Starting Chemo January 2015

Jenn – Congrats on crossing the chemo finish line!I definitely didn't feel that I would hear "more chemo"given my circumstances.I think my happiest day was the day they removed my port!It was always tender and so I felt so restrained while it was in.Make sure you keep asking about when it will come out.I had to ask several times and it was taken out after I started rads.Once radiation starts, time will just fly by so fast for you.Good luck with that too!

BPgas – ha ha ha..I know what you mean about the neck hair!It seemed like it took my hair a bit to get going but it has really grown a lot in the last few weeks.I was most excited though about my eyelashes!! Your picture looks great and so relaxing!Sorry to hear the chemo didn't work.Since I had my surgery before chemo, I'm not sure what effect the chemo had on me. Time will tell I guess. Good luck with the Arimidex and a smooth course of radiation!

Suladog – I totally agree with your female MO too about the downplaying of SE's.Good luck with your script writing! I think it is great to have something that takes your head away from cancer/treatment.

Brandi999 – love your new pic! I agree with you about quality over quantity. You know yourself best.I have found that some of the SE's associated with tamoxifen have lessened over time (I have completed 3 months now). I believe of all my TX, those pills may just be the most effective so I happily take them everyday. Good luck to you with yours as well.

Mommacat4 – I am not returning to work until September (that's what I was approved for initially and I decided I would take whatever they would give).I am still feeling tired from radiation and struggle to get going every day. Work will help with that I'm sure. Wishing you the best of luck with the biopsy! It's a reminder to me as well to get that checked out. I have had abnormal paps in the past and it's a long overdue check up.

Noor – FEC was a breeze but that Taxotere really hit me hard. I am still dealing with heat sensitivity, lost nails, sore feet as well as fluid retention. I heard it can take about a year for these all to resolve. I will say that I have notice some improvement but it just never gets better fast enough for me. I am all done treatment (other then tamoxifen) and trying to get more active but it is a struggle. I have got a lot stronger thanks to walking twice a day with Bailey.She got bigger and faster and I got faster walking too over time.I will post a picture of her now.Hope you got good information back on the pathology report too!

Beachbum – I hope you are doing well and have recovered from shingles!

Calling out to all those who have not posted in a while to drop by and let us know how you are doing!

Wendy

Hi All

Wendy, thanks so much for the prompt to make a post 😊 - I feel bad as although I've followed everyone's progress, I've been really bad at posting - struggled to keep on top of everything once I started on the AC.

I finished my chemo last Wednesday ... hooray ... I was originally supposed to have 4 doses of AC - one every three weeks - but my onco then decided to add another one as my tumour seemed to be responding so well - 5 doses of AC is no joke and the last two really kicked my butt.

I opted to have chemo before surgery in the hope that my tumour would shrink enough to allow me to have a lumpectomy but that doesn't look like it's going to happen. I had an MRI last week and the tumour seems to have broken up into 4 different nodules, the largest of which is still 1.5cms, and my BS has vetoed a lumpectomy. Both the onco and BS are also querying the result of my FISH test as the tumour did not respond well to the Taxol, Herceptin and Perjeta. Nothing is ever straightforward is it!!

Surgery has still not been scheduled as my BS is away on holiday until the 5th of August - I hope to see her as soon as she is back so I can get a date in the calendar and a final decision as to what we are going to do. Will keep my port in until after surgery as my onco wants to do another FISH test.

I hope you are all doing well and hanging in there.

Stay strong

Di

Bonsoir mesdames!

dimccleland - so good to hear from you and congrats on finishing chemo.

Jenn - congrats on finishing too!!!

PMR and LCH how are you handling Herceptin? I m doing fine except for very swollen feet for the first few days...

Had my rads scan and small tattoos (you can't actually see them on me - not sure how useful that is?!?!?) this morning. Hoping to start in early august to finish early september.. Right before moving. Also starting Tamoxifen after rads for two years, then my oncologist said he would likely switch me to an aromatase inhibitor (or something like that I think), "if I tolerate it well". Oh no, I really thought I was done with all the poison :0(((. He says it will increase my survival chances by 2%. Well, we'll talk about it in 2 years but I likely won't go for more side effects for 2% ROI, sorry.

Had a lovely time with my family at a cottage. It rained almost the whole time so I slept, read and ate a lot :0). Was looking forward to swim in the lake but it did not happen and likely will have to wait.

