Is There A September 2011 Chemo Group?

hi rjbaby69 - the prescribed mouthwash is for thrush, which i developed both after my 2nd & 3rd AC treatments..

take it as SOON as you start seeing any whiteness on your tongue. it'll make it go away.

The first time, i didnt knwo what it was and didnt have the mouthwash, so it got BAD. my entire tongue and tonsils were white. it was gross.

I would only swallow the mouthwash if you have white spots on the back of your throat (like on your tonsils), otherwise I just swish for a few minutes, then spit it out and it seems to work. Swallowing was gross, and the medicine made my stomach hurt. 

Good luck! 

rjbaby69, I'm no MO (although with all my research I feel like one sometimes :-)).  I believe the TCx4 treatment is what my 2nd opinion guy called "chemo light."  My first MO recommended TACx6.  The TAC, I believe is for bigger, badder stuff.  Maybe larger tumors, higher grades and more node involvement.  With the TC, they are taking out what some refer to as red devil, Adriamycin.

As for the oncotype... lower numbers usually mean that the person with no nodes and ER+ will not always have chemo do anything.  I was a 22 and in my decision making, I figured I better be a 30+ to close the deal.  If I was lower then an 8, I may have skipped chemo, but that is just with my stats.  My 2nd opinion guy didn't like the oncotype test.  He felt they needed bigger samples, especially with any node positive ladies.  Of course for me, I was questioning my node positive status until my 2nd pathology report came around.  Basically that closed the deal for me :-(.

MOs recommend chemo very often since it's the best defense against systemic recurrence... mets.  I felt it was important for me to understand what I was getting and why I was getting it.

Hi, ladies!  Have been reading all the posts, and I am so glad to have such good company along this journey.   Day 15 from 1st TC x 4 treatment today, and today we shaved my hair.  It was really loose, falling out everywhere, and time for it to go.  I was upset last night and this morning, and then for some reason as my son started shaving it, I felt much better!   I am sorta rocking the bald look right now, and have spent some time today playing with tying the scarves in different ways.  Discovered that I am pretty comfortable walking around the house with no head covering and it doesn't seem to bother my family at all.  They think I have a pretty head....

Can I ask about the fingernail thing?  Anyone know if TC x 4 is at risk?  No one had mentioned that to me until I saw it discussed here.  I have #2 this Friday, and plan to ice my mouth which I learned from here, but do I need to protect the nails too?

You are all so strong and awesome, I am proud to be part of this group!

My 30 year old daughter, Cristine, will be starting chemo on Sept. 16th. Port is being placed on Tuesday. Not sure I am ready for this but I leave for CO tomorrow and will stay until she is well. some of my friends don't understand that but I don't care what they think. I have to be there. She is a single mom with 2 boys 8 and 6 and a husband that doesn't care to be in the same state to help out. I would never NOT be there for her! I know that all of you understand!

CJRT, I've noticed some facial dryness also.  No redness, just super-dry, smooth skin.  I guess normally I'd be happy about this, but I'm more concerned with being able to keep my eyes open.  *g*  Anyway, it seems to be going away today so maybe that's the end of it.

Hello September ladies,

RJ - Glad you had the burst of energy today. 

Shelley - Glad your family thinks your bald head is pretty.  I figure my hair is going to fall out and need a shave about 2 days before my 50th birthday.  I already know I have a few stork bites on the back of my head which I am not too crazy about uncovering again.  Ah, well.  I think I will probably be bald around the house quite a bit too.  Last time I was bald I did not wear a wig or a scarf ever.  I just saw a video on scarves out of old T-shirts for very simple turbans.  I am going to rip up a T-shirt today and try it for a preparedness thing.  God knows I have enough old t-shirts.  I did also request the catalogue from American Cancer Society, although that has not come in yet.

Peddler's wife - Glad you are there to help your daughter.  I miss my mom.  She had such good taste in books and would give me the best of what she read from the library.  I have seen a lot of my mom's sister lately and some of my cousins on that side and it has helped tremendously.  They have such a great sense of humor.

I finally found a good fix (enough for me) for going in public without breasts yesterday.  I just tucked those soft forms under a tank top mens t-shirt, then a shirt over that.  I didn't even have to pin them.  They stayed in place and I could put them in a much more natural position than with a camisole.  That's all I need for going to the grocery store or the movies.

The other good news is I am losing a few pounds from cutting out the alcohol pre-chemo and during chemo to give my liver a break.  I picture them tracking my weight and thinking its from nausea or I am not eating properly.  I am hoping this counterbalances any tendency to gain weight from the steroids and chemotherapy. 

Have a good weekend ladies, as best we can.  I am off to cut up a t-shirt.

I went out and bought some colorful t-shirts, 1.50 a piece at Goodwill to see the effect.  I came home and tried it with the colorful patterns.  I was sweating bullets between the breast forms and the turban.  OMG,  OMG.  Then I googled weather.  It's 94 today in West Allis, Wisconsin.  It might work better at 70 or less, which is not too far away.

Did you all get fllu shot this year?  I never had a flu shot voluntarily.  My job requires one or I will be fired, so my MO administered one.  I can't lose my job because I have cancer and I need insurance.  Years ago when vaccine was short, I was on the last tier, I was not on the list to get one.  I was not eligible.  Same thing with their TB testing.  They don't think it is important to test for TB anymore for people in my position.  It used to be they would fire you if you did not show up for TB testing. Then that stopped.  I am not really happy getting injected with virus a week before chemotherapy and immunosupressed status.  I believe the MO said the chemo would negate most of the ISP effect.  He said, want your job, take the shot, else you will be fired when they tally..  I really hate them injecting me with god knows what when I have only had flu once in 5 years and I am facing chemo in a week after the shot.  Did anyone ask you or make you get a flu shot when you were facing chemotherapy?

Kimberly: my onc told me to get a flu shot this year for sure. However, if the people at my job told me I had to get one or be fired I'm sure I'd be pi**ed off! Hope it goes well for you.

Hello everyone!  I just found this forum and am completely blown away by all of you.  You seem to be such a positive wonderful group of women.  I hope I can be that way too.  I am getting ready to start chemo next Tues 20th.  I have an eccho this week and my port will be put in.  I am doing AC for 8 weeks, and Taxol for 12.  My biggest fear is "chemo brain".  I have two small children (4 and 7).  I am already about as scattered as you can imagine, my husband and I are both worried about this getting worse.  Have any of you had issues with this?  I am a little worried about the fatigue, but with young children you rest if you have to and then you move on.  I am lucky to have my parents who are retired and able to help, as well as in-laws to help on weekends when we need. 

Sheypres - just a note on the ovaries. I had mine out a couple of weeks ago.  I am BRCA1+.  That surgery was very insignificant compared to everything else I have done so far.  My mom said I looked a little worse after it in recovery, but overall recovery was minimal.  (I had this done right after my mastectomy, so I think I was just a little tired going in.)  I have had a few hot flashes from this, but my doc said to try Vitamin E, so we will see.  Good luck with everything else this week. 

My first chemo is Sept 20th.  My Onc is starting me on Taxol first then to AC.  She does not think I need radiation since I only had 3 nodes positive, but she says to make an appt with radiation Onc to be sure.  I have yet to get a wig but have one picked out online.  I am getting a pixie cut on Wed so the change won't be so dramatic when the hair falls out.  Scared of chemo but really know I have to do anything it takes to be well again. 

Maggie