Starting Chemo October 2014

llovecoasters, I agree with the others. Seems too restrictive. We are pretty much on the same schedule/regimen and I don't face many restrictions about going out or having others come in. (My MO said to avoid kissing people who are obviously sick! ) But we are traveling for Thanksgiving to see our family and I'm really looking forward to it. I think this is an important time to be around family and friends, they can really boost your spirits. I am mostly teleworking, but that's often more productive for me, and I really look forward to the days when I can go into the office.

Leto, thanks. I love those "ring the bell" stories. Can't wait to read about when everyone on this thread rings hers.

Hi everyone ...Can I join this board ? I start chemo December 16. A Christmas to remember for sure. I was diagnosed with HER2/positive 3+ and will be receiving Adriamycin for four treatments 21 days apart. Then cyclophosphamide once a week for 12 weeks. I don't think I know the words to describe how I feel about all this. I will be getting my lymph nodes checked and a port put in December 6. Everyone says stay strong, but I wonder how right now. I too wondered what to take to chemo treatments besides my husband. He is scared to death too. I hurt for him to have to go through this also. Any advice or helpful ideas would be greatly appreciated.

ilovecoaster, guessing it boils down to 'practice' again. Restrictions are what your MO is comfortable with and that's what he advises.

Chemo classes = the education provided by your treatment center before you start your treatments, what to expect from the center, from the treatments, how to avoid the problems, treat the SEs, when to call and how to contact after hours if needed etc etc. Hopefully everyone gets this education wherever they go for tx, probably called something besides Chemo class.

I am SO looking forward to ringing that damned bell!!!!

Hi Eleanor, I'm in the November Chemo group but lurk in this thread. Here's a Link that gives info about the Oncotype DX. It's given to women at Stage 1 or 2 who are Node Negative to assess the possibility of the cancer reoccurring. Your Doctor is probably recommending you consider Chemo because a score of '23' falls into the 'Intermediate Risk Category' for the cancer recurring. I'm not sure about how many days it's safe to wait, but in my situation I had to wait 73 days from my original surgery for chemo to begin as I unfortunately had three surgeries. It does make me nervous that I had to wait so long, given my cancer is Grade 3 and node positive, but it couldn't be helped.

If you do decide to go with Chemo, it is probably better to start sooner than later, imo. Good Luck with your decision! Either way, there's a lot of great support on this board.

Eleanor, every doctor is different. Does your hosp have a "tumor board"? At mine every doctor looks at every patient and they come up with the treatment plan as a team, like a built in second opinion. If that is not what your hosp does, then go for a second opinion. I am oncotype 23 as well, but I has a positive node, so I am In chemo. Perhaps your age, or grade, or hormone receptors have something to do with it. Your doc should explain why he/she thinks chemo is a prudent course of action, but in the end, it is your decision. Also, once you start, you can stop if you want, they don't handcuff you to the treatment chair

Sophie, my husband is learning too. When I had terrible diarrhea he asked if he should go to the Drugstore to get something. I said yes, he says, what do I get? I replied: "I don't know, ask the pharmacist!". Another time I ask him to bring me some Motrin, he can't find it. I swear it's in the medicine cabinet, finally he figures it out, Ibuprofin is the same as Motrin. Lol! He's been coming to my treatments too, and last time insisted on driving me to get my Neulasta shot. The treatments are boring, but he brings the newspaper and his laptop. Tell your hubby to bring snacks too

Eleanor

I am stage 1, grade 3 IDC, node negative with an oncotype score of 23.  After talking with my MO, my chances of distant recurrence with chemo is 11% so - I had a BMX, going through 8 rounds of CMF chemotherapy three weeks apart and then will take Tamoxifen.

For me, it all boiled down to I wanted to know at the end of the day that I did everything I possible could to reduce the recurrence risk for me.

I started chemo therapy 7 weeks after my BMX.

Everyone is different and you have to weigh all of the pros and cons for your situation.

If you have any questions, ask them here or PM me.

Hi Sophie14, this board has been like a Godsend for me. I got the news the end of September and that day I felt like I was gut punched when I walked out of the surgeons office after the bombarded my husband and I with so much information I couldn't see straight. I walked into the bathroom came back out and met him in the hallway and fell apart for all of 5 minutes, we just cried and held each other, after that I went to O'Charleys and had 4 straight whiskey shots and went and told my family. It took a few weeks but the calm set in, my husband and I have been growing our faith for some time now and once I realized that this is a test to strengthen it all the worry went away along with the anxiety. I spend more time trying to calm the worry of my mother and younger sisters who want me to just sit and do nothing. I have always been a planner and this was not in my plan so it has been an adjustment and those days when my energy level is not turbo like it usually is it frustrates me and the emotions are all over the board. I have always been curvy with great hair, now the things that I thought were me are being adjusted, the hair is gone, the boobs are soon to be gone and replaced it's not anything that I thought, but I guess it is to be what it is suppose to be. We just keep living, my husband and I are both in law enforcement so there are rotating shifts and call outs and trying to work some to conserve some of your sick days for when you really need them is a task but he has been at all my appointments even when he is coming off night shift. The last time he was asleep in the uncomfortable chair while I was crocheting getting my cocktail, he just wants to be there and even though I tell him I am fine to drive myself which I am and have done he insists. I know it makes him feel good and he says if he could take it away he would, but I know even if I could give it to him I would not. My chemo bag has my favorite blanket made for me by a friend, one of my pillows, crosswords, and my crochet I also have my tunes and where I go has tvs so I watch that to. I even took a little nap the first time with my ear buds in. I like to have shoes in which I can slide in and out of so I can get comfy when I let the chair back. It is a journey but so many have made it and been able to testify to it and we will too. When you feel overwhelm remember we are all here for one another.

