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Courage to Stay Positive Through Chemo and Surgery Decisions
I’m off to round 4 of Tchp tomorrow. I’m feeling overwhelmed and anxious about the long day ahead. Needing a bit of encouragement this morning. Also meeting with surgeon on Thursday to decide between single mastectomy plus lumpectomy or double mastectomies. I have two kinds of cancer one in each breast. The past five…
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Starting Chemotherapy in February 2023
Hi, folks I see these topics don't always get started for recent months, but I'll give it a shot. Started Taxol + Herceptin + Perjeta yesterday, Feb 6. The Perjeta was a last-minute surprise, but there's some anomalous blip in my liver and dear MO is not taking any chances. I was in the hospital ALL DAY, 9 to 5. They gave…
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Starting Chemo November 2023?
A place for the November chemo sisters to gather and support each other! Please share your start date, regimen, side effects, and tips for others here. For inspiration and what to expect, see the Starting Chemo Sept 2023 thread. Good luck with your treatment — we're all here to support you!
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Embracing the bald
I'd like to talk about being bald. I am on my second round of hair loss due to chemo (AC+T in 2018 and Halaven currently), and I'm really, really close to tossing my fears and my headcovers in favor of comfort and acceptance. Between episodes, I kept a pixie that suited me, so the second bout wasn't nearly as dramatic. So…
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Horrible time on Taxol
Note - most people find Taxol much easier than AC. I seem to be an exception so if you're hoping Taxol will be better it most likely will be - stop reading now! But I'm struggling. Feeling awful. Sinuses, mouth constantly dry so that I can't sleep. Everything tastes terrible. I have a constant bad taste in my mouth which…
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Night sweats - any practical tips on how to manage?
Hi all, I've just started the Taxol phase of AC-T chemo and am suffering night sweats, sometimes three times a night. I went into menopause 20 years ago following my first episode of breast cancer, so I've been post-menopausal for a long time. No night sweats at all then. I'm not on any anti-hormone Rx - just the Taxol.…
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Can Chemotherapy Before Surgery Eliminate the Need for Surgery?
Can Chemotherapy Before Surgery Eliminate the Need for Surgery? Nov 2, 2023 Dr. Henry Kuerer shares the results of his study looking at whether some women can skip surgery after chemotherapy before surgery. At the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2023 Congress in Madrid, Spain, Dr. Henry Kuerer presented…
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Short-Term Fasting Improves Quality of Life During Chemotherapy
Short-Term Fasting Improves Quality of Life During Chemotherapy Oct 30, 2023 “The short-term fasting group didn’t even develop any clinically visible fatigue,” according to the study presenter. Read more…
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Neuropathy after taxol
Hi! I finished my 4AC/12Taxol treatments in 9/27. I start rads in a week. I used the frozen booties and mitts during every taxol treatment. Towards about treatment 7 of T I noticed a little neuropathy in my finger tips that didn’t get much worse as I finished treatments. Now that chemo is done it seems like the neuropathy…
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Eyelashes and eyebrows
Hi all. Starting last December, I had 4 A/C treatments (every other week), followed by 12 weekly Taxol treatments. The hair on my head fell out in late December. I finished A/C in late January and started Taxol then. During all that, I didn't have much loss of eyebrows or eyelashes. I noticed some thinning of my eyebrows…
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AC to T treatment. Paclitaxel side effects?
For context, I am half way through my program and have been treated with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. I have completed my first paclitaxel treatment. I suffered more pain from the paclitaxel than the previous medicines. I suffered from leg muscle pain, foot pain and knee pain. I never felt so miserable. At night time,…
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TC untolerable moved to AC
TC 1st round failed Taxotere. AC for round 2 and moving forward Er+Pr+Her2-, stage 1A, one node with 3mm, T1aN1, partial mastectomy 7-17-23, diagnosed 6-1-23, Oncotype Dx score 30. My 2nd of 4, infusions was yesterday. Less than 30 seconds into my 1st and only time with Taxotere I had a flushing reaction, nausea, back…
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Healthy Diet and Exercise Improve Response to Chemotherapy in Women With Breast Cancer
Healthy Diet and Exercise Improve Response to Chemotherapy in Women With Breast Cancer Sep 14, 2023 Eating a healthy diet and exercising improved pathologic complete response rates in certain women receiving chemotherapy before surgery. Read more…
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Hair Hair Hair - Another question
Hi All, I know that there have been several threads on this, but I'm asking the question again: on average, when did your hair start growing back in after chemo????? I'm 4 weeks out from my last AC and any positive encouragement (and "you're almost there" posts) would really make this week wonderful. Deen.
