Starting Chemo in December 2013

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  • Jodi040812
    Jodi040812 Member Posts: 383
    edited June 2014

    Thank you. He is still with us just in a different way. Taking peace in the fact that he is no longer sick. And now will be watching me and yelling too from above. I'm ok, just trying to make sure mom is:)

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  • Crazywabbit
    Crazywabbit Member Posts: 563
    edited June 2014

    oh Jody, I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. His illness has been extra stress in going through you journey.  I know it  be harder to leave your family now for your stay in TX for RT.  My prayers are with you. 

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  • missy6758703
    missy6758703 Member Posts: 218
    edited June 2014

    Jodi, thoughts and prayers to you and your family.  Continue on your journey with the strength your dad showed.  

    Bless you all.

    Michelle

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  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited June 2014

    Barbara, It is pretty liberating to go "topless". Almost empowering I would say.  I have gotten so used to it, that I almost met a client yesterday without my wig. I think she would've freaked out on me! Haha. I had to ease myself into it, but I forget that I have short hair now and really haven't had any stares. Once in a while someone will say "I like your hair". Probably another cancer survivor...

    Jodi, thinking of you also and praying that you and your family can lean on each other and find strength to get through. 

    Char, I hope you are recovering from your LX okay and are able to rid yourself of the drains, soon!

    Leealice,  I hope you get some new growth soon. It's strange how some of us grow right back, some fast, the others slow. 

     I watched all three of my grandsons last night! Whew! They are 5 yrs, 2 yrs and 5 months. It was kind of challenging at times. Makes me really wonder how the young ladies go thru treatment with little ones. You are awesome. 

    Have a wonderful Sunday ladies!

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  • kjfromca
    kjfromca Member Posts: 283
    edited June 2014

    Jodi, I am sorry to hear about your father.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. 

    Kim

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  • Amazonwarrior
    Amazonwarrior Member Posts: 485
    edited June 2014

    missy: Sorry, I must have missed out on this, but in what ways is the reconstruction that your PS is doing a new technique?

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  • Mollyv
    Mollyv Member Posts: 4
    edited June 2014

    hi I joined this blog back in December before I started my chemo treatment. I am three month out from treatment. I did my radiation prior to chemo. I only posted once. But I have never stopped following your post. I kinda felt like a stocker!!!  But I an actually say that as I was going thru my TxI knew that if I was having a SE that was new I could always check the blog to ensure it wasn't out of the oridnary because the majority of you ladies were having the same SE.  I have enjoyed seeing your pictures, I have cried and laughed you guys.  I have enjoyed being a part of this blog, even throug I have remained silent. I just want to say thank you for the positive post it has help me thoughout my journey. 

    Molly 

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  • Crazywabbit
    Crazywabbit Member Posts: 563
    edited June 2014

    image

    Robyn, I was thinking about you today at the SPCA walk. Lots of rescue groups there including one that was called Bald is Beautiful. They rescued Chinese Crested .   I did the 2.2 mile walk this morning. I wore my UV blocking shirt under the Walk T shirt. I put some SPF on the skin of my neck and over the inner side of the clavicle area and will ask tomorrow if that is OK to continue.  Not a great photo due to the bright light but here we are. ( I look toothless, but I have teeth, just no eyebrows or lashes). Moki got to ride most of the way in her "stroller". She does not do well on long walks still since her Lyme disease last year. 

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  • DJJ
    DJJ Member Posts: 229
    edited June 2014

    Jodi, I am so sorry for your loss.  Your family is in my thoughts.

    Molly, I'm glad we could help.  Even if you were stalking us Happy

    Kimmie,  Was it you who removed your facial hair?  When you guys were talking about it, I didn't have any yet.  I do now.  Holy crap!! It's fuzzy and white and almost longer than the hair on my head.  I remember my esthetician removing my facial hair with this little scrapper before microdermabrasion a long time ago.  But I can't find anything when I do a google search. 

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  • RobinLK
    RobinLK Member Posts: 840
    edited June 2014

    Molly - good to see you!!

