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Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

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  • lg123
    lg123 Member Posts: 24
    edited November 2007
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    Hi Everyone,

    I got my tattoos last week--7 of them--yikes--I was expecting 2 or 3. Only one of them is really obvious.  I go on the 30th for a dry run and will probably start rads on Monday Dec 3. I'm looking forward to getting this going so it can be over. Haven't seen the machine yet.  The simulator was some kind of CT machine and I'm not real big on being shoved in a tube.

    Coming up on 6 weeks post chemo and the side effects are fading.  Where is the hair? Lots of  whiteish peach fuzz but no real hair yet. On the positive side-no leg shaving required yet.

    Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

    Leslie2

  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited November 2007
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    HI Gals,

    it's been awhile but just wanted to check in to say hi and see how everyone is doing. I finished radiation almost 3 weeks ago now, the energy level is slowly coming back. I've noticed that I've been catching colds easier since finishing chemo. I have a horrible cold right now but otherwise doing well. my hair has come back pretty thick, except the front is lagging behind so I still don't feel fully comfortable going without a wig. I've started to do it for things I don't care about, like going to the gym or to the grocery store, but definately not to work yet.

    leslie2- don't worry the radiation therapy is very different from the simulation. you are not in a machine. you just lay on the table in an open room. don't worry, the peach fuzz comes first and then all of the sudden your hair will start to grow.  the leg and armpit hair came back first, then the head and then finally the pubic hair. aside from the hair on my head, i really didn't want the rest of it back!

    hope everyone had a great thanksgiving.

    Leslie

  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited November 2007
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    Hi girls,,,,,,,,,,,,hope everyone had a good thanksgiving.  I know I sure have tons to be thankful for.  I have my family, a new grandson who has completed my family, my health and my families good health.  I said a prayer on thanksgiving and gave thanks to my family for being there with me each step of the way,,,,,,,,because without them I dont think I could have made it.  And of course I cried like a baby,,,,,,,,,,,I'm just so sentimental that way.  Silly girl me,,,,,,,,lol

    So the day before Thanksgiving we had a leak from our icemaker in the refrig. Needless to say the kitchen and part of the bathroom is torn up. So since then we have been dealing with insurance, contractors, the drying team and all.  What a mess.  Cant cook on the stove because my stove and refrig are in the middle of the dining room.  Looks like this will go on for another week or so.  Such a pain in the butt.

    I'm still waiting for the hair to grow.  I do have a little more,,,,,,and its filling in a little,,,,,,,,but not fast enough for me thats for sure.  Still not long enough or filled in enough to be seen in public.  And I have finished chemo like 3 months ago.  My goodness,,,,,,,,,,,I better get more hair than this.  Someone please tell me I will...I am beginning to wonder though,,,,,,this is depressing,,,,,lol

    To those of you who havent finished chemo yet,,,,,,,,,,hang in there ladies,,,,,,,you are soooooooo almost there.  And to those of us who are done with chemo and rads,,,,,,,,we made it.  Leslie,,,,,,you and I finished the same time.  Feels good huh?  Honestly,,,,,,,,rads were a piece of cake,,,,,,,,,I got a few burns but they healed up nicely.  And I never even felt tired during rads which I was thankful for.

    Take care all and have a good rest of the week.

    Cindy

  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 27
    edited November 2007
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    Hi everyone,



    Hope you all had a nice T'giving. We went to my sister's farm in Vermont, where my dd (2 1/2) go to help clean the barn, feed the horses, and even ride a horse.



    I'm going for my LAST chemo tx tomorrow, 11/29. Yay! Will get the PICC line out of my arm right after the infusion is done. I'm so excited--never thought I'd be looking forward to chemo, but I can't wait to be finished. And once the PICC line is out, I can shower like a normal person. Ahhhh. And no rads for me, thank goodness. Next step is implant exchange surgery on 12/27. Looking forward to getting these expanders out and getting my "real" boobs.



