April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

2012 to heal 2013 to be reborn....I love this csmommy....I'm going to steal it if you don't mind! It's such a positive outlook!



Wow you guys are so knowledgeable about reconstruct...I've got yo read up...thanks for the link Dancetrancer.



Enjoy the weekend....

Hi! Day 3 of Taxotere #1. Steroids done, crashing a little. Thinking I might be about to debark on the D train, thanks to the antibiotics I'm still finishing, on top of the chemo, since kinda having some cramping today. :-( I wanted to ask, does the nail sensitivity start this quickly? I haven't been sure if my nails feel sore from the icing the other day or if this is the chemo. The tips of my nails are still thin from the acrylics although fortunately most of that has grown out, but that is where they seem the most sensitive.



Hugs and purple energy to everyone today!

My nails didn't go nuts till fourth round TC4. Got discolored and VERY sensitive on about 5 of them, minor discoloration on the others.Two look a little "lifty" but have stayed on. This last week they are less sensitive, seem to be getting better. My toenails were sensitive too but I don't think they got discolored.

Not my favorite side effect... amazing how much you use your fingers and nails to DO things!

radioactivegirl, I'm having similar nail issues.  I am about a week behind you on the AC.  I'm wondering what Taxol will do to my hair and nails. I don't want to ice. I hate being cold.

I had slight soreness in my nails after my 4th TCH.  It came and went several times, hopefully won't come back again.  Even was sore to type.

BTW, I read somewhere that the ridges are from the chemo stopping nail growth for a period of time - then the nails start growing again.   

Been MIA for the last couple days...just read up. Feeling pretty weak and just plain yucky!

I've been in a bit of a panic mode realizing that I have no idea which surgery I'm going to have and without that information I can't decide which Surgeon I will use.  I was originally thinking I would have a BMX with TE's and Silicone implants.  My BS told me I should look into procedures using my own body tissue.  I was not thrilled with the concept of having a 12 hour surgery, a huge scar across my stomach and doing a surgery that is so much harder of a recover from.  Then the last couple days I started to realize that the other way takes a long time too because of the te's and transfer.  So just tonight I did some research on it.  The more I think about the DIEP surgery the more I think it might be a good option.   I just wish there was someone I can go to that would explain all the different options to me so I can then make a knowledgeable decision.

There really aren't many PS that specialize in the DIEP in the Los Angeles area.  I've heard the best one is in New Orleans...looks like they do amazing work. Anyone used them or have heard anything about them?  

Has anyone actually done the DIEP surgery???  How long does it take and how long do you have to be in the hospital?

I got a TE during my MX.  It seemed to be the way the PS wanted to go.  I was still in the numb mode, dragging DH to appointment after appointment where things just weren't sinking in as well as they should, and we were not armed with the questions that I'd wished we'd had.  We listened, nodded, and got confused.

All of that being said, I trust my plastic surgeon 100%, and he thought this was best for me.  Yes.  The TE sits there like a hard rock and doesn't feel breast-like at all.  However, I've gotten used to it, and once I add Ol' Lefty to the party, things look even and I can go on about my day.  Plus, no other parts of my body had to heal from it.  The surgery was done during my MX and the exchange will be out-patient.

I'm not saying that makes it right for anyone else.  I'm just saying that although I do NOT feel like I made the decision, I do not regret the decision that was made for me.

The hardest thing for me since dx was the surgery decision.  I was advised that a lumpectomy and radiation was the best option.  I agonized for a week because I felt that a BMX and reconstruction might be better for me emotionally.  I am typically a "do what the doctor says" type of gal.  I just knew that if I didn't do a BMX, I would spend the rst of my life wondering when I was going to get it again.  I am glad that I did the reconstruction, although I do hate my TE.  However, they are temporary and when I have my exchange, I will have beautiiful, perky breasts!  That is my silver lining!  I did ask about the DIEP, but the doctor felt that I didn't have enough fat to make 2 breasts.  I think I have plenty of fat, but I guess not.  Once I made my decision, I was so much happier.  Of course, I wasn't counting on having to have chemo and radiation, but life is full of surprises.

I am Curios to know how all the ladies who are PFC feeling?. Especially have u been able to wean yurself off the sleeping pill. My last taxol is weds & I am looking forward to feeling better.

