December 2012 chemo group

I still have three more treatments and then surgery. Looks like most of you already had surgery. I am so weak from the flu even after two pints of blood. I am kind of scared with surgery getting closer ugh.

Soteria ~ Just a note to say I'm thinking of you today and hoping your final AC infusion was as straightforward as mine.  I'll save a spot in the AC #4 chemo cave for ya'!

Be well.

Bren -  very cool link you posted. How adorable is that girl?

Runnergirl - Strep throat? Yikes! Glad you're feeling better!

Bouncing off the walls in a combo of hyperness and fogginess thanks to three days of steroids. TGIF! Hope the weather cooperates as tomorrow I put my Realtor hat on and have three showings and two listing appointments. At least here in Maryland the market seems to be seriously turning around! By Sunday I will allow myself a day of rest and may take off work from Monday at that seems to typically be my toughest day. So not looking forward to the tastebuds going bad. It looks like I've put on about 5 pounds since chemo began and it's not like I don't know how that happened. Nothing tastes good so I eat anything I want to try and be satiated. Then I get the tastebuds back and so eat anything I want because it's so much fun! Gotta get a grip on that. Oh... and I've not exercised since my run three weeks ago when I pulled a muscle. So yeah, eating and not moving isn't the best for weight control.

Good luck Paula on your last treatment!

Volleymom - when is your surgery planned? Honestly the whole thing wasn't as bad as I expected. The tubes that you'll have post-surgery are a little annoying but not painful. Visit the surgery threads to get some good advice on dealing with them.

Hi everyone.

Well, I survived AC4. It was nowhere near as awful as #3. The nausea lasted 4 solid days this time... I took my Zofran and Reglan to stay on top of it. But ive been trying so hard to drink more....the chemo nurse fusses at me every time. Now I guess I will go check out the weekly taxol board since that's next for me. I've had the heat rash and hot flashes every time with AC. My MO scared me about taxol (the steroid highs and lows, neuropathy, cumulative tiredness). So I want to see what everyone else has to say.



Hope everyone has light SEs this weekend.



Hugs,

D

Dawn~Great news to hear that AC 4 was easier for you. I had ac4 yesterday. I just had my day2 dose of steroids with toast & coffee.



My onc told me yesterday before final tx, that I will get an IV bag of Benadryl and 15 mg of steroid before taxol 1 & 2, and if there's no reaction, no more pre meds for the rest of the treatments. The nurses will be right there though with emergency kit just in case.



She also told me I can start on vitamin B6 today to get it into my system to help against neuopathy. Said, to wear gloves to do dishes or for working in any kind of water, to cut nails short, and to NOT USE MY HANDS AT ALL FOR WORK first day after treatment. I don't know if that is just first treatment or all treatments, but I understood it to be the first one.



Blessings

Paula

steiner18- Congratulations on finishing TC.  What a wonderful feeling that must be.  I have 3 behind me and 1 in front of me and it is wonderful to know that you finished strong!

Sandra60- that is interesting about your steroids.  That 1 should work as well as 2.  I think I will ask my MO about that as those steroids are rough.  They do keep us wired and restless at night and it would be awesome to be half as wired and half as restless if that's possible

It sounds like everyone is doing really well for the most part and that is great news.  I agree that it has been a blessing to be able to share info and get info these past months as we pushed through the chemo protocol.  

Wishing everyone continued restful days and nights.

Sandra - That's so funny. I did the same thing with the steroids for the first three tx. I wondered why everyone was complaining about them. When I read the bottle and figured it out I did just what you did and  stuck with the lower dose for tx 4.

Steiner - glad this round has been easier for you so far. Hope you sail through the next few days!

I am feeling much better, thank you for your encouragement. I think the worst of the SE's are behind me for this go round. Now I am just trying to get my hearing back to normal from the infection and ruptured ear drum. Never a dull moment!

Steiner - congrats on completing your TC treatments - whoo hoo !! Yes the steroids are rough - so I can not imagine coming down from the actual prescribed dose . I just think everyone's physiology is different in regards to how we all process rhea chemicals. The benedryl I take at night may help make up,for the lack of,the steroids - anti allergy properties - not sure . But going to stick with same plan on my 4th and final TC on 2/28 - yippee !!



Bren - so coincidental we both misread the directions for the steroids . Maybe our bodies - sixth sense - was overuling our minds ? I think they call that "instinct " ?



Well don't mean to brag but the weeks of sunny and 60 degree temps just seem endless here in nor cal- out for another nice walk today and hopefully something tasty later for dinner - friend Gwen - I agree the taste bud se is one of the worst !



