August 2013 Chemo Sisters

DebDylan - It is a really hard decision.  I hesitated even after being told it was 50/50 without it.  It is our natural instinct to protect our bodies from poisons.  My age and my family had a lot to do with my decision.  Maybe it would be different if I was 75 but at 50 there is still a lot of living to do, that make the risks worth it.  In the end we dont just make the decision for ourselves...my family would have been devastated if I hadn't done chemo.  I'm still struggling with the idea of Tamoxifen for 5 years.. so don't want to do that and then I've got to decide about a double prophylactic mastectomy at the end of this chemo.  Don't want to do that either.  Even with all this treatment apparently my chances of recurrence/death are still 20 vs 80%.  They say it like that's fanatstic, but it isnt really that fantastic from my point of view...

If it was majority vote from my family, I'd have to do the lot...  If you are healthy generally and you think your body can take it, I'd do chemo.  It's only temporary... The only thing is if you are still wanting to be fertile which must be really tough for the younger women.

Hello ladies...I haven't posted here before on this thread because my 1st chemo isn't until Sept 4th but I have been reading this thread for about a month now and I just have to thank you all for being there for one another and extending your heart and minds and strength to one another.  I have learned a lot from you all.  I was able to go to my first visit with my chemo nurse and kept myself together because of coming here and other threads and learning from you all.  Your faith is beautiful & inspiring.  God bless you all.

lovewins - welcome!  I'm a late bloomer too - just had my first AC on Thursday.  

gildedcage - you wrote :

The thrush I had last week felt like Chernobyl died in my mouth. I got some medicine for it that cleared it up almost overnight

Just curious what they gave you?  I don't think I have thrush, but the awful coating & taste in my mouth is horrible.  Nothing tastes good unless it's sour or salty.

Hot flashes - I haven't had them yet.  I am 40 and was supposed to start my period today, but it seems to be MIA.  Not that I'm complaining!  One less thing to worry about during the chemo stuff.  I don't know if chemo will affect my cycle this soon, though, so I'm prepared for "my friend" to show up this week.  I'm always cold (even in TX in the summer!) so hot flashes will be new for me!  LOL

Eyebrows & eyelashes... my mom's friend used to run a shop for breast cancer patients (prosthesis, products, wigs, etc) and she sent me some Brian Joseph's Lash and Brow conditioner.  I've been using it since about a week before chemo... we'll see if it helps me hang on to them!  It's expensive (about $40-$50 a tube), but I've discovered just about everything we need to use for this process is expensive!  All of the OTC medicines, the toothpastes and rinses and ugh.  My prescriptions are actually cheaper than anything!  LOL

I got out & walked 2 miles this morning.  I'm declaring that a chemo victory!  I was winded afterward and felt like I'd run a marathon, but at least I got some fresh air and exercise!  Felt really good after pretty much being house-bound since Friday.

lovewins, Don't leave. Join in. We can use your experiences to help all of us. I just had my first TC on Monday, just a week ago, so you're not that far behind.

batcatlady, I think all of our husbands are tired of hearing about this. Men do not gab as much as women, but my husband, like yours, is a jewel. He cooks and just takes care of me. He even went to a yard sale with me just to get me out of the house.

Gosh! I reread some of my posts, and my grammar is really poor for a retired school teacher. I need to edit these things. They're even hard for me to understand, and I wrote them! Well, I was a math teacher. Maybe that explains it.

Thank you ladies...

(((((Batcatlady)))))  Glad you are feeling a little better.  Hope you are feeling much better soon.  The financial part is very stressful on top of everything else.  I can relate to wanting to vent, I think I must be driving everyone aound me crazy so today it's just me and these boards. 

naan- I'm so sorry, this has to be so devasting for you. You and your family will be in my prayers. God Bless you!!!

Today is day 4 post 2nd infusion.  Still not feeling quite right; no real pain but a little lower back  + knee discomfort plus it is VERY, VERY humid + add hot flashes and it's a combustible combination.  The Claritin probably didn't do much for the Neulasta shot.

About 85% of my hair came out. What stayed didn't break off, it kept it's length.  It was only about 4 inches so I cut it.

Im just laying around knowing that I'll feel better for work tomorrow.

God Bless everyone.

Well Lisa, you would think I could at least stick to the same tense in a sentence. I'm all over the place. I used to teach a high school English class when I was at the Christian Academy, but mostly, I taught the math. I correct my poor granddaughter's grammar all of the time, so I hope she doesn't get on here and edit my posts. I'm in for it if she does.

I have a question. I've read that days 7-10 are the days our immune systems are at their lowest WBC, but does the neulasta shot change that? I feel so well today that I am really confused about that one. I go in tomorrow for the CBC, so I'm hoping everything is beck to normal. I plan to work at the high school next Thursday, which is my 10th day.

Hi Saltyjack...I recently came to the same conclusion about my relationship with God.  I need to lean into and trust him more.

I have another question....i think I may post it on another thread as well.

