June 2007 Chemo

They did the decadron and aloxi in the IV than sent home zofran. I called them today and they said to alternate the compazine and the zofran since they do different things to help curb the nausea. She said they could send me to the hospital and put me on fluids and IV antinausea, but that is the last place I want to go to. I just want it to go away. DH says I have to continue because he has gotten used to having me around. He is so good. He can't make it go away, but listens to me whine and does not lose patience. I would lose patience with me if it was me. :-)

Go Kathleen!! I WAS averaging 4 times a week for 30 minutes on the treadmill until my daughter left for England and now I am walking her dog several times a day! Hoping to get back to the treadmill on Monday but I may have to go back to bed instead of to work afterwards!! LOL

garnetann - sounds like you have a wonderful cheerleader for a husband - I whine to mine too, he says it's his job to listen! I sure don't want to end up in the hospital either - have you tried upping your fluid intake along with alternating the nausea drugs?

Pam - is your daughter triple neg also? After A/C #4 next week I'll be starting Taxol/Herceptin for the 12 weeks and I'm worried about reactions etc. I haven't had a lot of nausea luckily but a lot of the "just not feeling well" part.

The "good" sudafed is definitely helping so I expect to be over this allergy thing in a couple days - thank goodness!!

Hope everyone is having a good week so far!

Dawn

Hi Dawn & Terry,

Just reporting in that I have had TH#5 and I'm feeling OK. Will leave to go to Colorado for a few days to join my husband & kids before flying back here for TH#6 on Monday. After the first 2 treatments where I had stomach side effects from the pre-treatment meds (steroid & Zantac), the others have been OK. I had to skip one week because of low WBC. This week I was borderline, so I'll have to eat lots of greens & take my Vit. B supplements.

I am starting to experience Neuropathy, so am increasing taking Glutamine.

I guess I was writing this to say Taxol/Herceptin is easier than AC, but it's beginning to sound like a pain :-)

I wish everyone well with their treatments and continued strength to get through this. Just count them down one at a time.

take care, Anna

Hi to All,

Gracie, you're right about remembering the positive things we have in our life. I usually try to keep those in my mind at all times, but I've definitely been slipping lately.

My husband is supportive in a quiet way. He doesn't always know what to say, but his way of helping me through this is "What do you think you can eat today?" and runs to the store for me for everything little thing. He also makes all the dinners, even the weird concoctions I request on a daily basis. He really has been wonderful. I also have two incredible daughters who are just the best company in the world. My oldest is home from college this summer and in between working at restaurant at night and hanging out with her friends, she hangs out with me on the sofa watching movies, the cooking channel, and things like "What Not to Wear." Sounds boring, but it is so much fun for me. My daughters are like best friends to me. I am very blessed.

Terry, I'm not sure why I thought you were a runner. I just can't remember all the information we shared in the beginning. I should go back and read, but I swear information stays in my memory for such a short time nowadays. I do remember the horrible infection you had and it still sounds like it's not completely healed. I would definitely restrict myself to make sure it heals and never comes back. Even the small amount of jogging I did yesterday worries me as I was so exhausted yesterday. I think I'll just keep walking for a while!

Anna and Pam, thank you for the information on the Taxol. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will be easier.

Dawn, I'll be two weeks ahead of you on the Taxol treatment. I'll keep you posted too!

Garnetann, I know the "I just want it to go away feeling." I don't think I had as hard a time as you have had, so I should consider myself lucky. I do think drinking as much as you can while you can helps as well. It seems the weeks I drank more I did much better. But I hate the taste of everything, so drinking is not easy. I really have to force myself.

Best wishes to everyone for a great week.

xoxo
Kathleen

Hi Dawn,

I'm not sure if #6 will be halfway for me. My doctor threw me for a loop when she mentioned the possibility of 16 TH treatments. Has anyone else's onc. discussed 16 with you?

- Anna

Hi everyone. I am still waiting to hear from my onc's office on an appt. time. I called Mon. and they said I should get it checked out. I'm talking about my lump I found Fri. in my armpit. It continued to be sore and Sunday I started getting a red place where it is. I thought it was forming a "head" on it , but it never did. It is still there today , but not as sore. So , if I don't hear from them tomorrow , I will call again.
Hope everyone is feeling better. Hugs and Prayers , Melody

Hi, Garnetann:
My hair hurt for the first two weeks that it fell out. It helps if it is shaved short, because there is less hair weight pulling on your follicles as it falls out. Now I am nearly bald and it just itches.

My positives:
First, I get to see my daughter again on Thursday! She has been in Philly with my parents.
Second, I had a gi-normous appetite today.
Third, my boyfriend is extremely supportive.

