April 2011 chemo

So happy for you breezing through the rads, Merilee!!  Keep it up!

Onco recommended skipping chemo this week due to the severe abdominal pain.  Will try one more round of Taxotere next week and see what happens.  If same reaction, might have to switch protocols. But first I'm going to ask if there is something more effective than Bentyl to deal with the pain.  Meanwhile, 9 days out from Taxotere #4, I'm feeling pretty good, but not terrific as I would have expected with the little break.  Mainly just feeling really, really tired all the time and not quite "there," if you know what I mean.  Like, I want to feel great, but I'm just feeling so-so.  I'm not really complaining (sure sounds like I am!) because I know "great" is just around the corner somewhere.

I hope everyone has a really good weekend.  Thinking of you all! 

Hi everyone had A/C no 5 on thursday only one more to go.  Feeling very manic and sick this time.  Hope to be able to go on our bikeclubs charity run next weekend.

Warm thoughts to you all.

Sarah

The crystal healing sounds cool. Please tell us about it when you turn. I have several crystals as well.

Amethyst is my fav.

Yippy Artie! done with #6, it gets easier now

Hi, gang!

Just wanted to send love to you all.  I've been running around with a million things to do before my August 23rd surgery.  Then, I'll have rads possibly and definitely another round of chemo (AC).  So, I'm not close to done, but SO glad to have a few weeks off before the surgery.  I almost feel normal--then, I catch my bald self in a mirror. LOL.

Sorry so many of us can't do the fun things we wanted to--but hell, next year we'll all be healthy and able to make some really cool plans!   

The chemicals leave your body in a few days. You can google each one for "Half life" and there will be info about how long it stays in you. What is cumulative is the damage it does and the side effects of that. Not to scare you, just explaining. And remember, the body has a remarkable ability to recover itself, but over time. Good luck!

Determined 3 - we all have such different responses to chemo, it's not possible to anticipate what we'll get, just be prepared for if it hits. I teach, also, and worked through last semester, with Fridays off for chemo. I was lucky, and se's were manageable. Of course, summer off helped, but then again, I love my job, and so it's distracting, time forced off thinking and worrying about cancer. Mild neuropathy at tips of fingers and toes now isn't disabling for me, just odd, things don't quite feel right. As school starts up in 2 weeks, I'm looking forward to work and the distraction.

I also took the carnitine throughout, so maybe that's helped keep the neuropathy at minimum.



Yaya - as many on here will tell you, chemo is usually cumulative, but different chemos do different things on different people, and it's so hard to plan for. I had TCH, and the TC days were hardest, altho the first 3 were only a bit of heartburn. The 4th was harder, with nausea on the 3rd day, heartburn for a week, sore mouth, fatigue. The 5th and 6th were the hardest, with heartburn throughout, nausea and vomiting (but only once each time, easily managed with meds onc gave me) and fatigue. I counted my blessings, tho, as many women here had it far rougher. I'm a week out from the last TC and today woke up great! The Herceptin has been a cakewalk compared, with some flushing on my neck and face, and twice a weight across my chest that was scary but breathable and went away in a few hours. If you get Neulasta shots for your white blood cells (I did from rugby after the first TCH, which dropped me to 3), Many on here will recommend claritin to offset se's of joint pain. Altho my onc shrugged and said "no data" to support it, I did it, and had no Neulasta problems other than a fever the first time.

Hope this isn't too overwhelming. Just keep in mind that we're all here to support you with info and, more importantly, virtual hugs.

I've gotten 8 emails with contact info so far.  I just took a second to reply to the last three that I got.  So everyone who sent info should have gotten a note back from me.  I've not complile yet, so there's still time!

The few strands of positivity I have left are coming your way, ladies!

Carla, here's some positivity back at ya, in case you're short some! My first day of no heartburn or nausea since last week's last chemo. I've positivity to spare, I feel so good! And more to the rest of us.

Merilee, what a great feeling that must be!



Today was my first nausea free day since the last chemo, hurray!

Carla -- I sent you my contact info on 8/2 but haven't gotten anything back from you.  I'm thinking perhaps you didn't get it?  Let me know and I'll resend it.  Thanks, Suzy

I'm done! I'm done! I'm D-O-N-E...say it with me...DONE!!!!!!

Finished round 6 of taxotere, cytaxan and herceptin - now just herceptin every three weeks until April. 

Still tring to muddle through Round 6's SE, but know I just need to get through this week. I took off the next 2 weeks from work just to relax and recover. I was recommended to go on a "cleanse" to get as much as possible out of my body. Anyone else plan on cleansing?

Yay! Congrats Seejay. I love your profile pic by the way.

YAY!! its great to hear!!!YAY!!