Taxotere/Cytoxan starting February 2012.

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  • JoanQuilts
    JoanQuilts Member Posts: 633
    edited April 2012

    Ulightup:  I am not having rads - I had a bilateral mastectomy, my tumor was very small and my nodal status was.....unknown.  That's the reason for my "extra" two TCs.  The doc said it couldn't hurt, but didn't know whether or not it would help.  If I have any nodal involvement, it would be micromets, as there was no obvious swolleness and my nodes didn't show anything on the MRI. 

    It is interesting how different docs treat in different matters.  My MO told me there are regional biases to treatment. Good luck - I am glad that round 3 was easier for you than round 2!

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  • Gayle56
    Gayle56 Member Posts: 277
    edited April 2012

    Good luck Joan wishing you mild SE's



    Gayle

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  • A_FIGHTER
    A_FIGHTER Member Posts: 109
    edited April 2012
    JoanQuilts: Final Pathology didn't show the micromets? That is the ONLY way we found out I had lymph-node involvement (.47 mm and considered micrometastatic carcinoma). My PET Scan & MRI showed nothing & was told a PET Scan only picks up if 1 cm or bigger. Hence, why it didn't pick it up.
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  • JoanQuilts
    JoanQuilts Member Posts: 633
    edited April 2012

    A_Fighter:  They were unable to map my sentinel lymph node during my MX.  I had had bc 19 years previously during which they removed 10 lymph nodes (new tumor was on the same side) which apparently messed up the mapping.  My surgeon was great so I believe she did the best she could in trying to find lymph nodes, but just couldn't.  It apparently happens some times.

    So my MO and BS were basically guessing that I had negative nodes - thus the initial reco that I do 4 x TC.  When I brought up the issue that we didn't know for sure whether or not I was node negative, the MO agreed that it couldn't hurt to throw in 2 more rounds of T/C.

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  • NikkEliz
    NikkEliz Member Posts: 38
    edited April 2012

    Hi All!

    YAY! Last Chemo treatment done!! I'll consider chemo really done when my needles and SEs are done but still. Woot!

    Had my planning meeting with my RO today too. Getting my mapping tattoos and CT scan ont he 11th, and assuming everything goes well, should be starting my 21 rad treatments on or around May 1, so done by the end of may most likely! The descriptions she gave of side effects, from her experience and such sounded not as bad as I was expecting in terms of the burn and such. I'm much less nervous about it now that we are getting the plan in place and going and I talked to my RO about everything.

    Congrats  on your last one too Donna! and to #4 JoanQuilts! yay!

    Hoping for mild SE's for everyone and a great night! 

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  • Ulightup
    Ulightup Member Posts: 57
    edited April 2012

    Joanquilts - my pet and MRI were also negative and no palpable mass either that's why no lymph node dissection. Plus I had a mastectomy and SLN biopsy 7 years ago so the mapping would be different too. We are treating it as if there could be micro mets , so will do 6 tc. They highly recommended radiation due to cancer in same breast.

    Anyway ... Glad you have 4 down !!! More than half way done!



    A fighter- how have your workouts been? I've toned it down the 1st week after chemo , but then build back up to 75-80%of my norm for 2 weeks.

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  • Ulightup
    Ulightup Member Posts: 57
    edited April 2012

    Nikkeliz -- congrats on last chemo n good luck with radiation. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I will begin radiation sometime in July .

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  • JoanQuilts
    JoanQuilts Member Posts: 633
    edited April 2012

    Ulightup - radiation was not recommended for me, but since you are getting it, now I am worried!  My tumor was only .9 mm, I had a mastectomy, so not sure why rads would be in the plan?  My was not called a recurrence, but a new primary tumor.

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  • onvacation
    onvacation Member Posts: 1,344
    edited April 2012

    I am getting radiation after the chemo.  I didn't have lymph nodes involvement but I had vascualar lymphatic invasion - so I guess that is why I am getting it.  Joan - I thought that if you had a mastectomy you usually didn't get radiation?  Not sure if that is true, but thought I saw that on this board.  I had a lumpectomy.