It's been a little over a month for me since I learned I had BC...i know past tense but since I had my lumpectomy I have decided to think that way....anyway I know know one knows what causes BC but so far I have quit smoking...2 wks!!!!  Quit drink anything with artificial sweetners and just today bought some organic food.  Especially dairy products.  I watched a documentary today called Breast Cancer Diary where she got bc even though she lived a healthy life style...and also I have read here where womens did all the rights things and still got BC.  I can't say that...I have not taken good care of myself and now I am making changes...my question is....are you making changes since you found out about your BC to prevent reoccurance and if so what changes have you made?

Thanks for anything you feel let to share.

PS the documentary was good...sad but good.

Sharonanne: The Neulasta shot is supposed to change that; raise your white blood cell count. It did just that for me successfully, with little pain, just some aches.



Really, I think most of my SEs, with the definite exception of the hair loss and bad taste in my mouth, have been caused by the meds given to prevent the BIG SEs (oh the irony).



Lovewins: My principal change has been my diet. I am cutting back severely on all high sugar content foods, "white" foods (rice, potatoes, bread), and no longer use non-organic milk, apples, eggs, soy products or farmed salmon. I also have stopped all alcohol (due to chemo) and may never have it again. I won't have bacon or cold cuts that have been preserved with nitrates either.



This is because my tumor was estrogen positive and these foods are either contaminated with estrogen-like compounds (pesticides or growth hormones) or have estrogen-like effects (soy) or have a high glycemic index (white foods and sugary stuff) which produces an insulin spike in the body, which releases insulin growth factor which feeds cancer cells.



This has undoubtedly raised my grocery bill but oh, well. I want to do everything I can to prevent recurrence.



Congrats on quitting smoking I know it has to be tough particularly now since I'm sure you're stressed. Very good!

Yes, good question, lovewins (good thing you joined us!). I've always been in excellent health - kind of laughed when the kid at Costco asked if I needed help with the 50-lb. bag of dog food, always take the stairs and park far away from the store, usually walk a couple of miles several times a week, go to a co-op garden every week and eat lots of organic vegetables; never smoked and have one glass of red wine a week. That's the good; the bad - I've taken birth control pills for about 30 years, drink lots of diet coke and use Sweet n Low in coffee and tea. No history of BC in my family so I figured there was no need to do monthly self-exams (at least I kept up with annual mammograms!).

Like LHL, I can't even think beyond getting through the next couple of chemo sessions. I told my husband tonight that after a cycle or two I'll try to start getting back to normal (whatever that is going to be) - life can't stop for the next year....and I don't want it to!

Well, I had heard that about fresh fruits & veggies, but if we're not supposed to have them, I'm sunk.  Fruit is about the one thing that tastes really good to me right now!  I do wash it thoroughly, hopefully that helps.

Hello ladies, day 15, What a day, hair started falling out yesterday, I was so upset. Today husband insisted i shave his head, ( i am so-blessed) 3 glasses of wine later. He shaved my head. It's difficult, but its a step closer to being cured. Tomorrow is my 2 nd infusin, I

Will keep you all posted. prayers to each and every one of you.... God Bless

Oh my gosh, Naan! That's amazing that your hair is falling out so soon!!!!! I am watching mine and expect it any day now. I guess you can now be called a "hot mama". Your attitude is super positive. I prayed again around  4:30 a.m. for the chemo to eat up all of the cancer cells. Maybe I prayed too hard and it ate up your hair follicles!! I try to pray for everyone on this thread by name and don't get that accomplished every day, but your name and HVVs are always in my prayers since you two have the highest stages of the beast.

Cutiecool, You have an amazing husband. Good luck on your second infusion. You're two weeks ahead of me. I go every three weeks. I'm just now feeling normal.

sgyukon, I hope your chicken soup doesn't make you sick like mine did. My husband made mine and he is not so good at getting out all of the fat. After I froze it, I saw a ring of fat around the edge of the container. It made me so nauseous that I have an aversion to it now. I think I'll eat crackers for the first 3 days after my next infusion. Your hairloss story is very graphic. Now I kind of know what to expect. I'm in my day 9, so here come da judge.

lighthouselady, We can eat oranges, bananas, etc. that can be peeled. I peel mine then rinse them off in case I get any bacteria on the knife from the peeling. I'm avoiding blueberries, strawberries, raw broccoli, etc. I think carrots would be ok, because we can use a potato peeler on them.

I gave my little doggie, Jackson, a bath at 5:30 this morning because I have to go to my doctor to have my CBC test and the poor little thing was itching so badly. I have tried everything. Today, we're going to get him Bill Jack dog food from PetSmart. My cousin said that she thought that would help his itch. He takes Comforts for fleas. I hope he isn't allergic to it. He's a miniature schnauzer and has a lot of hair.

When my husband opens the refrigerator, the smells overwhelm me. We cleaned it our, yet I still smell something and it's not good. Whew! I guess I had better get used to it since it will probably be this way for the whole time.

God bless everyone. I'm going down my list praying for everyone by name. I don't get everyone's name daily, but I do get around to each one so I can pray a more personal prayer.