Is there a July 2011 group?

#2 T/C on board. Now the waiting game for SEs begins.

Oh Jaime, I just read your post.  Please accept my condolences.  It is never easy to lose a love one.  I do pray that better days are ahead for you in chemo land.  I know you really probably doing this already, but I will ask anyway.  Are you drinking at least 3/4 gallon of water daily?  I am told it really does help with the SE, including the mouth sores.  So far I am following this advice and managed to stave off any.  In the end though, it all has to do with hormones. Anyway, you WILL get through this.  Do you have a mantra that you use on down days?  I also suggested visiting the "Success Stories"  Board.  Its quite uplifting.

Rabbit,  thanks for researching the thyroid/BC connection.  I was bogged down with work today and did not get a chance.  My BS wants me to see the endocrinologist in October.  I do not know if I should wait that long.  Decisions, decisions......

Rossilleo:  Welcome.  I started TCX4 on July 18th.  Days  3, 5, and 7 I was very tired but the other days I was just fine.  Day 8 and 9, I had cramping and some pain in my pelvis and lower back but nothing unbearable just worrisome.   I try to think its from the neulesta shot, but then I was told I have a cyst on my ovary that got bigger so now I am headed for an MRI.  I am on Day 10 post the first treatment and "knock on wood"  back to my usual self and at work trying to catch up..   Drinking water like a fish and doing at least 20-30 mins areobics seem to have played a big factor in my manageable SE's.  However, since going back to work, I have not done anything exeercise except walking and regular activities.

Sandy  115, I know the feeling of being in shock.  Sounds like we have a similar rchemo egimen. All the best to you.  We WILL and CAN and MUST do this.

Hope everyone else are having good days. 

Hugs.

Ann

Jamie so sorry for your lose it is hard enough going through treatment without anymore pain.

Try to look after yourself

.Rabbit please let me know if you find out anymore on the thyroid condition

. Frankenboobs sorry sorry about your surgery hope they can correct it sounds like we will be doing chemo @ the same time .hope everyone has agood nights sleep and an Even better day tommorow.Hugs.

Day after A/C 3rd infusion. Felt really good today. Blame the steroids. lol. I seem to be pretty lucky in avoiding most of the SEs. Just some bad indigestion and tiredness. Right now I have a snuggly bunny tucked into my side and he's patiently waiting for me to stop typing and pet him some more. Have a great weekend everyone.

Hi ladies. I just wanted to check in. Thanks for all your kind words and for allowing me to share my story with you all. I am on day 3 of cycle 3. Not feeling great, but not feeling horrible either. Went to run some errands with DH today. I'm low on energy, but only took one nap this afternoon, so hopefully I'll sleep well tonight. This is when the steroids kicked in and had me wide awake last time. Hoping for a better night tonight. I also haven't had enough water today, so I'm going to chug a bit before bedtime. 

Dexxy - Hope your treatment went okay today. 

Frances - Yes, we WILL be victorious!

Jamie - So sorry for the loss of your uncle but good that you can celebrate his life. I also hope you can get everything done with your reconstruction before the end of the year. My swapout will hopefully be by my b-day in mid-November, but I was told it would likely be March before everything is complete.

Catron - Sorry about your middle of the night discomfort. I've been there. I don't have much advice for post nasal drip other than to make sure you're getting enough fluids. Perhaps a smoothie would feel good? I don't know. Hope you are feeling better today.

Cathy C - I also cried in the days I was starting to lose so much hair. I was on day 21 (made it longer than most I guess) and it really started coming out. I made the decision on Day 22 to have my husband buzz it down on Day 23. We tried to have some fun with it by cutting it bit by bit to see how short I could get away with. After we buzzed it down, I also felt relief. No more tears about my hy head since. I think that goes to show that the anxiety leading up to the moment is the hardest. I'm on day 31 now (almost day 32!) and I still have the buzz going (I lost some since I buzzed it, but still have a lot left). And some (only a small amount) of my hair has even grown! I can't make sense of it, but I'm prepared to lose it or not lose it at this point. 

