January 2013 chemo group

Oh yeah, re: the port - chgogemini - I was skittish about the port as well but as gd2shuz said, veins can really take a beating. I found that out from experience - not from the chemo but as the result of intravenous vancomycin (I developed a post mastectomy infection).  My oncologist suggested IVs at first but then, when he saw how much trouble the home nurses were having finding a vein (FIVE ATTEMPTS WITHOUT SUCCESS ONE NIGHT) he arranged for an appointment with a thoracic surgeon. I think the surgery only lasted 20-30 minutes and they access it for the blood draws prior to chemo as well as during chemo.  

I guess a lot of it depends on your course of treatment.  In my case, I have six TCH treatments (taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin) and then Herceptin is planned to continue on for a full year.  I just don't think the veins in my right arm could have taken it.  The port surgeon said the port is good for 10,000 sticks (wow, that's a lot of sticks!).  He said he had one patient who has had the same port in place for 17 years.  

Most people are anxious to have theirs removed at the end of treatment and understandably so but I have a BC friend who is thinking of having hers left in as she just finished up treatment for a recurrence and doesn't mind going in for the once-a-month port flushes. 

Mine is beneath my right collarbone and just today the nurse commented on how well it has healed.  Some people prefer a numbing cream before access but I don't think they've ever used a numbing cream on mine. 

Re: hair - I'm not doing the cold caps because I can't stand to be that cold anywhere, let alone on my head.  I loathe the idea of finally losing what hair I have left (mine was down to my shoulders but I had it cut last week when I saw so much of it starting to come out) but it is what it is and I have the hair thread on my favorites list and am very encouraged to see all the growing progress from those who are posting on that thread. 

NikkiLiz,

Excuse my ignorance but how do you roast broccoli it sounds delicious. Like someone else said I am eating more broccoli although I have always liked it I am craving it. Must be my subconscious talking to me because of the anti-cancer properties.

Thanks,Sheryl

Can we take vit D during chemos?  I mean I know we "can", it doesn't do anything counterintuitive to the treatment?
Bryona, I am on taxol weekly (I think its 2 weeks on, skip a week, 2 weeks on) and adriamycin injection.

In comparison to neoadjuvent treatment (that was once every 3 weeks):
I feel "flu-y" - bones ache, tummy is not upset or constipated but weird.  And I had the first tx last friday. BEFORE, I would have 3 good days directly after tx, one week DOWN, then 2 weeks better than this.

and thanks a heck of a lot, LEEA, all that talk about ginger broccoli I AM DROOLING BUCKETS and NO BROCCOLI in the house thanx

chgogemini,

I was scared spitless before chemo. I definitely recommend the port. The medicine is irritating to the veins and they get really sore/tender and then they have to go above the sore part and can't use the arm with the breast cancer and so on.... The port is done quickly generally only a twilight sleep, in and out same day and they can access it right away. You can get a type of lidocaine cream (EMLA) or in my case they spray the site with lidocaine and then stick it. I didn't even feel it the last time. Also blood can be drawn and if they put a power port in future testing like CT scans with contrast can be done through the port. You can keep it for a long time too. Once established just needs to be flushed every 4 weeks. In my case my husband and I will be doing it we are both RNs. But I saw folks popping into the cancer center just to get flushed.

Whatever you decide is what is best for you.

Hang tough, Sheryl

Thanks ladies!! Ill try and not worry too much.



Good luck and no se's for anyone



G

LeeA - I believe that about the D3 with Costco.  I watched a History Channel special on them one day, and they are very selective about their vendors, and they go through all types of panels/tests before they decide what brands they will carry.

Chgogemni- <<Hugs>> reading your post brought back all the feelings I had when I was diagnosed. It was scary and I cried an ocean of tears and then I cried some more. The anxiety i had never ended. Finally MO gave me celexa and that really has changed my outlook and helped the anxiety greatly. Everything you feel is normal -and thankfully you found this board of amazing ladies! My friend read a great kids book to her kids called "Mom and the polka dot boo boo" it's a kids book that gives a soft explanation of breast cancer that they can understand without being too scary.
Best of luck to you and post whatever you feel or your questions -this board can be a big warm blanket a lot of us need some days!

Sheryl & gd2shuz-

It really is as simple as it sounds- take an organic :-) head of broccoli (or precut) put in a big bowl and drizzle about 1-2Tblsp olive oil, a little sea salt, and some minced garlic-I add some lemon juice maybe 1Tblsp? And mix it up so its all nice and evenly covered and then spread it on a cookie tray and bake at 375-400 for about 15-20 until its browned all over. Eat then or you can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese and cracked pepper on it.

