January 2016 Chemo!

LoveMyVizsla, I hear you on the dreading upcoming treatment...for sure. I try to look at it as one more down and four to go.

My hair started coming out by the hands full on day 14. I shaved it on day 15 because I couldn't take it anymore. It feels so much better now. Are you having it shaved at the salon or home?

I bought the Jon Renau Katherine and am pretty pleased with it, but it is very thick at the crown. I plan to take mine to my hairdresser for a little more trimming as soon as possible. It appears that I have just missed the Look Good Feel Better classes in my area. :-/ The next ones are on a day that I have to go into the office and then nothing until March.

I have a question for those who did the Look Good Feel Better program... I want to know if you went by yourself? Also, is it a support group feeling? I'm really not into groups that are sad and poor us. Just worried about going

Rockstarteach,

The LGFB program I went to had 6 ladies (we were all there by ourselves). They set us up at a table with individual stations. A makeup artist then used each of us as models to show different techniques and we put our make up on. Only a support group feeling in that it was fun and in between make up we'd ask each other what we were in for. So not a total support group vibe but supportive none the less. A volunteer (14 year BC survivor) came with our make up artist and was telling us stuff about when she lost her eyelashes and what she did with make up in the interim and how long they took to come back in.

Saturday will be my day 15, which is when I plan to get it all cut off. I'm trying to look at it as a new and exciting chance to make a complete change ... as long as it grows back.

I have to admit I'm not sure what thrush is but it sounds like I don't want it

Runny nose, watery eyes...cold or side effect? I don't feel like I have a cold. Starting Clariton again

Thank you so much for the warm welcome! My TC is every three weeks. My hair shed horribly, but I'm cold capping so I've still got hair after my second chemo. Cold capping is worth it, but it's bloody miserable.

I'm a teacher and have been alternating between a week and a half off for chemo with a week and a half at work.

My dilemma right now is whether to go to work tomorrow. I have it off for an IV iron infusion, but it has to be rescheduled because they're waiting for approval. Normally, I wouldn't hesitate to cancel my sub, but school is a walking cesspool of sick kids and teachers. My next chemo is in a week and even though my wbc are good, I'm a bit concerned about being at work right now. My school has been incredibly supportive and it's such a Personal job that I feel guilty not being there.

Char1110 -- Seen the NP today. It's called acneiform. I starting use cetiphil. she said I could also use the clyndimicn I had been using for adult cystic acne.

I posted this on another board. Hope it can be helpful to some of you.

I've a accepted that I'm vain. If I look good, I feel good. So I've bought some new clothes and makeup to help. Massage therapy has been wonderful, and I have a counselor who does meditation with me. Even with all of that, I still have days when it's all just too damn much to process and I breakdown and sob. It's hard to come to terms with it. Be patient and go easy on yourself....that's what my doctor told me

Below are things that have been shared with me. I've found that having info has helped with the overwhelming potential side effects. These are just some ideas to help you navigate your journey since each one is very individual.

I ended up getting a port because my large and obvious veins would not cooperate resulting in needle anxiety, which I had never had. The port is a Godsend for me. No pain, and my blood can be drawn from it, too.

Chemo causes emotions and that's ok.

Books: Anti Cancer,A New Way of Life and Cancer as aTurning Point. I've read half of the first and just got the second.

Exercise, which I'm not doing enough of. It's hard for me.

I've coated my nails with tea tree oil and vitamin e each day in hoped of preventing breakage or loss. I read on the Susan G Komen site to paint your nails with a dark water based polish, so that's what I have on my toes. So far, so good.

I'm using cold caps, CCC, for my hair and I still have hair albeit a lot less. I use Toppik for my bald spot, and Nioxin for shampoo as it is safe and promotes hair growth.

Lotions and shampoos without sulfates and parabens. There are products out there without chemicals that are excellent to use.

Neuropathy. My dr. Suggested alpha lipoic acid 300 mg. It has worked. Glutamine is another supplement people have used. Some people ice their fingers and toes during the infusion of the drug that causes it. I haven't done that, but I chew ice and drink cold drinks during the taxotere infusion to help alleviate metallic taste. I also drink ginger tea. Acupuncture and massage therapy with essential oils help. My cancer center supports and offers both.

Get your teeth cleaned. My dentist gave me a RX fluoride toothpaste and rinse to use.

Systane ultra eye drops for dry eyes.

Someone I know had a bad experience with tampons because of vaginal dryness, so I switched to pads I'm not sure what other people have experienced. Use silicone based lubricant for...you know.

Biotene is good for dry mouth. Use it after every meal.

Claritin and Advil for Neulasta pain

Drink a gallon of water a day. That's 8 water bottles. I did the first round, but supplemented other fluids during the second round, and I didn't rebound as fast.

Lunesta or melatonin for sleep.

I've gone off caffeine and have limited alcohol, but it's hard. I never knew alcohol consumption was connected to breast cancer.

I have nausea after each round and use peppermint oil under my nose. GI issues can arise, so talk to your doctor immediately if they do. Constipation is the worst! Dulcolax is good as is Senokot. Eat light meals and be prepared to like something one day and hate it the next. I'll gag if someone brings me chicken noodle soup now. LOL

Laugh as much as possible and get fresh air for a little bit each day.

