Sept 2012 chemo
Comments
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Wow! So many posts in the last few days!
Love the fact that I don't feel like I need to wear a hat anymore! I just need to get some fun earrings To make sure I don't look too "mannish". I'm 14 weeks PFC and I buzzed my first re growth off just before Christmas and started over because it came in so patchy. Now it seems to be growing out more evenly.
The skiing was great. I felt like my normal self again for a few hours! I live in Ottawa , Canada and we usually go to smaller local hills around here. This weekend I'm off for some more skiing with the family
Bearcub, looks like you have beautiful thick hair already!
Damiana, good to hear you are feeling better. I was lucky and actually felt better and had more energy as the weeks of rads went by and the effects of chemo wore off.
Forever, that is an awful long way you have to drive! It sure will be like a workday for you! I was usually in and out in 20 minutes. Actual treatment took about 5. Love your avatar! Good for you that you are preparing for surgery by working out and eating
healthy.
HopeX, I so feel for you. Listen to your onc about the platelets and try to think good thoughts. Your body is still in the middle of repairing itself after surgery.
English, appreciate you sharing about your therapy. Please tell us more!
Mariposa, hope you feel comfortable with your date and choice of surgeon. You will do great!
Patricia, did they say you have diabetes or that you may have it? So sorry you had a rough day. You have been so amazingly strong through all this, and you have been an inspiration to us all, but no one can be strong all the time. Chemo must have taken its toll on your mood and mind by now and surgery coming up can make anyone anxious. No wonder you feel like you did today. We are here for you even if we can't go for dinner together (how great wouldn't that be!). Soon your chemo will be over and your mood will get better as you recover from it - I promise.
Amy, you will be in my thoughts tomorrow. I wish you all the best with surgery and look forward to hearing from you when you have recovered. Soon you will be another huge step closer to the end of all this!
Hugs and much love to all of you strong, brave, beautiful women. -
Neta: do you go skiing in Gatineau Park? You'd be skiing in my neighborhood if you do!! I haven't been out once this year which is such a shame considering all the snow we have this year!
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Forever, I didn't realize we are that close! Maybe we could meet sometime! I do downhill mostly but would love to do cross country too. I haven't done that since I was a kid.
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Today was a good day def feeling the love and support surrounding me....I am a lucky woman! Now if this ambien would just kick in I might get some rest before my surgery lol
Patricia... So sorry you are having a rough day! We love you momma.. And we all have been where you are, cry for the day its okay! Then tomorrow kick some more ass... Hugs -
Patricia...I would get bloody noses as well just sitting,there at my desk. Drip drip..
Also..my glucose levels were higher during,chemo and my onc told me today that is normal and,they will go back down after awhile. They can't tell you have diabetes unless they do a fasting test on you. I've had it done and had to drink,this,stuff, then blood test, wait for awhile and repeat. Took three hours...so please don't worry about diabetes. Everything is out of whack because of the chemo. You will be just fine! But you can still cry...We all do, we all get it! It sucks, every bit of it.
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Patricia I am giving you a hug right now . It is ok to cry and freak out sometimes. We are human . You will be fine honey
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Prayers and positive vibes for Amy, today.
Anyone else on Herceptin? I woke up last night (one night post treatment) with a hot flash. I don't seem to get these every treatment - more intermittent. Anyone else have that or is this a question for my MO?
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Forever - I've been on Herceptin a few months. My hot flashes abated a bit during Taxol treatment but now that I've just been on Herceptin a few weeks they are flaring up again.
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Forever, I am on herceptin and I get hot flashes sometimes, but I thought it was from the tamoxifen. Now that I think about it, I also got them during the 18 week TCH regimen, but then I thought it was due to chemopause! Who knows??
Patin, I was offered the metformin clinical trial while I was finishing up chemo, but before I was enrolled, they said the protocols changed and that I wasn't eligible. In any event, I asked my MO that I consult with at Sloane Kettering about taking metformin off label for bc prevention. She said she wouldn't do that because metformin can mess up your sugar levels and has many potential side effects.
Amy, thinking of you and sending best wishes!!
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When I saw my MO yesterday and after he nixed Metformin, I asked him about Curcumin (aka Turmeric) which I had read about on another discussion board here (the triple positive board I think). He pulled up the Sloan Kettering page on Curcumin, copied the link and gave it to me to research for myself. Obviously he is OK with it, but not enthused enough to talk about it. I haven't looked at the info yet. He suggested I start Tamoxifen after recovering from radiation - I'm only weakly ER positive (26%) so he says there is no rush to get started, and if I have too many side effects from it he would reevaluate taking it at all. If only I knew for sure that I'm "cured" and don't really need anything more at all!
