Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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My dh got it for me at a place in Canton, MI called The Wolverine/Spartan shop... I also got every color in the rainbow baseball caps from all places JoAnn Fabrics. They have many colors ....
I don't know who of you wear wraps but there's a website... Franceluxe.com The woman that owns it gives a free head wrap to bc women... They are pretty expensive, but she'll send you one for free...
I'm going today for my first Taxtotere...will let you guys know how it goes... I couldn't sleep last night, tossed and turned but I think it was from the steriods I took yesterday.
Hope everyone has a blessed day.
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Good luck arnie
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Thanks kmmd... (((((((((((hugs to all))))))))))))0
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Arnie: My opinion is to stop shaving the head. Any micro hairs that are left will fall out. This way once the hair does start growing back it can do so and it happens pretty fast actually. I joke about my hair. I tell DH things like, "How do you like my new hair do today I fixed it special". I was thinking this morning our loosing our hair is our badge showing we are fighters and survivors...others have no idea what we go through. I was impatient on my hair regrowing. Once I could feel stubble I felt a sigh of relief. I am constantly lightly running my hand on my head. The other day I felt DH's head and told him I wanted to know how it would feel once my hair was his length which is short. We both smiled. Wish I could have seen the reactions at the restaurant...you are funny, I have to remember that.
Sukiann: Congratulations!
They have nice baseball caps at...www.thebreastcancersite.com I got my BC cap from them.
Nadine
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Well, since we are talking about hair - mine is apparently stuck. I have big bald patches, but have lost NONE on the crown of my head. It's like the opposite of a monk's tonsure! I am going today to have it shaved. I thought buzzing it would be enough, but apparently not. Second treatment tomorrow....0 -
Hello TC Sisters: I am 2 1/2 months out of chemo (TCx6) Radiation is done. On to Arimidex. I come back to this board regularly and read your posts - say a prayer that your time in chemo goes quickly. No question, it is hard. At my last appt, my onc reveiwed my lingering chemo SEs and Arimidex SEs --- told him "no big deal, life is good, feel sooooo much better." He said, "After chemo, everything is like fighting ants after you've tackled alligators!" So true!!!
You will get through this and you will feel better!! Rest when you need to, take care of yourself.
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Hi everyone,
I had an emergency surgery last Wednesday to remove my implant due to infection, scar tissue, and the fact that it was working its way through my incision and would pop out if something was not done right away! I was due for my t/c this past Monday, but am home healing up. BTW, I'll need reconstruction no matter what--I was told not to even look at my breast area because it is now concave. Yuck.
My question is this--I'm due to get chemo #3 next Tuesday. I'm concerned about healing, having been through the hell of a boob infection once already. I'll still have my drain in, but the plastic surgeon doesn't seem concerned as long as I keep taking my antibiotics as prescribed. Has anyone gone through chemo within two weeks of a surgery? Did you do okay?
Also, I go for a blood test tomorrow to see if I need a transfusion before my next chemo. My red blood cell count was dangerously low, but I seem to have more energy and more color today. Hopefully, I'll be "in the red" tomorrow.
Thanks for any advice you can send my way!
Jo Anne
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JoAnne, My understanding is once the infection is taken care of (and sounds like for you it has) the advice you got regarding taking the antibiotics and continuing and not interrupting chemo when possible is good advice
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Jo Anne, I am 5 weeks out from my recon, and I am still with an open area I am doing dressing changes twice a day to, and my onc says that since there no infection, we are going ahead. I hope all is going well, and that you continue to feel better everyday!
I got my port yesteday and start TC tomorrow, and I am scared to death, but I will get thru!!
Have a great day everyone!!!!!
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Jo Anne, I am 5 weeks out from my recon, and I am still with an open area I am doing dressing changes twice a day to, and my onc says that since there no infection, we are going ahead. I hope all is going well, and that you continue to feel better everyday!
I got my port yesteday and start TC tomorrow, and I am scared to death, but I will get thru!!
Have a great day everyone!!!!!
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Back to the hair conversation... I'm 5 weeks post-chemo (4 doses of TC, every 3 weeks), and re-shaved my head yesterday. The growth coming in was so thin and so gray (!!!), and it seemed that all my darker hairs just kept falling out over and over. I'm using Nioxin now and hoping that the next growth spurt will be more of a steady parade, but we shall see. It's tempting to feel discouraged but I keep reminding myself that time will pass and hair will grow... Right?
I'm on my 3rd day of radiation now, by the way. Four weeks, 5 days per week (Canadian fractionation). It's painless but still weird, and the 1st day of treatment I went through one of those "I still can't believe any of this is happening" shock waves. What a ride this is! Suddenly I'm thinking of that saying "When you're going through hell, keep going."
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2nd treatment done, and I had the "vein whisperer" today for the IV insertion. She found multiple veins to choose from, picked a good one and we were off. My doc did write a presciption for Ambien since I slept none last night - thanks steroids! Have to get some sleep tonight; maybe Friday's crash won't be as bad. The good new is that I have very minimal SE's during the first round and onco says that generally sets the stage so I shouldn't expect any more to pop up. Let's hope anyway.
elizrosner - you are right, hair will grow. And I figure if you have to be bald summer is the time to do it. My fall out was weird and patchy and I look like I have 5:00 shadow on my head, but only in spots! And it has stopped coming out, but will start again as this round kicks in. I may have to keep shaving too!