Also anyone out there who takes Ativan to sleep have u found that it makes u more nervous after the drug wears off.



I have se aftter my UMx. They feel like frisbee stuck up underneath my ARM pits. I will be having a TRANS on my right side acre radiation. The implants feel nothing like the se so I am told.

nofear, I am 4.5 weeks PFC.  I am feeling really good, much better energy, no significant heartburn (on Nexium 2x day still), GI system pretty much back to normal.  I have weaned from the sleeping pills, but do still wake up 3 to 4 times a night.  I was not a good sleeper before, and now you add in hot flashes = not great sleep but sufficient.

My bloodwork has not returned to normal yet.  Still anemic (low hemoglobin), still low white counts, and thrush is improved after Diflocan IV last week, but not gone completely yet.   

Stacie,



That made me laugh. I can't even imagi e it myself



Rose

Cindy -  Yes, you still need to do the Brava if you want to do full fat grafting (unless you go to someone who uses stem cells, which isn't approved outside clinical trials yet, and I would not do yet personally).  Brava is an external expander device you have to wear if doing full fat grafting (you don't need it if just grafting around implants).  It expands the skin, etc. from the outside (instead of the inside like TE's), but it also creates a network of blood vessels.  The blood vessel network is needed for the fat to survive.  So yes, if you want good fat retention you have to wear it...like 10 to 12 hours a night for 4 to 6 weeks before surgery and 3 to 6 weeks after each surgery.  Like I said...it's not fun, but I prefered doing this b/c the surgeries overall are less invasive.  However you do have to do multiple surgeries, so it is a LONG process of dome wearing and surgeries (only so much fat can be grafted at one time and "take").   Think dolly parton plastic domes with suction...ha, ha, ha...here's a pic: 

http://www.miamibreastcenter.com/brava-breast-enhancement 

The Diflucan improved my thrush by about 80%, but I can still see it there a little bit.  Ugggh!  I will wait until Wednesday when I get my next Herceptin and see what the onc says.  I'm hoping it clears the rest of the way by then!

Hey when you meet with the surgeon about the lat flap...here are some things to ask about:

1. How long is the scar on my back going to be?  Show me pics of your work (I've seen some pretty long scars).
2. How big of an area will be numb on my back?  (Many patients are surprised by this side effect, which to my understanding, is permanent.)
3. What is the risk that the lat flap will spasm and I will need to have the nerve cut to it? (I've met one woman recently who is having terrible spasms, pulls the boob completely to the side.)
4. How much will this affect the strength in my arm?  (may be negligible, but, if you use your arms a lot, this is a consideration)
5. How much pain am I going to have afterwards?  I've heard it can be quite difficult to sleep and many have had to sleep for weeks in a recliner b/c pressure on the back makes laying flat too painful. 

BTW, I felt the same way about implants.  Just wasn't happy with any of my recon options.  It's such a big decision!  I spent hours and hours (up til 3 a.m. many a night) researching this, too.  

Vball -  You are very welcome.   I'm happy to help.  I've been on these boards almost a year now, so I've learned a lot about all the various options from other members.  I've heard good things about Dr. Ahn in NYC.  There are a few other docs in the NY/NorthEast area...Dr. Delvecchio (?) in Boston...and some others been mentioned on the fat grafting threads.  You could post on there and ask for names again.  Hope you don't follow me on the WBC thing, but if you do, at least you know you won't be alone.  I've done a bit of sniffing around on bco...seems like others have had it take a long time (like 6 months to a year) for their whites to come back to normal...and some never get back to normal but seem to be functioning ok.  I don't like it, hope we both recover quicker.  I don't understand why some of us get hit so much harder on that.  

Fighting - There is a Dr. Aronowitz in LA, but I think he is just doing stem cell fat grafting in a trial right now - I don't think he uses the Brava - but you could call to check.  BTW, he did Suzanne Somers' surgery, but please don't think I'm a fan...I most definitely am NOT!  I think she spews garbage every time she opens her mouth.  There may be other surgeons - I recommend posting on the FG thread like I suggested to Vball, if you decide you want to pursue that type of recon.

I haven't ever bothered to listen or read up on Suzanne Somers' experience. Don't like the vibe I get from it.