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Good morning ladies!
PatinMn: The site was all weird on my computer too- but this page is okay. Don't know what was up with that, but I am glad it is better. As for the curcumin, I have heard so many amazing things about it- including how helpful it can be to take during radiation. I figure, it can't hurt (hopefully)
Forever: I get hotflashes on the herceptin:-( I hate them. Especially when I am out in the world and have my super cute but very hot little knit hat on. I stopped wearing wigs because it was so bothersome with the flashes. Glad you liked the avatar:-) It was fun working on it! I love practicing with photoshop and usually I only have my own pictures to work on.
Amy: Thinking about you! Hoping everything goes wonderfully !
Patricia: I am sorry you had such a horrible day! I agree with everyone here - I don't think they can really tell you have diabetes. Our levels are totally crazy now due to the chemotherapy. Prior to chemo my levels were extremely low normal - and the last blood test I did, the levels were in the borderline high area! I think these kinds of things will correct themselves as we get further away from chemo. In any case, maybe you could ask for a real fasting test.
Okay- I found out yesterday that I definitely have to go back to work on July 1st. (My work will stop paying my insurance premium at that point- and I can't afford 2700 a month for insurance!) I know it is a long time from now, but I got so sad. I think that is a sign I super need a new job. But finding one with adequate insurance will be difficult.
Sending hugs to everyone! Hope you rads girls are keeping yourself moisturized and feeling good.
Edited by Mods to fix alignment issue.
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And this is why i love you all.....if we can only sit together and read all our post and cry laugh about it would be great...................thank you my ladies....yes your right after 14 chemos finally it got to me.....so 2 more to go whooooo....hoooooooooooooo...........Amy i been thinking about you all day!!!! and praying.......
Actually im having hot flashes now.......lol......i dnt know about you guys but every time i get hot flashes my hair stands up.....its a fubby feeling....
Last night i looked at my husband and i was wondering why is he soooo tired...so i asked him "babe i dont understand why you are so sleepy all the time"? he said really? how about ......cover me ...uncover me......cover me.....uncover me.......turn on the fan .....turn it off .....turn it on.... turn it off..........how about that..... lmao....i told him i dont remember all that.....he said how about when you get up fast and then lay down............nopeeeeee i dont remember......thanks hot flashes....my husbands hates you!!!!....lol....i wonder if its the hercepton too cause when i was with FED i dint get it so it might be that or taxol.........
i feel better today back kicking its ass!!!!!!!!!!!
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Happy Valentines Day - you are all my valentines!
Thinking of Amy!
Forever, ugh such a long way for a short treatment. I drive 30 min to and from and treatments are 5 min. I am only there total 15 min except Monday when I get new scans and see the RO. I find to I am the most tired right after treatment.
Patricia, 2 more baby. You got it. Think Vegas
I need to read up on curcumin!
I am not so tired this week from rads, but it is only Wednesday. -
I found a kind of residence for people out of town coming to Montreal for cancer treatments. It's only $20 a day and this includes three meals a day! If I do it for radiation I would be in Montreal 5 days a week but home with the DH and kids for the weekends. It's 5 1/2 weeks...seems like such a long time and yet such a short time. Part of me thinks it would be horrible to be away from the kids so long...but I have to admit part of me wants to do it, and try to go to the Hope and Cope Centre every day for their yoga, stretching and meditation classes. Something I couldn't do with driving back and forth. This could be my time to think out my "new normal" strategy...
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Patricia, glad you are back. Only 2 more!
PatinNM and Mariposa, can't hurt to take Turmeric. I hear you have to eat it with pepper and fat for full effect. Do you just use the spice or a supplement?
Jojo, glad to hear this week is a little better for you.
Forever, could you stay at the residence some of the time and drive some of the time? Maybe drive home midweek and weekends? Or do a week there, a week at home?
Amy, thinking of you today hoping you had a successful surgery and that recovery will be quick for you. -
Neta - I haven't done my research on Curcumin (Turmeric) yet, but now that you mention it I think I remember reading that pepper was necessary for full effect. Don't recall about the fat, but believe me I have plenty of fat in my diet!
I hope there is a supplement available because I probably wouldn't use it as a spice. -
The page is all out of whack again. My MO doesn't share things like the Metformin clinical trial, Tumeric, supplements I should be taking. I learn all this stuff from all of you. So I have to ask her, for instance about Vitamin D or B. She is very knowledgeable about all that stuff and says sure you can do that. My question is why do they not offer this information up? It's like they dont want you to try anything especially natural products.
I read where you put the Tumeric in warm milk with pepper and drink it. I don't know how much Tumeric or milk you use.
