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Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
@candy-678 — I did the "big guns" eleven years ago when diagnosed with Stage III triple positive cancer. Four dense doses of Adriamycin + Cytoxin and twelve doses of Taxol + Herceptin + Perjeta. It wasn't a walk in the park, but I worked through it. Of course, I was 47 back then and everyone responds to chemo differently. My next-door neighbor barely made it through two doses of Enhertu before she threw in the towel. She ended up passing six months later.
You guys have been through so much treatment that I totally understand why you wouldn't opt for IV chemo. There's no shame in saying "enough is enough." It's good to know your limits, and I'm never surprised when some of the ladies here opt for hospice over further treatment. Some of the hospice ladies have lived much longer than they expected and I'm sure they felt better being off treatment than on. Just a thought from a lurker.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Well, got micdonalds, had a free jr chicken so got those, fruitopia and fries, should be good.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
@candy-678 You are not bad. This is your life. I have similar thoughts. I am 9 1/2 years on oral treatments and am on my fifth oral med. I am about out of options. I have never been on IV chemo having been dxd stage IV de novo. I am 72 years old, on oxygen 24/7 and am tired. I have four beautiful grandchildren that I would love to see grow up, but I am tired of being sick and not being able to travel and enjoy them. If I could continue on my current treatment I would, but my tumor markers have started rising again. I have a scan next week. If the scans show progression I fear chemo is my only option. I don't want to spend my last year sicker than I am now just to buy a few months. I don't know whether I have the fight left in me either. My daughter asked "what would chemo buy you?" It is a good question and one I am wrestling with.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
I just need to get my thoughts down on paper (you know what I mean/computer, not paper haha).
I am reading this fictional book. One of the characters, not the main character or the main storyline, is dealing with breast cancer. They don't say what stage, but you can tell it is not Stage 4. She has had a mastectomy and going to have 5 treatments of chemo. But it describes how she is doing with the chemo. Tells about how her "body is on fire" and "every bone and muscle in her body was on fire", and how she is so weak and vomiting that her family is helping her sit up to drink and eat toast. "Through a cloud of pain and dizziness", it says. "Increased sensitivity to her skin", it says. Then it said the nurse told her the 3rd treatment would be when it hits so bad. That her family is providing her comfort and encouragement. And she voices she doesn't know if she can handle it.
Then I think, I don't want to go thru that. I don't know if I can go thru that. We know that with Stage 4 they do oral treatment until they HAVE to go to "chemo". And I know I have more oral options when I do have progression, before going to the "big guns". But after dealing with this for 8 years now, I don't know if I have the fight left in me to deal with the "big guns".
Of course, I don't know what I will do until that day comes, but I don't know how far I am willing to go in this fight. I don't know how much fight I have left in me. I don't know if I am willing to go thru all that, if how they described it is accurate.
Does that make me bad? Do any of you think about this?
Re: Faslodex Girls Thread
Well, I'm off thinking now that this is Guillian-Barre, largely because of the severity that people have with it, and mine doesn't fit in that regard. I'm starting to think it's "plain old" sciatica and it's been aggravated/compounded by posture/ergonomic changes at my computer area, the last fulvestrant shot/low estrogen, possibly the weather, but also a digestive factor that I had initially considered but then dismissed. About the time I got those last fulvestrant shots, and then the flu shot, I also started eating all sorts of raw fruits and veggies that would have really increased my fiber intake. I get a lot of fiber as it is, but I started eating an apple and some blackberries with lunch almost every day, because I love them in the fall. I also added a daily serving of chanterelle mushroom, because my local co-op gets them in in the fall and they are supposed to be real good for the immune system. I usually have something cruciferous too. Additionally, I went back to eating a slice of whole grain rye bread with breakfast. I used to do that and then just dropped off, but I was also reading about all the benefits of beta glucans that are in barley and rye (found some barley soup too!). In other words I went crazy on a new dietary thing and greatly increased all my whole grains, and raw fruits and veggies. Over time I think it just overwhelmed me with way too much fiber and I wound up with all sorts of digestive problems. I think the pressure from all that stomach business affected some nerves in my lower body and along with the effect of the shots. low estrogen, etc., it was all just too much. I was also doing all sorts of posture shifts and changes trying out a new foot rest I got. It caused me to sit much differently in my chair and I almost immediately felt some soreness in my rear end area; hips and rear end. It seemed to all just explode one day and everything reached critical mass. I've cut way back on the food and am trying to take more breaks from the computer, and only use one position for the foot rest. Very slowly things seem to be improving, so I will wait this all out and see if the onc has any comments this Wednesday when I am supposed to get my next set of shots. I'm a bit afraid to bring it up with him though, because I think he might order a scan of some kind and I just don't want to do it. My scans in September showed relative stability and my next ones are due in late December. I want to keep it that way, so maybe I'll stay hush, hush. Who knows, Wednesday morning is another day.
Re: Who's starting Radiation in November 2025? Let's gather here to share!
Hi all, I just finished partial breast (5 treatments) yesterday. Just wanted to share some tips if you’re getting started this month. I would add too every person and situation is different, so knowing yourself and what you need will hopefully make things run smoother.
I work full time in the medical field, so having afternoon appts worked well for me. After treatment I was able to go home, lotion up, keep my bra off and relax. I also had a 30 mile drive from work to treatment, and then from treatment home. Having a snack and water for the drive home made me feel better.
Use whatever lotion your RO recommends but also what works for your skin type. I’m very fair skinned and started skin reddening after the first treatment. Basic Eucerin lotion, which has a thin consistency so easy to apply, is working best for me.
I was told I wouldn’t have fatigue until AFTER treatment was done. But I’ve had fatigue since I started radiation. It may be because I am still working full time, but I had an expectation I’d been ok during treatment and that has not been the case for me.
Sending good vibes to anyone starting rad treatment this month! ❤️
nope123
