Starting Chemo June 2013!?!?!

Aryads I know how you feel but you know it's temporary it will come back. We all will be the same one day. I know this will happen maybe not as fast as we want but it's coming . I m the same way when i look in the mirror... i gained bunch no hair no make up but thank god I'm here reading your comments and knowing we we will be just fine. Yes, ladies I called my onc again explain that anxiety pill doesn't help. my heart rate is still high. They want me to go there early in the morning for more blood test.

Kay,

I'll be doing 12 rounds of weekly Taxol as well. Mine is going in my port. I just finished 4 rounds of dose dense AC and in comparison, this is "supposed" to be alot easier. We'll see. My onc said the worst side effects are neuropathy and bone pain. My nd prescribed Eupatorium and Glutamine to deal with those. Hoping my nails don't turn brown. Ick!

Kayezzy66 - I've 2 rounds of dose dense Taxol and it is a blessed relief compared to AC.  I do have pain and I'm feeling more and more tired as time goes but I've had no nausea and that alone makes it easier for me.  My pain stays under control with Advil and on the harder days I take Norco or Percocett but that's it.  Poor Ocean will tell a different story - she has a lot more pain than me!  I take vitamins B6 and B12 and L-Glutamine for neuropathy and so far it's been minimal.  Good luck!

dlm - you do eyebrows and I'll do hats.  I don't wear wigs or scarves.  I do kerchiefs and hats.  Baseball hats suck because they have a hole in the back and none of them really provide enough coverage.  I just think we could design a better hat.

I'm feeling fairly decent.  I've had a ripping headache for a couple days.  I'm not a huge migraine person.  I've had a few and I think that's what this is.  More and more tired all the time.

Bracing myself for Tuesday - Round 3 of Taxol.

Just had DD Taxol #2 yesterday.  Doc originally gave me a choice of this or the 12 weekly, but I also just want to get done.  I think it also has been a little rough.  Mostly the bone pain.  It wakes me up yelling in the middle of the night.  During the day my temper can be shorter also.  I'm a boss though so it's not all bad.  Sometimes the employees need a kick in the a**......lol.  I didn't throw too many things at work yesterday.  Just enough to get their attention!       

My real pain usually doesn't hit till tomorrow afternoon or so.  Doc said double up on oxy's from the start to help ward it off before it gets too bad.  They are mild dose anyway.  Then the energy level is really rough.

Good luck to everyone for a calm weekend.

Val,

I'm so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my prayers...

Val,

Sorry for your loss.  Grandmothers are pretty special.  May you continue to find peace and strenght from her all throughout your life.  

Hello Ladies,

Finally a bit of energy/focus to be able to post.  Last 2 days have been okay but certainly nowhere near normal or symptom free. Wonder when that will be.  

I'm trying to get my head around radiation.  From what I'm reading that may have its own set of challenges.  I also have to coordinate significant travel every day or stay at the cancer lodge.  Then there is the recovery equal to the time in treatment that is required.  And just what is going to happen with my RA (which seems to be creeping back already)  Too much for me and sort of feeling a bit in a panic but not sure why.  

Oh, get this - my last chemo is supposed to be next Thurs the 12th.  Well I still don't have a time yet, they say they are waiting for a cancellation to see where they can fit me in.  Really?!  So that has me sort of in a holding pattern of not knowing.  Not sure how it is going to feel walking out after last treatment.  Nurses have been telling me to be prepared for mixed emotions.  I guess just another unknown that will reveal itself as it happens.  

Think I need to do something active today.  Have to shake off this mood I'm in.  Thanks for being here to let me get my thoughts out.  It really helps.

I have had 2 radiation treatments.  36 to go.  So far, pretty easy.  The worse thing for me is the 1 1/2 hour drive one way.  I hear that you get more tired as the treatments go on.  I have 7 tattoos.  Been using aloe gel and miaderm.  It was reccommended on other sites.  Sorry to hear about your grandmother.  It makes all of your treatment a little harder, but you will get through this and see an end!

