Starting Chemo in May 07

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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2007
    Hey girls, has anybody had the experience of feeling like your heart rate has suddenly increased? Tonight I'm MEGA jittery, and feel like my heart is going a million miles a minute. I tried to take my heart rate (which I'm not very good at) and I don't trust my number. I don't think my heart rate is actually high, but I don't know WHAT this is!! It's SO uncomfortable! I can't get a deep breath, and I feel like I can't sit still or relax at all. What's UP? I'm off the pump, so I'm not getting steroids right now. Ativan didn't help yet, I don't know how I'm going to go to sleep. Ugh!!

    Amy
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  • chemo072
    chemo072 Member Posts: 682
    edited July 2007

    Amy - sound worth calling your oncall doc about to me. Off to look it up, but pls call.

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  • chemo072
    chemo072 Member Posts: 682
    edited July 2007
    http://www.chemocare.com/managing/heart_palpitations.asp
    Side Effects - Symptoms & Solutions

    "When to call your doctor or health care provider:

    Call your doctor with the following symptoms:

    * Fever of 100.5º F (38º C), chills, sore throat (possible signs of infection).
    * Shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort; swelling of your lips or throat should be evaluated immediately
    * Feeling your heart beat rapidly (palpitations) or irregularly
    * Any new rashes on your skin, especially if you have recently changed medications
    * Any unusual swelling in your feet and legs
    * Weight gain of greater than 3 to 5 pounds in 1 week."

    Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice.
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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2007
    Thanks, Amya,

    I ended up laying down last night and eventually succumbed to what I think was basically extreme exhaustion. I simply did WAY too much yesterday, I think. This morning the jittery feeling was gone, although I'll mention it to my onc next time I see him. I forgot to mention that along with this round of chemo I've had a HUGE cold, one of the worst ever. Today it descended from my nose to my chest and I have painful coughing and copious phlegm (sorry, TMI)! I think I just need to back off and give my body more time. There's just NO rushing this recovery thing, is there?

    Amy
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  • chemo072
    chemo072 Member Posts: 682
    edited July 2007

    glad it worked out!! yes, it's way too easy to overdo it, having done that myself a few times. hope your cold gets lots better soon.....

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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2007
    Hey again, everybody,

    Can you tell this is my "down" week, LOL? I'm on here ALL the time!

    So today I TOTALLY, COMPLETELY messed up. After last night's obvious fatigue, what did I do? Did I rest and take it easy today? NOOOOOO, I went over to the mall (business reason for my Ebay store) and spent 90 minutes creating a hold on Gymboree clothes. By the time I came home, I have never felt so awful in my life. Truly. Heaving, nauseated, completely beside myself with fatigue, the worst I've felt in all of chemo. Since I got home I've been horizontal, and hubby came home from work to look after me (he's amazing). WHAT WAS I THINKING?? It's sometimes just hard to realize that you can't just DO what you feel you want and (think you) need to do. So much of my life I've just "powered through"--you suck it up and get things done, even if you're tired. I guess it still hadn't sunk in to me that I just CAN'T do that this time. Man, it's hard to teach me!

    Moral of the story. Listen to your body, be patient, and WAIT for recovery. Trying to force it will only set you back.

    Hope the rest of you were smarter today.

    Amy
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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2007
    I know how frustrating it is to not be able to do the things you are used to doing. Yesterday I had to sleep practically all day and I've never done that in my first three rounds of A/C. But anyway you gotta suck it up and let your body rest. I hope you will listen more carefully to your body especially since you've had such a hard time through all of your chemo.

    Take care of yourself Amy!!!
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  • PDXLeeAnne
    PDXLeeAnne Member Posts: 119
    edited July 2007
    Amy I so know the feeling! It IS really hard to de-activate when you're used to being go, go, go all the time. And sometimes it just seems like stuff HAS to get done today. Right now. But it really doesn't.

    Liz, do you know yet how you're going to proceed as far as surgery/Taxol?

    How's everyone else feeling?

