Topic: Starting chemo in April

I'm getting TAC every three weeks (neoaduvant). I'm one week out from dose #1, and I'm almost back to feeling normal. I'm hoping I've experienced the worst of it and that the next two weeks will almost be normal.

I'll have my surgery and then another three doses.

I am feeling OK about the split of the tx, because I can think of it as two nine week periods, with a break inbetween, not 18 weeks. I'm hoping the break allows my body to "reset" and I don't have a build-up of s/e's.

Hi April group:

I'm starting chemo April 8 - Carbo/Taxol/Herceptin x 6 every 3 weeks. Haykat, I know how hard the bad path reports are. I, too, had 3 surgeries after not getting clean margins. And today I got the path report after my mastectomy last Wednesday - only some residual DCIS in and around the lumpectomy cavity. So .. . good news, since there were no other signs of malignancy, but sort of sad that if I'd had one more re-excision, I probably could have saved the breast. Oh well, I chose the mastectomy for my own peace of mind and I feel good about my decision.

The other women on this site have convinced me that chemo is certainly "doable." Thanks for starting this site!

Sue

DX 1/16/08, 2.2 cm IDC, Grade 3, 0/3 nodes - lumpectomy & re-excision revealed 0.6 cm IDC plus DCIS in 2 ducts  ER-/PR-/Her2+

I have been told if I decide to have chemo it will be April 1, don't know what to do, all my tests came back clear, nothing in the lymph nodes margins clear, bone scan clear, blood clear. The choice for chemo is mine, onocaologist feels homonal therapy will work only suggested it because I am a stage 11 cancer and because it was 3cm so it is a standard recommendation. I am terrified to have chemo. I need advice what do I do?

bcs75, yes my "official" diagnosis came in February, but I knew in January that it would probably be cancer, so I feel like I've been living in this for a while. My tx couldn't start sooner because of the need for all the tests "to be sure" and then get my insurer on board.

My onc and surgeon prefer this approach...neoadjuvant chemo, surgery, adjuvant chemo, radiation...when the tumor is over a particular size (mine is 3.4 cm) and there is lymph node involvement. The biopsy confirmed one axilary node is cancerous, and my pet scan showed one other breast node. They want to hit it before it gets too far into the lymph system, pull it back a bit, and then take it all when I have the surgery. Then the adjuvant chemo is done to clean up any other loose cells that may have gotten away into my body, and the radiation to clean up the breast area. I will be on some kind of AI, afterwards, too.

As far as work goes, I can see myself doing 3-4 day weeks for most of my treatment period. Maybe even a full week every once in a while. I'm applying for intermittent disability to cover my time after I use up my measly five sick days. I'm trying to stay involved with the projects in my department, but I have already assigned two people to shadow me on my own projects so there is coverage on the days I will be out. Short-term disability will kick in after the surgery, then back to intermittent. 

The ability to actually do my work will vary on how close it is post-treatment. I have planned my treatments for Th, and will ALWAYS take the Fri off.  I found I needed the Mon, too, this first time, but I'm not sure if that will always be needed. Each day further out from treatment has been easier at work, clearer headed, not as fatigued. I've managed to stay a full day each day I've come in. Leaving early isn't a viable option as my express buses home don't start until 3 pm and I only work until 4:30 anyway.

If you have a desk job and can easily get home if you don't feel up to a full day, then I'd say try keeping up at work. It gives you some sense of normalcy, even if the things that seem big priorities to the people you work with are small potatoes to you. Just keep in mind that their normal hasn't shifted, just yours.

If you find you can't keep up, then find out about your disability benefits and USE THEM. I think my boss would be more angry with me if I tried to do all my work and failed than if I said I just can't, and let them hire a temp while I recuperated.

Nancy, just saw your post - thanks much for the helpful discussion of your strategies for working through chemo.  I'm hoping to keep working as long as possible, too.  (I have a desk job and a very accommodating employer.)  The oncologist thinks they can schedule my treatments for Thursdays (I was thinking along exactly the lines you laid out), so that should help. 

I don't go the oncologist until the 14th of April but chemo is certainly a given and I'm hoping it will start in April. I unfortunately won't have the option of Thursday for getting chemo as we only have a one day cancer clinic at our hospital that is closest to my home and that is Tuesday. I'm willing to drive (or I should say someone else) to another location so that may be a good question to ask him at my appointment because he does other days in other hospitals. I just thought it would be good to get it closer to home. I have a good sick plan at work but that said I do like the thought of keeping as much normalcy in my life as possible. Mine is also a desk job. I'm just concerned that my kids are in school and I'll be down for the days that they are off.

I've decided already that the port thing is the way I'll go as I've had some bad experiences with them trying to get access to my veins before. I can't imagine going through the painful experience of 4 attempts to get a vein every time.

Biopsy 01/04/08 Diagnosed sometime in the next 2 blurry weeks of Jan. L-side mastectomy 02/15/08. 6 weeks ago today! er-/pr- h2neu+. 17 nodes out 1node +. 3 lumps, not connected. No cancer anywhere else.

I start Chemo on 04/09/08

AC for 4 sessions, T for 4 sessions and Herceptin for 1year.

I have waist length curly hair and I sell hair curly products in my store. Most of my living for the last few years has been from my hair.

I am cutting it off the week b4 chemo starts.

I am a 41 year old self-employed, single mom with no child support living in Canada.

I just found out yesterday that I have a low enough income to have all my drugs covered by the government. Where I live some things are covered, some are not. I have no insurance.

I am scared, but excited to get this over with! I am very active and hope to be as active as I can while in chemo. I would love to hear about energy levels on chemo in the first few weeks.

I went for a 4 km snowshoe this afternoon, the sunshine helps my mood, the poles I use help with the ROM on the left arm.

