Starting Chemo December 2015

Sammy3 I just opened my Lindi big bottles. I don't notice a difference but I bought the lavender face serum. I still haven't tried the citrus. I will pop it open and see. Personally not thrilled with the smell at all but I do like how it works and feels. Thanks for the head bump advice ladies. Mine doesn't seem to be getting worse so far. I am able to sleep ok but I will have dr check it when I go on Wednesday. Treatment #3. I hope all you ladies have a great week!! I'm praying for you Pezgal!! So glad I have you all!! Going to look good feel better tomorrow:) I'll let y'all know how it goes

Twirp, I am going to my Look Good, feel better session tonight as well! That is funny, we will both be there with our red bumpy heads, ha.

Stotamom, I had a Petscan before my treatment. That was ordered by my oncologist. He did say that not all doctors do them for early stage breast cancer.

Mvspaulding & Twirp - Have fun!!!! I enjoyed my class. If you feel more comfortable, wear your make-up. We had the option at our Look Good / Feel Better of practicing with the make-up or just listening/observing. None of the ladies there chose to practice with the make-up...they just talked us through it. I was especially interested in the tips about eyebrows! It was fun to try on a variety of wigs. You might want to bring a wig liner or thin soft hat liner if you have one.

Stotamom - I didn't have any scans either. They only did the mammogram, US and US guided biopsy before surgery. My lump and was small and didn't have any obvious signs of metastasis, so they did not recommend any other testing. If my surgery had revealed something else, they said they would do scans then. Fortunately I didn't need any. Just went from surgery to chemo (actually they gave me 6 weeks to heal up between the 2) without other testing except for an echocardiogram baseline so that they can monitor my heart's response to the Herceptin while I am on Taxol+Herceptin.

Sorry, I just kinda dropped out of this group but wound up in hospital due to neutropenic fever. Given massive amounts of antibiotics, and also had some unexplained reddening of my port site noted on Thursday.

When they withdrew the needles from my port yesterday prior to be discharged, a small amount of serous drainage came out which threatened my hospital release. They had to re-access the port and run another series of cultures (all of which have previously come back negative ,) but I was still able to come home - Thank God. I just have to keep watch on the port site. There is talk of removing it, but I hope not.

I'm still on oral antibiotic and feeling weak, but I'm home. My next chemo is scheduled for next Monday, and my MO says she'll modify the amount of drugs given, plus I'll have the Neulasta shot the day after. Hopefully, that will prevent this from happening again. My MO says this happens to about 1 in 10 patients after their first chemo, wasn't I lucky?

stotamom~

Yep. I had a CT and bone scan. Because my tumor was so large, I think they wanted to know if the cancerhad already spread?

~gardengypsy

I'm having serious heart burn issues. Rolaids aren't touching it. I've never had heart burn before, so I'm clueless. What should I take?

Happy end of Monday!

Lawyer180 my oncologist said Zantac for the heartburn. Mvspaulding & twirp26 I too have the dreaded bumps and I hate even thinking of antibiotics again, 2 rounds in the last month due to strep throat so I'm going to try some home remedies and I messaged my oncologist for any topical I can use.

Sammy I'm going next Tuesday to LGFB! Brithael I'm so sorry about your hospital stint! I've not had any scans but my surgery was 1 week after finding out that my lump was BC so I didn't even get to consult with a plastic surgeon to have the tissue expanded done. So I guess I get to add that to my list after my chemo.

Have a good week everyone

mvspauling, i did not try on wigs. They had three there but they were all blonde and real short. They did give away beanies and got to pick out a scarf to take home so that was nice. I really just enjoyed visiting with other women that didn't have hair😉 It's too bad nobody else signed up. If you find time, I might try another one. Just bring your makeup bag with you. For me it was less about the makeup and more about the other people there going through the same journey.

Lawyer180, yes Zantac all the way. I take a perscription for heartburn and still get it so my dr said to take Zantac at night in addition to my perscription. Heart burn sucks!

I go tomorrow for #3, kinda pigging out today while my taste buds are semi back. It's crazy how quick they get screwed up😞

Have great days ladies!

I thought the same thing!! What a great way to get involved and help. There was also a survivor at mine. She said she walked 3 miles a day and just kept pushing herself to keep living:) inspirational for sure. I am thinking about going to a support group here too. It really helps to talk to other women, so glad we have this sounding block to talk to each other as well. I think I will miss everyone when this is all said and done.

Hi ladies!!

Well, I have finally buzzed my head, leaving more length at the top so I can gel it and get that "cool, funky" look. lol....

Now...I made this awesome hat with hair to share with you all!! I have bought a couple of wigs, but wanted something less confining. I am an extreme crafter, and think that i can make anything ( haha), so I tried this...And it has velcro holding it in so you can use it with any hat you want!!!! I am so excited!!

Anyone have an issue with peeling hands? I have tried everything including wearing gloves after putting ointment on them. They look awful and it is painful. It is also very cold and snowy here which doesn't help. Any tips?

I was to take the Look Good, Feel Better class last month before I needed the wig and head covering. I signed up for a class 90 miles away so I could do it BEFORE time. I got to town and was eating lunch before the class and was called and told it had been cancelled! I was so disappointed! There is one in my town early next month. I may try to take it, but haven't decided.

I've been taking a generic Pepcid since Saturday and the heartburn has really been controlled! I was amazed!

I go for my 3rd and next to last AC this Thursday. UGH! But it's one time closer to the end of that part! Got to remember the positive!

Got several compliments on the new wig! It's definitely more ME, than the blonde, blonde, blonde one! Still getting used to it though. But it IS getting better! I got a pre-tied scarf and really like it. Where is the best place to get those? Any suggestions? I've got a black one and would like a few other colors. Black really does NOT go with everything.

Has anyone heard from PezGal?

I have been keeping a day by day log of my chemo side effects on my blog. Of course, everyone is different, but I would have like to have seen something like this before I started chemo. It only covers the first two weeks at this point, but they are covered in the latest three entries if anyone is interested. I'll be finishing the last week between treatments by next Monday when I have my second TC.

Went for infusion #3 of AC but after my wbc came back at ZERO they canceled it. I'm so bummed as I would have only had one more AC to go before I started my taxol. They started me on an antibiotic so hopefully that will keep me out of the hospital. Praying I will be able to receive it next week.