Anyone Starting Chemo in June 2016

Awe thanks Knardo. I am not sure of the chemo meds just yet. I am guessing it will be AC for 4 infusions over 2 months then Taxol weekly for 12 weeks. That seems like the standard. I will find out Monday when I go in to MO to find out the plan. No matter what the plan is, or length of time, the fact that I have to have this at all is terrifying. And my hair--NOT my hair!!!

So a question about your side effects. You mentioned taking a week off after AC treatment. Did you find you needed that whole time to recover? That's a scary thought for me. Treatment will be on Friday and I have help at my job on Monday, but the rest of the week I am on my own. Just not sure how to cope with this! Sorry to sound like I am whining, but I really feel like I am being sent to the torture chamber. Really!

Just looked back on this board and saw your recent photo. Congratulations on finishing chemo! And you are beautiful by the way and I love your hair style. It's very similar to mine. I have a wig lined up that looks very very similar to my real hair, just a lighter shade of brown.

seq24: we are all glad, I am sure to share with you, and tell you that no matter how crazy it seems now (and the crazyness is still there, you just get used to it.) I remember it being the hardest at first when I was waiting for surgery and not knowing what kind of chemo was coming, how long it would last, etc. Your ER+/PR+ status makes a difference, there are hormone linked treatments you are eliglible for, but others you can't get with your HR2- status. Did you get your genetic testing done yet? That often makes a difference in treatment for er+/Pr+ status patients too. If you are getting taxol, you will most likely get benedryl as a premed before taxol infusion, and if you do, then you CAN'T drive yourself home. Some folks have mentioned that they negotiated to get another kind of antihistamine that allowed them to drive, you might talk to your oncologist about that when you see him. I personally didn't see an oncologist until after surgery. I had my surgery before chemo, a lot of people have the chemo first to try to shrink the tumor. Your Stage 2A like me, so that's probably why you had surgery first too.

Take deep breaths, you can do this!! Your most important thing right now is taking care of YOU, and getting through this process so the cancer NEVER COMES BACK. Chemo and rads are for making you stronger and killing all the cancer seeds that may be lurking anywhere since there's evidence of it in your lymphatic system. To prep for chemo, go on the chemo discussion board and look for tips for surviving chemo. There is a ton of good info there. Losing hair SUCKS, there is no going around it, but 1) its easier to not be attached to your hair when its fallling out in huge spidery, hand-sized chunks, and 2) you can grow back hair but not a liver or a brain. This too shall pass, we are all in this together, I am so sorry you are here with us, but we can all help each other get thru.

I would suggest strongly you join the "starting chemo is September" discussion board to hang with other folks going thru it @the same time. It helps a LOT, although we are glad to encourage you too!! blessings, A

Thanks labscientistmom--I actually joined the September board too, but thought I would check this one out too so I know what you all are experiencing up to this point. I am the type of person who always has to know what, when, where and how something is going to happen so I can prepare. Thank you for your encouragement and support. I've experienced every possible emotion in the last month and a half since this started as I am sure you can relate to. Well, every emotion except being happy. I have actually had people say to be "you should be really happy about this. It could be worse". My feeling is that it's bad enough and couldn't get worse because I am the one that is having to go through it. I will find out my final treatment plan on Monday with the oncologist. I pretty much already know it's AC/Taxol because she mentioned it in my very first visit. She told me there was a type of chemo medication that does not make your hair fall out but that it's also not as effective. Not even sure if that would be considered an option at this point. I want this OUT of me and dont ever, ever want to go through this again. Once has been torture enough. Surgery was very easy (I was driving in 36 hours and back to work in 72 hours) but what lies ahead is sure to be the worst

seq24 welcome to the board! I would suggest reading the June Chemo from page one, it will give you a really good idea of what to expect with chemo.

I was given the option on AC or TC. I chose TC because of the possible heart issues with AC. I'm 46 and have a lot of life to live so I didn't want to add congestive heart failure to my fears in the future. But what you WILL find is that everyone here has made it through and like Dolly said, chemo isn't the 80s throwing up version any more. I worked full time through my entire treatment but also had the ability to work from home on days that I just couldn't do it. You'll have no problem working the day of chemo if you aren't too bothered by the steroids or antinausea drugs (some can make you drowsy). Most side effects begin day 3 (with chemo day being day one).

