Starting Chemo March 2015

Yay to Katy for good bloodwork! And I'd like to give a shout out for Kansas City barbeque (pretty sure I remember bbq showing up in this forum a page or two back.)

I want to say that this group is so important to me. It's so comforting to hear from other women who are having exactly the same feelings as me ( what if this chemo regimen isn't strong enough ) and the same side effects (wtf is this new rash, pain, or fill in the blank.)

Thanks for being here. I look forward to checking in every day!

Trvler, My inlaws want to do pizza since they can get BBQ where they are. I guess they want something different. So far the best BBQ I've had was in Asheville. There aren't many places in Charlotte or near me in Fort Mill, SC that make BBQ that makes me go, Wow!

My taste buds have really taken a hit this time. I'm having coffee right now and battling some minor fatigue which has hit me much faster than last time. I'm hoping that it means it'll end faster.

On a different note. My DH has some really crap timing. I took a Phenergan last night and crawled into bed. Just as I'm falling asleep, I think it must have been 10:30, he comes into our room and says, oh my God your never going to believe this! I asked him what it was and again he says, you're never going to believe this! I get angry and tell him to tell me already. Our neighbor's 17 year old son has been wearing a knee brace for a couple of weeks. The other day he was here with their dog and I asked him what happened. He said he wasn't sure but that it's been swelling up and has liquid. Yesterday they went for an MRI and they found what they're almost sure is a 3 cm tumor. They're going to do a biopsy and scans. I feel so bad for his family. I relate to them a lot. He's an only child to older parents. He's everything to them. He's a super bright young man that's supposed to start college in the fall. Cancer sucks!

Just checking in. Round 2 has been more about insomnia, racing heart and nasty taste in my mouth. Tried the ice chips Theresa but my teeth are throbbing, not sure if that's chemo or dental? The crushing fatigue and inability to process more than one thought when I'm used to multitasking....I have a grant that needs to be written by COB next Friday and I think it's making me more anxious worrying about getting "it" back in time to complete the task. I know I'll probably be much better after the second week but this always waiting on something is getting a bit old!

It's still good to come to a place where you are understood. Thanks for being those people and that place for me! Have a beautiful Friday all.

Is anyone else have hair growing?? Not on my head.... it's steady coming out but I thought for sure I could hang up my razor.  But I have been wearing sleeveless shirts.... It's already getting hot here in Louisiana... and I still have to shave my underarms!!  Its not long, but that dark stubble.AND I even had a chin hair pop up.... WHAT IS THAT ABOUT???? If I am gonna lose the hair on my head all this other hair better get going too!!!!

Also... I guess with this chemo business your body has trouble healing with scraps and such??  Last night at the gym I ripped my hand doing pull ups.. something I have done 1000 times before, but It kept me up last night!  It is just a tear a little skin gone but it makes my whole hand throb.  I had to get up in the middle of the night and take something.  All the SE I could be having and this little tear on my palm is gonna kill me... LOL!!!

Happy Friday to all and I hope today is a great day for everyone!

Diane- so sorry. The insomnia and racing heart sounds like the steroids to me. Those should be wearing off soon. If you are like me and take the dexamethasone for 3-4 days after chemo, provided your nausea isn't bad, you can cut them in half or stop early. In any event, I feel sure your body will start to calm down soon. If you have access to any kind of anti-anxiety meds, (I take clonazepam, which has a longer half-life and therefore thought yo be possibly less addicting?) that would also help on two fronts. Insomnia/racing heart SE and worry about getting it together to write the the grant.

I hate it that this situation we are in has us taking pill after pill for the side effects of the side effects. But I try to remember that some of the major improvements in chemotherapy in recent years is not only the efficacy of the drugs themselves, but better dose management (try not to kill the patient with the cure) but also much better management of the SEs than before. So I have tried to set some of my concerns aside about popping pills at the drop of a hat. I take everything available to me, especially in regard to nausea, which I am most fearful fearful of, and anything to counteract the steroids.

Hope this helps a bit. A big hug coming your way,

Katy

Leigh- it may be an old wive's tale, but I've heard that certain steroids can cause facial hair growth.

