Starting Chemo July 2012

http://www.cheemo.com/

Cheemo potato pierogies. Sure, why not? 

Thanks to everyone who is helping me celebrate the benign thyroid biopsy!

I had a wierd chemo response in that my very dry and itchy skin got less itchy during chemo -- and maybe less dry. Now three weeks and 2 days post final chemo, my skin is itchy in all the usual spots again. Pretty harmless,but just wierd that chemo would affect that....

I hope folks are having a good weekend, with few side effects (wierd or otherwise).

Virginiab - somehow I missed the news that you had your last chemo - congrats on being on the other side!!! What is next for you? Are you doing radiation? Looks like we have similar diagnoses and I am curious as to what your doctor has recommended. I have my last round of TC on Thurs and then on to radiation.

NatL--

the first time I saw PFC I inserted what I thought was the most appropriate word for the F, just as you did. But here at least it does (as you suspected) mean Post FINAL Chemo.

 ItsAllTemporary--

Yup, like you, I am on my way to radiation. I have had the initial consult with the RO and the session with the CT scan and many Sharpie marks on my breast. Now I am waiting (none too patiently!) to get called in for the initial check in the real rads room and then get started (and get done....). In addition to posting here, I am also posting on the Fall Rads board and have begun reading a long Post Radiation board to learn more....

Need some help/advice from those who are on Taxol. Have had my 3rd dose with Herceptin. Am now on neupogin to keep white counts up as was too neutropenic a couple of weeks ago. 

Now am really having bone and muscle pain. Not just across my upper back and hip and shoulder area-but knees, groin, arms. Seems everyplace. Waking me up at night. I have meds for routine and break through--but so hate to take them. When I do--I take just to take the edge off so I can work (tell my docs am of strong Iowa German stock). Of course I then worried about mets versus SEs of chemo and neupogen but really feel it is SEs. 

For those of you who are further along--is this expected? I tried to go back through the threads--but....

I had a lot of bone pain with neulasta but was not expecting the neupogin to be worse. I am really frustrated. Feel like all I do is whine about one thing or another. I know 9 more is not that many in the over all scheme--but 9 more weeks of this seems unending right now. And 3 injections a week--each site from this week still is achy and sore. 

Emily I thought of you Friday when someone asked me if I was still on chemo. My mind said "really dumb ass" my mouth said "oh can you tell?". 

One of the EMS guys in my division gave me a pink Leatherman (for those like me who did not know--better than a swiss army knife). I told him I could now stab people with pink tools So far almost my favorite! 

A peaceful sleep to my dear friends.  

Susan - I do bi-weekly Taxol and Neulasta, no neupogin. I have muscle and bone pain after every treatment - yesterday felt like someone was driving a nail into my foot. Thankfully, it's all been temporary.

Susan,

I am on weekly Taxol, this week will be #7 (out of 12).  I am not receiving herceptin nor neupogen.  I am currently only taking Caltrate with vitamin D, I am not on any other supplements.  My blood counts are good.  My only problem is the restless leg on the day of treatment.  I'm up all night(steroids) and then crash the next day, otherwise I'm doing okay.  I am very careful about touching things that are too hot/cold.  My onc told me anything extreme will upset the nerves in my legs/feet/hands.  It may sound like over-pampering but it works for me.  I noticed after going to the bathroom barefoot in the middle of the night, I would get back into bed and my feet would tingle...that was due to the cold floor.  I now keep slippers by the bed.  I'm a real go barefoot kind of girl but not anymore.  Some days after walking too much my knees will ache but nothing major...I try not to cross my legs when sitting down.  Epsom salt baths are also a soothing comfort.  My eyebrows and eye lashes are super thinned--nails are still good and clear. 

I have had some numbness under my arm where some lymph nodes were taking out but that seems to be going away..tissue expanders are getting more tolerable.  Every once in a while at night, I roll on my stomach, I wake up very quickly afterward and notice my heart racing more than normal.  It calms down again...  

