Starting Chemo January 2017

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  • HoneyBeaw
    HoneyBeaw Member Posts: 212
    edited April 2017

    Hi Jessie

    That white stuff on your tongue is most likely yeast infection. I got it every chemo in my mouth and bottom area, which was miserable. Dr called in Med each time and it would work quickly . . My final chemo was 3-20-17 and it was by far the worst , could not eat anything but toast, muscle pain and like you said felt like the flu. Hope you get help with it and the taste buds soon

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  • Melinda0628
    Melinda0628 Member Posts: 67
    edited April 2017

    I have my 2nd to last chemo this Friday. So thankful this part is almost over. I have my last chemo April 28. Im getting excited for my hair to come back. The worse part is fatigue and no taste buds the first week after treatment.

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  • Melinda0628
    Melinda0628 Member Posts: 67
    edited April 2017

    I would like to be added go thia group. I started chemo 1/13/17.

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    Looking forward to the end of the Taxol Chemo on 4/25.

    However now my oncologist is discussing radiation therapy. NCCN.org treatment guidelines say to consider radiation.

    In looking back on my biopsy, there was talk about the posterior margin -- it was less than 0.1cm and the grade was high. Anybody else going to the Radiation Message Board with me?


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  • HoneyBeaw
    HoneyBeaw Member Posts: 212
    edited April 2017

    Mexico Heather

    I have been doing research on radiation for weeks, My dr is telling me I do not need Radiation since I only had 1 positive node. This has me very concerned since that positive node did have 14 mm of cancer in it . I did have a single mx and did 4 rounds of TC but still very concerned since I read the same thing on NCCN.

    Anyone that has additional information they could point us to would be very appreciated

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    HoneyBees: Was that lymph node on the breast or axillary? I noticed that some of the other ladies seem to have Surgeons who were very hesitant to take the lymph nodes - they were mapping them. I guess we have the scorched earth policy here in Florida, because I had all 17 removed, 3 in the axillary had cancer and one was 10mm.

    Maybe if we are not 50 mms and Stage llB we are not getting radiation!

    I am 1/2 way through Taxol chemo now. #3 is Monday.

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  • HoneyBeaw
    HoneyBeaw Member Posts: 212
    edited April 2017

    Hi Heather......Thanks for responsing

    The way my report reads it was in what they called the tail end of the breast. The rest of the breast was clear , they took 3 but only 1 was bad . Where the other two were taken from I have no idea, . I to have noticed so many with same dx as mine yet treatment totally different. Its a little scary as it makes you wonder, are you being under treated or others being over treated.. I understand age and other medical issue come into play with treatment, it just seems Drs are all over the place with treatment plans for same dx.

    I wish there was a some studies I could find that would help me understand clearly why he feels no radiation is needed.

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  • Catgirl2
    Catgirl2 Member Posts: 104
    edited April 2017

    Hi Lordhelpmetoo,

    You're almost there! It feels so good to finish!

    I finished my last T/C treatment on March 22. I'm doing pretty good. I was pretty fatigued in my legs after the last treatment. I was never fatigued like that beore. I was able to go on a pretty tough hike this weekend. I am slowly getting my taste back, but it's not normal yet. I cold capped, so I still have the majority of my hair,but it is thinner. I had a ton of hair, so I'm really the only one that can tell besides my hairstylist. The cold caps were the worst part of the chemo for me, but I would do it again. Now I just have to move on to my expander exchange and what ever oral therapy we decide on this week.

    I hope your side effects are few. You will be done with this before you know it!

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    Honey Baew:

    The Radiological Oncologist saw me today and the plan is for 7 weeks of radiation to all areas five days a week as soon as chemo ends. He seemed mostly swayed by the T2, pN1 and the Grade 3 in making his recommendation. So, there it is! Seven weeks!



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  • HoneyBeaw
    HoneyBeaw Member Posts: 212
    edited April 2017

    Heather

    Sorry, what does the T2, pN1, stand for . I know you will be so happy to get this done and over ,

    I got my Pet scan results back, all looked good with the exception that my thyroid lit up again as it did in the one I had in Dec, Ong thinks its nothing , says he has seen 100's do this and its never been anything serious , but to be on the safe side we are doing a Thyroid scan and I will be seeing a ENT Dr. Still scary and I have this feeling here we go again . Scan is scheduled for June so Im thinking of getting that moved up to a earlier date .

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    HoneyBeaw...

    Sorry, I tried to post back earlier, but it didn't post. I suspect Human Error.