    Today, six days out, I feel pretty darn good. I still have some bone/joint pain but I took 4 Advil this afternoon (same mg. as my 1 giant Motrin)and that took care of it pretty much. As long as I keep work to about 6 hours and spend my afternoons/evenings laying around I can cope fairly well. Sure is boring though!!!

    Hugs,
    LeeAnne
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2007
    Amy - it is so tempting to think "I'm feeling better - back to normal now!" then you attempt to act normally and then really pay for it. How is your heart rate and breathing? Your symptoms reminded me of pneumonia! Be careful and try to get some rest.

    LeeAnne - glad to hear you're feeling well...only 3 more treatments to go right? How often do you get the Taxol - every 2 weeks?

    Liz- how are you doing?

    I was thinking today that one month from now - I will be done chemo - assuming I stay on schedule! I still have to get through 2 more treatments, mind you, but it still made me feel good to think that!!!

    We're all very close to completing this phase of the journey aren't we?

    Tomorrow I'm heading to the "Ex" - the annual fair/festival that brings with it amusement park rides, games of chance, krappy greasy food, etc. I won't be going on any rides (except maybe the giant ferris wheel) but I know it will be a LONG day with lots of walking and the forecast is for more heat - so it looks like hydration will be in order! I love the fair - I am excited to go!! Just wish they made veggie corn dogs! Hope you're all having a great evening.

    Take care,
    Mandy
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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2007
    Hey Everyone, I'm feeling so much better today. Yesterday I had the worst fatigue of all four treatments. And that was after having a procrit shot last week. I kept expecting to get a surge of energy but it never happened. My RBC count was up today though, so that's exciting.

    I'm going to get an MRI on Friday to see how the chemo has affected my tumor. If it has responded well I may have my mastectomy next instead of continuing with the Taxol. I almost rather have surgery now than go through another 4 chemos, but I'm scared of surgery as well. But I have to do it eventually so might as well get it over with. And I'm looking forward to having new boobs! Mine are getting a little saggy :-)

    Mandy, Watch out for that fair food.

    LeeAnne, Glad to hear you're handling the Taxol ok.
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  • NeoPat
    NeoPat Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2007
    Amy, I got that jittery, heart-racing feeling as a menopause symptom. I hated it. I described it as a too much caffiene feeling, but have also read it described as an adrenaline rush.

    I had my first Taxol treatment yesterday. It went well and I still feel good today. The Benedryl pre-med made me really sleepy, but also caused restless leg syndrome, so I couldn't sleep. The nurse said that she will ask the doctor to cut the dose in half next time. I got up and walked around and it went away.

    I had 5 Decadron pills the night before chemo and 5 the morning of. Then I had more as a pre-med. It seemed to have no effect on me at all. I slept great last night.

    It will be a wait-and-see as far as what symptoms I will get.

    I'm taking my daughter to the dentist later this morning. Then we might go out for lunch. I also want to pick up a few things including my new Zofran prescription. It is to replace Compazine for nausea. The Compazine gave me very blurry vision and made me feel restless. Maybe I won't need it for Taxol, but want to be prepared.

    The oncologist said that I can take Tylenol or Percocet if I get Taxol pain. Sadly, there is nothing to take for the fatigue and he said that it is just as common on Taxol as A/C. I hope that is not true for me.

    Pat
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  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2007
    In 2005, I had heart palpitations on decadron, so they sent me home with something different this time. Luckily, I've had no nausea with the Taxol/Carboplatin so I never needed to take anti-nausea drugs at home.

    I'm halfway through my 12 weekly treatments and even though I'll have a rest week at the 3/4 mark, I will still be done in six more weeks! That sounds so close!!! Yay!!
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2007
    Morning ladies,

    Question: why do you have to take so much decadron on Taxol? Isn't the decadron for nausea? (I thought there was basically no nausea on Taxol?) Or is it to prevent allergic reactions? I'll bet that's it!

    Liz - like your new avatar...you look so different in each of your wigs/headwear! Did you get your buffs yet? I'm a little ticked at the length of time this is taking - I notice they processed the payment on my Visa with no problems!!

    Pat - enjoy lunch with your daughter!

