Starting chemo March 2013

Elmrush...I want to be JUST LIKE YOU when I get my first TCH next week!! Keep moving!!



liffeybloomer...THANKS for the welcome! Hope your pity party didn't last too long! You didn't update us on all those doc appts....all go well???



TxSockMonkey...I'm just north of you in Montgomery. Are you using MD Anderson?? Had my surgery at their facility in The Woodlands and that is where all my treatments will be...LOVE them all. Your info was great...Adivan huh? My tumor was small so I didn't have to do chemo first...good and bad there. They were able to tell my lymph nodes were clear but now it confuses me how they'll tell chemo is working because tumor is out and they can't see it being shrunk. Conundrum for sure. Can't help any on the implant question but I'm sure a helpful sister will chime in. Stay strong!

Just a little something I discovered. Ive had pretty significant bone pain with the Neulasta. Been taking my claritin as directed for five days. It has been pretty uncomfortable but I have been able to manage. Have been fighting a cold all week and last night I took Benadryl to try to open my head up. Oh my ! I think it counteracted the Clairtin. Woke up about 4 am with severe shooting pains in my pelvic/back area and also in my sternum. So Im on the couch today with an oxycodone...darn it. Its such a learning process isnt it?

Liffeybloomer   I am on 4 rounds of AC every 3 weeks followed by 4 rounds of T every 3 weeks . I am triple neg. so I am having chemo first then surgery. How did it go for you today, good I hope.

TX sockmonkey - how funny I was calling them my frankenboobies too, when a friend corrected me and we now refer to them at bionic boobies - made me laugh

Lolalou

I bought the Target brand of Claritin and and got my first shot this morning.  I took my first Claritin about an hour before my shot and have not had any issues so far.  Several people have posted that the generic works just as well for a lot less.  Good luck.  I had my first chemo tx yesterday and so far feel pretty good.  Had a hard time sleeping last night as I felt wired from the steroids.  Good luck.

JoelleKC - I had to take 2 claritin at first to get me through and then took the 12 hour Claritin D every 6 hours.  I literally set my clock and took it in the middle of the night or the bone aches would creep back in.  My doctor gave me hydrocodone with acetamenaphin but I never needed it.  Try ramping up your dosage.  And I like bionic boobies better.   

Noor - I will say many prayers for your baby.  My heart goes out to you.

Roadshow - take a klonopin or ativan to sleep.  You'll be better off tomorrow if you get some rest.  I was terrified before my first treatment, but haven't had any side effects.  I know you're anxious, but you may be one of the lucky ones like me.

And now for some exciting news!  I just got back from my Onc.  I thought my tumor was shrinking 4 days after chemo but thought it wasn't possible.  10 days post chemo 1 and I knew it was smaller.  When I saw my doctor today he was shocked!  My tumor is half the size!  He said maybe my tumor hadn't read the book on how cancer tumors should behave.  I'm a Luminal A.  35% of tumors shrink but only 4% go NED with neoadjuvant chemo.  I want to be in that 4%!!!  I'm up for round 2 tomorrow with the cold caps.  I'm actually excited now that he confirmed that the chemo is killing the little sucker.   Die tumor! Die!

Hey ladies!! Had my 1st chemo today. Was uneventful. Near the end it felt like my sinuses were draining. Drove myself there and home. Ran errands. Got a quick bite at Fridays. Home watching basketball now and making sure I continue the water!! Feeling a little tired now but that could be because I was up at 4:30am a nervous wreck. Took my Claritin and may take some Tylenol but no real SE yet.

Lola - I am sitting here stunned.  I have been on BCO for 5 years and have NEVER heard of something like this.  It is absolutely inexcusable.  You have every right to be angry.  I am angry for you. 

But first things first.  Get a good night's sleep tonight, and talk with the new MO tomorrow.  Take care of yourself first.  However, once you get comfortable with a new MO and get a new game plan, you may want to very seriously consider contacting your local medical board to file a complaint.  If he felt that strongly that you should not have chemo, then he should not have taken all the steps he did to get you set up for chemo.  Especially sending you to get a port - an unnecessary surgery to have it installed, which would necessitate another surgery to have it removed.  Something is seriously wrong with what he did to you. 

Lolalou~that's really crazy! I'm so sorry you had to go through all the anticipation and worry only to have him change his mind? I hope the meeting with the new MO will be better and offer you a clearer direction!



Muga scan was good so MO gave the green light to start chemo on Thursday next week. Kinda freaking out right now and wishing I had more time (for what I don't really know except not to have chemo). Trying to make a list of all the advice from various threads. Hoping I can find a good wig this weekend and do something fun to keep my mind off next week!

Lolalou that is unacceptable. I'm glad you're going to see another MO. My Onco was a 31 with an average 21% distant recurrence rate. Trying to get that as lower as possible so I had to do chemo. Stay strong!



I'm starting to get a headache. What's ok to take. I wasn't that impressed with my infusion center and info aftercare instructions.

I'm sorry I was so mad when I posted that I forgot to mention that I ended up not getting the port last week. The BS told me it was an unnecessary surgery for 4 TX. She called my NO and I called him also that day. He agreed that I didn't need it. I guess my frustration is that he pushed chemo and I felt forced to do it. I ended up getting over the "forced" feeling because I did more research and felt comfortable it was the right treatment for me. I think if he changed his mind or someone in the cancer treatment center changed his mind he should have had the decent to call me between our appt on the 27th of Feb and today (Mar 14). Just unbelievable....

Lolalou, we have almost identical diagnosis. My mom's was the exact same 16 years ago. It came back last year as stage IV. Now she's really wondering if skipping chemo was right for her. I think you will second guess forever if you don't.



There's also a cool website called cancer math. It lets you put in your diagnosis and treatment options and spits out variables about likelihood of recurrence/survival.



If its any further consolation, I'm doing neoadjuvant chemo and my tumor is literally disintegrating. It gives me piece of mind that it's killing any floating cancer cells out there.



And just remember, someone had to be at the bottom of their class at med school graduation. I would have had a meltdown. I'm hoping tomorrow is a better day.



And for whoever asked about headaches, my onc said Tylenol was fine.

Txsockmonkey-sorry to hear about your mom.

I do want chemo. I don't want to have regrets down the road.

Lolalou,

How insensitive. Thiss guy iss in the wrong profession. Hope things work out with your new MO.

Hi Cherish,



I'm doing AC dose dense (every two weeks). AC because I'm "young" for all this to be happening. I'm 45. I'm every two weeks because I want to get it done. Also before being diagnosed I was in excellent health. Nothing but a broken bone as a child and a few root canals. The Onc said because of my great health I should be able to recover in time. From what I understand AC is the strongest when no lymph node involvement for us.