Starting Chemo in March 2014

Hi, mom2Bnegativex3! Wow, you've got a lot on your plate right now. I absolutely hate the fact that you have to be back here, but I'm glad to have your company along the way xoxo

First of all, congratulations on the new baby!!! You've officially got every reason in the world to beat back this recurrence quickly and get on with the business of enjoying your newest little one. Also, no court in the land would convict you for slapping anyone who questions how tired you are, lol. 

Can you tell me why you opted against the port this time? I'm honestly curious, especially since you say you loved it last time. I haven't scheduled placement yet, but my sister swears it's made treatment so much easier for her, and I hate to think about potential permanent damage to my veins. The chemo nurse I spoke with said I'd do just fine without one, but it's not like she has to live with it if she happens to be wrong. And the prospect of ongoing Herceptin treatments for at least a year following chemo makes me think the port is the smartest way to go.

Also, I LOVE the Sea Bands - just picked up a new pair for myself yesterday! I suffer from motion sickness and had constant, low-grade nausea during my pregnancy, and found that the Sea Bands were really more effective than anything else once I figured out how to put them on properly. As an added bonus, it wasn't a medication. Everyone, follow her advice and check them out - if they work for you, it'll be the best $4 you've ever spent.

I was all ready for it unil I talking with my MO About it and my concerns with another surgery due to the baby. She said I didn't have to have it this time since I did fine with the taxol part. Last time I had  A/C were I had to have it due to the damage it could do to the veins. Plus I will only have TX every third week. Going into chemo last time I had a huge fear of needles. With my IV in my arm from the lumpectomy I couldn't even look or move my arm but thus Time i would like a bit of "normalcy" In between treatments. 

Also, there was always a post nasal drip in the back of my throat. I had it for a few years after TX and I always contributed it to the port. I had a slight anxiety attack the day after my last treatment, (checking blood levels) and just wanted it out. I had it put in the morning if my first Jan 11th TX then taking out Sept 28th the day of my exchange surgery. 

Also she said I could do one or 2 with out it and then have it put in!! Maybe, in my head, just one way of denying what I am getting ready to start again. Or it maybe just freedom from this all!!

Good luck in your descision. (())

In case you want to help share prevention and screening info via social media channels, I found this board on Pinterest of breast cancer awareness infographics.

http://www.pinterest.com/pinkglovedance/breast-cancer-infographics/

hello. I'm new here and just have been reading some of your posts. I just found out yesterday I will need chemo. 4 times every 3 weeks for a total of 12 weeks. I am not doing that good now. I am nervous, scared, and upset. How did ya cope when you just found out?  

Oh are any of you going to try the cold caps for hair loss?

I will be joining in since it looks like my chemo will start in march. 

Is anyone not getting a port?

Thanks. 

hi

I've even lurking for a few days under the assumption I would be jointing you ladies for March chemo. Met w my BS yesterday and the 2.1cm tumor was 1.2cm once excised, IDC, Grade 3, DCIS as well. Neg nodes. Having re-excision tomorrow b/c margins not clear. He planned on putting in port tomorrow as well. 

Nurse navigator called me this morning and says she is delaying port b/c oncologist now wants to do oncotype to help decide chemo need. Apparently he doesn't know if I need it now b/c tumor smaller than mammo/u-s/MRI all showed. 

Now need to wait a few extra weeks for healing and testing. 

I've been reading (a lot) and it seems that grade 3 pretty much gets chemo regardless. 

I guess my concern is that pre-lumpectomy the onco was definitely chemo based on age (46) and grade. Size was a secondary reason. I also chose a lumpectomy b/c onco recommended strongly against delaying chemo long enough for healing of BMX I planned. Recommended waitin until next summer for prophylactic BMX. Now they seem to be backing off and letting a test decide. 

I am a paramedic, well-informed, I work in a busy urban ED (same hosp being treated at), and don't want to make waves but ... After wrapping my head around chemo and it's effects, I'm angry (very angry actually)  that they are changing their minds mid-way.  Had I known all this, I would have chosen a different treatment to begin with. 

So March 19 I should know if I stay a march chemo. 

Suggestions??

I am not doing the cold cap because they say it can stop the chemo from getting to the scalp and I would rather be bald again then have this SH*T again:)

I will try to see if I can pot a pic later. This time around I am going to put on make up and draw on eyebrows. Last time I didn't care but this time I am rather large with baby and just want to!! I have seen some great you tube videos on it and can't wait. 

Also there is a shampoo to desensitize your scalp that will help out soo much. I always had my cap on and some times my scalp would tingle. I got my first sample at my treatment place and it worked great. NOTE the eye lash lotion that "claims" you can keep them doesn't work. Waste of time and money. If you are going to get a wig have you MO. write you a cranial prosthesis. Helps with cutting down the cost more then half:) 

We can do this ladies. Have a great support team is key. But have others that you can vent and know what you are going through is so helpful((())) hugs to us all we can do it!!

