Starting Chemo October 2012

Evening/or Morning everyone (well in Bermuda its evening 10:02pm)...I should be over happy this evening but I think my hormones are getting the best of me.  Wednesday March 13, 2013 I had my last chemo taxol and the blocker herceptin.  I am super excited that that part of my treatment is now come to a closed.

I am now awaiting for my doctor for the schedule of surgery to remove the cancer from my right breast then start on the radiation. When I was in Boston at Beth Israel Hospital my doctor there didn't mention being on herceptin only for 12 months like the doctor said here in Bermuda, so I am a bit confused...Has anyone been on herctptin by itself for one year once finished with taxol/herceptin? I did send an email to my doctor in Boston to confirm this because he never mentioned anything like this to me before. 

Also, I believe what really making me unhappy is the side effects I am having. I am taking the Vit.B6 but the hot flashes and now my finger nails and feet are just gone a-wall. I don’t feel my toes and half my feet is so numb. The tips of my fingers are numb and one nail is already lifting up as like the rest of them. They are breaking off where the white lines are..I notice its super thin there. I am getting so depressed I feel so not myself.  

On a good note I do see some fuzz growing on my head.  It looks like thee fuzz that are on peaches…its growing grey but today my husband said he sees some dark hear growing…my color was dark brown so we will see what grows back.

I am sorry if I sound so down…I don’t mean too…I guess today just insent my day today…I hope tomorrow gets better.

Everyone please have a wonderful weekend! As I will try to shake whatever this feeling I am going through away. Take care. . .

Ten weeks PFC of Taxotere/Cytoxin.  I finish rads tomorrow.  I have the muscle aches and tired body but that may be due to rads also.  Still have some hair loss after washing.....probably should stop soon! I used cold caps and have overall alot of thinning but no wigs.  I have to keep my port until July.....cautious doctor.  Hope to never have to go back to chemo.....and so glad that part is over.  I iced my fingers and toes so never had the numbness and nail issues.  Anyone going to rads look into Aloe Force online.  I used it and had minimal skin issues.  Hope everyone is doing well. 

Last chemo was 2/1 and I still have no sign of hair  

hello all..

sorry i have not posted in awhile.. finished chemo on march 6th...finaly got rid of the migraine that was plaguing me since january...and now i have a really bad cold..

going for my pre op tests tomorrow.. probably going to cancel my MRI...cant see myself head down, for 45 minutes staying still...

also started up a dragon boat team... raise some money for cansupport, they have helped me and my family alot during all this... 

sending all some purple bubbles.. be well

love

flower

Po-ke - I read somewhere that hair regrows slow while we're still on Herceptin...

Celine - Congrats on being done! Yay!

Andrea - I hope your final dose is better than the previous. I know AC affected me in the head, chemo-brain and just feeling down, but at least the end is in sight for you.

My chemo experience has been so atypical... After my last AC on December 17th, I didn't resume chemo again until February 18th so, despite having to deliver a baby and recover from that, I was still in pretty good shape (cell-death-wise or whatever) when I had my first taxol/herceptin. My hair had started growing back but then all fell out again at the beginning of March. Taxol is weird though, seems like the hair follicles only respond once and become immune because about a week after it fell out, it started growing again - right after my second tx. With all the partial falling out and regrowing, my hair looked ridiculous so today I just shaved my head again! I'm not sure how fast it will regrow but it's pretty stubbly so maybe that's a good sign. Besides that, I pretty much feel totally fine. I have two more to go so I sure hope this trend continues. I guess if you have to do chemo while pregnant and then with a newborn at home, no one should begrudge you a relatively easy time with chemo right...?

Hope you are doing well.

Well i ended up cancellingall my pre op appts today as well as the MRI...put off till april 3rd

I have a horrible chest cold... my god i could not envision myself in that mri machine, with the pressure on my sternum and head facing down..not moving for 45 minutes...

the other appointements, including pre op "class" i post ponned because theres a storm out...

i feel crappy... so the nurse said it wouldnt delay surgery ... and not to worry everyone is sick right now.

She suggested i call my onc if i need any meds.... sigh, i hate taking pills, trying to kick it with vit D and C.... but i just might need more help

My hair is growing back... but i look like a clown... lots on sides and back, barely any on top. My husband calls the collor light brown... hes sweet... but its mostly grey..lol

Loosing a few toe nails too... so sensitive, neuropathy is in my toes and pads of feet... hope it goes away soon...

Looking forward to more normal days... till then...

*celine blows purple bubbles *

Jennie93 ~ thanks for letting me know that Herceptin for a year is what others are doing as well. Glad things are starting to feel somewhat normal for you now. How are your rads going for you?

Toots ~ thanks my dear. I so look forward to see how my hair will grow back. It seems to grow fast for what I see so far…time will tell…lol…Also, how is the Anastrole (hormone therapy) going for you?  It’s something they gotten it incorrect the first time around…how odd.  Is there known side effects?

Po-ke ~ How was your exchange surgery? What type of surger is it? Is it to remove the cancer from your breast is that what “exchange surgery means?  I hope it all went well for you. Thanks for letting me know regarding the Herdeptin!

Caitgrace ~ I hope your feeling better from the chloroprep reaction. I am glad your still dancing.

 LouBar ~  How is the radiation going so far?  I still have surgery first then radition so I need to read more about the side effects.

