Anyone starting chemo in June 08

Mastectomy.......didn't get clear margins......after chemo........before herceptin....or same time as herceptin?......not sure how all that is going to go just yet......I don't think anything is off limits here HunkyD.

Cheers

Jax

Rovergirl,

I can accept hair loss, boob loss and weight gain but I don't know if I can stick a needle into my own body. All sorts of people have said you can get used to it. I cannot imagine.

The plus side to being sent home without chemo is I feel well and TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!  I can also drive my daughter to camp tomorrow.

If only I had 3 gallons of paint to get the kitchen done before Monday. I'm sure I could get it done. 

Sarah 

OK Here is the worst thing that has happened to me since starting chemo...   the other night while on meds including ambien, I couldn't sleep I think because of the dexamethasone.  So I decided to send an email to a few close friends with pictures of my bald head etc.   OK so I write the letter somehow lose it, days later to find it in my drafts, then decide to just write "here are the pics so sleepy from the meds will write more later"  however... I then sent the dumb message to EVERYONE in my address book, old bosses, old professors, people I barely know but have emailed once or twice!!!   I am never using the computer on meds again.  

Thought you might think that was funny, by the way do most of you use the dexamethasone, I think it is the only thing bothering me and making me not sleep I only take it day 2-4 but am considering forgoing it next round?    Kelly

Oh my Kelly. What a bummer. Maybe you can put a positive spin on it and you can reconnect with long lost friends.

A number of people seem to take dexamethasone. What is it and what does it do to you?

Sarah 

I take Dexamethasone (Decadon) during treatment, then for the next five days, twice a day. I keeps me from throwing up. The last two day I take a Tylenol PM and I sleep fine.

Happy Birthday Sarah

I feel well so I took my 5 month old granddaughter for the day. Babies can brighten anyones day.

Hopefully everyone gets a good night sleep!!

Sarah -

Happy Birthday!  I hear you on the needles - I do not like it one bit and it has not gotten easiler over time - but it gives me my freedom so I don't have to go to a medical facility 3 times a week to have someone else inject me. 

Dexamethasone is part of my taxol infusions and I can not sleep without the assistance of ambien and a lot of it.

Rover

Onco.....gave me the OK to try it without the dexamethesone during the AC part......haven't had any more Se's without it......but have slept much better this time around......he said during T it wouldn't be a choice.......but figure if I can avoid it for 3 treatments then that is a bonus......my onco is very young .....very good.......and very acommodating......he's very curious to see how I made out......and I'm looking forward to telling him.....it was better without........because I slept....

Met with the genetics councellor......and I am going to be the first patient at my clinic to get results in under 8 weeks for genetics testing.....cool......the wait right now.....here is between 7 and 10 months......but appparently the government is making exceptions for those facing surgery.....and that meet the criteria.....so should have another piece of the puzzle soon.....great news.....

Saw...."Wanted"......with Angelina Jolie today........don't waste your time.....wow talk about far fetched........enjoy your weekend!

Cheers

Jax

I'm taking dex, and I don't know if that's the problem, but I can't sleep the first week, after chemo. Yesterday, I had my third chemo. TAC, and got some Ambien, to help me sleep, which I'll only take for that week. Don't want to get hooked.

Hope this Sunday is finding everyone feeling pretty good.  The weekend has been too short.  I am on my good week now and find myself having to go back to work again tomorrow.  Managed a few days last week and hopefully most of next week other than Dr. appts.  This group has been pretty quiet this weekend.  Vino, I don't take any dex in pill form.  If I get it, it is in my pre chemo IV bag.  I don't take any steroids in pill form. I hear a lot of you guys talking about taking it the day before and several days after.  Guess my chemo cocktail doesn't call for that.  So, needless to say, I never have that "hyper" clean the house feeling the rest of you do.  Maybe thats why my house is starting to have that wonderful "white trash" look about it.  Happy Sunday!  HunkyD

I go for my last Tx this morning.  Hope the blood counts are doable!  I have the crossword puzzle, the last 4 issues of the New Yorker  and a small needlepoint project to work on. 

Collector, I hope you get your final treatment. I was sent home AGAIN with low WBCs. Maybe next week. Perhaps I'll paint the bedroom this week.

 Sarah

Hi Gina,

 My 1st chemo was June 26 and I received nuelasta the next day. July 8 WBC was 10.3 (acceptable range 4.0-10) and the ANC was 8700 (must be at least 2000, I don't know units for either).  Fabulous, eh? July 16 WBC was 4.1 and ANC was 1900. Today they were down to 3.7 and 1500, respectively. I felt fine until they told be I won't be infused.  I received a nuepegen  (spelling?) shot and will try again next Tuesday. It is surprising that I didn't get the shot last Wednesday when I went in. If it happens again, I'll be more bossy.

We are treatment twins. I'll bet we both get our chemo next week! I go in for blood work at 1pm so I won't get home till LATE. How about you? 

I'm washing walls this afternoon and will tape woodwork tonight. Does the fun ever stop?

Sarah 

Hi Gina,

 Sheesh, I hope you are laughing at the idea of "wait and see how she reacts". Hmmmm, Honey, your swelling up like a sumo, do you think we need to tell somebody? 

My ANC fell to 100 on day 7. I felt puny but not sick and they put me on antibiotics "just in case". I immediately felt better. I am very suggestible.

As to the question about herceptin, I am not going to be taking it. My "+" level was low enough not to. I am taking all this treatment stuff in stages. I'm not thinking about the mast until after chemo. I think sometime after that are the hormones. Radiation is in there someplace, but I think they will tell me.

 Have you ever heard of low blood pressure being a SE? I tought low BP meant you were healthy and fit.

 Sarah

Sarah, my blood counts were doable, not great, but when she heard my cough and tale of temps she started talking about a Zpak and not doing chemo until next week,  Then she decided to send me for a lung xray and since it came back clear we went ahead with chemo.  They did give me extra days of the steroids to take at home to help the coughing.  So instead of 3 days of steroid pills I have 5 days.  I hate the steroids but my next challenge is to get all my counts up so I can start radiationASAP.  I start the Z pak tonight which will be another challenge to my Irritable Bowel problem but I think if I manage the eating part correctly I can get through this and skip the constipation thing.  So glad to have the chemo infusions over even though the next 3 weeks will be hard.  I hope never to have to be in that ^%%# recliner again!  So I will not be seeing the onc again until after radiation.  She wants me to go on Femara at that point and I guess I know I have to try it but I have so many reservations about it.