Thanks everyone for the replies about what to put in a chemo trip bag. These melt downs have been rough the past few days. I guess it's just part of the journey. It is hard to understand how one boob can get you in so much trouble and change your life forever. I ask about having my breast removed and was told it would not change the treatment plan. The doctors tell me that the microcalcification around my mass are probably cancer too. It makes you feel like they are not telling you the whole story about the cancer. I guess they will know more when the surgeon checks the lymph nodes on December 8. The surgeon told us we are angry at the cancer, and he is right. Tomorrow is another day and I hope it's a good one for each one of you brave ladies. Take care.

Sophie, I think we all have been through the melt downs, angry fits, pity parties and emotional rollercoaster you are one, but stay positive, you can do this!!!  I have a calendar that I keep all my appointments on and every morning I look at what is in store for that day, not the next, not for the whole week, just that day and that always helps me to stay focus and try not to worry about to much at one time.  I wanted to know everything I could about what was happening and why, but when the surgeon told me that my right breast was 98% full of a cancer mass, at that point I only wanted to be cancer free and it didn't matter what I had to do to reach that goal.  I didn't have any lymph node involvement so my only choice was a mastectomy.  It is a hard decision to make, but I did the BMX due to the pre cancer cells in my left breast.  My husband has always told me that boobs do not define who I am and he still loves me even without them.  I understand the anger, I have gone through two surgeries, chemo, currently in radiation and have another surgery to face early next year, but I have accepted that cancer is now and will forever be a part of my life.  It stinks, but I am alive and I am a survivor!!!  We are here for you when you need us. 

friends I came across a great charity today. It's called Casting for Recovery. They provide fully funded retreats for breast cancer survivors and you get to learn fly fishing. The application deadline for the 2015 retreats is in January.

Good evening ladies, I hope everyone is doing ok tonight. I'm glad I found this board. I admire each one of you and appreciate your help. I would like to know if anyone has been given Adriamycin and the side effects you had. I know we all react different to the medicines. A lady at a meeting the other day told me they gave her this and it was awful. My husband took me Wal-Mart today to pick up the medicines the oncologist prescribed for nausea and the steroids.The pharmacist told me the Zofran could give me a headache, and the Phenergan was going to make me sleepy. I sure hope I can sleep the headache....I guess it's the Decadron is the one that can keep us wired up ... The surgeon said I may have a lot of sleepless nights ahead. How encouraging ...One good thing at Wal-Mart, I found a cute hat. We had lunch at Wendy's while we out saw a few of the ladies that go to places my husband plays music ( he plays and sings bluegrass , country, gospel at different places). These ladies are usually so talkative, but today they said very little to me They knew already that I have breast cancer. I guess that's the way it's going to be sometimes. I told my husband to watch out , the older women know I'm sick and will start chasing after him. He just laughed ! ... I hope everyone has a good night. Take care ...

Thanks Leto, Those are the 2 medicines that I will be given. Did you get them at the same time? The PA told me I would be getting Adriamycin every 21 days for four treatments and then Cytoxin once a week for 12 weeks. I haven't heard anything about the Neulasta shot yet. I have very sensitive teeth and can't eat cold stuff like ice or popsicles. Guess I am up the creek about the mouth troubles.

Hello everyone. My name is Beth and I was diagnosed in September with Stage 2, ER/PR + HER2 -, with lymph node involvement as well. I started dose dense chemo on October 29th with Adriamycin and Cytoxan. So far I've been handling this part pretty well. Fatigue, heartburn and constipation have been my biggest complaints so far. I'm a bit concerned about starting Taxol next month, as I will have my first dose on Christmas Eve. I've handled the A/C pretty well and I'm concerned the Taxol will really knock me down.

One weird thing I've noticed is day 11 seems to be a bad day for me. I'm more emotional, and today my stomach isn't feeling well. It seems odd that it's been day 11 both times so far, and when I am generally on an upswing.

I'm looking forward to February 4th, when I should have my last chemo, then will make plans for my surgery.