    My hair is growing sparsely. My fingernails have white horizontal stripes, which appear to account for each tx, but they have not turned brown or fallen out. My eyebrows and lashes are definitely thinner--I'm prepared to look like a mutant if they do all fall out, and just in time for Christmas, lol.



    congrats, again, to Cindy and the Leslie on finishing your chemo AND rads! And Leslie2, hope your rads go well.



    Hope everyone is well.

    xo Carolina



  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited November 2007
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    omg Carolina..........goooooooooooooood for you.  I am so happy for you ending chemo tomorrow.  What a relief huh?  Before you know it,,,,,,,you will feel like your old self again.  Thats an adorable picture of you by the way.

    I'm getting a visual picture of your sisters farm in Vermont,,,,,,,,,,it must be absolutely beautiful.

    Just wanted to check in and say hiiiiiiiiii to you all.  I babysat my grandson today,,,,,,and at the moment I am feeling a little sleepy,,,,,lol

    Have a good rest of the week,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,take care ladies.

    Cindy

  • Poppy_Spruce
    Poppy_Spruce Member Posts: 85
    edited November 2007
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    Hope everyone had a great holiday. Ya know, I have posted on other sections, but to me - this always feels like home. Thanks, Cindy, for bringing us together!

    Cheryl - I am so glad to hear that you tasted your dinner! Anything - even a Jello mold - is better than the chemo mouth, isn't it?

    I have had 2 rad treatments - and I HATE them. It is not painful or anything like that - but it seems to take forever as they set me up and draw on me and there I lie like a big naked beached whale. I guess I will get used to it. They gave me more tatts (ugh) and wanted to put one right near my collarbone and I refused to let them. I know it is a small purple dot - but now we are talking about a place that I can't hide with clothes. I had to draw a line somewhere!

    Hope all the other TCH ladies are doing well...is Carolina done yet?

    Sarah - I hear ya about wanting to go back to normal when the chemo is done. But I guess it is about a month after the last treatment before we are really done with the effects of chemo. Guess the only quick thing about cancer is how fast it shows up.

  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 17
    edited November 2007
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    Hi ladies,  I haven't posted here in a loooonng time but thought I'd say hi.  I had my 4 neoadjuvant TCH tx's and my orange-sized tumor was not palpable when i was at tx 2.  Not bad.  On 10/25 I had bilateral mast.  Yesterday I had the first of 2 more TCH.  Pumped up by the 'roids a bit now.  I have a slight headache but nothing else rotten yet.  I am waiting for the tastebuds to go and the intestinal discomfort.  2 of my favorite SE's.  yeah right.  But since I only have 1 more after this, I can handle it.  And my couch is Scotch-guarded, so the fact I will be zoned out and drooling on it for another week at least won't harm the couch!!  Tongue out

    I won't start the rads until January.  nan-  i am not looking forward to laying topless on the machine either.  Hopefully by then my surgery scars will look better.  I had really large breasts, so I know the surgeon had a lot to do that day, but I am sooo not happy with how I look so far.  And it's been over a month.  maybe it's swelling, but i am still not "flat."  All I ask for is flat.  Ahh well, after all this what is the use of vanity of any sort, eh? 

    Ok, well I have meds to take and tv to watch, so I had beter get going.  And someone will be coming over to give me my Neulasta at some point, guess I need to shower soon, too.  My doc has me out of work until the New Year, so my calendar is pretty bare these days.

    Glad things seem to be going well for most of you.  TCH seems to be a great treatment, all things considered.  very effective in my experience and from what I hear on this thread.  Have a great day.    Angie

  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 36
    edited November 2007
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    Carolina, my last TCH was a year ago.  I had numbness and tingling in my hands and feet from treatment, but within a couple months, ALL of that was gone.  Hopefully you'll find that yours goes away too.

    This thanksgiving was SO good.  I made turkey and all the fixings for family and friends. Quite a change from last year when I was still going through treatment and had all the taste bud problems  we get from Taxotere.  It's amazing how many things I find to be thankful for now.

