Starting chemotherapy March 2017

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  • Soxfan75
    Soxfan75 Member Posts: 115
    edited July 2017

    Gigilala - It must be bittersweet to be finally done with chemo, but still have lingering side effects. Congratulations on finishing your last round. I imagine surgery is the next stage in your journey. If so, how are feeling about that?

    Limonia - Have you talked to your onc yet about your neck? That was so nice of your friend's friend to send you her "lucky" bandanas. I love when people pay it forward. With all of the amazing support I've received from my family, friends, and even my community, I can't wait until I'm in a position to do the same.

    Scrafgal - I'm glad to hear you're much better. Hopefully the next round will be more tolerable.

    AliceAgnes - My 5th TCHP hit me hard as well. The fatigue has finally caught up to me, I think. I'm definitely taking more naps now too. And I hate naps; they make me feel so unproductive.

    MommyErin - My eyelashes and eyebrows are starting to go too. I went to Ulta and bought Benefit's Gimme Brow. It works really well at thickening the brows I do have and filling in the sparse areas. If I lose too many more, I'll have to fill them in with powder because the Gimme Brow won't be enough. I never wear eyeliner, but I guess I'll have to start soon so people won't notice my lashes are gone. I've read on other boards that people use castor oil on their brows and lashes. I'm going to try it as soon as I get through the last round on Thursday.

    Tara17 - How are you doing? I hope you're recovering well from surgery. What's up next for you?

    My stitched up hole seems to be healing well, albeit very, very slowly. My hair continues to fall out at what feels like an alarming rate. No one looking at me can tell, but my part on the top of my head is getting wider. One more TCHP to go and I pray my hair hangs in there.

    Wishing you ladies all the best!

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  • SmokeyWells
    SmokeyWells Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2017

    Hi all,

    I had Stage 1, ER+, 5cm, right side total mastectomy end Aug 2016. Oncotype score 27. 4 sessions TC with last on 16th Dec 2016. I'm feeling great for the last few months and am 99.5% over chemo, not 100% yet. Glad to be almost perfect!

    Good news - chemo isn't nice but mine was very manageable. No nausea, some tiredness and fatigue but not totally disabling. I read around chemo a lot, but the one major downside I didn't know was that steroids can bring on psychosis-like symptoms in a minority of people. I felt like a "rabbit in the headlights on a never-ending Duracell battery"! Wired to the moon and unable to move, think, read or indeed do anything. This was on the first session of chemo. I spoke to my pharmacist, who told me of possible psychosis & advised speaking to oncology team. Regime was immediately changed - reduced steroids, anti-psychotic at night, anti-anxiety daytime. Problem abated.

    The best thing I did was arrange with friends that they call to my house for coffee from day 3 to day 6/7 after each chemo - just for up to an hour - they kept me involved when I could easily have turned in on myself, and when I was unable to read because of chemo-brain. This too passes.

    You will get there - keep your friends close, keep active and keep going. When you're tired stop. Take all the help offered. People feel better when they're allowed to help so you're doing them a kindness too.

    Best wishes to all. Keep asking questions - like my steroid psychosis, someone has gone through it and can guide you to an answer. We're never alone

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  • Gigilala
    Gigilala Member Posts: 148
    edited July 2017

    soxfan: I didn't decide yet mastectomy or bimastectomy

    My onco told me I can have mastectomy and the surgeon told me may be it s better to have bilateral mastectomy for 3 reason bcz: I'm young , I have dense breast and for symmetry

    I never have a surgery before so I don't know what expect


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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited July 2017

    SmokeyWells-

    Thank you so much for sharing! Those are great tips, especially about having friends call you after each session. Great friends!

    The Mods

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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    Hello ladies!

    I am heading into FAC #2 Thursday. I have been feeling really good for the past 10 days or so.  I ate well today and feel prepared to deal with the next infusion. At least I know what to expect.  The bar is low for an improvement this time around, since I wound up in the ER about 2 days post-infusion.  I couldn't eat or drink and the MO on-call suggested that I come in for a check/hydration!  My goal is to have less nausea and stay away from the ER!! 

