December 2012 chemo group

Bren, Got it from Real Simple magazine, and this is the first time I have tried it. If it's good I'll share the recipe. Hope it is good because the ingredients are super healthy!

Hi Ladies - I've been reading your posts but off the grid for a few days.  First of all - I am very excited that I did my last AC a few hours ago!  Very happy about that - just get me through the next 5 days!.  I decided at the last minute to do taxol every 2 weeks for 8 weeks (I was given the option of weekly 12).  I was really frustrated that I couldn't get a clear recommendation from doctor and that the choice was left to ME of all people. 

I had to have a surgery last Thursday to recut and seal the incission from tissue expander.. would not heal!  Hope it makes it through this last AC - I guess its worse for healing than the taxol is.

Another bit of weird news... my ER receptor status... keeps changing.  Biopsy - slighly positive, surgery - negative.  Now they have taken some of the frozen tumor and found something "interesting" - there are clumps of cells where greater than 50% of cells stain low to mod - but overall these are less than 1%.  Not sure if this is technically triple negative or not.  Anyhow - will take tamoxifen.

Another curve ball... radiation.  I guess I am in the gray zone on this so my MO wants me to see a second RO.  Sounds like kiwikid in a similar dilemma??  Now I have to decide on radiation?  I am guessing it will do a number on these already poorly healing tissue expanders...  but if it gives me a few % improvement in 10 year survival - I'll do it.

Ugh.. I just feel like I am in alot of "gray areas" - triple negative or not?  radiation or not?  There just doesn't seem to be much data on the "in between" cases.  Any advice, experience, or anything would be much appreciated!

I hope everyone is doing OK-ish now that most of us are pretty far along in our treatments. 

Take care!

Ladies, I'm on my bad day, day 3. Struggling to get enough fluids in. Everything I try makes me burp and I hate water alone. Any suggestions? Does anyone else on dose-dense AC have problems with bloating, burping, and generally feeling awful?



Anyone's feedback would be appreciated.



Dawn

Dawn and Nicole, I had my last AC on Monday and if I walk from one end of the house to the other today I have to sit and rest.



I'll have nausea until Tuesday if the previous 3 rounds repeat.



Now on top of that I've developed thrush in my throat. Haven't been able to eat anything solid all day. MO nurse is calling in prescription for Magic Mouthwash. Anyone had experience with this med and how quickly it works? Is it yucky tasting?



Peggy

Magic mouthwash is awesome! I got a script for it when I got mouth sores after tx1. Now I start using it a few days after each tx and keep using it for about a week. It has really helped with some of the mouth issues.

As far as drinking all that water goes, it is really a challenge to get enough when it tastes so bad. Try mixing in some juice, whatever kind you like. I have tried both orange and grape with some sucess. Also try ginger ale or gatorade as alternatives.

For those of you with the burping/gas/heartburn issues, have you tried taking something like gas-X? You might also want to consider a 10-14 day course of pepcid or prilosec starting a few days before tx. I did not know this until recently, but since the chemo drugs target fast growing cells in our bodies, that includes the ones in our mouth, stomach and intestines. That is one of the reasons we get all the digestive issues.

((((hugs)))) to all of you who are feeling so crappy this week.

Bren, The soup was Great! Here's the recipe:



I used kale instead of mustard and turkey sausage



Lentil Stew with Mustard Greens and Sausage



1 T olive oil

3/4 lb Italian sausage links, casings removed

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

6 cups stemmed and torn mustard greens (about 1 bunch) or kale

1 lb sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup dried lentils

Kosher salt and black pepper



Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Add onions and cook, tossing occasionally, until beginning to soften, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute more.



Add the broth, mustard or kale, sweet potatoes, lentils, 1/2 t. Salt and 1/4 t. pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, 30-35 minutes.

Hey runner girl - i am on # 2 Tommarrow ! Had my steroids and went for a nice bike ride and lunch with df

Hey question for those on the TC regime - do us still feel like u have a funny metallic taste in your mouth at day 20 ? Guess it will go away post chemo eventually !



Nancy - glad u re- read that bottle - no more steroids than necessary Thank You !



And Paula - and all going for treatments thurs and Friday - we are all closer to our goals so let's all be thankful doe that !!!



Bren - the Latisse is by prescription only so it should just be a co pay if your insurance works that way .

Mfml, why do you or might you need rads after mx? Were margins close?



Dawn, I had hiccuping, burping and a few times I had a mouthful of food and really struggled to swallow, like I thought I was going to spontaneously vomit without feeling sick, just my throat wouldn't take the food down, it was weird. It has only just stopped actually, probably my longest se.



Day 19, hair follicles hurting like hell, going forthe proper shave tomorrow morning.



Not looking forward to round two but it's closer to the finish line so all good.



Xx kk

Yes I have losec, I guess it's the same thing, but haven't been taking it as my stomach acid has been fine. The problem is actually getting the food beyond my mouth, like it seems to get stuck at the back of my mouth and activates my gag reflex, it's quite awful!

Powermom - Thanks for the recipe! It looks really good. I will have to try it this week.

Hoping all goes well for those of you going for treatment today and tomorrow.

For those who just had treatments, I wish you mild and minimal SE's.

kiwikid, I haven't really had burning with heartburn/indigestion either, but when I needed to burp, it would feel like something was blocking it from coming up, and when I drank, it was like trying to swallow past a marble.  Not exactly like what you're experiencing, but that's just to say that heartburn symptoms can be varied.  40mg of Pepcid 2xday as prescribed by my MO nurse has made a world of difference.

Paula, those no-taste days are rotten for sure.  When I have them, I worry I'm eating too much in my quest for flavor (plus I sometimes have a hard time distinguishing nausea from hunger), and when they're done, I worry I'm eating too much because I'm so glad to enjoy food again.   I hope #3 goes well for you!

Hi ladies - remember that small frequent meals are the best - hi proteins and low sugars and whole grains fruits and veggies . Mi think my saviors were low acid foods that go down your throat easy like yogurt with live cultures , bananas and avacodos !!

Hi ladies. I'm at work gearing up to head to chemo round three which will put me at the half way mark. Hoping I don't feel any worse than the previous two rounds but will deal with whatever comes my way. Happy to have off work on Monday for MLK as that may be my worse day. It's like running a race every three weeks! Good luck with all my sisters whether at infusion or battling the soldiers on the home front!

Donster~I think what you're describing is the dreaded Chemo Fog. For me it's comes about Day 6 and its the worst part for me. I feel like I can't stand for more than a few minutes, (on the edge of dizziness). It feels like it takes effort to hold my head up. Even my vision is a bit fuzzy. For me, it only lasts one day, or maybe 36 hours.



It's mostly from the steroids leaving our systems. At least, in my case, that's what it is.



Blessings

Paula

donster~If you're taking steroids, expect a lot of peeing over the next couple of days along with possible chills. It's the steroids way of waving bye bye, as they stick their tongues out at us.



Blessings

Paula