December 2012 chemo group

Scar yola - u might want to get a 2nd opinion ! Regarding age I think they feel chemo is worth it to boost your odds . if u r are on the young side - they figure u are strong and can endure it . If you we much older they might not recommend it . I was told by 3 dr's the the hormone blocking drugs ( tamoxafen etc ) would be the most preventative for our type of bc - hormone sensitive - the chemo is preventative too but not nearly as much as rhe hormone blocking pills . As another survivor told me - its a numbers game with chemo - your just trying to lower your chances of recurrence as much as u can !

Hello ladies I'm back from my parents house (I was so spoiled that I didn't want to come home) and catching up with your posts.

Day 6 from my first AC. The worst moment so far has been the infusion itself, the anti nausea caused some kind of itchy feeling all over my body and the first med (cytoxan, I think) gave me a headache. IV was painfull, so I might get the port for next round. Only had quizzyness the first night, went away with medication, and I feel tired but it's manageable.

On the node/chemo "theme", I'm in a very similar situation since I'm 34, one micro met (<0.5mm) and didn't had oncotype as it "wasn't needed, you're having chemo for sure because of your age". Like I said before, they also did full axillary dissection for the same reason. I agreed with chemo, the ALND I'm not so sure since we're talking arm problems and physical therapy maybe for life (I'm allready doing it). I had something unusual, I had swollen retroperitoneal lymph nodes, that's why I had a pet scan, but showed nothing. I might post a new thread asking people about this retro-nodes, since I'm curious about it.

I just had my appointment with my RO to see if I should do it.  She said that I will do rads bc 1) of my age 2) I had 1 mammary node positive 3) and that evidence has shown it to be effective in reducing  recurrence for TN patients.  I would do rads any day over this chemo shit.  I am considering after rads removing my other breast, ovaries and fallopian tubes and deal with reconstruction in 2014 once my body and mind has had a good amount of time to recover.

Hi Gwen- I have not gotten diahrea - but my doctor told me to take immodium AD if I did - it is my box of emergency meds but I haven't had to take it yet.  Good luck - I hope you get some relief - it must be really annoying to have it come and go unexpectedly like that.

I go for round three of AC in a few hours... I hope its no worse than round 2.  This puts me half way done with the AC part - I feel like I can see the finish line on this one...

Hope all are OK-ish today..

Oh, decisions, decisions. I too am in the same situation of trying to decide if I want to do the full ALND with rads, or rads only, or nothing after chemo. I had two tumors in the lymph nodes under my arm, 1 is 2.2 x 1.9cm and the other is 2.1 x 1.2cm. BS wants to do full axillary dissection and then rads. Right now I just can't bring myself to do the full ALND even though my BS recommends it and is highly regarded by other docs. The thought of living with LE is just not something I want to do. I know LE is not guaranteed, but I am the kind of person who always winds with a cut, bruise, burn or something on my hand or forearm at least once a month. I have had stiches in my hand 3 times in the last 5 years for various cuts that happened in the kitchen! And each one of those incidents brings with it a very high likelyhood of setting off LE.

I have another appt with BS after tx 4, then an MRI. If the tumors are no longer detectable on the MRI I will have to find out why it would be necessary to take out all the nodes. I also have an appt with PS to get his opinion on whether I will be able able to keep my implant if I have either ALND or rads.  I have had these foobs for 12 years now and kind of like having them around.

Lee - It seems as though there is no clear concensus among docs about the ALND in every case. It used to be the "standard of care" and always done, but it seems as though more recent studies (referenced on the triple positive thread) are showing that it is not always necessary. On another note, I hope your chemo goes without any complications today.

Grace - Imodium should help with your diarrhea. I had to use it after my first tx and it really helped. You may have to take it more than once a day and for a couple days in a row, but it should help.

Ooops - sorry Grace - I was writing to you about immodium when I wrote Gwen...  chemo brain - typed the G and the hands went without the brain.  I do hope it helps you. 

Bren - good luck with your decisions.  It is so hard for me to navigate and evaluate the choices we have...  I found reconstruction options overwhelming at the time - and it only gets more difficult.  I respect that the doctors give us information and then let us make some choices - but I find it extremely difficult - especially under the circumstances.  I always ask my doctor for stats - but often there are none for the questions I have.  Your deciscion sounds especially difficult to make...  I wish you luck with that.

Good luck today Lee.  I'll be doing tx 3 today - just hang in there - you can come back here for support on any of your SE's - and by the sounds of it no one gets ALL of them - just some.

Take care-

M

Thanks for the good luck wishes Bren58 and mfml.  And mfml, the same back to you on #3 today.  Halfway through sounds so divine! 

I haven't had "chemo class" yet and don't have an emergency meds stash (of any kind).  I guess I'll get the low-down today when I go.  

I'm still planning on painting my nails a dark color.

Bren58, are you icing your nails or did you end up not doing that? 

ETA:  Just looked at my detailed biopsy report.  My Ki67 was 40% so I guess it's been chemo, chemo, chemo for me from every angle from the beginning.  

Gwen I know that it is different with everyone, but i was told by my surgeon I could do a lumpectomy and have radiation or a mastectomy with chemo.

Sandra, so happy to hear you're feeling better this morning!  Also, good news on the popcorn shell.  Stuff like that can drive me crazy.  Kind of reminds me of the princess and the pea in a roundabout way.  

I have Imodium on my list to ask the oncologist about today.  Several years ago I had an intestinal bug and it was the only product that finally got me straightened out.  That reminds me - I need to add the probiotic I'm taking to my list to ask the oncologist about.

Thanks, powermom!  We're on the same cocktail (or at least that's what I've been told thus far - ( I have already had one solo Herceptin) so I would be thrilled to be able to use the word uneventful in a few weeks time!

Have a great day!

Sandra, no rads just chemo. After chemo I will have a double mastectomy.

Day 6 after 2nd round of AC. I think this has been the worst day of either treatment. I'm in chemo fog. My sense of smell is heightened, which is gross at times, but my tastebuds are dead. When I stand for a moment or 2, I feel a bit faint.

I had bra & form fitting appointment this morning. I had to sit down between each fitting. Then I met with a social worker at the Breast Center. We went back to her office because the smell was so overbearing in the lobby. I thought they were using chemicals to get mold off the walls or something. It was the smell of Mexican food from the cafe. My smeller just is on overdrive. Lol. YUCK!!!



I think it's time for nap.



I hope you girls are having a day with little or no SEs.



Blessings

Paula

I ice my finger nails when the taxotere is going down - they actually make you, I didn't know of it until she brought the ice soakers over.  I don't do my toe nails thought....do you Bren58?

Oh geez i couldn't imagine my finger and toe nails soaking in ice water for an hour.  The fingers were bad enough and they keep bringing more ice as it melts....I'm gonna ask about the toes this upcoming treatment.