Starting Chemo June 2020

Hello!

I had my first round of chemo yesterday. I am 37 and just delivered my third little girl 6 weeks ago. Found a lump when I was pregnant but assumed it was due to lactation changes, but then my right breast didn't produce any milk and the lump made it hard for my daughter to latch while nursing.

Mine is HER2 positive so I am taking TCHP preadjuvant and plan to have a mastectomy in October (unsure yet if we will do single or double although I'm leaning towards double). Very interested to hear what life is like without nipples, since I am not a good candidate for nipple sparring mastectomy.

So far so good after my first round. I got pretty dizzy after the Taxotere and that dizziness was bad until last night but getting better. Around 12:30am I woke up very itchy in my face arms and torso which I didn't expect. Was given ok to take benedryl and Claritin. Benedryl has helped a little with itchiness but is making me more tired of course.

Also... I smell like chemicals. My husband noticed it too, so it's not just heightened sense of smell. And when I walk in our bedroom it smells like chemicals. Read online to excercise enough to sweat and take lots of showers.

I already started taking my nausea meds, a nurse told me to try to "stay ahead" of nausea by taking whatever they gave me in adnavce of feeling nauseous. I have been a little queezy, but not too bad.

As a side note- I am using the dignicap to try to preserve some of my hair and hair follicles. My six year old is handling this well, but I am trying to maintain as much normalcy as possible for her and I think keeping my hair (although I did chop ten inches) should help.

Hope to find some support in this group and just a place to ask questions and help others.

Sarah

Hi,

I've been reading through and thought I'd try posting before jumping over to the May posts in case everyone moved over there.

I'm sorry to hear about the return of BC that some of you are having to deal with. I feel somewhat lucky that we caught mine so early and, I hope, approaching the treatment strong enough to not have to deal with it again. My tumor was tiny and margins and nodes are clear but I am ES+ and HER2+ so I am getting ready to start chemo later this week and will have Herceptin treatments for a year, radiation after chemo and then probably Tamoxifen for 5ish years. It definitely turned into a much bigger deal than it seemed when they were struggling to find it to do the biopsy.

I'm trying to continue to work while going through treatments (taking the day of or afternoon of off, but not other days, if possible). I'm working from home in SF Bay area so I'm not at risk going into the office, it'll be more about how I feel and what I can manage for calls and computer work. I would definitely be interested in hearing about your first time experiences. What did you not expect, or couldn't have predicted as far as how you felt physically and emotionally?

Thanks!

Heather

Smichaels, I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. I had many of the same feelings you did initially and everyone said it gets better as you move along with your treatment plan, and I have in fact found that to be true. Like you my mind initially constantly went to the worst and I had a lot of anxiety about that initially but I am now feeling more settled and optimistic. Lots and lots of women do very well for the long haul. It looks as if this thread isn't very active. There are many women on the May 2020 chemo thread that have been incredibly supportive. Consider joining us there Also, I joined the YSC (Young Survival Coalition) Facebook Group which has been a wealth of information for our age group (I'm 39) and you will find many women on there who have the same stats as you and are also moms. Early on I met with my hospitals social worker a few times, and I also found that to be very supportive. This is really hard but try as much as possible to breathe and take things one step at a time. As they say, don't borrow trouble.

Hello, everyone! I'm late to the party! :-)

I'm newly diagnosed (still meeting members of my team) with stage 2b IDC, Triple Negative in my Right Breast and DCIS in my left. Both sides grade 2.

Tuesday I get my port, and believe I will begin Carboplatin & Taxotere before the end of the week. I'm terrified, but also ready to get things started. . . Just wanted to say hello, and ask how everyone is doing?

I'm reading threads ferociously to try to get a handle on what to expect.

Hello everyone. It's good to meet you here. I am also still in ongoing surprise mode. I found out about a new site Mend Together that I recommend. It's like Caring Bridge + Meal Train- like volunteer calendar and the opportunity to register for products that help with cancer treatments. There is also a way to register for cash funds like a wedding registry for help with medical expenses or integrative care sessions. It's at Mend Together dot com in case anyone is interested in checking them out. What I like best about it is that I could make my account private so only people I know can see it. You could also make it public so that strangers could donate. Up to you.

I am 38, recently diagnosed with IDC, HER2+...getting my port put in on the 30th, and will start TCHP shortly after. (They are waiting for the FISH test to come back in the larger tumor to see if they are both HER2+, but oncologist said it most likely will be HER2+)... I have no clue what to expect with the chemo. I know everyone’s road is different, but I don’t even know where to start... doctor said some side effects are constipation, diarrhea, hair loss...then reading about ice packs and eating ice chips. Do I need to do this? How did everyone feel after the first TCHP chemo? I know I can do this, I’m just pissed that I have to!

Hi Sarah,

I am so sorry to hear this. I don’t know how is it to leave without nipples. I have a bilateral mastectomy booked this week and I will lose for sure my left nipple. I will keep you in my prayers you and your family.

Regards

Barb