Starting chemo July 2014

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  • AJ62
    AJ62 Member Posts: 56
    edited October 2014

    Dancingdiva -- 

    No, no expanders here. I'm 52 yrs. old and do not want any reconstruction at this point and time  in my life. I will just be one boob-less! I am fine with that. I will find a fake boob somewhere. 

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  • ladyb1234
    ladyb1234 Member Posts: 1,426
    edited October 2014

    Thanks all on the feedback on the Taxol question and tingling with AC.  I have the nail strengthener, dark nail polish and will check with my MO regarding b6 and L-gultamine (sp?).

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  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited October 2014


    Today was a nightmare. If the hospital wasn't an hour and a half away, I would have begged to be there. I had abdominal cramps and D so badly that I virtually passed out in the bathroom. I managed to ease my body to the floor. I broke ito a sweat that soaked my clothes totally wet. I couldn't get up. DH helped how he could. If things hadn't started to improve, we would have called 911. They don't do St George, so it would have been really difficult. I'm still pretty shakey. I've been trying to drink electrolytes slowly. Definitely taking lomotil. Will call Dr tomorrow.

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  • ladyb1234
    ladyb1234 Member Posts: 1,426
    edited October 2014

    Coyote our post crossed.  Wow, please take it easy and thinking of you!

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  • RainDew
    RainDew Member Posts: 305
    edited October 2014

    coyote - thinking of you!! Hope you feel better ASAP...

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited October 2014

    kebab -- sounds like you have a really good relationship with your daughter! Maybe, I'll read the book, too, but I'm not sure my daughter will want to have many conversations about it. She doesn't really like reading or literature, and she's only reading it because she has to.

    Coyote! What an awful day you had yesterday. Hope you're doing better today, and that you get some help if you don't.

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  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 760
    edited October 2014


    Coyote - Sounds really rough. After round 4, of Taxotere, carboplatin, Herceptin, I couldn't leave the house due to Big D that I compared to a waterfall. No cramps though, thank goodness. I was just afraid of surprises, if I went out in public......

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited October 2014

    wow so sorry Coyote.  I hope you are feeling better.  I only had taxotere once and I had severe abdominal pain and my WBC dropped to .7. My treatment got changed after that.  Feel better soon.

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  • magdalene51
    magdalene51 Member Posts: 2,214
    edited October 2014

    Coyote, number six has been the pits, for both of us it would seem. What hit you hit me night before last, around 2 am. I'm glad your DH was there for you, mine slept right through it. And it has hit in smaller doses a couple of times, like about ten minutes ago. The Bentyl has helped a lot the past few rounds, so I shudder to think how bad this one would have been without it. Definitely lomotil time. Haven't needed it since round 2 or 3.

    I have also been plagued with this mysterious shortness of breath which MO has determined not to be pneumonia. Had a lung function test which found nothing to account for it. I think it may be improving, but very slowly. I have also been having costochondritis attacks this last week. This is a condition of inflammation of the connective tissue of the ribs, and it can be aggravated by chest surgery (like mx) and I know I have a rib out of place on my sternum because I can feel the end of it sticking out. When costo flares it can feel like a heart attack – a crushing sensation.

    All in all it's been a pretty crappy week – literally as well as figuratively.

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  • knmtwins
    knmtwins Member Posts: 598
    edited October 2014

    Coyote - I'm scared, as my 6th is on Wed.  But I should be more concerned about you.  Are you feeling better?  Were you constipated before the big D hit?  I was, on cycle 1 and when the big D hit, I thought I was going to die, worse than childbirth and had my husband come sit with me, as I was so scared.  We have a door between the commode and bathroom, so I had some privacy.  Virtually passed out, wow, so glad your husband was there so you didn't hit your head or break anything.  

    Mags - This lung thing and you, I'm glad you are improving, even if just a bit.  Now this costo, wow, how terrifying and painful.  Will the rib go back into place by itself?  

