Starting chemo Dec 2007

Hey, quick question for you all?  HAs anyone noticed their scalp hurting after their hair returned? I still have a couple spots that hurt occasionally and sometimes the itching is horrible!  I've never had that before?  Could it be the arimidex?  I feel like it's slowed considerably with the growing?

SUZ!  You look great!  I'll have to get a pic of my hair, it grew great till about a 4-6 wks after I started arimidex.  Now it doesn't seem to grow much at all   I've not measured it but will try to remember in the morning after the shower.  I'm too tired to look for the tapemeasure in the sewing room tonight   Besides, then I'll see yet another room that needs to be cleaned :O

So glad you over the rads and started to heal.  Remember to keep hydrated and take rest when you need. I hear those can tire you out for months after, so listen to your body lady!

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to catch up with posts forever and then I do and then I run out of time to write, but I had to comment on Suz's hairstyle- gorgeous! It is so nice to see someone in our shoes and to see how their hair is growing. I totally empathize of feeling phony in my wig and tired of hair compliments on my fake hair but can't let go of my hat yet but Suz inspired me to see my hair dresser to see if she can shape it up-mine is coming in curly which makes it seem even shorter...After having a great time in Italy with my mom and daughter I had Pet Scan and they saw something in thyroid so it had to be biopsied and then the Onc calls me at home (never a good sign) and said it was "suspicious for malignancy". All the bc diagnosis memories came crashing back and I was mad for this to potentially take away my summer fun with the kids. Long story short, I had surgery last week and they only took out half of my thyroid, the final path said it was a nodule less than 2 mm and I would not need further treatment. So relief, but I really feel for you Joy when you think you can start moving on then you get some bummer news-I am really happy for the results of your latest scan though and lets pray that this chemo will do amazing things for you. Happy for everyone's progress and that summer is upon us.

KMK

Hi to All,

Thank you all so much for your words, thoughts and prayers.  This has really been a tough time for me. You are so right KMK, you are ready to move on, so ready and back to where  I was in Dec. minus the surgery.

I went back to see the onc. a week ago.  He said in his opinion the two nodes were not cancer. He said the pet scan showed they  were inactive, and that would be an unlikely place for bc to spread.  If he is right, I am ned.  I was shocked and so relieved and soooo surprised.   He also said he wanted to "throw all the good stuff at it now" and I was in total agreement.  I am doing AC this time, Taxotere last time.  The onc said "if you can make it through 4 rounds, I may want you to do 6.  I told him I would make it and unless my body has some kind of reaction I plan to do 6.

Had first tx week ago last Tues. and it kicked my butt.   That is my seventh round of dose dense since first of Dec. with mast. in between.  I am feeling better today but still weak.  I learned from first round, try to control the ses as best you can and just give in to it.  I don;t try to force myself anymore to get up and get things done.   My Mother used to say, "this old house will be here a long time after I'm gone".  And you know what, it is.  A nice young couple lives there, the house and yard look nice, the azalea bushes still bloom every spring.  She was right.  l

I have decided not to seek a second opinion right now.  That may be a mistake but if it is I will live with it.  In my honest opinion, he made a mistake by not testing after 3 tx,and he knows it,I saw the surprise in his face when he read the path report which I took - it had not been delivered to his office yet?',  and the surgeon told me straight up that  he was disappointed  when he performed the surgery  at the results of  the chemo).  Surgeon and Onc. in same  building, work  together all the time.  I think he became complacent because  after 3 tx  there was significant shrinkage and he assumed it would contiue.  Also there was  a six week period between last chemo and surgery.  They all knew it was extremely agressive and that was too much time.  I feel like I own that mistake because I should have been more agressive and demanded surgery sooner.  But, I am a polite southern girl, raised not to hurt anyone's feelings or make anyone feel uncomfortable.  I kept reading on these boards to take charge and I should have.  I haven't admitted this to anyone else and will not ever.   So after rambling on, my conclusion is he is a smart man and a good onc who made a mistake, knows it and is probably embarassed because surgeon knows it as well  and will  do everything  he can to  help  me.  That does not  mean I will not be watching. Also, I may change my mind.