Anna - haven't discussed the T/H since I started the A/C part - guess that will be after my last A/C on 8/2. I know it's 4 more trips than you want but I know you'll do whatever it takes to beat this! Let us know what happens.

garnetann - how about trying juice boxes or the different flavors you can add to water? I'm finding that if I just try a little of everything, SOMETHING will taste good and I go with it as much as possible. At the moment it's iced tea, after tx #2 it was cran-raspberry..................

Melody - hoping this turns out to be nothing - let us know when your appt is.

Welcome home Cyndi!!

Lisa - I can just see the smile on your face and I know you are impatient for Thursday to get here!!

Pam - glad to hear your daughter is doing well. She and I have the same problem with tumors being different....going to be interesting to see what our oncs put us on after the Herceptin.......... Will your 20yr old get tested for brca 1 also?

I'm sure you guys think I'm nuts but www.washfm.com is having Christmas in July - Christmas music all day!!

Dawn

Good Morning all,
Having a really bad hair day. Was a day to start wearing hats. I think I will atleast trim my hair shorter this evening after work. Have a much better appetite today, so going out for lunch. It seems like the treatments are getting shorter and shorter because the recover is getting longer. Hoping #3 is better.

Mikeysmom, how was the beach? My extended family is nagging me to go on a beach vac next week which we planned many months before bc. I have no desire to sit on an East coast hot beach with no hair. Was it worth it? Seems people just want you to show up and pretend all is well and normal and it sure as heck is not.

Hi Dawn, my 20yr old daughter was tested for the brca 1 mutation that I have just recently and she tested positive so atleast she is armed w/that information to stay vigilant and be watched. I believe she can start at 25 for mammos and mri's.
You would need to talk with a genetic counselor first and they will let you know if you would qualify and help you get everything set up.
Let us know what you find out!

There aren't words to describe how I felt when my daughter was dx, I will never get over it. I thought why not me again and then next month it was me again. Now this has also passed to my youngest but we are an aware and vigilant family so things should be fine.



Kathleen, I did a stupid thing. When I had bc the first time over 4 yrs ago the brca thing was fairly new and not alot was said. I asked about it but didn't follow thru and boy do I wish I had but I can't change that now.
It possibly might have made a difference w/my 38 yr old but maybe not. After I was dx she was about 34 so started her mammos early so that was good but hers was found this year by a mri, missed by the mammo! I didn't test until this year after being dx again. W/our family history and my daughter having bc I knew something was drastically wrong.
I'm going to give you a website http://www.facingourrisk.org/index.php
This is one of the best for explaining brca testing. Usually you have to have a family history. With your having breast cancer they would test you first to see if you are positive and if you were then they could test your daughters based on what mutation you had. The first test is expensive but my insurance covered 90%. It was much cheaper for my daughters, around $300.00.

Pam - I'm so sorry all three of you tested positive but at least there is testing and knowledge is power as they say.

My oncologist pretty much insisted I get tested since I was 43 at my first dx AND I have no clue of my biological fathers family history as he chose to not be in my life - his loss. I tested negative and my oncologist recommended my daughter (just turned 25 last month) start mammos at 35 instead of 40.

Hope everyone is having a good week!!
Dawn

Hi Kathleene,

Good news at least in my experience.... I had my first round of taxol 8 days ago, and the metal taste is gone. I can actually drink water again! Don't let anyone fool you however about Taxol being easier than A/C. Taxol has NOT been my friend. The first two days were great, feeling energetic without nausia but days 3 through 8 have been challenging to say the least. I have had terrible lower body aches, along with a loss of strength over all. All I want to do is sleep. My legs feel like they have lead weights attached... and I am an avid runner! I haven't had a good run since my second round of A/C... I try to get about two miles of walking in each day but not this past week. I went to the grocery store today and twenty minutes of low stress shopping wiped me out for the rest of the day. Listen to your body, and rest!!!!
Peace,
Terri

Just curious, what determines whether a person gets Taxol? I was told I am only having 4-6 treatments of AC, depending on how I handle the side effects, he wants to try for 6. But he has not said I would have anything else. My tumor was 1.9 cm grade 2 and I was node negative, Her2-, PR & Er +. But he did say the cancer cells were in my lymph channels even though my nodes were clean. That is why he wants to do 6. I think. I am going to ask him these questions next thursday when I go for #3 anyway, just wondering if anyone had any imput.

Garnetann, I forgot to mention that my tumor was a grade 3 for aggressiveness so I'm sure that factored into the decision to use Taxol too. If you ask you onc, would you mind sharing what he says?