December 2012 chemo group

On 12/13 I will be starting Taaxol/Herceptin for 12 weeks then Herceptin every 3 weeks.  Waiting to hear when my port will be placed. 

Good luck to all!  I am the most nervous about my hair!

Kerry

I meet my oncologist today..not sure how fast things will happen from here - my nerves are fraying quickly!

(it's a thing I do - I deny, then panic, then deal - weird I know)

My port is in.  It's covered up so I can't take a look til tomorrow.  They put it on my non-dominant side, which is good since the muscles don't like me moving them around right now.  Found that out when I tried to put on my coat to come home.  On a little Vicodin, so not feeling bad at all.  I know a port is a good thing.  Much better than wearing out an arm vein. 

keetmom, so glad you survived #1 You are a quarter of the way there!

I go Thursday for my first and I am beginning to get that knot in my stomach.

Steiner, sorry I didn't respond earlier. I thought I had. It was a crazy weekend with kids, spouses and granddoggies! My lung issue seems to be better, but the area on the one side of the port is still really painful. Dr is suppose to schedule another chest xray for today to check on the lung, but still haven't heard. I would rather go tomorrow anyway as the snow is coming down at a good rate and freezing rain is predicted to follow.

I only found this site yesterday and joined up. I'll start chemo on 29th Nov, 6 cycles, 3 FEC and 3 Doc (that's the german names, no idea how they translate).

I habe been reading lots and it helps knowing a little what to expect.

I am still undecided on wether to shave my hair off or wait till it starts falling out. My hair is already fairly short ... well I have some days more before I have to know.

I went looking at wigs today and ended up taking the very first I tried. It was simply the best of them all, more beautiful than my own hair. It's a bit longer than my own right now, different color and well simply different but since all my family and friends and coworkers and so on know about the chemo I thought why not?

My best wishes to all of you. I'll be hanging around here more often now.

Hi everyone! I have so many appointments all leading up to chemo day on the 6th. My to do list is a mile long. Since like all of us I have no idea what to expect once I start treatment, I'm trying to get as much done as possible beforehand. It's a bit overwhelming but I find it helpful to make me feel like I'm in control of the situation.

I find myself thinking about something coming up later in December or in 2013 and thinking about my hair, or lack of, and how I might be feeling. I'm pretty sure it will be a bald Xmas. And possibly a wiped out New Years Eve. Put I also picture myself lying in the sun this summer rocking a cute pixie cut and thinking what a survivor I am to have weathered this storm!

FriendGwen - I know exactly what you mean about the to-do-list ... feels like there's so much to do before Thursday, but I am glad when the waiting is finally over, sometimes that's the worst ... waiting for the next appointment, the next this .. that and so on.

I'm as prepared as I'll be. I think I know what to expect.

Thinking about next summer is a great idea! Nice short hair, lying in the sun and trekking all over the Isle of White that's what I look forward to.

meet with my onc today to discuss The Plan.  He wants to do the oncyotype DX test.  So I have to wait for those results to come back in, he's hoping 2 weeks.  I hate all this damn waiting. 

Hello my fellow warriors! I will start 6 rounds of TAC on the 13th. My port was installed a couple of weeks ago.  The doc just took off the bandage strips yesterday, and now I am seeing some small bumps on the port site.  Not sure if that is part of the machinery and I'm just now noticing or if I am beginning to breakout.  I have noticed it was a little itchy today.  Good gosh almighty I hope I'm just being paranoid. 

Anyone doing any integrative methods with treatments? My onc suggested acupuncture. I'm hoping to keep up exercising (or should I say start back up).  I was finally getting into solid shape and feeling good before surgery, then started walking again until the port was placed.  Now I feel like I am starting over all over again, and can't help but think I would have been so much better off to face chemo pre-surgery.

jenjenl I was in your shoes following surgery.  Thought I'd jump right into chemo, but had to wait for the oncotype results, which came back at 26.  Have to be 25 or lower to not do chemo.  That was a blow, but also somewhat of a relief because I just kept thinking "what if I don't have to do chemo . . . but should". That decision was pretty much made for me.  The one I'm struggling with is radiation. Then I decided to get a second opinion and had to wait another 2 weeks to see that doc.  But, here I am and all scheduled out to the last cocktail hour on 3/28/2013.

Hi all...went to Sloan Kwrtering for a second opinion today....they recommended 8 rounds of CMF versus my Milwaukee docs recommended 3 rounds of TC. I don't know what to do and what regimen to choose.



Did anyone else face this?



CMF Is a older regimen w less side effects but last six months (versus 3 months with TC).



I didn't get an oncotype score Ecause it came back inconclusive as my tumor was too small. Ugh



CMF is supposedly a tiny bit less effective as compared to TC bit there is no true stats as far as can find.



So it's a guessing game as to what to do....any thoughts or advice? I just want to move forward and I don't know how to decide

I have a grade 1 .6cm tumor that is ERPR+ and HER negative. I had a micromet in one lymph node



I agree to be aggressive but funny how Sloan Kettering one of the top rated cancer hospitals would recommend a less aggressive chemo. I am totally confused

Sorry I thought my info was showing up under each post.yes it was IDC.

Skimommi, I had my port put in last week and finally got off all the sticky glue from the steri strips. I too have little red bumps in the port area. I am guessing they are a reaction to that darn tape. Boy that stuff was a mess to get off! If they are still there tomorrow I will ask the nurses/onc when I go for chemo tomorrow.