    The T2 refers to the tumor size, pN1, was referring to the axillary lymph node that was big. There's usually a biopsy results summary. The pathologist will grade all the tumors.

    Again, maybe we just do it differently in the South, but I won't have another PET. I am sorry to hear that any part, like your thyroid, showed up. My Primary care doctor checked my thyroid numbers, but Oncologist doesn't.

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    Topic: Taxol and nails

    I have one toe nail that's going to pop off as a side effect of the Taxol. It doesn't hurt at least.

    I have mild neuropathy in both my hands and feet, but I'm okay.

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  • bareclaws
    bareclaws Member Posts: 345
    edited April 2017

    MexicoHeather, did you ice fingers and toes during Taxol infusions? Also, what does mild neuropathy feel like?

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    Hi. At chemocare.com under "peripheral neuropathy, they have a great definition and examples.

    For me, I feel like I have gloves and socks on, and my fine motor skills are way off. My wrist can get weak and I have accidentally burned myself while getting stuff out of the oven and microwave.

    My Oncologists would want the Taxol to go everywhere, so no cold caps or ice were used.

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited April 2017

    I have mild neuropathy in my hands only and my fingernails hurt when I touch almost anything. My nails look bruised under the nail itself but I hope they don't come off, that just freaks me out. Please let us know how it all goes though Mexican Heather, I find it helpful to share our SE's.

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  • HoneyBeaw
    HoneyBeaw Member Posts: 212
    edited April 2017

    Heather

    I had my first PET in Dec and second one in April, thyroid lit up on both, BS and Onc both think its nothing saying they see it all the time where the thyroid will lite up on Pets. Doing a thyroid scan and seeing a specialist just to be on the safe side . It scares the crap out of me

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited April 2017

    Honeybeaw, A thyroid abnormality was found on my neck/chest ct scan. An US was done and I saw a specialist, seems to just be thyroiditis from inflammation. Appearently, it's not a common met location and we'll just follow up in a year. Try not to worry too much 🙂

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  • bareclaws
    bareclaws Member Posts: 345
    edited April 2017

    I just started Herceptin three weeks ago and they added the Taxol last week. I'm hyper-vigilant about the neuropathy and will scream bloody murder to my MO if I have signs of it. She prescribed Metanx about six weeks ago for me to take leading up to this and after as well. It's a souped up B complex that is often used for diabetic neuropathy (I don't have diabetes). Anyway, I'm icing as well. And getting as much feet on the ground exercise as I can, 4-5 days a week of walking/running, 3-5 miles each.

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    I thought little bugs were biting me yesterday, but now I realize this is a minor Taxol rash. Just a little itchy.

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    I didn't pass my blood draw for Taxol #4. I have Neutropenia. I'm going to rest up and retry next week. No bell ringing today. Meh!

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited April 2017

    Sorry mexicoheather. Rest up, hope you feel better real soon :)

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited April 2017

    I really wish food didn't taste terrible :(

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2017

    Illimae...Yes. I was having dinner tonight and I could taste on the right side of my tongue better than on the left. I think I may have burned off some tastebuds. About 3 times a day, I use baking soda and coconut oil in my mouth with a super soft toothbrush.

    The oncologist is doing a CBC tomorrow morning to see if I am okay for chemo or if we're going to need something to boost WBC.

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited May 2017

    Mexicoheather,

    Did your toe nail ever pop off and did it hurt?

    I got some slippers for days when I go to chemo sockless, works out well, no shoes in bed and no barefoot bathroom trips. image

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited May 2017

    Too darn cute! Love the slipper socks. The toe nail is weirdly lifting up. It doesn't look like when I dropped a brick on it or ran into a door!

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited May 2017

    A few of my fingernails are lifting up too and the pink part is turning a pale tan color, plus if I press on the nail it looks as if it slightly wet underneath. It's freaking me out 😬

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited May 2017

    image

    exactly. I put antibiotic ointment down in there.

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited May 2017

    My toe and a Zen garden! Hahaha. There's still a little good paint on the top. It would be cool if they would turn gold.mm

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited May 2017

    Yup, looks as if our nails are at about the same stage, good luck with it!

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  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 62
    edited May 2017

    I am so glad I found this group but it would have been so much better back in January when I started chemo. Oh well, better late than never. I started chemo on January 23rd and finished on March 27th. Currently I am undergoing 30 treatments of radiation. I can't wait to be done!

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