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elizrosner, I was almost 9 weeks post chemo before I even had a 5:00 shadow of hair on my head. I'm now 13 weeks out and my hair has grown to a #1 buzz cut. That's what a friend's DH told me today. Everyone is different with the hair and yours will come and stay in. It's hard to be patient tho!!
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Lynn, congrats on an uneventful round 2...best wishes for a good nights sleep. I had round 2 yesterday and Neulasta shot today so the SE's should kick in from that tomorrow. The nurse had a heck of time finding a vein for IV, told me I should get a port and I said not with only 2 more treatments to go. I wish they would have identified good veins before the process started if it was going to be an issue but oh well, I'm halfway done....YEAH! Happy 4th of July everyone, we're heading to Cape May to be with the entire family for a non-beach weekend...bummer...but glad to be getting out of town. Keep smiling all
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Thanks for the reply. Neither my onc or my plastic surgeon seemed very concerned, but my husband is freaking out. He's afraid that the chemo, (combined with my anemia--did I mention that?) will slow the healing down. I'm going to see the ps on Monday for a final go-ahead for chemo, and will see the onc on Tuesday to see where my red blood cell count is at. We may go ahead with chemo, and follow it with a transfusion. Meanwhile, my hemoglobin count has gone from 7.0 to 8.3 in a week--and he's putting me on 3x a day iron pills to see if we can boost it some more. My onc tells me that I'll have a transfusion at some point, but he wants to see what we can do for now. I have only had 2 t/c infusions, and he said that anemia is rare this early. Jo Anne
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PJCRN: Best wishes for your first chemo. Hope you don't have too many SE's. I found it far more tolerable than I expected, and I wish the best for you.
Jo Anne
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Annabelle had her 4th and last T/C yesterday. Onc said that, since her white blood cell count has been high, he's going to skip the Neulasta this time.
She's scheduled for a pre-radiation CT scan on the 17th. She needs to get going on that as soon as possible. She received a letter this week from her employer's HR office. It stated that, once she goes beyond 150 days LOA, her sick pay stops; and past 180 days she has to apply for Long Term Disability and loses benefits, but can opt for COBRA. It's her employer's health insurance that is covering the treatment. Don't want to go that $$$$ route! Also, past 180 days, they don't have to guarantee her job.
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Yikes! How long has Annabelle worked there? How long before she has to go back? How rotten that on top of everything else, there is the loss of coverage worry as well as the possibility of being unemployed. I know we've all had our insurance issues, but this is probably the worst.
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Firni - A little over 10 years. It's a large national retailer; and I think they're just going by federal guidelines. Since it is a big company, I don't think there's much chance of any individual consideration like you might get in a small company.
She has to go back by the end of August; and radiation will probably not be completed until the first or second week of September. I guess we'll see what we shall see.
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Hi there- just thought I'd introduce myself. I had my 1st TC on 6/25 (will have total of 4 every 3 weeks). I'm having a rough time of it and was wondering if anybody out there still feels completely knocked off their feet 8 days post treatment? There is NO WAY I could even consider working at this point. I'm not sure I'll be able to drag myself out of the house tomorrow to visit family on the 4th. I'm mainly stuck in bed or the couch. I've had profound fatigue and lower GI issues (the big C then the big D with lots of abdominal cramping and pain that won't go away.) Waiting for the hair to go...I'm on day 9...ready to get my lint roller out and/or vacuum cleaner out
Btw...anybody out there have BC secondary to Hodgkin's Lymphoma treatment (full mantle radiation at a young age?)
Thanks!
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Ippuni, yes, had what you're describing exactly. Got to the point I had to stop in climbing up the stairs in our house I was so weak. For some the 2nd treatment is easier, I wasn't one of them, hopefully you will be, if not, lots of sympathy here. Stay hydrated with that diarrhea. If you start getting lightheaded call your onc.
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kmmd- Thank you! I was beginning to feel like a freek
(or wimp!) How long did it take for "normalcy" to return for you post treatment? I need that light at the end of the tunnel...Thanks again for your post!
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Hey ippuni... I just had my first TC on Tuesday last...of 4. (Had 4 AC before that). Anyway, while on the steroids I must have had the "steroid" high because I thought it was much better than AC. Yesterday and today I've basically been in bed. Just wiped me out. I too, would like to know if it lightens up in between treatments. ((((((Hugs)))))))
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Ippuni--My first tx was the worst, and I had the same GI issues that you had. I was laid up for about 10-12 days after the infusion before I noticed feeling better. The last week of the three was definitely much better. You start to feel "normal" just as you know you're about to get another tx. The second tx went better mostly because I knew what to expect generally from the first time around. I was able to avoid the GI problems(which started from taking vcodin to pre-empt any pain I thought I would get on Neulasta). If you can stay ahaead of the bigger se's, it helps. For example, I took claritin before the Neulasta shot and also had the shot done in my stomach...no se's from Neulasta. So, no need for Vicodin, no constipation, etc.
