Starting Chemo October 2012

Hi Ladies,

Yes, I've been ingesting the neuropathy-fighting glutamine, as well as L-carnitine and a vitamin b-complex. I'm not on weekly taxol (my MO suggested that the weekly regime actually resulted in greater side effects than tri-weekly?) so I'm not sure how many days I should take it for. So far, I have just a bit of numbness in the tips of a couple fingers and on the soles of my feet. I'm almost 2 weeks past tx #1 so my scalp is getting that now sadly-familiar itchy feeling, telling me my buzz-cut is going to be giving way soon to chemo-patient bald once again.. Oh well, it's only for a few more months and at least spring is coming so my ears won't be as cold!

Loubar - sorry to hear your rads got extended. Here's hoping it'll be over before you know it! Halfcan, you are so close to done - yay!

Chloe's doing well still. She's just over six weeks old and occasionally having decent nights. She's really developed her sight in the past few weeks and you can see her just taking the world in. She smiles and laughs in her sleep but not at us yet. She might be too frustrated with her inept parents still, since we're so slow to figure out when she's hungry or needs a diaper change! We'll get there.

I hope you are all feeling okay.

Alcb - So sorry to hear the news that you'll be having more chemo but glad that option is there for you. You'll know you've done everything there is to do and that feeling is worth a lot. Will be in your pocket as you go for chemo again next week.

Well ladies chemo is coming to an end for me tomorrow March 6^th & 13^th. I am super excited.  12 rounds of Taxol/Herceptin are closing in nicely.  I also notice a few strands of hair is growing back on my head too and fast! I had dark brown thick hair but so far I only see only gray hair growing back omg… my cousin is calling my head a nick name “Peaches” as it describes the little fuzz on the skin lol she is too funny.  Is it true that your hair after chemo doesn’t grow back the same? What should I really expect? 

I hope everyone have a great weekend and day today!!

PatinMN ~ thanks for the suggestion. My husband picked me up some vit.B6 on Friday gone but we couldn’t find any glutamine 30mg in Bermuda so I tried to look online they only have 300mg and there is so much brands which one you have? What’s the name on the bottle so I can try to get the same kind?

LouBar ~ thanks for your advice. I will have a chat shortly with my Oncologist. I just want to make sure I do some research on my own first and write down some direct questions.  I still have time for more research. I still have to have surgery and radiation to go.

Marlene18 ~ so nice princess Chole’ is taking in the world. The both of you look so cute. Before you know it she will be smiling at her parents and be super excited when they get the grips on feeding and diaper changing time ha ha ha

alcb70 ~ thanks for the advice. I am so sorry your chemo has been extended for two more rounds. I am sure it will be over quickly.  I am estrogen positive…still a bit confused what that all means but I am still trying to look into these things. My brain seems to be behind the eight ball lately.  On the bright side you have two more rounds as I have two more to go as well; tomorrow March 6 & 13^th.  Good luck to the both of us for coming to an end real soon.

PatinMN ~ thanks i will ask the nurse tomorrow when i go for my treatgment.

Andrea - UGH. You must be so frustrated. How did they get your hormone receptor status incorrect the first time? PM me if you want / need to chat, I don't check in here as often anymore. 

Hi ladies ... I am sorry to be absent lately, my doctor recommended that I "take a break" from reading, etc. about breast cancer. I feel like I alienate myself sometimes always reading about worrying. I popped in to check on you all. Tamoxifen seems to be going ok, no noticable effects. Still having hot flashes, don't know if that's leftover from chemo or new from the tamoxifen. My exchange surgery is supposed to be scheduled tomorrow and will either be 4/9 or 4/30 (depending on our final size decision, and I am going to put up a fight if he wants to expand me anymore because my last fill was the first ever to give me any pain and I'm still sore 5 days later!) 

LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!!

Oh my goodness, I hope you are right about the hot flashes, that was the best news I've heard in a long time!!! I hope your rash gets better soon!!!

Jennie93 ~ really? why not?