    My acupuncture is working for neuropathy that was caused by Taxol, btw.  So, I really recommend it if anyone has minor neuropathy and wants to avoid oral medication. 

    Thank you Soxfan75, Tara17, MommyErin and others for thinking of me. 

    I hope that you continue to heal well, Soxfan. I am right along with you and MommyErin on losing eyebrows but at least my lashes are still there! I hope to keep what I have now and, if so, I will just ride it out until the end! Tara17, how are you feeling post-op now?

    Happy July to everyone!


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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    Update:

    Well, my chemo was delayed...my neutraphil count was a little below the threshold. I was disappointed but I try again next Tuesday. It happens.


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  • Tara17
    Tara17 Member Posts: 386
    edited July 2017

    scrafgal - it's disappointing when you are ready to receive treatment and it gets delayed - just gives your body the time it needs to receive ,regroup and heal . How are you doing in terms of physical activity ?

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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    Tara17

    During the first 10 days after my first FAC, my physical activity took a nosedive...as did my self-identity as a healthy, active person! The last 10 days,I was feeling good and getting back to normal. I am hoping that I can do better with the next cycle. FAC is harsh. At least I only have 3 more doses.

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  • kimburke
    kimburke Member Posts: 34
    edited July 2017

    Hi Ladies,

    Its been a while since I popped in, but you have all been on my mind.

    Tara17- ever present and sharing words of wisdom and support as usual. How are you doing?

    Scrafgal- Hope it gets better for you .

    MommyErin- My eyebrows didn't go until after I finished chemo. What the heck? I pencil them in every morning and need to start using the castor oil on them .

    Soxfan75 - Nice that your last round is over. Hope you don't lose more hair .

    Still tired a lot and get winded easily , almost two month out of my last chemo treatment. I have been told it will take a while for my body to feel normal again. The hair on my head is starting to come back now. It seems to have sprouted a bit more in the last week, not sure if thats the biotin or the caster oil and rosemary oil . But I am not stopping either for now.

    I have been absent as I went back to work full time as of June 1st. Too early, based on how i was feeling at the time but its better now. I come home exhausted and just want to rest or sleep.

    I haven't decided when to do reconstruction surgery, at this point i just want a break from doctors.

    Wish you all well, until next time.

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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    Thanks Kimburke

    I am enjoying time with my sister this weekend. Did Pilates yesterday and feeling good enough to do more today! Hoping for a better 2nd cycle of FAC...starting on Tuesday (or Thursday, as a backup)!



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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    Thanks Kimburke

    I am enjoying time with my sister this weekend. Did Pilates yesterday and feeling good enough to do more today! Hoping for a better 2nd cycle of FAC...starting on Tuesday (or Thursday, as a backup)!



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  • Tara17
    Tara17 Member Posts: 386
    edited July 2017

    scrafgal --so happy to hear you were able to do Pilates! Yay! Through these boards, how much being physically active means to you has come across --so when i hear you doing Pilates, i say yay! You are more like your usual self! So important. And research coming out saying that exercise helps survival --even exercise that may be just simple walking 30 minutes a day. I am tryign to walk. Please update us after your next cycle, I will be thinking of you

    Kimburke --old friend , so nice to hear from you :) i hear you about the eyebrows! Chemo is the gift that keeps on giving lol. At six week post chemo, my eyebrows have thinnned consideraably --i pencil them in day and night ( go to bed with penciled eyebrows so i dont have to see myself with minimal to no eyebrows lol ) and i have lost all my eyelashes! Dramatic eyeliner does the trick there --and the lack of eyelashes isnt noticeable. Glad to hear you are back to work ---sorry to hear that fatigue is still an issue, i can understand --i had surgery two weeks after chemo and sometimes fatigue just hits me in the middle of the day . I will have to go back to work soon too --i have a very busy job , so i hope my energy levels improve a lot quickly! I am going through immediate reconsutrcution right now, any tips i can share or any questions i can answer for you -please let me know . I am doing tissue expander and implant based reconstruction . I read manyuseful forums regarding this topic on this site as well

    Limonia --how is the neck discomfort ? What did your doctors say ? I hope you do better with nausea with the next round. How is your energy ?