    Janet 

  • Poppy_Spruce
    Poppy_Spruce Member Posts: 85
    edited December 2007
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    Hi, Angie - glad to hear that the chemo is working! I agree with you that this treatment seems to be more tolerable then AC. I hated the tastebud thing - glad that is over!

    Janet - Thanks for the sparks of hope. I know a lot of women are nervous that chemo SEs last forever - they certainly feel like they do!

    When will my eyebrows come back? I lost the outer edges and they look so light! I think it is the pale skin that peeks through that makes me look so bad. I am not going to miss that stupid eyebrow pencil! I have not seen much from the brow gel I bought from Billion Dollar Brows, but then again - I think that I still had lingering effects of taxotere. I am expecting great things in the next few weeks.

    The Revitalash, on the other hand, is pretty good. I didn't really lose all my lashes, and I don't know that there is a lot of new gowth yet. But the lashes I do have are longer! Like the brows, we will see what the next weeks bring.

    My hair is stubbly and there is still too much scalp for my liking, but the Nioxin products seem to be helping. The way I see it - a moisturized healthy scalp has a better chance of growning hair than a sickly dry one - so I will keep using them and hopefully be sprouting hair like Robin Williams soon!

  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2007
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    Nan,



    How did you decide which Nioxin product to use? Do they have one specifically for us chemo women?



    Janet, thanks for letting us know things can be so much better a year from now. Hope you continue to feel great and enjoy the holidays.



    Can't write much, going into chemo funk 3 days post chemo. Will be back in working order at the end of the week.



    xo Carolina

  • Poppy_Spruce
    Poppy_Spruce Member Posts: 85
    edited December 2007
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    Hi Carolina - Good to hear from you. Sorry about the Chemo Funk, but isn't this the last one? Yeah for you - no more chemo, Girl!

    I bought a bundle pack of the Nioxin products. It cost about 40 bucks and has shampoo, conditioner and scalp therapy. The package was silver colored and said "For noticably thinning hair." I think I qualify for that! It isn't really for chemo gals, but the manager at Trade Secret said that chemo patients have used it with some pretty good results. I just want to jump start the whole thing, so I am also taking biotin. I can't stand looking at scalp anymore!

  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited December 2007
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    HI Ladies,

    so I did it! I finally went wigless yesterday to work! I walk around my house without a wig all the time, but this was the first time to work without the wig! My hair is so thick, but still pretty short so the top part kind of stands straight up. I got several compliments, but I feel like they only say it looks good because what else are they going to say? I mean, they can't very well say, " you should wear your wig instead!" it feels so free to not wear the wig, but the strange thing is that I forget that I have short hair until I go the bathroom and see myself in the mirror, and I'm shocked that I have short hair! chemo brain keeps me in denial about my lack of long hair!

    speaking of chemo brain, i did the dumbest thing the other week. I filled my prescription for Femara before I left work on friday. i went shopping after work to pick up some clothes before i left for vacation that next day. so i must have put the femara in my car glove compartment for safe keeping, but i forgot that i put it there. when i was home later that night, like at 10pm, i was packing for my trip and could not find the medication. I freaked out, and figured it must have fallen out of my purse while i was shopping. went to the local walgreens and had to pay $300 to get a refill because my insurance company would not pay for it since I had just picked up the bottle earlier that day. went on vacation and then 1.5 weeks later, I was sitting in the car and all of the sudden thought to look in the glove compartment and there was the original bottle! My memory is just not what it used to be, now at work I have to leave myself little post it notes to remind myself to do things! anyone else having this problem?

    Leslie

  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited December 2007
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    Hey girlies,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I hope you are all well. From what I have been reading, everyone seems to be coming along. Good deal gals.