You can use cortisone cream, it probably works better anyway.   :-)

I came across a list of drugs that interfere with Tamoxifen not long ago and was surprised to see Benadryl on the list.  It's very common in many OTC meds not only as an antihistamine but also as a mild sleep aid.  Something to watch out for.  Choose a different antihistamine.  Several common antidepressants were on the list too, FYI, if anyone is taking one of those.  I'll try to find that link again.

I have my Tamoxifen prescription, but neither the MO nor the RO was clear on whether I'm supposed to wait to start taking it until after rads are done.  What were you all told about that?

Well I'm 1/3 done radiation - 10 of 30 completed today and I had my follow-up with my MO and got my prescription for tamoxifan.  I know this is really superficial but I'm worried about the weight gain on tamoxifan, been reading that some women are gaining up wards of 40 lbs? Caitgrace / Po_ke - did your Docs say anything about this? How do you find it so far apart from the hot flashes which I'm still having PFC.  Also, my MO brought up putting me on Zolodex to stop the estrogen production in ovaries....I know I should be feeling grateful that there is medicine out there to prevent a reoccurence, but it just seems never ending and each "solution" has with it more problems.  Anyone else considering Zolodex? Feeling generally a bit bummed that although I feel near the end of this journey, the reality is it's a long way off  

LouBar they mentioned nothing about this though I did read in the forums here some get told you lose weight and some get told you gain. I'm still trying to shed my chemo weight, and though I'm moving in the right direction it's only 2 lbs down.



For me there continues to be fuzzy headed ness and minor short turn memory issues (I keep leaving the stove on, etc.). I get hot flashes regularly mostly disturbing my sleep. Just started taking black cohosh which is supposed to help. I was super achy the first 30 days or so on tamoxifen but it seems to have subsided considerably. Even that was just like having frozen joints-once up and moving ok, but getting moving from a standstill the achy part. The more I exercise the better I feel.



Rash is subsiding. My onco nurse checked with oncologist and he said Benadryl ok for ths very short time. But I can only take at night as it knocks me out.

Hello ladies, just wanted to stop and say hi. I am two weeks on tamoxifen and feeling ok. Still having hot flashes, might be leftover from chemo, but now I am getting night sweats about once per week (three times since I started) so that is super annoying and uncomfortable. I haven't had joint issues so that is a blessing. I am on the scale every day and minding what I eat because I don't want to gain weight from it. It's hard and I miss not having to worry about so many things. I have no sign of hair anywhere still and I am just really getting anxious that I will be one of those people who doesn't get her hair back (like 5%?!) ... My exchange surgery is 4/6 and I CAN'T WAIT!!! Love to all, especially those continuing chemo and radiation. xoxo

Well, the rads machine broke down today when I was in it.  It is scheduled for maintenance Monday so it has been having issues.  I got through 3 1/2 of my ZAPS so the doctor said to check it off as a session....3 more to go.  Battling appetite issues still even 8 weeks after chemo.  Lost about 12 pounds since beginning of Nov and first chemo.....only weigh 2 pounds more than when I graduated high school in 1970!  I checked my BMI and ideally I am 2 pounds away where I should be so I guess it is all good if I can maintain it and stay healthy.  Take care all.

Congratulations to all the Oct 2012 chemo graduates and those just behind them. Through love, prayers, and this board, we made it.  I finished chemo 3/13 and start radiation sometime in late April.

To halfcan-A friend of mine sent me Reconstructive Creme for Chemo, Radiation, burns, dryness and bed sores.  I use it for the facial flush I get the day after chemo from the steriod.  I hope it will come in handy when I start radiation.  www.hymed.net

Also, can you please tell me which board the Oct 2012 chemo ladies who have started radiation are posting on; I can't find that.  Best of luck with your port surgery and exercise.  I am working on losing the 20 pounds I gained.  Which estrogen blocker have you decided on?

Hi Karen,

No rads for me (BMX) but I'm on Aromasin. Started 6 weeks ago. Having the occasional hot flash but that's it. I told my MO I don't plan to have any SEs from it:-)