Add or subtract what you want -I've become a huge fan of cracked pepper on everything.

Let me know how it goes :-)

Nikki

There are studies about vitamin D3 deficiency above the 37th parallel.  

Here's an excerpt from one article: 

The farther north we go, the less vitamin D we can make from our skin. Experts tell us that, in the winter, it is impossible for those who live above the 37th parallel to get enough vitamin D from sunlight. This represents a line starting in Santa Cruz, just south of San Francisco, California, continuing eastward at the northern border of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina, and ending at the coast. The majority of Americans would be vitamin D deficient in winter even if they wore no clothes and stayed in the sun all day long!

Link: http://www.ehealthdiscoveries.com/vitamind.html

--

What I find kind of interesting regarding my own Vitamin D levels is that I have been supplementing with Vitamin D3 for a couple of years now.  I typically take higher doses during the winter months and drop down to about 2000 IU during the summer months.  

We live on the 34th parallel and my Vitamin D3 levels were tested in late November of 2012.  In late September we spent 8 or 9 days on Kauai and we were on the beach for hours, i.e. from 10 am until about 7:00 pm every single day.  Most days I wore 20 or 30 spf sunscreen and still had a fairly dark tan into mid-October.  We have a pool and I'm out in the sun quite a bit in the summer, although this past summer I would get so cold that I didn't spend much time in the water (I've since found out that our bodies metabolize differently when we have cancer so I've wondered if that's the case with being so cold all the time, i.e. supposedly a tumor burns calories 10x faster than muscle?).  

Anyway, all that sun exposure PLUS supplementation with Vitamin D3 as well as living below the 37th parallel and my levels were 42 (I would have thought with all that they would have been higher). 

The integrative physician says she never recommends more than 5000 IU daily because there aren't clinical studies to support anything over that amount but I've taken 6000 IU in the past because the pills are 2000 IU each. 

My husband's levels were extremely low when he went through his bout with a very serious/rare autoimmune disease back in 2007.  I don't know why but when doctors prescribe vitamin D they typically do so in the form of D2.  

I have cooked cauliflower the same way, Nikki...it is so good, I can eat the whole tray while it's still warm. It gets all carmelized and yummy. I use frozen and just thaw under cold water, mix with a little evoo and a few pinches of Parmesan, little garlic salt and roast on parchment paper...mmmm, thanks for reminding me how good this can be, I'll have to make a batch this weekend!



Chgogemini, I'm glad you found this group, we're here for you! Wondering if your MO did an Oncotype for you? That really helped convince me to go with the chemo since I could see the statistics for how much it could be expected to help me, as well as reassure my MO that I could do just 4 rounds of the TC vs 8 that the first opinion wanted. Once I knew the plan, I didn't look back and focused my energy on planning how I could best get through it, lining up my supplies, researching tips from the boards, etc...helped me feel a sense of control over something. I know you can do it...we'll be here to help you along the way!!! You're in my prayers.

Ladies, I am chiming in here as today is my first day of chemo. I am hooked up to my IV as I type getting my first dose of FEC. 2 more Fec to come followed by 3 Taxetere. No idea how I'm going to go with 2 young children at home (15 months & 4) so would love to hear from any other mums with little ones who may be going through the same thing at the moment. I have been told repeatedly about what to expect but suspect that my own response to the meds will make itself known soon!

Most anxious about the dexamethazone and speeding my little head off tonight at home! Not sleeping with small kids = torture!

Will no doubt opt in over the coming days to share experiences & ask for advice.

Ciao for now.

Jubby xox

ColleenKelly, you're in a very sunny part of the country as well. 

I would be curious to know what mine was during the years prior to supplementation.  I'm guessing it was probably pretty low considering mine was at 42 with very dedicated supplementation (I rarely ever forgot a dose) and being in quite a bit of sunshine.  

Thanks for posting that about your doctor's preference to see women with ranges in the 80s. 

Byrona,



Thanks for the encouragement that we all need for our first time!! First night on steroids and so far I've cleaned the house, did laundry, packed lunch and snacks for tomorrow, and got my clothes ready for the morning. The whole time I was picturing "crack monkey" and that made me laugh about my new found energy!



The support and knowledge that we all share is priceless!



Hugs everyone. I guess I will try to force myself to sleep as it is after midnight and I have to get up at 5 am.