Hope this can be of some help.

There were only two of us in my LGFB class, and the other lady brought her sister. There was a volunteer there, and the presenter was a volunteer survivor who is a hair stylist.

Myra - They still might opt for chemo to catch any cancer cells that are circulating in the blood stream.

Your list is much appreciated! I tried to weasel my way out of chemo today since my biopsies showed only 1 invasive tumor but no luck... Apparently the HER2 positive and elevated Hi67 are enough cause for alarm that my surgeon said I don't have much choice if I want to make sure I'm doing the best thing to eradicate it. I was willing to go the surgical route first but no dice since it could spread beyond the breasts.

So my port gets installed tomorrow and then we're off to the races.

Hi delight. Yes, we are on the same schedule almost (I go for round 2 next Tuesday). My MO doesn't have a problem with me seeing any other doctors she really didn't mention it. She referred me to a nutritionist and she said continue with any other appointments with other doctors I may have. I just have a regular checkup with my internist and I am sure that she will want to know all that is going on with me. I do plan to check with the PA or my MO before taking anything additional. Every time I see my MO they ask me if my medications have changed so I think that is how their office tracks what is going on. I think it is odd that your MO got so upset. I understand the concern about the pain medications and anything that may interact with chemo. I guess he wants to make sure that you don't have any interactions and the best way to do that is to be the only one treating you. But it seems like an over reaction to forbid you from seeing anyone else. With that being said, I would continue to check with him for anything that you need.

Good luck with treatment today!

I have been told you contnye to see my primary care physician as needed. I was never given any issues about it but obviously I have to check any drugs with my oncologist. I actually have a physical in a couple weeks. That said, I think if it is anything to do with my chemo, for example medications to deal with side effects, I am supposed to deal with the Chemo Clinic and oncologist and not my pcp.

Hi, all. I'm going back tomorrow for round two of Taxol after the Battle of the Rash. I dyed my hair ash blonde yesterday, after dying blonde a couple of weeks ago. I figured why not, if I don't like it, how much longer will I be looking at it? I keep trying to add a picture - stupid mac.

Anyway, the rash is long gone, other than being tired and itchy the first weekend, which I had to work anyway, so I just had to suck it up. I really wish I wouldn't have skipped a week. I'd rather be getting this done than not.

I was jelly with all y'alls wigs, so I bought some less expensive ones on ebay. I really wanted one that looked like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, lol. Found that finally. Ha ha ha!

I'll be curious to see what they have in store for me. I see my regular dr today because I have a cough that I haven't been able to shake since November. I've been to my doctor twice in Louisiana and no luck getting rid of it. I'm going to see my regular Houston doctor - hopefully she'll fix it because I'm sick of the coughing. And then there's something in the back of my mind that keeps thinking, great, I have lung cancer.

Maybe the tests results will be back and I can at least have that nagging fear taken care of.

I guess a lot of us are Jon Renau wig girls!!!! I got the Zara wig - I had seen a review on youtube from a girl in chemo and she just looked great, so that was an easy sell. I figure I'll have some less expensive ones for work, but for feeling good, I was willing to shell out some extra.

Planet I have not started the no alcohol thing yet - they haven't told me I should, but I REALLY need to cut back. One thing that is doing it is I'm counting WW points and well, 20% of your points on one glass of wine sort of brings it home. I REALLY REALLY like your idea of mocktails and even putting it in a wine bottle. I'm staying with my sister and her gf and they are drinkers so it's doubly hard. At home, the bf watches me like a hawk so it's easy. Your idea ..... I'm liking that. I've noticed it really it the act of drinking, I mean, I can take a Xanax and drink water. I've tried drinking a glass of wine then a glass of water and it cuts me way down. Yeah. My boss got in trouble with his wife because he took me out drinking scotch the other night - when he was on chemo (throat cancer) they specifically said NO DRINKING. I was like - no one told me that.

FLBuckeye You have some new tips I haven't read. I am getting some Alpha Lipoeic acid. I heard Magnesium helps with neuropathy, too, but I'm willing to add whatever to the mix of approved stuff. I'm thinking of just bringing my bag of herbs that I bought on diagnosis and see what will pass muster. Most of it immunity stuff, so I'm thinking no go during chemo.

Robyn I had this secret YAY moment of I'LL GET TO LOSE WEIGHT with this stupid diagnosis and then I found out, I DON'T EVEN FREAKING GET THAT?!???????? Where is my bonus?!? I'm still looking. I THOUGHT it might be fabulous new boobs, but no, I'm fighting with the PS the whole way, but that's a different story lol. If there is a way for me to gain weight on something, my body will find it. I have to get back on my weight fighting regime or I am going to blow up even more. That's why I started back with the WW.

Someone commented - I think it was on the previous page about their great no sugar, no processed foods diet and how it is helping them through treatment with fewer SEs. I wanted to be at that point before I started. I'm at no soda, no caffeine, no fake sweeteners.