Who is starting chemo in September 2016?

Misslill - Glad to hear that you are doing well! A few of my numbers are still down, but getting better. Saw the MO yesterday and he said that is normal as it's only 6 weeks out since last chemo, so same goes for you! At least they are headed in the right direction. My hair is JUST starting to grow in and not everywhere (nothing in the front yet), but I can feel the fuzz!! We are on the road to recovery! Did the MO recommend radiation for you?

I haven't heard yet on radiation but I'm guessing so. Meeting with MO next week, will ask then.

I was able to just do an outpatient surgery. It was a little unusual as I had a full L side mastectomy when I had DCIS in 2008, and the new issue is (was?) in some residual breast tissue under the scarline above the implant. For lack of a better name, they called the procedure yesterday a 'wide excission' (lumpectomy) of what was left in there. My plastic surgeon also replaced the implant since they had to break into the capsule surrounding the old one. They took some lymph nodes, and I hope they scraped out whatever other residual tissue was still in there.

Other than ridging apparently reflecting each of the different TCHP cycles, I hadn't noticed much with my nails. In last couple of weeks, though, I'm seeing that the white nail tip on some fingers is beginning to extend unusually far back into where the nailbed should be. I've just been trimming that extra off so far but if it keeps pushing further back I could partially or totally lose the nails.

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Another thing I'd meant to mention yesterday. I'd been fretting pre-surgery over whether they would have me take off my cap/scarf and be exposed hairless while at the surgery center pre-, during and post-surgery. When they brought me the surgery gown to change into, there were socks with it but no cap. I didn't think about it much at first, but they let me stay with my cap/scarf from home for quite a while. Eventually just before going into the operating room, the surgical nurse brought a surgical cap (shower cap type thing lol) and put it over my own cap. I appreciated that as a way of handling it since I was able to keep my cap from home on throughout the visit to the hospital.

Hahlyn, yes, I was happy about that. I suppose the nurses have seen plenty but I didn't need to add mine to the group. And I had a family member with me, was just as happy not to have to go bare in front of the staff and family. Plenty of other stuff to think about before a surgery without being nervy over something like that.

Hahlyn...I started off the surgery with a hat but I woke up without one on...so not sure about the wig but I can't imagine why they would make you take it off.

I had one drain removed today....3 to go. This surgery has really wiped me out! Good luck to everyone...

The surgery team usually puts a cap or a net over your hair to keep stray hairs from invading the sterile surgical area. I would imagine this might be problematic with a wig.

Hello Ladies

I too have been having flashes.. They didn't start until I started the herceptin only. They have slowed down a bit but I had my 2nd herceptin only treatment yesterday i guess they will be back.

I had my picc line removed due to a blood clot. Hadso anyone had a blood clot due to their device? Whats concerning me is MO isnt treating the clot. I've called emailed and no response. MO is head of oncology at my hospital I trust her im sure she knows what she is doing. Just a little panicked with everything else going on and now a clot just little unnerving. Not to.mention how im going to.continue to.receive thr herceptin with no picc line. I guess maybe a port. Just praying for Gods Mercy and Grace.

Hahlyn

ajbclan

I had the ultrasound and it indicated dvt MO has the results and still nothing. I've emailed called and nothing. My arm has some pain at the site of the picc swollen etc..and she is aware of all of this and still silence and she is normally very responsive. Idk im going to try again today and if no response I will go to urgent care.

Thanks for your response.

Had my third treatment with Herceptin alone on Thursday, feeling pretty convinced at this point that I'm not getting much in the way of side effects vs. what i was feeling thru my final round of full TCHP in mid-December. Most of the TCHP side effects have faded except neuropathy, and continued severe anemia readings. Interesting that I'm feeling much better despite the continued poor anemia readout, so maybe the heavy shortness of breath, racing heart and etc I was feeling in Nov/Dec were from general debilitation or something else that has gone away since I've been off the TCHP?

Recovering from my surgery last week. Get tired easily, and it's still sore, but I'm feeling more mobility on that side. Got clearance this week to drive a little, nothing too ambitious but it's good not to feel housebound. Will be going into work part-time mid next week.

