Starting Chemo July 2012

Ann, just wait a few more round of taxol and you WILL see your hair grow, promise.

If you are going to add the L glutamine, it is recommended to use 10g X3 per day for the day before infusion, the day of, and the day after.

I really hope it works for you!

SusanHG123 - I did the bi-weekly Taxol, 4 sessions. My hair started serioiusly growing back before the 4th one.

SusanHG123- The 'real' hair growth came around Taxol 4/12. I never lost all my hair but it was really really sparse, just not totally bald. I did shave down to #2 brushcut. The sides are still thin as is the crown but the top and the back are shooting up, I am seeing a few black in between the white.  Hair appeared everywhere.

My RMT suggested that I apply Cold Pressed Castor Oil to my head , breasts, brows and lashes since treatment began. I never had the gooey, weepy or crusty eyes from Taxol .There are suggestions that it helps with hair growth ( google castor oil hair regrowth) but I used it, like my mother and grandmother to reduce scaring.  It does not stain my hats or clothes. Livestrong has an article on this as well.

I have no idea if using castor oil has made any difference in my hair growth, I do know it hasn't hurt and it is inexpensive. Just a moisturizer for me.

I had such a talk with my eyelashes today. I had just applied mascara and where I have lashes in a little strip, then blank space, then 2 lashes, another space, 2 more lashes. . .  the pairs of lashes wanted to stick to each other, making them only 2 lashes instead of 4. I expalined to them that this was unaccaptable as I worked with my little comb to get them to show themselves. . . .

whaeveh & Life, thanks for the advice on L-glutamine.  Picked up a bucket of the stuff tonight, it was reallly pricey!  Doesn't taste too bad though.   I asked the nurse what they did about neuropathy and she told me they only delay treatment if it gets so bad that it's constant and also interfering with life (like unable to do buttons).  Yikes!  That's way too severe to be acceptable.  Hoping mine doesn't worsen.  Fingertips finally back to almost normal for me.  The numb feeling persisted over a day and that scared me.

Worried about the east coast sisters without power and hoping for safety and quick recovery for all.

Thanks Life, I tried mixing it with gatorade and just chugged it down.  I think next time I'll do 2 cups with 5g instead of one cup with 10g.  I have had weird aches, tingles, itches, and intemittent numbness.  Barely anything in my feet so far, mostly in my palms and fingertips.  I hope it doesn't get any worse.  I had enough trouble in my hands before chemo-- old injuries from a lifetime of computer use, and hobbies like knitting and playing stringed instruments.

virginiab- Lol on the talk

PAeaglesfan- that is hopeful, losing chemobrain...it really messes with me and my work

Ann- hoping it works for you, I have read so many that had good results

Madelyn- Taxol #9 done, so far so good, hope you stay on schedule! My next MO visit will set up my 2nd rads appt where I will get my schedule and tats

I get 3 weeks off between chemo and rads, they were firm about that. I haven't asked about my port but will discuss that then. It was a 3hr insertion, terrible experience and I have requested that it be removed by a different surgeon, while the RO who put it in was gorgeous, he may not stay that way if  I have to face him again LOL

Unfortunately, Hurricane Sandy delayed my last Taxol treatment for a few days. Instead of having it Monday, I had it yesterday.  The treatment center was packed as they were trying to get all of the cancellations from Monday and Tuesday accomodated in one day. Many people were unable to get in, including their nurses.  The building was running on generators and had limited electricity but the nurses were calm the entire time and everyone was extra nice to one another. Since I rec'd Herceptin yesterday after the Taxol, my Herceptin schedule has changed a bit and instead of being a "Monday patient" I have been switched to Wednesdays. After next week's Herceptin I will not go back until after Thanksgiving. I expected the last round to bring lots of excitement and positive feelings but with everything that is happening here on Long Island I was like "ok, it's over." I hope to have more of a celebration after things settle down around here.

I have the follow-up appt with the radiation onc tomorrow to ask a few more questions before making my decision.  Last week I went for 2nd and 3rd opinions outside of the hospital network I am in and both doctors said that if I were their patient they would not be treating me with radiation because the cells in the sentinel node were microscopic and they were more concerned that the long term effects of rads might outweigh the treatment.  As I said, I am bringing these concerns, more questions, and more to the doctor tomorrow.

Our house has been without power since 3 pm on Monday. Fortunately, husband's best friend never lost his power (by some miracle) and he was more than happy to take us in. So I plan to rest on his couch, instead of my own, while I recuperate from this last round of Taxol.

roadwarrior - congrats on finishing your treatment. Thrilled for you!!! I hope all goes well and you don't have to have radiation

Ann- let the students practice on someone else, we give blood too  regularly and there are many others who can afford a rough poke, not us

roadwarrier and Maddie....yay!!! chemo finished, can't wait to join you!

Yes, I was awake the whole time. It was unusual, as my report showed. Two Power Bards were tried, my veins run circuitous and the gorgeous imbecile said; "In the thousands of port procedures I have done I have never seen this before"...his words to my ears during the procedure. Different anatomy but not unique. I showed the photos on my iphone to the chemo nurses last infusion, they were horrified. It was a tough experience, sort of goes with the package.

I kept the photo as I am thinking of having a Christmas card designed for him. The photo on the cover, the red is quite festive, the sport bra white for the snow and the black and blue...just for effect.

Maddie--

How nice that you got away for a while after finishing chemo! I did get my cruise scheduled. I'll be going in early January. It gives me another set of days to count down, as I count off the radiation treatments.

Welcome back!

Lifeonitside - please keep us posted on both you and your sister. Sisters are so special...they share memories of childhood and growing up together that no one else does.  Mine is very busy, but sends me the sweetest cards timed to get to me on the day of my chemo.

natL12 - My sister called me yesterday. She overreacted to the doctor's news and misunderstood what she was told on the phone. Her earlier tests a few months ago showed "low abnormal cells" and a current test showed "high abnormal cells". They are considered pre-cancerous and not even gradeable at this point. But as a precaution, they are recommending a hysterectomy, which she is going to do because the cells are obviously growing. She is relieved and planning the surgery for February so she can clear her work schedule and get through the holidays, which her doctor said was fine. So she won't have to go through any other treatment other than the surgery, which we're both grateful for.



As for me, today is my last day for chemo. Went yesterday for my infusion and today is hydration and stuff like that. But I am done! So grateful for all the incredible support I've had along the way. Have about a month off then rads. Waiting to hear from a radiation oncologist closer to me to set up the consult and get everything going so not exactly sure when it'll all happen. But so glad to be through this step. Sending love to everyone who's finishing!

Congratulations, Life!

Boy I'm getting the hang of this L Glutamine.  I mix the whole 10g into a half cup of liquid, chug it, then quickly chase it with another half cup of straight liquid.  24 hours since last infusion and no tinglies or numbness yet.  I hope I'm saying the same thing in a couple days.