My end of chemo party last saturday was a blast - I had 40 people at my house. The last guests left at 3:47 and I went to bed at 4:40 am. I danced so much my quads and calves ache to this day but it was worth it! I don't know how I did it but I left for cottaging the same day and managed to clean up a bit so that I wouldn't have to do it when I returned. It was in good shape already thanks to my friends and family.

I only thought of shaving my hair this weekend (AFTER THE PARTY). I think I actually look better bald or with very little growth but that hair over the ears (when you tell your boyfriend to get a haircut) was just over the top so I shaved it. I am seeing signs of black hair under a full head of white hair that no longer looks like it was bleached lol so I am hoping to help it grow a little by shaving it. Probably not useful but made me feel like something is happening :0))). My hair is falling off on top so it looks like when I first had chemo and just one hair here and there and don't ask - I have a quasi full eyebrow and the other one looks like I took a razor and shaved it. Weird. Funny. Funny. Weird. I just keep telling myself that when september comes I should have hair. My best friend who just got diagnosed is hoping to cold cap. I am wearing my winter scarf to work everyday because of AC so I am glad I just decided to lose my hair - the thought of cold capping makes me shiver...

So now I am wary about how much fatigue rads will give me. I warned work that I might just have to go on short term disability towards the last few weeks. Typically when I warn about anything (like being late) then it doesn't happen so I did not want to take a chance lol.

So that's it for me ladies, glad to read everybody as always!

Marjo the dodo bird (I like to find humour in everything, especially these days!)

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. I'm busy but good. My BMX is on the 31st so I'm trying to get things done before then. My husband and I sent the kids to family on the Gulf Coast of Alabama July 8th - 15th and took ourselves to the Florida Keys. It was wonderful, but very hot! I ditched headwear for the most part and used a lot of sunscreen. We rode a jetski around the island of Key West, parasailed, sweat a lot, snorkeled, sailed, sweat a lot, rode bikes, walked, ate a lot, oh and did I mention sweat? It really recharged us, even with all of that sweat!

This Saturday is my end of chemo party. I'm super excited, but also getting a little overwhelmed. My husband had to go out of town on a hot trip for work (he works for chrysler. The big three do hot trips where they test cars in development in extreme heat, and cold trips where they test them in extreme cold) this week so I'm dealing with a lot of stuff for the party by myself. There are worse things to be doing though, aren't there?

Jenn- congrats on finishing chemo! That must feel so good!

Noor- I didn't realize you have a B&B. How fun! I'm glad you are mending and hope you are literally back in the saddle soon!

Marjo- your cottage trip sounds perfect! I almost wished it had rained one day while we were on our trip so that I could have stayed in bed all day!!! I hope rads goes very well for you. I have been thinking about shaving my head but I'm just so happy to have any hair on my head!!

Wendy- Bailey is so big now! I bet she's a joy!

BPgas- I too am sorry that chemo was not very effective for you. I hope rads kicks the crap out that cancer. I have hair on my head and have gotten some of the same fine hair on other parts of my body, but nothing on my eyebrows! I want my eyebrows and eyelashes back!

I'm sorry if I missed anyone. I hope you are all doing well! Are we all done with chemo now? It seems like it! We should plan a toast of some sort on the same date and time to celebrate making it through chemo whether it was part of the course or the full course of treatment!

Jena

Dimccleland – Congratulations on finishing chemo!!Sorry to hear that you won't be able to get the lumpectomy but it great having the knowledge about the cancer did respond to chemo.I guess they will do another test once you have surgery to confirm the Fish test?You are right, nothing is ever simple and straightforward!!

PMR53 – Sorry to hear about your brother.I hope he is continuing to recover!I have given up on my wig I think!I should have taken it back sooner so another lady would have the opportunity of using it.Better do that this week!

Tennisfan – that is awesome that you are seeing some black hairs under the white hairs!Not so for me as there is a good mixture of both black and white.I will say that it seemed to take my hair/eyebrows and lashes quite some time to show up but once they did, they have really come in well.I wish the same for you!I don't regret not cold capping either.I had heard for Taxotere it wasn't very successful and I couldn't imagine freezing for nothing.As far as RAD fatigue, I can say that I definitely had that.I am at home so I was able to take a nap in the afternoon when I felt I needed it.(I needed it most days!).I think if you stay more active though, it doesn't impact you as much!I wish you good luck with your RADS!