Ana - Thank you for your kind words! We do need to get through this phase first, but we will all help each other!

Ybrooker - Welcome to the group. I started in late June but decided to join the July group. Nothing wrong with joining whichever group you feel most comfortable with! The plus of joining this one of course is to get an idea of what's to come. Hope it goes smoothly for you. 

Valbee - I agree that not having to deal with hair in my face or on my back has been a pleasant surprise! I don't even feel like wearing my wig most of the time. I am sticking to my scarves and wraps. They're so easy and light. 

J-Bug - I'm glad this has been an easier week for you. I was worried you were pushing yourself too hard. You need rest too!

Snoopy - Snag those cravings when you get them! I have taken a particular liking to apples in the morning. I hope you can escape all side effects this round.

Shinypop - I am on day 3 of my 3rd A/C infusion. I swear the steroids help a lot with the nausea, since I didn't have them in round 1 and had a lot of nausea then, but I have had them now in rounds 2 and 3 to take at home. Only problem is I am wide awake later in the week AFTER I stop them and I also get really jittery. Do you have that too? 

Rabbit - I also don't have enough energy to walk or do as much exercise as I normally do. We just have to do whatever we can do. As for your surgery, I hope your tumor shrinks so you have options and that you have no lymph node involvement come surgery time. 

Ewa-Swimmer - Hoping for no side effects!

Misswim - Glad your had a "good" experience from your second round! Hoping the side effects stay away for you too!

Allenan - Just wanted to say hi! 

Laura - Thanks so much for the encouragment! I'm happy you're doing well 3 years later!

I hope I didn't miss anyone. I only went back to my last post, so I'm afraid I might have missed replying to some of you, but I do read all your posts!

I also forgot to tell you that I shaved my head on Tuesday as my hair was comingoff and it was hurting so much...i feel way better and it didnt affect me at all, at the contrary love my new look i even put a picture on my facebook and everyone love it  .The lost of my hair and my boob doesnt matter I just want to be alive for many years and see my kids grow.,the rest is nothing.

KK- Thank you for your reply. It was a pretty amazing experience and for the first time, I really thought of the chemo as helping, not hurting me.

Morning everyone!! I just read a post on the exercise thread that I thought would be helpful here, it's from ruth:

Here is something I thought you'd all enjoy. It is an exert from Dr. Servan-Schreiber's Anticancer, A New Way of Life' book. I found it on another thread. (The good doctor just recently died, 20 years after a terminal diagnosis.) It is great advice for everyone!
FOOD RULES

1. Go retro: Your main course should be 80 percent vegetables, 20 percent animal protein, like it was in the old days. Opt for the opposite of the quarter pounder topped with a token leaf of iceberg lettuce and an anemic tomato slice. Meat should be used sparingly for taste, as when it used to be scarce, and should not be the focus of the meal.

2. Mix and match your vegetables: Vary the vegetables you eat from one meal to the next, or mix them together -- broccoli is an effective anticancer food, and is even more effective when combined with tomato sauce, onions or garlic. Get in the habit of adding onions, garlic or leeks to all your dishes as you cook.

3. Go organic: Choose organic foods whenever possible, but remember it's always better to eat broccoli that's been exposed to pesticide than to not eat broccoli at all (the same applies to any other anticancer vegetable).

4. Spice it up: Add turmeric (with black pepper) when cooking (delicious in salad dressings!). This yellow spice is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent. Remember to add Mediterranean herbs to your food: thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, marjoram, mint, etc. They don't just add flavor, they can also help reduce the growth of cancer cells.

5. Skip the potato: Potatoes raise blood sugar, which can feed inflammation and cancer growth. They also contain high levels of pesticide residue (to the point that most potato farmers I know don't eat their own grown potatoes).

6. Go fish: Eat fish two or three times a week - sardines, mackerel, and anchovies have less mercury and PCBs than bigger fish like tuna. Avoid swordfish and shark, which the FDA says pregnant women should not eat because they contain a high concentration of contaminants.