    The hair is coming back,,,,,,,,,it is filling in more now,,,,,,,,,but wished it was longer.  Its probably about 1/2 in long,,,,,,,,,not long enough to even consider going topless.  lol  Eyelashes are coming back,,,,,,,,still a little short but they are coming in.  Never lost the eyebrows.  Underarm hair is very sparse,,,,,,which is just fine with meeeeeeeee.  Leg hair came in like a damn forrest.  And the hair wayyyyyyy down there is coming in too,,,,,,,,bummer.  lol

    Still dealing with getting the kitchen and bathroom back in order from the water leak.  I am wanting to get my christmas decorations up and get a tree,,,,,,but the house just seems to be in such a dissaray at the moment.  Hopefully within the next two weeks my house will be back to normal.  Been such a pain in the rear though.

    Other than that,,,,,,,nothing to new and exciting goin on.  Babysitting my grandson,,,,,,,,omg he is such a cutie.  We take naps in the afternoon together..........he's sooooooo cuddly.

    Hope you all stay well,,,,,,,,,,,

    Nan,,,,,,,,,,is that a new pic of you?  Your hair is adorable,,,,,,is that your wig?

    Leslie,,,,,,,,,,o man,,,,,,,,that sucks.  But glad you found your prescription.  I have moments like that too Leslie,,,,,,,,but I dont think its chemo brain,,,,,,I think I am just having senior moments.  lol 

    I need to get my butt out there and do some christmas shopping, just cant seem to get too motivated or finding the time to go.

    Take care all,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,have a good rest of the week.

    Cindy

  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2007
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    Hey everyone,



    Maybe it's the chemo funk and feeling a little down--but I have a question. Do any of you lurk/post on the HER2+ board? Do you find it scary? Do you think we're at higher risk being HER2+? I'm afraid cancer is going to become a chronic disease that I have to live with, e.g., never-ending cycles of chemo combinations, etc. Maybe I should not go to the HER2+ board?



    Cindy, I'm glad you're starting to see more hair. Sorry about your water leak--what a drag right before the holidays. But it's great that you're enjoying your grandson. I was looking at pictures of my dd when she was a baby--can't believe she was ever that little.



    Leslie, I was trying to tell my dh about a real chemo brain moment I had, and then I couldn't remember what it was--double chemo brain! lol.



    Please let me know your feelings about the HER2+. Am I the only one who is scared?



    xo Carolina

  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 17
    edited December 2007
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    Carolina,  At my most recent tx, I asked my onc to level with me about my risk for recurrence.  I am having 6 TCH followed by Herceptin alone until Aug and I had a bilateral mast and will have rads in january.  My tumor had been humongous-- over 8cm by the time I started chemo.  I had read the stuff on the internet about HER2+ and of course I was scared and really skeptical everytime i was told how great my progress was.  My onc's response was that now that Herceptin is available to us HER2+'s, experts in the field now consider HER2+ BC to be one of the most treatable and controllable forms of BC.

    By the time I had my 2nd chemo, my 8cm tumor could not be felt.  After 4 chemo and my mast, there were only microscopic traces of cancer left at all in the tissue that had been removed.  Somehow I believe my onc.  Maybe I am being naive, but I truly believe the stuff on the internet is outdated.  I am hoping and believing that Herceptin really is our "miracle drug."  The fact of the matter is that since Herceptin is so new, there really just aren't long-term stats.  You and I and all of us on the HER2+ boards will make those stats.

    With an 8cm tumor, I had been sure my prognosis could not be good.  But now, with treatment and the results I have had, I have found plenty of room for optimism.  I even find my mind allowing myself to look 10 years into the future.  5 months ago, I wouldn't even believe I had 5 years left.  I don't go to the HER2+ boards much.  I believe Herceptin is the drug that has helped us turn the corner being HER2+.  Hopefully others have heard similar.  I am interested to hear what other people's onc's have said lately.  Angie

  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2007
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    Hi Angie,

    Thanks for your response. It's amazing how well the TCH has worked for you. I had a 10cm DCIS tumor with >2cm IDC. My breast surgeon told me that the neoadjuvant chemo would not shrink DCIS, only IDC, so I had a bilateral and then 6 rounds of TCH. No rads. It sounds like you and I are both lucky that with such large tumors, we had no positive nodes. Was your 8cm tumor all IDC?