Just read through starting with page one and if you have any questions after that let us know!! I think most of them will be answered by reading all of our posts 😊

Much love to you!!

-Keely

Is LJ not on the facebook site? I get so mixed up with names now on here and other site.

D

Thank you everyone. I knew this would be the place to come after most of you have gone through the process already. I'm also part of the board of newbies starting in September. Dolly, I will read your article now and the rest of the board tonight or tomorrow. Thank you all! This is just very scary for me! Maybe I'm being a big baby (as someone on another site already told me and to just "shut up and quit whining"), but I really am finding I am a much weaker person than I ever thought. Thank you all!

seq, you are wrong....you are a much STRONGER person than you ever thought. We have all found that out about ourselves! You can do this

I was told recently by my doctor that I could NOT drive myself to infusions

Since joining the fb group I think I kind of forgot all about these boards...maybe chemo brain is in full force! Lol. I go for my last AC this Tuesday coming up & then in 3 weeks start 12 weekly treatments of Taxol....my last Taxol will be Dec 6...the day after my husband & I's wedding anniversary. It's so crazy to sit & think that all of this started for me 3 months ago...in 3 months I have conquered so many things & fears...mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, diagnosis, test after test, scan after scan, surgery with reconsteuction, tissue expanders that feel like i have an iron chastity belt across my chest sometimes, chemo & the silly things that come with it, hair loss, returning to work, the death of our 12 year old beagle, historical flooding in our community, going out in public with nothing on my head!

I am told that the AC chemo is more harsh than Taxol & that makes me happy, however my MO hasn't said anything about benadryl before or during Taxol, is that common protocol? I usually have someone accompany me to my treatments but alot of times it is my 16 year old son because he likes to drive & he is back in school now. I was hoping that I could do my Taxol & return to work the next day since it is weekly. When I do my AC infusions I work Monday & have infusion Tuesday & take the rest of the week off mostly due to the steroids, I have steroids in infusion & then take 1 a day for 3 days & 1/2 a pill for the last 2 days, totalling 5 days of steroids & they kind of make me loopy & scatter brained. Are steroids part of the protocol for Taxol too?

A few of yall recommended L-glutamine while doing Taxol which I plan to take, I discussed it with my MO & he recommended B-complex & Omega 3 also. He said the all help with circulation & nerves & that his recommendation are usually those 2 & if I would like to add L-glutamine I can. So it looks like I am going to be taking all 3!

I hope everyone is doing well! I see some new names & wanted to say hello! I'm sorry I haven't been around much, I will try to be better! I find that face book is so much easier & I'm always on there keeping up with family from out of state & such. It has been crazy here with all my treatments & work & my kids started school, went for a week & we had historical flooding here in Louisiana (over 30 inches of rain in 3 days caused rivers & bayous to swell & areas that never flood were flooding like crazy). Some homes had water 8 feet high in them! Total losses to so many people, it's so sad. We didn't get water but it was all around us & we couldn't get out to Dr's or work for a week because roads were flooded. Now the traffic is so bad from all the emergency people here helping that my normal 20 minute ride to work has been taking 1 hour & 15 minutes! Crazy! Anyways school starts back tomorrow & some schools were flooded so they are combining those kids into my kids Schools making their school day shorter & traffic much worse! Ahhh it will be a nightmare!

Back to my house work & prepping things for the week...back to school this week & my last AC this week! Woohoo!

Hi Lily: will be thinking of you and praying for you tomorrow. everyone thinks the Adriamycin needs PR makeover, it needs to be a friendlier color, like lavender or pale blue. Remember to think of the chemo as big guns to kill your cancer!!! its a tiny bit less scary that way. God is with you, blessings tomorrow. Hope your husband's colonoscopy goes well today. I didn't feel too bad on the day after treatment, I think the steroids and two IV antinausea meds they gave me helped. Just be very vigilant to take your antinausea meds right on time!! Also helping me to keep taking zantac as the reflux is bad like the taxol. Cytoxan dries you out big time, keep drinking!! blessings and {{HUGS}}, A

Dolly: hope you are still doing well after infusion Fri. only one more for you !!! Huzzah!!

