Starting Chemo May 2015

Ladies - when you get your port, make sure you know where your bra lines will go - you can ask the dr to try and avoid those spots! Mine is RIGHT where any bra but a racerback will hit and it's SO ANNOYING (and painful sometimes).

I have a subclavian port, right below the hollow of my throat so I wore a camisole and zip up light tracksuit jacket and pants, or a v-neck and yoga pants. I have never seen anyone in a hospital gown, but that was my experience at my center.

Lab - an echo is standard for anyone getting Herceptin because they need a baseline of your ejection fraction of your heart - the pumping strength. They should do a quarterly echo for the whole year, so once every three months. It's an easy test - non-invasive like an ultrasound. The CT is routine to check other parts, I had a pre-chemo PET scan instead

tjh - No question is dumb on this site! We all have questions. And, thank goodness, we have each other. I went to a "chemo class" this past Thursday and it was sort of cold in the big chemo room with all the chairs. We were told to dress in layers. Wear closed toes shoes with socks. I live in Florida and live in flip flops, but not for chemo! She said to bring a small blanket if anyone tended to get chilled. I find when I am nervous, I freeze! I will be taking a soft blanket. Definitely wear comfortable clothes. I don't think anyone wears a gown. Take things to do, like your iPad (if you have one), a book to read, snacks, anything you want to do to pass the time. I am nervous about this, and possible SE, so I am stocking up on all kinds of things I have been reading about that help with side effects.

My motto is BE PREPARED!

Hi labhusky. I'm going through the same feelings you are. I actually have a little neuropathy on my left arm after my lumpectomy and sentinel node removal. My doctor says that this neuropathy will come and go but will probably stay. I hope we can feel normal again but if we do have some residual effects, hopefully it will be minor.

I will be starting chemo on May 13th. My regimen is Adriamycin + Cytoxan every 2 weeks for 2 months and then paclitaxel + Herceptin every 2 weeks for 2 months. Unfortunately, I was not able to get clear margins with my lumpectomy and still have some DCIS remaining in my left breast. In order to not delay chemo any longer, I am to receive chemo first and once I'm recovered I can choose to do reexcision of the remaining DCIS or just do a mastectomy.

I'm a bit torn between the 2 procedures because a reexcision will leave me with a deformed breast but with mastectomy I can be numb in that area. With mastectomy though, I don't have to worry as much about recurrence. Any ladies out there feel numb or weird over the area where you had your mastectomy?

JenJenJen, I had a bilateral mastectomy Apr 10 and still feel numb. The feeling is coming back but very slowly. I was told some of the numbness will always be there. I'm doing the reconstruction so that too feels weird...like someone glued 2 plastic lumps to my chest, very unnatural and overall weird!! But the cancer is out and for that I am grateful!!

Ksusan......you've had 2/4 TC treatments.....how are you feeling? Side effects? Hair loss??

Wendy

Hi ALL! I want to join the group. I discovered a lump during a wellness visit in early February, and the next thing I knew-- I was having an ultra sound guided biopsy. They made four passes, and the fourth really hurt, but it was tolerable. Afterwards, I took no one to my doctor visit, and after asking me 'who came with me', he just straight out told me, "you have cancer." I had a lumpectomy on March 23rd. The doctor said the tumor was in deeper than he'd originally thought, so he had to dig and move things around. I ended up getting six stitches that had to be removed some time later, plus I had the dissolving stitches for the sentinel node removal (0/3), and some little hole above the nipple. My daughter says my left breast looks 'square;. My doctor says it will look normal when it heals, but that's the least of my worries. I sported a drain bag for several days, and that sucked!! It looked like and reminded me of a colostomy bag. I hated that worse than the surgery. It took a little more than 2 weeks to get the OncotypeDX test results, but something inside told me that my score would be high, because my tumor was grade 3, and a whopping 9 on the Notthingham scale, so it was both fast growing and aggressive. I got a 47, so I am scheduled for chemo. I put it off a week so I could escape to the beach for a long weekend. I get my port put in on May 14th in the early morning, and I'm scared of that. I have read some women say it hurts for days and weeks, and others who say they were a little sore for a day. Then, my first round of chemo is scheduled for May 20th. I'm not exactly sure which chemo regime I'm getting. I thought it was TAC, but it seems the Oncologist did mention dose dense. I know it's four doses every two weeks, and then it changes into another drug that started with a 't', and the drip will be slower, and that treatment will be either 4 doses every 2 weeks; or half the amount and I would have to go every week stretching the process from 4 months to 5 months. The doctor told me I didn't need to shave my head, and after reading through this thread I'm thinking of going with a short bob, and lots of baseball caps, which I wear anyway. I am hoping to continue to work through it (realizing I may need to take a day off here and there). My treatments are scheduled for Wednesdays so that I will be at my lowest on the weekends and hopefully ready to pick the pace back up for Monday's workload. I can't believe it. I was hiking Old Rag Mountain, and playing tennis until my son got married in October of 2013. I put on some weight because I became dormant; not being as active. LOL I don't take pills. Not even Tylenol. Woe is me. Anyway, I am looking forward to corresponding with you all, and am thankful for a supportive community of strong ladies to walk the dark halls with me. I pray that each of you has few side effects, and may next several months pass smoothly for each of us.