    Soxfan --how are you doing after your most recent chemo ? How is the hair ? Rooting for your hair!! Still running ?

    Mommy Erin --how are all your surgical decisions coming along ?

    Xoxo

    Hugs

    Tara

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  • Tara17
    Tara17 Member Posts: 386
    edited July 2017

    gigilala ---i can understand how difficult it is to make surgical decisons. Where are you in your decision making right now

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  • Gigilala
    Gigilala Member Posts: 148
    edited July 2017

    i am almost 2 weeks post chemo i still very tired yesterday I had blood transfusion my HGB was very low

    I have an appointment June 17 with my surgeon to schedule my surgery

    Tara : I decide to have bilateral mastectomy I don't want to stress with more mammogram

    Thank u for asking me

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  • Tara17
    Tara17 Member Posts: 386
    edited July 2017

    Gigilala --glad you were able to make a decision --its tough decision making process, and am glad you were able to make a decision that feels right for you . Read the june 2017 surgery group for tips regarding surgery


    Hope you are feeling better after your blood transfusion!


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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    Tara...yes! Feeling like myself again! I like to walk, too, but I live in Houston. The heat index has been 106 consistently for the past two weeks. Same firecast for tge next two weeks. Even in the morning it is just too hot and humid now. Back in March, walking was doable! So, now it is Pilates, elliptical and Tao Chi...indoors!

    When I am at MD Anderson for my appointments, I do walk around the complex. It is a little city!

    Thanks for the encouragement. The first FAC really had me in a tailspin!

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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    Tara...yes! Feeling like myself again! I like to walk, too, but I live in Houston. The heat index has been 106 consistently for the past two weeks. Same firecast for tge next two weeks. Even in the morning it is just too hot and humid now. Back in March, walking was doable! So, now it is Pilates, elliptical and Tao Chi...indoors!

    When I am at MD Anderson for my appointments, I do walk around the complex. It is a little city!

    Thanks for the encouragement. The first FAC really had me in a tailspin!

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  • AliceAgnes
    AliceAgnes Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2017

    Well, this is my update. On Monday I have my sixth and final chemo. The doc told me I'd be sleeping more after my fifth one, and I certainly have been. It's nothing to sleep twelve hours in a night and then need a nap the following afternoon!

    I still have blurry vision, although it always improves in the last week before I go for another chemo. I read on one of these message boards that it might take six months post-chemo for normal vision to return. At any rate, the advice is to wait six months, then go to an eye doctor to see if I need a change in prescription because of the chemo.

    The worst side effect I have now is that almost all foods have started tasting bitter to me. What goes down the easiest are ramen noodles, cottage cheese, and popsicles. The less seasoning in anything I eat, the better.

    When I am feeling better again, I have two walking buddies lined up. I should be back to my afternoon office job in another couple of months, and we three co-workers will take a daily after-work stroll together.

    Thanks, everyone, for sharing your situations. It helps to know what others are going through. I keep you in thought and prayer.

    • Dx 3/8/2017, IDC 1.7cm, DCIS, metastatic IDC in axillary node, left, Stage IIA, ER+ PR+ Her2+
    • Chemo 6x every 3 weeks starting 3/27/17,CTHP
    • Surgery Mastectomy, left, TBD after chemo
    • Anti-hormonal therapy TBD after surgery
    • Targeted therapy Herceptin through 3/2018




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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    AliceAgnes

    Let us know when you ring that bell on Monday!

    It has been a long road and, despite your continued side effects, finishing in chemo is a mighty feat! I presume that you will rest up before surgery.

    Walking buddies...great idea!

    Keep us posted!