My first husband is a dentist, went to school at UT Medical/Dental in Memphis.  Many of our friends were in med school.  After that he was in the Air Force two years and many of our friends were MD's.  After that, private practice and again many of our friends were MD's.  Ever notice how the medical community sticks together.  Anyway, I know how they think and believe me, I will be paying attention,.  Thank God for this site.  

Thank you again, each and every one of you.  I will be feeling better soon and will post again soon.  I read every day but  have  been back in the chemo fog.   So grateful for the path report.  I know with 19 out of 22 nodes it will be a miracle not to have a recurrence somewhere down the road but I might be the lucky one!  Right now I am just concentrating on 5 more tx and rads.  God bless all of us.

Hugs, Joyl

Sometimes when I log-in, the forum doesn't show me the latest posts... weird. That happened today. I just had to log back on and say:

1) Suz, LOVE your picture! You look lovely!!!

2) wishiwere, my hair re-growth seems to have slowed down to a crawl in the past few weeks. It's taking forever! I have a very high forehead, and with the hair so short I think that I look like a boy. I'm totally envious of how gorgeous Suz looks in her doo. My hope is that it will be long enough in 2 weeks (family reunion on the 4th of July) that I can start going wig-less.

3) Joy, I'm so VERY glad to hear your possible great news. Glad to hear you've already started the chemo (sooner started, sooner over), although saddened to think of what you are going through, again. You've got a super attitude-- kick those cancer cell butts! Hang in there buddy!

-Sal 

I have no idea how to post photos in here.. oh well.. LOL sorry ladies

Kimbly, Here's Laura's instructions for posting pics from page 9 on our Dec thread. Thinking of you all {{{hugs}}} will post later. Suz

Here's how to put a photo in your posting: 

First, you have to save the photo out there somewhere in internetland, such as Photobucket, Flickr, etc, then follow the instruction below. 

  Mine stopped growing, I swear, for about 6 weeks, and I just notice this week, it seems to have grown a little more.  I thought perhaps it was the anti-hormone pill?  I finished A/C in feb also, but didn't have taxol.  Some swear by helpers in the form of shampoo but when I read the boxes, they said that they increase the thickness of each hair, making it 'appear' thicker, not that the hair actually grew thicker, so I didn't waste the money.

As for coloring, some of the others will come along and tell you they've used a color without the harsh chemicals and were told it was okay to use by their docs. It's the ones that wash out, I believe after so many washings, but not sure on that.  I'm 50, and had just in the last couple years allowed to grow in natural again, so the dark gray isn't bothering all that much.  More the WHITE HORNS I seem to have that are my bother

Well i took the plunge and let the hairdresser put a nice nut brown colour rinse on. What a shock!!! I looked in the mirror and the whole top of my head where most of the white hair was  - was golden yellow. Any how they started again with much more brown and I now have a chestnut colour. a bit more firey than hoped for but it will tone down with washes. apparently its the white hair that grew out which was the problem. We live and learn

Wishi were i am on Tamoxifen and also wondered if this was the cause of the slow growth. As i am suddenly experiencing odd things like very painful thumb and wrist joints, and the slow hair growth. Though they might be side effects. The hot flushes i have got used to!!

Kimbly!  How does it feel to finally be getting the hair back in something other than white fuzz?   My camera batteries are MIA or I'd post.  Mine has grown in, but it's getting to the point where a scissors might help.  It's just REALLY hard to let anyone near with me a set just yet!  SO?  Did someone shape the back bottom?  Mine surely isn't straight across anywhere on MY head!   I keep thinking about the mom's saying they need get their boys' hair cut, b/c it was touching their ears (growing up moons ago) and looking at mine over my ears and thinking, TOUGH! Deal with it world, it's staying!

What a long winter hey ladies?  Just be careful in the sun, you don't burn your scalps that have probably never seen the light of day so clearly! 

YOU FORGOT?  I'm jealous!  How did you manage that feat!  GREAT DEAL!