    Congrats on your great progress. It must feel good to know the chemo actually worked--to have such concrete results. I'm sure I feel more positive when I feel better from this last round of chemo.



    Are you being treated in NYC? I'm at NYU.



    best,

    Carolina

  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 17
    edited December 2007
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    Hey Carolina.  As far as I know the whole thing was IDC.  that's all i know about, at least.  And I am more in the Syracuse, NY area.  So I go to Syracuse for my tx.  Angie

  • mrs7148
    mrs7148 Member Posts: 15
    edited December 2007
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    Carolina- My onc also told me that her2+ is slowly changing from a negative to a positive prognosis because of herceptin. Herceptin was only given to advanced cancers at first and it did very well. It is now given in weekly doses  then continued for a year and it has been tested that it destroys the cells with the protein and keeps them from spreading. The TC part of the cocktail also kills any general bc cells so he is confident of sucessful treatment. He doesnt believe in numbers, but does not at all consider it a death sentence.  I trust him.

    Cheryl

  • lg123
    lg123 Member Posts: 24
    edited December 2007
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    Hi everyone,

    I went to the Her2+ board at first but didn't find it helpful at all so I don't go there anymore.

    RE: HER2+. I hope I  say this right because it is very positive.  My Dr. has said that years ago there was a group of BC patients that just didn't do as well as others. And then they dicsovered the HER2 thing and developed Herceptin and things changed dramatically. He said there aren't enough years of statistics yet but in 5 or 6 years, he thinks the stats will show this dramatic progress.  The first time I met with him he said that Her2+ was good news and bad news....the bad news being that it  is more aggressive but the good news is that they have the best drugs to fight it.  His group of patients  took part in the clinical trials for the  TCH combination so he has a lot of experience with  this and he isn't one to blow sunshine at every visit, so I trust him. Also, everyone on this board is doing really well so I'm  rolling with that.

    My tumor was only 2.2 cm but I had 7 pos nodes (go figure) so I am  doing rads.  Started  last Monday and the machine broke while I was having a treatment on Thurs!!!On Friday I had to catch up. Rads is easy compared to chemo . The worst part so far is that the room is so darn cold and as soon as they tell me not to move, my wigs starts to itch!

    Leslie-- short hair is so stylish and I bet you look great. How wonderful not to have to wear a wig or scarf any longer.

    Re :chemo brain. During the last 3 treatments I found myself searching for the right word from time to time. The complete thought was there  but sometimes I couldn't find the right word to complete that thought verbally.  That's gone now.  We are all trying to manage homes and jobs and very busy lives and it's no wonder we need to write things down. Hey, I lost things before chemo so now I have an excuse, hehehe.

    Leslie2   

  • Poppy_Spruce
    Poppy_Spruce Member Posts: 85
    edited December 2007
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    Hi Girls!

    Carolina - I was worried too and made one and only one stop at the HER2 boards. No matter where I wander - I always come back to this thread. It just feels like home to me!

    My onc and surgeon both told me from the get-go that the HER 2 type tumors were completely treatable, so even though I was scared when I read certain things on the Net - I knew that I was told that Herceptin was going to save my life. Now only if it could save my life in a pill form!

    Cindy - That is my latest wig. It is close to my real hair so I wear it most often. I wish it were human hair. The curly human hair feels better but is not as pretty. When was your last chemo again? I wish my hair would hurry up and grow in alredy - I am sick of seeing scalp!

  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited December 2007
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    Hi everyone.....I haven't posted in a while.....I finished radiation just before thanksgiving......I've been a little tired but figure it is because I hit the ground running as soon as I could.  I haven't been walking as much since it is finally cool down here in Houston. 

