Starting chemo November 2012

I had curry for dinner. BIG mistake   My mouth is burning.

The first days after chemo I stayed to soeps and mild tastes. Now I felt adventurous, not something I'll do again soon.

Me too. Finally felt ok with all the ulcer acid nausea meds on day 10 then had turkey chili -- BIG mistake. Sitting up in bed in the dark yet again to get through the next few hours or days... Someone posted a nice letter in the december thread saying she had hardly any SE's so not to worry.. I admit i called her names, but only in my head...

Jennifer, poor you. The only consolation I can offer is that I have had very different SE this second round than the first.. so perhaps that particular one will not reappear. I hope not, sounds awful.

Does anyone else feel constantly slightly sick from the neupogen shots? I am positive they are making me feel ill. Has anyone found a solution to it. I tried fresh ginger and honey tea yesterday, eating dry pretzels - small bland meals. Nothing really seemed to take the nausea away and I am getting quite annoyed by it.

Txjunebug - interesting your sisters don't want to know. They may find they worry all the time anyway, and not knowing about their genetic makeup does not keep fear that away. I suppose we all cope differently, and maybe their feelings will change over time. My younger sister died of cancer in her early 20's (totally unrelated type), and we were told it was genetic. But I always felt like it was this completely random thing, and so very unlikely to strike again. Maybe your sisters feel like if they don't know, they can assume that it will only affect you. Magical thinking really, but we all indulge in that.

Politicomama - I wore a hat to work last Thursday.  Some lady in the parking lot almost came to a complete stop to gawk at my hat.  Then a couple of people in my company that probably don't know about the cancer stared.  I wore the wig today just to keep the gawking stares away but brought my hat, too.  If I get a headache then the wig goes off.  It's a fact of life.  Tough crap if they don't like seeing someone wearing a hat.

As far as my sisters and testing goes, my mom agrees completely with me.  Doesn't understand why they wouldn't and why they would not have the ovaries out if they are positive.  They're both over 50 and certainly NOT having anymore children!  One has already had a partial hysterectomy like me.  But as I told my mom, I've done all I can do.  Told them the facts and risks, sent them the results and now it's up to them.  I hate to say it but I have to worry more about me than they're being scared of the truth.

Day 3 Round 2 TC - tired but came to work.  Going to talk to boss & HR Director about working from home this week.

Tx-

This wig does get annoying I can constantly feel it my head. My kids are embarrassed to have me without it tho oh well. As far as sisters u do what u can its up to them to take the info where they want to.

Politico-

I hear where I are coming from my daughter he's me, my sister and my sil now. We were all BRCA -, it's scary for them tho!!

Sick-

U r too funny!!!

Hi Girls...Just checking in. I had first chemo on Friday. I had a headache Saturday that lasted about 3 hours. I think it was from the zophran given before treatment. I went to church sunday, and out to lunch with friends afterwards, then DH & I took a nice nap.



No other side effects, but I'm really tired today, so I'm going to go have a nice nap.



Powermom~you started with me. I'll hope you're doing well. I'm rooting for you!



Blessings

Paula

Soteria -

Glad ur holding up ok!!!

Power mom good for u too!!!!

Powermom~Glad you're hanging in there. Yes, I'm also hanging between here & the December thread. I started out with these precious ladies, but didn't get to start until Dec. So, I'm hanging with both. They all have so much love & so much insight to offer. I love them all.



Blessings

Paula

Eleni, no sex in this house!!!  That takes energy and who feels sexy anyway, bald, tired, feeling old/am old - there will be no touching me "Down there" -

Eleni hear you loud an clear, and thanks for brining the subject up. After surgery sex just wasn't going to happen with the limit on the arm range/movement. If it took all I had to even roll out of bed how could we even think about getting busy? Ha  Then felt better and had the port put in, so another set back. Tried once. I cried and laughed the whole time. Cried because it just wasn't working well and all I could think was how he would ever be able to live with someone that couldn't meet his needs. But some of it was funny too. Guess a lot of pent-up emotions came out at once.

macyhen111 so sorry to hear that you now have this new worry.

Gee girls, I'm more worried than ever about chemo brain. Just with everything else that is going on I seriously am forgetting things, mistyping words and loosing thoughts unlike ever before.

I'm sure this has been covered through the posts, but would like to hear a quick review from those on dose dense versus every 3 weeks. I was suppose to start 6 rounds of TAC this week. Which is interesting enough as I don't think anyone else is doing the tri-cocktail regimen.  Semms like everyone else is staggering the AC and then T. But I've had 2 MO's recommend the same thing so that isn't much of a worry. However, I just want to be through all this. So, the option I do have is dose dense which will be 4-by-4 every 2 weeks (I think AC and then T), or stay with the 3 by 6. I'm just thinking I can still be on track to be done by the end of march if I go dose dense.

Eleni - a topic well worth discussing!  Same story as everyone else - between surgery and chemo and being away again for round 2, it ain't happening... but I don't feel any pressure from myself or him. It seems like an emotional thing like Skimommi said, and will be a marker of some sorts when it happens. Both to feel well enough, and to not be weirded out by it all. We've been together for 17 years - since our early 20's - so maybe that also takes the pressure off? Depressingly, my friend who has started tamoxifen last fall and is just over 40 told me how painful sex is now due to the drug. With the studies out this week saying tamoxifen is better if given for ten years (everyone is very helpfully telling me about this), I feel like BC may have changed this part of my life permanently.  

For people who have slippery wigs - I bought wig tape. It is excellent. It sticks it right in place, and it allows me to loosen the wig clasps so i don't have to have it quite so tight to hold it in place - and the headache went away. I don't like wearing it though - find it really uncomfortable. It is going to be extremely uncomfortable in the heat, so am really hoping there is a bit of hair when things heat up in the spring.

My right eye's lashes are mostly gone. No sign of brows thinning. Anyone else losing lashes or brow's yet? 

Skimommi - i have TCH every 3 weeks (day 12 of round 2 now) and definitely get chemo brain! I can work in bursts until the steroids wear off then the 2nd wave of side effects hit ( mostly liver/acid issues)and i get very muddled- slow on the inside but words mixed up on the outside and forgetful. Bad news for a writer! i worked a lot on day 7 then couldn't move day 8 ---found i could do one activity well each day, shop, work, or exercise. I started eating ok yesterday and worked all day today and will have to rest more tomorrow but feel myself getting sharper and stronger and am planning accordingly to advantage of my good third week. So it seems like the chemo brain works in cycles but i hope it's not cumulative. Last week i wouldn't have been able to spell that!



Eleni, i have zero interest in sex but managed to muddle through during week 3. Can't imagine how hard that would be with your treatment history. I had no sensitivity but DH was happy, so I anticipate the same over the weekend lol. Wifely duty. If only i was allowed to drink then i'd put on my blonde wig and dance around - and it would be over even more quickly, ha!



As for hair, even my buzzed short hairs are coming out now, rubbing sgainst the soft hats i wear in the house. I got some fake bangs so fashion hats look tres french outside the house. Wigs are ok but just feel like a big deal to put on - involves makeup! I finally got a short one that seems easier. And i don't like people thinking i have cancer cuz i dont - i only knew i did for 2 months til the surgeries were over, this is preventative for me! But fighting cancer still sucks. I dont want pity, just patience!



Txjunebugs your boss seems clueless, but then i guess thats normal til we learn the hard way.



5 livebugs why did u delete your post? Hope ur okay.

Xo