    WOOHOO to those who have finished up their chemo - can't wait till I can say that! 

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  • JoanQuilts
    JoanQuilts Member Posts: 633
    edited April 2012

    Onvacation:  Radiation ALWAYS goes with lumpectomy.  With mastectomy, if you have early stage, you generally do not get radiation, but if you have a large tumor or significant node involvement you might get radiation.

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  • ColdenMom
    ColdenMom Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2012

    It's been a few days since I posted but I am keeping up on all your posts! I'm beyond excited for all of you are on your final treatment! Whoo hoo! Nikki, Donna, Kim48, and Silviazara! Bonnie you're almost there too! I have #3 on Thursday. I've been pretty fortunate with the limited bone pain, Claritan D seems t work very well for me - fingers crossed it stays that way.



    Haha about the coffee!!! I do the same thing! Drink it but it tastes like nothing.



    JoanQuilts- I would probably do the same thing with adding the two additional treatments. Hang in there!



    Silviazara, have a great time away in Vegas! I went overnight in Toronto this weekend with a great friend and is was a nice break from reality.



    Wishing all of you minimal SE's!



    Kelly

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  • Ulightup
    Ulightup Member Posts: 57
    edited April 2012

    Joanquilts- don't worry . Every case is different and maybe they didn't recommend radiation since it is a new primary. Keep up your positive spirit.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2012

    coldenmom - what a great picture - you look fantastic.  

    I too am going to have to schedule Rads and I am dreading it.

    Niki - so glad you are done.  I have 3 done and 1 to go.  I will be so glad when the chemo is finished.  Almost makes me feel I can handle anything then.  

    (((HUGS))) and small SE to all

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  • Kim48
    Kim48 Member Posts: 73
    edited April 2012

    Good morning ladies,



    Congrats to those who finished chemo this week! It's such a nice feeling!



    I'm sitting in hospital waiting to get port removed. My blood pressure is 84/58 so they're trying to get it up with fluids :(. My WBC is 2.0, lowest it has been. :(. Not sure if my doctor will let me go to school on Amon. With that. I have appointment with MO on Friday.



    Oh my! The fun continues. Hope you are all feeling well today.



    Kim :)

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  • silviazara
    silviazara Member Posts: 111
    edited April 2012

    I am out of my mind scared of rads.

    I don't want them to have my whole breast radiated. I don't want to risk the capsular contracture and have the implant removed. I don't want more surgeries and definitely don't want a FLAP surgery. I don't want my thyroid to get damaged. I don't want my skin to get burned and have the permanent red rash. I don't want to get second cancers from it. And I don't want those blue cancer tattoes.

    I am getting anxiety attacks thinking about radiation. I absolutely don't know what to do. I am going to see the rad onco once again. Everybody is pushing me to get it.. of course, after local recurrence. I just don't feel like I can face it.

    Kelly  thanks. I am also sooo happy we are finally getting to the finishing chemo line.

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  • lmlola59
    lmlola59 Member Posts: 146
    edited April 2012

    Hi all,

    Quick question did anyone on this post opt for the  Neuopogen instead of the Neulasta? Just wondering if the Claratin is also recommended for this or joint pain is not suppose to be an issue.

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  • NikkEliz
    NikkEliz Member Posts: 38
    edited April 2012

    Imlola59: I am actually on Neuopogen, not neulasta for my chemo. I asked my MO about the difference and she basically told me that they are just like different brands of the same type of drug, and it just depends on what your coverage is and such as to what they would reccomend for you mostly. I had bad bone pain the first 2 times, The 3rd time she gave me an anti-inflamitory drug called Naproxen (375mg) to hopefully help with that, and I had pretty much no pain at all! I was going to try the Claritain with it, but went 2 3 placed to buy the Claritain D and they were all out! so I didn't both but had no pain anyway.

