January 2016 Chemo!

Jen 8 flights, no way can I do that now and used to do 10 4 times a day just before diagnosis.

Myra, not back to working out, but walking a lot. Stamina is slowly coming back

My Dr said it takes 12 months or more to regain pre chemo energy levels. He said some people never do. Sigh.

also how I can get my hair to grow in! I have nice peach fuzz (I never shaved it close) and hope to find a natural product that will encourage growth. Has anyone else heard that jojoba is supposed to help? Thinking of trying jojoba oil. I've switched out all of my personal and home products for natural stuff and this is among my final things

I finished my 6th and final taxotere/herceptin/perjeta this past week, and I am definitely much more sore over the last few weeks. My thigh muscles hurt very often. I do tap dancing once a week, and last night I hard a very hard time getting through class. I had to take it easy. But I was still there and doing something. My doctor said the taxotere causes muscle aches. She also said it would be probably 6 months post chemo until I get to my "new normal". "New normal" scares me.

Hi, ladies! It's been a while!

I, too, tire very easily from walking and stairs are terrible. We are in the midst of wrapping up a move from one condo to another so I've just had to pace myself. It's been a challenge for sure.

Congrats to everyone that has finished chemo!!!

I was scheduled for my last treatment on 4/27 but had to delay it due to low hemoglobin levels. It is now scheduled for tomorrow. I am soooooo ready to put chemo behind me and find my new norm. Bring it on!

Ditto on the legs and racing heart on stairs. This diminishes for me the further I get from treatments, and so now we'll see how it is being done!!! Still a few days shy of 2 weeks PFC.

Hi LifeAlot, I started taking anti-depressants about midway thru treatment. I felt like I was digging myself a hole I couldn't get out of. I've found it very helpful. It does take a little while for you to notice results and I'll probably continue taking them until I'm feeling balanced overall.

Kelly,

I've been of Effexor for about 2.5 months and it's helping tremendously with both the anxiety and lite depression. It's one that works well with Tamoxifan.

LifeAloft

I've been on cymbalta for a few years. Without it, I can't imagine what state of being I'd be in right now.

I now what life is like without Prozac and I'm not interested in going back to that level of anxiety and anger EVER! I'm much better with a pharmaceutically balanced brain. I've been on it for years and I'm sure it's helped me cope with the BC

6th and Last TCHP was today!!!! Yipee! Been there done that and got the T shirt, literally. Haha ! Will still have Herceptin every 3 weeks till Jan. But no more BIG chemo! My taxotere was cut in half for the last 3 treatments due to red and peeling skin on my hands. But blood counts have been down last 2 weeks and was trying to avoid blood tranfusion. So kept refusing. No choice now counts still low and had to agree to transfusion or delay chemo. So, 2 units of blood for me tomorrow.

Surgery scheduled for next month on June 15th. bilat mastectomy with reconstruction. Really struggled with the reconstruction decision. Met with plastic surgeon and really like her and the plan so going ahead with it. Whirlwind of appointments coming up to get ready for surgery! still have eyebrows but lashes thinning now. Will probably lose them now, darn. I actually have some stubble on my head, so heres hoping I get my hair back after Taxotere!

I have had gross thrush after every treatment. Was on Diflucan and Nystatin every time. Tried a different med this last time, a losenge called Mycelex and it helped alot. So starting back on those this time right away hopefully this time i can avoid the thrush nastiness! Also started on ivig to help immune system. The IVIG will continue monthly for some time. I am not sure how long.

Nausea has been well controlled. My oncologist is awesome in so many ways. She is all about no vomiting ever! The best thing she gives is Phenergan gel. It is really helpful especially before meals. Just rub on wrists. So much better than trying to swallow and keep a pill down when you are nauseated. What is surprising to me is that more oncologists do not order it. a friend is recently diagnosed and started chemo and her doctor said he has never ordered that at all and he is big city doc in Dallas! She requested it and hope i hope she can get it. Just needs to be ordered thru a compounding pharmacy. It is 38$ for 20 syringes thru the pharmacy i use. Worth its weight in gold!

I had more nausea this last round and did not stay on top of it like i should have. my doctor has ordered a Sancuso patch this time. It is supposed to work like Zofran and stays on for a week. So i will see how well that works and let ya'll know.

I also have the Neulasta onbody injector and I love it! Saves me an 80 mile trip the day after chemo! I didnt get the Neulasta after 1st chemo due to insurance. white cells dropped to nothing and was one sick puppy. 2 ER visits for fluids and IV diflucan for esophageal thrush. could not eat anything for 8 straight days except water! Constant weird mossy diarrhea. Which was the trush all thru GI tract. That was a terrible start.

Seems every treatment has had new effects. Weird eyelid twitches like a slow contraction. Thigh pain when walking. vision weirdness. Edema to feet up to knees after these past two treatments. that has been very painful to the point of not being able to walk at times as the swelling is so great at ankles they barely bend at times. I had echocardiogram on monday which was great so the swelling seems to be more kidney related and not heart. Constipation starting with 2nd treatment has been ongoing battle. No taste and weird taste with all my favorite foods being intolerable. Cheese, chocolate, most all sweets, pizza, dr, pepper all gross. Sprite zero and water are about all the liquids i can stand. Oh but i can now drink my morning coffee now most days!

Fatigue has been terrible. I have only been able to work very part time. I don't know how you ladies continue to work full time thru this ! Yall are tougher than me! I have lost 25 pounds. Which is good but sure is a tough way to lose it!

My tumor has shrank alot and it was a super fast growing sucker! My doctors cant find it and neither can I . Not a solid mass anyway, still does not feel normal in the area. There is one area that is solid to the left of the original area and seems to be the tract from the biopsy. After my biopsy the tumor started growing like crazy town. As soon as I started TCHP within days I could feel it shrinking. Amazing. My surgeon is expecting a great if not complete response. No palpable lymph nodes but only surgery will tell for sure on that status. Don't know if i will need radiation, that will all depend on findings at surgery and lymph node status.

I have not posted in a long time. But I do check in and read posts often. This site has been so helpful to me during this crazy and so scary time! That pretty much catches up all my goings on. Thanks to all of you! sending good thoughts and vibes to all. Calling it a night. Leaving out at 6:30 to go get my blood fix in the morning.

Mena, I also am having BMX and recon - mine 2 weeks before yours, May 31.

EstelaLorca -- I'm so sorry! I don't have taste issues, but my mouth is dry and bothering me the last couple of days. The Prevention mouthwash has helped me tremendously with mouth sores, but this time my tongue just feels raw and funny. I eat yogurt, nice soft French bread, pudding, etc.

when my taste was bad I lived on French fries.

Once again thanks for your replies ladies, I never even thought about eating with a plastic fork! And french fries sound so good right now.

I'm definitely picking up some Protein plus smoothie. It'll get me outside and moving since I've been feeling homebound.

JCS28 - How are you feeling? I know we are on the same treatment cycle. I had my CT scan yesterday and so far I can't get off my couch.