Starting Chemo in May 07

Question about decadron before taxotere:

Has anyone else been told to take decadron at noon and 6 the day before taxotere or taxol treatment?  Do you know the logic behind the timing?  Because I forgot and took it at 3pm and now I'm wondering if it's going to be a problem.  I have my taxotere treatment at 9:45 tomorrow.  Thanks.

I think you'll be fine wtih the Decadron, Liz. I was supposed to take mine at 2:00 a.m. the night before treatment (12 hours before treatment, I guess) and I was all over the place timing wise, depending on when I would wake up. Good luck tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you.  How are you feeling in general post surgery? 

I'm on week 2 of rads starting today. No side effects yet. I also have to go get my port flushed this afternoon, and guess where I have to do that? That's right - back to the chemo room with me!  Ack. Radiation wants blood work every 2 weeks and chemo is the only place that can use my port and since I've got awful veins... there I am.

Amanda, how did your rad sim appointment go? Emotional?

Virginia - I love your new picture! I'm still waiting for my new hair to grow enough (or darken up enough) to have it show UP in a picture, LOL. 

How's everyone else feeling?

Hugs,
LeeAnne

LeeAnne,  The doc didn't have a problem with my alternate decadron schedule.  And I got through the taxotere with no allergic reaction so I'm happy!  Now the wait is on to see if I get the dreaded bone pain and neuropathy.  I have my vicadin and my advil ready if i do.  And I can't run right now anyway due to the stupid &**^%$# expanders, so I guess it's not the end of the world if I have to move slowly for a few months. 

I'm feeling pretty good for 3.5 weeks out from surgery.  The biggest problem now is the pain from the expanders and I am giving myself an extra week now considering I have to deal with chemo and fills at the same time.  So I am feeling some relief finally.  Just in time eh?

I am sorry so many of you have to go through the rads.  Hopefully you'll breeze through. 

I can't wait to see how my hair comes in.  It's getting thicker right now but not longer.  Weird huh?  I told my husband he'll have to teach me to make it spikey like his.  He uses this gooey gel that makes it stand up. 

Liz and Virginia - I LOVE your hair - it looks so good.  I am jealous - mine is just starting to grow back...can't wait until I can wear a hat and actually look like I have hair sticking out instead of my shiny white skin!!  Even more so, I can't wait until I don't even have to wear a hat!!!!  Patience, patience patience!

Liz - I'm glad you're doing so well after your surgery...you don't gain weight on the decardron?  I sure did...however, I've since gone on the "infected gallbladder diet" and have lost the weight I gained during chemo.  I am now consuming no more than 5grams of fat per day (really hard) so hope to continue to lose a little more weight.  What sucks is that I can't run right now - every time I try, I have pain from this wretched gallbladder and I certainly don't want to end up back in the hospital...so it looks like it's walking for me until I have the surgery to remove it - which may not be until December!!!!!  I am so miserable not running.  I have been a dedicated runner for almost 9 years now - this is really bugging me because I feel like running...sigh

Amanda - congrats on your second interview - I'm pullin' for ya!  Glad to hear that rads weren't too traumatic!  I won't be starting until November!!!!  You guys can all give me your advice and share your experiences with me so I can learn from all of you!

Well, have a great evening everyone...talk soon!

Mandy

Hi girls,,,,,,,,,,good to hear everyone is doing well.  4 weeks since my last and final chemo and feeling good.  Started rads a week ago and its a breeze.  Feels kinda strange to go do radiation and not feel anything,,,,,,I'm used to feeling something,  lol.  I still go for the herceptin every 3 weeks but thats a piece of cake also.  I did the Race for the Cure yesterday,,,,,,ok,,,,,,so I only walked the 1 mile,,,,,but hey,,,,I got out and got myself motivated.  lol   I used to be able to do a 6 mile walk,,,,,,,,,,so seemed a little depressing for me not to be able to go more than a mile,,,,,but guess I just need to be patient, huh?

Take care all,,,,,,,,and keep up the good work ladies.  We are almost done.  And for those of you that arent done with chemo yet,,,,,,,,,,,be patient,,,,,it will all be over before you know it.

Cindy

Hey Traci, I'm glad we're making you laugh, but I understand about the expanders   Anyway, I am pretty happy today because my chest actually doesn't hurt too bad.  I didn't even take a vicadin today, just 2 advils this morning.  Maybe the chemo takes my mind off it or something. 

