Starting Chemo May 2008

RanD

The steroids were fun. Took 20 grams the night before. Took 20 gram the morning of. Got more in a bag there. The onc nurse said it'll be like methadone...I'll be flying high then exhausted. I am enjoying the fying high part . . . the energy is good. Slept both nights withour ativan.

 Bad news is I have to go in for more photos and an ultra sound for my right breast. I am an eastern European Jew with lumpy breasts (we're famous for them) and am trying not to worry, but of course, they call me on a Friday so I have to wait to Monday to go in. I swear, women, if I have breast cancer in my right breast WHILE in chemo, something is very wrong. 

 SUe your comments about my mountain analogy were kind. Thanks. 

Mast bras? I am a C or D depending on the bra and I have not worn anything but a jogging bra since my mast. I will deal with all of that later. I don't care if I am lopsided. I did get a few shirts that make me look less that way. People always look at my bald head first then take that quick sneal of a glance at my chest. Oy.

Karin, I work for the Washington Education Association. I work for 81,000 teachers and paraeducators or parapros and I happen to know that teachers would fall apart without the paras as they are the ones who can add nurturing and love to the students who need a little extra tlc. Parapros are the glue that keep it all going. You are an angel. I know many parapros by the way with many degrees and they CHOOSE to do your work so just know you got there with fewer loans. You rock.

Sable, my only post taxol se so far are hiccups...many times and in just a few bouts then they go away. Had the neulasta shot today, though, and will see if IT is causing thos pounding headaches/ear ringing or it was the cytoxin (now long gone). I will check into bcomplex too. Other than that, not much to report. Am scared about the other breast, but I have to remind myself I used to get called in everytime to recheck....so this should be no different, right?

And, yes, I want to remove my other breast as well as my ovaries and take off tweny pounds on each thigh while they are at it.  

I did not wake up either night. Same routine as yours. My only se so far has been lots of post chemo hiccups (pepcid?). Fisho oil is also supposed to be good to stave off taxol side effects I understand. Chocolate chip banana bread goes over very well in this house of boys. 

Hi everyone

 Had my fourth and last TC yesterday.  Yea!  It was a bit depressing though when I asked how long until I feel myself again and they said it could be as long as 6 months

Ellenoire - I want the recipe too!  Speaking of recipes, I am so sick of ordering out because I am too tired to cook - anyone have good easy and fast recipes so I can start cooking again?

Gracie - they told me it takes 3 weeks for RRCA results.  I signed for them to start before they got the insurance okay since I knew the insurance would pay.  They messed up and didn't start it so when I got the insurance approval my doctors office raised a big stink with them and days later I had the results.

RawD & Sable - I was told to take vitamin B but the taste is terrible!

My Mah Jongg group wanted to come play at chemo but there isn't enough room - would have been fun if we could have done it.

haylat - with your family history your insurance won't pay for a bilateral with reconstruction?  I think it's the law that they have to.  Did you talk to your doctors office about it?  Maybe they can help with the insurance.  I have  Aetna and they paid no problem.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Kathy, my script is for steroids...not sure exactly what the name of them are though. My onc said to use OTC for the bone pain.

I have insurance thru some california breast cancer program that pays 100% for everything.  They paid for my exploratory abdominal surgery before I started treatment, and I am aassuming that they would pay for the prophylactic mast as well.  This is california, the ultimate pay for everything state. SHeesh, that's why are taxes are so high.  According to the county person that signed me up for the program, supposedly the tax from cigarettes and alcohol pays for this program, but I am only the 3rd person in the county in the last 4 years to use it. Maybe because no one knows about it? enough ranting, right?

Anyway 1 in 20 what????ahhhhhhhanging on for the answer....randie

eddie: crapola....isn't this sh#t supposed to kill all new growth?????WTF? I am also eastern european with one fibrous breast, which is why I didn;t catch it until a second lump formed.  After 15 years of nursing, the right breast never got back to normal, so guess I was lucky a lump showed, huh?

as far as recipes, ;last night i threw a quiche in the oven, bought the ready made roll out crust, threw in bacon, shredded cheese, half and half (there goes another 5 pounds) eggs and whatever veggies were laying around, and the kids loved it.  I had the leftovers (which I hid) for lunch.  anyone who wants the awesome bread recipe, let me know.  The best thing about it is that you need to use really ripe, almost black-skinned bananas for it to work right.

Oh yeah, here's another dumb ass remark for our files.  Today at the library, someone who i haven't seen since pre-chemo actually said, "Wow, I thought that poeple lost weight during treatment, lucky you, you look like you weigh the same."  WTF?????? So, does my bald hat make my face look fat?  I really wanted to say that after the surgery I would lose 10 pounds of boob weight. so if i gained now, I wouldn't have to worry about changing the weight on my driver's license.  Shit, here I was thinking that maintaining my weight was a miracle after the nausea.  I did tell her that next week they were giving me steroids and I woudl prabably be eligible for the Macy's parade this year....

randie

LOL@ranD

Debbie,

the family history of breast cancer is through my husband, so I don't think the insurance company will take that into account.  Too bad, though.

sorry to tell you Sable that the tingly fingers and toes have lasted me until now. 10 days after my 4th and last Taxol.

