I am starting chemo in July 07. Anyone else?

I've been thinking a lot about the genetic testing as well. My BS recommended a left breast mast because of the size of my tumor/margins of lumpectomy/LCIS, all in relation to the size of my breast. I opted for bilateral because I had Lobular. There are no plans for me to have radiation. But, what if I were to have the gene test and test positive? If being positive means it increases your chance of recurrance, then I wonder if it would change the dr.'s thought on whether I should do rads?

I have one aunt on each side of the family who had BC but both had it in their mid 60's and both had taken hormone replacement so my dr.s did not seem very concerned. Although the maternal aunt had lobular, which made me wonder since it is much less common than ductal.

And here is another question: If I test negative, is that a "for sure" that my daughter, sister and nieces don't have it? So many questions!

I think I will talk with my onc. on Monday.

Well, Pilates last night was still pretty easy. It's only the second class so I can still manage OK because we are still learning basic stuff. I didn't get dizzy on the breathing this time! Running has pretty much completely fallen by the wayside.

Tina - Hooray for being done with AC!

Ginger - Sorry to hear Neulasta has you down again. I agree it was sometimes worse than the AC. And yea, what the heck is with the fact that it takes so long to build fitness but so little time to lose it??!!

I'm participating in the Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk on Sunday with my husband, sister in law, and niece. The husband wants to paint things on his bald head for the walk. Wants me to do it too. I said no dice - I'm not brave enough to walk bald, even in a BC walk!

Take care, ladies.

Donna

Hello ladies, it's Thursday...one more day until the weekend!!!!

I never thought I would say it but I am nervous about chemo ending.  I can't really explain it but if I could talk my doc into a few more treatments....I would.  He wants me to have my port out no later then 3 weeks after my last chemo....I would really like to keep it in longer.  Just as a comfort thing I guess.  I'm afraid once it's removed, i'm going to need it again.  I think I will try to talk him into do a scan just to make sure everything is O.K. before it's removed.  Good thing I have some xanax left, I see me needing it in the near future.

I think I am having anxiety because I received an email from my half sister last night.  Back in May when I called her with my dx she told me about a lump that she found.  About 9 years ago she had a non-cancerous lump removed so she has been through this before.  Well, in May when she found her lump she said she would wait until her yearly in August.  You would think that with me just having a dx that she would of gotten it looked at.  Well, in her email she told me the doc thought it was a cyst and took some fluid out of it.  There was blood in the fluid so they are sending it out for more testing.  I feel like I have been thrown into this all over again even though it isn't me going through it.

Sorry all, just needed to vent a little.  Between this and it being chemo week, I feel like crap.

Ginger

Hi Abbi,

I am so happy to hear you are flying through taxol, that is great news. I wonder why I am only 4dd taxol?  I think it is the Neulasta that really hurt this week, not the taxol. 

I want to see light at the end of the tunnel and it not be the train. Hair? whats that? I hope everyone has a Great Weekend!

Take Care, Charlene

Abbey -

A/C was not fun.  I got treatments on Thursday mornings.  By Thursday evening food was completely unappealing.  Never had any vomiting and took compazine which kept the nausea somewhat under control.  I probably should have been more complaining to my onc. and gotten a better drug like the Emend that so many of the gals talk about.  One thing I'm learning is to be more vocal about any discomfort.  Whatever the complaint, they probably have a drug for it!

Anyway, I spent most of Fridays and Saturdays just lying around in a fog.  By Sundays I was usually feeling a bit better and by Mondays was fine. 

I got used to planning life around my "sick" weekends.  Glad to hear you're taking the day after off work....that'll make it easier on you.

So... try to remember that it's only 4 times.  You'll get through it. 

Greetings to All!!!  Tomorrow I get tx.#5 of 6 TAC txs.  Each tx. takes a little longer to recover.  My energy is down.  Started my decadron today and have the awful taste back in my mouth.  My neuropathy was worse this time.  I dropped a few things due to decreased sensation in my fingertips.  My toes only bother me when I'm in bed at night.  I lie awake and wiggle my toes to make sure that I can feel them.  I'm not looking forward to feeling like crap!!!

Abbi, I'm glad that you are doing well with your taxol treatments.

So, who is doing Rads, and who is doing tamoxifen?  I guess I'm doing both, with reservations. 

