I am starting chemo in July 07. Anyone else?
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Hi Ladies,
Congrats Ginger and Pat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't wait to say "I had my last chemo". I had #6 today and agree 100% with Ginger, Neulasta kills me more than taxol does. 2 more taxol to go and I am done!Abbi hang in there kiddo, I am walking in your shoes also!
I am wondering have you ladies lost all of your hair? I still have some hair and was wondering why? I had it buzzed 2 months ago and am thinking maybe I shouldn't have.
Take care all and good nite Charlene
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9 more Taxols to go for me. Thursday's my day. Actually, the treatment has been really easy for me so far. No nausea at all, no pain or tingling fingers/toes and such. The Decadron in the IV gets me a bit wired and the Benedryl makes me loopy (unfortunately not enough that I can actually sleep) and gives me a bit of restless leg syndrome . Last time I was there, someone in the room was actually snoring away.... wish that could be me!
Another plus of the weekly Taxol is that my hair is definately starting to grow. I never completely lost all of it and the stubble is getting longer. I can also see a few little teeny "sprouts" coming up here and there..... not that I'm looking very closely or anything! I know it'll still be months before I'm ready to go topless but at least SOMETHING is happening up there.
I still had my periods all through A/C as well. They've finally stopped after the last one.
Desperate Housewives was always one of my favorite shows. In a way, it's hard to watch right now since it's a little "close to home", but I think they're doing a pretty good job with Lynette. I especially liked the episode where they had her at her kid's play and a BBQ feeling like crap. We've all had to endure going places when we felt lousy!
Well, I'm off to find a way to fill the day. Gonna do a little cleaning and laundry (thrilling, huh) and for sure work on a quilt.
Pat and Ginger, I'm extremely jealous! Congrats on finishing!
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Hope everybody's week is going well so far! I'm going to see my surgeon give a talk on "The 10 Myths of Breast Cancer" tomorrow. It's not open to the public, but she invited me to come...so I thought that was pretty cool. Friday I have a wedding to go to...which will be a lot of fun since I haven't seen my teacher friends from my old school in a long time. (Got a job teaching in a new district this year.) I hope I have the energy to last for a little while at the reception. Good thing it's at the hotel where everybody has reservations...that way when I get pooped, I can head off to bed. And best of all...it's my 27th birthday on Sunday. So, I am thrilled that this is not a chemo week for me!
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Sounds like a pretty great week Abbey! It really helps keep me going when I have fun stuff to look forward to. I'm going out with my work friends on the 19th, that should be fun.
Has anyone had any drinks since they started chemo? I've had a few beer but I've never asked my onc. if I'm allowed to or not. By a few I mean 3 total since July, so I think that should be ok. Has anyone asked about whether or not it's a no no?
I had my first Taxotere today & I have to say I feel quite normal! Not sick at all, I hope this feeling sticks around!
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Wasted days, and wasted nights!!! That is how I feel after my treatment on the 1st of this month. All last week was horrendous, no appetite, bad taste in my mouth, no energy, and even some controllable nausea. I usually rebound by friday of tx week, but this week (my 5th tx.) it took until Sunday before I could consume anything but gigngerale and broth.
Abbey, Happy Birthday...enjoy the wedding, you deserve it. Enjoy the diversion and the company of friends and loved ones...it means so much.
One more treatment, and I honestly do not know how I can do it. Besides being sick all week, I have had diarrhea since last thursday. Tomorrow I have to have to drop off a specimen to check for infections and parasites. I have absolutely no energy. I have been drinking fluids like crazy, but still have an unquenchable thirst. The only thing that will get me through tx 6 is that I know it will be the last. My platelets are also now at an all time low (36,000), I have neuropathy in my hands and feet, and I'm starting to get ultra depressed. I want so badly to be well and feel good. I tried to do my usual walk and just couldn't do more than half. I tired of this ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!
Abbi, hang in there, better days are comming.
mmcp, on one of my very good weeks after tx2, I had one beer, but it tasted lousy. I was served red wine at dinner one evening, but could not drink it. I was never told not to drink, but It makes good sense not to. Our livers are being taxed enough from the chemo.
