March 2012 chemo

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

    woohoo to pretty normal!

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited August 2012

    Ktlb: cheers to anything resembling normal!

    Sorry to hear about your daughter's struggles these days. It's so so hard to watch them go through this stuff and to resist jumping in and "fixing" everything. Sounds like you are dealing well with it, and maybe things will settle down soon. Hope so.

    Today is rads#7, wow. no issues yet that I'm aware of, moisturizing like crazy. The only issue is that the kids come with me most days because they don't start school until next week. The hospital has a nice (free) childcare place, and so far ey haven't minded. Luckily the treatment is super fast anyway.

    Tried a yoga class(FINALLY) last night and it was HARD! I have been doing lots of vigorous walking, and some biking, but I discovered how very tight and un-flexible I am right now. Hoping to keep up with it, because clearly I have alot of limbering up to do!!

    Happy Tuesday!

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited August 2012

    KCB  - glad you are having no issues with rads...and congrats on the exercise - I have just started very slowly on the treadmill again.

    I need opinions.  I cut/pasted this from another source so that is why the formatting is funky.

    My surgery is Monday, October 1st.  I have to be there at some ungodly hour -
    like 5 a.m. or something.  I am wondering
    what I should do with the kids.  Hubby
    will be there obviously and my parents want to be there.

    Option one would be letting them go over to my bro/sil the
    night before and spend the night with their cousins and have him take them to
    school.  (SIL works Sunday nights and
    will probably come to the hospital straight from her hospital/work Monday morning).

    Option two would be letting them go over there but stay home
    from school.  Sarah is a worrier and the
    day I had my SNB surgery coincided with "that time of the month" - we made her
    go to school anyway but she had the nurse call my brother to come pick her up
    (talk about an awkward ride home).

    I don't think it is a good idea for them to go to the
    hospital DURING the surgery - it is going to be very high stress for everyone
    involved.

    Thoughts???



     

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  • fedfan
    fedfan Member Posts: 44
    edited August 2012

    Hi Marchers. I haven't been on here in ages. I've finished chemo and finished radiation last week. I start taking Armidex this week. I was thinking that I would be taking Tamoxifen, but at my appointment last week, I was give the prescription for Armidex. Is anyone else taking this or going to take it? Any advice?  

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  • lanagraves
    lanagraves Member Posts: 596
    edited August 2012

    I have a good friend who was dx'd about 2 weeks after I was. She is post-menopausal and started taking Arimidex a few weeks ago. She was Stage IV from the get-go but has had a complete response to the treatment (there's a word for that, but I can't what they call - complete pathological response, maybe?). Anyway, she says she has not noticed any SEs at all from the Arimidex.

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  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 516
    edited September 2012

    I am stepping up and taking my bow! Taxol over a few weeks ago! So glad to be off of the steroids they give you..on to rads in Sept.! I have a new rad thread started for us fall girls!

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

    Hi ladies - hope everyone is enjoying the 3 day weekend and if you so choose college football!  

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited September 2012

    Congrats SissiD!! Good feeling, right?

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited September 2012

    Ok ladies wondering if anyone else has noticed this - about an inch above my port, which I can feel, I have found a knot or lump - could this be part of the port?  It is right below my collar bone.  Freaking out of course.  I see MO on Wednesday for first Herceptin only.  Worried :(

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

    kltb - I don't have a knot, but i can feel the port tubing or whatever it is above the actual port.  Don't worry, I am sure it is fine!

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited September 2012

    Thanks Kim - I am telling myself that is what it is until I go Wedesday.  I posted in a couple other places and people seem to think it is something to do with the port.  It is very hard - not like hard lymph node hard, but hard like there is something there hard. 

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

    Glad you don't have to wait too long till you can ask the doctor!  Fingers crossed fo you!

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

    klt

    I have a port and there"s a thread that is right under my collarbone.  Right after it was inserted an actual suture stuck out and then it went under the skin after my first TX.  I'm sure that's what it is.

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  • Alicethecat
    Alicethecat Member Posts: 535
    edited September 2012

    Hi Sissy

    Thanks so much for starting a Fall 2012 Rads thread.

    I will be joining you. My hospital in the UK can't fit me in for rads until October 1. Will be mapped re the radiation paths in a few week, although no date set yet.

    Ah well, could be worse!

    Best wishes

    Alice

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  • lanagraves
    lanagraves Member Posts: 596
    edited September 2012

    Hi all. I've been away for a few days. I'm finishing up RADs on Thursday. No major SEs except a couple of horribly painful burns. My RO says they will heal quickly though. Hope everyone is doing well.

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  • Alicethecat
    Alicethecat Member Posts: 535
    edited September 2012

    Hi KLTB

    I told a nice, young oncologist (young to me - like the police) that I could feel a lump in my armpit.

    'That,' he said, 'is your PICC line.'

    Could be that's what you're feeling re your port - a piece of plastic that leads to the port!'

    Good luck for tomorrow

    Alice

    P.S. The mastectomy is the easiest part of the jouney...at least in my opinion.

