Clinical Trial E5103

Jen,

Your feeling is normal at least I remember mine very distinctively; told them to "lets go before I change my mind" I was very nervous for the same reasons you mention. Everything went great, the first round they kept very close eye on me because of not knowing how I would react. Sequential rounds should be the same or better than the first, meaning your acceptance of the drugs. You will get all three drugs the first round; Avastin/placebo, Doxorubicin, Cylophosphamide along with some anti-meds. Do you know if you will be receive your Neulasta from the Dr. office or will you need to self administer?I had to go back to the Dr. office the next day, which was more preferred as they did a follow-up check on my SE from the prior day chemo. Expect minimal sleep the night before your first round, maybe a sleeping aid might be considered. First round is usually received with the least SE, walk away and feel like nothing happened as one might expect. Take some crackers and a beverage to help you if needed, I read some woman have found this to help. The first round is the most nerve racking.

Please drop in and tell us about your experience. You are at the start of your journey and making an UNSELFISH contribution to future woman, just think you are contributing to making history that will forever be in research books.

keep your mind busy today,

Teresa,

Where are you lady? still moving?

smiles,

Carolyn,

Your leading us on the radiation and boosts, please keep posting your progress. I think my rad/onc has the dimension for my boosts but not sure how many I will receive, don't care and don't want to know at this point. Feels like forever before the end, need to go the entire month of July.

I guess if you are having some SE your not riding your bike? how are you managing the kids and their busy schedule, starting to slow down for the summer?

Wonderful news, my fingernails are showing signs of growth...am so happy! I hope that means they will no longer break or fall off. My toenails are still not doing anything, almost as slow at growing as my hair (still just soft-peach fuzz.)

Congratulation on being on the home stretch, you are our leader!

glad to hear from you, 

Desi,

Is your last round of chemo still scheduled for this Friday the 11th? if so, are you going to celebrate, if so how? have you scheduled your setup for your rads or are you taking a break? remember per our protocol we must be in rads by the end of 6 weeks after our last round of chemo. I procrastinated my first round of rads until Thursday of that 6th week and even tried to get an extension but no luck.

How would you sum-up your entire experience with the chemo?

this is the last week, go-go girl

many cheers for you!!

Ladies,

There is a 2009 Breast Cancer Survivors Cruiser sponsored by Carnival for April 16-20 2009 departing from Miami to Key West and Cozumel Mexico. Would any of you ladies be interested in cruising this theme? I know it is early to think of anything for next year but just throwing out the idea, it sure would be nice to meet everyone who participates in this trial.

going to get some packing done,

until next we talk

Carolyn,

Went to work tonight to get a few tasks completed, had a BBQ and to see everyone they miss me and am glad that I am doing well and are envious of my dark tan and much weight loss. My burnt boob is probably the darkest part of my body but did not tell them that. I am sitting here drinking a beer and eating a Hershey pie..what's with that? last year I would of been eating a salad and drinking water. I can blame it on the chemo, right? behavior modification.

I still have a few small bald spots on top of the head but making huge progress, my daughter wants me to shave it totally bald, she likes. I don't think so. The only burn I have is under my breast at the crease line, putting aloe and cream covered with a sterile-pad provided by the rad onc. My breast ache's like it has menstrual cramps, not sure how else to explain the feeling. Nothing more embarrassing than walking around massaging your boob because of the ache. Self breast exams are going to be extremely difficult for quite some time as nothing feels the same. And I am not having my breasts squeezed between metal plates anytime soon (mammo.), due next month but will have to wait until ?

Glad to hear your kids are still playing soccer over the summer, I love to watch the game and tournaments. Four rads to go, damn time has gone by very quickly and I still cannot believe you are that far ahead of me. Remind me, how many rads and boosts are you receiving? maybe I am getting to many and that is why it feels like it is taking forever.