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Expert Tips on Wigs and Hair Loss: Community Q&A
Expert Tips on Wigs and Hair Loss: Community Q&A Wigs are a hot topic in the Community at Breastcancer.org, especially in our Chemotherapy forum. Many people diagnosed with breast cancer who experience hair loss from chemotherapy find wearing a wig to be the best solution for them. But for many, wearing a wig is a brand…
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August 2015 Chemo Group
Hi Ladies! I figured it was time to start this thread . . . I hope I'm not overstepping any bounds. My name is Kate. I'm 36 and fighting high-grade triple-positive BC. I had a mastectomy on July 6 and am scheduled to start TCHP (given that I had aggressive, multifocal tumors--one over 2cm--I'm allowed to have TCHP as…
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Weekly Taxol group
Hey there! I didn't see a separate group for weekly Taxol treatment; thought I'd start one just so we can compare notes with each other......I always learn so much from everyone! Just finished treatment #3 this week, and so far my side effects have been loss of taste and fatigue, especially day 3-5. This has been easier on…
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Starting chemo April 2023
I didn’t see a thread for this so I was hoping to find some chemo buddies. I just found out today that I will start chemo next week. I am an American in Finland and had an occult 11mm ER+, HER2+ IDC tumor found in my final pathology after my mastectomy 4 weeks ago for 9 cm of DCIS. As an added surprise, one sentinel node…
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Starting TCHP Chemo…
I’m starting TCHP chemo this week and am really frightened by the side effects that may happen. Please post advice and tips for getting through this challenging regimen. Thank you.
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This does get better?????
I am feeling just awful. Three days post dose #3 of AC, and I feel pretty bad. Lots of nausea. I'm trying all the things I've done before - small meals, hydration, Compazine, lorazepam, and I still feel very nauseous and very down. Like this is never going to end. We've just moved house as well and I can't find anything.…
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Webinar Video: Managing Hair Loss and Wearing a Wig With Confidence
Watch here:
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Research News: Neoadjuvant Chemo, Rather Than Hormonal Tx, Plus Targeted Tx Seem Best for +++
Chemotherapy, Rather Than Hormonal Therapy, Plus Targeted Therapy Seem Best Pre-Surgery for Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-Positive Breast Cancer May 18, 2023 Chemotherapy — instead of hormonal therapy — plus two anti-HER2 medicines before surgery offered better pCR rates. Read more…
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Starting Chemo in May/June 2023
A place for you all to gather and share. We're all here for you!
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I had my port placement today
The port placement I had today on my left side, I was finished at 1225 pm & it's still extremely uncomfortable it hurts just like it did as soon as it was finished. I was told to take xtra strength tylenol ,which doesn't helper all !! So frustrating
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Chemoport questions
Hi all, Tomorrow I have port placement. I'm pretty anxious, and I have some specific questions if anyone can help? First - how soon after the surgery can you shower/wash hair? I assume you aren't allowed to get the incisions wet for some time. Not that that really matters I soon wont have any hair. But I'm keeping it as…
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Wigs and Warm Weather: Five Tips for Staying Cool and Comfortable
Share your thoughts and tips below!
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Need some comforting...
Hi all, I've been experiencing a slow but steady increase in Staging since April 19. Started out as small, easily treated etc., but since then tests, surgery, waiting and more tests, each coming back with worse and worse news (many of you are probably familiar with this story). Tomorrow is the end of the road and I go for…
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Round 2
Going tomorrow July 17 for the 2nd of 4 rounds of TC. Hoping for better results than the first. Had horrible mouth sores and burns throughout my mouth. Will be lowering the dosage and adding Neulasta. Had to shave my head and that was more painful mentally than anything so far. I feel like a big neon sign over me saying I…
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Suicidal ideation - oncologist called the police.
I had a bad pathology report 10 days ago and today met with the oncologist. She said only what I thought she would say - more waiting, to do scans to look for distant metastases, followed by chemotherapy (unless there are mets. already). Tumour is large (6.8cm) with one +ve node and invasion posteriorly into muscle. Stage…
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pain after port placement
Im starting chemo next week, and last wednesday "the port" was placed on the left side of my chest. Since it was placed, Ive been having some fairly bothersome left shoulder and neck pain (almost all the way from the port thru my upper back, and from the neck to the shuolder.) The placement site also hurts, mostly when I…