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  • janiemomof2
    janiemomof2 Member Posts: 52
    edited June 2012

    Hi Melrose! I'm making my rounds on all the threads :)

    Karen - I have white fuzz all over my head but I still look bald as evidenced by the stares when I walk the dog without a hat ;)

    I am very much looking forward to two things: being finished with tx and having a short little pixie cut!

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  • Hiker61
    Hiker61 Member Posts: 65
    edited July 2012
    Hi all, Melrose tuned me in to this thread and I'll also check out the rads thread as I start 33 around 8/1 (hi Summer51!) Just finished T/C #4 last Thursday. I can say I was one of the lucky ones that didn't have a terrible time of it, but I'm really happy to be moving on. I hope to be able to keep up my running through rads. Only thing dragging me down now is terrible heat, but you TX ladies probably don't want to hear me complain. Ha!
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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited July 2012

    Hiker:  I just finished my 4th round too on Thursday, exact same stats as you!  I meet with my RO on 7/12 to set up m 34 rads.  

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  • RoulaG
    RoulaG Member Posts: 239
    edited July 2012

    Found you guys! Love it - one stage ends (almost) and a new one begins!

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited July 2012

    Roula:  Isn't it exciting?  

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  • eric95us
    eric95us Member Posts: 2,845
    edited July 2012

    They have my wife, screen name on here of slawson, hooked up for Taxol #3 of 4. July 16 will be the end of chemo. Exchange and rads are next...



    We're hoping to get back into the hiking/backpacking again...it slowed down a bit in March... lots of hiking here in Arizona..just not in Phoenix this time of year. :-)



    Eric

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  • RoulaG
    RoulaG Member Posts: 239
    edited July 2012

    Karen - I love it! Lasting bonds, with women who appreciate the little things in life, and hopefully no longer sweat the insignificant stuff.

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited July 2012

    Roula:  You bet!  Puts things in proper perspective, eh?

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  • C-squared
    C-squared Member Posts: 514
    edited July 2012

    So many names look so familiar but I wasn't a regular.  Can I join you?  I finished chemo May 31st and landed in the hospital a week later (febrile neutropenia).  Putting that all behind me and moving on to surgery this Thursday Surprised for a BMX with TE placement and an oophorectomy.  Welcome menopause! 

    So I hope to be keeping in touch.  The next couple of days should be kind of crazy preparing for surgery and for my sister's arrival from Colorado.  I'm so grateful that she will be here to help me through.  Unfortunately, she's "been there, done that!"

    Thankfully I had a marvelous respite up in WI in a very small town, Gillett (near Appleton) on a very small lake (Berry Lake) this past weekend with cousins.  I feel sore from the swimming and I'm tempted to sneak into the pain killers/muscle relaxers that have been prescribed -LOLOLOL..,  but I think Ibuprofen should take care of it for now.

    This is a great idea Stacie!  Thanks for thinking of it!

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited July 2012

    C-Squared--nice to see you in this thread as well.  I will be thinking of you on Thursday! Hang in there, girl!

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  • slak
    slak Member Posts: 179
    edited July 2012

    Okay, so who has started Tamoxifen?  I started on July 1 and for the past two nights I had the worst night sweats ever.  I have had them many times before but not like this.  I was very, very hot and sweaty but the room was very cold (we are lucky to have central air).  It kept waking me up.  Now I understand how uncomfortable it can get.  I hope it does tone down by the 3 month mark (I'm pretty sure my MO said SEs will lessen after the 3 month mark).  

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited July 2012

    I haven't started yet - couple more weeks, I think.  Were you already in chemopause or menopause slak, before you started Tamoxifen?   I was kinda hoping my hot flashes will not worsen more...they were pretty bad the first few weeks after going into chemopause.  They still wake me up at night. 

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  • slak
    slak Member Posts: 179
    edited July 2012

    Hi Dancetracer - Before chemo I had nightsweats every once in a while.  I was peri-menopause.  Then with chemo they got more frequent but not worse in intensity.  I hope what is happening now doesn't last.  I really, really want to avoid taking more meds to reduce SEs from Tamoxifen.  I was so happy to put away so many pill bottles after chemo!

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited July 2012

    Oh I know!  I am working on collecting up those pill bottles this week and putting them far, far away!  I do hear the side effects usually moderate like you said in the first couple months.  I have hope that they will.  My hot flashes were really severe at first, but now have moderated - so I'm hoping if they do get worse on the Tamox it will respond in a similar fashion.  

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  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 191
    edited July 2012

    Hi everyone

    Great to see everyone doing well after chemo. Just thought I'd join in and add this to my favorite Topic's. Haven't posted for a very long time on April Chemo as I am doing the long 12 week Taxol after the 4AC's. I'll only be done in first week of September. But plan to keep reading your posts and join in once I am done.

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited July 2012

    Good to "see" you again hopeful.

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  • Lezza13
    Lezza13 Member Posts: 957
    edited July 2012

    Hi Everyone:  Nice to see all the ladies from that T/C thread.   I wanted to join this because I have to take tamox too just not taking it yet out of fear of SE's.   I know I have to start anyway but after chemo and an exchange soon, I have patience..

    slak and dancetrancer:  Effexor has been given by their mds to some ladies whose hot flashes are too much for them. My ONC said wait and see.  I do not want any more meds so I am waiting to see what happens before I take any more pills!

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  • Lezza13
    Lezza13 Member Posts: 957
    edited July 2012

    janiemomof2:  Hi there! Glad chemo is over and done with.  Congrats!  I have that same white fuzz and hope one day it turns into real hair.