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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    AliceAgnes

    Let us know when you ring that bell on Monday!

    Despite your continued side effects, finishing up chemo is an amazing feat! I presume that you will rest up before surgery.

    Walking buddies is a great idea!

    Keep us posted!

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  • AliceAgnes
    AliceAgnes Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2017

    Well, chemo is done! The gals at the cancer center presented me with a graduation certificate they all signed. I thought it was a nice touch--but I reminded them I'd be back for my year's worth of Herceptin treatments.

    I'll be on steroids through Thursday, so it won't be until Friday that I collapse. My onc said I need 6 weeks to rebuild my hemoglobin before surgery can be considered. He said the low hemoglobin is the main reason I have been so tired. So my consultation with my surgeon won't happen until August 22, but I still think the actual surgery will happen in August. Four weeks after that is done, my onc will start me on radiation.

    Visiting these message boards often in the past few weeks, I have picked up some ideas for life changes that I hope to continue after all my treatments are over. I eat beef rarely now and choose more chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes. I lost my taste for sweets from the chemo and hope to leave them alone most of the time even after the chemo wears off. My new favorite sweet treats are cottage cheese with reduced-sugar strawberry jam on top, frozen fruit bars, and in-season watermelon, yum. Someone (Special K, I think) also posted an idea I want to try: keeping frozen berries on hand at all times and, anytime cravings for sweets hit, microwaving a serving of berries and then putting frozen vanilla yogurt on top. An instant sundae--only with a little less guilt! And of course, when my pep returns, daily walks.

    Anyone else planning permanent lifestyle changes after all this is over?

    Here are my basic facts:

    Diagnosis: 3/8/2017, IDC 1.7cm, DCIS, metastatic IDC in axillary node, left, Stage IIA, ER+ PR+ Her2+

    Chemo: 6x every 3 weeks starting 3/27/17, TCHP

    Surgery: Mastectomy, left, TBD after chemo

    Anti-hormonal therapy: TBD after surgery

    Targeted therapy: Herceptin through 3/2018

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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017

    AliceAgnes

    Congrats on reaching this milestone. I've always been one to celebrate milestones reached even before reaching the end goal. What you have accomished already is amazing and worthy of celebration among your medical team, friends and your newfound community members here.

    Seeing you reach this goal motivates me. I am back from FAC#2 today...hoping that things will go better this time. I was happy the my blood lab came back great! So, the only thing that I want to focus on is: 2 more infusions left until chemo is in my rear view mirror! I'm doing it...maybe not perfectly but perfection isn't required. Just showing up and pushing through, repeatedly, is what we should get a pat on the back and hug for.

    Sending you a shout out, pat on the back and many hugs as you move forward to next phases!

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  • Tara17
    Tara17 Member Posts: 386
    edited July 2017

    alice Agnes --congrats on completing chemo! Yay! That is so nice that they gave you a graduation certificate . Its good that they will give you some time to recover before going to surgery . Rest well, eat well. In terms of lifestyle changes --i am vegeterian for 20 years, have never eaten beef in my life , rarely eat sweets, and this still happened! So go figure! I kept thinking that maybe i didnt have enough variety of fruits .

    All that said, i think one cant go wrong with eating as healthy as possible. Exercise is important --- research shows its importance in recovery and people are talkign about research in exercise improving cancer outcomes. The exercise can be simple --just 30 minutes daily walk a day .


    Scrafgal--glad to see you in good spirits after FAC # 2. I hope you do well this time --and i agree completely with your attitude --only two more to go and we get to celebrate your milestone! Hope you feel well enough to stay active . Sending you hugs and encouragement!

    I still remeber scrafgal, how important your encouragement was before my surgery --it meant a lot


    Soxfan ---thinking of you, really hoping your hair isnt thinning any more . Hope all is going well. How is your running going ?


    Mommy Erin ---hope all is going well on your end!


