Is there a July 2011 group?

Izzy325: Welcome back! I don't blame you at all for stepping away. We all need to do that sometimes. So, when your wbc was at 65,000, it sounds like it would have been like 65 the way my doctor is looking at mine being 47? Am I understanding this correctly? When you do Neupogen, do you give yourself the shots? Do you get more than one blood draw in the same day too? I don't know anything about Neupogen at all. I am going to ask the nurses more questions tomorrow about what happens if my counts stay that high. On A/C it was usually more in the 16 range with Neulasta shots. Now with Taxol and Nuelasta shots, it seems to shoot way up there. 

misswim: I have never heard of klonpoin, but I am glad you have found something that seems to be helping. My son has Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, OCD, Sensory Integration Disorder and an unspecified mood disorder. We spent a lot of years struggling with meds in the antipsychotic class of meds. It was really tough to find exactly what he needed. Sometimes the side effects were worse than the initial problem. Fortunately, now he has a really great doc who had a gut instinct that he was just getting overmedicated. We spent the first several years trying to keep him off meds. This new doc was able to get him right where he needs to be and no horrible drug hangovers anymore. It's such a tough battle dealing with psychiatric issues.

paintingmywaythru: Thank you, but it's just hard-headed determination! : ) 

All the best for your chemo on Monday mommaof4. Praying that you receive it better this time with minimal or no SEs!

mommaof4: I have had styes in the past when I was drinking too much caffeine. I used very warm to hot water on a washcloth and kept it on that eye for 15 minutes at a time, many times a day. It cools down quickly, so I had to keep rinsing and warming the washcloth back up often. That and giving up caffeine are what got rid of the problem for me. I don't know if that would work for everyone.

I am also allergic to NSAID's (any form of aspirin or Ibuprofen). The first place I notice a reaction is my eyes swelling. Then I have a hard time breathing. So your comment about swollen eyelids made me think of that, but it sounds like you have an idea of what is going on. Styes can really do a number on your eyes. So sorry!

I have been thinking that we need a kitten or puppy right now. Congratulations! I hope he helps fill the household with joy. We don't have any pets and never have because of all of us having allergies really bad, but lately I have been craving a squirrlley little puppy to curl up with. 

mommaof4 - Forgot to mention - I have a few days - maybe around day 11-14 when my eyes feel really sensitive and my eyelids swell. I have not had styes, but have noticed the same sensitivity each time. I've also had eyelid twitching since #3 that the onc said is chemo-related. Such a strange assortment of SE's we have :-/

Phillybird...glad you mentioned eyelid twtiching ..been having that since the first treatment. trying to slow down so I cna sleep before last chemo tomorrow but those steroids have revved me.

MAmmaof4..sorry for your SE's..and a puppy is great. I am waiting to get a kitty that my friend has in DC but haven't figured a way to get her up here...if we can't come up with a solution I will go to the palce where we got our 3 year old cat from... will fill a bit of the void of our youngest gone off to college.

J-Bug: I emphathize.  My oldest son was diagnosed as a teen with OCD, ADHD, Tourette's and later on, Bi-Polar Disorder.  Getting the med thing under control was a challenge, as my son was hypersenstive to all SSRI anti-depressants.  It took years but now he knows what works for him  Of course, he has other issues as an adult, but at least those problems are under control.  Mental illness takes a toll on the entire family.  Sending you a hug and happy your son has a great doc.

Frances: Glad the aches have subsided. Hope they don't come back!

Rabbit: I haven't heard about that with a port, but I've been on blood thinners all along, so I've had the opposite problem with bleeds,  Sounds like a good idea to talk to the GS about it. Good luck!

Mommaof4: You should try putting warm teabags on the styes. Just saw that on The DRS. this morning.  Worth a shot.  THey suck and are painful. Not the teabags.  The styes.  And I'm so sorry about the loss of Bauer.  Our furballs really are family members and it's always so hard to see them leave.  I do believe, however, that the best tribute we can give our departed little friends it to move on and bring a new furball into the house.  They bring so much love and joy that we can remember them through our new additions. I find I often talk about my cats and dogs that have gone to the Rainbow Bridge as I play with and laugh at my current crew of cats and a dog. Enjoy you puppy! Soak in the joy.

ANA: Mazel Tov! Last day of ChemoCamp! Make a scrapbook! LOL  Really, how great to be able to start feeling better without any more bumps in the road.

