so 5 weeks for me. Then onto Zolodex with Tamoxifen.
I am starting to get concerned about rads now... firstly because of the fatigue they are supposed to cause, and i just CAN NOT take any more fatigue, i feel like an 90 year old at times! And, of course, the risk of implant failure.
So, while rads arent as bad as chemo, they are not without their own set of problems...
life is anything but boring with BC, isnt it??

Chemo brain, indeed! I've lost so many things in the last few months and been so foggy I can't remember half of what happened. It is hard to keep all the pills straight.

I'm done with dose-dense AC and starting Herceptin next week. I haven't been around here or another favorite message board for awhile. I lost a lot of weight, was very weak, and used all my energy doing the basics to get through the day. I'm a month out from my last chemo, and starting to feel human again.

Check in, October Pumpkin ladies. How is everyone?

Amy, any side effects from the aranesp shot? I have been getting Neulasta shots after every chemo for my white cells. I can't believe I will have to have two shots now. I am finding taxol seems to get a little worse with each treatment. I am afraid of #3. I hope you feel better tomorrow. My worse days are 4,5 and 6. I agree I can't wait to be done. Graycie

Hi Daydream. I joined after you left I guess as don't recognise your name.



I am done 4FAC and about to start Taxotere and Herceptin on Tuesday.



I have gained weight and am pretty tired but otherwise survived the first half of chemo well.



My mastectomy has healed nicely and just got a prosthesis which I love. Looks and feels natural. Even has velcro attachment if you go swimming. Am putting off any reconstruction as have rads to do and did not want to have any delays in active treatment.



My mood is slowly going down. Most times am up but can cry easily. I hope this passes soon as can be embarassing weeping at the drop of a hat. From what I have read soon after chemo most people come back to new normal and carry on. Well that is only a few months away so can't wait.



The boards have been great to learn about various things but lately I find it a little depressing. In the last two weeks we have lost one regular member Bluekitten and another has entered palliative care. Although I don't personally know either of them I have read their posts and I feel some of their pain. Both seemed to be doing fine then they were not. My biggest fear.



I am glad you are starting to feel human again and welcome back.

Fists up!

How anyone gains weight with AC is a mystery to me! I could hardly eat, and there were days I could only tolerate liquids.

I've been on anti-depressants for years, and just a small dose has made a big difference in my life. Don't be afraid to try them if the depression gets worse or just doesn't lift.

Thanks Amy, If the shot makes me feel less tired then I will be happy to get it. I get a pink face and chest the day after chemo from the steroids they give me before chemo and I am tired during and after chemo from the benadryl. I also think I am starting to get neuropathy. Glad to know they have pills for it. Also my big toe nails are turning black because of blood under the nail. Fingernails are still OK.....Graycie

graycie...my big toe nail is black as can be. i've totally gained weight on chemo...it's enough to make a person go insane. i've gained about 16 pounds...it has made my self-esteem go straight down. i'm hoping it comes off after chemo ends. is anyone starting tamoxifen in the future? i'm worried that is going to make me gain weight too....grrrr!!!!

Amy, i have Tamoxifen in my future, and am very concerned about its effect on weight. Supposedly is slows down your metabolism, so thats the reason for weight gain. Great, more excercise and less food just to keep the same weight!!!

Re skin - I have heard a lot of people saying they have great skin while on chemo. Mine is very clear and smooth. On top of everything else, i dont think i could deal with pimples at the moment!!!
I think the reason for better skin is because it is in a state of constant exfoliation due to dying skin cells.

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC270/333/20780/443201?d=dmtICNNews

thought this was interesting...we will bounce back!

I've got my fourth (and final) Taxol this coming Friday, and (from my experience) I think each one takes a little more out of you. I didn't hurt any worse, but I seem to have joint/bone pain for more days.

Think it started with two bad days and then I felt great. My third Taxol was more like three bad days and then I'd have occasional pain for another day or so. Just about the time I'd think, "OK, we're done!" it would start hurting again. It was frustrating, but it DID eventually stop.

After each treatment, my neuropathy seems to reach the same point and then it starts improving. I never improve to the point that I have *no* neuropathy. But I can manage most things, including typing (with lots more typos, though!)