    Hugs to all you ladies

    Tara

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  • MommyErin
    MommyErin Member Posts: 187
    edited July 2017

    AliceAgnes- Congratulations on finishing chemo! I hope you're feeling back to normal in no time.

    Tara17- How are you doing?

    Scrafgal- Glad to hear you're done with #2. Hoping the SEs aren't too bad this cycle!

    I hope everyone else is doing well! Looking forward to more updates.

    My last chemo is tomorrow, then surgery August 9th. After meeting with radiation oncology, I've decided to delay reconstruction for a year so I can be sure TEs don't interfere with the radiation angles at all. Flat will allow for optimal radiation treatment. I'll also be moving to Houston (4 hours from home) to have my radiation done at MD Anderson. I'm a complicated case and the rad onc at home just didn't seem prepared for treating me, whereas my rad onc at md Anderson has a lot of experience. My husband can take a couple weeks off, but I'll probably be living away from him and our young children for at least a month, which is going to be hard :-( We still have a couple months to figure it all out, but it's a bit daunting. I've survived chemo though, so I'll survive this

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  • kimburke
    kimburke Member Posts: 34
    edited July 2017

    Hi ladies,


    Tara - at eyelashes going after, I just saw this too this morning when I attempted to put on mascara for the first time since the year has started. LOLOLOL at penciling in your eyebrows before going to bed as well. You are too cute. I only pencil in when I am leaving the house and on the odd morning I forget to do so when I am really exhausted. I am still watching the hair regrowth and apply castor oil and coconut oil mix with rosemary oil every morning along with my biotin capsules, will it to grow faster .

    MommyErin- Great to hear that you are your last chemo now. Congrats. Sorry about the complexity of your case and having to move and be apart from your family. This too shall pass. Sending you positive vibrations and wishes for a smooth radiation treatment. I haven't decided on reconstruction as yet, but I hope to make some move on this before the end of the year, just need a break.

    AliceAgnes- Congrats on completing chemo. Six months until testing eyes again? Hmm, I wasn't advised on any of it. I am actually going to test them this weekend. Last chemo was in May , so that would make it two months out. Oh well. I have also changed my diet to remove meats as much as possible on a permanent basis. Mainly seafood and hormone free chicken. Try and only do chicken twice a week at the most (ie lunch one day and dinner a different day). Lots of vegetables, cooked and raw and a little carbos in brown rice or potatoes. Stay away from sugars and dairy. Cheat once in a while with some cheese.

    Scrafgal- Nice on the pilates. Wow at the temperature there now. But it may be about the same as here in Jamaica. Unbearable.

    Still very tired and still planning to start some exercise but the heat and lack of energy are a major challenge for me. Maybe a little laziness too. I am on tamoxifen and there doesn't seem to be any side effects so far that are noticeable. Hopefully this remains the same. Have a little neuropathy in the toes and fingers sometimes, not constant numbness and pain but it is comes and goes. My nail have darkened even more since chemo is over, but I keep looking for signs that it will grow out.

    I have my consult with the gynocologist about a dermoid on my right ovary in two weeks, that my oncologist wants removed. Not having any pain or discomfort with it but he thinks it best to remove with the recent history of breast cancer.

    Trying to make up my mind when to start the process of reconstruction, I haven't decided as yet. Have mixed feelings and suggestions including , "don't do it at all", which i am not comfortable with. Have one small boob left and considering should i put implants in both to bring them to a comfortable B cup. or just do one. Will i end up with one perky boob in five years and one saggy and droopy boob????


    Have a great weekend Ladies , wishing you all happy thoughts and feelings. Listen to your bodies and rest when needed.






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  • AliceAgnes
    AliceAgnes Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2017

    Hello, All.

    MommyErin: Although difficult, I feel sure that getting your rads at MD Anderson will be a good move. Short-term pain=long-term gain.

