April 2017 Chemo

Hello! I will be doing chemo first as well. I most likely will be starting neoadjuvant chemo in April. I am waiting until I get my breast MRI and Axillary US on April 4th, then my Echo-cardiogram on April 5th. (My Daughter turns 9 that day ) The MRI & US are for staging, since I am not getting surgery first. They are also checking lymph node involvement, node biopsy if needed. Once those results are in, my proposed treatment plan will be finalized or tweaked and Oncologist says I will be starting Chemo soon after that. So far I am looking at 4 doses of AC (Adriamycin/Cytoxan) every three weeks, then 12 doses of T (Taxol) once a week. I am so scared, but ready to start this. I have been taking this time to prepare and get educated. I was told I will lose my hair. I don't want to wear a full wig because I think it would be too hot for summer, so I have been shopping for scarves, and looking at hair halos. It's not a complete wig, but it a little hair that goes under a scarf or hat. I'm looking ofrward to cheering each other on, and sharing our stories, strengths, weaknesses, difficulties and truimphs with each other!

So, I mentioned my Daughter turns 9 in April, and wanted to add that I will turn 40 next month. I was all down about this. I sarcastically said, "Happy Birthday to me, here's some Chemo!" I have since turned around my thinking to "Chemo isn't a gift, but it will save my life so that I can have MORE Birthdays." So, Happy 40th to me, lets get through this, so I can have 40 more!

Just wanted to introduce myself... I will be getting my port this Thursday and starting chemo next Thursday. I am ER-/PR-/HER2+ so we're going with TCHP every 21 days for 6 cycles (about 4 1/2 months). I'm stage IIB though I'm having an MRI and CT scan on Wednesday to see if it's spread farther at all and then they'd probably restage it. I'm doing chemo first followed by surgery and possibly rads or more chemo. We'll see how the chemo goes. I'm only 40 and would have had my first mammogram this year though I found the lump myself first. I was very surprised as I'm sure we all were! Would love to support each other as we go through this...

I had the port placement five days ago and it is still really sore and black and blue from my neck to halfway down my breast. It was done by a general surgeon. I saw Dr. at the Cleveland Clinic today for a second opinion. I am starting chemo Wednesday April 5. TCHP. Six treatments, one every three weeks.

the dr. at the second opinion was a medical oncologist and he agreed with the treatment plan the original medical oncologist set up. So that was good to hear. A breast surgical fellow was also there and they both thought the bruising was excessive but said it is healing pretty good and the bruising will fade fast. And they also suggested a breast surgeon specialist who will work with a plastic surgeon for future surgery instead of the general surgeon who put the port in. The port site isn't very sore anymore but the black and blue marks are shocking and I wasn't prepared for how it was going to look. But I'm glad I got the port in and that part is over.

Very grateful for this site and glad your port placement is over too.

I was supposed to start chemo 3/30, but I have developed an infection. I'm on antibiotics for 7 days, so now I'm looking at staring Taxol + Herceptin sometime in April. Different treatment than I had last time around, so I'm not sure what to expect.Sorry that we all find ourselves here, but I'm happy to find the support I have on these boards.

eictas,

your diagnosis looks similar to what I have. I'm a few years older though. I'm 44 and the only one my age at the cancer treatment center. The patient coordinator or whoever she is, perfectly nice lady, but keeps on trying to get me to reach out to someone by phone to talk to someone about this and I just really can't talk about it yet without completely breaking down in a crying fit. I'ts really nice but it means nothing to me at this point; I've been given so much phamplets and information about all the outreach it is actually too overwhelming to go through.

My tumor is in the tail, basically it's taken over my armpit, and I'm told it's 11 cms big. It's been just horrible. I actually am very glad to start the chemo treatment finally and see how the tumor responds.

I was planning on going by myself to chemo, driving myself there too. Just curious how everyone else is doing it, if you have family or friends going with you.

I forgot to say about my port placement that the surgeon tried to attach it to a vein in my neck which that vein ended up being too small, so that's why that area is so bruised. Then he attached it to a vein closer to the collar bone and that area is still bruised and swollen.

It almost looks like there's still bleeding under the skin instead of just regular bruising. I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow morning at the gynecologist oncologist to check a cyst or mass on my ovary that showed up on the PET scan, and I am going to ask her about the port bruising too. I've never been in the hospital before or had any surgery or been under anesthesia so this is all new to me.

Momojcbc - thanks.

venting for a moment: I know I am early in a journey that will be long and winding of ups and downs but am getting so frustrated from my doctor's appointments that have been made for exact date/times of existing doctor's appointments which were known by the person making the duplicate appointments. SIGH. Just today my MO office called to tell me chemo is scheduled for Wednesday....... But I already have an RO appointmen for that same day and had reminded MO's office of this last Friday. Thought navigators would help prevent these scheduling issues.

How the heck is everyone working full time dealing with all the appointments with little notice before hand? (My job does not have FMLA as it is too small).

In keeping with the theme of April Chemo, I am scheduled for 4 cycles of A/C (cycle being every other week) followed by 12 weeks of T weekly. So chemo thru August.

Will post later this week regarding port placement.

Best of luck to all of us!!

DazzlingEagle. It looks like we have a very similar chemo/targeted therapy regiment. I will be having my fifth round of chemo on April 5th and then just one more after that and then surgery. I will be thinking of you as you start this journey. Let me know if you have any questions or ever just want to talk!😊

Dodgers Girl, Happy to hear your port surgery went well. I have long hair too for now. Are you going to cut it? I am just going to leave mine alone and let it fall out. Sometimes I think others are more concerned about my hair than I am. Other times I'm a little sad about it.

Are your MO and RO offices in the same building where you will get your chemo? Is it possible that the RO could do your appointment while you are getting your chemo? 99% of that appointment will probably just be talking. That's how my RO consult was at least. Scheduling doctor's appointments and follow-ups and tests and then actually going to all of the appointments is a full-time job on top of my full-time job.

I wont be icing my hair, hands or feet. I am just going to deal with being bald. I already ordered some scarves and hats. I have been coloring my long curly hair red for the past 15 years, and I just colored it yesterday one last time. While hair loss is the least of my worries, it's still emotional. I got all teary eyed when I went to sally's to get my hair color the other day. I will be cutting it short before it starts to shed, and I will probably take clippers to it when shedding starts. I don't think I could tolerate icing my hands and feet. I will be painting my finger and toe nails dark colors. I hope that helps somewhat. I am going to try to suck on ice pops or ice during treatment, as I hear that helps with mouth sores.

whirlwind - while not exactly the same as your visit to Sally's, I noticed my shampoo was almost empty while washing out the dried blood from my hair this morning. Then realized I won't need this shampoo for a while.

I hope to eat lots of ice chips during chemo in hopes of minimizing mouth sores. I will ice hands and feet to start to see how "doable " that process will be. Hubby coming with so changing out blue ice will be his job, Some chemo centers are starting to have digicaps (think that's the right name?) onsite. My city isn't there yet

Still can't believe this is all really going to happen. Looking forward to the chemo count down.