Didn't start work today...I spent money instead. Bought a new squishy comforter and sheets for our bed. You see, ever since dx, I've been sleeping in the other room where the blankets were so comfy. But I guess it's time to go back to bed with th DH. No more late night Hallmark channel. I can see why people take separate bedrooms. -
I have been reading all night about active hexose correlated compound (AHCC)... Does anyone know much about this?? I did IVF to have my first child, and one of the things that I did was get Ivig infusions to help manage an overload of natural killer cells in my system. (I used to never get sick even working in a school full of sick children- after IVIG that all changed) Anyway, now I am reading about how necessary these natural killer cells are towards fighting tumor cells. So, I am trying to find ways of increasing these Natural Killer Cells. That is where I heard about AHCC. But it is super duper pricey. I will investigate the rest of the forums, but thought I would check it out here first:-)
Amy! I am super thinking about you and hoping you are resting and doing well.
I actually love tumeric. I love putting curry powder on my popcorn:-) I use olive oil (so there is the fat) I will have to add some pepper!
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and I am not liking this page being all messed up.
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Congrats to all the gals finishing chemo! I hope your icky days will be over soon.
For my anti-cancer diet I juice and do veggie and fruit (small portions) smoothies each day. The smoothies always has at least tomatoes, carrots, beet, and lemon in it. I add either fresh ginger or tumeric powder to the smoothies. I juice kale with grapes or half an apple. The Trader Joe's kale does not leave a bitter after taste like the others I buy. Basically, I juice/smoothie whatever fresh and raw veggies and fruits that I have. It used to take me a long time to get things done, but I finally got a system of washing all my veggies and fruits with drinking water, dry them, cut them, and put them in containers in the fridge. I do get tired of drinking these, but I know I rather be here for my kids and hubby than be dead. I take powdered wheatgrass and barley grass once to twice a day when I remember. I have some seaweed/kelp/dulse flakes daily. I sprinkle it on my salads, oatmeal, soups, chili, quinoa, or brown rice. I've been eating enoki mushrooms a lot because my mom read in a Japanese study that enoki mushrooms in higher doses kill cancer cells. I try to avoid sweets as much as possible, but people just love to bring sweets. I don't do any dairy and will do beef once a week.
Supplements I take--B-complex, biotin, tumeric, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, lecithin granules, L-glutamine, probiotics, Poly5 (extracts of 5 types of mushrooms that are potent in killing cancer cells and help promote the immune system), and a heavy metal cleanser tablet to detox from the chemo.
I've read that tumeric has even more potent effects when combined with black pepper. The initial tumeric study was done at MD Anderson by Dr. Bharat Aggarwal. In 2005, he proved that curcurmin (the molecule in tumeric that prevents the anti-inflammatory effect), was capable of acting on breast cancer tumors grafted onto mice, tumors that no longer responded to Taxol. The daily dietary doses of curcumin on the mice reduced metasteses. Microtumors were still in the lungs but the majority of the cases of tumors could no longer grow of were not of significant threat.
The above info is from Anti-Cancer: A new way of life by David Servan-Schreiber, MD , PhD. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 31. He lived 20 years and just passed away in 2011. He uses his person al experience with cancer and his medical training to show that life with cancer can be better by changing our diet and exercise.
I alsl get info from a lot of Asian books (which my mom translates for me) on how to use food to fight cancer.
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ewww whats wrong with the page!!
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Mariposa- gosh, the plastic surgeon doesn't agree with doing ANY reconstruction after RADS at all? Insane! I have heard that some people do have problems with implants after radiation, in that case, flap procedures are a good idea.
Neta- jealous of your non hat wearing self!
Foreverchanged- I still get hot flashes on herceptin also. Not nearly as bad as I did on chemo though!
anti cancer diet- welllll, I pretty much suck at that. I have been eating terrible! I have been trying to incorporate more meat free meals, but I have been totally overdosing on chocolate lately. The only 'healthy' thing i do is make a smoothie for breakfast with spinach, coconut milk, chia seeds, bananas, and berries. After that in the morning it's all downhill! LOL!
radiation- I am really starting to feel a bit toasty. I can deal with it, but I am TERRIFIED that I will not be able to get reconstruction early summer if my skin gets too burned. Nothing has gone by the timeline *I* feel it should, but damn it, I had better get my reconstruction before July! That is all I ask out of all this. I am planning on getting DIEP, and since it is pretty major abdominal surgery- I need some recoup time before going back to school in August. Not to mention, it would be a great bonus to enjoy summer with 2 boobs and a flat tummy.
ahhh time to go get ready for my daily appointment to get fried
BTW- this ought to freak you guys out: My hubby works in the radiation field, knows a lot about it, etc. I get WAY more radiation EVERY DAY than he will get in his entire lifetime. Him and his work buddies were talking about it yesterday and they were all freaking out about how much I get- it is past the 'legal' limit! LOL! Different limits for theraputic doses, I guess, but it sure makes you wonder if radiation is really a good thing or not. And I used to tease him about glowing in the dark. I am way more glowy than him these days -
Wanting to wish everyone a happy Valentine's DAY!
