October 2013 Chemotherapy

The PS will put in tissue expanders if youbare having radiation, it is the implants themselves they won't put in prior to radiqtion. The TEs are thicker/stronger and aren't usually damaged during radiation. In fact since radiation can damage/shrink the skin the TE helps maintain the space for implants or flap reconstruction. I had an infection i n one of my expanders and had to have it removed so my reconstruction will be slightly compromised on that side.

Macy, my BS discouraged me from placing the TEs during mastectomy due to radiation. So when treatment is all over I will start again with another surgery to place TE. I don't know when I will do this. Again, I need to be patient, which is hard.

jrmama - the runny nose will continue on Herceptin only infusions, it is a SE of Herceptin.  The bloody noses should subside - they are a function of irritated tissue and low platelets (blood clotting cells), so as your counts improve after finishing the TC portion you should see improvement, but some still have them on Herceptin only. 

Pam~

Taxol SEs for me so far have been minimal. So much better than A&C! & no Neulasta shot SEs either!

Teamkim

Thanks for the thread-will look forward when I can say Chemo is officially over =D

Thanks for the feedback, SpecialK and naiviv. So good to get reassurance from those who have "been there".

I asked "Santa" (my sweet husband) for some handkerchiefs from Vermont Country Store. They're hard to find these days!!

My 4th tx is Tuesday. I should be done with chemo by early February - hooray!!!

One more thing I forgot to ask about: I've noticed since starting chemo that some earrings (even 14k gold) make gray marks on my lobes. And I have to lubricate the posts/wires for one ear especially because it seems to be sensitive. Anyone else notice these changes with chemo?

TeamKim - thanks for setting up the Radiation board. I look forward to joining all you "graduates" in February or March!

Thanks though my treatment started in Sept I still have til the last of Feb for chemo. I haven't talked about further surgery & radiation with my MO yet but need to soon.

i hope my post wasn't taken as boasting. I just like newbies to know how varied it all is. I do feel blessed through much of this...mostly for coming across this great group of women.

No worries Wrenn!!!

I just finished my last AC Thursday and will be starting DD Taxol the week after next. I had some very mild nausea issues this time around but this was the first time I'd ever felt any nausea during treatment. Just ate something and it went away. Very worried about Taxol though. Even though everyone says it is much easier than AC I do worry about the SE's. Had a fairly easy time with the AC: just some fatigue, hairloss (but not eyebrows or all of my lashes) and darkening nail beds but nothing else. I've even tolerated the neulasta shots well, even though they hurt like heck when I get them. I need some ideas how what I can take to prevent SE's from taxol. If anyone here has any advice on what I can do to prevent neuropothy I'd really appreciate it. I think this is when things are going to start getting tougher for me. I'll probably lose the bit of hair on my head and my eyebrows. The eyebrows will hurt since I don't do much makeup and nothing says "cancer patient" more than no eyebrows. Maybe I'll start practicing with the pencil.

Jaybird26: It's tough doing cancer treatments period. When you're alone and having to take care of kids it has to be a challenge (although I think children are a blessing and wish I still had little ones around). You say most of the time you feel okay then "and then I remember that I have cancer and I get knocked back". This is what I do when that happens. I tell myself:

I DON'T HAVE CANCER (it was completely removed during surgery).

I AM BEING TREATED FOR CANCER (a play on words, yes but chemo is supposed to be insurance)

This is just a temporary thing and soon the chemo will be done and you'll get your hair, strength and life back. Whenever those depressing thoughts start, push them out of your mind as soon as possible!! You don't have cancer; you're going through chemotherapy, that's all. Bless you and your little one and I hope you can have a nice holiday. Christmas is always nicer when it's for children.

2timer - run this by your onc, but I took 30g of L-Glutamine (powder, 3xdaily @ 10g dissolved in a drink), 100mg of B6, and 1500 mg of Acetyl L-Carnitine.  My onc was fine with it.  I had tingling in feet, fingers and tongue that resolved by the next treatment until #5, then the feet stayed.  It took about 8 weeks PFC for the neuropathy to resolve but it did.  I also iced my fingers and toes to try to keep form losing my nails, they did well.  Some people ice for neuropathy prevention, but I am not convinced this works as neuropathy is nerve damage caused by the drug being infused - it is a communication between the nerves and the brain, so I remain unconvinced that local application of ice to the extremities has much of an effect.

Can someone advise me on where to post a question to the general population here or to triple neg people? I would like to blame chemo brain for not being able to figure this out myself but I was just as dim before chemo started.

I would like to find other triple negs who opted out of chemo. thanks xo

Thank you Schoolcounselor, You are a sweetheart. xo

Jay Bird, All of those people who said, "let me know if you need anything"........ send hem an e-mail, let them know that chemo is taking a lot out of you, and ask if there is a day in the next 2 weeks, where they could bring you a meal, etc. A lot of times people feel helpless, and they really do want to do something, but just need a little direction, etc. i am awful, awful, awful at asking for help, but when one of my friends offered to set up a mealtrain for me, it was wonderful. When a couple other friends told me it was full, but they wanted to bring a meal, i asked if they could be "on standby" and i would call if something came up...whenI was hospitalized, they were more than happy to jump in. The holidays are busy and people get wrapped up in their lives, but most people really want to help too, so send the, a little reminder, so you can get some help and some rest! Before my diagnosis, when friends had cancer, etc, I always wanted to help, but never knew what to do...now I know...meals and clean their house! If your friends can't help, ask a local church; they usually have people more than happy to help. Good luck. This too shall pass.....just not nearly as quickly as we'd like.......I always wanted time to slow down because my kids were growing up too fast....well it sure came to a screeching halt now...this is not how I wanted time to slow!

Jaybird, I agree with the other ladies. I also am extremely independent, but I found I needed to,ask for and accept help. People don't know what to do and they need to take your lead. They want to help but don't sometimes know what to say. One thing for sure, is unless a person has gone through this journey, they don't know how we feel both physically and emotionally. I have found so many psychological components to this disease that I never would have known. That is why this site is important to me personally. You will always be able to find understanding here from these ladies.

Headeast, I think I am having hot flashes but I am not sure what they feel like. I just get hot like I have been working out but now sweaty. I have only missed one period and I don't even know when hot flashes would even start.