My best to all, Rose
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Charlene, I buzzed my hair and I'm bald as a qball. But fortunately I have very thick eyebrows and still have enough left that a little pencil makes them fine. Also retained my eyelashes.
But my head is shiny and smoothe!!!
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Ladies, I will be starting taxol around nov 12 after my surgery on the 22nd of oct, how is it compared to the ac, boy that stuff was rough, I am pretty worried about it.
Thanks Tina
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Hello ladies, I haven't posted since the early part of this thread. I have been reading it all along as I could but one of the reasons I wasn't active was because with each successive AC treatment I was feeling worse and worse and any reminder of chemo just made me nauseated all over. I was on three types of anti-nausea medication and only got sick twice but my recovery time was getting longer and longer. My treatment entails 4 tx of AC and then 4 dd txs of Taxol. I have just finished my third tx of taxol yesterday and have found it entirely more tolerable. I get body aches about 48 hours after treatment and they last about 2 days. I have had taxol with and without the neulasta shot and the shot definitely makes my body aches more intense. But it is so nice having a good stomach and no splitting headaches. I can usually control the body aches with xtrastrength tylenol. The steriods/benedryl they give me as part of the taxol usually keep me from getting much sleep the first 24 hours after treatment but I have learned to adjust my schedule around it.
I only have one taxol tx left and then will start 6 weeks of rads. I am trying to get on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a week and I think that is definitely helping my energy & stamina. I am just now starting to feel optimistic that there is an end in sight.
This is certainly an emotional journey as much as it is physical!
Linda...
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Well my surgery is the 22nd of oct, and my last ac chemo was on sept17 and the oncologist said my next chemo of taxol would begin on nov 12th , so it seems like i'm not getting anything at this point to prevent any cells from moving about, anyone else worry between last chemo and next chemo after surgery.
Thanks Tina
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Tina, I'm getting all my chemo before my surgery. I asked what they would do if there is still cancer in the lymph nodes when they come out, would there be more chemo but he said no, studies have shown there is no added benefit to having more. Seems to me each onc. does things a bit differently. I worry about the cell spreading in that instance.
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Forgot to add, I'm thinking I'll probably have rads after the mastectomy. Are you getting rads?
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I had my lymph nodes taken out before any chemo and all seven were negative, I'm having a lumpectomy until my genetic testing comes back, so yes if we keep the breast I will be having rads, I had part of my chemo before surgery to shrink the tumor and it is no longer a lump, so who knows.
Thanks Tina
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Hello July chemo ladies.....we were on the 2nd page again
Well, my week of last chemo went as expected....crappy. My wbc wasn't as high as they wanted so I still had to get the neulasta shot, after I had myself all excited about not getting it. So I have the usual muscle, joint and just overall body pain. I will never know if it's caused by the chemo or the neulasta. I've been more sleepy then normal and the hot flashes are out of control. But i'm done, other then having my port flushed, I won't have to step foot into that treatment room again....yeah me.
Hang in there everyone, we are making such progress and will be done before you know it.
P.S. Tina, for me, taxol was so much easier then ac. With ac I was sick and I would sleep for 2-3 days straight and would not eat. With taxol, I have alot of joint, muscle and body pain but it is so much easier to deal with. And the steroids make me eat alot, i'm back up to my pre-chemo weight.
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Hi Ladies,
Taxol has been much easier for me than A/C.
Ginger I am sorry your wbc were not high enuf to skip Neulasta, I hate that shot too, it kills my neck and back for a few days. But Ginger your DONE! The rest of us will be done with chemo soon, I cannot wait (2 more).
On Taxol, I found by taking 1tsp. L-glutamine powder 3 times a day and 1-100 mg B-6 2 times a day, it greatly helped out with the neuropathy in my fingers and bottoms of my feet.
Have a great weekend all! Charlene
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BUMP. almost on second page again..................................Great weekend to all! Charlene
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Hey everyone, I just had to post this. We went to Disney World Friday night for a few hours and it was a beautiful night out. It has been so hot down here lately but Friday night it was in the 70's, nice and cool and a light breeze. I finally took my scarf off and enjoyed the breeze. I was so proud of myself, walking through Disney World bald as a baby. Got a few stares, but I didn't care
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Good for you Ginger, you are so brave! I haven't ventured out of my yard bald yet.