The pathology came back from my surgery showing clear margins around a small residual area of 1.2mm, which works out to be >90% decrease in size since before I started the TCHP treatments. No lymph node involvement suggested in the sample of 8 LNs that was taken. Not total absence of disease after chemo, but I was reasonably happy with this result as showing a clear response to the chemo, and it probably made it easier for my surgeons to remove what they needed to and get decent margins.

Next step is consultation about radiation. Also my MO started me on Arimedex pills, which I began yesterday. No noticeable effects from that so far, the main thing he warned me about was potential for hot flashes.

Best wishes to everyone working through late stages of chemo and all of the other experiences in this process.

ps - I'd love to say I had some visibly good progress on the hair front two months out from last TCHP cycle, but that continues to be slow...

Hahlyn - I don't have a solution, but I am in the same boat. My MO wasn't worried about my numbers though as they are improving, slowly but improving. His comment was that my last chemo was only 6 weeks ago (at my last appointment). Our bodies are still recovering. I have been reduced from weekly blood draws to draws a couple of days before the Herceptin.

Have you increased your iron intake... I wish I had a suggestion! Maybe someone else will have something. Best of luck!

My MO has not been very keen on supplements. During my TCHP treatment phase, he said that they could interfere with the chemo effectiveness. He called me after doing a specialized blood workup in January after seeing that the anemia wasn't going away on its own after I was off the TCHP . He was a little more open to mild iron supplements at that point, but encouraged me more to try diet. He prescribed cheeseburgers (seriously lol), raisins, and other things that could add iron. Also more time after TCHP was expected to help.

At that point, I also had a low potassium level which wouldn't have been helping anything. That one at least seems a lot better now.

I'm a little suspicious that I was given another blood transfusion during my surgery last week. The anesthesiologist took a consent form for it after she saw my anemia level, and I looked awfully pink in the face the days right after surgery. If they did, it must have just mitigated blood loss during surgery and not made a dent in the anemia as my anemia level measured this week after surgery was down a half a point from my pre-op tests.

It's still up slightly from the lowest readings that I was running back in December, and I feel a ton better - so hoping with time and eating a more consistent diet it will resolve itself in due course.

Good Morning Hahlyn,

You certainly should call the breast surgeon to ask about the blood thinner. I was told not to even take aspirin or ibuprofen before my surgery because of their anticoagulant properties, and it could very well cause your procedure to be cancelled! I'm not sure what surgery your having, but my breast surgeon was the one that put mine in 4 months before performing my mastectomy and I still have it while I continue the herceptin until September. The port is really no big deal and such a relief to have for them to both draw blood samples and infuse the chemo through.

I feel awful that you had to go through that last night! Keep us posted on how you are doing, ok?

Hahlyn, I'll echo the other ladies on getting specific guidance on the blood thinner before your surgery.

My first port was implanted by surgeon under general anesthesia. The surgery was much easier than my lumpectomies, a shorter procedure with no nausea upon awakening from anesthesia. I was sore for a few weeks. Unfortunately, that port ended up looping and retracting from its original location and ultimately had to be replaced.

The second port was inserted under Conscious Sedation by an Interventional radiologist. Once again I was very sore, but the surgery was even easier because it was at an outpatient facility with easy parking, quick check in and a very short time in recovery. Once I finally got a port that functioned properly, it's far superior to a PICC line or new IV with each treatment. I previously had a PICC line for IV antibiotics, and I hated fussing with it for showers, worrying about one of the dogs catching the line with a toe, not being able to sleep on my preferred right side, etc. Good luck!

Lyn

Thanks docmama, misslil, Vlh and Sam

Yesterday finally got blood thinners but MO still felt I didn't need it but prescribed anyway. I.went to urgent care for pain in my back its a kidney Infection being treated with antibiotics. The pain is fierce...

Today I went in for pre op phone calls were made can we still schedule her she had a clot blood thinner and antibiotic for kidnew infection. Also she wants a port can doc insert port at same time...im just sitting in there in a haze nurse tells me someone will get back to you. I.left out of there saying really is this.happening. the same feeling I had leaving today is the same feeling I had when I got there diagnosis. Honestly I can't even really think about the surgery due to this damn pain.

Just got a call from bs office have an appointment tomorrow for port consult Lord only knows when I will get it

Can i just say I was feeling pretty good for these past few weeks had my 2nd round of herceptin no SE except for runny nose I almost felt half way decent..now I feel like hell both mentally and physically😔