Sept 2012 chemo

Waitingforthenextstep- I haven't had a CBC in 6 weeks but will get one next Tuesday when I have my next Herceptin infusion.  The last time I checked, my reds were still low but slowly making that climb upward.  I try to eat healthy and get all of the nutrients I need from food rather than supplements, vitamins, etc.  My oncologist prefers that I eat the right foods rather than just take a pill.  It really isn't difficult to eat everything one needs.  I've done some online research (ie livestrong.com website) to figure out what foods help boost one's red blood counts.  If you are concerned about your reds.... try to eat more red meat and other meats high in iron, dark green leafy veggies (ie spinach, broccolini, brussel sprouts), beans, peas and iron enriched breads, pasta, grains and cereals.  You may have to spend time at the grocery store reading the labels of things but you will find there is a lot of foods that contain iron.   Make sure you eat citrus fruits (oranges), melons, strawberries, tomatoes to help with the iron absorption.  I had to tweak my diet just a little while I was still on chemo because my reds started falling.  My onco told me to just adjust what I ate so I wouldn't require any transfusions.  She would not let me take an iron supplement even though I asked.  I think she is right about the eating.  I think after a while, I'd get tired of taking vitamins and supplements so eating the right foods for me is the easiest way.

I will let you know how my CBC is next week after the next blood test.

Na na na na, hey hey, good bye chemo - Amy, Mariposa- YAY

Final countdown Marianelizabeth and Timbek, you can do it!!

Fantastic news Damiana!!

Melrose : thanks so much for the nutritional write up - - every little bit helps...EXCELLENT!

Hope, like day and night, being off the chemo in preparation for surgery

Neta, I'm heading to physical therapy tomorrow am EARLY - not enough range of motion in arm, I'm going to get new exercises and stretches and massage (yikes!)

Thank you all for the love.  {{{HUGGS}} Faith-Focus-Finish, Melrose, JoJo, Neta, Butterfly, Hopex, Mariposa, English Rose, Cocobean.

Up at 4:30 am, I hear sleep is overrated anyway!



Aic, ty I got it online and had my stylist cut it cause it was too long and I wanted bangs to help camouflage the brows.



Timbek - beautiful!



Marian - lol yes sometimes DH's need to be quiet!



Mariposa - yes no BP, Needles for sure. I already have a port bracelet and wont add since I hope that's out sometime in 2013. I also have a few meds I am allergic to so will add to mine.



Happy hump day to all.

Up and at it! Im gonna knock out this last chemo like nobodys business.lol

Have a great day ladies! (((((((hugs)))))))

Goooo Amy! Thanks for all the kind words. I do love my wig. I blended well and had a good night. It was fun to feel normal. . Love the end of chemo song. Fun! I think I'll bawl my last treatment. Will be great to close this chapter. Have a great day!

Thanks everyone! I am def in a great mood today...



Kellyb.... That must give you some relief to have a surgeon that says I Can Fix You plus to not sugar coat stuff. I truly love my BS and that is an awesome thing to have. I will be getting a dbl ssm in Feb havent got my date yet but looks like it will be close to yours.. We might end up being surgery buddies!

Kelleyb - congrats and enjoy that month off! Let your body heal and rest for surgery.



Does anyone know why post chemo our healing time after surgery is so much slower?

"not sure if Im right but its got to be linked to our bodies getting its ass kicked for the last few months" lol... you think?   I'm almost 2 months pfc and still have side effects so all the cells whose asses were kicked have not been replaced, or something! So I imagine surgical healing would also be slowed down just because our bodies are still repairing all kinds of things...

I'm looking at a couple of bracelets on amazon bcause I specifically wanted to find a copper one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YPUK3G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A20QS3SOVBXAC5

http://www.amazon.com/Medical-Alert-~Rainforest-Replacement-Bracelet/dp/B00454MAMI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hpc_8

...but I hadn't even thought about the "No needles, no BP on right arm" info. Thanks!

Congrats for ladies finishing up chemo! Hooray!

English and other rad gals, how are you feeling?

Allurbadday... Lmao!

Hey guys wanted to check and see if any of you have started Tomoxifen yet? I just started this am .



Amy , Kelly and Marioposa doesn't it feel great to be finished ? So glad for you all

Cherioo, you will have to update us on your tamoxifen experiences. I am anticipating getting my prescription on Friday when I meet with my MO.



I am thinking there are a few here who have started already?

Jojo and Cherioo- I've been taking Tamoxifen since early September.  I can't say that I have any side effects other than the "not so hot" hot flashes.  I have not experienced any weight gain from taking the Tamox as some do.  My onco and her research coordinator both told me that the reason for weight gain PFC is not from the Tamox but from splurging too often after the completion of chemo.  There are so many foods that one doesn't eat while on chemo and then once chemo is finished, the food fest sometimes begins.  For those who will be taking or are taking Tamox, please make sure you go to the BCO.org main website to read up on the Tamoxifen and pay close attention to drugs that you should not take with Tamoxifen.  There are certain drugs when taken while on Tamoxifen will block the effectiveness of the Tamoxifen.  Here is the link: http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal/serms/tamoxifen.  Also, you should not take Benedryl while on Tamoxifen.  I've had the hives off and on since I've been PFC and have switched to Zyrtec as my go-to antihistamine.  As for the hives, I haven't figured out the cause of them.  I switched body soap and laundry detergent but yet they come and go.  It could be the filler from the generic brand of Tamoxifen I take (but i don't think it's that ), menopause (thank you chemo and Tamoxifen), hormones just out of sync, stress, allergies which are affected by hormones now out of whack due to the chemo and Tamoxifen, from the hot flashes themselves and it could be a post chemo side effect.  I've done a little research and found out it could be any of these things causing my post chemo hives.  I also use Cortizone 10 cream to help with the itchiness.

I know that some of you may be afraid to take the Tamoxifen and will hesistate to take it.  Please try to get past your fears.  Some take 1/2 a pill in the morning and the rest in the evening; others take it once a day in the morning or in the evening.  I know several triple negative gals who would do anything to be able to take Tamoxifen and to have one more weapon available to them to prevent further cancer.  So I take mine on schedule and regularly to continue to save my life and in honor of those who wish they could.

Thanks guys for the info on the Tomoxifen . I already have the hot flashes dice chemo so I can deal with that. I will read more about it . I was given 20 mg and take it in the am . Will let you know how it goes

Amy - Congrats on last treatment!  Isn't it great?  Moving on!!  : )))

KelleyB - So glad you have a plan.  You must be so relieved.  The comments get annoying, don't they?  I am glad she was candid with you.  'You look great - 'You don't look sick' - (I love this one...) - 'No one would ever know you, you know.'  Nice, huh?  Etiher don't say anything at all or if you have to say something, just say, 'You look tired, I hope you get some rest' or something like that.

Jojo - My MO said I needed to be careful and listen to my body (especially) these next few months.  Prepare as much as I could for my next surgery.  She reminded me reconstruction is not a small task and adding that into the mix of my recovery from chemo, it would take me longer to heal.  She reminded me that this was not an augmentation ... and my body has been through so much.  Yippee.  She told me this and my next surgery will take place sometime over the next couple of months!  Several of you are having surgery within the next few weeks.  Try to get plenty of rest beforehand.

I am not a candidate for Tamoxifen.  At times, this after treatment phase IS a strange place to be mentally...have ups and downs.  I am glad some of you have that little extra to rely on.

Hugs  ))