Starting Chemo March 2016

Nina27 - And remember ... supposedly it will grow back thicker and potentially curly. My hairdresser is extremely excited to see what my hair does after this is finished. [Yes, I did manage to keep from hitting her.] Hang in there!

Kim, welcome and we are really glad you found us here. We hope you get your head signed 👍 Post a photo! You shared some great advice!!!

Hello, ladies!

Better late than never.... I've started my chemo on March 10 but only now am getting around joining this board..... Is it still possible to be added to this board? I have been reading it a while but only now created the profile. Do not know many abbreviations but I am working on it!

Have found so much useful info here's....

Not sure how to create the signature yet either....

Dx 01/07/2016, IDC, Left, 2.5 cm, stage IIA, Grade 3/3, 0/2 lymph nodes, ER-/PR-, HER2- (FISH), BRCA1+

Surgery 2/10//2016 Bilateral Mastectomy (BMX) with Reconstruction: Prophylactic mastectomy: right. Prophylactic salpingectomy and oophorectomy , Lymph node removal: Sentinel

Chemotherapy 3/10/2016 six rounds of Carboplatin (Paraplatin) and Taxotere (docetaxel)

hello verock!

Sorry you find yourself here but we welcome you with open arms! Please let us know if you want to join our Facebook group! We are far more active there and there are some great discussions going on.

How are your treatments going? Are they every 2 or 3 weeks? I started March 11th so we might be close to the same schedule but mine are different meds. I start docetaxel on my 5th treatment and am a little nervous hearing about the SEs involved with that. It hasn't been terrible so far with my FEC treatments every 3 weeks.

Ugh. Today I feel so rubbish. And it is Saturday so everyone is home asking me to do things for them, and even my husband is having I 'you think for me ' day.

Has anyone else had muscle pain? I feel like every muscle from my eyes to my waist hurts, and have realised it has happened on about day four of all three cycles, so it must be a side effect?

Hi Suchick, bottom line is you are the one in control of everything-they are workin for you. I haven't finished my chemo yet, I'm doing last of 4 TC on the 20th,radiation is next. There is no way I'm doing radiation this summer. I won't make my 9 year old go sit in a waiting room EVERY DAY of summer. So I will be telling them when I will start radiation.

This says 12 weeks after is fine

http://www.oncolink.org/experts/article.cfm?id=243...

Pam: I'm sorry your treatment hasn't been going well. I understand the fatigue, I have struggled with anemia ever since having my daughter 2 years ago so it is something we are really watching during chemo. But the exhaustion is really hard some days. I have found that using a baking soda rinse (and rinsing often with this) and biotene helps a lot with the mouth issues. Hoping you have better days on taxol.

BlueKoala: I think the muscle pain is normal, sadly. I get it around day 4-5 right across my shoulders and the back of my neck. Sorry you had kind of a crummy weekend. My husband came home yesterday complaint of not feeling well so I basically had to look after him and our 2 year old last night. I even made him a homemade electrolyte drink to get him to stop complaining that we don't have any Gatorade. Some days I wish we lived in a place where you could just run to the store to grab these things..

Suchick: I agree with phaila, this is your treatment and while it's good to take the doctors' opinions into consideration, it is ultimately up to you how you move forward!! Also, I searched for Carol Hickman on Facebook and there were a few that came up and I wasn't sure which one you are. If you find me (Kristyn McCarthy. My pic is me, my husband, and my daughter at our wedding) and friend request me, I can add you to the group. It is a secret group so we have to be friends in order for me to add you, you can delete me right after if you want.

Hoping everyone is having an ok weekend with minimal SEs!

Hey everyone - I have a question. For those of you using TC out there, what did your oncologist prescribe, 4 or 6 treatments? I started my treatment out of town for an opportunity with a very well-respected surgeon and research hospital. They prescribed four treatments. The doctor that we chose at home to actually administer the chemo prefers to do 6 treatments. I am having TONS of side effects, like neuropathy and fatigue after this third treatment and I have to make a recommendation on which protocol to follow. What a decision! I just want to know what is most typically prescribed, even though we are all different.

Thanks!

Phaila - I think we are on the same schedule. I'm going to plug ahead until my body says 'no'. This third week has been great - feeling better every day. I hate to think of getting another treatment, but I am going to try to remember that the side effects are temporary. ugh!

1. Kristyn McCarthy, I just friended you, so you could add me to the fb group...thanks!

Hey Bluekoala, I hope the taxol went well for you!

I have found it to be WAYYYYYY easier than AC and I didn't even have that hard of a time with AC!

saltair, I'm on TC and she wants 6 treatments, but did say if I wasn't tolerating it very well, she could be satisfied with 4 treatments. I'm wondering if there are dosing differences within the TC they can use to either make the 4 or 6 treatments most effective.

HolaSandy - yes, I'd love to join the Facebook page if you could add me - Kimberly Manns (you'll see my bald head in my profile pic).

I finished my four AC treatments in April and head into #10 of 12 Taxol treatments tomorrow. I can TASTE the end of chemotherapy! [Literally actually - it's a bit metallic and icky as many of you know.] I did end up being part of a cryotherapy study so I've been icing my hands and feet during the Taxol infusions. I was already getting the 12 weekly lower dose infusions to try and minimize the chance of neuropathy. It's probably good that I did since I seem to be one of those who are susceptible to it. It hasn't gotten horrible - no burning or pain - but I definitely have some tingling and numbness of my toes and back to about my heel so far. My oncologist wants to keep updated on it and there's a chance they might delay my last doses if it gets too bad (BUT I WANT TO BE DONE!)

Anyone else getting close to done? Many of you doing the 4/4 are already done, right? Beyond the neuropathy, the things I've noticed most are the fatigue, nail issues (achy nails and now I'm about to lose four of my toenails), the icky mouth (but no sores - I've been rinsing religiously with the salt/baking soda/water rinse), some added blurry vision - just annoying, and the bloody clots when I blow my nose (using a saline mist to help keep the sinuses moisturized). Most recently, I have a tendency to get a hoarse voice.

So close. Just July 1, July 8 and then July 19 (I'm pushing the last one out to a Tuesday because I'm heading to Mackinac Island the weekend of July 15 with family). So close. Any close of chemo advice?

so close WonkaTonka! I've got 7 weekly taxol to go. Can't wait for chemo to be done

HolaSandy,

I finish Taxol the 9th of Aug. Got my follow up testing the 16th. Taxol got harder as it went along I lost eyebrows, lashes and started regrowing leg hair. Fatigue, chemo rash, leg pain, neuropathy in toes, nails hurt and I too think I'm going to lose toenails. Close to the end of 12wks so I'm looking up. Ready to be done and taking a nice break prior to surgery in Sept.

I haven't been a good poster but that's just cause I had nothing to say positive. I hope for a better way soon for the future women to come. Love to you all.

Pam