Anyone starting chemo August 2016?

SweetRain, I frequently get upset stomach and heartburn. I take Prilosec, but have heard on another thread that some have switched due to it being hard on kidneys. Have you checked with your MO? I got that cold also before Christmas and the cough lasted 4 weeks! So sorry you have that and the coughing just makes your stomach probably more upset. My MO told me not to expect energy to return to normal for about 6 months (ughh) and I find that even though I'm 14 weeks PFC, I still get exhausted after a semi-busy day or in the evening. By 9 pm I'm ready to stretch out in bed to watch TV. I'm such an exciting spouse! You're still pretty newly PFC, so just cut yourself some slack and pamper yourself. Your body has been through the wringer and it will take time to recover.

I've had a bit of a run so far. Even though I had a lumpetomy in June, I had a dermal recurrence of my breast cancer after AC. I noticed a rash and talked to my oncologist, who sent me straight down to my BS, who took out a knife and sliced some off and sent it to pathology right there. This was four days before my induction. She called me the next day to let me know it was cancer.

I gave birth (another story!) and a week later I was getting CT and bone scans for staging. Thankfully, the cancer was still local and the scans came back clear. It was a terrifying time, staring at my new baby wondering if the cancer had spread.

I started dose dense Taxol right away. It has been very painful, but it cleared the rash. I finished Thursday. I will be taking the pill Xeloda for a month.

I start rads in two weeks. Hopefully we will zap those cancer cells to smithereens!!

Love you gals. So happy that pretty much everyone is done with chemo. I'll check back in more this week.

Annie

Aww, look at that darling little one and YIKES on the dermal recurrence, Annie! You've definitely been on an emotional roller coaster. I hope you tolerate the Xeloda and radiation well.

Lyn

Annie...she is just too precious. Thank you for sharing your little blessing with us. Sorry about all that other crap you have to go through

Annie - your baby is so beautiful! I'm so happy for you!!! What an ordeal to have to go through though with the dermal recurrence. I am so glad that it is still local! You will get through this!!

Dara - Great. Now I want a puppy!! So cute!

Cali - have you gotten results yet? Fingers crossed that everything is ok.

Sorry if I missed anybody. My mind can only hang on to about 3 thoughts at once now.

Wishing you all a happy day!

Annie your baby girl is beautiful ! Congratulations. I'm doing rads too. On #12 of 33 So far so good. Don't know whats coming next though. A big hello to everyone else!

Welcome Josephine Jane! So happy to see your post Annie.  Congratulations on your new little one.  She is adorable.  I'm sorry to hear about the dermal reoccurrence -but so glad to hear that scans came back clear.

Dara-So glad to hear that your GS is doing well at his new school. It's a crime that his old school failed him. Great to hear he is thriving now.

Kechla-I started Tamoxifen on Dec 1  I've had mild hot flashes and have noticed some knee joint pain the past two weeks. I have my first follow up with the MO since starting the med on Feb 1. It's tolerable as of now

Dara and Kelly I agree with you both. Chemo sucked, but I'm thankful for all you ladies and this board and it was doable.

I think my chemo brain is finally lifting. Finally feeling more like my old self, though still not 100%. So thankful for my work. I missed my annual review....been with company for 13 years. They gave me my annual review and even gave me my yearly bonus, even though I missed 6 months of work this year.

Waving to everyone else and wishing you well.

Hi all. Elizabeth, my eyes itched a lot when the lashes were beginning to grow back in. So my hair, like Annie's seems to change. It sure doesn't seem to be growing very fast, but the texture is more like hair now, but is more salt and pepper. And the sides look a little like steel wool pads with the crinkly curls. The back also has more curl coming in, but it's not long enough to be curls yet, so it looks like a little wave that crimps straight up. The length seems shorter in spots than it was a couple of weeks ago. Very weird! At this rate, it will be 2 years before I can go without a wig etc.

Cali, really start applying more of the creams if you're getting red and itchy. Very quickly I went to really reacting to the rads. If you do, just know that the skin heals super quickly. My skin is totally back to normal and has been that way for well over a week.

Kechla, while I'm on Anastrozole rather than Tamoxifin, I've know quite a few women on that drug and none of them went off the deep end like that! That's too funny. Sounds more like she went through a mid-life crisis, maybe brought on as was mentioned by the fear of her own mortality.

My back is still giving me some problems, but I still made it to the pottery studio yesterday and just had a blast. I can totally forget about everything there and just focus on the clay. Love it. Getting a bit worried that my back pain isn't going away. Guess I need to break down and call/see a doctor. Wondering if it could be the reaction to the Anastrozole (typical SE is joint pain so this may be related.)

They're predicting 7 days of rain here so looks like our drought may be easing! We need the rain, but sure miss the sun now. (I'm never satisfied! lol) Have a nice Thursday.

Kechla, I've been so ravenous the last few days that I'm worried that the 100 pounds I lost will come roaring back with a vengeance. I'm glad the dietary changes proved helpful and hope you can get the GI system properly balanced again soon. Tummy issues are miserable. :-(

Sensitive, how wonderful that your employer has been so supportive! It's nice to be appreciated.

Lyn

Chemist ....thank you ...as you know when your in the middle of this all you appreciate any advise.

Kz1966... Woohoo ...Congrats! So glad for you! Chemo checked off... Yay! Hugs

Congrats Kathie!! So happy for you!!!

Hope everyone is well.....my arm is better- still sore once in a while, but I was cleared for BMX w/reconstruct on Tuesday the 31st. Not looking forward to being laid up again but it is what it is!! If anyone has any last minute hints I'm open to hearing them lol!

Totally thinking of you Kelly and will check in on you. Please Please let me know if I can be of any help at all.

Thanks! I will post an update when I can!!!

Thanks Dara!! I've been teary off and on all day......not scared, just mourning going through another process that's going to lay me up again. Getting melancholy I guess! Will post when I can!