    Barbara - I like the photo. Lyme disease is no joke. I have two labs but have been falling in love with Chinese Crested this past year. Must be the bald thing! ;) 

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  • jackieak
    jackieak Member Posts: 169
    edited June 2014

    Hi All, 

    Just catching up on all the happenings.  Jodi, so sorry to hear of your Dad.

    Barbara, love the pic, you look great.

    I've been busy with some traveling, and watching my last two hairs fall out on my brows...I am totally bald there now, and my lashes are just weird, growing but some are coming in with a crusty white film....odd.  The hair is coming along, the top has me concerned, it needs to catch up.  I look terrible, but feel good, chemo took it's toll no doubt.

    Surgery for perm implants is Friday, I dread it yet look forward to it.  I dread the down time again, and the healing, but so ready to not have these heavy rocks.  

    Enjoying the summer, and as always thinking of you all, and wishing everyone the best!

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  • cenri76
    cenri76 Member Posts: 31
    edited June 2014

    image

    Hi ladies. Stopping by to see how everyone is doing. I'm good. Feeling better every day. My hair is finally looking good enough to ditch the hats and wigs and my eyebrows and lashes are back. Super happy about that. But I start a new chemo regimen this week and I'm hoping my hair doesn't fall out again. That would totally suck. My onc says I'll keep it, but I've read otherwise. 

    Happy June!

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  • Lisaj514
    Lisaj514 Member Posts: 719
    edited June 2014

    cenri, you look beautiful. I'm so impatient for my hair, eyebrows and lashes. Why are you starting the new chemo regime after a/c and taxol? I see you are TN and stage 2, grade 3. You also look young from your picture

    I posted on the hair thread about my rantings about lack of hair and recently loosing my eyebrows and lashes. I am 6 wks PFC today...yea for 6 weeks! Boo for lack of real hair :-( I have this soft halo like fine, white, fur like crap on my head. It's about 1/4" long with a few longer thin hairs sticking up. My eyebrows that I was so proud of being able to fill in so well are now harder to make look good because there is no hairs anymore to follow. I have light eyes so it looks kind of scary without lashes or brows. At least my glasses cover the weird looking eyes.I'm wear eyeliner and brow pencil/powder everyday...but still... I know everyone is different but so many of you have so much more coverage and growth. 

    My feet also ache me a lot in the morning and if I sit for a while. Not neuropathy really, except for the fourth toe of each foot feels numb at times (that's weird huh?) but just aching and soreness. Like what I would think arthritis feels like in your feet and ankles. Is this what some of you had/have withyour  neuropathy? 

    Like I said in the hair forum, I thought I'd be brave, bald and bold (with the hair loss) but I can't seem to accept going out bald in public and I don't like how I look. I'm not so brave and bold with the hair thing I guess so I'm impatiently waiting. I've never been really confident about my looks and this just knocked me for a loop. I know it will come, later than for some of you folks, but it will...hoe humm.

    I HATE THIS CANCER! 

    (Thanks for listening ladies!)

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  • Amazonwarrior
    Amazonwarrior Member Posts: 485
    edited June 2014

    All: When do you usually take your Tamoxifen? Morning or evening, with food or without?

    Are there any dietary or supplement restrictions that your DR recommended?

    Are you also on a daily dose of baby Aspirin? If so how often? Every day or every other day?

    How do you manage any SE?

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  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited June 2014

    AW, I take my T in the a.m., with my Vit D/calcium. I eat a banana almost every morning anyway...MO said no to anti-depressants-not sure which ones, but I am not on any. I read on a website that you shouldn't take  "Diphenhydramine" for allergies while on T. Have also read that grapefruit should be eliminated. So far, I can't tell that I have any SE's. I've been taking it for 9 days. I should ask MO about baby aspirin next time I see her, I guess. 

    jackie, good luck with your surgery on Friday. 

    I am almost 4 months PFC and still have a long way to go with the hair. I do like how soft and silky it feels though! And, it is SO easy to wash; no styling, no taking forever to dry.  I am thinking I will keep it short. I never had good eyebrows, so those are a hopeless cause.  

    great pics Barbara and cenri!

    Molli, you're always welcome to "stalk" us and post!

