April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

nofear2012- Have you tried drinking some Ensure since you aren't eating enough?  I've gained very little weight since starting chemo (1-2 pounds).  Wish we could figure out how to get your tummy issues under control!!!!!

babysammy- I know when my taste buds are back----- when Doritos taste like Doritos!!! lol

OMG, I have gained close to 20lbs since starting chemo!!! I've been trying to lose weight but I keep gaining. I feel like a huge blimp! The oncologist didn't even seemed concerned but I am. I was overweight before chemo but I still thought I was cute but now I just feel fat as hell. I try to watch what I eat (except for those chemo cravings) and I've been working out 5 days a week. I even started the Insanity workout last week in hopes of it helping. Next week I'm gonna see if I could possibly get less steroids.

I like the pic!  I think you're beautiful.

Hey gang,

Has anyone had to switch from DD Taxol every other week to weekly Taxol?  My onc had my switch last week to try and prevent my neuropathy from getting worse.  They told me the side effects would be less so I innocently thought this was a good thing.  Now that I'm 4 days out from that treatment and heading for the next on Tuesday (one day early due to holiday) and I am feeling the same effects as the every other week.  I'm bummed that I'm not going to have any good days before the next one starts.

This extended my treatment by 3 weeks.    I am so ready to tell her that I'm done with it all.  Anyone on weekly Taxol have the same experience?

Pkate

PKate, I am starting weekly Taxol in two weeks, so I don't have an answer for you but have you checked out the Weekly Taxol thread?   Maybe someone there may have an answer for you.  Are you taking anything for the neuropathy?  Hope it eases up soon.

Fighting - you look fabulous, just like the rest of us!  I can't say you look happy in that shot, but heck, who here is really happy about being bald? I am sick of it already and I've got months ahead of me!  Wore my wig to party yesterday and I had it off ten feet out the door when I left. Dang, it's hot.

This is a great read: The Things I Wish I Were Told When I Was Diagnosed with Cancer.

I initially lost weight after my surgeries, but despite my nausea issues, I am now gaining weight.  I know it's because I keep eating thinking SOMETHING has to taste good or feel good.  Plus, I have been pretty much given license to eat whatever works during chemo. I think I need to change that.  I went for a short walk on my treadmill yesterday and need to do more of that, too.  Two of my dearest friends and supporters are on Tamoxifen and they have both put on a bunch of weight despite working out every day.   I know that's around the corner for me, too.

I am finally starting to think about reconstruction. I don't want to go into surgery adding perky breasts to a flabby out-of-control overweight body.  I'm not being negative, I'm being honest. I need to lose 25 pounds.  Instead of being all sad about it, I'm actually looking forward to reclaiming my health and body on this journey.

Hearing your frustrations!!  When my taste comes back even a little bit I am craving mexican food, chips, ice cream etc.  I satisfied my mex food craving by making homemade chilequiles two days in a row!  Easy and delicious.

Off topic I would like to share some good news, dont mean to brag but I am very excited:  I have been hired to head up a new cycling club in my area at a new facility:  www.eziahp.com !!  I have done things like this in the past, this is my profession for the last 15 years.  When the owner told me I was hired I got an overwhelming insecure sensation that I have to say, I have not had in many, many years especially when it comes to cycling.  I felt almost like I had overextended myself.  Even though I communicated to him about my current situation, upcoming surgery and time off the bike required.   Bike clubs take several months, even years to build.  Now that I have had some time to think logically about it I am sure I will be fine but this diagnosis and all we go through really wears on more than just our bodies...it is hard work to keep it ALL together.

Thanks for listening. I am off to go mountain biking with some pals before the SoCal "heat" sets in!  I wish you all a fantastic day with very minimum or NO se's at all!

Thank you Vballmom, that was a great article.

Congrats, TriChick!  How wonderful is it to have some non-cancer related good news!  I am so happy that you are living your life, despite this wretched diagnosis.  I feel like have been barely treading water most days.

On a good note, I woke up full of energy and excitement for the day.  I am in a decluttering frenzy and I almost feel as if I am nesting.  Maybe it's because I know that tomorrow I am back in the chair and it will be a week before I will feel good again?

My quote for the day, "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."  For me, that's how I feel about chemo and my medical team. I need to trust in them implicitly, having faith that I will come out safely on the other side. 

Mary, you look so darn cute in a scarf.  I wish I did.

Vballmom:  Great article. Of course, I cried. Glad you're having a good day.  That's how I felt last weekend.  I was going to do as much as I could since I would be down for the count this weekend

Indigo:  I had a massage the other day and she taught me some yoga exercises.  I have done yoga in the past but it's been several years.  I want to get through this first week PFC before i think about doing anything, but it's something I plan to do.

Mary:  I like your scarf too!  Nice pic! 

VBallmom - great article and thanks for referral to Weekly Taxol - so new I hadn't seen it.

So glad to have power back now after the storms in our area.  Hope others get theirs back soon with all this heat.

Hugs to all,

Pkate

Those who are into yoga...Rodney Yee is awesome, not to mention some great eye candy to look at while stretching...

vballmom - wow, that article was fantastic.  Thank you so much for sharing it!  

Thank you for the compliments on my profile pic....bandannas are by far the most comfortable thing for me to wear. Walmart sells them for $1 apiece so I can have 1 of each that they sell!!!

I received a get well card from a woman down the street that I've only waved to in passing. Very sweet. It made me realize that what's going on with me is pretty obvious ---Silly me thought I was staying under the radar! Not that I care if people know, I'm just private. Well I figured if she knows then others do too ......so I jumped in the pool topless!! what an amazing feeling! And I did notice one of my neighbors gawking from his yard...haahahaha

Chapter4 - taxol has been kinda hard on me, a different mixed bag from AC. I do not have that chemo fog and as of Friday I have felt pretty good both physically and emotionally. The emotions are the hardest for me to manage. Last week I had some really hard down days emotionally that I never felt on AC. I see a psychologist who counsels only oncology patients and he explained that the taxol/taxotere chemo drug hits harder the emotional/depresssion part of the person. It will deplete the neurotransmitters which brings on depression but that a person will rebound. Everyone is different so it may not affect everyone the same, I know for me I was hit pretty hard. For at least 3 days after infusion I feel good, but by day 4 I crash and I have had a lot of aches in my lower back/spine area. Not to bad for bone pain. That will last usually thru day 6/7. My stomach issues has decreased since being on taxol but I am far from being what I was before AC, I also am dealing with thrush and that is an on/off thing. I have numbness on my fingertips and bottoms of my feet but that gets betters the further out from treatment. My face too was also numb around my mouth and chin. I am so ready to be done with this.

I have a questions for everyone who is considering whether to do radiation or not. I fall in the grey area which means the dr's cannot say whether given my situation having radiation will make a different in preventing reaccurance. One dr's said that if I didn't have my first node affected he would be ok with recommending no radiation. My one node that is involved was a micro foci of cancer 06mm amount of cancer was detected in the node a very small amount. So basically the question of whether to do radiation is more of a peace of mind issue, because there are no studies that fit my situation to support or not support radiation. So for everyone who is questioning radiation I would like to hear from you or if anyone has any advice I would welcome that too.  

Everyone looks wonderful in their new pics.