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited October 2014

    Mags -- sorry to hear you've been doing so poorly. Yes, this lung thing really is mysterious; can't believe MO hasn't figured it out yet. That costochondritis also sounds very painful. I hope you can find a way to alleviate the pain. Maybe a chiropractor can get your rib back in place (?).

    I've been on the opposite end of things from you and Coyote. I've skipped the Immodium for the day, hoping to have a "cleansing day." So far, no luck. But, a little C is nothing compared to what you ladies have been through. I'm praying for you two!

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  • WalleGator
    WalleGator Member Posts: 102
    edited October 2014

    Coyote - so sorry to hear you were hit so hard. I wish there was something I could do to help you. Glad your DH is around for inner and outer strength. Please try to rest and regain your strength. Let us know what the doc says.

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  • Puffin2014
    Puffin2014 Member Posts: 961
    edited October 2014

    Mags and Coyote, so sorry to hear you're both feeling so bad. hugs and prayers for both of you

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  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited October 2014


    Thank you all for you good thoughts. DH says I'm getting some color back. I went to 24 hours of liquid diet. I am getting better. Worse than any other time, but better than yesterday. I did talk to MOA and was told that it is NOT unusual for this to happen.

    Sorry it is happening for you too Mags. Your situation sounds much more complex and dangerous.

    #6 can really smack you around! Knmtwins, I really hope it is kinder to you.

    Thank you all again. I'll check in tomorrow. 

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  • Gatomal
    Gatomal Member Posts: 483
    edited October 2014

    congrats boxofrockstar! He is awesome. That's a big boy! I can't wait to just have SEs and not pregnancy and SEs. I've been waiting to see how everything went, and I'm so happy for you! I've got maybe 10 wks to go. Ouch. 

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  • boxofrockstar
    boxofrockstar Member Posts: 56
    edited October 2014

    Oh my god, I am so sorry to hear about all these terrible days of awful side effects! you guys deserve a break like nobody's business!

    Gatomal, I was wondering how you were doing, too. It is SO NICE to not be pregnant anymore. Will you deliver early? They made me wait until 39 weeks and I don't think i could have gone another day.

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  • dancingdiva
    dancingdiva Member Posts: 475
    edited October 2014

    box, just showed DH pic of u and baby....so adorable!!!! Love the hair comment.

    It seems we all need a vacation near a beach with a few margaritas. Hope everybody starts feeling better. I had a psych meltdown this wk. it just seems never ending. 

    I started getting tingly with AC. I have had 4taxols and this wk it started in the toes. I also have pain in my back where my rib is, under my rib in the front, my lower back too. All on side of Bc and it hurts when I push inside. I also started getting shots of pain in lower abs. More SEs. Wonderful.

    Went to neurologist today for tests. Seems all is normal for my ulnar nerve by the test results, even though I have symptoms of some kind of damage, prob occurred during surgery. Yay...

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  • magdalene51
    magdalene51 Member Posts: 2,214
    edited October 2014

    Boxofrockstar, apologies for not mentioning before, congratulations on your little man. I showed his pic around here and the consensus is, he's got ATTITUDE! 

    On the neuropathy issue, I've had neuropathy in my feet for ages, and I think the chemo has made it worse, but it's so hard to quantify. It does keep me awake many nights. Sometimes my feet will feel cold, sometimes just one will, and then they will switch to burning. And there's a constant sensation of a low level electrical current – like if you step on a wire with a short. Just a faint buzzing feeling. That's always there, so annoying. 

    Tummy a bit better today, just a bit of cramping. I think my breathing is getting better, slowly.

    Hope you are all surviving.

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  • pinkninja9560
    pinkninja9560 Member Posts: 238
    edited October 2014

    I woke up with the worst sore throat, can barely swallow. I just gargled with salt water. I'm scheduled for my last chemo tomorrow and I hope they don't postpone it because I have so many appointments that fall in line with me getting it tomorrow. 

    Has anyone had a cold and did chemo? 

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  • Puffin2014
    Puffin2014 Member Posts: 961
    edited October 2014

    My head feels like it's covered with porcupine qwills, can't wait till hair is long enough to be soft. Question for those of you further along, does the hair down south come in all stiff and pokey and uncomfortable too?

