Starting Chemo February 2015

live deliciously: Good luck with Taxol! I start mine on Friday. For what it's worth, my oncologist says it is only 50% as hard as AC. We shall see... He also said I might have neuropathy and aches and pains. He said it is common for some people to feel flush while the drug is being administered. The chemo nurses said the infusion sessions would be quicker. They also told me I shouldn't feel as nauseous but they are keeping me on the full compliment of anti nauseau drugs. I've felt pretty crappy on AC- at least for the following week, so I'm hoping what they tell me is true- not that it sounds like any picnic. But 50% less awful = 50% better. At any rate, each infusion is one closer to being done! Keep thinking of June

ah.. June! Most of us should be done by or around June, yes? God willing we can all stay on target with no delays.

MaryJC - I had the DMX with tissue expanders implants. It definitely has made the surgery recovery a little more tricky, but that's mainly because I had an axillary dissection on my right side. My recovery on the prophylactic side has been much easier. I will tell you honestly, for the first day or two after the surgery I really regretted the tissue expanders. They put them behind you chest muscle and you really feel it. I don't regret it anymore. Time heals. It has gotten easier and I am taking a long view of the reconstruction project. I do have that feeling of wearing a tight bra all the time, but even that has improved a little. I keep telling myself , these are early days in the process. One nice thing about the expanders is you have a certain amount of control over the final product. I was very big on top and since the mx have decided I actually like being on the smaller side. I told the plastic surgeon that I didn't want the Cs she had planned for me and wanted to stay in the A+/B range. My plastic surgeon plans to switch them out for permanent (15-20 year) implants 6 months after I finish radiation. Good luck whatever you decide😀

Darumama and Live Deliciously,

I haven't been very active recently, but I thought I'd let you know that i finished ACx4 about a month ago and have had Taxol three times (next one tomorrow) and have found it MUCH easier to deal with. With the AC I took off a whole week of work and then worked for a week. With the weekly Taxol, I've been taking the day off for the the infusion (I'm on a Wednesday schedule) and working the other 4 days of the week. Not feeling any nausea. Fingernails continue to deteriorate, though. Definitely a lot of fatigue but part of that may be anemia from the AC. My RBC are only 8.8.

So, hope both of you experience the same as me. The biggest problem is that it just seems endless.....

Good Morning Sisters... Ugh have #4 coming this morning. I've been fasting ahead of my treatment. I'm looking forward to a mango after! I'll reach out during or after. I don't get great signal there which is a bummer. But i get to lounge n watch daytime TV. I'll follow bs k up soon. Wish me luck!

just starting to feel a little better since last 3 chemo, that neulista shot sucks. I am a lot older than you gals so I know that I was done with boobs, did the nursing thing, what happened to the protection? From nursing? In the meantime, surgery site still pretty numb, don't know if that will improve, but I can live without the gals, they were in the way before, I slept on my stomach last night, felt pretty good. And you are so right without boobs you can ce any size you want too. From what I understand, the radiation depends on location of tumor and strength of it, my margins were good, all clear so no need. Which I am glad,

Going to enjoy the next few weeks without chemo, Did you know you can get the herceptin infusion put in over 90 minutes, I am doing 60 because at first they were rushing me, and I heard its less traumatic on your body. It works for me. Hoping the mouth sores diminish, they are back again, but doing the baking soda and salt almost every hour to neutralize the mouth. Ok girls have a great day. Chin-up and were almost done this phase of this crap. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.

i had first did taxol yesterday. My iv went in first time yeah! I didn't have any allergic reactions either. And today so far I feel Much better than I did on a/c. Still have to do neulasta shot today so we will see what fun that brings . will say it took longer to infuse with taxol than ac because they give you more steroid twice as much and the taxol bag took 2 hours by itself. Labs to Dr visit thru infusion took 5.5 hrs. I did get an earfill from Dr when I told her I'd been gardening and landscaping around house . She said absolutely not. Cant be around soil because it can lead to a respiratory fungal infection. Really burstmy bubble. Can't even mow. She said not even with gloves and a mask until all chemo is done. I had not read this anywhere .just seems like we can't do anything normal.

hi all--my good week after chemo has been nothing but horrible. Those itchy hives have been from an allergic reaction to the warfin I was taking. It travels all over me, even my lips. I think it's finally starting to subside, but it's been so miserable. On a really happy note, my baby girl surprised me with a visit, she's in grad school in Chicago. So happy to see her, even if just for a short few days..

Had round 3 on Monday, last round of FEC, nausea worse than before. I hope it's true nausea isn't as bad with Taxotere, because I don't know how much more I can take.

It's my 40th birthday today....and Im pissed that instead of celebrating this milestone, I am so sick.

I had my first Taxol infusion today. LiveDeliciously, you were right. It was a marathon. When the nurses told me it would be quicker they thought I was getting the 12 weekly infusions. I had a 5 1/2 hour visit too. Usually the SE don't hit me for a few hours, but I have noticed an uncomfortable feeling in my mouth, like I could get a sore any moment now. On AC the doc told me to suck on ice chips or a really cold drink to help prevent the drug from bothering my mouth. With Taxol they said I wouldn't need to, but I may do it next time. I got Benadryl in the infusion this time and I slept for over two hours -a good thing. I do feel a little achy, taste buds screwed up, but no nausea😀. Wondering what the next few days will bring

hey gals, not as fatigued here, but still have mouth sores, taste is horrendous, and spent most of the day on toilet. Cramps after everything this time, milk, water, sandwich, I have run out of anti diarrhea pills, so off tomorrow to get a super pack. And this was 3rd dose of chemo on the 16th if April, and last thurs the hercepton, guess this stuff is cumulative for me. I pray none of you have these SE's . Even uncomfortable to talk.

Have a seminar for breast cancer tomorrow, gonna wear my depends, take anti diarrhea , and hope for the best, about 4 hours long, with 45 minute ride each way. Wish me luck.

MaryJC, I never feel good on Zofran: Constipation, heartburn seem to bother me on it, (Although they say that heartburn is probably more steroids). My MO gave me a script for suppositories when I complained about the SE, but since they were labeled as anti-psychotic I got cold feet and didn't try them. Lol. I tried ginger tea for nausea and that helped a little. I hope you are feeling better soon! I think the nausea is the worst.

what do u ladies do for constipation? I don't like taking things like senocot etc because my body gets dependent on it fast. I'm just able to tolerate water again w/lemon but not much. My probiotics n pb yogurt usually gets things moving but I've not had the stomach for anything :