    Leslie:  Have you by chance had any side effects from the femara?  I have had an upset stomach for a few weeks.  I knew that the "old age feeling" that comes after sitting was part of it, but wondered about the gi issues......

    Anyone else on femara?

    It is definitely nice to be only on the herceptin and femara at this point!!

    Everyone take care and if I don't post for a while....Merry Christmas!

    Katymom

  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2007
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    Thanks everyone for the positive thoughts re: being HER2+. I am now recovered from my LAST (yay!) chemo and feeling better--physically and emotionally.



    Katymom, I haven't started tamoxifen (same as femara?) yet, so don't know how I'll feel on that. But I do have some mild hot flashes from chemo-induced menopause.



    But I am wondering how all of you have done with the Herceptin alone--any side effects? I've read of people having flu-like symptoms--chills, aches, etc. Anyone experienced that? There was no way to separate out the effects of Herceptin from the chemo when I was getting both.



    My hair is growing, but still sparse.



    Happy holidays, everyone.

    Carolina

  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited December 2007
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    Katymom- i have been on the femara since sept. and have had severe joint pain but no GI symptoms. that doesn't mean it doesn't happen, I just haven't had any. i would mention it to your oncologist next time, perhaps he/she will switch you. my joint pain is so severe that i'm going to switch over to aromasin and try that instead.

    carolina- no problems with herceptin. I've been getting it alone now since Aug 20th, and so far no reaction. i always go back to work right after the infusion.

    the holidays are coming up soon! i am having some problems with blood on the toilet paper when I wipe pretty consistently since chemo, so I'm finally getting it checked out tomorrow with a colonoscopy. i just started taking the prep, so I'm sure I'll be on the toilet all night. funny, since I do the colonoscopies for a living to be on the other end of the scope! Now I know what my patients are complaining about all the time! I could only have clear liquids today, no solid food and I'm STARVING!

    happy holidays everyone!

    Leslie

  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2007
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    Leslie--good luck with the colonoscopy tomorrow. I hope they find nothing. I'm glad to know that's what you do. When I have to get one, I'm going to be asking you questions about it, if you don't mind. I've heard there are different kinds of preps and some are worse than others. Also glad to know you've been okay on herceptin alone--I'm having my first one alone on Thurs. 12/20.



    Best to all,

    Carolina

  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 17
    edited December 2007
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    Yesterday I finished my last post-surgery TCH!!  On to Herceptin every 3 weeks and of course rads.  Feeling weepy and not all that great, but glad it's over.  Have a nice Holiday everyone.  And to a brighter New year!  Angie

  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited December 2007
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    Hi everyone!  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you! 

    Leslie:  I am right there with you on the severe joint pain....I'm trying to find a solution since I read that femara outperformed the arimedex.  Let me know about the aromasin.  I haven't talked to my onc yet about the joint pain, but on the 27th I have herceptin and will at that time.  Maybe he will have some solutions.  Nothing seems to help......Anyone out there have suggestions?

  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited December 2007
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    omgggggggggggggggg   ok girls,,,,,,,,I be bad.  I havent posted in like forever and a day.  But when I had a chance I have been reading everyones posts.  I am soooooo glad everyone is doing good and getting on with life.

    I had a wonderful Christmas. Just so damn happy to be here.  I got a little emotional on Christmas with my sisters and their families,,,,,,as I just feel so blessed to have them.  And with my own family as well,,,,,,,,,hubby, son, daughter, son in law, and my grandson,,,,,,,,have just given me so much love and joy.  I really and truly feel blessed and have a guardian angel looking over my shoulder.  I'm sure all of you gals feel the same way.  Funny how when we are faced with ughly things,,,,,we begin to really realize how important our families are huh?  I mean, I have always felt that way,,,,,,,,but this past year, more so especially.   ok,,,,,,,,,I'm holding back the tears.  I am such a sentimental old gal.  lol

    Nothing too new really.  Finally having the dry wall done on Jan.4.  Cant wait to get that crap taken care of.  Im tired or looking at half of my two walls being gone.  My hubby's and mines gift to each other is a redo of the kitchen.  New cabinets and countertops.  They are so old,,,,,,,,they need an update. 

