Starting Chemo May 2016

Viktoryak, the plan right now is chemo and then surgery but not sure where another chemo and radiation fit in. Definitely chemo and then lumpectomy though. C'mon Friday!!!

Viktoryak, I meet with the medical oncologist for the first time on Friday afternoon after having the BRCA test done that morning. Mediport insertion on Monday early morning. I'm so ready for SOMETHING to happen besides tests and more tests. Yes, I'm impatient

Same here I'm starting Chemo May 23 and I asked my MO about the port he told me no need to I got good veins.. I was wondering the same thing why not put in a port everytime I go for treatment they going to long for veins

Hello Ladies!

Am so glad I found your forum which I have found so helpful and informative. Reading all of your stories made my heart cry for all of us but what jumped out at me was that here is a place that we can share with minimal words, know what challenges each of us are going through and instantly support each other. I am praying for all of us.

Here is my story:

I was diagnosed with ICDIS mid January this year, with pathology ER+, PR+, HER2+. I underwent a lumpectomy then mastectomy as one of the three areas had + pre- cancerous cells but no lymph nodes involvement. The final tumor size was 2.3 cm.

I just went through my first Chemo cycle of TCH but my HMO does not cover Perjeta, so I was relieved to hear that Herceptin alone with 5 years post Chemo hormone therapy is good.

Days 4,5, 10 and 11 have been very rough with post chemo side effects. On day 11 I was so overwhelmed, I didn't really care if I lived or died as the thought of going through this for 4 more months was unbearable. Luckily day 12 and today brought some relief and I am happy to live with my new normal, baseline crappy ( constipation, GI upsets, dry and metallic mouth, taste buds fluctuation, etc.)

How did you all get through Chemo side effects on your worst days? What were some of the side effects you suffered and how did you manage them? What were some of the things you learned to do in preparation for your second chemo to manage anticipated side effects? When did your hair fall out?

I know I am asking a lot of questions, but I don' t have a large support group of women who are going through this and I am trying to find ways to cope in the best way that I can, manage my feelings of anxiety and anticipation for my next cycle.

Any info you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for listening.

Hi Laura,

Thank you for your words of advice, inspiration and suggestions, so greatly appreciated:) I will try not to look to far ahead and just focus on each moment as it comes, since we can' t change or control what will come.

I am 13 days post chemo today and although my hair is still here, I have noticed more thinning each time that I wash it. In my head, I know that it will fall out but I expect the emotions attached to losing it only surface when it actually falls out. I already bought a wig and a couple of halo hats in anticipation. Will have my hair shaved once it starts to fall out in clumps. Also have a bunch of caps, scarves and hats ready for the wear.

Indeed those first few days post chemo are life changing and the hardest, something we could never have imagined or even imparted to each other in the telling; I suppose we just have to live it to really understand. That is the wonderful and unique strength of each of us in this forum, we truly understand and appreciate each other's experience without having to explain.

Yes, prayer and our faith will certainly get us through and help us persevere-when I feel really anxious I pray and pray and pray..........and it brings me solace.

On my next run to the store I will get some cocoa butter and try to use it on my hands for the tingling. I wonder what is in it that helps? I have already made a trip to CVS for Claritin, Prilosec, etc as all suggestions are welcome to lessen the SE's from chemo.

We'll take care my dear and thank you again for your support and love💕

Sending you love, hugs and prayer, Babcha❤️H💫

Hello ladies hope everyone doing OK with your treatment .... did anyone did a Echo test before Chemo

Hi , I'm in Nj and go to Sloan in basking ridge

EKG tomorrow, along with blood draw, for my port insertion on Monday and chemo sometime after. My MO said it was a must-do.

Thank you so much for these book recommendation So! I just bought them on Kindle and am waiting for them to arrive. I will let you know once I receive and read them.

Yes, always being mindful to keep positive and get to the other side of this.

You take care, hugs, Babcha

I have a chemo start date! May 19th at 9am. It seems silly to be excited about such a thing but it's wonderful to have a date and a plan.

BRCA test was done today, as well as EKG (great) and lab work sent out. I'll have a MUGA done next week, either Tues or Wed since the port insertion is Monday and chemo begins Thursday.