Val, sorry to hear about the loss of your Grandma.  It's such an inspiration to hear stories of such long survival.  It can really help to hear something like that when your having a particularly rough day.

Ocean, I hope you find something to keep your mind busy.  Rehashing things over and over can be tough.

Kati, I totally understand what your feeling when you feel something and just can't help but wonder and worry that it could be the worst.  Another situation where a busy mind helps to allieviate some worries.

So far, I am sore all over, but I can handle that.  It's the pain deep in the bones that's tough.  Hopefully, I can keep it from getting too bad.  Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Hey everyone,

Just checking in. As if dealing with my last AC I get the added SE of having yet another period! That's 3 in 2 mos. soooo sick of it! Onc says hopefully that means I'm about to go into menopause and its normal for women my age to continue with my cycle through chemo. Lucky me. I never know when it's coming. Ugh! Anyone else having that problem? I feel like a fat bloated bald whale. This sucks! I've also gained 20 lbs in 2 mos since starting chemo. Thanks steroids! Doc wants me to focus on my diet and exercise now that I'm moving to low dose Taxol. Hoping I can drop this weight, I was already chunky to begin with. Now I'm just full on obese! Sigh....

Laka my heart rate goes high also.  It goes up to 125 with very little activity..my highest (that I know of) was 138.  My normal heart rate is around 105-115.  I asked the cancer expert at the University of Chicago what could be causing my high heart rate.  She stated that quite a few cancer patients have a high heart rate. I've had my heart checked when I went to the ER for chest pains and racing heart.  They kept me for 2 nights and ran plenty of tests/scans and determined that nothing was wrong with my heart.  So I guess this high heart rate thing is my new normal.  Have your doctors run tests to determine if you have any reason for your high heart rate but if nothing shows up it might be the effect of cancer.

Netter – 2 rounds of radiation in and sounding good.  My drive will be 1 ½ each way as well.  Are you doing the driving yourself at this point?  I was figuring it wouldn’t be possible but would love to hear what you are doing. 

aaoaao – sorry to hear of the issues you are having heart wise.  Hope the new normal is not forever.  I too have some heart things to watch for and am hoping that with all the scans and such they do on us we’ll keep on top of it. 

Re: Taxol pains.  While there seems to be a wide range of severity, the pattern of when it hits is seems to run more consistent.  Good day of treatment and 2 days following.  Then, pain hits night of day 3 and lasts for 3 – 4 days.  For me, what I thought was only deep bone pain turned out to be that but primarily nerve pain.  I also got some significant pins and needles on fingers and toes during the height of the pain.  And, yes the ovary pain too.  Talk about weird side effects.  Just speaks to the fact that this is some serious chemical soup they are pumping into us.       

Really?! those still getting their periods.  Just what we need on top of this.  I got mine for the first two cycles of AC.  They stopped after that.  Not sure if I want them back or to stay away.  I think I’ll want them back if I had a choice. 

Practically jumped when I caught my reflection in the mirror yesterday afternoon.  Was feeling pretty good, just doing stuff around the house, no make-up on or head covering, hadn’t even drawn on eyebrows.  Whoa, who is that?  Still catches me by surprise.  

KatiAK – have fun watching your boys play hockey and I hope that the gland things doesn’t turn into anything. My hubs has a nasty head cold that just turned up out of nowhere.  Hope I don’t get it. 

I’m feeling good today and thrilled not to have to be fuzzy headed on pain meds.  I do not like that one bit.  I know I’ve missed a ton of people here but can only scroll back so far before my brain gets full.  Wishing everyone a good day.

I have to also take dexamethason 4 mg,3 one day the 2,then 1,on the day of taxol,and 2 days after...are you on any of this ?.

I had to take Dex with AC dose dense, but on Taxol just have to have it in my port on day 1. My Taxol is low dose this time for 12 weeks so that's why my onc said I didn't need the 5 days of steroids anymore.

Robin lynn, I'm doing a class just the same, take comfort in thinking everyone in that class is probably feeling the same, take strength from eachother and kick some arse!!!