    Tara17 & kimburke: Thanks for posting your experiences with diet. The hardest thing for me would be to reduce my intake of dairy. I will be discussing this further with my med team. I live in America's Dairyland, after all -- Wisconsin! I was always a big meat-eater before all this went down. Chicken has now become my first choice in preference to beef and pork, but I don't think two servings of chicken per week would be enough for me. I am learning about tasty ways to prepare chicken but certainly haven't liked all the recipes I've tried so far!

    Today is my last day for post-chemo steroid pills so I will see what havoc happens when they wear off. I decided to skip the stool softeners on days 1 and 2 post-chemo and that has worked out well. I want to see if omitting them influences how often I need Immodium over the next couple of weeks. IT REALLY PAID OFF that I reported my previous chemo side effects each time I went for a new round of chemo. My team kept working with me to reduce them and my 5th infusion went the best of any previous one. The jury is still out on the 6th one, but so far, so good.

    Thanks for keeping the info flow going here on this board, everyone. Now for a little inspiration a friend recently shared with me:

    "What we call the beginning is often the end / and to make an end is to make a beginning. / The end is where we start from.../ Not farewell, but fare forward, voyagers." (TS Eliot)


    Diagnosis: 3/8/2017, IDC 1.7cm, DCIS, metastatic IDC in axillary node, left, Stage IIA, ER+ PR+ Her2+

    Chemo: 6x every 3 weeks starting 3/27/17, TCHP

    Surgery: Mastectomy, left, TBD after chemo

    Radiation: Chest wall, axillary node, TBD after surgery

    Anti-hormonal therapy: TBD later, probably Arimidex

    Targeted therapy: Herceptin through 3/2018

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  • Soxfan75
    Soxfan75 Member Posts: 115
    edited July 2017

    Gigilala – I chose a bilateral mastectomy for the three reasons you cited and a fourth and that is that this diagnosis has already stolen a year out of my life and I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't steal any more time from me.

    Kimburke – Nice to hear from you again. It's amazing how chemo affects your body for so long after your last treatment. Hopefully some time away from doctors will allow you to heal in preparation for surgery. Trying to sort through reconstruction options isn't easy. Maybe ask your PS to see before and after pics of the options your considering?

    AliceAgnes – I'm on the same regimen as you and I have the exact same side effects, although I also have severe eye twitching on top of the blurriness. I rang the bell July 6th and it sounds like you were right behind me. Congratulations! Glad to hear you plan on keeping your activity level up. It's hard when you're feeling so tired. Love the frozen berry and vanilla yogurt idea. SpecialK is a wealth of information, isn't she?

    Scrafgal – How did FAC#2 go? I hope it's easier for you this time around. You're halfway there and before you know it, chemo WILL be in the rear view mirror!

    MommyErin – You probably won't read or respond to this for a few days, because if you're like AliceAgnes and I, then TCHP #6 really kicks your butt. Hopefully everything went well and I'm not premature when I say congratulations finishing chemo! I hope your body recovers quickly in light of your upcoming surgery. Your strength and positive attitude is amazing. You WILL get through this!

    Tara17 - How is your recovery from surgery going? What's the next step for you?

    I met with my radiation oncologist and it looks like I'll be starting radiation the week of August 14th. There will be a total of 28 sessions, and if my calculations are correct, I'll be done on September 20th. I will continue to get infusions of Herceptin every three weeks for a full year, but the side effects are minimal, so it shouldn't be an issue. At some point soon, I'll also be starting Tamoxifen and I haven't even started doing my research on that.

    My hair continues to fall out at an alarming rate and is now starting to be noticeable. I hope it slows down soon or I may have to start wearing the wig topper that I bought. If I had to do it again, I would probably still cold cap regardless of what my final outcome is. My onc insists it will grow back in faster and I really hope she's right.

    This last chemo has kicked my butt and I haven't been to the gym in a week. I'm going to force myself to go tomorrow because I know once I get there I'll feel better. I haven't been able to run for a while because I get winded so easily, but I'm hoping to get back to that in the next week or two.

    Wishing you ladies all the best!