LIttle red, Moondust, Acie, SouthernYankee, ClarkBlue, , hope today is filled with joy and not many SEs. I am headed to take a nap!1

bbg: glad to hear from you, stay strong and keep eating and drinking. So glad you are doing better. Let us know when your surgery is scheduled so we can be praying for you.

seq: I agree with BBg, it isn't whining when its super scary!! Its ok to be scared, just don't be a slave to fear. Remember that chemo & radiation is part of the healing process to get past cancer. Gotta kill every last mutant alien cell!! Being brave is doing what needs to be done despite being scared. You are strong and courageous, and stronger than you know. Blessings and {{hugs} A

Hi Keely,

I'm still working on it. I stopped after the first few pages the other day because I got too scared! I was actually, just now trying to find where I left off.

I got the bomb dropped this morning. I have to do chemo, no other options. 20 weeks of AC/Taxol starting next Friday, just like I thought. Did I mention I am scared silly?! The dr. made it seem like a very easy process and that I would have very few side effects, but by reading everyone's stories on here I know that is absolutely not true. I'm kind of numb right now but know I have hours of crying ahead of me yet today.

Thanks for checking on me. I appreciate it!

Thank you Keely. Here is the start of my tears!

I was wondering about if anyone posted if they had no, or minimal side effects. You just answered my question. I truly hope I can maintain a halfway normal life style through this. Right now I feel like I am going to be 100 until this is over. The dr. kindly reminded me this morning that "don't forget when chemo is done, you still have radiation to go." then 5-10 years of hormone therapy after that.

Thank you for your encouragement and kindness!

Sorry for being MIA so much. I've been super busy with my son and his wife home from Korea and staying with us for a couple of weeks. He'll be stationed in Seattle next, and needs to be up there by the 15th of Sept.

Wednesday it will be three weeks from my last infusion and I will see my MO. She is willing to get me on the name-brand Arimidex which costs $30 per month on their special program. My right wrist is still affected by the deQuervain's syndrome, which I think developed because of the generic arimidex I was on for 8 weeks, and I will also be going to my regular doctor to see about a cortisone shot for that.

I'm glad no one is real sick right now and everyone seems to be coping okay. Labmom, which do you think is worse at this point, the taxol or the AC? I still feel fatigued but that's about it for SE's at this point.

Moondust,

How lovely to see your face pop up here. I hope you have had a lovely time so faar with your son and his wife. That must have been a real treat for you and one that this year was very well deserved.

Is Arimidex your hormone treatment? When do you start this? I have been told I will have a 3 week break after last chemo before I start RADS but was never told when I will start Tamoxifen. I am assuming they don't put you on it the same time as RADS??

I got a call today from a nurse who is doing the aspirin trial at my hospital. I fitted the pattern for this trial and so they were calling to give me more info about what will happen when I go on this. I told her that I did not want to do the trial, but that I did want to do aspirin and would still like to speak to doctor about this. I was told they could not advise me on this as they were not able to say if it worked or not and if it was safe or not??!!!! I got a feeling of, if I was willing to be a guinea pig for them then great, but other than that, I was not going to get too much advice. I have pushed for futher info and informed her that I will be going on aspirin and so will need further advice and assistance on this after chemo.

What things have you been up to since last chemo? Do NOT feel bad for going MIA, enjoy your freedom!

You will be impressed to hear I finally paid my membership for my fabby gym and start exercise tomorrow.

D

Labs, Thanks for the kind wishes and advice. I agree absolutely - they make that AC seem so menacing. I will think about it going after what's left of my tumor, and squash the SE's with my meds.

My husband's colonosopy went very well, but he was so whiny about fasting and drinking the solution. Glad that's over, and that he's OK. He's been really good about taking care of me, and this thing lasts so long, but I can't imagine him doing what we're doing. We are all absolutely amazing.