February 2014 Starting Chemo Club

I just turned 40 in January....so who knows.

Happy for you Sicilian!

Hope-I know what you mean...I'm tired of it all too. I'm telling myself too, even though I was giving serious thought to what if I just don't go back for my last 3. DH about freaked on me when I suggested it.....

tangandchris & h0pe I had night sweats during chemo. I was perimenopausal when I started chemo although periods were regular and I didn't have any  hot flashes. My last period was 2 weeks before I started chemo. My flashes were between  2-5 in the morning. Many women put a fan by their bed. I never got really sweaty, more like warm flashes that would start at my head then pass down my body followed by a cold flash. I found wearing a sleep mask helps as far as getting back to sleep.

Sicilian you made it. You will find as you start to feel better you won't feel or look like you aged 12 years. Your body is just beat from the chemo assault. It takes a bit to repair and rebuild. I found at 5 weeks PFC I really started to feel better then continued to improve. BTW you look a bit pissed off at chemo in your photo. Not old but annoyed. 

H0pe & Tang after chemo #4 I was so "I don't want to play chemo anymore." But I did and made it. You will too. Not that much longer. Black nails will go away. As long as they don't hurt or lift you are doing fine.

Sicilian congrats on your DH being accepted into the BFA program at FIT. Which program? I have a couple of BFAs (and MFA... I liked school) under my belt too.

Sicilian. I feel so drawn and aged too. Awful.  Super great news on your DD!! And congrats on completing it all!!!

H0pe and Tandandchris..... I'm having night sweats too. I go to bed on light Jammies. Wake up in undies with the fan on!  

I notice my lips are very dry and mouth red but not thrush. Just rakish feeling. Also moons on nails gone. They are red. And fingertips super dry. 

3 of THC, as I was told to call yesterday. Long day. Came home slept right away but up now. Half way on big rounds for me. 

I have started to exercise again. Biked  4 days this week and ran a very short distance Sunday. 

My friend is coming from Michigan to stay with me this weekend. We ran a marathon together. I surprised her and showed up for her first one. It was great. She came after my surgery too. She had never had a mammo until I got sick. She's had one since. 

Anyway. Like everyone else here,  I want it to be over too  

Best of days to you all

jbokland-I've had some cannibas during this process and it really does help. I prefer it to Zofran as that crap gives me headaches and the other stuff I have makes me sleepy. The cannibas does "alter" me, but not enough to make me too tired to do things. I'd love to try the edible stuff!

Night sweats and hot flashes here too! I'm 39 (for 10 more days 😜) and was told its likely from the chemo putting me in early menopause. I've been slacking on taking care of myself too. I just don't want to rinse my mouth and moisturizer a million times a day. I know I have a sore in my throat too because there is a specific spot that hurts when I swallow. Being strong and hanging tight and all that stuff can go suck it!!! I don't mind hearing it from you guys though!!

I'm so happy to have found you lovely ladies!!!

Sicilian CONGRATS girl!!! I think you look gorgeous!!! There is an end to this!!

Hi there!  Started AC Iin Feb. Just had my first of 12 Taxols.  No reaction on #1, #2 is Tuesday. My original core needle had me at 25% ER positive, PR-, HER2-.  My MO suggested the Oncotype, which came back at 58 (!) and said that I was ranging at triple negative.  :-(  we also did genetic testing and I'm BRCA 1 positive.  My concern is that during AC, my boobs started aching.  I have what might be considered scar tissue and some malformation on the lumpectomy side.  My MO says I have lumpy breasts and that while in chemo, she hasnt seen any new cancers come up.  All my Doctors agree that my breasts should be removed after chemo and my MO says to do total hysterectomy instead of just my tubes and ovaries.  Im good with that.  I don't want to go through this again if possible.

Did you have any pain during chemo?  It feels like Im full of stuff in my boobs and Im draining into lymph nodes.  It feels like a severe case of tender breasts before a period.  And Im not crazy, but my ovaries ache, too.  

BTW, the first taxol was easy peasy compared to AC, but we are one down, 11 to go.  Thanks, everyone!

Had some cramping this morning! I'm actually on my period! Second one after 4 AC's...can you believe it?!

