Starting Chemo February 2015

Well there is comfort in knowing I'm not alone. My eyebrows are trying to come back. I never lost the eyelashes completely, but they seem shorter. Does that make sense? Didn't notice them thinning, yet they seem shorter. Head hair coming in VERY slowly and the front of my head is coming very slowly if at all. That scares me. Pubs are noticeably coming back as well as armpit hair, but I have not been driven to shave either.

Just picked up all the posts about hair growth and am laughing out loud. Isn't it a fact that the stuff grows best just where you don't want it? Cheeks, chin and pubes doing great, tweezers working overtime. To be fair, brows are back better than before, eyelashes coming along (wore mascara for the first time in MONTHS last weekend!). Head is slow, very silver, but growing evenly. Already showing signs of crinkliness so I think the old chemo curl will be with me.

Otherwise, I've been on Arimidex for 2 weeks and so far all good. Still have some joint/bone pain in lower legs but have had that since Taxol so can't blame Arimidex.

Italychick, love the idea of going red! Post a photo!

Jerseygirl, I'm going to have to try Claritan too. I don't know if it's from arimidex, radiation, or leftover chemo SE but have been very achy. I know some of you ladies had this months ago where the first few steps you take when you stand up, wake up, etc. are very difficult. I'm on vacation so I'm also being more active than I've been in an entire year. That could be contributing,I suppose.

Dromedary, I am right there with you. I can do a lot once I get warmed up, but I am achy. Last night I went to a stargazing program on the beach. I was on my back on the sand for an hour and needed a lot of help to get up at the end. It would have been comical if I hadn't felt so helpless. I am also afraid of the hormonal treatments turning me into an old lady at the ripe old age of 46. I do want to stay on arimidex though, so I'm going to suck it up and maybe try some Claritin. Maybe it will get better after I adjust to it a little.

I'm going back to work on August 31st after being out since my mx. This is going to be a scary transition for me. Working in a high school, I have many colleagues and students who haven't seen me in a while. I'm afraid all the "catching up" is going to be overwhelming and exhausting---and I found work to often be overwhelming and exhausting before BC.

darumama, hope all goes well when you go back, I still have some small aches, but think the clariton works for now, I too hope I can stay on the arimadex for now or for however long it takes.

Went to my B S yesterday and all is good, she asked about all my s.e's and we discussed my numbers from the biopsy, she thinks a piece of cake, I told her I still had nuropathy, in my feet and hope the arimadex didn't make it worse. She was saying, in a few years or sooner the protical for my type of cancer will just be herceptin and forever how long. Wish they would hurry up on this. Trials usually take 20 to 40 years before they commit. Wow. In the meantime, don't need to see her for a year unless a problem comes up, she said to make sure I space out my other Drs over the year, so I will be covered every 4 months. I still have herceptin till November and arimadex and that's it for now.

Two questions, does anyone have a fat gut because of the hercepton.? And what's your thoughts on prolia shots?

I had to pay a visit to my friendly, local infusion center this afternoon to get my port flushed. Ah, the memories! Actually, it's nice to go back and say hi to the nurses every month without the stress of treatment. I get to hang onto my port until January when I get my TEs exchanged.

I went back to work Monday and got the warm fuzzies from everyone I met. I think I hugged 100 people. The past three days have been more difficult as I struggle to focus on getting projects done. It is a little overwhelming to deal with so many people after the quiet life that I've been leading this year. Interruptions really throw me off and it doesn't help that we have so many tech problems. Hopefully, it will just take a few weeks to adjust.

My stiffness continues, but since I don't get to sit still for too long at work it doesn't seem to bother me as much during the day. Hope everyones' side effects are few and improving!!!!

Hi Live D, I would like to think that keeping the port in a while is simply a matter of killing two birds with one stone when I get the TEs exchanged. Getting it placed was no piece of cake,IMHO. However, I also think that my oncologist is encouraging me to keep it a while in case additional testing-- gulp-- reveals something. PS said they take them out a lot when doing the exchange. I would actually prefer it this way. Since I was only under twighlight anesthesia when it was placed, I had a front row seat as the interventional radiologist instructed his student step by step. Plus I felt them messing around in my chest. It was one of my least favorite BC experiences.

I like what your doc said. Every time I stress out over some little bit of food I'm eating, or what kind of tea I'm drinking, I have to remind myself that my sister also has this and we have very different lifestyles. It could be something our mother, maybe even father did. We will never know I think.I try not to beat myself up too much.

thanks LiveD, that was a good post Had to laugh at the bit about deodorant. That's so where I'm at right now.

nothing going on here, I spoke with my gyn and suggested every 4 months see another dr year round but nothing to check unless something reacts. He is offering another pelvic ultra sounds for ovary cysts, but really not concerned.

check in report. How are we all doing? Hair growing in nicely, nails still messed up, more energy, but did need more naps and they are pretty long. Dry skin hanging around, but overall feel pretty good.

Hi Ladies, I'm back at work and pretty exhausted by the end of the day. My hair is about an inch long. It came in salt and pepper gray. Haven't colored it yet. Still wearing a hat or scarf to my teaching job. At home I only wear head gear when I get chilly. My hair was always pretty thin and straight and that hasn't changed. About 2 weeks ago the last of the chemo stripes grew out of my nails and they look perfectly normal now. I have a lot of joint stiffness -bending over and kneeling are the worst. Also sometimes stabbing pain in my hands. Skin dry too, but always had that problem.

Having said all that, there are now snatches of time when I momentarily forget BC. I've gone over a week, maybe even more, without checking BC.org. That's mostly because my free time has been seriously curtailed by work.

Getting my TEs swapped January 28th and can't wait to be rid of my rock solid companions.

I'm finding myself surprisingly ambivalent about October and BC awareness month. There seems to be a fine line between marketing gimmicks and worthwhile causes.

My birthday is Monday and I plan to indulge with a nice chocolate cake. I will never bemoan getting older ever again. 47 here I come!

Thank you for the bday wishes Jerseygirl!

I walked in the Making Strides walk last weekend and I was thinking of all of you in the Feb chemo club. How is everyone doing? Would love to have some updates.

I'm dragging myself to work and feeling pretty exhausted at the end of each day. I keep hoping it will get easier... I do feel like my chemo fog has, for the most part, lifted. Have to keep looking for the positives