 Schoolmom ~ Good for you for finishing up with your radiation? How was it for you? My time is coming and trying to get all the inforamtion I need before I see the doctors. I am writing a list of questions so I can make sure I am full aware what to expect.

 Halfcan ~ Congrats for finishing up with your rads! Thanks for saying better days are coming because I sure hope so! Lol

Karen3231950 ~ Congrats for finishing up with your chemo on March 13!  I've finished my Taxol and Herceptin on Wed. Mar.13, 2013 too! It feels great to move on to our next phase does it? All the best!

Lou4of7 ~ Congrats for finishing up with your chemo as well! I also have watery eyes but I thought it was not having eye lashes…my thighs always seem to feel heavy when I get up too.. I need to get out walking 2/3 miles like you then perhaps my thighs wouldn't feel like heavy weights...I hope anyway...

CelineFlower ~ Congrats to you for finishing your chemo on March 6! I hope you start to feel better soon!

Alcb70 ~ Happy Belated Wedding Aniversary to you and your hubby! So glad to read you had a amazing time out even if it was a simple outing!

schoolmom ~ wow that sounds like good news.  I got to get me some of that Aloe Force too but then again do you think the jelly from the natural aloe plant will work just as effective too? Here on my island aloe plants grows wild and I have a lot of aloe plants in my yard too…if it works…I would have to look it up how to skinned it for the jelly and put it in a container.  I hope your left arm heals quickly too. Thanks again and good luck to you too! 

I hope everyone is doing well this evening...and is having/or had a great weekend!

I received an email on Friday regarding my next phase for treatment which is continuing the Herceptin every 3 weeks until December 2013. My next treatment is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, 2013.  Then I fly to Boston for two consultations meetings on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 and my Lumpectomy surgery is scheduled for Friday, April 12, 2013.  I am so nervous for this.  I have very low tolerance for pain…I am like a child...I am trying to read up on as much information on this surgery...sighh

karen3231950 ~ Thank you for holding me in your prayers.  I still have another round of 7.5 weeks of radiation after this lumpectomy.  The surgery for August 2, 2012 ~ Underwent Laminectomy and fusion of the lumar spine and the August 3, 2012 ~ Underwent L4 vertebrectomy and lumbar fusion.  After the those surgeries a portion of my spine was replaced by rods. Then I had 9 rounds of radiation in that area to make sure they got everything.  

Great to hear everyone's updates and slowly but surely we are all getting there. 

35_smiling - I concur with karen, a lumpectomy after all you have been through will be a piece of cake, nothing to worry about...you underestimate yourself and obviously considering what you have been through and are still smiling you are a warrior  Try not to be too anxious. 

Caitgrace - can't wait to have enough hair to ditch the hat - mine is growing and I even had to shave my legs and see some very small but definitely there eyelashes! 

Finished radiation #20 of 30 today - so I'm on the final 10 countdown!!! yippeee.  Skin is burning and my collar bone and armpit area seem the most affected.  I'm doing all I'm supposed to so just hoping to get through the next 10 with minimal damage.  Should have tanned topless when I was younger and toughened up my skin

Haven't filled my tamoxifan prescription yet...procrastinatingl  Anyone else who's premenapausal looking at Zolodex? 

Hugs to you all

Hope everyone is doing well here.  I have been in and out reading  up on everyone.

I had to have a thyroid biopsy yesterday on 4 nodes they found during my CT scan in Sept.  I was hoping all was well since I had not heard anything from my endocrinologist after the ultrasound in Dec.  The procedure was not bad, needle biopsy where they withdraw cells from the nodes to send to pathology.  Hope all is normal.  Not really wanting another surgery at this point. 

Keep your fingers crossed for me.  Results back in a week but my appt isnt for a month.  Take care all.

Lisa, I worked right through 6x TC and found it very do-able. The later rounds were no worse than the earlier ones. In fact overall I think #2 was the worst. Everyone is different but I had very little nausea, easily controlled, and virtually no GI issues. All the other SEs pretty much fell into the category of annoying but not incapacitating. The worst thing for me was the muscle pain, really bothersome, and taking a long time to go away, but 8 weeks PFC now & finally noticing some improvement. Slow but sure. :-)

Happy Good Friday for those who celebrate it!  I hope you had a great day.

Caitgrace ~ So glad to read the rash went away!  I feel you on the hot flashes…they suck.  I wish mine will be over soon.  I rock my bold but wear hats when it gets too cold.  Your dream sounds interesting…who knows it just may come true! Good luck.

LauBar ~ Okay I’ll take you and Karen’s word…I will calm myself down and not get too anxious.  Thank you for your kind words!   I hate surgeries and since Aug.2012 this will make #5 for this cancer…sigh…I can’t wait until I am completely over.  As far as your 20/30 radiation wow you’re almost done! I hope your last ten comes by fast and you don’t have to worry too much on the radiation SE’s, all the best to you.

Toots ~ Hello there. Glad you popped in.  All the best to you too.

Schoolmom ~ Praying your thyroid biopsy comes back normal. I have my fingers and toes cross for you.

LisaMM ~ When I was on Cytoxan and I was sick from the third, fourth and fifth day after but that was me…I hope it doesn’t affect you too much.  All the best!

Jennie93 ~ Wow, glad it worked out for you…this should give LisaMM some hope.

Happy Easter to you too!