Starting Chemo June 2013!?!?!

Angstaap - I'm right there with you! Not a hair anywhere. No eyelashes, no eyebrows, no nothing! And my fingernails get uglier and uglier. And I still take pain meds to much for my liking too but I don't like Taxol pain.

Someday . . .

Last chemo yesterday I'm so happy to be done , I was one of the last ones to start in our June group (June 24) but I have stayed on schedule and now I'm done done done !!! Happy happy week ladies !!

7 weeks out and hit the ground running. Hit a wall yesterday. Not feeling well, can't put words to it really. Little disoriented, tired, strange catch in my lungs, headache very ache. My vision in my left eye seem "dark" like I am seeing a shadow.

It's not a cold or a flu. Any insight would be helpful.

Ladies a web site to look forward to:-))) I am almost ready for the shortest hair. http://www.pinterest.com/pinkandstrong/short-hair-ideas-after-chemo/

it's a guarantee to lose your hair with ACT the hair continues to fall out with taxol and its 6 weeks after last treatment when you start to see some grow. I am 2 months post last treatment and I have a crew cut boys hair do! Eyebrows are almost all in and so are my eyelashes except there real short!!! Had my exchange not even 48 hours ago. Surgery went well but because I had the TE in since April I had scar tissue that my surgeon had to cut away very painful and to be honest I hate my new breast:(''''' I asked to go bigger than the expanders but they look to wide and flat and definitely not bigger

Congratulations Annika! It's so nice when chemo is over! I'm still hoping to be done with rads by Thanksgiving. I threw my back out and it hurts like crazy so of course I'm FREAKING about mets to my spine. Even my own logical side says this is a place in my back that has bothered me for years but you know . . .

dlm425 - I'm glad your surgery is complete. I imagine it's impossible for them to replace what you're used to. I'm glad you have hair! I have none! I'm 8 weeks out from my last chemo. Not even fuzz. I do keep "Hard as Nails" on my nails and I haven't actually lost any but they look yucky and the ends pull up from the beds. They might make it tho. Right now I'm keeping them trimmed very short.

I have a friend/acquaintance newly diagnosed and my moms cousin - both get to start their journey. Seems it's running rampant.

I was digging thru some paperwork and caught my clinical diagnosis was actually Stage IIa, not Ia because it was a 2 cm lump. It actually makes more sense and obviously doesn't change anything but what the hell - is this just the gift that keeps on giving or what?

I'll be glad when my back pain subsides and I can rest - physically and mentally!

Hope everybody from this thread is still doing well. No news is good news? Back to our busy lives? Although . . . I find it a little difficult to let go of regular doctor visits. Kinda feels like I'm just dangling. But I guess I'll get used to it. I know I won't miss daily radiation. I've finished the 28, start my 5 boosts tomorrow. We'll do 2 next Tuesday cuz we're still hoping to finish with Wednesday - and CELEBRATE Thanksgiving!

I still have my back pain - tho NOT like it was. I think it's fatigue. I know I could use a 3 day nap. And my pap came back normal so that's always good news. At least something about me is normal.

KatieAK... Normal is a matter of perspective! Haha. Congrats girl on your rads being caput!! Yah-freakin hoo!!

Agree with you about being afloat kind of lonely after it's all said and done.

Feels a little lonely actually. The suport of friends are thinning the dr visits just ended no weaning just poof all done. $300k medical bills racked up and proof all done. Being surrounded by love and support by friends and the pooof life goes back to where it was.

But for us; life will never be the same. Will we live life to the fullest ? Love stronger hold tighter, work less? And live more? Boy i sure hope so. But sadly I fear I too am slipping back to my old life. Working too hard too many long hours and not looking around and "smelling the roses" I hate that saying btw.

Cancer threw one good last punch my way. Almost a hey rain just to make sure you never forgot this journey. Cancer or chemo gave me a life time momento: I have a small blind shadow where I've lost my vision in my left eye right on the edge of my peripheral vision. It's annoying.

Guess it's cancers way of saying. Nope not so fast rain, take life a little slower live life stronger love harder. But I am still trying to live just like I did before DX.

How is everyone else hanging in? Any after effects? You all going back to life as before? Or living it better ?

Congratulations Annika12!!! That is the BEST news! I've never had any scans. My doc didn't feel they were necessary because "it was caught early" but sometimes I wonder if it would make me feel better.

I'm DONE! Did my last rad this morning. I still have to do Tamoxifen but I think the true meaning of "survival" is just getting thru treatment. That - and the mental game we'll now play with ourselves for how many years to come (hopefully many!)? I still look at people like my mother-in-law who is about 13 years out and perfectly healthy and they are my hope. Finishing treatment is sure a mixed bag of emotions!

Rain - how are you feeling?  I know in November you had some weird sensations - including shadows in one eye?  I hope that's all resolved and you're moving forward.

dlm425 - I'm so sorry to hear about the messed up implants.  I was counting doctor appointments I have in the next several weeks and it's just amazing!  I don't even have a primary care provider cuz I never went to doctors before all this.  (I do work for one tho).  Now I have a list of about six different doctors I'll be seeing.  Sheesh!

I'm going to a D.O. on Friday about my back pain.  It's gotten a little better but is still driving me crazy - physically and mentally.

So now that were "done with treatment" - that's it?  I saw a thread on here somewhere about how it's almost harder to be done than to be in treatment.  I guess despite the misery at least we felt proactive.  Now I'm just learning to cope with the fear and the unknown.  I'm exhausted and half of it is from the argument in my head about whether I'm healthy or not or doing the right things to stay healthy or not.  I have yet to relax and enjoy not being in treatment.

Hang in there ladies.  Wish we could all get together and commiserate.  Could use a long conversation with some one who "gets it".

Rain, I totally get what you're saying about working too hard and long hours.....although I never stopped throughout treatment. Atleast so far. I am still doing radiation. I am having a hysterectomy at the end of this month and am actually kind of looking forward to it so that I have some time to rest!!

dlm, you must have some really fast growing hair for it to be that long already!! I am 2 months out and am not even close to that length and can't imagine it that long for a while. But atleast it is all growing back!

Wow dlm that's awesome for hair growth!  I have a little fuzz I still keep covered.  I'm 2 1/2 months out from chemo.  Still have symptoms, yucky nails, sometimes my ears ring.  Fatigued but oh so much better than during chemo!

Got my path report from surgery !!! I am cancer free yiiiippppiiiiiii !!! No cancer in the breast , no cancer in the tail lymph node and 2 out of 30 lymph nodes showed isolated cancer cells , they were 3 cm when I started chemo do no surprise !!! Check up in six months......well I have herceptin and possible radiation between. But tonight nothing can spoil my ending to these last5 sucky months !!!

Day 1 of Tamoxefin 20mg. 

tamoxifen and I have been friends since September with no side effects !!!! I had my implants removed on Thursday all went well much better this time then last!!! I'm on my way to being a new normal for me! Life will never be the same again but I will start living my life now.  New Year New Beginning for me!!!! Merry Christmas and Healthy Happy New Year to all my friends on this board hope everyone is doing well!!! Much love and support