3doglady - my oncotype beat yours at 61. Scares the heck out of me. So you're doing neoadjuvant it sounds like? I'm BRCA1 positive too. I had a BMX back in December. Surgery is easy compared to chemo! Starting weekly taxol next week. 

No cramps, no period, sore boobs for me. Mostly in the one with the cancer. I think the C cells are just angry and takjng it out on me as much as the can, lol

I wear my sleeves on both arms for flying. I only have LE in one arm but the other had 4 nodes removed. I also wear on both when I do strength training.

Hello, just checking in .... having a good week (week 2 after 2nd TCH), except for the annoying runny nose and the loss of tastebuds and the other little SEs. I also started exercising again after a few weeks, doing long walks after work and a strength training program. I have to check with my BS or MO about LE, I don't have a sleeve and I had 5 lymph nodes removed on the cancer side - none of them said anything about a sleeve, but I did not specifically ask about exercise. Done with PT after MX and have my full range of motion back. Yeah!

I am 43, and I feel that I have aged 10 years in the last few months as well, especially wrinkles under my eyes and around my mouth, oh well, let's say that's part of the whole darn cancer thing. I had terrible night sweats after the first TCH, as well as my period, but since then, none of this. Hopefully this stays this way, it was very unpleasant (and a whole mountain of additional laundry).

I have also bought the book "Anticancer" and it's a very valuable read, highly recommended if you want to know a bit more of the background of cancer, and how to live well. It is written by an MD and not preachy. I am trying to eat less sugar - aside from that, I was always a pretty healthy eater with normal weight and exercise habits. Where did that get me, but let's not get started on this.

I have gained weight, too. I am hungry ALL THE TIME, and I am hungry for salty and sugary things. Fruit and veggies that I normally love (nickname "Fruitgirl") taste like crap, so I have to really hold on to not just buy a big bag of chips and eat the whole thing. Does anybody else have this? I think it's from the steroids, but then this should last only a few days, and not most of the time.

Anyway, have a great weekend, ladies. I will be enjoying myself with a friend, having a moms' outing on Sunday, trying to do some whalewatching on the coast or photography some spring flowers. Thank you for all the useful advice and comments, makes me feel normal with all the strange side effects - nobody else understands that, unless he/she has gone through it. To an outsider, it seems rather minor to loose your tastebuds, to have a runny nose, watery eyes, brittle nails, mouth sores and dry skin most of the time, but cumulatively, it's a bit exhausting.

Alexandra

3doglady,

I don't know if this will help but I had a lot of discomfort in my breast after my lumpectomy, it felt like it was aching all of the time. My BS explained that it was from the fluid that accumulates after the tissue is removed from the breast. The fluid will build up until the breast can absorb it. It has been about 5 months since my lumpectomy and I am noticing now that my breast feels better. Hope this helps

Sicilian , I am so happy for you , congratulations !!  Hope the next week has minimal side effects , then after that you can treat yourself .(yippee for last one!)

I also have been having night sweats, warm flushes starting on my shoulders then up my neck over my head at all different times, and had my period for the full three weeks between 1st infusion and the second ...a little much but told normal, nothing since. Hoping menopause kicks in  and stays...get those hormones down. 

I also tend to feel bloated ...a lot, and I am also eating Mac and cheese, yogurt,cheesecake,grill cheese sandwiches ... The sugar and carb diet...but do not care....just want to get through chemo, then get back to being healthy.

My last chemo is April 11 ... A little excited to get it done...even though the next week will be not pleasant...but then it is done!! Told the family, when I feel a bit better from the last side effects we are going out to celebrate....thinking Mexican  food ...something with flavors .

It is nice to read about other women nearing the end or finishing the chemo part of this. We are getting there,thinking of all the great women here and hoping we all have a nice weekend. 

Hugs to all !

Sicililan could not tell that your face is partially paralyzed. But come to think of it lots of women our age also have those issues due to too much botox. Yes your daughter is going to a top school.

Matzos! Well I know on chemo my issue was constipation. Matza is very constipating so be careful. BTW they do sell it all year long. It can usually be found in the ethnic food section in the supermarket although not as many brand choices.

Jbokland - did your counts go down on taxol? My MO said counts should be better on taxol?