    I hope you all get your SE's under control and enjoy your week!

    Terri

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  • Crazywabbit
    Crazywabbit Member Posts: 563
    edited June 2014

    Lisa, I refuse to go out in public without penciling in eyebrows and eyelids, I was hoping to hold onto the upper lashes since the lower ones fell out a few weeks ago but no such luck. I think there is on straggler left on the left lid.I do feel a fuzzy spot on one eyebrow starting and some stubble growing on the lower lids,so there is hope yet!  I also think wearing glasses covers up the loss more.

    cenri - agree you are looking great!  

    Amazon- I take Aromasin, I asked the nurse when is best to take it and she suggested bedtime so any hot flushes happen during sleep, but I notice the bottle says to take with food. Now not sure when to take it. Sorry can not help with Tamoxifen.

    While I still had little hair and wearing head covering I had my BS cut out a scalp cyst on the top of my head. She did some a few years ago when she still was doing Gen Surg so she said she would do it this time.  Now when I have something to brush I will not keep hitting the lump.

    RT #2 today, counted 8 different positions and total of 11 Zaps, three sites were double zaps. I was told it is OK to use a littel SPF sunscreen if area of radiated skin is going to be exposed to sun for a while.

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  • RobinLK
    RobinLK Member Posts: 840
    edited June 2014

    I take the Tamoxifen in the morning with my vit d/calcium also. With or without food has not made a difference. 

    Lisa, sorry you are so frustrated. I wish I had something better or more wise to add. 

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  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 890
    edited June 2014

    Ladies,

    You are in luck for any drug and disease reference information! That's what I do for a profession!

     I work for Micromedex, the database reference that THOUSANDS of hospitals, pharmacists and physicians use for drug information.  Even the FDA used our product.  (actually, if you ever google a drug, the little summary box that pops up on the right is provided by my company).

    You should avoid Diphenhydramine while on Tamoxifen  (commonly found in any cold or allergy meds...read your labels).   It can cause a reduction of the efficiency of the Tamoxifen.

    There are no known foods that will cause an interaction with Tamoxifen.

    If you ever need me to look up any other drug interactions or information, feel free to private message me. 

    Jeanette

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  • DJJ
    DJJ Member Posts: 229
    edited June 2014

    I had my first raditation today.  Easy peasy!! Only two zaps lasting 5-10 seconds each.  My only problem is for some reason while laying there perfectly still I wanted to laugh and had to struggle to focus on staying still so I wouldn't erupt into giggles.  One down and 29 to go...what a pain in the butt!!

    Lisa, my neuropathay in my feet was all pain, tenderness and burning.  I never had any numbness in my feet.  Did a 3 hour hike yesterday and no pain.  SHAZAAM!!! I can walk a lot now, but I still can't stand still for long periods of time or then they start hurting.

    My hair still looks like GI Jane.  I've been going out with friends lots to make up for lost time.  I can't believe all the compliments I get on my hair from strangers.  People thing I did this on purpose Shocked  I just pretend I did.  I love not being the cancer patient in public anymore!!!

     

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  • Lisaj514
    Lisaj514 Member Posts: 719
    edited June 2014

    DJJ, yes, standing or sitting still is worse than walking, guess gotta keep moving!

     barb, we are in the same boat it looks like with the hair, brows and lashes. Come on hair! Let's get moving! And growing!

    My buff came today, simple, one layer, love it so far. Got the uv protect ion one, may order more. Still wore it under my nylon running cap for extra sun protection on my face. Was outside doing stuff around our newly opened pool (just opened today! Yea summers officially here) and realized I can't tolerate the heat well. Didn't want to take off my buff (sounds weird!) due to the sun and was sweating up a storm and had to come in and was then so tired. Resting now on a beautiful but hot day!

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  • RHGSR
    RHGSR Member Posts: 774
    edited June 2014

    DJJ- glad your first rads went well. 

    Cenri- beautiful picture. May I ask your age? 

    Molly- welcome!! 

