Starting Chemo March 2015

I have 3 options for attachments; lobster clasp, jump ring, or European bead. Which one works best with the bracelet and I'll put in an order? I'll add this to my list of purchases under the influence of steroids (most of the stuff I bought were things we needed anyway so I'm happy I get to buy something just for the hell of this cancer!). I'm giggling just thinking about this bracelet right now. Still haven't spent the time to figure out how to PM my address yet but I'll work on it.

Trvler - I haven't had mouth sore issues (just gross tongue and no sense of taste) but have been using Biotene routinely. I hardly ever get canker sores but my girls get them on occasion. What is the recommended age for using lysine?

Amy I think you meant dosage? Your spell check put "age"

I was told by head onc nurse to take 1,000 mg a day. You can take it in one go, or take 500 twice. She said it doesn't matter.

KBeee, probably dumb question, but if you had a BMX with reconstruction and with chemo and hormones, how did you get diagnosed again? Was it on the skin over the muscle (implant under)?

How did you know? How do they recheck after all this? I am just now recovering from my BMX and am learning as I go.

I feel so bad for you having to go through chemo again. I am really scared to start this next step in this process. I hope you don't mind me asking these questions.

Avmom- thinking of you. Feeling any better today? I love your "meals". Made me laugh.

Trvler- have also been thinking of you. Hope the fog has lifted a bit and you're feeling better andinching bravely towards a jazzersize session.

Ok done with chemo for the day - woohoo! Hope everything goes as well as last two rounds.

Katy: I totally understand how you feel but the thing about cataracts is that they are fixable and you will instantly see again. Key is a very good doctor.

Yes, thanks, I went to Jazz today. I was still a bit nervous but the gang was there and they were wonderful to me. Even our token man said hello to me. lol. I often wonder what it is like for him to be the only guy there and how people probably don't say much to him. But he's a guy so maybe he doesn't care as much about that kind of stuff.

Italy: Hope the evening is easy on you.

Sloth: I was scratching me head about the 'age' for lysine. (Thankfully, Katy figured out what you were saying since I was too stupid to). I don't even know what dosage I take. When I feel a sore coming on, I pop two immediately and then take a few throughout the next couple of days. I will check the bottle. I think key is front loading if one is coming on to nip it. Or you could taken it as a prevention tool.

Bekah: I just have the regular site on my phone. I guess I should put the app on but I never have because the site works very well on my phone. Can you search the app store?

An employee at the meat counter (woman) at Whole Foods told me how nice my hair looked yesterday so now I am thinking maybe the wig is better than my own hair. lol All I care about now is that my scalp is no longer trying to drive me nuts. Still hurts, just not as bad.

FINALLY finished my taxes. I don't know why it took me so long. It wasn't hard really. Would you believe my husband is a CPA and I do the taxes? He has no idea how to do it. He's a corporate accounting/ finance guy. People are always surprised that I do all of that kind of stuff and he doesn't even look at any of it.

Just want to say a word about exercise. I know Italy and I talk about it a lot but I don't want anyone to feel like if they feel like crap, they should be exercising. It's HARD to exercise even when you feel ok and I know that. I talk about it because it's a big accomplishment for me to overcome my inborn laziness. I hope I haven't offended anyone.

Trvler- and Theresa- you do not offend you INSPIRE!

Trvler, thanks for the support. My opth dr is very good; she did a successful retinal procedure a couple of years ago. I feel much better now, I was just on the edge, I think, due to upcoming steroids and spa treatment and just lost it.

All better now. Spent some nice time in the garden and getting some D while Jack did what he always does in the sun. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Trvler- just wanted to say I am/was a CPA and always hated taxes and if I could find someone to do them for me I would. I was an auditor, then corporate controller. People assume the designation CPA has something to do with taxes but in reality only 10% of the questions on the theory part of the exam are remotely related to taxes, none of the practice sections. And that 10% is usually out of date by the time they print the exam. Congress changes the laws so fast it makes your head spin, and they never figure out HOW to fit it onto any of the forms. So the IRS scrambles behind them trying to plug the dike.

As you might expect, unsuccessfully

Hi Katy. I'm hanging in today. As this is the day after my infusion (4th AC, so I'm done with that cocktail -Yahoo!) I have my swollen steroid face, and my tummy is pretty unsettled. I do get an energy hit from the dex, though, so overall I'm not doing too badly. I have an appointment to see my oncologist tomorrow, so he can assess my readiness to start paclitaxel in two weeks. Did my Neulasta injection this afternoon, so the achy bones should start up again tomorrow. I'm in pretty good spirits because I don't have to do any more AC - I'm half done with chemo!! So far, it doesn't look like I'll need to have any radiation, so the second mastectomy (and maybe reconstruction) will complete my active treatment. I'm triple negative, so no tamoxifen or Herceptin for me, though I am taking Metformin, and that will continue.

I'll PM you my snail mail address.

Hi ladies, I am your next door neighbor from the April chemo group! Started my dose-dense AC-T on April 1. Read many of your posts and got a lot of inspiration and courage!

I have a question about AC SE and am hoping to find out whether anyone else experienced the same. A few hours after my 2nd AC yesterday, I had shortness of breadth and chest , along with nausea. It was so uncomfortable that I was crying by myself. Thankfully, after a night's sleep, the shortness of breadth and chest stuffiness is gone. But I am worried that it's a sign if the AC's cardiotoxicity. I didn't experience for my 1st AC. Anyone else experienced the same with AC? Thanks!

Lemonade

lemonadehk, you should report any shortness of breath to your medical team. When I go in for my bloodwork before a round of AC, my nurse goes through a questionnaire that includes questions about shortness of breath.Your medical team will want to know about this - they may adjust your chemo dose. Both Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide can have heart effects.

I'll be sending good thoughts your way. Best of luck with AC - I finished my last dose dense round yesterday.

avmom

Katy,

I have read most all your posts and you are one amazing, strong woman! I am 5 days post surgery and cannot imagine doing all this alone. HOW in the world did you get in and out of bed or on and off the toilet? Anyway, sorry to hear about all your issues. I will be finding out about my chemo treatments next week.😞This scares me more than surgery because I have kidney problems. I hope the poison does not make that worse.

The fact that you can go to chemo and still do some things - like the Feel Good day and be outside playing with your dog, is encouraging. I have never met you face to face, but I love you!

Lynn