As far as taxol being cumultive, it hasn't been that way for me...I felt better as more time went by...mreaning the further I got away from AC, the better I felt.  The nurses told me the steroids with Taxol are almost doubled from the AC treatments...maybe that explains the 8 pounds I've gained!! 

I hope this finds everyone doing well ....xoxo 

Hi Ladies- am off on holiday tomorrow, so this is a quick goodbye. Susan - I had the same symptoms you had, only I was on Neulasta, You forgot to mention the aching jaws with the SE's. I was never sure which medication was the culprit, but you must continue with one of the white cell boosters if your blood work is off.

Road warrior - I had the same thing with one foot. What the *** is that! Why one foot? This is weird stuff we are taking!

I will be checking up on you all when I get back. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Take care. 

Had my 3rd round of Taxol yesterday and 5th round of Herceptin with it. No Neulasta shot for me this go around - thank goodness because last time it kicked my butt. Met with oncologist yesterday who was very surprised to heard that I am leaning towards no rads - against the recommendation of the board. SHe encouraged me to get a second opinion before committing to this choice. I asked a lot of questions regarding stats about my staging, lymph node involvement and chance of recurrence if I choose to do rads vs. not and sadly she was unable to provide any. This upset me because I've looked for studies on Sloan Kettering's site, Johns Hopkins, and MD Anderson - having little luck I thought that my oncologist of all people might be able to provide this. So I will be looking for a doctor to get a second opinion and still awiting news from my breast surgeon who requested that the pathology dept re-examine my slides.

In other news, I started one-on-one counseling last week. Having never done this before, I found it very interesting and look forward to this week's appt. Tonight, I will be attending a support group meeting which meets twice each month - once for group discussion the second time for meditation/guided imagery and then reiki. I will you know how it goes.

Susan - please try not use your new gift on anyone no matter what dumbass comments comes flying out of their mouth. I'm not sure they'll let you use the chatboards from prison

Maddie-enjoy your holiday! Every minute!

Thank you ladies for responding about Taxol. I visited with the nurses today when I went for the lab draw. Seems I am in the throws of complexities of SEs of both Taxol and neupogen. I had jaw aches with neulasta but so far not with neupogen. Today--the day prior to chemo--the constant pain has eased--so a better day. It was nice to have a day with a bit of a break. Have had to push fluids today as I let myself get a bit dry the past couple of days. Will be glad to look back @ Taxol as I look back @ AC. 

Madelyn--will ask about the steroids. The day of chemo and the day following are my "steroidal" days. I am awake and prowling--but get nothing done. Am also a barefoot person and having to be careful as the skin on my feet is now peeling in sheets. So very attractive....

Hugs to all

Emily, the best way surgery/chemo/rads was explained to me is to think of it the same way you treat your yard for weeds. (Thistle or dandelion work well for this visualization!)  Surgery, you remove the weed.  Radiation is like a spot treatment of weed killer to get rid of any root that might be left behind and chemo is like an all over spray you use to keep the seeds that might have floated away from growing somewhere else and starting new problems.

mambr, I've worked in both a Tax office and an IRA department in a bank, so I well know the rush you get from the rush of the seasons.  Maybe if you aren't up to going back full time for the next tax season, you might be able to help out with fielding phone calls or something less 'taxing' than returns?  
I hope your counts are back up so you can get on with the process and get back to life.

So many of us are struggling with loss and missing things. I miss my guy so much, even though it's only been a week or so. Been blogging about loss, etc., lately because there's so much of it going on.



The good news I got today was from my physical therapist. Showing no real signs of lymphedema, excellent range of motion and she even gave me compression sleeve and glove that she had on hand since I can't afford to buy them. So just waiting to see how many sessions I get with her.



Hang in there, ladies. I can't wait to see where we all are in six months.

Lifeonitsside- you are a true survivor, thanks for sharing your personal experiences. I hope it helps to write about it, because you just come across as a rock star and so deserve to be happy....