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  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 760
    edited October 2014


    Puffin - I am 7-8 weeks past my last TCH infusion and I still don't have to shave ANYTHING on the body, still just like a newborn baby.  My head hair is about 1/3" long. My eyebrows started falling out like crazy about 2 weeks ago but now I can see little tiny ones coming in.  Someone on another board told me that the new ones push out the old ones and that we may lose them all again several times until the hairs are no longer in the same growing cycle. Also I had completely lost all my lower lashes and almost all of my upper lashes and this week I can see tiny little hairs coming in. I have to admit that I am using Nioxin shampoo, men's minoxodil twice daily and Latisse every night. Also taking Skin, Hair, Nails supplements and massaging my scalp with a buzzy scalp massager. Just trying to hit it from every angle.

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  • RainDew
    RainDew Member Posts: 305
    edited October 2014

    hi everyone!!

    Pink - I had a horrible cold before tx 3. Bloods were fine, so we went ahead thank goodness. :-) 

    Hair!! I was a cold capper, so head not an issue but I REALLY want eyelashes back. I have two solitary lashes on my left upper lid, and that's it :-( can see no signs of them coming back even with Latisse (btw, anyone using Latisse just decide to chuck their horrible brushes? They seem to absorb the stuff...)

    Eyebrows starting to have like a 5'o clock shadow, so I am hopeful they will grow back soon...eyelashes...I got nothing..

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  • Puffin2014
    Puffin2014 Member Posts: 961
    edited October 2014

    Of course I can already see the mustache hair coming out, and have had to start plucking those pesky chin hairs. They WOULD have to be the first to blaze through. Lew measured my head hair for me last night - 1/8" long! It does seem to be getting a faint hint of color.

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited October 2014

    Ha ha Puffin; I have annoying chin hairs too -- yes, I'm sure they will be the first to come back. Me, I'm like Blownaway right now -- hairless as a naked mole rat. 

    RainDew: I've become a quick fan of fake eyelashes since I got nothing either. 

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  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 760
    edited October 2014

    Raindew - I donate my brushes to my friend's church for children's face painting at various functions and use a thin eyeliner brush to apply Latisse.

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  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 760
    edited October 2014


    Puffin - Mine too - gray, was never much gray before.....

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  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 760
    edited October 2014

    ElaineTher - I gave up on the fake eyelashes when the TCH made my eyes stream water non-stop.  I couldn't even keep makeup on.  Now, I'm just applying the pencil eyeliner REALLY HEAVY.

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  • RainDew
    RainDew Member Posts: 305
    edited October 2014

    Blownaway and ElaineTherese,

    I basically suck at makeup, so my one try at false eyelashes was pretty ridiculous. Plus I also had the streaming eyes nonstop through chemo (4 weeks out and they are still watery, but not as bad).

    I am on a really thick (waterproof) eye pencil so just it looks like I have, you know, eyes.

    Thanks Blownaway for reinforcing my view that the latisse brushes are unworkable. Love the donation idea. Will buy an eyeliner brush :-)

    Man I wish they would hurry up and grow back...ah well, compared to where I was a month ago, this is a nice problem to have.

    Back to MO tomorrow to talk tami. Will keep you guys updated.

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  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited October 2014


    One step forward today. There is a light out there.

    Last time the first hair to grow back was on my chin and it grew with gusto ever after. My eyelashes never really filled out again. Age might have played into it. Things like that change as we get older. Does latisse require a prescription?

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  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 760
    edited October 2014

    Coyote - yeah, Latisse is prescription only and fairly expensive if used per instructions. I turn the bottle upside down and without squeezing the bottle, tap it several times onto a flat surface until I get the equivalent of 1 drop that I use a very thin eye liner brush to absorb and brush on both eyes. Instructions would have you use a supplied brush for 1 eye and squirt a drop on the brush for one eye, then throw that brush in the trash and use another new brush to do the other eye. The brushes they supply are thick and would use up so much product it would cost a fortune.

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