Welcome, Medicmom - I think you have every right in the world to be frustrated, because it's so difficult to come to terms with chemo in the first place, and now you're back in limbo again. It sounds as though your MO was advising you with an eye toward standard of care based on what the imaging showed, but now that the tumor is out and it's quite a bit smaller than originally thought, he wants to make sure you'll truly benefit from it before he subjects you to all of those awful poisons.

Ultimately, it's sort of up to you either way. If you insist on MX, you'll get one. If you insist on chemo, you'll get that, too (although you might have to seek out a second opinion and express your desire for treatment). So much of this stuff is based on statistics and hunches and cost-benefit, both in terms of treatment $ and in terms of how much harm the treatment is likely to do to you. But it's your body, you know? So listen to your instincts, examine your options, make a decision and don't look back.

Mom2B, I'm with you on the cold caps. It's a ton of work, and while it sucks to lose your hair, it would suck a whole lot more to have to do it again. Also, I'm frankly sadder about my eyebrows and lashes, because it's not like I can hide my face with a wig or a cap or a scarf :-) I'm lucky in that I wear makeup almost every day, so I just have to brush up on some skills and hope that I can fake my way through it. As a sidenote, if you ladies have access to a salon that waxes or tints eyebrows, you might want to pay them a visit while you still have brows. It's amazing what they can do with a little tint - they can seriously make four eyebrow hairs look like fifty. It's not permanent, but it lasts for a few weeks at a time and makes life easier.

On the other hand, I'll definitely be icing my fingers and toes - not because I care all that much about the nails, but because I live in fear of developing permanent neuropathy.

Nina, that sounds awesome!! I am going to get a mani/pedi before I start. I know one I start chemo I won't be able to get them. I turn 40 this year. Lots of stuff happening. And some great distractions. It helps to know your bad days then get back to normal. Woo hoo ya us!!! Maybe when we all start we could make a sticky for our TX days and a count down!!

Nina you are 50? Wow! Never would have guessed!

Lorbgoo, I am sorry you are here, but glad you came to this site. When I found out on February 5, I quickly joined here because I didn't know what else to do and it has helped tremendously. I just had my first chemo yesterday and just some stomach pain today. I was all about the cold caps until my doc said there is a risk of a cancer cell not getting zapped when you wear them, that's all I needed to hear. I cut my hair off really short (pic was posted a few days ago in this thread) and bought some really cute stuff to wear when the day comes. Headcovers.com had some really cute things, and there is a boutique near me for cancer patients with all kinds of cute things, maybe you have something similar in your area.

I also recommend the port, for me it is more tolerable then someone sticking my veins. Never been a fan of that. 

Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your journey. We will all get through this!

I did look at the website. It does seem like a lot of work but, my husband said he would help me with it. I asked my oc and he said I could do it. I am still looking into it though. I am doing better than last night but  I have a distraction from my kids. I just dont want to go anywhere or really talk to anyone. I'm a mess...

Lovemyboysandlab, I'm glad you only have stomach pain and it is not going to bad with all things considered:) Your wig looks absolute amazing. Just like your real hair!

Lorngoo(()) it never hurts to feel like that. We are all here for what ever you need!! Sometimes it helps to talk about it, sometimes it helps to just escape from it!   

Hi March 2014 ladies !...I was right where you are 3 years ago ! (see March 2011 Chemo Lounge)...I was diagnosed January 27, 2011, had a double mastectomy (no reconstruction), port in (so glad I had that!) and started AC x 4 , weekly Taxol x 12, then radiation x 37. It was so helpful talking to the ladies going thru the same ordeal 3 years ago. We were all great support for each other. Yep, lost the hair and found a super cute wig....I'm telling you my new "crop" of hair is fantastic..curls and waves ...love it !! I am currently on Arimidex and just graduated to every 6 month visits with my ONC. Feeling great and sometimes surprise myself at how infrequently I think about BC. Enjoying every day . I'll check back on your group and I'll be thinking about you ! Take one day at a time !

Hi Stilts, welcome back (and glad it's just for a visit). Sounds like you had the same cocktail menu that I'm scheduled for: I start DD AC X 4 next week, followed by T weekly x12. It's so encouraging to hear that you don't think so much about having had cancer any more. I think that's the point we all want to reach. And the sooner the better. We have lives that we need to get on with and babies to be birthed, and kids, and dogs, and everything else. 

My port goes in tomorrow and I'm planning a last-hurrah girly day on Friday with mani-pedis, wig shopping, and a nice lunch with my BFF from childhood.