Calling all TNs

Doreen,

How long did it take for your hair to grow back? I finished Chemo Jan 9th. I only have about 1/4 inch. I finished all treatment March 15th. Congratulations to you also for finishing up. It has been a hard year as I am sure you will agree. Hugs..Marianne

Wishing all of my wonderful,  kind, loving, supportive ladies a wonderful Easter.  May you have lots of fun, laughter and love.  Annie 

Hi Doreen,

Thanks for the info. I have lost my lashes and eyebrows three times. The last time I lost them was seven weeks after A/C. I was shocked that it happened so long after Chemo. I still have side effects from Chemo (last one was 1/9/13.)

Still have Fatigue, shortness of breath, bone pain and upset stomach at times. Is this unusual? Finished Rads two weeks ago and dealing with Radiation burns now. This had been some Journey..

Good one Annie.

A beautiful weekend forecast for the sunny Okanagan - cant wait 4 days off... bliss !

Wishing everyone minimal SE's, hugs and finding their happy.

Marianne...I finished chemo the end of December. I too have bone pains that come and go. Sometimes even in my finger tips just like when I Was on taxol. I'm very tired after work and some days short of breath. It scares me..I don't want to have this ugly fear all the time so I try to push it all aside. But it's hard! So I totally get what you mean.

One for my beloved Titan

DorMac what a beautiful story.  With or without breasts she was simply gorgeous.  If love can keep you going then I hope she lives more more years yet because she was very much loved.

DorMac --that is a beautiful video. A little hard to watch in places. I loved the part about the wig. I was getting ready for church Sunday (only the 2nd time I had felt like going since starting chemo) and put on my wig. My husband said, "take it off and put on a scarf. I'm used to you in scarves and hats. You look pretty in them." The other time I had gone, he told me he would go with me even if I wanted to go bald. Bless him!

I only have 2 more chemo (Taxol) treatments to go -- can't wait for April 11th when I can say goodbye to the chemo ward! MO said they woud set up an appointment with RO after my last treatment and that I would see him every 3 months for 2 years. I can't wait to start getting back to a more normal life. I'm ready to get back to exercising and hiking. I love to go hiking and take pictures and I can't wait to get that camera back in my backpack. We missed getting to go on our usual fall trip to the Smokies for my birthday. I don't want to miss spring photo opportunities.

I'm going to be participating in my first Relay for Life event at the end of April. My company is sponsoring a team for the first time ever. We've raised almost $4,000 already which I think is good for our first time and since we've only been fundraising for a month. It will be two weeks after my last treatment, so I hope I'm up to an all nighter. I'm hope I can make it through the survivor's lap. I tear up every time I think about doing it. My sister who is a 5 year BC survivor is going to walk it with me. I'm also hoping my two brothers who are also cancer survivors will also walk it with us. My other three sisters will be there cheering us on. And, we will also be walking in memory of our dear brother who died 3 years ago with lung cancer (and also had bladder cancer). Out of 8 siblings, five of us with cancer.  Genetic or environmental? Who knows? My MO thinks we should do some genetic testing. My other sisters are worried now that two of us have been diagnosed with breast cancer. My sister was ER+, PR+, HER2- though.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend with few SE's.

Hi...I am new here because until this week, I thought I was ER+ and have been taking Anastrozole for over a year. The other day at my 6 month MO visit, he told me my ER+ is only 2% and if I wanted to stop the meds (SE of hairloss and bone loss) he would understand because of my low %. I was shocked because until now, he had insisted I take it. I asked was I triple negative and his answer was "that's just a number". So my question is...have any of you taken Anastrozole or Tamoxifen even tho you have a small percentage of ER+? Thanks for any info you can give me.

Hello everyone,  And welcome to the new ladies.  I have been off-line for several days.  Took a long-planned trip to tour NYC with 3 of my gal pals.  I had a wonderful time.  But back to reality for me today.

I have a question:  Have any of you came up being Hypothyroid?  I just got the news that my TSH level has jumped up.  It was normal just 12 months ago.  My PCP wants me to start on Synthroid and I am dragging my feet about having to take yet another medication.  Any Thoughts?

TifJ...thanks so much for your input....you are so right...who knows what is the right thing. My hairloss is getting significant and I am afraid after another 4 years, I will be bald in the front. Jeez I am starting to look like my husband. I doubt it will ever grow back.

I must also tell you I am 69 so would probably have had some thinning anyways but then there is the bone thing. Also I had one node involved.

I am also have the beginnings of osteopenia. He can't put me on Tamoxifen because of SEs of blood clots which I got during chemo. So I am screwed!

NavyMom...I have been on Synthroid for over 35 years (because of surgical removal) and there's never been any side effects at all...and I have had a lot of different dosages too. My thyroid is totally screwed up but yours will be easy to adjust. Trust me, you will never know you are even taking it!

minxie...I have been seeing my MO every six months since I finished treatments. I honestly don't know why because he doesn't order any tests/bloodwork or mammograms. My PCP does all that.

He doesn't feel for nodes or anything. He sorta answers my questions but of course I always think of things to ask after I leave. I am so fed up with this. I am debating stopping the Anastrozole when my current script runs out. I don't think he would care. He offered to change me to Aromasin but what's the point and I bet I would lose hair anyways. Hair loss is the only SE I have after a year. He said if I really wanted to stop, I could. Funny because in the beginning, he was adamant that I had to take Anastrozole.

Just wish I could make a decision and stick to it. I am going to my Daughter's for dinner tonight and she is a retired nurse...will ask her opinion.

Here is some information that I came across today regarding probiotics:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/07/07/idUS174822+07-Jul-2009+PRN20090707

Hi ladies!  I made it back home to Nebraska on Saturday.  I am SO glad to be home! 

I saw my MO and my surgeon for follow ups last Wednesday.  The new tumor that she (surgeon) removed was 8mm and irregular in shape.  She barely got the 1mm clearance that they want.  It had a little finger/neck thingy that was almost to the chest wall. 

She removed all level 1 and 2 axilla nodes.  46 of them. 46!!  Only one had cancer (the one that the needle biopsy was done on).  It had cancer within the node and also some cancer cells outside of the node.

The physical therapist said with 46 (plus the one sentinel node from last year) nodes removed, I should wear my lymphedema sleeve and gauntlet forever.  That was news that I didn't really want.    I will do rads on the level 3 nodes after chemo.

My MO said that although I am not considered to have metastases, he wants to treat it as though I do because the cancer was back within 5 months of rads.  He is suggesting Xeloda with Ixempra for 6 rounds of 3 weeks each.

Have any of you done this?  Does it sound reasonable?  When I google it, I get articles and posts on boards from 2010 and one on the TNBC Foundation site from 2012.  Nothing says it's cutting edge or tried and true.

I have to say that I'm pretty worried and trying not to be.  It makes me want a cigarette just thinking about it....and I haven't smoked since 2002.  I will resist the urge....but just sayin'.

Thank you all for your help, good thoughts and prayers.  You're the best!

Phyllis

Phyllis, I have no experience with this, but sounds like our MO is staying on top of this which is good. Sending only strong positive thoughts and calming hugs