PhillyBird: No more flooding here at the moment, but we know it will happen again some day, so we are planning and hoping that the insurance will provide enough funding for us to redo the downstairs to make it more flood resistant.  WonderBoard walls, industrial flooring, raised appliances and boiler etc. Still waiting.  I have to call that adjuster today and find out where we are in the process. Good luck with your new job!  Work is a great stabilizer for me to -- it gets my mind off the whole BC thing and the nonsense going on at my crazy house.

 So, now I'm waiting for my friend to pick me up for the Spa. Took all my at home premeds: 

Decadron, Zantac, Benedryl and Allegra along with the Pradaxa, Multaq (Not BC related) and vitamin supplements.  Already walked the dog, have to catch her to give her meds (need to give her steroids -- can you believe it? she has an autoimmune disease and that keeps it at bay.  It's kind of scary when we are both on steroids. LOL), and then I'm knitting and relaxing until my friend gets here.  Can't clean -- the living room is filled with people sleeping on the sofa bed. My bedroom is a warehouse and we still have bicycles and bins all over the place.  I'm hoping my ex and the kids finish emptying the garage this weekend so they can bleach the floor and put the bikes and bins back down there> I crave some clear clean open areas in my house. Right now there are NONE! Argghh!  The Spa will be a wonderful break in the chaos. LOL

Oh, on a funny and non BC note. My friend Mike has 17 month old twins.  The boy (they are fraternal) was captured on a video in a corner mirror kissing his reflection and showing absolute delight every time.  Open mouth, kissing too.  It is hysterical and he is too cute for words, like a chubby little cherub.  Mike sent it in to America's Funniest Home Videos. I hope he makes the show, it really is adorable. Little things like that can lift your day I think.

Good thoughts for everyone to have a SE free weekend and good weather!  

Been reading all your messages and hope that this weekend gives us all a little rest from our SEs. Looks like alot of us are starting to wind down on chemo. Are we going to continue our little group as some of begin radiation, surgeries, etc? Having this kind of forum to run past symptoms, complaints, cheerleading and friendship has been heartening during what could have been a really, really dark time. Hope we can continue.

Krista

YAY Snoopy - what great news! Good for you for going out to celebrate. I've had several friends ask how I was going to celebrate the last one and I said that right now a nap sounds like a perfect celebration ;-). Later, later, I'll really celebrate.

Snoopy: Congratuations on reaching the finish line! That must feel great!

So here I sit in The Chair having all sorts of problems with my MiFi, so I jumped on the oncologist's free wifi.  Slow but it works. Better than a kick in the teeth! LOL

Here's how I look in a recumbant position with my feet up and the laptop in front of me.  Restful environment no?

Except I get restless leg from the Benedryl.  Very annoying. 

Luebbs: That sounds about right. Feel better.

Hi everyone - hope you are all doing well.  I got my port taken out today.  Lots less happy juice drugs for me on the removal vs. the implantation.  Different doc I guess.  So, good news is I'm not passed out for 6 hours sleeping, but bad news is OUCH!  Taking some tylenol, and I'm to do nothing for 24 hours, but so glad to have it out!  Start Tamoxifen tomorrow.  Hope for no/few SE's with it. 

misswim - so glad no mets.  Enjoy eating and sleeping! 

jbug - how was taxol this time?

dexxy - how are your SE's from your LAST ONE! hope you are doing okay.  the last one kind of kicked my butt. 

snoopy - yeah done - what a great surprise.  glad you got away for a vacation. 

snoopy and paulamati - I too have a friend who is battling the end stages of this and it really makes me so sad for her.  I understand your pain. 

frances - you're coming up on one and done too - congrats

painting - I'm glad you're switching.  I know you've been struggling with that

ellen - good luck on car shopping and getting house back to normal - love the twin story.

izzy - will be thinking of you next week. 

mommaof4 - our 17 year old dog died in Jan.  We grieved for a few days and went right out and got a dog at the shelter.  He's the best dog ever and has given me so much comfort during this dx and treatment.  Enjoy your new one.  Good luck Monday

ANA - CONGRATS on last one - love it!

phillybird - good luck with your new job - enjoy your tastebuds.  I've had lower back pain this week and was glad to see you talk about it being attributed to neulasta!  I of course was going down the thought of the worst case scenario, so nice to think of another reason.

have a good weekend everyone

Sunday was the day that the pain began with the last treatment. So we will have to see if it happens again. I feel pretty good right now, but I did last time too. I was just outside mowing and trying to dig a hole to plant my new weeping willow. (I will pay for that tomorrow. : )

Ellenquilt: I got really restless legs in the beginning too! I thought that it was the meds already kicking in and I was thinking, "Oh boy! Here we go!" Then I realized that I was still just in the premeds. How do you know that it was the Benedryl? I also had Dexamethasone and I think two other things. I finally had to get up and I went into the bathroom and did some of the exercises that my son learned for helping proprioceptive problems with his pediatric OT. I didn't want to stand there and do them in front of all the patients and nurses. 

