Starting Chemo February 2015

thanks I'll try the smooth move and baths. Oh wow yes you're way up there. Wish u were closer too. Curious the work you do with children if u don't mind sharing. I work with children too.

ok cool I'm a psychotherapist. Maybe you could give me pointers on my runners knee. Was only tight no pain. Started pt now BOTH KNEES HURT!! Grrr.

live-deliciously: I'm also finding Taxol so much easier. Little aches and pains so far, but no major bone pain yet. On AC the worst days were always the first and days 4 - 5 so it may be around the corner. My MO told me to take my steroid (dexamethasone) on days 2,3,4 and that should help. We'll see. If I get bad pain I will take my leftover pain pills too. The nurse at the oncologists told me I could even take them after Neulasta if I *really* needed it but I've been lucky so far with that. The one time I had a problem the Tylenol actually did the trick.

That's wonderful about your son's surprise visit! Getting on a plane and making a trip like that is quite an expression of love and support.

I'm having menstrual cramps tonight, I'm due tomorrow, and I'm wondering if I'll actually get period number three on chemo. I'm 46 and I thought chemo would be curtains for my period. A testament to the biological imperative of reproduction, and my high estrogen levels I suppose.

anyone having issues with their scar, or fluid build up near scar or even under arms? I have had to be drained twice, and I know it is starting to fill a little more on the dominant side, which they tell me is overuse. But still worry about lymphadema build up

I guess I am inpatient, cause surgeon said it should absorb eventually but I think it needs draining again...oh well.

Sugarcakes, Maybe ask your doc about whether wearing a compression stocking might help?

the fluid under my arm looked like I was growing a third boob. But bec it was so close to after surgery it bust the seam and I was able to massage it out in the shower. Since u don't have that opening anymore def get it drained. Don't even wait for your appt. just go to the er when it's slow and let them address it. Meanwhile ice packs did help the fluid go down. Keep us poste

Hives anyone?Breaking out. Treatment was last Wednesday 4/22. Why now

Also skin on my neck and hands is darkening. What is this mess???

woo hoo Bikerbabe! 💃🎈💃🎈💃🎈💃🎈💃 congratulations

I'm a Janie-come-lately, having only just joined, but finding all your experiences v. helpful. Am on dose-dense AC then Taxol - 4 of each at two-week intervals. Should finish end of May, to give myself a month to recover before my son's wedding in July! Great to have a target to aim for.

AC wasn't too bad overall but first Taxol hit me on day 3 with unbelievable joint pain in the legs, and stomach ache/cramps. Joint pain was managed with an anti-inflammatory after a day or so, but stomach ache continued for several more days. Then it all went away and I had a great week! Today I did no. 2 Taxol treatment and am already having some diarrhoea, for the first time ever - let's see what this cycle has in store! (taking Imodium or equivalent as am not in U.S.)

The doc recommended the following to help with SE: Took the usual dexa in the morning before treatment and will take 2 more x 4mg for 3 days following; took 400g Ibuprofen this evening and the same tomorrow morning, as preventive and as long as any pain continues; drink LOADS of fluids. I also continue to do 5 daily injections on myself of Neulasta. No problems with that at all so far.

Just wanted to say WOOHOO to Bikerbabe - you look great and that happiness you're radiating is something for us all to look forward to! Congrats!

face is really broken out now, so I am beginning to believe it is the hercepton( trauza) that is making my face break, could not tell before, but it seems a lot worse and the runny eyes. Fatigue is done till next chemo.

As for numbness, still the right foot and thumbs. Sure hope it goes away when we are done, some of the other threads seem to indicate, that might not be the case . Sure hope they are wrong. Hang in there gals, we are halfway thru.

Chloesmom - I am so sorry we both have a disabled child in common - and breast cancer.   I have a daughter in her first year of a 5 year PA program.    I can feel my sciatic nerves with the CT, grade 1 neuropathy only in my toes but did better my last session so they did not change the dose.    I am glad to hear the CT is still on the attack though.   Have you found a good source that gives the cellular biology of how it works?     It helps deal with the side effects to know what it is accomplishing.   I hope your edema improves and those nerves recover quickly.   Thanks for responding!  

hi duramama. I'm sorry to hear you had bad days a week later. Just not fair. I wonder if its the steroids? I only get them at infusion. After Friday (had taxol on Tues) i was doing great. The bone pain was bad and had to use pain pills for 2 days Thurs and Fri. But I could eat what I wanted and the bone pain went away totally on sunday. The toe nails are sore still. So far haven't changed color. My energy level is way up too. At this point I love taxol compared to a/c. My eyebrows are really thinning out. Does anyone else who had chemo after surgery wonder if this stuff is working? Im sure its just paranoia but ?

Livedeliciously, I'm feeling much better now, just a stray ache/pain every now and then. If steroids are the problem I'm in big trouble because my doc thinks that's how he's going to manage the pain. His reasoning is that if my pain started on day five - after taking dexamethasone for days 2,3,4- it's probably the steroid that wore off too early. We're going to try starting them a day later, to avoid having to take them longer (which was the other option). Days 5-6 were bad days for me on AC so the timing doesn't surprise me much. At any rate, I can cope with the discomfort. I'm still happy to be off adriamycin. My next Taxol is Friday.

I've lost feeling in my left pinky toe. Years ago, when I waitressed, I occasionally would lose sensation there so I'm not surprised that's where it started. Hope it doesn't spread. So far nails are OK. Dry patches on skin. My taste buds are screwed up too. I've got about 1/3 of my eyebrows left. Some top eye lashes remain, most bottom lashes are gone. I'm choosing to believe that all these things mean the medicine is working

I'm a teacher and I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going back to work till the new school year begins. Since January I've been playing it by ear and using up my sick time. I kept thinking that maybe on Taxol I'd feel up for it, but after the last week I can see that it's not going to be the case. Hopefully, I can get myself strong this summer once I'm just doing radiation. Right now it's hard to imagine how I'm going wake up at 5:15 am, climb stairs, run around the building, deal with hundreds of teenagers. I hope my energy levels come back up. I'm amazed at those of you who have worked through all of this.