    Liz- don't worry, I won't overdo it with the garbage food today (I DO NOT want to gain anymore weight!!) Being a vegetarian, it is difficult to find much to eat there actually! Everything has some kind of meat in it, on it, or deep fried around it! I'll probably indulge in green onion cakes - as usual. Not one bit of healthy anything in those but they sure are yummy!! Hope your MRI shows great improvement and that tumor is shrunk right down to nothing!

    Amy - your store sounds really cool...I'm not sure I understand though - do you buy and then sell your products but instead of a storefront, it's all done through ebay? Cool! Do you also have a website?

    Well, I'm being serenaded by the sounds of construction (so far no cute workers) but that's my cue to get my butt to work myself!

    Has anyone heard from Sheree? I wonder how her son is doing.

    CindyMN - 6 more weeks - hang in there!!! I am so looking forward to having the chemo done - I can't imagine feeling completely "normal" (physically) again! However, from what I hear - it will take awhile...especially since I go on to rads, then Tamoxifen.

    I heard a Blue Rodeo song yesterday that made me think of this journey - the lyrics were "I've been torn apart and put back together with a couple of pieces in wrong"

    Happy Thursday everyone!
    Mandy
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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2007
    Mandy, I was more worried about the food illness issue--I worry about the low WBC's a lot and don't eat a lot of raw food unless I'm at home. I heard recently about people getting sick at the fair from eating something and I'm sure we're more at risk than the average person. I've never heard of green onion cakes. They sound interesting. Anyway, whatever you do, enjoy yourself!

    Pat, I hope you do well on the Taxol. We'll all be anxious to hear about your SE's or hopefully lack of SE's. That does seem to be a lot of Decadron. I only take one a day for about 4 days after my treatments.
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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2007
    Hey girls,

    Still resting up over here. Thanks for all the encouragement--you guys REALLY bring me up.

    Mandy, my store is on Ebay only. No brick-and-mortar, and no outside website. You can see the storefront here: http://stores.ebay.com/Through-the-Wardrobe Although like I said, I have it temporarily closed until chemo is over. If you go to my "About Me" page, though, I just realized you can access some of my items there--there's a list of "current auctions".

    Off to rest and maybe watch a DVD. I'm SO low on energy it's pathetic!

    Amy
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  • chemo072
    chemo072 Member Posts: 682
    edited July 2007
    Mandy - the steroids (decadron, and in my case, hydrocortisone) are to decrease the chance of an extreme allergic reaction to the castor oil that the taxol comes in. It's not for nausea, it's so you keep breathing etc. etc. The allergic reactions sound scary to me.

    Hang in there everyone!

    also, help - has this happened to anyone else? I've been pretty much at peace with the whole cancer thing, one foot in front of the other, and just this week "the dam broke" - I seem to be crying most of everyday, it's driving me nuts. It sure gets in the way of getting things done, if I'm crying I can't be on the phone or at work or.... I think maybe my body is going on strike about the getting-things-done mode. Sheesh. I already take wellbutrin, I know it sounds like depression, but I'm laughing in the middle of the tears, I don't feel depressed (except for the involuntary crying) it's just that the blasted tears WON'T STOP. Is it taxol?
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  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2007
    Amya, I don't think it's the Taxol. It's just the stress and grief of facing our mortality. Even when we think we're handling things pretty well, I think our bodies overrule our minds sometimes and just trigger a meltdown. I usually feel better after one of these crying jags, so I try not to fight it. Maybe it's like that little jiggly thing on top of a pressure cooker.

    During treatment, I think we're kept pretty busy worrying about side effects and the actual process of getting it all done. So there's no time, perhaps, to process the grief that just wants to wail and screech about how much this situation thoroughly SUCKS!!!

    I took a drive the other day and literally sobbed through several U2 songs as I planned my funeral. Now, I'm truly not planning to die in the near future, but there I was, deciding where I want my ashes to be spread. That actually made me feel better afterwards, too.