And regarding healing, me too. Cuts, a small burn I did cooking, bruises, all taking much longer to heal and bothering me more while they aren't. So sorry. Think it's just part of the shit sandwich.

here is a list of dexamethasone side effects:

nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682792.html#side-effects

I only have one dose of steroids per week, right before my Taxol, and it's enough to bring on those terrible emotions for at least one day. It sucks! My skin is also terrible.

Carrie,

I had the mouth sores on my tongue and my throat. I had a sore throat all the time except the pain was everywhere instead of radiating from one area like sore throats I've had before with the cold or flu. This SE started about 5 days post chemo and lasted about 4 days each time. Sometimes I would have a coughing fit because my throat was so raw. This round I'm going to use the lysine. I also swish the baking soda salt mix all the time. Other things I found helpful were drinking hot water with raw honey and lemon, and honey cough drops. One day in my MOs waiting room I read a pamphlet about raw honey helping mouth sores due to radiation for lung cancer so I added raw honey to my list.

To use the coconut oil, just scrape it out with a spoon and as soon as you put it in your mouth or your hand it will warm right up and turn to liquid.

I'm wondering if i'll have a period this month. I had one normal one after my first treatment. Has anyone had theirs after their second or third round?

I did get my period on schedule after two Taxol treatments. But then, I got another period two weeks later, way ahead of the schedule and this was after 4 Taxol treatments in total. I do not know what to expect next.

Hi everyonle! I'm new to this board, but have been reading the thread and feel like I know you all!

I am awaiting word as to whether or not I need chemo. I see that so many of you had early stage breast cancer and I wonder what factor influenced your doctors and you to do chemo. I had a stage 1C, 1.5 cm, grade 2 tumor with a KI-67 of 20 and an oncotype of 20. It seems that the oncotype dx score is now the driving factor. I am having the Mammaprint test done to see if it comes back low or high risk. Because I'm in this "gray" area, it almost feels like it's my choice as to whether or not to undergo chemo.

Any feedback on your "history" is appreciated.

Thanks, and I hope you're all having a good day.

Sue

Jackbirdie, I am so glad that you say it like it is! This whole process from Day #1 is hard to live with. That and all of the side-a-f&#ks are never ending. I can hardly wait to see how the next chemo goes.............some day I will be out of parts to fall off.

Hi Sue, I can't comment on the oncotype as I have not had one yet. For me, I am stage 3a, and +node so that's what decided it for me.

Ninja: I hate hearing what you are going through. If you want to smoke it, do it! (I have smoked it in the past and I didn't particularly care for it. It made my heart race).

Leigh: I hate taking meds, too. I would occasionally take a xanex to sleep but that's about it.

Welcome Sue- so sorry to meet this way. You probably already know that the Oncotype is only used on early stage patients, so in a way it is the driving factor, since by definition (clear nodes and margins and <2cm) and sometimes micro mets would not normally require chemo. I think it's great you're getting the mammaprint too. That test seems like it's going to be the future since it analyzes more genes. With all of that in hand you should be able to talk sensibly to your MO and make a good decision.

My Oncotype dx score was 30. Great. It was always in my gut to do it once I heard the number, but I still took a week to think about it and talk to family (who, naturally, seeing pink tutus after talking to the surgeon about the clear nodes and margins and "great" prognosis didn't get it AT ALL). What? Chemo?

In my case, the HT would reduce my chance of recurrence within 10 years from 30% (this was when I started to get pissed off-30%? That's good? Really?) by 10%. The chemo only reduces, in my case, another 4-5%. But I felt in my gut I didn't want to look back in a couple of years and doubt myself. So I went for it.

That's my story. Everybody here at bco has a different one. Different circumstances, different health to start with, different values. But obviously, everyone in this thread opted in.

I wish you the best of luck and a warm hug. Make the best decision for yourself. If you decide chemo is your path, we will be here to help

crap. ...that first article...I had it saved on my PC when I first found out. I forgot that it's anti chemo also. Ignore that part of it. I'm not spouting off that stuff. Duh as I'm begging for infusion #3.

It's been one long week.