Starting Chemo in July 2017

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  • Leatherette
    Leatherette Member Posts: 448
    edited September 2017

    imageLoJo, congrats on finishing and enjoying a good meal and a margarita!



    I'll be chillin' on this thread through at least the first half of November, longer if Herceptin only gives me any problems....



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  • Runnermum
    Runnermum Member Posts: 383
    edited September 2017

    Wonderful news LoJo! Congrats!! 💪🙌😁

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  • Teese
    Teese Member Posts: 379
    edited September 2017

    LoJo - there were times this day looked like it would never get here. Woot, you did it!!! Thank you for posting here with us, your struggle and then triumph gives us all hope and motivation to persevere to the finish line! Prayers and hugs for the next phase, yes an easier one too!

    Peek back in here on occasion.

    Theresa

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  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited September 2017

    image


    To all the ladies who fought so hard and went through so much ..... ❤️❤️

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  • Teese
    Teese Member Posts: 379
    edited September 2017

    Very pretty!

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  • LoJo100
    LoJo100 Member Posts: 123
    edited September 2017

    Thanks, everyone! Got to go to a fun concert last night. Made it to 11PM and then crashed. Paying for it a bit this afternoon, but oh so worth it!

    Will definitely stick around here as I move to the next phase.

    Also, I noticed yesterday that little eyebrows are growing back! I also noticed some little hairs on my head where I really thinned out/went bald. So, I'm hopeful. We'll see if this is the only round with eyebrow loss. Haven't lost many eyelashes (knock on wood).

    My eyebrows actually seemed to take the brunt of the hair loss. I did thin a ton on my head and have bald spots, but I lost almost all of my eyebrows. Just a few hung on.

    I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

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  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited September 2017

    I'm losing more eyebrows now on taxol, they are mostly gone now. It is hard to draw my eyebrows in the morning.

    Last night I only slept three hours because of the steroid I really need a nap this afternoon.

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  • Leatherette
    Leatherette Member Posts: 448
    edited September 2017

    Two things: My SEs are so mild, and with the growth of my remaining hair and new growth, should I be worried that the chemo isn't effectively eradicating the rapidly dividing cells? We are always reassuring ourselves on this board that the hair loss means the chemo is working, so I'm getting a little bit freaked out.

    Also, when I went into urgent care last week, the staff accessed my port to get blood (after assuring me that they were trained to and did it all the time)and they were able to inject heparin and take a tiny bit of blood, but couldn't get enough for the tests they had to run. They ended up having to poke a vein in my hand. Has this happened to anyone else? I hope it doesn't mean they broke my port!


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  • DodgersGirl
    DodgersGirl Member Posts: 2,382
    edited September 2017

    leatherette- I have had trouble with my port giving blood a few times during chemo. Sometimes the nurse had to push activace to open the port back up, a few times I had to cough/hold arms over my head/ roll to left side before it would work, etc. sometimes it seemed as if port had harder time giving blood when I hadn't had enough water the day before.

    My infusion center said this was a common problem for people with ports.

    I just had a follow up after a month since last chemo and port worked fine.

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  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited September 2017

    leatherette- this hasn't happened to me but I saw what DodgersGirl said from several people. Lost hair is one of the SE some people have better luck than some of us.


    By the way, anyone have to have blood transfusion to finish taxol infusion?

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  • DodgersGirl
    DodgersGirl Member Posts: 2,382
    edited September 2017

    paulettek- I did not have ablood transfusion during chemo but have read about others who did require a transfusion.

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  • Teese
    Teese Member Posts: 379
    edited September 2017

    leatherette-I've read this question asked all over the internet and the answer is... no, you're just lucky. Don't worry, it's working on the cancer. Some have less, some more, but I've never heard anyone say the ones with the worst SE have the better chance or vice verse. Your good.

    Paulette, hope the steroid high has subsided. I go in tomorrow for #2 Taxol and will be right with you. I end up falling asleep pretty fast when I go to bed, but wake up 4 hours later and that's it for the night. It lasts three days, then I crash.

    LoJo, love the sound of the concert, how fun! You're getting back to your life and we're right behind you. YAY!

    Going to a movie and then ice cream after. Gotta make hay while the sun shines!

    Prayers and hugs

    Theresa

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited September 2017

    this week is my off week, i do taxol 2 weeks then off for a week, seems like a vaca,

    Been having issues with a callous on my toe, finally got name of foot doc from pal so plan calling him in morn

    If it isn't one thing it is another, i get to add one more doc to my list

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  • pink_is_my_colour
    pink_is_my_colour Member Posts: 308
    edited September 2017

    Leatherette: I actually had the same concern because I had minimal side effects with my FEC. The doctor assured me that the chemo is definitely working. As Theresa says some are just lucky. This time around though the docetaxel is really kicking my butt. I've lost pretty much all my hair except for one or two eyelashes and a couple of eyebrow hairs.