    Hair is coming in,,,,,,,,but just so slowly.  Probably about 3/4 in long,,,,,,,,and today,,,,,,,,,I dyed what little I have.  The white and dark gray and black was just too much to keep looking at.  lol  I didnt have this much gray and white before,,,,,,,what the hell happened??  lol  But its filling in, so I'm not gonna complain.

    I just had a few minutes to pop in to say Hiiiiiiiiiiiii and that I was still here.  Like u all missed me right??  lol

    2008 will be a great year for us ladies.  Here's wishing you and your families,,,,,,a healthy and happy New Year.

    Will post more when I have time.  The house is a frickin mess, and I am so ready to take the tree and decorations down.  I am feeling cluttered.  lol

    HAPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY NEW YEAR ALL.

    Love, Cindy

  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited December 2007
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    hey girls,,,,,,,,sorry forgot to add something.  Leslie,,,,,,,,I hope all went well with your colonoscopy.  Good lord, like you need something else to happen huh?

    Nan........my last chemo was the end of August.  And its taken this long just to get to 3/4 inch long.  Jeeze,,,,,,,,,,it gets kinda depressing huh?  It's not even long enough to go wigless.

    And to those of you who are doing herceptin,,,,,,,I have till May 08 for the herceptin and I have absolutely no side effects,,,,,,,,but then again we arent supposed to.  Thank goodness for that huh?

    I go for my first mammo next week since all this started.  It better be an all clear.

    Cindy

  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited December 2007
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    Hi Ladies,

    thanks for your well wished regarding my colonoscopy. it went fine, they only found some mucosal changes due to the chemo and the constipation I had with the chemo. The prep was not fun, however, it was nowhere as bad as the diarrhea I had when I first started with chemo. so it is all relative. I had a female GI doctor, who I know very well and trust her, do it. I don't remember anything about it except that she gave me the first round of sedation medications and I said"wow, did you give me something already? I must be a cheap date!" and that is the last thing I remember until they rolled me out of the room!

    I switched to aromasin and my joint pain is MUCH better than on the Femara. I haven't read anything about one medication being better than the other and my oncologist told me they are the same effectiveness, so i hope that is the truth. I'm going to do an internet literature search to see what I find.

    I'm working out with a personal trainer 3 days a week and I still haven't lost much weight. I have lost about 8 of the 18 pounds I gained during chemo but I was hoping it would go a lot faster. the weight I lost was even before I started working out!! perhaps that means I should just stop working out:-)

    I hope everyone had a great holiday. my family came up to chicago to visit us for christmas. it was so nice to see everyone, but a bit stressful to host. I thought it would be easier to have all of them come to me, but I discovered that it is much easier to go to my parents house and sit there and do nothing!

    hope everyone has a safe and fun new years.

    Leslie 

  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited December 2007
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    Leslie:  I am so relieved about your colonoscopy.....I've been thinking about you....Hope you are continuing to do well on the aromasin.....My onc didn't seem to attribute the bone pain to the femara, but from everything I've read, it has got to be that!  Let me know what you find out about the aromasin when you research.  I go back in 3 weeks and if this pain isn't less, we will have to do something.  Some days I feel like I need a walker.  Can't imagine 5 years of this!  Hope you have a great new years!  Keep coming back....it's good to hear from you.

    Cindy:  Good to hear from you again.  I'll be on the same schedule with the herceptin until May 08.  It seems fine.  Are you ER+?  The hormone therapy is terrible......Have a great new year.

    Carolina:  Good luck with the herceptin.  I haven't had any problems from that...Are you on hormone therapy yet?   

    Happy New Year everyone!

    Katymom