Calling all TNs

Hi Ladies.

Merrinnell - so sorry to hear about the loss of your dear friend but glad she is in a better place and doesn't have to have more treatment.

Becca - hope you feel better soon. Sending lots of big hugs.

Titan - I also forget what is said in posts and appreciated being able to scroll and catch up. Don't like the big wide margin either, waste of space.

OBXK - thank god for your good blood work.  Don't forget to get plenty of rest and not overdo things.

Lovelyface - great news about your mum. Things are looking up for you.

Well ladies its crying day again. Went for my first taxol.  Had the saline no probs, had the dexamethazine, no probs.  Then came the taxol.  As soon as it went in I got all this funny floating bits in my vision. Then my face felt like it was a balloon and my heart was pounding, then my heart started racing.  Called to oncology nurse who turned off the machine and told me how to breath.  It was just so scary.  Took a while to come right but I was so scared.  The oncology nurse thought it was an anxiety attack but I think my BP went too low as when he took it after the attack it was perfect and I haven't had perfect BP for years, it has always been high.  Anyway he said he wanted me to take a Diazepam and then give it another go as he was frightened I wouldn't go back next Wednesday. How right he was becoming. Anyway took the diazepam and then later had the taxol again and apart from some palpitations it was ok but what is it going to be like next Wednesday.  I am also dreading side effects.  Wasn't hungry at all for dinner tonight.  Sorry for the long post and to cap it all off it's bloody raining. What a day.

Hugs to everyone waiting for results, to all those not feeling well or feeling tired or just plain worried. Thinking of you all.  Annie            

Lovely face, I was admitted late Monday/early Tuesday and will be staying until sometime this afternoon. That is if I do not spoke another fever.

Hmmm...not sure I like this format either but I always adjust slowly to change.  I'll have to try it out on my smart phone.

Annie, you can do this!  I always had Ativan with my infusion, much to my daughter's dismay because it makes me kind of goofy and irritating to be around - but I don't take it any other times, so it gave me something to almost look forward to when I got my chemo. The combination of all three of the drugs did give me some of those symptoms - I had what seemed to be increased floaters, water retention, muscle aches, etc.  The taxane drugs were a big help in fighting breast cancer - if you look at some of the studies for outcomes pre and post taxanes it really made a difference.  So hang in there! 

Teka, hoping everything turns out fine today!

Beccad, I'm sorry you are in the hospital and hope you get out this afternoon.  I met a lady at chemo last year who had a triple negative recurrence and the gemcitabine knocked the FC to the curb so hoping for the same for you!

Sagina, a big welcome to you! I eat fish and shellfish, but no chicken or other meats.  I am still struggling with sugar, though, although I have reduced consumption by at least 3/4.

Merrinel, I am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend. 

CS- Did they give you the Benadryl infusion before the Taxol? If you did get it, maybe that's what made you feel bad. I did not react well to the Benadryl infusion. As soon as the drip started, I started feeling dizzy, hot and my arm (the one used for infusion) started to hurt from the needle and up. For me the Benadryl was worse then the Taxol itself! That is why I was happy to know I could take Claritin instead, 30 minutes before the Taxol. You can do this. Take care and rest well.

Big Hugs.xx

Babs37- how are you doing on the study now? have things subsided? best wishes.

Wow CS - that is scary, glad they got it under control and I hope you have minimal SE this round!

Tomorrow morning is my double mastectomy and my anxiety is off the charts. So worried about lymph nodes. I freakin' hate cancer!

Sally 

Bad bad news - it is indeed a local recurrence of the cancer. Hard to believe that after a lumpectomy, 5 months of brutal chemo, and a mastectomy there were still enough stinking effing cancer cells around to make a new tumor 3 years later. I hate this so much. I have been sobbing non stop.

I have an breast MRI tomorrow. Then hopefully surgery as soon as they can schedule it, followed by rads.

Does anyone know - does this mean my previous chemo regimen (AC/Taxol) would be considered ineffective on my particalar cancer?

Sorry guys, I'm loving the new format, but you may be right that it's smartphone friendly, because that's what I post from.



Teka - Yay on your results. Also wanted to comment on something you said, "Nurse called this afternoon and sounded like I had shamed MO and CC by having to beg for test results". Sounds like you did exactly what needed to be done. Well done!!!!



Sagina- welcome, you will find both great info and support here.



LRM216- you are absolutely right, they need to walk in our shoes. I also have the same problem with pain management specialists. You guys spend some time in soul sucking pain, and then you can tell me all about what I should be doing!



Painting- sorry about your friend and congrats on the two new galleries.



Sugar77 - I love the idea of memorial plants! What a wonderful thing to do.



