Calling all TNs

Fighter- will be thinking about you today. I hope the biopsy is pain free and you get good results...quickly!

Yes, Zenful, that happens.  I had the same treatment and I lost mine 2-3 times.  I didn't lose them all after the first time, but they really thinned out.  It was depressing because I was so excited to get them back.  They WILL come back, but it takes some time before things stabilize with lashes and brows.  You look beautiful in your picture!

Kathy

BAK  I hope you are able to put the photo up.  I just love the picture of Romi. A big cuddly bear.  I can just see it now, sitting in the lap and the little kiss.    

Hello! Ladies! I am new here and I am TNBC, dx on 11/27/13. I am going to Chemo (ddAC x4 and taxol x12) from next week (Jan 9th). Do you ladies have any advice during Chemo? Also I will go rad after chemo. I am a bit nervous! I already got hats and wig so am ready to lose my hair, and I already prescribed anti-nausia! So, I am getting ready to go Chemo. Recommendation for anything to eat, excise/activities, and anything to be aware of? Do I miss anything??? 

I don't post much in this group, usually in my chemo group but  I am TnBc and want to know if I should test for BRCA gene. I'm 57 and am adopted so I don't know much about my family history. I have a daughter and 2 sons so I wondering if I should be tested for their sake. I need to see if my insurance will pay for it. Ironically my adoptive mother and her sister both had breast cancer but I am not blood related to them. I guess I need to make another decision, lol.

Gramo--I was 61 when diagnosed and my insurance wouldn't pay for BRAC genetic testing because they said I had no first degree relatives who had breast cancer AND if I had the BRAC gene I would have gotten BC earlier in my life.  Hogwash but I wasn't able to pay for testing myself.

My 42 year old daughter's insurance wouldn't pay for her to get tested because my BRAC status was unknown.

At the time I was too tired of fighting insurance to get treatment things I needed so I let that one go.  I hope you have the energy to keep fighting even if insurance first denies you.

Hugs,

Peggy

Fighter, thinking of you, hoping things went well.

Gram, I'm adopted as well. My adopted mother and grandmother also had BC and died early from it, but like you, no blood relation. I got tnbc at 54 and because I live in Ontario, they won't test me. I practically begged the genetic councelor but she said that without knowing blood relations-they assume I have none. If I had been under 50, they may have been able to bend the rules. It's very frustrating as I have a son and daughter and worry for them. Hopefully in the States, you will have more luck. I can't help thinking that if BC is about 20% hereditary, does that mean that about 80% is environmental? Well I lived 15 years of my life in the same "environment" as my Mom and Grandmother (adopted) and ate the same diet as them. Sometimes I feel being adopted your treated as a second class citizen. 

Sorry, didn't mean to dump my frustrations, but I feel better doing it- lol! I thought that if you were under 60 with tnbc that they automatically tested you for genes in the States? Good luck- really hoping you can get the testing and insurance will pay.

Mary, my nurses also told me my hair might start to come back during Taxol, but that's when I lost eyebrows and eyelashes and became shiny bald.  I was so glad when it all returned.  Just part of the process.  This too shall pass, right?

Logging in after many days and catching up with the discussions again..

Oh yes, Mary and Zenful..losing eyelashes is a terrible part. My Acs are over, taxol will begin in a few days and I am sure by the second taxol I would have lost it completely..

fighter: do post your biopsy results

simplelife: have your taxols begun? AC is making you sleep..its good. Ac kept me awake whole night..I got palpitations and anxiety attacks, nightmares and all.. I hope taxol is easy on me.

Gramof2: I guess since you got cancer at 57, u are not brca positive, since brca positive women tend to get cancer much earliar. 

Cocker: hows ur treatment going on now.. have your chemos begun?

bak: so his name is Romi!! thanks for sharing titbits like this

TifJ: how was holidays.. 2014, u will be completing 4 years post diagnosis!

I am getting ready for the next round..4 taxols lined up! with ACs over, I feel the worst is over...but who knows taxols might surprise me.

Candycandy,

It's been 1 1/2 years since I finished chemo, so my memory isn't the greatest (yes, chemo brain is real!).

But one thing that happened to me is when my hair started to come out, I was waiting as long as possible to get it cut off. I was outside and the wind caught my hair and blew it the opposite way from how it lay and it hurt like hell - actually made me cry! That MAY not happen to you but be prepared just in case.

Another thing is that one of the the chemo treatments I received (Cytoxan, Taxotere) can cause finger and toe nails to separate and fall off so my hospital provided ice mitts and ice socks while getting that particular infusion. If you are getting either of those, ask before your infusion.

