Starting Chemo May 2015

Feeling human today with the exception of fatigue and angry red feet, hands and face. Very sore, like a 1970s baby oil sunburn. Will all peel in 4 or 5 days....again. Oncologist said I could go to softball games on Saturday after I finish antibiotics on Friday. I had PS appointment and picked out implant and talked about that surgery. Stay strong, we got this. Klanders, vent away....I am sorry to hear your health news. For Dad...talk to social worker, sounds like it may be time for assisted living.

Thanks for all your support. I'll check out that link, marlanab. I transferred Dad to a rehab facility today so that he can have PT and try to get back on his feet. I'm hoping that their nurse liason person will be able to help me find a good assisted living home for Dad that's close by. I did find a good one for him - but it's 30 miles away and that's just too far for frequent visits. It's difficult to find homes that have openings.

My RO called today to cancel my radiation which was supposed to start Monday. In light of the revelation of these new cancer sites they want me to be presented to the tumor board again to see if they want to do surgery or more chemo first. That will happen on August 3rd so that they can also have the results of my biopsy next week.

I really need a vacation!! ;-) My daughter told me that this song makes her think of me. I think you'll like it, too. It's called "Fighter." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBy6UJTdvmo

I finally called oncologist about my feet....they started blistering yesterday, like new sho blisters, all around heals and ankles and the insides of my feet. B12 1000 MG daily, aquaphoe ointment and more vicodin for pain. If my shoes aren't on the pain is tolerable, not bad enough for vicodin and it's SE. What an adventure.....

Tifree40- I had a uterine ablation about 7 years ago. I used to have really heavy periods so much so I'd have to stay home from work, The ablation did the trick, In fact, I didn't bleed for almost a year. I still had cramps, of course, but the bleeding stayed away and then came back super light. I was so happy I had it done. Now I am in early menopause from the chemo. Not really complaining about that. I am 42 and have two beautiful, teenage daughters, so no need for eggs.

Good Luck to you!

Jenga - I had tape issues too. Cortisone helps, but maybe try so e Benadryl too.

Klanders., so sorry for your news. I'm sure that August 3rd seems like an eternity, but try to focus on the positives like family and summer! Easier said than done I know. We will all be thinking of you and are here to support.

rosesrx....my Mom died of emphysema....it sucked. To this day my sister and I do not know if the morphene they were giving her for her agonizing pain killed her or the disease....it doesn't matter, she is finally at peace. I am sending you lots of cyber hugs

Hi ladies, I posted this in the weekly taxol thread too but wanted to ask if anyone over here has the same issues. Does anyone crazy low blood counts yet some high liver counts? It's freaking me out.

When I was on AC, all of my numbers were 'normal' as normal can be. WBC was high bc of the neulasta shot. All other numbers were on par with someone on chemo. Not too low but close. I started taxol and carboplatin and I'm now officially a mess. My first week of taxol/carbo and it started on a bad note. My hemoblobin was 7.6 so they made me do a blood transfusion immediately after chemo #1. That was such a longgggg day. Week #2 the hemoglobin went up to 8.7, which they thought would go higher due to the blood transfusion but still OK'd me for treatment. Also Week #2 though my liver enzymes started to really increase. Bilirubin was 1.3, and the AST and ALT were also borerline high. This past Friday was #3 and the numbers were even worse. Bilirubin did go down slightly to 1.1 but AST and ALT shot through the roof. My hemoglobin also dropped down to 8 so they threatened with another blood transfusion but said they'll hold off one more week just to see what happens. My MO ordered a full iron workup and all of my iron numbers are crazy low except for my ferritin which is high in the 400s. I just don't know what to do anymore. Googling is driving me nuts and making me think I have liver mets. I talked to the nurse practitioner today and my MO wants me to do an iron infusion and didn't seem concerned with anything else really. Just said that they'll keep monitoring all of my numbers. Anyone else having crazy numbers? I have to go on Wednesday for more blood work before chemo on Friday. Crossing my fingers that something goes right.

Sorry for the venting!!!

I decided to do the 12 weeks of Taxol, instead of the DD every two weeks X 4. I questioned my Oncologist about many things! He explained to me that people with a higher stage cancer are the ones who usually take the 12 week regimen although both are equally effective, and that it is a matter of weighing which SE's I'd rather deal with. The DD would cause way more fatigue and nausea, which I want to avoid at all costs as I'm heading into my busiest season at my job. Believe it or not, the DD has less issue with the neuropathy, which was scaring hell out of me, but the nurse explained to me that I should report any and all issues as we go, so that they would know, if needed, when to stop treatment before if became irreversible. DONE! One other thing is that I don't have to drive to the hospital the next day for that nuelasta (sp) shot. So, I have to go 4 extra weeks, but the hospital is only 24 miles away, and I can better deal with having a POSSIBLE one 24 hour down time verses 4-7 days.

I asked him how long it would take to recover when the treatments are over. He reminded me that I had to get through radiation, then there was the pill, but that I had get my 'game on' to deal with the second phase of treatment. Having said that, he said that it would take as long to recover as it took to take the treatment, so my treatment was a 5 month regime, and I would recover as slowly as I went down, but would gradually start feeling better just as I gradually started feeling bad. In other words, I would be feeling much better in about 5 months, and my hair would start coming in about 3 months after treatments ended.