I sure hope that I will be well enough for my son's soccer game Tuesday evening.  Generally, I'm still feeling decent the night after tx.  Hope that is the case then.

My best to you all.  Hang in there, Rose

I'll be doing rads and tamoxifin both.  Somehow, I'm not all that concerned about the rads (maybe because it's out there in January), but the Tamoxifin scares me.  I suppose it was inevitable that I'd have to endure hot flashes and such eventually, but still....

Having a tough day today.  I tried to sleep last night w/o the help of my sleeping pill and was awake all night.  So now I'm figuring that, if I want to sleep I have to become addicted to sleeping pills.... just can't sleep w/o them.

I'm tired.  Tired of cancer, tired of chemo, tired of being bald, tired of my life being on hold, tired of being scared...... just having a tough day. 

It's nice to be able to vent out here.  Sometimes I think you gals are the only ones who can understand.  Makes me feel not so much alone out here!

Abbi

Abbi you are not alone, I got that same tired feeling the other day ,tired of being bald , tired of not feeling normal so I know what you mean, wonder will it ever be like it was, my husband says just keep thimking positive but sometimes its hard, so hang in there girl as I will too.

 Hugs, Tina

Been off the board for about a week. Had my last AC and will start 12 Taxol next Thursday. My nurse told me that I will get a week break after every 4 Taxols. I was kind of bummed because I just want to be done with chemo. Did anyone else get breaks during Taxol? I will also get rads then Tamoxifen.

Abbi, glad you'll take the Fridays off. I can't imagine teaching the day after an AC. I had trouble getting back after the weekend. Very much in a fog. Good luck with it. You'll get through.  I lost weight after the AC. No appetite, food nauseated me for about a week. I eat up a storm for the next 2 weeks and have managed to maintain my weight. 

Port question. My nurse said they might leave the port in for up to two years. Oh my gosh, I just want it out. I'll ask the doctor when I see him next week. I know they might want to leave it in for a 6 month check, but honestly I was hoping to get it out sooner than that. I haven't actually asked the onc yet. I read that some people get it out in an office visit. Does anyone know more about this? 

I had a great family visit with my two grown children who were both in from out of town. It's amazing what good therapy that is! 

Have a great week all. 

Jane 

Wow, we fell to page 2, can't let that happen!

I just got back from my appt. with my onc.  We discussed how things are going so far, he thinks we're doing well, tumor is shrinking still.  I hadn't really talked to him about surgery, so I brought it up today & asked what his opinion was of what I should do, lumpectomy vs. mast (or double mast)  He said in a case like mine where I'm so young, it's an aggressive & locally advanced cancer he would recommend a mastectomy   I asked based on his knowledge as an onc. what would he recommend if it were his wife, and he said he would recommend having both removed.  Originally when I was diagnosed I had hoped to have a lumpectomy, but as the months go by I was leaning more and more towards having a mastectomy.  I don't want to ever have to deal with breast cancer again.  I know I can still get it in other areas of my body, but the more I think about it the more I feel having the double mast. is the right thing for me.  I think I would feel a bit safer.

I also asked about reconstruction, did he think immediate was safe given my cancer.  He said it's been proven to be safe but again if it were his wife he would want her to wait a bit to be sure the cancer was all gone.  That's what I had thought too.  My last cat scan showed suspicious lymph nodes behind the chest muscle, that's what made him (and me) a bit nervous about immdeiate recon.

That's about it for the appt.  I have my first Taxotere on the 10th, we went over that again (side effects, etc...)  I will be staying on the Neupogen shots until chemo is over.

Hi Ladies,

Just wanted to let you know, I had a digital mammo yesterday and both breasts are clean! Doing the happy Dance! The radiologist was surprised to see my films from May 07 (showing 2.4 cm lump) and May 06 (showing nothing). I am currently on chemo (taxol) so I guess it is no surprise that I am clean, but still knowing I am clean makes me dance.

Everyone have a great weekend! Chemo #6 on Monday.

Take Care, Prayers, Charlene

Good for you for getting out to the game Abbey, and yay for being half way through chemo!!! 

Charlene, that is absolutely amazing news about the clear mammogram!  Congratulations!!! Does that happen more often with triple negative bc, do you know?  I think I've heard it responds better to chemo than hormone positive.