    My advice is to not waste time berating yourself about these emotional explosions. Just ride them out. I tell myself: "I'm feeling sad right now but pretty soon I will feel better." And I eventually do.
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  • chemo072
    chemo072 Member Posts: 682
    edited July 2007
    CindyMN - Thank you! I've actually thought that I might feel a lot better if I had a will written, funeral planned etc. Morbid to talk about I know, and 99% unnecessary as my prognosis is good, but I just want it down in writing...

    as for the tears...your advice is good, especially as I seem to have no choice in the matter - so I will embrace them and let them come because it happens so rarely....

    thanks so much for responding, it helped
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  • Lorain
    Lorain Member Posts: 68
    edited July 2007
    Amy - I had the jittery thing for bout 3 days...it ended up being from raglun, an antinausea drug.

    I'm almost ready for my second DD Taxol. I feel much better than I ever did with A/C. Had bone aches for 3 days, but Aleve helped that.

    Does anyone know much about radiation? I'm wondering if it's usually 6-7 weeks of treatment? I have a 3 hour round trip, so it's going to get old!

    Sounds like we're all getting close to the end of chemo...thank goodness!

    Lorain
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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2007
    Hi Everyone,

    Hope everyone's doing well. I was just wondering what type of surgery everyone has had. We only seem to talk about chemo. If you feel like sharing, tell me what type of surgery/reconstruction you had. Are you facing radiation after chemo?

    Tomorrow is my MRI. I can hardly wait to hear if this A/C worked on me. Today I was able to walk on the treadmill with what I am now calling "running breaks." I used to run with walking breaks. It was not much, but it was something.

    Hope everyone has a great Friday!
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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2007
    Hi everybody,

    Liz, I had lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy (and the SNB was neg). So it was outpatient. I will have rads, but I don't know how much yet--I still have to meet with the rad onc. My tumor was on the outer lower quadrant of my right breast, very close to the chest wall--surgeon said if he hadn't gotten clean margins, re-excision wouldn't have been an option because he was already at the chest wall. So I guess if the margins weren't clean I would have ended up with a mast. As it is, the diff in size in my breasts seems to be only noticable by me, not even my dh. But I still look in the mirror and feel slightly lopsided.

    Girls, I made a MAJOR discovery last night! After posting on this board about my jitters, 2 women wrote back and said they thought it could be a reaction to the Compazine. After a little internet research, I decided to call the onc-on-call. Turned out to be MY onc (yay!) and he agreed, and said to take Benadryl to counteract it. Two tablets later I was calm and back to normal. YAY!!!!! Oh my gosh, it was so AWFUL feeling that way! I'm still tired and slightly nauseated today, but THIS I an handle! What a relief. Also, I got my appetite back last night. The yucky taste is finally gone. It's always the night of tx day 8 that things seem to turn around.

    Amya, the tears come and go for me, too. Like has been said, I usually feel better afterwards, but for some reason I seem to fight them ahead of time. They're like a pressure building up behind a dam and finally something bursts and they just flow over.

    LeeAnne, your message on my carepage made my day.

    Love you all,

    Amy
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2007
    I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has these crying spells - although I usually can fight them off - not because I think crying is weak but I'm afraid that if I start, I may not stop!! CindyMN, I too have my "dark moments" where I find myself thinking about my mortality - sometimes in great detail! I've learned not to share that with anyone because the people in my life (as wonderful as they are) can't stand to hear me vent those feelings and the people who really piss me off are the ones who take that opportunity to lecture me about "positive thinking" and make me feel like I'm inviting all sorts of bad things into my life by those thoughts. I do feel there is some connection but I don't really believe it's as simple as that...AND the last thing I need to feel is guilt! That's why I like this board so much - I can whine/complain/cry here and no one judges me - they understand!!

    Amy, I am so glad you got that whole jittery thing figured out and that you've turned your corner...other than overdoing it the other day, it sounds like this was maybe your best tx so far? I hope so, as I've stated many times, you deserve to have smooth treatments with all the stuff you've been through!