I now understand what you all mean by the side effects of Neupogen. Last cycle I had none at all, but this time not so lucky! Every bone in my body aches, very painful! What do you do to fight this? Tylenol? I've tried it but it's not doing much.
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Hi all...hope you ladies had a good weekend! I enjoyed the wedding so much...it was so nice to see my friends from my old school. I think they were all even more excited to see me! I had to go up to bed in my hotel room though around 9:00...it was a long day for me (taught all day, then drove an hour to where the wedding was)...I was exhausted. Had a great 27th b-day today...my mom cooked for me and made me homeade apple pie!
I start my first round of AC on Thursday...I would be lying to say that I was not a little nervous. I don't know what things will be like for me. Only 4 treatments left though.
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My onc gave me Vicodin for the body aches due to taxol and the shot. I only take it at night but it definitely knocks down the pain. I was able to have one taxol tx w/o the shot but then my wbc counts did not rebound so had to have the shot this past week. Definitely needed the pain relief.
Abbey, one thing I would recommend for A/C is to make sure that you are VERY hydrated starting the day before your chemo. My first A/C was a breeze and then they got more difficult and I think part of it was that I did not do a good enough job with the fluids, before, during and after. And be prepared with other fluids if the taste of water is no longer appealing. Good luck and let us know how it is going because most of us have been through it.
Linda
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Hi ladies. Haven't been on in a while. Halfway through Taxol today!!
Jealous of Ginger, though since you are done!
We're remodeling our bathrooms due to the fact that my daughter's shower floor was caving in due to unseen water damage! So we are doing all 3 bathrooms since I have hated them all since we moved in 4 years ago. So Abbi - now I have a way to fill my days - looking at bathroom fixtures! Seriously, I hope things are going OK for you these days. And I know what you mean. I feel like I am so uninteresting lately. Can't wait for the new normal thing.
Wednesday I turned 43 so my parents took me to lunch and DH took me to dinner. He sang "Happy Birthday" to me in the restaurant and it was so very cute. Everyone clapped. We put a bottle of champagne in the fridge for after dinner. It's still there. I just have no taste for alcohol. My daughter made me this really sweet birthday card. She's 20 but we have a tradition of giving homemade cards. Inside, she glued a magazine photo of a male model and added a bubble that said "You're still beautiful". So sweet. She said she will kind of miss when I don't wear scarves anymore because they look good on me. Although I love her for saying that, I will NOT miss wearing scarves!!
So Ginger, I so totally admire you for going bald in public. I have been a little braver, going "topless" in front of my friends and a few neighbors but that's as far as I could go. And are you really doing the marathon in Jacksonville? Ironically, I had been thinking about that one since before my diagnosis. Maybe I will do the half this year! I couldn't get ready for the full by Feb., but could probably do the half. Anyone else interested?
Tina, I, too, am finding Taxol way way easier. The only side effect for me really is the fatigue. This weekend I went to visit a friend in Cincinnati and totally overdid things. Saturday evening I was completely exhausted and felt like crud. But it was my own fault for trying to keep up a pre-chemo pace. My friend was great and the whole family wanted to wait on me hand & foot. But that is hard for me too! The husband has a Harley so he took me for a ride (way cool!), so then their six year old daughter decided that my scarves are "do-rags" like her dad wears under his helmet. I got a huge kick out of that. It was great to get away for a few days.
Take care everyone.
Donna
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I forgot to say happy birthday, Abbey!
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Thanks Donna! Happy birthday to you too!
Wish me luck Thursday with my 1st AC...I'll let you all know how it's going.
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I finished my first Taxol last week. I go for #2 on Thursday. So much easier than the AC. I actually had energy at work this week. 1 down, 11 to go!