Unfortunately rads is my summer I have no plans until November which is to Spain on the beach for two weeks. I may try to sneak away for a weekend to my sisters in Texas sometime in August assuming my boob is able to travel. I bike everyday it has become part of my daily routine just like rads, I try to do a minimum of 12+ miles. Again, biking has become "my time" and I have come to recogonize and appreciate those small beauties that I would not notice while driving a car; 6 turtles sunbathing on a log in a pond, wild turkey with babies etc.

I am taking Clodronate for trial S0307, no real SE to complain about just trying to remember to take them everyday. According to protocol, Onc visits are every month for 6 months then every three months for 3 years. It appears the drug can be hard on the kidney and liver function so they get tested frequently, but if the drug works and keeps the BC out of my bones then it will be worth it.

time for bed...goodnight

Desi,

I was thinking about you last night but did not make the time to write, so I am tonight. Glad your last chemo round went well. You do notget the Neulasta shot with taxol so your pain from that should subside. Did you go to the Dr's to get the shot or self administered? Are you sleeping well? I will say a prayer for positive results with your bone scan, when is your test scheduled? I could tell you not to worry but you will anyway, try to keep your mind busy on something fun. Any vomiting as a SE from the chemo? Any red rashes on your body? Family members close by to help keep you busy?

My SE's from the taxol were minor, only pain in the nail-beds and infected toenail and fingernails and lost a few of both (not a pretty sight). I did not get the neuropathy or other SE's, the nails were enough and am still dealing with the issue. I bought several boxes of band-aids to cover those nails. I am taking a multivitamin and calcium tablet each day, am seeing a little growth in the nails. Once they all get the same length those babies are getting painted, beautifully with a design. If I could handle one more daily pill I would take the vita B but right now I am taking 6 pills daily and that is 5 more than I care too. Keep an eye on your nails, biggest SE of Taxol.

I am glad to hear your going right from taxol to rads, I needed a break in-between all the issues. In addition, I needed several test and other Dr. visits to get ready for my next protocol. So I did all the above on my allotted 6 week break, and went to Bermuda.

Thanks for the compliment on my biking, yesterday I rode until totally exhausted (3hrs) thinking I would sleep...yea right. Still up at 2:30am and then finally took a sleeping pill and slept for about 4hr and back up for the day. I am getting very frustrated because I cannot sleep or I fall asleep and wake up at the 4hrs mark as if I had an internal clock that goes off. Sleeping pills, alcohol, and exercise don't seem to make a bit of difference in the qty of sleep I get. Maybe I have become a mental case, don't know of anything on my mind to keep me awake. The terrible sleep pattern has been the same since December of last year, start of chemo.

Anyway, I have one daughter who is 26 and one son who is 20 both are great kids but my son can sometimes make one consider birth control! I have lived in Salem County NJ for most of my life, am originally from Delaware and am now seeking to move out of Jersey next year if the selling market improves. I have decided to make some life changes, my choices but not easy ones.

I SAVED A BOX TURTLE FROM ROAD KILL, IT WAS A GREAT FEELING!

Do you know your unbinding date?

Hugs to you and thinking positive thought

Ladies,

Well I finally asked the rad/onc how many rads and boosts I am to receive, never asked and didn't care. I was looking forward to the big surprise "day" when they would say IT IS YOUR LAST DAY! I am to receive 28 rads and qty of boost have not been determined either 6 or 8 (of course I vote 6 no calculations necessary.) I have completed 21 rounds, and if I only have to do 6 rounds of boost then I will be completed on July 31...I feel a celebration coming on!

I was told the ache in the breast are just a reminder of our treatment, shit I have scars as that reminder. The ache may be there for several months up to a year, of course each woman is different. I asked if the boost may hinder the healing process of my lumpectomy scar, told not really. The scar is healing very nicely and I had hoped it would not be visible at some future point, rad/onc said most likely always visible to some degree. I sure would like to prove him wrong. Under the boob is very sore and a little raw and still using the cream and gel with pads.

A little self indulgence-yesterday I found a little ice cream shop while riding on one of my bike routes, treated myself to a small cup of chocolate custard, very good.

stay dry,