Chemo starting in December 2010

I'm just curious how everyone is coming along? I've been back to work full time for a month, but I come home and crash hard every night!



I was also curious about how many of you have had Pet scans? I've yet to have one but am supposed to be scheduled @ my 2 month follow up in June along with going on the hormone blocker. Blech.



I hope you're all well.

DivaJMusic - my docs said that they don't do any PET scans, just blood work and en exam every 3 months.  But, my hormone doctor suggested I get a PET at 1 yr and use that to decide whether to switch off of the aromatase inhibitor or not.

The aromatase inhibitor side effects keep getting worse.  First I was just a bit lethargic and sluggish.  Now I wake up with nausea every day!  It's not as bad as AC, feels more like pregnancy morning sickness -- which is ironic since I don't have ovaries any more and couldn't possibly be pregnant!  It makes me worried that more side effects will keep popping up each week.  I'm definitely going to discuss switching to a different one next time I see my onc. 

Hey there -  How is everyone doing?  No news is good news, I hope.

It has been for me: its rather remarkable, but the side effects from the aromatase inhibitor are actually going away!  The sleepy, hazy feeling is gone and so is the nausea.  Hurray!  The onc said to give it a month and I guess she was right afterall.  I guess symptoms can always pop up later, but its nice to know they also go away. 

Hello ladies, checking in to see how everyone is doing.  Karebear, hope all goes well and quickly for you

Nolaa, glad your side effects are going away!

1 1/2 months out of rads..doing great.....I don't wake up every morning thinking about cancer, there is light ladies!! you will get there!

Hi everyone - just checking in.  Hope all is well.  I'm still doing physical therapy to get ready for rads.  It is such a fantastic lull in the middle of all of the is madness.  Just popping my femara every night and besides that and my lack of arm motion, all seems almost back to normal.  I even dyed my hair red this past weekend.  My first time dying it!  I had a friend help.  Turned out really well and so I'm walking around with no hat on these days.  It's short, but it feels so normal to have it red again. 

I WISH I was loosing weight. I have gained 10lbs since diagnosis Dec 1st 2010!! UGH!!! Of course I am not suppose to loose weight right now.  Very frustrating.

I finally finished everything you guys! Yesterday was supposed to be my last day but they were having a hard time setting the machine up for a special brain case ahead of me and it took almost all afternoon, so they sent me home to return today for my last Rads treatment.

Angel I really relate to feeling like- "Who will check on me now?"  Yesterday I brought cheesecake to the RO, techs, etc, thinking it was my last day. Well today I was really touched that almost all of them sought me out to wish me well and give me a big hug! I take comfort that I have my checkup appt in a month, and I need to see The ONC for whatever drug they will be giving me-tamoxifen or whatever.

Karebear, I gained weight too. I usually fluctuate anyways, and with not working I knew that alone would put ten pounds on me. I gained ten on top of that, but all my clothes fit the same, I suspect water weight gain. I also have wondered if some of it now will be related to the chemopause thing.

Speaking of chemopause, the last week I have been struggling with feeling so OLD! My hair on top is coming in white, and the sides, salt and pepper. I have always dyed it, and I probably will do it again, I just want it to 'fill in' somemore. I am weak and tired. I loose my balance easily and can't raise my arms over my head without pain and stiffness. (from laying with my arms over my head like superman for a month?) I had a meltdown yesterday with my Radiologist about all this. I feel like I lost my youth in one swoop with this whole cancer thing. She did tell me I will start feeling more and more like myself over the next few weeks. (like we all know or are told) But I felt better.

This thread was my security blanket all these months. I am happy to see the 'check ins' because you all mean alot to me!

I started my AI last night.  I sat and stared at the bottle of pills, had a major panic attack, had to take an ativan and then I was able to swallow it down.  I think I'm most worried about my bones and my hair.  I keep hearing people talk about hair loss, and mine is only just beginning to grow after 2 months of being off chemo.  Sigh.  Who else is moved on to the AI or SERM?  How are you feeling?