Jane, kudos to you for working through all of this.  I've been off since I was diagnosed.  There's no way I could cope with the stress of work along with cancer & having a family too, you're one tough lady! 

Question for everyone, I'm still thinking over the whole surgery issue.  What has/will you be doing?  Lumpectomy/mast/bilateral mat and reconstruction/ no reconstruction/immediate or delayed?  I am going to go ahead with the bilateral, just not sure on immediate recon or not.  I still have to discuss with the breast surgeon & plastic surgeon before making a final decision, but the fact that my onc said he would advise waiting for recon. is weighing in heavy.

Hey Margie.  I'll be having a lumpectomy following chemo...then 6 wks of radiation.  I have a question for you also...has chemo made you not have your period anymore?  I was ok for the first two cycles of chemo...then I had my period for 5 days, and then went 5 days without it, and then got it again for 5 days.  My hormones were definately screwed up.  That was about a little over a month ago.  I just hope it comes back once chemo is over...

Everything tastes awful to me right now...it has never been this bad in the past.  I couldn't even eat dinner last night with my family...I took about 2 bites and it tasted terrible.  It's ok...ice cream still tastes good!  Haha.

I went biking yesterday....and if I can get my school work done here for tomorrow, I will try to go again this afternoon.  I need to start doing some exercise again here.  I'm really getting out of shape.  I know that I have plenty of time to get back into shape once this is over....but it's hard not to be in really good shape like I used to be this summer.

Have a great week to all! 

Hello everyone, hope you all had a good weekend.

Wow, it is so hard to believe but tomorrow is my LAST chemo!!!  I am so doing the happy dance.  And if my counts are O.K., no neulasta for me (which I think is worse then chemo).  It is so hard to believe that I have come to the end of just one more part of this journey.....next hurdle to get over......rads.

I went to the gym today and did yoga.  I haven't been since before my dx in May.  I am thinking of doing something to celebrate me kicking cancer's butt.....a 1/2 marathon in Feb.  I would do the full marathon but I don't think I have enough time to train.  It is in Jacksonville Florida and it for breast cancer so crossing the finish line would be twice as sweet. 

Margie - When I was discussing my surgery with the surgeon I told him I wanted him to take both breast and he didn't think that was a good idea.  Now that chemo is nearing, my onco. wants me to get genetic testing to see if I should have the other removed which would mean another surgery.  I really wish I would of pushed the issue to have him take both.  I had 5 days from official dx to surgery so I didn't have alot of time to think about my options.

Charlene - Congrats on your mammo, what a relief it must be.

I hope everyone has a great week.  It will be my last week off from work.  I have been doing one week off, one week working so i'm going to do lots of sleeping this week!!

Hang in there guys....there really is an end to chemo.

Ginger

Hurray for you, Ginger!

I still have 9 more weeks to go on the chemo.  At least I get no side effects from the weekly Taxol.   Still.... nine more times of sitting in that chair.

I'd say right now my biggest problems are emotional, not physical.  I'm at a loss as to how to fill the hours of the day.  Things that I used to think were important and I guess filled my day just don't seem important to me anymore.  I used to be very "Martha Stewart-y", but all that stuff seems really silly and unimportant now.

I also used to be really into clothing and shopping and stuff.  Luckily for my VISA, I suppose, I could care less.  What's the point of new clothes when all I'm doing is sitting around the house all day in my jeans, tees and matching scarves.  Boy, I miss having hair!

So, there's a lot of hours to fill in a day and only so much reading, quilting and TV that a person can take.  Boredom, boredom, boredom..... I just want this all to be over so I can get on with my "new normal" life.  But that won't be until Spring by the time I finish chemo and rads.

Just trying to take it day by day.......

Abbi 

Just had my last Chemo today, I've got mixed feelings about it.  I noticed I was getting more depressed as the time got near.  Don't get me wrong I'm glad that part is over, but there's some fear about what's ahead I know my life is forever changed and I will never be the same, I know what you are saying Abbi about things that were enjoyable just don't seem that important anymore.  I'm on to radiation won't be doing any hormones since I'm negative.  I am looking forward to having the port removed and growing some hair.

Ginger hope your last treatment went well are you having radiation?

Thanks everyone, this has been a journey none of us wanted but its been great to have each other during this time.  Good luck to everyone with your treatments .

Pat