    Liz, I had a lumpectomy with a SNB too and thankfully, my nodes were negative. They also found DCIS though in the area they removed. In one area, the margin was only 1mm (the standard in this province is 3mm) so my docs recommended a re-excision. My surgeon thinks this is crzay and unnecessary and says "I can absolutely guarantee there will be no more cancer" I certainly hope so!! So, I go on September 6th for a quick "scoop out". Apparently it will be a 10min procedure. All 3 docs (radiologist, oncologist and surgeon) advised against a mast., feeling that I didn't need one. I have to say that my cosmetic results were not as good as Amy's - perhaps my tumour was much bigger at 2.5 cm. But my left boob is pretty deformed and in some bathing suits - the size difference is noticable. (But believe me, right now the least of my worries about how I look in a bathing suit isn't my boob!!)It doesn't cause any major trouble but I know it will get worse with the next surgery! I will then start rads in mid October (30 treatments including 5 boosts to the tumour site)

    Liz, by the way, I know what you mean about the walk breaks - I am always careful to make sure my minutes running outweighs my minutes walking!! You know, the cardio is definitely different but I still recover really quickly with my walk breaks - for me, it's the damn muscle fatigue - my lower legs still cramp up - especially if I'm kind of dehydrated! I go for a massage today and it really helped last time so I'm hoping for the same result today!

    Well, I survived the fair yesterday - what a blast! I even went on 5 rides and didn't barf!! I think everything I ate was deep fried but what the heck - the fair only comes to town once a year!! It was so fun and life affirming to me for some reason - I guess riding the rides and saying "screw chemo - if I get sick, I get sick!" felt SO good! Being 100 feet off the ground, spinning and seeing all the colour and lights and hearing the laughter - it was great!

    Well, hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Friday! (Sorry for my long winded post)

    Mandy
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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited July 2007
    Hi Ladies! I've been lurking here for a while and I cannot stay silent any longer... I truly feel like I've found my "sisterhood." I have read so many posts and said, "that's me, I've felt that, I've done that..."

    I am 41 years old...was diagnosed the day before Thanksgiving last year...via a routine mammo- Been having them since I'm 35 as my mother died at 53 from breast cancer that had spread to her bones. (She died 24 years ago when I was 17). I have lived the past 24 years "waiting" for the cancer to appear...and it finally did...I just thought it would be later. But, it's funny how it's been an obsessing thought of mine for all these years. I sometimes wonder if it was a self-fufiilling prophecy...

    Anyhow, got a first opinion for treatment here in NJ and was horrified by what they were saying - chemo, mastectomy, etc. worst case scenario) I just kept thinking "this is just a little thing...why are you talking such drastic measures???" My NJ doctor basically wouldn't even discuss next steps with me until I had genetic testing. I think the whole diagnoses was so new to me that I was just FREAKED. Ran out of the office sobbing. Went for a second opinion on NYC. My surgeon in NYC was fantastic and also suggeseted the genertic testing, but was fine with going ahead with surgery before... I had my surgery there on 1/5/07. Had a lumpectomy and SNB.

    DCIS w/mircroinvasion, 4mm tumor, ER/PR+, HER2+, node neg

    Surgery was a GREAT success...they originally told me that I had a gret path report and initiall told me ER/PR+ and HER2 NEGATIVE. Started rads and met the onc in NYC who said, you know, your biopsy report says HER2+...we really should double check that... Well, guess what, the NYC path report was WRONG and I was HER2+ which meant chemo and 1 year of Herceptin... Boo hoo... Talk about a high high (with the good report) and a low low with the mistake...at least they caugyht it. I am horrified at the thought of not EVER getting the chemo if I needed it. More horrifying that the NYC hospital missed the HER2+ and that my little NJ hospital found it...they saved my life...found the cancer initially and the HER2+

    So, I am backwards. I did my radiation first...then the chemo. Had 28 doses of radiation with 5 boosts Feb-April 2007, then went on a 2 week Caribbean cruise, which was supposed to be the celebration of the end of the ordeal... But, alas, it ended up being a reward for finishing radiation...and a bon voyage for my hair! LOL

    Anyhow, short story very long...had AC chemo treatments on 5/10; 5/24; 6/7; 6/21. Had my first Herceptin on 7/13.