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  • MommyErin
    MommyErin Member Posts: 187
    edited July 2017

    Well ladies, as of last Thursday I'm officially done with chemo (hopefully forever)! So far, I'm feeling better than infusion #5, but we'll see if it hits me in the next couple days. I managed a slow 45 minutes on the elliptical today and I'm looking forward to 3 solid weeks at the gym before my surgery (and hopefully losing the weight I gained from stupid steroids).

    Out of curiosity, what is everyone doing to promote hair growth and how soon after chemo did you start? I have some fabulous lash boost serum I was using before chemo. I want to start using that on my eyelashes and brows, but don't want to waste it if I'm just going to lose the hair from treatment #6. I'm so over looking like a cancer patient!

    Soxfan75- So sorry to hear about your hair loss! Im really hopingit'll grow back quickly!

    AliceAgnes- Glad to hear you're doing well with #6. It sounds like you have a great team working with you!

    Kimburke- I hope your energy level has picked up since you last posted! I totally understand your reconstruction dilemma. I'm not sure how comfortable I'm going to be going flat for a year+, but I know it's what I need to do to optimize my radiation. Chemo was so straight forward, but with surgery, we have choices. It's hard to decide what's "best."

    Thinking about you all!

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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited July 2017



    Tara, Soxfan, Kimburke and all, I was feeling well until Day 3…and then wound up in the
    ER, just like after the first FAC, due to extreme nausea/vomiting (TMI…sorry).  I was hydrated well and then recovered
    well.  Right now, I feel pretty good and
    have returned to eating well and exercising. 
    Emotionally, I am just worn from the experience. That is why it took me
    so long to post here again. I am not looking forward to FAC #3/#4, although my
    oncologist will give me an additional premed next time.  We’ll see how that works!

    My eyebrows just came out, all of a sudden this week,
    too!  Only few hairs are left.  It’s actually worse than losing the hair on
    my head! I am going to need brow lessons Tara and Kimburke!

    MommyErin, glad you are done!  MD Anderson is wonderful.  Houston is HOT right now.  105-110 heat indices today and tomorrow
    (KimBurke…at least you have the beach!). 
    You are going to get great care at MDA. 
    I really trust my team here! I think that by the time you come here, I
    will be done with my chemo and resting up before my final implant exchange
    surgery.  PM me, if you’d like to discuss
    anything about MDA, Houston etc.  Would
    love to be of help to you, if you need anything.

    KimBurke…Speaking of my reconstruction. I really understand
    your concerns. I had the same types of questions about symmetry, having decided
    to reconstruct right away—with a TE in place now.  I had a mastectomy only on the right.  During the exchange surgery for the right, I
    also will have my left natural breast lifted (I am 51) and augmented with a
    small implant…in a way to match the shape of my saline implant. At some point,
    the natural breast could begin to sag a bit, but my PS doesn’t think that this
    will happen too quickly. I will just deal with that later, if drooping happens!

    Soxfan, for what it is worth, I would do the same as
    you regarding prioritizing radiation outcomes.  Optimizing treatment outcomes
    always has been my priority, too. I know
    that it is easier said than done to wait a year for something that you really
    want done. I hope that you continue to have faith in your decision-making and
    find peace as you move through the process.

    Tara, I don't recall an update from you on how you are doing right now...please let us know!


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  • AliceAgnes
    AliceAgnes Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2017

    Scrafgal, good to know I have been in your good company. Last Saturday I also ended up in the ER within a week of my 6th TCHP. I had nausea, the runs, shortness of breath, dehydration, lowered potassium and magnesium levels in my blood, and a bronchial infection. Then much of that started up all over again on Monday when I went to the cancer center for what was supposed to be a routine blood draw. I ended up spending hours there, and let's just say I didn't leave the place wearing the same clothes I had arrived in.

    Now it's almost Friday and I am rounding a corner. I still have shortness of breath if I try to stand up for very long or walk very far just inside my own house--but having all the other problems GONE feels so good right now!

    Let's celebrate every little victory we can on this long, strange trip we're on together.

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