    Jbokland- what a cool occupation!! I'm a nurse although I haven't worked in a few years and not full time since I started having babies. And never in oncology. It was hard enough for me with a medical background to decipher this cancer stuff. I can't imagine what that looks like without a medical background. 

    So thankful for all you ladies here and the advice and support we are able to give each other. 

    So no Benadryl and no antidepressants while on Tamoxifen? Haven't started it yet (go to follow up tomorrow). I'm on Zoloft and have allergies....

    #11of 36 done today. 

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  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 890
    edited June 2014

    RHGSR-

    There is definitely a contraindication for Zoloft and  Tamoxifen.   It decreased the efficacy of the Tamoxifen.

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  • charusa
    charusa Member Posts: 107
    edited June 2014

    Jodi I am sorry for your loss.

    jboxland I know that is wrong...sry...but I keep going up and down the page trying to remember names and posts and if I copy them then they are blue and everything I type is blue. When are you going to be in St. Pete? Do you live in Florida?

    I go to the surgeon for f/u tomorrow n hopefully get this bothersome drain out. I guess I will be looking and reading up on rads...yippee the last phase!!!

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  • DJJ
    DJJ Member Posts: 229
    edited June 2014

    Out on the town!  Ahhhh Hair and eyebrows too!!  Now if my eyelashes would just get long enough for mascara Devil

    image

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  • Crazywabbit
    Crazywabbit Member Posts: 563
    edited June 2014

    DJJ, you are rocking the short doo. 

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  • Crazywabbit
    Crazywabbit Member Posts: 563
    edited June 2014

    Jeanette,

    I have a question for your drug data base. It is recommended to Take Aromasin with food, is that to improve the absorption kinetics or to avoid nausea or other SEs. 

    The you for your offer to look up info. 

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  • Lisaj514
    Lisaj514 Member Posts: 719
    edited June 2014

    DJJ, you've got a great smile and look beautiful in your GI jane look. 

    Char, good luck at the surgeons tomorrow. Hope that drain comes out!

    Tomorrow is the final sim for rads for me then the real thing on wed, finally. Just want to be this thing going! Has anyone been able to run when on rads? I'm not a big runner but have done a 5 k every summer for the past 8 years(Boilermaker in Utica NY, second Sunday in July, it's a 15k but I only do the 5k race part) . Signed up this year just to get a spot but not being sure if I could do it or not. I'm worried about the fatigue with rads also wearing a sports bra and and sweating around the rad area. That may not be good for the radiated skin I'm thinking. It would be about 4 1/2 weeks into rads at that time. I can give my bib number to someone if needed.

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  • Leealice
    Leealice Member Posts: 87
    edited June 2014

    Jodi-I'm so sorry about the loss of your dad

    Molly-feel free to stalk us anytime

    Crazzywabbit- I lol at ur comment about I have teeth just no brows or eyelashes

    2 months pfc and my arm hair just fell out. Smooth as a baby's bottom. But I see peach fuzz on arms and head. Let the regrowth begin. I started using black eyeliner since I only have a few eyelashes. Fake eyelashes seem like too much trouble. Drawing in brows with brown shadow but not that good at it. With no makeup my blank eyes scream Cancer Patient. Lisa-I feel your impatience

    7 more rads to go. started boost today.

    Happy Monday all

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  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 890
    edited June 2014

    crazywabbit- it actually recommended you take it after a meal.  Here is the info:

    image

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  • kjfromca
    kjfromca Member Posts: 283
    edited June 2014

    You ladies are looking great - thanks for sharing your pics.  

    Amazonwarrior - I take Tamoxifen at night, same time everyday.  I take a baby aspirin every night as well, per my doc.

    jbokland - Thanks for offering to look up drug info for us.  Any truth to the no grapefruit while on Tamoxifen.  I think I read that somewhere too.

    Lisa - .  Re running 5k - 21 tx into rads... I say you can do it.  I would wear a soft cami under your sports bra so nothing gets rubbed.  Worse case, walk it.  

    Char - I hope you get those tubes out tomorrow.

    Jackie - I hope you have a speedy recovery from surgery on Fri.  Eye lift too?  

    Hoping you all going through rads have an easy time with minimal SE's.

    Kim

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