Has anyone started a Dec 2011 group?

Tx went well today. I was asking my nurse if reactions can pop up in any number of infusion and she laughed at me and said I just jinxed myself. But everything went smoothly. I'm hoping this one is easier on me than the last one.



Thank you for the well wishes and good luck to those of you going this week!

Thanks Heather I appreciate your well wishes. I wonder why in Canada we do the 3 fec's and the 3 taxotere in 3 week intervals and on the U.S. side you do the 4 infusions every 2 weeks. If given the choice I would prefer to get in done and over with. I would prefer the 4 every two weeks. I assume they are equally effective. I had asked my oncologist about just doing the taxotere because I had read somewhere it was more effective with the grade 1 tumor but she indicated your protocol was based on your stage. They are the professionals so I have to trust them. So it looks like you just have the one more to go. I am jealous.

To all the ladies with the heartburn, throat, and mouth se's.  My heart goes out to you. My tongue feels like I burned it on coffee yesterday, but it's been like that about a week.  Cheeks feel like they were swiped with a lidocaine swab. Heartburn appeared with TX1, but mysteriously disappeared after #2. Good riddance!!  I have it anyway if I'm not careful, ever since pregnancy #2.Mine are enough and my friends with worse. . . . .So sorry

The h**roids were also a gift that keeps on giving from pregnancy#1.  Flare-ups when constipated since then.  The first Tx caught me by surprise with really bad constipation that I got under control after 2 days, but the damage was done.   I think I have the routine figured out and am planning my attack strategy.

Onco dr. today gave me the clear for returning to work.  Giving me antibiotics prophalactically (nothing involving Trojans) since the WBC went down so fast to literally nothing (.6) when they checked Tuesday.  So starting Friday, I take another one.  Trying to keep that little bubbly yeasty friend away, too with all the antibiotics, but Cipro is no milk, yogurt, so more pills until Thursday when that runs out.

How do you all keep track of this when you are fuzzy headed sometimes.  I come up with a great plan, use the little pill things and then draw a blank sometimes???

Here's to a good night; no fevers over 100.5; find a comfy spot; pet the pup, cat, kid, man, friend. sibling.

In other words remember why we are going through this lousy time--to gain some time in the future with those worth fighting for.

Sno, I love what you say at the end of your post. Some days are so damn difficult. I hate that fuzzy head feeling, sometimes find myself walking into a room and wondering why am I here?



Every day I make a list, now if I could remember to read it...



So many are getting closer and others on the AC have already finished up. I hope the SEs are manageable. I have my 4th on Thursday, getting anxious.



Do many of you go for bloodwork in between txs? The only time mine is checked is day of tx.



Hugs to all, feel well,



Laura

Laura..I go every week for bloodwork..I think because I ended up in the hospital after the first tx.

Mardibra..I hear ya sister..me too!

Kelly - we're on the same schedule. . . #3 on Thursday.  Good luck to you!

Bailey - I'll be thinking of you Thursday...seems we are chemo buddies!  What cocktail do you get? 

Mardibra - Hang in there...you can do it.  But if you find a way to get off the ride please take me with you!

Heather - the story about your friend is truly an inspiration.  6 years NED is awesome!  Thanks for sharing that.  I have mets to my lungs (from the get-go) and that gives me some hope.

Laura - I get bloodwork weekly also.  It's interesting to see the trends.  Usually the week after tx I am fairly good because of the Neulast.  Week 2 is my low week and I am always amazed how much my counts rebound by the next treatment day.  I get copies of all my bloodwork to keep.

I'm back on the steroids today preparing for tomorrow...UGH!!!!!!  Hope you all have a good week with minimal SE's.  {{Hugs}}

momof3boys - the good news is that the first Neulasta is the worst.  I took the Claritin and still had bad pain from the first shot.  The second one I forgot to take the Claritin day 2 and 3 and was still okay.  The initial bone marrow expansion from the first shot is the worst and the ones after that are not as bad.  Good luck tomorrow!

mom - I know what you mean...not only did I have that deep ache but I almost felt like restless leg syndrome.  I was laying on the couch and it was like I had to move my legs continuously.  I get TCH #3 tomorrow so we will both be in the chair.  Hope you have an easy infusion and a good weekend with minimal SE's!

Good Luck tomorrow Kelly and Mom!  I will be thinking of you.

So far two days after tx and one day after neulasta..feeling tired, but not bad..Not quite as achy..but I'm chalking that up to the vicoden..Seriosly ladies ask for the rx..It helps..I take it right before and take one every 6 hours or so even if there is no sign of pain..I've been told by many RN's to stay on top of the pain don't let it break through harder to manage.

Gracie..I did have some sleeping issues..I'm taking xanax and actually took 2 and it helped, but my dose is a little lower..maybe you could see if you could take one and a half..we definately build up a tolerance to the sleeping meds..

Good Luck to all and hope everyone has minimal pains and se's today!

xoxo - so blessed we have each other..Really helps!!

Heather

I'm slowly coming back to life. I can't wait until this is over.



I only get bloodwork done on the day of tx. No problems so far.



Good luck tomorrow ladies!



Happy thoughts to all.

Laura..I hear you on saying enough is enough, but if two MO are recommending it that would really make me certainly consider it pretty hard. What other chemo do they want you to do?  4 rounds of T/C or Taxol?  I'm actually relieved to see a few of us have ILC..when I was diagnosed with it i saw that 10% of breast cancer is ILC..mine is actually mixed ILC/IDC, but 85% ILC..the initial biopsy had me as IDC...Is the reason they want you to do more is due to node positive?

Good Luck tomorrow Laura..Hope all goes smoothly for you.

Heather

Heather I had 2 areas of ILC in my left breast with node involvement and a small DCIS in the right, no nodes. I will be doing taxol x 12 . Thank you for your good wishes.



FLislander, thank you so much for your encouraging words, helps so much to hear that you are doing well after your first taxol. I will be moving my txs to the onc other location so that will move me physically and mentally away from the nasty AC experience. It will also allow me to see the onc each tx instead of the NP.



I will be thinking of the others tomorrow too.



Sleep well.



Laura

Bailey...I think it's the steriods..and it is definately your head that messes with you..when you start to feel good and bam "thank you sir  may I have another",  Ugh..Only one more Bailey, me too!

Good luck today Bailey and Mom!

Treatment #3 was smooth.  My labs were good.  I asked if I should be checked more often than the day of transfusion, but they said not since my counts were good.  Following treatment, my hubby and I went for a late lunch at Panera Bread.  When we were leaving Panera, a man followed us out and caught Joe's attention.  He asked if I was a cancer patient, and when I said, "yes," he said, "I want to give you a book that I just wrote."  The books is called, After Diagnosis: Life.  He said he was having lunch with his daughter and said, "I feel like I am SUPPOSED to give her a book."  God was clearing speaking to him through me. . . awesome and overwhelming.  It looks to be a wonderful book to work through.  He signed it for me and asked me to email him.  There are so many books I could read (and I'm not a reader), but for this man to feel like he was supposed to give me a book, I feel like it's a gift from God. . . WHAT A BLESSING (and exactly what I needed to pull myself out of this funk)!  

The next few days will certainly be a challenge, but they seem to pass with the help of these forums.  Thanks for your positive thougths today. . . they worked!