Titan - so sorry you had such a bad experience on your bad mammo. I was lucky to have the opposite. In 3 hours I went from mammo, to ultrasound, and then to biopsy. The doctor who did the biopsy, couldn't give me results but she told me that since I was a nurse, she knew I knew how serious this was, and to prepare myself that it would probably not be good news. When I got called into my doctor's office, I was able to make it easier for all of them, by telling them I already knew it was bad news, but now what are we going to do. I knew it killed them to give me the news, (I've been with them for 20 years). My doctor came in on his day off, just to meet with me as soon as he got the results. All I did was tell them who and where I wanted (I started doing my research as soon as they did the biopsy). My NP told me to go home, she would handle everything. She called the next afternoon and had the BS I wanted and a team in place that would meet with me in 5 days. We ALL, should get that kind of care and concern!!



Merrinell - very sorry about your friend but I'm glad it was merciful. I have a friend just diagnosed with Stage 4 lung, and I fear the doctors are not giving her the honesty she needs.



Beccad, as a nurse, I really laughed at her comeuppance! We nurses often need a wake up b**chslap!



Naan1004 - congrats on getting the PICC out, but a quick ? Are you having radiation. If you are...RUN to the pool and hot tub. You won't be able to do them during radiation.



Lovelyface - there is no question on the approval of the test, I brought the exact criteria from my insurance company to the genetic counselor. The problem is they should be paying 100% of the cost and have decided to only pay 50%. They have the right to set a fee, based on a reasonable amount for the same service. This being the only lab helps me. There is no other service provider for them to compare against and set a fee, so it proves they are just choosing an arbitrary fee.



Clowngirl- I'll be praying for you tomorrow and sending positive thoughts.



Cocker - one thing in your post concerned me. You said you "called for your oncology nurse". How far away was she? They are supposed to be watching like a hawk on the first Taxol, and very closely on #2 & 3. The only reason my nurse left the room for a brief period on the first one, was the friend I had with me was a nurse (I've seen a friend have a severe reaction to Taxol many years ago, I brought a nurse with me for my first 3). Please make sure you have someone with you during your treatments and they know what to be watching for and can grab the nurse if necessary. It was over 15 years ago, and the two things I remember was she began to wheeze and become short of breath and she began to turn red very dramatically. The best way to describe it, is like the red mercury in an old fashioned thermometer. I could see her chest become bright red and begin climbing up her neck to her face. It's very dramatic when you see her. The sad thing was she wasn't in a cancer facility, and the doctor didn't recognize the symptoms ( and she should have, my friend had already had a reaction the first time they gave it, that's why my friend wouldn't try it the second time unless I promised to be in the room with her). I literally had to tell the doctor to stop the infusion, or I would pull the IV out myself.

Please make sure you have a friend or family member with you!

((((Minxie)))) I just hate to hear this!!! DAMN!

Minxie if you don't mind me asking how did you discovery this new tumor? Most posters used a different regimen as far treatment is  concerned so I am guess your ONC may want to try another cocktail.

Did you have rads the first time? Some say there is a lifetime max, but if your cancer facility does MammoSite rads then maybe this could be an option. Do your research and we will definitely support you all the way. (((((HUGS)))) So sorry you have to go through this again. It's just not FAIR!!

Enough is enough for us all!!!!

Clowngirl - Oh Girl, I have no words.  We will all be with you in spirit tomorrow.  I can totally understand the fear, stress, sadness which must be engulfing you today.  It will be okay, others have done it and survived.  You will be okay.

Minxie - I am so sorry, but I would say the same thing Luah said, the news comes with a silver lining, that it is a local recurrence. I fear mets the most.  Last time when I was waiting for the results after a biopsy, I had talked myself into accepting local recurrence as "good news".  Yes, 3 years is a long time, and to get it again after 3 years is not hopeful for any of us.  We are all in this together.  When this thing happens to one, it happens to all of us.

Annie - I am so sorry you had to endure what you did with your first taxol.  I know how this will give you the fear, which you didn't need, for next Wed.  I think they did make me take lorazapam and I got sleepy during the infusion.  I found taxol so much easier than AC.  The red devil was the worst.

Clowngirl - sending my thoughts and prayers tomorrow during your surgery.  

Minxie - cancer sucks - sorry you are dealing with this.  I will pray that it is local and not spread.

And it is worth saying again, cancer sucks.

Clowngirl:  Wishing you all the best for tomorrow and a totally uneventful and easy recovery.

Minxie:  I am sick to my stomach hearing your news, but as Luah said, it's a local recurrence and that's a positive in this dark spot you are in right now.  I wish I could take it all away for you.  As Lovely said - when something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us, as there but for the grace of God goes any one of us.  It's like we are all always sitting on a freaking time bomb - always hearing that tick - tick - tick.  Please know we are all here to help you get through this new battle, and to offer you love, strength and all the help we can.

Beccad:  Hope you got released and all is going well.  Thinking of you too!

Linda