Hi everyone -- just thought I would check in with you guys.  I am finally done with rads as of about a week ago, and just filled the prescription for tamoxifen.  I sure hope that I am going to have an easy time with the side effects.

I was feeling really good all through rads, but am now really worn out.  Now that I've stopped, guess it is all catching up with me!  Fortunately we have a very quiet 4th of July weekend planned, which is really unusual for us.  

Hope everyone is doing really well now!   

Hello everyone! I haven't post in a very long long time but here I am because I feel like I need to share this with you all. During my FEC chemo treatment I was really unhappy about loosing my hair. I started to wear a wig which I pretty much learned to love after a while (I even put a pet name on it) and this wig also got two haircuts during the 7 months I wore it. I got compliments on it and everyone thought it was my real hair.

Now, three weeks ago (about 12 weeks PFC) I decided it was about time to move on and leave all the "cancer" thing behind (if possible). I'm healthy as a healthy person can be after the big battle we all had, I have the scars of this cruel battle with me but one of them already started to fade... the bald head. 

Hair has been on a good length to be out without a wig since weeks ago, but I was not sure if I was REAAAALLY ready to go out like that. Insecurity I guess... but the warm weather in Oslo on the last days made me change my mind.  I got a "haircut" to give a bit of shape and colour to my new hair.

This photo was taken last week, is 15 weeks PFC and I'm with my beautiful baby (who was a premmie baby because of my cancer) who is 7 months old and perfectly healthy.

The reason I'm posting this is because I want to tell to all those women who are going thru chemo right now, to all those who are starting to see the big chunks of hair falling, the bald spots here and there... I want to tell you that yes, there is light at the end of this tunnel. Hair will grow back (in very rare cases it does not) but hair will come back... and health too

Last year was a big roller coaster of emotions and fears, this year came with better colors and I'm finally enjoying my new mom stage

Yep, I gained some kilos (more like 8 kilos or so)  because I started chemo right after the delivery of my baby and because during treatment I literally ate out all the time to avoid nausea but never threw up once. Tamoxifen is not helping on this matter either... but that's another story, I'm happy, healthy and enjoying my summer like I did not last year

Cheers to everyone and keep fighting the good fight!

Hi everyone -  Glad to hear everyone is feeling (mostly) well and moving on with life despite the lingering side effects.

I just started rads yesterday.  I was so excited to get started so that I can finally finish all of my treatments.  But I was totally depressed after I walked out.  My skin was burning, hot, and sore (after the first treatment!) and it felt awful to be going back to any kind of treatment after 2 months of feeling well and feeling mostly back to normal.  I feel mentally better today but skin is burning again after treatment.

I also ditched the hats about a month ago.  My hair is finally long enough to go without.  Feels great, although its still short in front and my forehead is huge.    Just need to wait a little longer for it to look normal.  Hope - go ahead an dye it again - it made me feel 100% better.

The AI makes me feel stiff and achy.  But besides that, I'm pretty good on side effects.  No hair loss!  I know everyone is different, but I haven't heard of anyone on AI who had a hair problem.

What really did freak me out the other day was when I found out that Ativan is one of those drugs that you're supposed to taper off of since its so addictive.  Did anyone else know this???  I felt like the onc just threw it at me along with the other anti-nausea meds and never mentioned that it was habit forming or anything.  I never wanted to be on a med like that.  I've been taking one every evening for about 4 months to combat the night time hot flashes.  Now I'm starting the process of tapering off.  I'd rather have hot flashes then be on that.

Anyway, I hope eveyone is doing well.  I know I've been off the boards for about a month since I was feeling so well I kind of went back to my normal life and tried to forget about all of this stuff.  Maybe that's why starting rads was such a shock.  Glad to hear we're all emerging from the shadow, with side effects, but with our lives ahead of us. 

Thinking of all of you!  One of those days where you can't believe you had cancer, chemo and rads...hope everyone is doing well.  Anyone still having chemo?  rads?  May s/e continue to be a thing of the past for all of us!  I'm feeling great most days, have some achy days, hopefully that will subside.

Take care all!