    Silva: I just had my first planning meeting with my RO yesterday. I was kinda freaked out about rads too but she helped calm my nerves down. she was saying that most women, the burn is not that bad, like a sunburn, usually not even a super bad one, except under the breast if you are larger breasted tends to be the worst area and may get more red and uncomfortable. She's had many women who even go through their whole time wearing normal underwire bras and they aren't even uncomfortable! She also said that the burn/rash from it usually gets a bit worse for about 2 weeks after the last treatment, and then starts to get better, usually gone by 6 weeks after the last treatment. There is a less than 1% chance that it can cause secondary cancers. And the tattoos here they are black) are supposedly VERY small, like a bit bigger than a pen dot on a piece of paper. (she kinda drew one with a pen on a tissue to show me, it was like a small freckle size maybe?) I'll be getting mine on the 11th so I'll take a picture or something and hopefully they are as small as they say.

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  • silviazara
    silviazara Member Posts: 111
    edited April 2012

    Nikki thanks for a positive message! I really need those! :-)

    What scares me the most is that I have the implants and the radiation ALWAYS causes capsular contracture - which means that tissue / scars around implant harden and squeeze the implant. This makes the breast implant feel hard, and changes the appearance of the breast. The implants often must be removed and not be used anymore. :-(((((((((((((

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  • Kim48
    Kim48 Member Posts: 73
    edited April 2012

    Silvia, So sorry you are dealing with this. So many concerns for us. It seems endless. I am thinking of you.



    *hug*

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited April 2012

    Silva

    I feel the same way about RADS.  Having had a MX, no nodes I am totally on the fence.  Have a meeting April 26 with the RO.  The benfits have to outweight the risks for me. I am freaked out about everythiing to do with it with the exception of capsular contracture since I haven't had any recon yet.   Any research I've done so far I can't see why its on the table.

    You mentioned that you are dealing with a re-occurance and I apoligize if I'm making you repeat.  Did you have an MX with your first DX or 2nd?

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  • silviazara
    silviazara Member Posts: 111
    edited April 2012

    Kim - thank you. It is endless. People are telling me that I only have one more round and I am soon done with it. I am tired of explaining that this is just never over anymore. That chemo is just one part.. very difficult part but just a fragment of this all.

    Myleftboob - I had a double MX two years ago. No positive nodes. No radiation at that time. I think most of the times radiation is not recommended with MX. It damages the skin and reconstruction with implants is difficult. What kind of recon will you be having?

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited April 2012

    silva

    I was orginally looking at DIEP but now TE/Implant wth a rejuvinating lift to the right..   Thought DIEP sounded awesome but I just don't think I'm up for such a long surger with no guarantees as to outcome.  Have researched the issue alot and have spoken to others where the implant died and they had to go the TE route regardless. 

    Did you have chemo with your 1st DX?

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited April 2012

    BTW I have changed my avatar and city basically because BCO has decided to do a direct link from FB to here to the Canadian Thread I post on.  They were to delete the link based on opposition from members here but regardless, back to being a little more ingognito.

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  • silviazara
    silviazara Member Posts: 111
    edited April 2012

    The implant died and they had to go TE route? I don't think I get it. Did you mean DIEP route?

    My implants feel very good and I think they also look great. I had no problems with surgeries at all. I am so happy with them and now I have to face having more and much more difficult surgeries. This sucks big time.

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited April 2012

    Sorry.  I worded that TOTALLY wrong. I should have said the DEIP tissue transfer died and now the person has to have it removed and now start over from scratch using TE's (Alloderm?)

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  • ColdenMom
    ColdenMom Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2012

    Kim48 - was the port removal successful? Did you get your BP up?



    Silvia- I hate that you have to go through this all again! What stage were you with the first diagnosis?