 I've never been a fussy hair person or a makeup person.  Pretty sad what this 'beast' has turned me into! I can't go through a day without makeup (a little) and trying to do my hair!  It's horrible!  I hate wasting time on something that looks bad within an hour after I've smoozed it!   Oh well!  Such is life I suppose!  Some deal with their looks all their life.  It's never bothered me TILL 50, so...guess it's time! LOL

 JOY?  I think about you often and hope you can check in from time to time and as Suz says, that everything is going well and you're not having any problems or dealing with many SE's girl!  Hang in there!

{{{JOY}}}  So many hugs being sent your way~  I'm so sorry you are having problems with the SE's.  I did have a little problem with dizziness (spinning like) and nausea while they were pushing the 'Red Devil' a couple of times (1st 2).  I'd get that 'oh, oh' one too many drinks feeling. Glad you have new meds. I finally got something the 3rd round to help with the N/V and what a difference~  Hope this round is easier lady!  Meant to say, it was decadron and aloxi for my appetiser with A/C.

Yes i had my husband trim the back.  I have such a low hairline and it was bugging me.  I refuse to let him trim anything else though.  Yes using the temp color is fine.  I used Garnier Nutrisse natural instincts and that worked nicely. 

 I have had moments of forgetting that I have cancer too and I love it. Today I went to the dentist for a cleaning and of course had to tell them my change in health.  They said wow if you didnt tell is we would have no idea.  Well I am 11 weeks post chemo now and 6 weeks or so post surgery and I guess looking pretty normal. 

I am overwhelmed by things that were ignored over the past months as well. I try not to beat myself up over it too much though.  J

 Joy I didnt have "red devil" but know from reading your comments here and from the nurses at my chemo place that she is not nice at all. Hope the new meds work for the nausea.  UGH

 Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the summer.  

Pretty snazzy new look to the website, eh? 

Firstly, hang in there Joy! Wow, that sounds scary... not being able to catch your breath. I guess I'd just try to imagine the nasty cancer cells having the same problem with the AC and imagine that, since they are so tiny, maybe a few of them bit the dust. Hang in there buddy. How many treatments will you have? How often do you get them?

Well, I just got home from getting my hair "cut" although that really is quite the exaggeration. I'm hoping to be brave enough to go to work without my wig next week, so I wanted to neaten things up a bit. Got the back trimmed, the hair around my ears evened out, a little bit of layering, etc. I'm running my fingers through my hair and noticing that it is quite a bit shorter but it definitely feels and looks neater . I went to the lady who initially shaved my hair back in December, since I figured that she knew what I had been through and would take good care of me. She did. I totally trusted her and I'm happy with the results.

Suz, congrats on your "cancer-free-thoughts." I still think about the cancer in a hundred different ways/reasons throughout the day, but I know that it's definitelyconsiderably less than it was a few months ago. And hey Suz, have a super time on your trip!

I'm going to visit my best friend and her husband this weekend. They live 2 hours away, and I generally spend 5 or 6 weekends a year with them... we're like the 3 Musketeers. Anyway, back in October when I was facing surgery, I told myself that I would consider myself "better" once I felt well enough to go visit them. The stupid "not being able to sit for long periods of time" problem kinda put things on the back burner for a while, but I'm heading there this weekend. So it's kinda a mental milestone for me, and I'm feeling pretty psyched.

As for my back/butt problem... it's much better. My osteopath is wonderful. He did some deep tissue massage last week to try and work out "knots" of muscles-- OMG!! Talk about painful!-- but I totally trust that he knows what he is doing since I've been able to sit for as long as I want since I started seeing him. But the past few days my progess seemed to slide backwards a bit. I'm getting more lower back pain, and I don't know if it's the same pain or perhaps something related to the Tamoxifen. Since my hot flashes were nearly gone when I started the Effexor, but now they've returned full-force, I kinda think it's the Tamoxifen... my body starting to feel the full effects of it. But whatever is causing it, I'm quite happy with where I am... even if these new aches never went away, I feel as if I could easily live with them (they just make me feel about 20 years older than I am).

I hope everyone is doing as well as can be expected. Enjoy the little things that make you happy:-)

Love, Sal