7. Remember not all eggs are created equal: Choose only omega-3 eggs, or don't eat the yolks. Hens are now fed on mostly corn and soybeans, and their eggs contain 20 times more pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids than cell-growth regulating omega-3s.

8. Change your oil: Use only olive and canola oil in cooking and salad dressings. Go through your kitchen cabinets and throw out your soybean, corn and sunflower oils. (And no, you can't give them to your neighbors or your relatives... They're much too rich in omega-6 fatty acids!)

9. Say "Brown is beautiful": Eat your grains whole and mixed (wheat with oats, barley, spelt, flax, etc.) and favor organic whole grains when possible since pesticides tend to accumulate on whole grains. Avoid refined, white flour (used in bagels, muffins, sandwich bread, buns, etc.) whenever possible, and eat white pasta only al dente.

10. Keep sweets down to fruits: Cut down on sugar by avoiding sweetened sodas and fruit juices, and skipping dessert or replacing it with fruit (especially stone fruits and berries) after most meals. Read the labels carefully, and steer clear of products that list any type of sugar (including brown sugar, corn syrup, etc.) in the first three ingredients. If you have an incorrigible sweet tooth, try a few squares of dark chocolate containing more than 70% cocoa.

11. Go green: Instead of coffee or black tea, drink three cups of green tea per day. Use decaffeinated green tea if it gets you too wired. Regular consumption of green tea has been linked to a significant reduction in the risk for developing cancer.

12. Make room for exceptions. What matters is what you do on a daily basis, not the occasional treat.

NON-FOOD RULES

1. Get physical: Make time to exercise, be it walking, dancing or running. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days a week. This can be as easy as just walking part of the way to the office, or the grocery store. A dog is often a better walking partner than an exercise buddy. Choose an activity you enjoy; if you're having fun, you're more likely to stick with it.

2. Let the sun shine in: Try to get at least 20 minutes of daily sun exposure (torso, arms and legs) without sunscreen, preferably at noon in the summer (but take care to avoid sunburns!). This will boost your body's natural production of Vitamin D. As an alternative: discuss the option of taking a Vitamin D3 supplement with your doctor.

3. Banish bad chemicals: Avoid exposure to common household contaminants. You should air our your dry-cleaning for two hours before storing or wearing it; use organic cleaning products (or wear gloves); don't heat liquids or food in hard plastics; avoid cosmetics with parabens and phthalates; don't use chemical pesticides in your house or garden; replace your scratched Teflon pans; filter your tap water (or used bottled water) if you live in a contaminated area; don't keep your cell phone close to you when it is turned on.

4. Reach out (and touch someone!): Reach out to at least two friends for support (logistical and emotional) during times of stress, even if it's through the internet. But if they're within arms reach, go ahead and hug them, often!

5. Remember to breathe: Learn a basic breathing relaxation technique to let out some steam whenever you start to feel stressed.

6. Get involved: Find out how you can best give something back to your local community, then give it.

7. Cultivate happiness like a garden: Make sure you do one thing you love for yourself on most days (it doesn't have to take long!).

Thanks Rabbit, I needed this.

Anyone, has started to get really ANGRY about their  Br CA life.  I do not know if its delayed reaction or it is just that I am tired and did not sleep because of a huge fight I had with my DH, but I am at work and trying hard not to cry and feel sorry for myself.  Thinking all sorts of things about my cysts, etc. I go for the MRI on Tuesday.

I was so positive and upbeat and feeling good about limited side effects and now "WHAM!!! I feel down in the dumps.  Its awful to feel like this at work and having to be professional.  I want to get up and run home.

Allenan, you're going to have those moments. Guess what? It's ok. In fact, roll with them and it'll be easier.

There's a certain amount of grief that goes along with this. There you were, chugging along through this game of life and WHAM! Everything is different.