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  • JenRuns
    JenRuns Member Posts: 350
    edited September 2017

    leatherette - my MO made a point of telling me. It to worry about light SEs meaning the chemo isn’t working .... she assured me it would do its job :)

    I feel like a lab rat sometimes .... we all react so differently, so similarly.... just weird.

    I walked 4 miles yesterday and 5 today outside - got some nice UV protective shirts and it worked well. (It’s like 85 and unusually hot for Michigan right now!) hoping the activity helps keep things at bay.

    Have a great week everyone!

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  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited September 2017

    good morning ladies, happy Sunday! I had such a good night sleep last night didn't even want to wake up.

    I know my chemo is working because my taste buds always changed on the day 3 then my appetite goes out the door for couple days. Also dry skins and low red blood cells count!

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  • Leatherette
    Leatherette Member Posts: 448
    edited September 2017

    Thanks for all of the reassurances, everyone! And there are definitely the sh&$ days still for me, just surprised the sense of taste,appetite and hair seemed to be bouncing back.

    My mother in law died this morning, peacefully in her sleep. She wasn't even on any pain meds-no pain. She'll be missed

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  • Castigame
    Castigame Member Posts: 752
    edited September 2017

    Leatherette, my condolences. Rest in peace.

    Mimi

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  • dmjmom
    dmjmom Member Posts: 79
    edited September 2017

    Sorry for your loss Leatherette. Wonderful that her passing was peaceful.

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  • Teese
    Teese Member Posts: 379
    edited September 2017

    leatherette-so sorry for your loss, but relieved for your MIL who was blessed with a peaceful death.

    Theresa

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  • DodgersGirl
    DodgersGirl Member Posts: 2,382
    edited September 2017

    leatherette- sympathies for the loss of your MIL.

    Prayers sent your way


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  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited September 2017

    Leatherette ❤️❤️❤️ She is in a better place. More 🙏🙏🙏 for you and your family.

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  • Leatherette
    Leatherette Member Posts: 448
    edited September 2017

    Thanks, everyone! We are doing fine. She always did tea and cookies at 4:00, so we had cuppas in her honor

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  • travelhound
    travelhound Member Posts: 67
    edited September 2017

    Hi everyone.I'm joining the group so late.I wish I had found this when I first started my journey.I did not find the support groups until 10 days ago when I was ready to start my Taxol and was trying to prepare for side effects.I'm doing weekly Taxol and started on 9/14.I did not want to chime in until I had read every post in this July start group and it took me this long to get through the 34 pages.

    I started DD AC on 7/11.I could have used the support during the hair loss crisis, and the emotional meltdowns, and side effects and skin troubles.I did have to get 2 units of blood after my 4th AC, which helped quite a bit with the shortness of breath.

    You all are so supportive of each other, it is so good to see.I'm so sorry about your mother in law Leatherette.

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  • dmjmom
    dmjmom Member Posts: 79
    edited September 2017

    Welcome travelhound! So sorry you had to go through AC without the amazing support from Mother Hen Tesse and all the other special ladies here. But you are here now!

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  • JenRuns
    JenRuns Member Posts: 350
    edited September 2017

    Welcome, Travelhound! You'll find this group of ladies to be incredibly helpful and supportive! If you haven't yet, check out the "weekly taxol" group too. You'll see a few of us posting in there as well.

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  • PauletteK
    PauletteK Member Posts: 2,205
    edited September 2017

    Welcome Travelhound sorry took you this long to find us, we are a small group of ladies and share our pains here. I'm doing my weekly taxol just finished #2 and kind of low of red blood count. Might need to blood transfusion if I can't pump it up. I don't want get too low for blood transfusion don't want my body gets too weak.

    I'm going for my thyroid US today, prayers for me please.

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  • DodgersGirl
    DodgersGirl Member Posts: 2,382
    edited September 2017

    paulettek- prayers your way for your US today.



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  • travelhound
    travelhound Member Posts: 67
    edited September 2017

    Paulette. My blood count was 9.3, not all the way down to 8 but my MO wanted me pumped up before starting taxol because it takes so long to build more cells. I was creeped out about getting blood but I'm so glad I did. My hemoglobin is still only 11 something and it fell after the first taxol, but my nurse said it doesn't really drop a lot with the taxol. We'll see

    Are they looking at your thyroid because of your low blood count?

    Lind

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  • purplestargazer
    purplestargazer Member Posts: 77
    edited September 2017

    Paulette- wishing you all the best with your US.

    Leatherette - I'm so sorry to hear about your MIL. Thank you for sharing her with us.

    Travelhound - welcome!

    So my latest is that I'm 2 rounds into Taxol and am feeling the start of neuropathy in my toes. It's 90 degrees outside and they feel cold and tingly :( I'm terrified it will get worse and that I'll have permanent numbness or odd sensations. Anyone else experiencing this on Taxol?

    My white blood cell count was way down after the first Taxol - probably b/c they didn't give me Neulasta. The nurse said it's probably lingering AC and that she expects it to rebound.

    I have two more rounds until I get to ring the bell. I cannot wait.

    Hugs to all.

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