    CHEMO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was hardest thing I've ever had to go through. Side effect galore. It's amazing what the stuff does to your body. I think I might post my side effects separate...was wondering if anyone had any insights...

    Virginia
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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2007
    Hi Virginia, Welcome to the list. It is a great group--"sisterhood" is a good name for it. Are you having more chemo or just the A/C? It seems like being Her2+ is a good thing because you have more tools to fight with although I don't know about the SE's of Herceptin since I'm Her2-. It does seem like they're being very aggressive with your treatment. Did your genetic testing come back positive?

    Mandy, Glad you had fun at the fair. Any fried twinkies?

    Amy, Glad you got that jittery thing worked out. I have had some problems with racing heart but it's gotten better and now I'm done with my A/C so maybe I won't have it again. It is very disconcerting.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2007
    Liz, No, no fried twinkies - but they did have such nutritional delicacies such as deep fried cheesecake and deep fried chocolate bars!!! I did NOT partake of those "treats" By the way, green onion cakes are from Chinese or Korean restaurants...they are like a pancake (only not sweet) a little thicker and chewier and they have chopped green onions mixed in the batter. They are fried (like a pancake) and served with soy, hot chili, or plum sauce...or all of the above!

    Virginia - welcome to our group! I'm happy for you that you are pretty much finished treatment (other than the Herceptin) Is your hair growing back yet? (your "bon voyage" comment made me laugh out loud)

    Anybody have any pictures to post? I will post some (as well as my avatar) as soon as I get my computer fixed!! Really!
    Mandy
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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2007
    Hi everybody,

    Welcome, Virginia! OK, so you HAVE to post your chemo SE's now, because I'm SO curious!! I'll be amazed, and somehow comforted, if you have had as much or more trouble as I have, although I certainly don't wish it on anybody. This board is the BEST--I don't know what I'd do without it.

    Mandy, actually I'd say this tx was worse than last time, because I was way more tired and had my huge setback day on Wednesday and the jittery thing to deal with. In general, they are seeming to be slightly worse each time, which goes with what everybody seems to say. The only thing worse about the 1st 2 was the throwing up and going to the ER. I think I had high hopes that if we got rid of that problem, that the rest wouldn't be so bad. But alas, the rest of it is pretty horrible, until I turn the proverbial corner. I just have to brace myself for it and go through it 2 more times. THEN I'LL BE DONE!!!!!! Can NOT come soon enough!!

    All for now, girls,

    Amy
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  • PDXLeeAnne
    PDXLeeAnne Member Posts: 119
    edited July 2007
    Hi all, and welcome Virginia.

    I've been having a hard time mentally too, like it seems others of us have. Today I keep on crying - I'm just so TIRED of this cancer #$%^$*#. I want my hair back. I want my LIFE back. I'm exhausted, my kids are acting out, and I'm tired of trying to be positive all the time. Let me be another to say it:

    CANCER SUCKS!

    I'm taking steps to make things better though. Calls into counseling for my 12 year old, other calls about a family support group, a brand new prescription for Ambien (yeah!) because I can't sleep worth a darn lately (which doesn't help with the fatigue), word from a nurse that Melatonin is okay with my regimen (again, yeah, because that used to work well for me), AND assurances that going to a movie is a fine thing to do! I thought I had to avoid theaters, but the nurse said no, thanks to the miracle of Neulasta I can go. So that's a happy thing.

    As far as surgery, I was diagnosed 4/3/07 and had surgery a week later. My tumor was little, and I opted for a lumpectomy. I had cancer in one lymph node so they took all of them out which turned my little day surgery into an overnight nightmare which I'm glad I survived (discovered allergy to Oxycodone, had very low heart rate and repressed breathing, all of which the nurses were oblivious to). My left boob looks pretty good now, although I still have blue dye on it. I understand it will re-pucker and change shape through radiation but whatevah! It's not like anyone's looking... My worst scar is actually from the port - in the MIDDLE of what was pretty good cleavage. I'm asking for a plastic surgeon when it comes time to remove it. I still have a numb armpit and part of my arm is too, but I"m used to it now.