Donster - r u done with TC now ?



Hopemu all,have a blessed and peaceful but fun day !!



Sandy

Hi gang. I have barely moved from the couch all day. All those day 3 post chemo SEs hitting me. Along with it I'm feeling rather gloomy. Since dx in September I have stayed very upbeat knowing this is something I will beat. I don't allow myself to wallow in self pity or indulge in fear. I used to write in a journal but have only written once as I don't want to explore too deeply. I had a fitful night of sleep and today have battled that fear and gloom I have been avoiding. Im so sensitive today to every nuance to cancer that pops up on tv or Facebook. I'm hoping this is all part of the steroids leaving my body and the toll chemo can take on us. I'm sorry to sound down. I just can't dump it on to my amazing family and friends who have been so empowering to me. I know I am doing everything in my power to beat this damn cancer and like to think it's already gone. Why today am I second guessing it all?

Thank you Sandy. Your post was exactly what I needed.

Gwen, I'm so sorry you are having a bad day. I had that day last Tuesday. I was worn out emotionally and physically. This disease and the treatment SE's are just not kind to us on some days.  But we are doing all we can to fight this monster and get back to our healthy normal active lives. You are young, you are strong and you will get there! ((((hugs))))

FriendGwen ~ At least you made it to the couch!  I've been pretty much in bed all day.  My philosophy is that we have to allow ourselves some time to grieve during the treatment journey and it takes on whatever shape it needs to.  We can't be strong all the time.  Everything in nature has times of growth and times of quiet and withdrawal ~ why not us?

I could tell it was not a "rolling with it day" today when a friend came over and we were talking about Mardi Gras coming up this Tuesday.  I love Mardi Gras usually ~ the whole concept of Fat Tuesday celebrations always strikes me as just what my spirit needs in the midst of rainy Oregon winters.   My husband made what he thought might be a funny comment about this not being an award winning bead year for me this year.  That was decidedly NOT funny.  On another day I might have been able to roll with it, but not today. Some days are like that.

Wishing both of us a better one tomorrow.

MTJulie Oh we just can't go there.  We need to stay focused on getting better and beating this son of a gun.  Stay in the moment, stay in the now, don't worry too much about tomorrow.  Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow, and enjoy today. 

Nicole503 You expressed it beautifully. We do need to grieve and that is part of this journey, but then we need to move on and heal.  I agree we cannot always grieve with our family we sometimes need to grieve all alone.  I wonder if the steroids, chemo and lowered immunity has pushed us to a place where we are more down on ourselves and life then we would otherwise be.  I am definitely a half-full kind of lady but even I have had those very dark moments and it's scary.

I have my last round (TC 4) next week...I am home today with a sick 11 year old and am doing my best to take care of him and disinfect everything he touches.  Need to stay healthy to stay on chemo schedule.  That is my mantra.

Wishing you all a great day today! 

Thanks for the kind wishes Steiner18.  I am hoping to come out of the AC #4 cave tomorrow ~ definitely not today.

I made a sad discovery today (and this may be way TMI but I'm not sure who else I could talk to about this).  I have been struggling with hemhorroids from the constipation that comes from each treatment and at this point, they are as bad as they've ever been in my life.  I religiously take stool softeners and senna after each treatment and I'm taking good care with sitz baths and tucks pads, etc etc but it is painful and does not seem to be getting any better.  I actually grabbed a mirror this morning to take a look at the situation and discovered that not only do I have a lot of swelling around my anus, I was shocked to discover that my outer labia look completely atrophied and practically MIA.  I have not had energy for intimacy for several weeks but now I'm horrified by the way I look.  Is this temporary or is this permanent????  Fortunately my MO is a woman so I feel like I can talk to her about this, but I'm wondering if anyone knows whether the changes that happen "down there" from chemo are reversible???

Definitely a day to be gentle with myself.  Hope everyone else is a wee titch better than I am!

Nicole, The constipation thing is horrible. If you can't keep up with it and it reaches a critical point drink a glass of magnesium citrate (flavored if possible) and cheap. Not great taste but i drink a gulp of coke or ginger ale in between gulps of the magnesium which helps. It will clear out the back up in 1 to 4 hours.



I take an antidepressant that I'm not about to go off during this stressful period and I struggle to not get backed up all the time. The magnesium is the only constipation crisis tool I have found that works quickly and reliably.



Good luck!



Sandy, About your post about vibrators-- no it was not TMI--many if not most of us are struggling with our sexuality while undergoing breast cancer treatment. Anything that can help is certainly valued. Thanks for being so open.



Peggy