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  • slak
    slak Member Posts: 179
    edited July 2012

    Lezza13 - I had also heard about Effexor.  This is not a drug I want to be on if I can avoid it.  My MO also mentioned neurontin, but I think I will put up with the SEs for as long as I can before adding anything else!

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited July 2012

    Lezza -  I don't want to take any more meds, either, if I can avoid it.  So I'm just going to tough it out re: hot flashes and see if they get better, too.  I'm dragging my feet on starting Tamoxifen, too - waiting til at least 6 weeks PFC.  I want to feel better and be free of chemo SE before I start something new.

    Sooooo, in preparation for starting Tamoxifen, I set up an appt with my gynecologist today.  Here are the things we discussed (some of it is really personal - but I figured I can't be the only one with questions, so I'm sharing!):

    1) Will get baseline transvaginal ultrasound.  She said if don't do a baseline, and I get an US next year and it is thickened, we'll never know if it really changed from baseline or not.  

    2) Will get a baseline bone density (DEXA) scan.  Going into menopause early increases the risk of osteoporosis, so we will be monitoring my bones.  I also have other risk factors like being on Nexium 7 years now, thin, caucasian, mother had osteoporosis, etc.

    3) Will continue with daily vitamin and diet for now to get Calcium.  No supplements b/c of some risk of increased heart issues in recent studies.  Will watch calcium levels, and if they drop may start calcium.  

    4) hot flashes - offered meds for this, but I declined as of now.   

    5) vaginal dryness -  options to treat are not great.  There is an estrogen cream you can apply locally, but some of her patients had fewer hot flashes once they started it...so she suspects it may go more systemic, which is not good for ER+ gals.  Otherwise - use lubricants.  KY, Astro, Silky - Silky is a little greasier and doesn't dry up like the others, so it may work better.  She also recommended saliva, LOL!  

    6) pain with intercourse - apparently the tissues tighten up and intercourse can become painful and dry (I hate f*ckin' bc!!!).  She says if you have sex regularly (like twice a week), you keep it "stretched", so this is less of an issue.  She said if you only have sex once a month, it may be painful each time.  I just posted to the triple positive thread about this to see if this really is true.  Not thrilled to learn this. 

    7) contraception for those of us in "chemopause"...but not fully sure if in true menopause yet:  options are vasectomy for husband, some kind of IUD that is not hormonal, getting tubes tied, or condoms w/spermicide, which may further irritate the tissues (lovely options).  

    Hope you all find this information helpful...albeit depressing (at least to me!).   I'm sure I'm overreacting.  I just really wasn't ready to become menopausal, but that's just how it goes on this crappy cancer ride!  I'm sure I'll adjust like all the other women who become menopausal naturally do.  Just needing to vent right now!   

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited July 2012

    Dance:  Thanks for the update.  After reading this, I am wondering if I should make an appt. with my gyn (my annual is not until October 1).  Please note:  his wife had B/C 4 years ago, went through the same thing I did.  Might be interesting to hear his input.  

    Went to my BS today.  Don't need to see her til mid-January and she will order a mammogram at that time. She said I don't need one until then, which will be a year since my dx.   

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  • lsharvey822
    lsharvey822 Member Posts: 257
    edited July 2012

    Good info Dance - I have to make an appointment with my GYN to have my Mirena pulled so I'll try to remember to quiz her too and see if she comes back with any other solutions/options.

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited July 2012
    kjiberty - I would.  I think it's really important to get the baseline transvag before starting tamoxifen.  Plus I'd love to hear what he has to say esp. w/his wife going through all of this!   And lsharvey - thanks - would love to hear as much input from other's docs on this as possible. 
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  • lsharvey822
    lsharvey822 Member Posts: 257
    edited July 2012

    My sister (37 years old) went for her mammo recently and they found a spot in each breast that they biopsied today.  Needless to say with my recent issues she's a little freaked out.  The follow up doc appt is like 2 weeks away too!

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited July 2012

    lisa - good gracious!  2 weeks to wait?  that's ridiculous!  I'd insist on my results before then - I got results in 2 days! 

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  • lsharvey822
    lsharvey822 Member Posts: 257
    edited July 2012

    I thought that was crazy too Dance - I got mine in 2 business days (a weekend in the middle).  Maybe her hospital has to send it out?

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited July 2012

    More likely the onc is too busy to squeeze her into his/her schedule earlier.  Unless they plan to run HER2 tests, which do take longer.  However I don't know if they run those on biopsies or not.

    I'd find out where the path is done and call the path lab myself for results, if they'd give them to me.  No way would I sit around and worry myself sick for 2 weeks.  That is just not right, IMO.  Waiting is hard enough as it is!   

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  • lsharvey822
    lsharvey822 Member Posts: 257
    edited July 2012

    uggghhh!!  now she's telling me the doc said he'd call her Friday!  mom said she had to wait 2 weeks!  people I have enough stress in my own life right now!

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited July 2012

    Lisa:  What the heck?  Hopefully they are benign.  

    Dance:  I am post-menopausal--no tomoxifen  for me..  I won't know what ESD (Estrogen-sucking drug) she's putting me on til I see her next week.  I am going to call my gynie tomorrow.   

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited July 2012

    Geez Lisa!  Grrrr!!!   You sure don't need any extra stress right now.

    karen - Oh then you wouldn't need a transvag US, as far as I'm aware.  They are needed with Tamox b/c it can cause uterine cancer.  The ESD could up your osteoporosis risk, though, and dexa may very well be worthwhile - so a gyn visit could be good to discuss that.   

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