I asked him for his OPINION on why so many women are getting cancer, and he explained that one reason the statics are so high is because 'we' are catching things much earlier now, but he also felt that it is environmental. Perhaps in the chemicals in our foods, and the products we put on our bodies, etc... I am definitely trying to read those food labels. It would be much cheaper to pay a few extra bucks for, say organic fruits, and chicken that is not pumped with chemicals NOW than pay for chemo or other medications later. I'm trying to eat more greens, like kale, spinach, avocados, and trying to cut down on grains (grass fed butter and meats), and cut down on sugar. I love wine, and Merlot is dry.

I asked him how he would know if I were still cancer free when the treatments were over, and he explained that they would continue, each 6 months for, I forget- 2 years- to check through my blood work, and would be able to see how my liver, heart, and other organs were functioning, as well as checking my lymph nodes. So, that's a nice safety net for a few years.

I also asked about taking some supplements to help build up my system against the SE's, and he explained to me that I could take Vitamin D-3 in 5,000 I.U. daily dosage. This is something we ladies with cancer are usually greatly lacking. Got some- CHECK. He also said I could take a B- Complex, but not to worry about taking super high dosages, because our body only absorbs 100-200, and anything over that we just pee out of our system, so paying more is a rip off. Got some- We are just not supposed to take excessive amounts of antioxidants while taking treatments.

You guys are probably already aware of these things, but I wanted to share for anyone who MIGHT have these same questions.

While I was taking my 4th DD treatment of AC, another elderly lady was sitting beside me getting her FIRST treatment. The nurses were upset and whispering because she did not have a port, and THEY called HER doctor while she was there. Of course, they were concerned about collapsing veins, and the harshness of taking chemo this way. An appointment was scheduled by the nurses for this lady to see her doctor about getting a port before her next treatment. The lady asked me about it when I was leaving, and I explained to her that she would be much better off to get a port placement, and it would not hurt. When I went in yesterday, there she was, and all upset, because rather than get a port she opted to get a catheter in her arm, and now the dang thing had slid down a bit so the nurses could not test it by drawing blood (to make sure they were in), and that had her worried some more. I am glad I don't have HER Oncologist. God has been good to me in directing me to the right doctors and surgeons. That Poor lady. Please, say a prayer for her.I haven't heard much for anyone.

I enjoy reading what each of you has to say and your doing on your journey. In other words, I miss you!! You are in my heart and thoughts, and in my prayers. -Shan

Congrats marlanab!! The 4th one laid me low for a while... fatigue was awful but I'm now two weeks out and doing okay. Not back to full energy but not too bad. I am getting chores that I had put off done bit by bit with lots of sitting in-between. My nails are doing okay and I still have my eyelashes. My eyebrows were sparse before and maybe a bit sparser now but not gone completely. My taste buds are still a little off but coming back...now I have to get back to my regular eating and lose the 5 lbs I gained during chemo (I ate a lot of junk food!). I started letrozole (femara) last night so waiting to see what SEs that brings... oh the joy!!!

• Sharapril....sending gentle cyber hugs your way. Hopefully Dr. can come up with a way to control your pain.

I've lost about a quarter of my eyelashes but I've been taking a high dose of biotin so some have grown back but they're very thin and short. My eyebrows just look like I've over-plucked. The problem with still growing hair that's weaker is that I've been plagued by ingrown hairs, a couple in some very uncomfortable places!

Sharapril--I hope you get some relief from the pain. I only had neupogen with the first round and the only thin that helped me was Percocet.

Hi Ladies! Met with my MO today and told him that I felt like crap from Tuesday night after the Neulasta shot through Saturday. I was taking ibuprofen and tylenol but it wasn't working so I started taking Aleve and I did feel as much pain but still have soreness throughout my body which I am tolerating because I am tired of being tired. My white cell counts are way up, so my MO decided that we try Neupogen after chemo Monday. I will go in Wednesday and Friday for a shot then go back the following Wednesday for labs to see how my counts are. If they are low there is still time for another shot prior to Chemo #7 that following Monday. I am not one for taking drugs of any kind if I don't have to but I am willing to give this a try.

Has anyone one done Neupogen instead of Neulasta? If so, did you experience bone pain? How bad was it?

I did neulasta after all 4 rounds, after the last round I ended up on antibiotics the 2 nd week because of super low white count. For the pain I took Vicodin, alternated with ibuprofen. It controlled the pain but didn't get rid of it. The pain lasted Tuesday to Saturday all 4 treatments. It sucked.

Little K that sounds terrible and frightening. Shout out to all our caregivers! I'm not sure if I got neupogen or neulasta. It gave me some rib and femur pain which I mistook for the cancer in the bones. However I haven't had that bone pain for a while, and this time it only lasted an evening, maybe some the next day. It did help me because next treatment I was the highest I've been since before my first treatment of this stuff. I went from 1.2 to 11.5 and now 1.5. However, I got reds this week and have an extra week to rebuild my own whites. I sure hope my vitamins and supplements work. I sure am tired of going to that hospital.

That's really nice Shanann. It looks comfortable too.