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Hello everyone. Feeling like a bit of a slug today, but for the most part I've been feeling unusually energetic this week. The Pilates instructor is increasing the difficulty of the class, but so far I've been able to do it all and it makes me feel quite accomplished! I walk to and from the class for added benefit - it's about a mile each way. It's really warm out today so I plan to take the dogs for a good long walk later.
Jane, glad to hear Taxol is better for you. Isn't it a relief after AC??
Abbey, here's hoping your first AC isn't too bad. I'm thinking of you today.
Abbi - are they going to let you get your Taxol the day before Thanksgiving so you don't skip a week? I am so looking forward to my last tx that I think I would cry if they told me I had to take a week off!! How is everything else going? How is your emotional state, and your sleep?
Is anyone else dealing with heartburn? My onc. prescribed Prilosec but I don't feel like it's doing a whole lot. Just when I was starting to be able to enjoy my morning coffee again, the heartburn may make me stop!
Funny, the hair on my head seems to continue to grow in, but my eyebrows and lashes continue to fall out. It's like baby hair on my head.
Hope everyone has a great day. Or at least one with minimal side effects..........
Donna
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Been having serious depression problems, but I think I've got things under control now. Had to skip this week's treatment as well as the week on Thanksgiving. They can't do me on Wednesday of Thanksgiving week because they need the full 7 days between treatments.
So I'll finish when I finish, probably the week before Christmas.
I have to learn to accept that this is just the way things are right now and that I have little control over the situation. I can't do anything but show up every Thursday for those treatments and know that it will end sometime.
Until then, just take it one day at a time.
Abbi
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Well girls the race for the cure here in Little Rock Arkansas is tommorrow, and I am so looking forward to it, and my lumpectomy is Monday which I am getting nervous about, then 4 more chemos of taxol starting nov 12th, sure am glad the taxol should be easier.Will be thinking of all of you while I am walking, everyone hang in there.
Tina
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Donna- That's awesome that you are feeling so well and doing the Pilates and walking. It gives me hope. I have resumed my walking and hope to add more as the weeks go on. I think I may try yoga. They offer it at the cancer wellness center in my town.
Abbi - We will all get through with treatments eventually. Hang in there. I'll have to check out my situation with Thanksgiving as well. I get treatments on Thursdays. Right now, I should be finished the week after Christmas, but if I have to skip Thanksgiving week, it will be pushed off until the first week of January.
Tina - Good luck with your walk. Don't worry about the lumpectomy. The surgery itself wasn't bad at all.
Abbey - Hope the AC went fine.
Jane
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Hey Tina, hope you had fun at the Race for the Cure. Ours is in June so I plan to be doing it in 2008. I agree, not to worry about the lumpectomy. It's not bad. Certainly not bad compared to AC!!
Jane, I go to yoga at Gilda's Club and it's great. Makes me feel really relaxed and refreshed.
Last night I had a dream that I was walking, then all of a sudden I decided to try running again, and I just ran and ran and I felt healthy and strong, I was smiling and the sun was shining. It was a great dream. I have to say I was sad when I woke up. But I'll get back there. 2008 will be my rebuilding year.
Abbi - hang in there. I'll be thinking of you. One of the administrators at the school I worked at when I was diagnosed is a 2x BC survivor. When I talked with her about it, she advised me to give myself over to the treatment and try to accept that this will be a year over which I will have very little control. I guess she was right. But we're closer to chemo's end every day.
We're tough, ladies!!!!
Donna
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It's been a pretty rough week for me, so I haven't posted much but have been trying to keep up with everyone's posts. I've been sick with the flu, it was awful. I was in the hospital Wednesday but released because my wbc's were ok (thank the lord!). Today I'm finally starting to be able to eat and walk around again. I keep telling myself I can almost see the light at the end of the chemo tunnel, only 2 more treatments to go!
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Donna - It's good to hear that you're enjoying the Yoga at Gilda's Club. I've been considering going to the Club in my area.... it's just a little far... the other side of the city. But maybe I'll look into it.
Little by little I'm feeling better. The emotional part of this has been so much more difficult than the physical. I guess I've always been a bit of a control freak and I'm really having problems accepting that there are some things right now that are out of my control.
But I'm working things out and feeling a bit stronger....
Abbi
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