    I think I need a massage...

    Hugs to you all,
    LeeAnne
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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited July 2007
    waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I just typed a monster post and it didn't go through!

    :O

    I have to work myself up to type it all again.

    So frustrating...

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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited July 2007
    Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!! It's nice to chat with people who truly "get" it. My sister has been my ROCK from the start, but as supportive and amazing as she is, she even admits that she hasn't gone through what I'm going through.

    My case, according to my onc in NY is kind of unusual. she presented my case to 12 other onc's in NY to ask what their recommended course of treatment... Most said AC treatment followed by Herceptin. They usually don't do chemo on a tumor as small as mine (4 mm), but since it was HER2+, the had to do it b/c all the clinical trials on Herceptin were done in more advanced cancers in conjunction with chemo. (Terrible run on sentence, I apologize...)

    I ended up switching to an onc in NJ for the chemo portion b/c it will go on for 1 year and I didn't want to drive to Manhattan every 3 weeks. Too expensive...and a PIA.

    Ok, will send this one and post chemo side effects separate....
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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited July 2007
    Didn't know I was supposed to drink lots of water BEFORE my chemo. I didn't and was mowing my grass the day of! Needless to say, they couldn't find a vein... Thankfully they found one b/c I don't know if I could handle the port for 1 year.

    Treatments 1 and 2 were ok. Although, after the first one I felt extremely foggy and was slurring my words. It was the weirdest feeling. Ended up going shopping for a little while with my dad...and to lunch. I have my treatments on Thursdays, so I stay home from work on Thurs and Fri. The Sat after my first tx, I went wig shopping with my sister and a dear friend. Got one that looks just like my hair. Very wild. people at work don't even know it's a wig. It's crazy. Managed to feel ok if I ate regular little meals (we won't mention that some of them were cheese or Hagen Daaz). My arm where my infusion was hurt a little bit...like a black and blue.

    On Memorial Day (the Monday after my 2nd treatment), we had the "Head Shaving Party" at my sister's house. My dad was there and 4 of her 5 kids (gilrs...the boy was with friends). what a relief it was go get rid of the hair. We were prepared for drama, but I think we (my sister and I) had cried so much leading up to the head shaving day, that we were ok. The littlest was trying to get the stubble off with a lint roller. It was very funny.

    The weekend in between my 2nd and 3rd tx, I went to Hershey PA with my bald head and my sister and her fam. The kids could care less about my head...I double stickied a bandana to my head and wore a baseball cap. It was an awesome diversion...

    After Hershey I noticed that my big toenails were feeling 'funny' and discoloring. Not long before the skin under them started to swell and ooze. Now the nails are lifting off the bed. So so so so gross. They are holding on for dear life. My thumb nails and index fingers have black lines, but are not falling off, thank goodness.

    Treatments 3 and 4 were much more difficult. After the treatments my arm hurt really badly. After 3, my bicept was killing me. After the 4th, my whole arm was sore and weak. I had a hard time making a fist. I also got the dry heaves. broke down and filled the rx for Zofran (on top of the Emend and whatever they give you in the drip). didn't really help all that much. Never threw up, but felt horrible. Couldn't really eat, so I was just in the black hole for a few days. Cried and cried after the 3rd tx and said, I can't go back... Managed to do it knowing it was my last... But, boy it was hard. These were the treatments that I woke up in the morning and wished it was bedtime and that the day was over. so depressing. My darkest days. that's when the people say, "you'll be fine...you'll get throught it." Those are the ones you want to pop in the nose, b/c although they mean well, you don't want to hear it when you are so desperately unhappy. I have to say my sister has never once said that to me...she's reading all the right books...

    Had the common constipation and sleeplessness from the steroid. Ambien CR doesn't work for me...I'm a stubborn insomniac anyway.

    So, I was wondering if anyone had the gross nail thing or the sore arm...although it sounds like many of you have the ports.

    will comment on the gen testing with another post...

    V
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