Noor- I had a little seroma on my chest and was told it could get worse during radiation.Luckily it didn't.What do they do about getting rid of the seroma beforehand?I'm glad to hear you are continuing to recover well from your UMX.Being active with your B&B is probably quite helpful.

Jlstacey – I hope you had a great time at your party!That's great you got some time away also.Wishing you a speedy recovery from your surgery this Friday!

Hope everyone else is living life and doing well too.

Wendy

hey Jena, good that you are home now. I always feel better at home. So glad to hear initial pathology shows no cancer on your lymph nodes. Wishing you a pain free and quick recovery

Hi All,

Jena, good to hear they found nothing in the initial pathology. Still doing well since you got home? Always better to be home, then be stuck in a hospital. Hope you get the drains out soon, they are a pain.

Lara, glad you are almost halfway on the radiotherapy. I will start on aug 13, for 25 sessions. Since my hospital is about 1h15 from my home, that wil take all of my afternoons. But it also means, I will finish treatment half september (except for tamox for years ofcourse).

I'm going to swim this afternoon for the first time since surgery (wound is healed completely now) and I'm really looking forward to that, because I was not allowed to swim before and this is an exceptional hot summer this year in France.

Hope everyone else is doing well also.

Noor

Hi Cheryl,

Glad to see you are doing pretty well too and radiation is almost over! I guess Tamoxifen is next since I see you are ER+. I have to admit I found the first month tough (lots of hot flashes) but they do lessen over time. Wonderful that you have had lots of picnics near the lake! What a great way to spend a summer day!

Wendy

Hi fabulous ladies ... hope you are all doing well 😊

After what seems to have been a very long wait, I saw my surgeon today and my surgery has been scheduled. Having a UMX and lymph node dissection next Tuesday, the 18th. Have decided not to have a reconstruction. Plan is to do another FISH test at the time of surgery to see whether I will continue with Herceptin or not.

Take care of yourselves

Di xx

Jena,

There are some great very pretty ones from Amoena and Anita..I have stick on foobs and I find that with them I can wear almost any regular bra. Here's a picture of one of their bras

Hello ladies, I hadn't realized that it had been almost a month since I posted on this forum. I do apologize. I just can't remember things all the time. I think cancer, chemo, emotional state of mind, doctor appointments and family stress all play a factor in my forgetfulness.

I spent about an hour reading all the posts to catch up earlier today. By the time I was done I didn't have the time to write my post. Anyway, here I am. Congrats to everyone who had finished chemo, rads and surgery. And Brandi, your picture looks good. Rv6gal, your puppy is beautiful. Noor46, I hope you will be riding again soon. I have always loved horses but never had the opportunity to own or care for any. I am sorry for forgetting who owns the B&B but that sounds like a great little get away. Tennisfan, your party sounded like it was amazing. My love goes out to all of you and even the ones I forgot to mention here. Please forgive the forgetfulness.

I believe I had mentioned in my last message (about a month ago) that I was going to have a biopsy done on the endometrium lining of my uterus. I did, it came back with cancer. I just finished Rads for breast cancer on July 31st and on August 4th I get this news. I of course am devistated and have a ton of questions for the GYN ONC which I will meet for a consultation next week. I have been told by my med onc that it is very rare to have 2 estrogen receptive cancers at the same time especially for someone in their 40's like I am. This creates even more questions for me. So, ladies, please once again I ask for prayers. Thank you all and have a good night.

Cat, I'm very sorry to hear that you have another cancer. That really sucks! You think you're done and than such horrible news. I hope you stay strong and that they found it early.

Di, I wish you a smooth surgery and recovery. I also had an UMX and I will not do reconstruction either.

Wendy, a frozen shoulder is just one of those things they never tell you when you get treatment, but I hope you can golf again next summer (or maybe before!).

Jena, I also have bras from Amoena and they are very good.

My radiation should have started yesterday, but it is postponed to tuesday. This means it will also end later and that might interfere with a horseridingtrail that is planned end of september. I Hope I can still go on that trip.

Noor

Mommacat4, here is a link to the SOFT trial:http://www.ascopost.com/ViewNews.aspx?nid=20664

arghhhh....I'm sorry but I just have to vent! Three weeks and one day since surgery and I still have two drains!!!! I wish I could just sit around all day and do nothing so I could get these things out but I have two kids. I think I'll tell my husband I'm staying in bed this weekend and maybe, just maybe, the numbers will go down so that I can get these things on Tuesday at my next fill.

End of rant. Have a good day.

Jena