How's everyone else doing?

soareagle, I too have done mostly reading of others experiences. These discussion boards have been such a huge help to me. I have a sense of 'survivors guilt' after reading what so many others are having to go through that I don't have to or won't have to go through myself.

I had my port installed this past Wednesday and my first treatment the next day with the neulasta shot yesterday. All went very well and smooth and So far, I feel really well. I do feel like I'm a ticking SE bomb waiting to go off though. The anticipation of what might be is tough for me.

I have a very supportive boss and work environment. My boss wants me to focus on my health first and foremost. Not everybody is so lucky to have such wonderful supportive employers. My advice is to take it one day at a time, listen to your body and don't over exert yourself. Work as much as you feel up to and don't worry about the days your not up to it.

I'm sure there are others with experience that will comment as well, but wanted to share as a fellow newbie.

Love, prayers and hugs to all, ❤️

Julie

The port is IN! I don't remember a thing about the procedure once I moved from the gurney to the operating table and the cannula was positioned in my nose. Next thing I knew, I was back in the OR prep room!

I'm a little sore and tender and Shakeology was MUCH appreciated since I normally eat really early after my workout. And WATER! Water was heaven!

Apparently the breast surgeon said it took a little longer since he had to "go in deeper than planned" so I'll find out from him what happened. My MIL was just happy I was done and okay so she didn't question him.

Hi all,

These boards have been a Godsend. I have been lurking for months. I am so thankful to you for all the information and stories and the shopping lists, makes it less scary and makes me feel more in control and less alone.

I have stage 3 breast cancer and am getting a PET scan at the end of the month to see if it has spread outside the lymph nodes. I started chemo May 9th to try to shrink the tumor before surgery could be an option. I started on the P mixture of the AC-P combo because if the cancer has spread then at least the P part would be helpful. I hear people talk about Taxol and I think that is what the P is.

The 1st chemo went well, took about 4 hours but the time flew with the nice volunteers who dropped in for conversations and to offer coffee, and they gave me a medication to prevent any allergic reactions whick made me drowsy so I slept a bit, especially with the hot blanket. The only reaction I had was about 12 hours later my hands were a bit numb and tingly but that only lasted about 3 hours. The next 3 days, I was a little spacey and tired but struggled through my work days. I am self employed so need to work. I had to inject Neuprogen for 5 days following chemo and surprisingly injecting the needle was ok, but it was hard to draw up the medication from the vial to the syringe. So much for the aeseptic techniques - the vial landed on the bathroom floor many times. Main side effects are: hard to sleep, foggy mind, change in bowel habits.

One nice thing about starting on the P-cycle is that my hair won`t fall out. My cousin is getting married at the end of the month, so this was good news. Dreading the AC-cycle but will enjoy what I have now and face that later.

Again, thank you for all the information and support.

Thank you Viktory. I should find out what the P cycle is. The chemo happened so fast and the cancer diagnosis was so overwhelming, even the simplest of instructions or information was hard to absorb. I am now at the point where I can say I have breast cancer without my voice quivering and my eyes welting.

Today I went to a free class run by beauty expert volunteers at the BC Cancer Agency, called Look Good, Feel Better. Not sure if this is a Canadian program or they have it in the US. It is sponsored by Shoppers Drug Mart, Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Grant and many, many others. If anyone has a chance to go, I highly recommend it. They go over skin care (esp for dry skin with cancer), make up , wigs, hair scarves. It was nice to meet and exchange information with other women that have cancer. In Canada, for program information call 1-800-914-5665. They give a ton of free really nice cosmetics and creams donated by sponsors. I am not a big make up person, but I felt great after the session.

Some things I learned is not to use Johnson baby shampoo on your scalp. They recommend continuing to wash your hair with shampoo to massage the scalp, but the baby shampoo is not formulated for adults and dries the skin. One participant had a nasty rash on her head from the baby shampoo and was taking antibiotics. Another thing about hair that you see on You tube videos is people shaving it all off. That is not recommended. There are scissors to buy at the drugstore (or go to the hairdresser) that have a 1 inch (or 2 inch, etc) guards that cut the hair shorter. I can`t quite picture what these scissors look like. Your hair needs to fall out on its own. And when the 1st hairs grow back (chemo hair) it should be cut off so the real hair can grown in.