So, grief is work and we all know work isn't always easy. We can only do what we can at a given moment. You can still have a great attitude and have your bad days. I've always used a comparison to waves in the ocean. You can ride the wave and let it take you where it needs to go, or you can fight it and end up feeling even more miserable in the long run. Ride it out. When you're ready, pick yourself up and start another day. Don't ever beat yourself up for a bad day, and if it helps, always know that you have a bunch of people here pulling for you.

Argh - just wrote all this stuff and it disappeared :-(

Starting again . . .

misswim - love the guided meditation story. What a great thing to do. I like the conversation about yoga, too. The Gilda's Club here offers yoga and pilates and I'm thinking of trying out those classes. I used to go to the gym regularly, but not since this all started. I'd like to get some exercise again - just think I need to try something different.

Rabbit - thanks for posting that info. Lots of practical, and mostly easy, changes to make.

Estepp - thanks for stepping in with the encouragement!

Allenan - I have not been feeling the rage lately, but I do remember one particular time in May before my surgery. I was on my way to a party and just felt like everything was turned around, upside down, messed up. I skipped the turn for the party and drove down the road yelling obscenities. Kind of odd, but cathartic! Then I felt better and went to the party. There were also times I cried at the office. Something would just hit me and I couldn't help it. But it usually did not last long (and I had some privacy) then I could go on with my day. Just acknowledging the feelings, allowing them to happen, can help me. Hope you start to feel better soon.

So yesterday was my #2 TC. Other than it taking four needle sticks and three nurses to get an IV working, it went fine. I've never had that happen before. Was well hydrated. They kept saying maybe they hit a valve. But three times? I could tell they felt really bad about it, and was glad I managed to remain calm. Not fun, though. My chemo nurse finally told me to just have them get her next time and she'd come up and start the IV for me. She was great yesterday - same person as the first TX. So thoughtful and caring.

They gave me a few new meds, too. Prilosec, not just for heartburn, but also for a low grade nausea I've been feeling the last week. The kind where you feel better if you eat a little something. Then also Bentyl, for stomach cramping. They said the Taxotere can cause that. They also said Taxotere can cause some of the weird shooting pains I felt days 4-5 - kind of in my joints or bones, but so hard to describe.

I'm not getting Neulasta, so the pain is not from that. I was glad to see that my blood counts were all good. WBC was actually a little higher than before, so that's a relief. I just hope that is a trend that continues.

Well, that's it for me today. I have a pile of work to catch up on that I want to do while I'm feeling well. Best wishes to all of you for a SE free weekend!

Valbee - I'm sorry, I don't really recall. I remember feeling it when I was lying on the sofa or at work, so not trying to sleep. I mainly just thought it was strange. Pain starting in my hip and shooting down my leg. Or my ankle and up my calf. Even on my face at one point. It wasn't terrible - just different and unpleasant. I don't recall, but probably took tylenol or advil.

Sorry you are feeling these, too!

Second of my twelve weeklies done.  Ten to go.  Good news is that my oncologist cut out the Kytril completely (I was getting headaches and not nausea) and I just took compazine instead.  Also cut the dexamethasone in half.  And after the heavy load for week one, I'm down to a lower dose of Herceptin too.  On the other hand, I didn't quite make it to my front door coming home without having an accident.  Lesson learned.  Maybe after chemo wear something extra and also take an Immodium in the morning.  At least I was coming in my front door and not at work.  LOL

 Jamie, I'm sorry to hear abour your uncle.  At least a peaceful end. That is a blessing. And I hope things get easier for you too. 

J-Bug

I take my dexamethasone the night before chemo, the morning of and the night of, but  that last one only if I feel sick.  And I haven't so I don't.  I'm glad he cut it.  The headache is gone  and so far, so are most of the aches. Tomorrow (2 days out) is usually when I crash.  I guess the steroids are gone by then.  So I'm going to enjoy today while I have "roid" energy. LOL

Day 3 past 2nd TC still got some energy, mouth feels abit funky but I can eat anything, just had bfast at ihop with my kids, going to the store then maybe will crash later.