I took Percocet to get through the pain. Sometimes, at night, I'd have to take two Percocet and an Ativan to go to sleep. I've been getting Neulasta shots, and think that has worsened the joint/bone pain. Since I won't be getting that shot after my final Taxol, I'm hoping it might be a little easier.

I think what bothers me most about the bone/joint pain is that you never know which joint is going to go ZAP next. I try to distract myself with funny movies or good music, but it's all just a matter of hunkering down and waiting it out. Just enduring it. Sigh.

We'll all get through this, and I don't mean to scare anybody with the thought that each Taxol is a little harder. That's just been my experience, and I wanted others to be prepared if it happened that way for them, too.

I found myself freaking out when I'd tell myself, "Just hold on until tomorrow," and then tomorrow I'd still be hurting. Much better to say something like: "I'll just deal with this until it's done," and just put everything else on hold until that happens. I hate not being in control of my life/body, but that's just how it is right now.

Luckily for me, my last Taxol will be it for me. No rads. And no hormone treatment since I'm triple negative. Just reconstruction down my road and constant vigilance re possible recurrance.

Glad you are ok Amy - sounds like something i would do! Well i am finally mobile again - my old car was written off so have another one - was going pot bound not able to get out under my own steam - husband preferred it as he knew where i was all of the time!
Number 5 chemo last week - 1 more to go then 6 weeks rads. I have put on so much weight - my onc asked me last week if it was my clothes and i said " yes i always wear lead diving boots to my weigh ins!" I have put on 1/2 stone in 3 weeks and another 1 1/2 stone since i started in october - surely thats not fair! ( especialy since most of it appears to be under my chin!!!)
The good side that my skin is good too and people keep remarking how well i look - how surreal is that??
Take care all
Debbie

Quote:

---

Jane-- My thoughts have been with you as I knew you were 1 day behind me with the Taxatere, My treatment was pretty rough this time but I think part of it was anticipation, I woke up naseaus that day and workrd my way into a tizzy, I guess it was the unknown of new drugs, I knew what to expect on the AC, I have had significant pain with this treatment but Onc says it is a combination of the Taxatere, Xeloda and Nulasta, gave me some pain pills had hope it will ease soon, I keep telling myself only 3 months to go. Hope your counts come back up and I know you will do well Keep in touch

---

Thanks Sherry. I had my 5th Chemo (Taxotere) on Friday. It went fairly well--felt a little weird but not too bad. I kept my hands in ice water during so we'll see if that helps with the fingernails or skin on my hands.

Saturday, I went and got the Neulasta shot and felt okay that day. I took down all our Christmas decorations in the afternoon. On Sunday, I woke up so, so sore. I already have some arthritis and now it feels like it's all over my body. Plus my groin and right ovary area are also sore as well as the glands in my neck. I already take Relefan for arthritis and then took additional Tylernol but it didn't do much good. Last night was the worst. I finally remembered that I had some Hydrocodone left from my surgery and took some at 3am. I felt better for a few hours, but now I'm back to very sore again. I'm thinking this is from the Neulasta shot?? or is this from the Taxotere?? Hopefully, this will only last a few days.
Jane

i say we continue this thread....we've all gone through so much together!

Hi Laura, I am sorry you are having such a hard time with Taxol. Who said it was easier? They lied...HA...I find it hard too....The pain is undiscribable...I go for #3 this morning. My last one is on Jan 24th. So we are about a week apart. I will be happy that day. We are getting closer. I was kind of kidding with the ONC at my last visit and asked him if he was sure he didn't want to cut down my dose a little and he said "NO". Well, I tried.....I guess I better go and get ready. As you notice I haven't gotten my picture on here yet. One of these days I will give it a try. Graycie

I say we keep this thread, too. I started chemo in Oct and won't be done until the end of March!!!!
Laura...sorry to hear about your terrible pains. I still have pains from the arthritic reaction I had to a bacterial infection so I'm not sure if the pains are a mixture of Taxol and that or just Taxol or just that...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... At any rate, the pains travel and yesterday I dumped the pasta into the sink instead of into the colandar (sp???) cuz my hands and arms hurt me and are VERY weak. ugh...
Glad you were able to get to your computer. I, too, slowly crawl down to my studio to get my fix on the computer :-)
Feel good. We will all see better days!
ravdeb