And I'm tolerating the taxotere well so far but it's only day 1 so we'll see.  I hope I'm not repeating myself:  My chemo brain is stepping up  the last few days--today I was an hour late for my chemo.  I was sure my appointment was at 9:45 and it was 8:45.  They were nice about it, but my poor onc and staff is so busy.  They already had me double booked in the first place.  I felt bad, but they took me anyway. 

Hi Cindy!  It's SOOOO good to hear good news from you. I hope you continue to do well and don't worry, you'll be back up to 6 miles in no time.

Lorain,  My eyebrows and lashes started growing almost as soon as they started falling out.  It was very bizarre.  ONe week there was nothing to put mascara on and the next week, they were back.  So don't worry too much.  Hopefully you'll have a similar experience.  Glad to hear your neuropathy is going away.  That's one of the things I'm worried about.

I'm very chatty today aren't I?  I think I'll blame it on the decadron.  I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight.  I'm waiting for the new SE's  to start.

Traci---you make me smile too!!    I do enjoy everyone's posts...

No, I am not the Ativan gal, yes I am the Vegas gal!  I leave on Sunday!!  Whoo hoo!!  I keep looking at myself in the mirror saying, I actually have a LOT of hair, but that's just me used to looking at myself with NO hair!!  I am sure I will shock people if I came to work with my hair as short as it is...  I dont' know if I will have to guts to go wigless.  I have no qualms about going to the store or out of the house now without a cap or scarf...  ALMOST enough hair to gel up, although I think I would like kind of butch with that kind of hair style (no disrespect to those who have short hair and gel it up...)

Funny thing...my hair on my head is coming in POKER STRAIGHT!  ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND, so are my pubes!!  Is that funny???  (Sorry to be so crass). 

Thursday I have my ovary ultrasound.  End of the month is my "annual" mammo.  Oct 8th I should find out about my BRCA test...  UGH.  I kind of want to stick my head in the sand....but everything is scheduled...

Cindy- do you get your Herceptin in a port??  I get my via IV.  The infusion nurses working the last time I was there were AWFUL.  I got a 3 inch bruise on my arm.  She was terrible...actually made me cry.  I felt like saying you can't let all the "good" infusion nurses take off the same day!  ARGH.

Virginia

Hey everybody!!

Cindy - glad to hear youre' feeling well!  I'm doing the Run for the Cure on Sunday with about 20 team members and it is killing me to not be able to run!  We are going to walk the 5km - oh well, at least I'll be out there (so I know how you feel)  No one on my team is sad but me - everyone has been saying "oh thank God I don't have to run with you now!"  Lazy farts!  By the way - if you figure out how to be patient - let me know okay???

Traci - a 20 day period??? Yikes!  Mine has been absent since my 5th treatment at the end of July - not sure if or when it will ever return...if it does, I hope it's not for 20 days!!  How goes the head scratching?  Are those hair follicles waking up?    I keep rubbing my fuzzy head - it is SO nice not to feel skin but rather some fuzz!  The other morning my hubby and I were cuddling in bed and he had quite a lot of whisker growth on his chin and we were laughing that with my fuzzy head and his scratchy chin, we made velcro!!!

Liz - how are you doing?  I hope you are experiencing NO side effects from the Taxotere.  Just think - soon we'll be out running again - yahoo!!!

Lorain - nice to hear from you - glad to hear you're doing well.  They recommended Nioxin at the Look Good Feel Better class I attended - even gave us a free bottle - I haven't used mine though - not sure why??  I agree enough is enough...actually, on Sunday night, I was experiencing kidney stone pain (I have had kidney stones in the past year and have 3 more still hanging out in my kidneys)....apparently my body is very efficient at making stones and lumps...lucky me!  My eyebrows managed to hang in there through chemo although they did thin out.  When I'd put on makeup for a special occassion and pencil some dark colour into my eyebrows - it was weird - I was so used to seeing them sparse that when I made them look normal, I felt I looked like Groucho Marx!!  My eyelashes are long enough now to wear mascara and I am sooo happy about that!

Amanda - my doctor only told me to follow a low fat diet when I was discharged from the hospital.  So I went to Dr. Google and read somewhere that I should follow a really low fat diet (of 5grams a day) until they remove my gallbladder.  Apparently after it's out you don't need to follow a special diet at all...it sounds like your mom may be an exception. It is hard to eat so lightly but it is nice to lose some weight.  Thankfully there are a lot of no fat products out there!

Virginia - Vegas baby...woo hoo - just a few more sleeps!!  My hair pre -chemo was VERY curly so I am kind of hoping that maybe it will come in straight - save me all that time straightening my hair every day!!  I have virtually no growth what so ever in my underarms and pubic area.  My legs are needing regular shaving every few days though!!  Isn't it funny how some nurses are so skilled at staring IV's and others make you cry? 

