Anyone.Starting Chemo in October 2016?

Wow, Melinda,

You have been on the fast track to Chemo... sounds like you have gone through a lot. How are you holding up emotionally?

Hi all

I just realized today that I start Chemo (taxol) on Oct 6th the very same day I was diagnosed with throat cancer last year.

In anticipation I went ahead and had my hair cut off, a very short pixie cut, I actually like it, to bad it won't last long.

I will post after the first infusion and let you all know how it went.

I am 66 years old and also have triple negative. I get my port Oct 5 and first chemo on the 10th. I also am having the 4 treatments of AC every other week followed by 12 weeks of PC and then 6 weeks of radiation. I've pretty much got my shopping list from here complete I believe and I'm going to try the cold caps. I hadn't planned on doing those but my Mom (86 yrs old) has a friend whose daughter in law used them successfully so I decided to give them a try. My oncologist also suggested the cold mittens and booties to help my nails and neuropathy during the PC.

I haven't been told about any Look Good, Feel Better seminar. I wish it was offered here. I did go to a stress relief seminar Wed. but I'm not sure I got a lot out of it. I don't think much will remove my stress other than just getting going and seeing how well I deal with it.

I do have a question. Someplace I read or heard that the room where you get chemo is very cold. Does anyone know if this is correct? If so, do you take a blanket or a coat or anything? I realize that wearing the cold cap is going to make me colder than normal anyway

Welcome, Melinda! Once you get the initial chemo and radiation out of the way, you'll probably be on Herceptin and most women report find it quite easy to tolerate. I know this can ask be quite overwhelming and the process is moving very quickly so it's good that we can support each other. Women who are farther along in their treatment plans are also very gracious when we have questions.

Lyn

Hi Lisa,

Welcome! Wow ... you have a busy schedule. I'm starting chemo on Oct 3 (AC+T). I had wanted to do the dose dense to go more quickly, but my MUGA and echocardiogram showed that my heart wasn't in good enough shape. I couldn't believe it! (I'm a 55 and exercise regularly.) I'm still doing the Adriamycin but on a 3 week schedule ... I'm trusting my MO to make the best choice for me.

Anyway, good luck with the port on Monday. Let us know how it goes.

Barb

Hi Lyn,

For me, the LVEF was just below normal but everything else was fine. I have no family history of heart disease ... it seems that my heart may have been damaged from running marathons in my younger years. I want to be aggressive in my chemo since I had 2 positive nodes and residual cancer cells after my re-excision, but this heart thing is definitely a factor. I'm hoping they will watch my heart closely and adjust treatment as required.

Glad that you are clear to go. Good luck with your port on Monday.

Barb

Me neither! Apparently it occurs in a small percent of cases, but they are seeing more and more of it as endurance sports become more popular. It results from the sustained load on the heart over several hours.

It seemed like a good idea at the time ...

A bumpy ride indeed. I've been pretty calm since my diagnosis (except that the waiting has been hell). I wanted to get the surgeries over and done, and I thought I felt the same way about the chemo but as it gets closer, I'm feeling very nervous. I know that I'll get through it, but I've always considered myself a strong, healthy person ... even though they tell me that I have cancer, I still look and feel like my strong, healthy self. And I know that chemo is going to change that ... it's going to make me feel sick and tired, and my hair will fall out, and I will be changed. And that scares me.

Sorry for sounding so negative, but you (my October chemo sisters) are the only ones I can confide in. I don't like to upset my family and friends, and so I've been positive and cheerful and matter of fact about my diagnosis with them. Mostly I'm ok, but it feels good to tell somebody that I'm a little bit afraid.

Thanks for listening. (I feel better now.)

Hi everyone-

I'm 55 years old, and diagnosed 9/14. I'm getting my port on Tues Oct 4, and starting chemo on Friday Oct 7. Dose Dense AC+T, neo-adjuvent therapy. Had Echo last week and haven't gotten results yet, but I'm hoping that things will be fine and we can proceed with the chemo as planned. If not, I guess I'll adjust (seems like a lot of that lately!). I've also had bone scan and CT scans. And a colonoscopy because the CT scan found 'narrowing' and I was due for a colonoscopy anyway -- it all came out clean (hahaha). Yay! I had long hair down between my shoulder blades, but got it cut short last week. I love the new cut! And I tried on a few wigs at a local shop just to 'check out what they were like'. I'm not sure if I'm going to want to do that or hats or turbans or what. Wish I had the nerve to just 'go bald'! I've been going through all the documentation on the chemo drugs and it's really beginning to sink in that I'm going to be doing this in less than a week. I alternate between being nervous and being 'excited' to just get going.