The toes are mostly just the big toe nails now, and the fingers are just a little numb. I can't open a pop( soda) can or put keys on a key ring without it hurting, but mosty I am ok.

I did not know about the B complex until this week, but I am going to get some anyway, I used to take it for energy years ago.

Here is a question for everyone. Is anyone else that has gained weight noticing that a lot of the gain is only in the belly? I assumed it was the steroids and water weight from that and maybe from the menopause symptoms. My Doc said all my gain is from inactivity, and maybe only a little from steroids. But, since I hate her now after all the bad info/ held back info I don't trust that she gets it at all. When I look in the mirror, I see a body that looks more pregnant than fat, does that make sense? ( there is fat in lots of other places, don't get me wrong but...) I am just trying to navigate around having this other persons body and what to do with it.

OK as for the Chocolate banana bread. Someone gave it to me, and it was bought at a bakery i think, i will ask. It was really just a banana bread with chocolate chips thrown in. Too bad we don't all live close, we could have a contest! I am going to try the Fanny Farmer banana bread recipe with semi sweet chips.

In this part of Canada women really don't bake. No, I am not kidding. I make muffins and bring them to the neighbours and they act like I brought them gold. I make my kids birthday cakes and the other mommy's tell me I am making them look bad. It is an odd thing.

 Chemooooo!

 N 

I love to bake, I cook because I am supposed to.

When my son is gone I live on yogurt, fruit, cereal and peanut butter.

I bake when I am stressed out, I love it. I went to school for wedding cake decorating making, but brides suck so I never did it for a living. 

  I lost 2 inches in my hips and waist in the last 24 hours, so I am hoping that this water weight or whatever it is that makes me look like a beached whale will go away soon.

 Chemoooo!

Okay,

The steroid crash was bad. I think it is coupled with the worry about my second mam appointmet on Monday and the fact that it was my first taxol intake (they say the first time with a new cocktail is the big shocker on the body and that was true for me with A/C). Here what is keeping me going: Three more. Not that much farther up that mountain. Fresh baked pastries from our neighbors who keep dropping things off at our doorstep, the fact that I want to watch our sons have their own children (and that'll be a while because they are 11 and 15). What else? I want to see what my hair looks like when it comes back in. I want to see what it feels like to feel somewhat normal again. I want to get through this depression I am in right now. BLECH!!!! 

I'm with ya there eddie. We took a trip to walmart today I thought I was gonna make it just fine... knees were achey but that was it. After a VERY fast trip to pick up a few small items I was on a fast track to a meltdown. Hubs sent me on to the car and we waited in line and got the stuff rang up. My entire body is hurting now. Took me a vicodin and have been laying down for a bit. It's better in someways than before and worse in others. A good cry helped once I got home as well. Haven't done that over the situation in quite awhile... guess I was due. Had to call my mom to make her schlep her way up here to help out yet again. I really didn't want to make her come back up and thought we would be ok..... But with a very active 7 yr old I need help.

3 more and I'done with chemoooooo.... 3 more and I'm done......

Noelee..... definately water weight daulink.

I, too bake amazingly.  Now that I have no children at home, I am thinking I will have no excuse to bake....does that fly?  Didn't think so. Have also gained weight in the belly--I think I am eating to fight nausea, and eating to try and find something that tastes good (so far nothing does this week)...and just eating for comfort and to get through the days of this chemo...and have only walked three days this week.  And last week.  Still doing three days a week, though so I guess it could be worse. I definitely feel better when I can walk. Right now the only time I can do it is pre-dawn, because it's too hot in Texas for me to be outside during the day. It just takes my breath away. (I think right now it's 105 degrees)..........gotta go make shortcakes for berry dessert tomorrow, my sister and her husband are coming over to play cards and eat dinner.

Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend.

Sue (aka chemoblob) 

The SE's from this taxol has kicked my butt. I ended up drugged up all yesterday thru this morning so far. I got up thinking well I feel a tad better and the longer I am up the more I ache. I seriously hope these don't build up for each treatment cause I am not going to make it if that is the case. I have a high tolerance of pain but this is rediculous. I'm hanging onto your words linda and praying that it is the same with me.

Sable - That sucks.  I hope you start to see some relief later today.  I also would get some achiness on day 4 & 5 but it would be pretty much gone by day 6.  Mine wasn't so bad...more irritating than anything.  It is mostly in my low back and legs.  I found moving around or walking helped relieve it.

~Adrienne

Roxi, yes!  Apricot preserves are the best.  I've made them the last few years, not sure if I'll get it together to do the same this year.  (I'm not a real canner, and am terrified of poisoning myself, so I just put the jars in the freezer.)

Noelle, I loved the way you summed it up:

. . . on the Tax I had a 2-3 day period when i wanted to tear my body off from the neck down and throw it across the room . . .

except for me, on Taxotere, I had a headache as well (and I never get headaches).

Linda

Yep, with my positive 1 node, and small tumor size, my onc indicated that 1 of out 40 women would benefit (2-3%). Of course, when I see the radiation onc, he will probably have a totally different opinion for me doing rads. I seem to recall he had a higher number of 10-11%. There are so many things to factor in though and I hate to have to make this decision.