Also, my rbc continues to nudge lower. Today it was 3.1. The doc is asking me to work on increasing my iron rich foods. I have already been eating lots of spinach salads and beans. Now I am increasing the red meats and looking at research on more in this area. I am trying to figure out how effective it is to add an iron supplement as well. After today I have two more treatments - but over the next 6 weeks, then about 3 weeks off, then a double mastectomy. I would like to avoid the transfusions as much as possible.

Ellenquilt: I got really restless legs in the beginning too! I thought that it was the meds already kicking in and I was thinking, "Oh boy! Here we go!" Then I realized that I was still just in the premeds. How do you know that it was the Benedryl? I also had Dexamethasone and I think two other things. I finally had to get up and I went into the bathroom and did some of the exercises that my son learned for helping proprioceptive problems with his pediatric OT. I didn't want to stand there and do them in front of all the patients and nurses. That helped and I went back to my chair and fell asleep so hard I didn't realize that three new patients came in and sat around me while I was out.

Age 40. Tumor is over 8 cm. Started neoadjuvant therapy on July 1st with 4 AC dd / then 4 Taxol, then will be bilateral mastectomy, then radiation, then reconstruction.

J Bug- I have been running a hemoglobin level of about 8.4 since my BMX and throughout chemo... They keep saying that if I go below 8 then it is a transfusion. My Onc gave me prescription iron and I did move up to 8.9 at my last chemo. I just took an online class for my work (I'm a labor and delivery RN) and my hospital just adopted a new policy not to give blood transfusions unless a pt has a hgb level of 7 or below. I guess studies show that a low hgb is brtter than some of the SEs and health risks of a transfusion so they lowered the policy from 8 to 7.

khs113 I found that the American Cancer Society recommends it for triple negative but the AMA does not. I jsut pushed and pushed as MGH would ahve done one if I were there and would have done it prior to my first surgery. So with all the hassle I got from the docs I jsut said lets see if insurance pays and they will so I am going forward on that.

My last chemo was September 9th...don't even feel excited...know the next week will be bad...already bloated, burpy and had hiccups for hours last night.had to take thorazine which treats hiccups and psychosis and shizophrenia but leaves me a little dizzy.  Still in my quest for the right radiation center...will meet with Mass General Tueday...trying to find out if they need my mammogram films delivered.

My rads are supposed to start 3 weeks after chemo on October 3rd.

So I wonder how long before the peach fuzz begins to grow..8 weeks post chemo?

J-bug - I so hope you do not have the pain you did last time. And that the rbc goes up. I can understand wanting to be in good shape for surgery. Can you get a little more time to recover from chemo before the BMX? I can understand not wanting to wait, but would want to have my strength.

Paintingmywaythru & khs113 - I may have said this before, but my surgeon automatically ordered a breast MRI after the initial biopsy was positive. I think it was a combination of my age and family history. Insurance covered it. But my onc said she does not usually do any other scans (PET or CAT) unless there are symptoms.

Dexxy - I'm one of those not having rads, since I had a mastectomy. My next step is the exchange surgery part of reconstruction. I feel for all of you that have more treatment ahead and will be reading and cheering you on from the sidelines!

Feeling really peaceful today. It is cool and breezy outside, so I sat out there reading for a while and my little dog had a great time running around and chasing the squirrels. I know I've got a couple of difficult weeks ahead - mainly fatigue, which I get really tired of (no pun intended!). But knowing it is the last one does seem to allow me to relax a little bit and know I can get through this. I'm planning on working from home for at least the next week - perhaps longer, just to keep away from the germs in the office while wbc is low. So many of my co-workers have small kids and the germ level is like a kindergarten there sometimes!

Wishing everyone a peaceful and SE-free weekend :-)