Hi GrendelDog and welcome. I'm also 55, and will be doing AC + T (but not dose dense). Many of us will be getting ports and starting treatment next week ... we'll have lots to talk about!

If you like, you can show information about your diagnosis and treatment by entering it into your profile and then going to settings to make it show at the bottom of your messages. It's useful when you're looking for others with a similar diagnosis to your own.

I've also been playing with wigs and scarves and hats ... I'm pretty low-maintenance, so it's probably going to be whatever winds up being the easiest option (but definitely a wig for occasions that call for hair ... haven't figured what those are yet, but I think I want a wig available if I suddenly feel the need!).

Interesting on the marathon - cardiac damage. Who woulda thun? I'm scared, too, and that fear is heightened by the way my "easy" lumpectomy had one problem after another. Fingers crossed for all of us!

Lyn

That is worrisome, Abracadabra. :-(

I'm freaked out that my CT scan showed a nodule in my lung since that's a favorite target for triple negative cancer. After my diagnosis, but before mini lumpectomy, I developed a very pronounced pattern of blue veins with "all roads" leading to my tumor. Those faded after my tumor was removed, but now I have a similar pattern on the opposite side of my upper chest that seems to point to my armpit / lymph nodes. Nothing showed up on the CT scan in the area. My oncologist said she's only seen one other patient with the veining and it didn't seem to correlate to a tumor location in her case, but I find it alarming.

Like you, Abracadabra, I'm hopeful that the chemo can destroy anything harmful lurking in our systems. Away with you, cancer cooties!

Lyn

Hello Ladies!

It's been a while since I responded to VHL's post on 9/22 - our band of warriors has grown. I start chemo on October 4th -4 rounds AC every 3 weeks (with Neulasta) followed by weekly Taxol for 12 weeks & Herceptin for a year. I'm scared, nervous, apprehensive and more. I've read so much about side affects it's mind boggling - sometimes I think I'm going to get every side affect known to man. And there lies the quandary - I want to get started to get it over with but scared of how I'm going to handle it. My family reminds me I need to be positive, I know they're right & I'm trying but that's hard to do when the biggest questions in your head are "why me?" and "what did I do wrong that caused this?"  My MO arranged for me to talk to a social worker who is putting me in contact with a psychologist - the organization associated with my treatment center (SHINE) pays for the first 4 sessions - I just want someone to help me get some control over this uncontrollable situation. My Type A personality is going have to undergo a complete reset - asking for help, trying not to be Superwoman - I'm sure you all can relate. 

I attended one of those Feel Good, Look Better sessions - I think I posted about it earlier in this thread. It was good - I finally know how to apply make-up the "right" way! Got a couple of cute hats in the process too. Still trying to wrap my head around the whole hair loss thing - going to my salon the Saturday after my 1st treatment to have it cut short to ease the shock (I hope!). I even went to a local store to buy some hats - unfortunately the woman helping me wasn't very helpful - or maybe it was because I was alone & feeling lost. Anyone hear of or buy something from TLC (http://www.tlcdirect.org/)? Looks like they have a nice selection of hats and pre-tied scarves/turbans - now to measure my head correctly  

AI12 - have you talked to your surgeon about what you're experiencing if only to confirm it's "normal"? As if anything with this journey is "normal"

VHL - I've never heard of the veining before - that's a new one. Had my echo last week - I read the results on my hospital's site but I don't know what they mean. And with AC treatment potential impact to the heart, my worry/stress level is through the roof. Fingers crossed all is good - I just want to start this roadshow and get it done!!

Good luck to all those starting chemo this week! We will get through this together. I'll post after my treatment.

Julianne

Hello everyone! I'm going in the morning for my port placement. Then chemo starts on Thursday. I have such mixed emotions about it. On one hand I'm scared to death of the unknown and possible SE and on the other hand I'm excited to get started because that's one treatment closer to being done.

Reading here and seeing everyone's post about their SE is encouraging, it gives me an idea of what to expect. I guess when you hear the word "chemo" you associate it with being sick and feeling awful.. it's nice to see that even though there are side effects that they are manageable and we can still live life during treatment.

Good luck to everyone starting this week! I'll update as soon as I can.

Thank you Miles! I'm about to head to the hospital now. Good luck to you tomorrow