I didn't get radiation but my Mom did when she had bc - remember to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. The ladies on here who had rads can recommend the best stuff to use. My Mom didn't and, although we thought she had sailed through with no bad effects, after the radiation ended she got terrible radiation burns on her chest.

The best advice I can give you is to remember that you can get through this but take care of yourself:

- take your meds when needed, don't wait until the pain and nausea are unbearable

- eat what you can when you can

- rest when your body tells you to

- don't read too much on the internet as there is way too much negative stuff out there

- try to think positive and avoid negative people

- feel free to come on this site and ask ANY questions you have (no question is wrong or silly)

- vent on this site whenever you have to (most of us have at one time or another)

We have been through what you are going through and we are here for you at every stage - to laugh, to cry and to hold your hand! Good Luck and {{{HUGS}}} as you start this journey.

Doreen

ditto to what Doreen and Maggie have said. Can't tell you enough to drink lots of fluids, but don't over do it. I remember someone in my chemo month drank too much water and threw her electrolytes off. I wasn't able to stomach water, but soda water seemed much more agreeable and helped settle my queezieness. Be kind to yourself and listen to your body when it needs a rest. If you can manage, a 10 minute walk is good for the body and spirit! Buy yourself some new makeup and have fun with your changing look! I never wore eyeliner in my life as I always had thick eyelashes, so in preparation, I went eye makeup shopping and picked up a gorgeous eyeliner and  a good eyebrow pencil. Then some new lipstick! 

Will be thinking positive thoughts for you! 

hi candy..i have begun chemo from november and i am midway 

expect your hair to start falling from the 18th day after the first chemo.

get a buzz cut done beforehand and suddenly on the 18th day you will find your hair coming off in chunks. i remember , one such chunk falling off and getting stuck in my eyes! and then i shaved it off completely. I would advise you to just shave it off..since its very inconvinient..

regarding turban use..yes..the hair all fallen off is inside the turban and not on your pillow, but its a big job cleaning off the mess from your turban. so better shave it off..it doesnt fall few at a time, its like big chunks..u can almost pull a bunch out with your hands

now that my days are moving from one chemo to the next, i find myself quite comfortable without hair...i am more busy handling the other side effects of chemo and eating lots of protein etc and drinking fluids...around 3 to 3.5 litres daily.

all the best for your chemo..which kind of chemo drugs have been prescribed for you?

candy candy,

I switched to Bare Minerals, using only their powder products and moisturized with Neutrogenia cream.  I felt as if the makeup wasn't penetrating my skin (I was phobic about chemicals after BC dx).  Don't know if it is true but it was fun treating myself to a new "look" --I really love how the last step, Mineral Veil, made my skin so smooth.  The brushes are expensive but I didn't care--I needed some retail therapy!

In any case, it's good to get rid of any makeup you have had for more than a couple of months and buy new (no matter what the brand), as germs can build up quickly in old makeup and you don't want to risk anything that could negatively effect your immune system.

Hugs,

Peggy

I chose to buzz cut my hair before it fell out.  My son cut it, and I invited a girlfriend over.  She showed up with a camera and we had fun with it, shaving it in stages.  Below is the Mohawk stage before we completely buzzed it.  It was a huge hit with my son's friends when he posted it on Facebook.  

Hi All, 

I did neoadjuvant taxol (x12) first and am doing AC now.  I just have one more infusion to go on Jan. 14th.  My hair thinned considerably on taxol, but I was always able to "pass" as someone who just had fine hair.  With my 3rd AC, I have very little hair left.  It never came out in clumps....just some every day.  I wear a cap indoors and out because it's chilly here.  The AC is wearing me down.....I think because I was tired from the Taxol before I started AC.  I take a lot of anti-nausea meds, Emend IV, zophran, phenergan, scopaline patch, ativan.....I still have frequent feelling of nausea.  I only threw up once on day5 post AC #1 when the Emend wore off.   

I just feel very weak and tired right now.  I'm just glad it's the middle of the winter while I'm going through this.  I don't feel like I'm missing so much by not being able to go outside like I normally do.

I was 60 when I was diagnosed with TNBC.  That was the exact cut-off for my insurance covering the cost of the BRCA test for women with TNBC.  I just got the results back New Years Eve.  I'm negative.

I meet with the breast surgeon on Jan. 15th (the day after my last AC infusion).  I believe I will be having a lumpectomy and lymph node disection.  If I don't get a pCR, my oncologist may give me a platium-based chemo after surgery.  My tumor has shrunk a lot with AC so it's possible I might get a pCR.   I'm keeping my fingers crossed.