Well, hope you are all well.

Take care,

Mandy

Hey girls,

Liz, I'm so happy to hear you are doing good! No pain! That is awesome. Hopefully, you'll go that way throughout cuz....I started feeling my pain 2 days after my first Tax treatment.

Amy....I'm having a hysterectomy (had my pre-op today) because I am triple neg and brca +. And, family history. Sister had bc, other sister had cervical and uterin cancer and, dad just died from renal cel cancer. If I don't need it to live, I want it out!!!

As far as the pic.....maybe.......we'll see.....

Virginia...I swear...the "it happened in Vegas thing" is a GREAT idea! Man, I wish I would have thought of that!!!! I also wish I had enough hair to "gel". I don't think the scratching is helping.....

And...since you brought up pubic hair.....has anyone had a problem with ingrown hairs down there? I have two that will not heal and they are driving me crazy. Also, hopefully to make everyone feel better....every hair that has grown...."out" down there (lol) is GRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the heck is up with that??????????????

Thank God I don't have a SO right now!! Can you dye pubic hair???

Port.....when I was doing my pre-op today, they went to draw blood in my arm. I was told to be careful of that because of my bi-mast and lymphodima (sp?). My oncologist told me he wanted me to keep my port for one year but...I want it OUT! And, the guy who is doing my hysterectomy said he would take it out but now, I'm concerned about all the blood work I'm going to be having done in the years to come (especially this next year) and lymphodema....anybody have any advise in this regard?

Anyway...now it's me that's chatty.

Hope everybody is o.k.

 Traci

I'm suppose to have another fill tomorrow but don't know if I can handle it.....

YEAH Virginia!!!!!!

Congratulations on your happy happy news - boy now you can really celebrate in Vegas!!!

Traci when is your surgery - I think it may be today (the 27th) if so - best of luck to you girl - I am sending positive energy and well wishes your way!

Liz - you still feeling okay?  (hope so!)

Amanda - have you had your 2nd interview yet?

LeeAnne - where the heck are you?  I'll bet you're feeling great!  Excellent.

Hope everyone else is doing well, too.

Mandy

Good to see so many of you posting this week!

I'm feeling much better than I did with the A/C.  I'm a little tired and sometimes I think I feel an ache here and there, but I bet it's just from laying around too much. I have got to get me bootee out the door for a walk a few times a day or I just don't feel good.

I still think the reconstruction is going to be the hardest part.

My pubes are straight now which is pretty funny.  No ingrowns yet.

Wow LeeAnne.  I can not imagine what you are going through right now with the emotions of a new bf and having to deal with treatment still.  But it sounds like you're doing well.  I hate it when I can't think of a word.  It's the most frustrating thing ever and makes me feel like an idiot.

Traci,  Good luck with the hysterectomy.  I hope it's easy to recover from.  You've certainly got enough going on already.  I was complaining because I have to do chemo and reconstruction at the same time but I don't think I could face another surgery right now.  Unless I had too.  I guess we just do what we need to do to get through this.  Let us know when you're going in. 

I am so jealous of your guys (well only sort of....) because the forest is still clear cut "down there" for me....legs need shaving every second day, head is getting fuzzy but no growth in the pubic or underarm area....hmmm maybe that's not a bad thing!

Mandy

Traci, I had to cancel my expander fill last Friday.  I think one week is not enough time to recover between fills.

I certainly enjoyed my time off from shaving while I was on A/C.  Now I have plently of hair under arms, on legs and "down there."  Any chance it will  all fall out again on Taxotere ?   I am looking forward to seeing what my new hair is going to turn into on my head.  Right now it is very lush but still short and it's pretty dark.  This may be the start of a whole new look for me!  I always wanted to be one of those chic-looking older women with the super short, possibly white hair.  Of course, I'll need to lose at least 20 pounds now to get any where near the chic neighborhood.

I am so jealous seeing all the hair that so many of you already have.  I have enough hair on my head that I feel it, but nobody else can see it.  I've been going hatless and scarfless a bit more, but as it's starting to cool off here I often need something when I'm not having a hot flash (aren't those fun?)

I had my re-excision surgery yesterday, it went so much easier than I thought it would, the pain is definitely there, but it isn't soul numbing the way chemo was for me, so I'll just move through it.  I'm hoping to spend some time painting today and this weekend, something I couldn't do at all during chemo (that's how good I feel!).  Now I'm just waiting for the pathology results, probably they won't be in until Monday.

Have great weekends.

Kara