Praying for lots of energy and a good day for each one of us. Hope Amy is recovering well and those doing rads have a quick and easy time of it. Looking forward to having a nice dinner with my hubby tomorrow night with NO KIDS. Mine have been fighting like cats n dogs. Makes me crazy sometimes! Sending love your way!Becki
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Oh Damiana really? If we kill our cancers we are probably at higher risk for new ones from rads? I need a radioactive warning sign. Getting more toasty myself. 9 of 33 today.
Timbeck - beautiful pic. -
That is scary Damiana! One of my support group friends who finished radiation six months ago said that when she goes to hotels with a key card, she often deactivates it due to her radiated self. I find it all very scary. I have been super interested in this thing called Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. It supposedly gives your lungs pure oxygen which helps regenerate new cells quicker. People are talking about the benefits of using it after radiation. They are giving a talk about it at the cancer support center I go to- but unfortunately it is scheduled for the day after my surgery. Sucks! I really want to go. I have some lung issues and am terrified of having my lungs radiated.
Okay- now to get ready for all of my preop appointments with the surgeon, plastic surgeon, and anaesthesiologist!
Hope everyone has a beautiful Valentines Day!!!! I sent my daughter to school with secret valentines in her backpack that tell her how much I love her. It is weird how doing those things now makes me sad... I try not to be. I will be around for a good fifty years or more... but I just can't help sometimes when I think about how much I love my kids what could happen. Scary.
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Happy Valentines!
Got chocholate and roses from DH today so there went my diet effort! Made it to the gym to compensate though. Scales are not budging sadly.
Florbo, thanks for the nutrition and supplement info. I take vitamin D, C, multivitamin, Calcium and baby aspirin on the advice of my MO. I also take, cod liver oil capsules and sometimes melatonin. I eat a lot of fruit, veg (especially cruciferous) and berries and nuts. No fat plain yoghurt, chia seeds and buckwheat and hemp hearts (in cereal), I have cut back on wheat, red and processed meat and dairy. I drink mostly water and green tea. I'm not very good at cooking veggie food but would like to eat more of that. I have also more or less stopped drinking alcohol. It all sounds so healthy doesn't it! Yet it's so hard to lose weight! But my skin is looking better and my nails are recovering from chemo (halfways grown out from the Taxotere ridges). What little hair I have is looking pretty healthy too and my energy is returning.
Re the radiation my RO explained to me that it's not just the amount of radiation but the type and concentration. She said the amount of radiation I received would have killed me many times over had it been "scattered" (like radioactive rain from a nuclear accident) but because its concentrated and controlled it doesn't harm your whole body the same way. I like to think she's right about this.
Hope everyone has a great Valentines Day. -
Mariposa, I too have heard and read great things about hyperbaric therapy, but know its expensive and my insurance wont cover. Blah.
I know Amy hasn't updated here, but did see on FB that she did well and is resting. -
Jojo, is that HAIR I see?!?
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Hi Ladies-Happy Valentines Day!
Flobor-I started juicing this summer, I eat pretty healthy, love me some fruit, but have a hard time getting green veggies, I feel like juicing is an easy way to do it...do you have any juicing recipes/books you would recommend?
Timbek-a dinner without kids sounds great, cabin fever has run amuck in my house and the kids are crabby! You look great in your new pic!
Neta- I am still struggling with the weight loss, I might be down 2 pounds and I have been working on eating well and working out. So frusterating...but I am trying not to obesssess about the number and appreciate how good it feels to move, it is soooo helpful for me physically and mentally.
Mariposa- good luck with all the pre-op drs appoints...I know what you mean when you think about how much you love your kids and then your brain goes there...sucks.
For me radiation is going pretty good, 14/33 and I am getting a little pink...fingers crossed. I completely trust my RO and his skills, I also asked him a lot of questions about the process, so I feel more at peace about the treatment. Can't believe a radiation patient can open hotel doors, what a strange superpower have
Is there anyone else who has TEs/implants and going through radiation? I stress about the reconstruction aspect of things...I hope to get my implant exchage 3-6 months after radiation...I know rads can cause complications with the implants...my PS suggested going the tram flap route, but I would prefer implants at this point...right now not thinking about it too much and having faith it will all work out.
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Jojo-it's really coming in! it's happening! looks great!
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