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  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 191
    edited September 2012

    Hi all- I am finally done with the AC and 12 weekly Taxols with Herceptin Haven't posted much as most of the Marchers were done. I wanted to thank you all for your support. I had a lot of support from you all going through AC. I have scans scheduled in a couple of weeks. I am a little nervous and hope they are fine. My

    MO says no scans after that unless there is a need, which appears to be the norm. I will keep checking the forum as always. Take care everyone.

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

    Hello ladies - hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend!  Mine was short and hot!  Too hot to be outside long!  3 more rads then I'm done!  Not sure what I will do with myself - but I will think of something!  Doctor free till October 30th when I see my MO.

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited September 2012

    Kim that is so amazing, how close you are to being done!

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  • Bev_22
    Bev_22 Member Posts: 33
    edited September 2012

    It is great to see so many finished with chemo and doing well on rads.

    My surgery has been delayed because my Onc wants me to have a month or two on a chemo pill to see if it will finish blasting this @#@## knot away.  I have had a little over 50% reduction with the earlier infusions.  My Onc says he would like the tumor to be gone before I see the surgeon.

    Rads will come after a healing time from surgery.  How long is it usually between surgery and rads?

    Has anyone else taken a chemo pill? 

    I started this bc fight in December 2011.  I'm getting anxious to have this monster cut away from me. 

    Bev

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  • lostinmo
    lostinmo Member Posts: 922
    edited September 2012

    Hello everyone,

    trying to stop by while I have internet.  I have 7 rads down and not sure how many to go. They are going to do my boosts mixed in with my others so that I still finish on the 3rd of Oct. 

    Watched my family drive off with my home yesterday, can't wait to catch up with them.

    Bev- I think I was 4 1/2 weeks between surgery and rads. 

    kltb-hope you get good news today! 

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  • journey4life
    journey4life Member Posts: 517
    edited September 2012

    kltb - did you find out anything today? I hope it was good news!

    Bev - what type of surgery are you having? I had surgery first followed by chemo then rads. Am now waiting for PS to give the ok for the exchange surgery!

    Kim - congrats on being so close to the end of rads! I hope they have a bell for you to ring!

    Hopeful123 - what type of scans will you be having? My MO hasn't ordered any for me...

    Does anyone else have a nagging concern about whether cancer is still growing, even after tx? How in the heck do you move forward without having BC constantly in your thoughts? Grrrrr 

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited September 2012

    Okay here's my update:

    I went to my appt and immediately asked the tech about the bump while she was doing my bloodwork.  She freaked me out because she said "well, you definitely need to tell them about that."  Sigh.  So as soon as my MO comes into the room and we get the niceties out of the way I say "I am worried about a lump near my port."  And in her calm, cool, sweet way she asks "are you worried that it's cancer?"  And I think "no, I'm worried it's an alien, of course I am worried it's cancer!!"  But I don't say that.

    Anyway, she looked at it and says she doesn't think it is cancer related and maybe there is an issue with the port line/catheter.  And says "well, let's get a scan to see" - ARGH!  She first suggests a chest xray but then they couldn't get me in that day and it is a long drive so she said they would set up a "port check" closer to my next appt.  I have NO idea what is involved with that.  So I know nothing more than I did before.

    I do doubt that there is a kink or anything in it because it is working fine - both in and out.

    As it stands nows, I have my RO consult today, Herceptin again in 3 weeks, but don't see MO again until mid November.  Have a MUGA scan in November as well.  No mention of other scans yet.

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  • lanagraves
    lanagraves Member Posts: 596
    edited September 2012

    kltb: I meant to send you a message back on FB, but forgot. The MO is not very concerned, or she would have ordered an earlier scan, but I know you will worry until you have an answer, because I would too. Ask the RO. I don't know if ROs are all the same, but I have heard that they are more cautious than MOs. And that certainly is my experience as well. My RO takes all my concerns seriously, and, as we all know, peace of mind is worth ALOT. (((HUGS)))

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  • journey4life
    journey4life Member Posts: 517
    edited September 2012

    kltb - I agree with lanagraves. I know I'd want some reassurance that its nothing to worry about. Keep us posted! 

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited September 2012

    My MO is actually very cautious and scan happy, lol!  The only reason she didn't order the chest xray was that if it were to show a port issue, I would have to have the port check anyway so since they couldn't do the xrary yesterday while I was in town, they decided just to skip it and go straight to the port check.  I don't have an appt yet because they had to get it approved through insurance, etc...

    Off to lunch w/my mom and the RO consult.

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  • journey4life
    journey4life Member Posts: 517
    edited September 2012

    I want a "scan happy" MO! lol

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited September 2012

    LOL - she is the one who sent me for an xray when I was worried about my ribs - all I have to do is complain and she is sending me off to a scan - that's why I'm not overly cocerned about the mystery lump/bump.

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited September 2012

    Just got done at the RO. I was very impressed. He was young, very knowledgable. My mom thought he was cute which was not on my mind at the time. ;). And the verdict is. Wait for it.



    Rads.



    I am truly not surprised. And relieved that I really didn't have to make the decision. He cited my age, the tumor grade and the fact that my original biopsy said suspicious for LVI as risk factors.

    So rads it is.

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited September 2012

    Oh and he said there are no lymph nodes where that bump is and it was likely a port issue.

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