    I had radiation with my Hodgkins disease... Blue tattoos here too! BUT the SE's were easier than the chemo. My Thyroid is burnt out and I do take thyroid medicine and they are feeling my BC is from the intense mantle radiation I received. And here I'm saying the SE's were not bad... What they heck! I am not undergoing radiation they said not only because I had the double mastectomy but because I received my "quota" with Hodgkins. I wish all of you well who are moving on to the next step!!!



    It's midnight and I'm still up, chemo in the morning. My nerves are keeping me up.



    Sweet dreams all! Thinking of each and every day.



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  • ColdenMom
    ColdenMom Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2012

    Mrthdee- thank you ;)

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  • lmlola59
    lmlola59 Member Posts: 146
    edited April 2012

    NikkEliz thanks for the info on the Neuopogen,I am going on this because the Neulatsta sent my WBC over the top and my MO hates to use this  because it is so costly and I don't need it but wants me on something.She also said it is more manageable because it is spread between 3 days as opposed to one potent shot I guess.Because of this they also said it SHOULD not be as difficult for me,but I always like to see what someone here has to say about it.Did you give the shots to yourself and if so was it easy enough? I am hoping my insurance allows this as I don't want to run up to the clinic 3 days in a row for this it is 30 Minutes each way and gas is not cheap.

    Also thanks for the info on RADS,I met with the RO before I decided to do the Chemo but not to the point of getting down to the details and they made it sound like no big deal so I didn't give it much thought.I think I was at the time more concerned about the chemo,now as that is 1/2 way through for me I am starting to think about this.After reading some of the post on this site its kind of a wake up call that it isn't. But I had a lumpectomy so it is pretty much protocol but everyone please keep the information coming.

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  • A_FIGHTER
    A_FIGHTER Member Posts: 109
    edited April 2012

    Good Morning Ladies,

    ColdenMom, leveled, & silviazara: Thinking of you today! Wishing you the best! 

    Ulightup: My workouts are still continuing - Boot Camp every morning and running. Hopefully, back to Yoga Friday now that mom is out of the hospital and with me. I didn't workout last Thurs. & Fri. as I was dealing with a fever. 

    ColdenMom: Great picture!

    Here's an article I came across for Post-Menopausal women and bone loss: www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/healthnotes/assets/feature/supplement-combination-slows-post-menopausal-bone-loss_14932_4/~default?SourceCode=INTHIR462

    Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times,  it's the only time we've got ~ Art Buchwald 

    XOXO,

    Bonnie 

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  • Kim48
    Kim48 Member Posts: 73
    edited April 2012

    Good morning,



    To those in treatment today, praying for an easy and uneventful day for you. Hopes for easy SE for all.



    My port is out. It was a very crazy morning. Fluids got my blood pressure up to something more normal. However, the doctor stuck himself with the needle when doing my stitches. So, I had to stay for bloodwork so that they could make sure he was safe from me . . . Tested my blood for HIV and hepatitis. I think the chaos caused them to forget to give me numbing of any kind. The stitched area throbbed all day yesterday. It's much better this morning, just tender.



    We have a cabin in the mountains and we drove up last night. I've had terrible heartburn/ reflux and I got really sick on the way up! It was not the day I'd planned!!! Feeling okay this morning so just going to take it easy!



    I'm most concerned now about my 2.0 WBC yesterday. It has never been so low. I am so excited to go back to my first graders on Monday, but they all told me yesterday that I shouldn't. I am going to MO tomorrow so will find out.



    My prayers to all of you doing rads next. I hope that all will go smoothly for you.



    My next step is bone density scan and then decision on hormone therapy. TE exchange on June 6. Will be interested in keeping up with you all on the next steps.



    So proud of you who do big workouts. I am still walking 2 miles per day. Have been going to flat park, now moving to a great park close to us that is hiking around a lake/river with hills. Georgia is full of hills. Wore me out! Will have to build back to hills.



    My physical therapist said new studies show recurrance rates can be cut by 50% for those who take moderate walk 3-6 hrs a week! Walk ladies! :)



    Prayers to you all.



    Kim :)



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