Glad I found you. Good Luck to all!

Noelle

Yeah, this relative youth thing is definitely one of the "perks" (lol) of bc! I remember my first meeting with my breast surgeon, and she told me that one of the things I had going for me was that I was "young." I'm 54!!! - enjoyed that comment! It was hard for me to believe it sometimes this last week recovering from mast, however.

Sue

Hi Luci25

My mom, who is 69 years old, has been a great support to me and most of it up to this point has just been listening. I've told her that I promise that I will let her know when and how I need help as I'm not even sure yet what type of support I'll need. After my surgery I would feel wiped at around 2:00 and ask her if she could just take my kids for a couple of hours to let me take a nap (I'm really lucky as she lives in our basement suite). After a half an hour I'd be good to go - I just needed that time to rejuvenate.

I'm extremely independent and stubborn at times and I know that going through this is going to be a big learning experience for me on how to accept help. I also know that I have to really communicate with the people around me what exactly it is I need. I've had a discussion with both my husband and my mom on how I would let them know what/when I needed help and I promised that I wouldn't just expect them to know. My mom has been so wonderful and I can tell you right now that her support is so important. Being there for your daughter is the best thing you can do for her and she's lucky to have you there.

Hi girls!  I'm from the Jan. 2008 thread and just wanted to come over and give you some support.  I just finished 4 rounds of taxotere/cytoxan/herceptin every 3 weeks on 3/19.  I'll continue herceptin after that for the rest for the year.  Prior to chemo I had a lumpectomy, mastectomy with SNB, and started reconstruction (I just have to get a nipple now that chemo's done).  I have a 2 year old son, and a 5 year old daughter.  I did not work during chemo b/c I work as a pediatric NP-- way too many germs in the winter months for me to be around, and a highly active/stressful job-- no way I could keep up when fatigued (luckily I had disability insurance).

So, what I can pass on...  you can do this, and having a group to commiserate with will be extremely helpful to you-- so stick together.  Everyone is different in their reaction to chemo-- but no one that I know of gets through without NO side effects.  You will probably be tired a lot, you may have aches and pains, you probably won't throw up (the meds they use these days are fabulous).  Every drug they use seems to have another drug to counteract problems-- you'll have a mini-pharmacy in your house!  And, yes, you'll probably lose your hair-- about 12-20 days after your first treatment seems to be the average.  It's not as bad as you'd think though.  A lot like to take charge and cut it short beforehand, or shave it off right when they notice it starting to come out.  You will most likely have a few good days between treatments, even with the every 2 week regimens.  But the thing to remember is that everyone is different.  And each round may be different. So, stock up on things ahead of time (food; drinks; books/entertainment; medicines for heartburn, constipation, sleep, pain), do something to help you relax before the first round, and keep a journal.  This will help you learn for the subsequent rounds, and also help you remember when certain SEs occur.  The anticipation really is worse than the actual first infusion.  Remember to ask for and take help when it's offered.  There are no medals for being a chemo martyr!  And you'll be tired-- how much, it's hard to say.  Have friends make meals, watch your kids, go to chemo treatments with you (sometimes they are very long-- most of mine took 5-6 hrs.), garden, clean, cook-- anything!  There were days when all I could do was get out of bed to the sofa, others I was feeling great and could exercise, cook, play with the kids.  Emotionally-- it's still a roller coaster ride.  Just remember feeling "blue" is normal, but to talk about it instead of shut everyone out.  Financially-- get your ducks in a row beforehand if you can. The stress of money makes it all worse.  Most caner centers will have a social worker or someone who can help you deal with this aspect.  I was afraid we'd lose our house with me out of work for so long (even with the insurance)-- we got some great, free advice from my center.

For the mom that posted-- my mother was my absolute best help.  She came to my house (she lives 2 hrs. away) for each round and stayed for about 4-5 days each time to help cook, keep me company and get me to appointments (you may not be able to drive depending on what type of chemo/pre-meds you get), and help with the kids.  B/C she was there, my husband could go to work and did not have to take time off.  My kids' preschool also made meals for us that we could freeze and then pull out when we needed them-- huge help!

Best of luck to you all on your journeys!  I hope some of this was helpful.  You can PM me anytime with questions, or come check out the Jan. 2008 thread for tips.

April pals,

It's so wonderful to have all of this support for each other as we enter into this journey. I will be starting 4 rounds of A/C on April 24...scared to death.  I just want to get this thing started and over with asap!  Not knowing how your body will react is the hardest part I think.

I work from home, so I hope I'll be able to pretty much continue to work everyday. 

I look forward to talking with all of you in the coming months.  Good luck and God Bless!

Tiff

Just stopping in to wish you all the best and hope you all get through with flying colurs!!!

Noella....I see your from Ontario...your close to where I am.

March BOOBIE GIRLS.......you rock!! Onward girls......xoxoxo

Hey Daisy! Yup from just near hamilton ontario. I am being treated at the Juravinski centre here.

 Chemo starts in 8 days.

 Not looking forward to it, just want it over.

 My mom was treated there for a far more serious cancer than I have, and she hated the place! She died last year after 5 years of chemo. She worked the whole time until the last 3 months. 

It will take weeks of being there to stop thinking of her when I am there.  

I know this is 'my cancer' not my moms, but it is hard to separate, no matter what anyone tells me.

Ellenoire......I'm sorry you lost your mom......still so fresh on your mind and now you have to do this too. How can you not think of her everytime you go there? I hope they treat you well there and hope you get all the best they have to offer. Of course it is your cancer and I'm sure if your mom was still here she'd be right there with you, I am so sorry she's not but I'm sure you will be fighting for yourself and her! Keep in touch hun.....hope you beat this.

otter you may want to read up on the "Anyone taking TC thread-  lots of good info and ladies are great