Shan

klanders you have every reason to rant, scream, cry, whatever you need to do to get through it. You are not alone in spirit! We are all here with you and totally understand. We are all here because we all have to go through this crappy stuff and need a safe place to vent. I would report your symptoms to the doctor...that's what they are there for and there I'm sure there is something they can suggest to help you get through this. Plus they will know to adjust the cocktail or concoction a bit for the next round. Hang in there. Hugs.

Rant away, that's what we are here for! I feel for those of you that have to work...I am retired and my children are grown and live on their own. My DH does all the cooking anyway (yes, I am spollt 😊 ) The only thing I need to worry about is cleaning the house, my DH isn't good at that at all, and to be honest if it's not as clean as it should be for a few months so be it. For the next few months I intend to indulge myself. I am nervous about chemo but frankly I want to get on with it now. I'll spend the time between now and then getting as many jobs done as I can. I can't believe how my life has changed so quickly but I am slowly learning to make the most of everyday.

Good wishes to all on this journey.

I took alot of stuff to my first chemo session ( which is generally longer than the rest), but I found that my center had everything I needed. They offered warm blankets and pillows, ice water or other beverages, and snacks. They served lunch if you were there around noon. Every chair or cubical had its own tv. I wasn't able to read, couldn't concentrate, but I enjoyed playing games on my phone. I found the time went faster if my husband didn't sit there with me because I felt I had to talk and entertain him. We lived close enough that he could go home.

My hair started to fall out on day 15. It started to grow back 3 weeks after the last tx and 8 months PFC (post final chemo) I have a full head of soft curls at least 2 inches long.

I didn't lose any nails, but they did get a little weird, kind of thick and yellow with ridges. They hurt a bit too and I was worried they would lift, but I started wearing gloves anytime I had to put them in water and that helped. By the end of chemo I had two ingrown toenails because my nails curved.The nails are almost back to normal now. 

Good luck all.

tjh, There are no stupid questions! I wore my regular street clothes, something fairly comfortable. If you have a port, wear something that makes access to the port easy. If not then access to your arm or where they will start an IV. It sometimes is chilly in the infusion rooms and some people bring a blanket or throw. At my doctor's office they have snacks like granola bars or crackers & cheese, etc. If your infusion will be long, you can take a meal with you or have whoever is driving you go pick something up. Make sure you have water to drink, I tried to drink lots of water before, during, and after to help flush out the chemicals. I took a book, if you have a friend with you, you can play cards or a game. You can watch a movie if you have a tablet, or play games on your phone or tablet. Hope this helps! Wishing you successful treatment, Linda

Hi I am new to the site... I start chemo on the 13th of May...bit scary...nah... bib big scary thing...but Its neat to know we can all chat :-)

I too am joining this group! Have first TC infusion on Thursday, May 7th. Chemoteach class on the 5th. I am doing the Penguin cold caps, so please let me know if anyone else on this board is doing it too! My friend had great success with it, so I've decided to try it. Curious about Oncotype scores if anyone wants to share. My tumor was 3.6cm, grade 1-2 heterogenous, stage IIa, Ki-67 ~ 5, ER/PR+, HER2-, so all good and showing slow growing, but Oncotype came back 24! Breast surgeon said chemo likely only to reduce recurrence 2-3%, MO said maybe 4% so it was up to me as I'm in the gray area. MO consulted 3 other well known clinics across the country and all recommended chemo based on tumor size and my age 48. Sigh.

Have been on neoadjuvent Zolodex since January prior to February single mastectomy and diep flap reconstruction. I also had a second surgery in March due to failure of the blood flow to nipple and areole which had to be removed and replaced with a skin graft from hip. I am premenopausal so Zolodex being administered to put me in menopause in order to use an AI post chemo. Anyone else on Zolodex? Side effects are rough. Hoping chemo will be as difficult and not worse.

Will appreciate following this group for support and to find out about what side effects people are experiencing!

Welcome to the "newbies" here. We are sorry that you have had to join, but pleased you found this great group.

hi catsRus. I'm going to one of those seminars June 8th here in San Diego. It will be a week or so after my 2nd session s I'm hoping I will feel ok at least but it sounded like fun and it's 2 hrs.

Wendy, I'm doing well. My hair began falling a little after the first treatment (about 3 weeks out) and then more after the 2nd. I cut it very short and that seems to have helped me retain more of it. After each treatment, I've had some side effects but nothing major. After TC #2 I was more fatigued, but that was actually helpful since my sleep has been disrupted for months. As someone else said above, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Also, exercise, even a little, seems to be helpful for reducing side effects.

Anything else I might be able to answer that would be helpful for you May women?