You will get through it all, although it seems hard from whwere you are right now in treatment. The best advice Ican offer is to not try to push yourself. Your body is being assaulted right now. Give it as much time to rest as you can. I would feel guilty on those weeks where I thought I was feeling okay, and I would try to work. The stress of trying to be normal ended up bringing stress related se's like hives. Right now your body is going to do things and react to things that will surprise you. But you wil get through it.
Catherine
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Hi Girls and Gent,
Yesterday was 2nd tx and so far it is better than the 1st. On Wed, I saw the other Onc in the practice and he suggested I take my Cimetedine several times (3-4) during the 3 days I'm on the Decadron, not just am of tx since it aggravated my indigestion so badly last tx. I also took Claritan to ward off the horrid sns headache it gave me and both seem to be working. Pre-treatment they gave me additional Cimetidine, and Aloxi instead of Decadron. I feel really good today where last time I had the horrid indigestion, headache and nausea on Friday. Now wondering if the extreme fatigue will hit Sunday again. Neupogen starts again on Monday.
The same onc suggested my switching to Aleve or Advil rather than Tylenol for the bone pain; and to stay away from the vicodin I took at night for a few days to avoid the big C and other possible issues.I thought it so funny so many of us found new use for our vacuums about the same time last weekend.
Joanne, how are you feeling after the emergency surgery?
pjcrn, hope your first tx went smoothly and that you are doing well.
I've lost track but wishing you all a weekend of no to minimal discomforts.
Catherine, glad you had an easier time the 2nd tx also.
Arnie, looks like your fatigue days hit you the same as mine 1st tx. I go on Thu and Sat, I was tired but kept pushing, Sun super tired and in bed most of the day. Just have to roll with it.
Meg, I am originally from Boston, nice to see hometown here. Sorry you are having a rough go. My guess is that the abdominal issues are draining you. Be sure you are getting enough fluids. My onc nurse says watermelon is great, also ice pops, jello, soups. I would call your onc/nurse for suggestions.
Dutch, sorry to hear about Annabelle's job situation. I am not familiar with the laws but know first hand how expensive COBRA is. I lost my job 14 days prior to my mammo. Mammo result forced me onto COBRA but TG it was an option! Will keep y'all in myprayers that it works out. My friend worked her radiation tx around her work schedule. She was tired toward the end but did manage it.
DMIC, have a great time at Cape May.
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Ippuni: the first few days after infusion aren't bad, then day 4 things hit, then the next week sucked, then the last week was a little better. I had unusally bad toxicity according to my Onc. You're probably better off with the wisdom from others here who found it hard, but manageable. So, I try not to butt in and say much, it would be too easy to discourage those starting. However, I remember thinking what is wrong with me why is everyone talking about this being doable and I am out for the count. What is wrong with me, am I just a wimpy whiner? Well I wasn't, but that is a long story. Just don't want you to feel alone if you end up being in my camp--small chance or percentage. So, listen to the encouraging words of those who were more average in how this goes. There course was more the norm and their advice will be better. Most do find round 2 easier. If you need me, however, post or PM me.
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Ippuni: I also had my treatments every three weeks and a total of four treatments like you. The first treatment SE's were the hardest. I had no idea what to expect. I would feel more normal a week before each chemo. Do tell your Onc during each visit what your SE's were and how you felt. This will help the Onc also in knowing how you felt and make any adjustments that may be necessary with your chemo. The Onc can also prescribe medicines or give you additional suggestions on things that will make you more comfortable.
A word of advice is also do drink the fluids. Also make sure you get plenty of rest. I learned first hand early on what I could and could not do. I found out things I normally did every day didn't matter...I only focused on myself and I always looked forward to what I called the week before the next chemo as my honeymoon phase...A world of difference. Hang in there it does get better.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Nadine
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Still taking the Lasix and Potassium pills...was told I would see noticeable pounds dropping and haven't seen that. Have noticed the hip pain is gone...could be the edema in that area. The feet and lower legs continue to be swollen bad. For the most part my hands and face are looking normal again. Will keep taking it and wishing I could have ankles again.
On another note started smoking when I was 40. (how dumb is that?????) Anyway I signed up for a support today and have a quit smoking date of July 17th if all works out. Figure enough cancer in my family and now BC. to add to the list of cancers..why push my luck. I had talked to my Onc on my first visit and he told me then wasn't the time to quit to wait. I am glad I waited however since I am done with chemo and waiting to go on my 5 year plan in a few weeks I figured I needed to get on the ball and seriously consider the smoking also. What a deal will have hot flashes and cigarette cravings all at once. Any other smokers considering quitting? We can quit together and support each other.
Hope everyone has a safe 4th of July weekend.
Nadine
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Hi everyone,
Beach2Read asked how I was doing post-surgery. I must say that I had a good day today. We went out to visit a relative who was visiting from out-of-town, and it was the first "normal" day I've had in a while. Physically I'm healing fine, though my hemoglobin count is still very low. I am too weak and light headed to do much. I'll see my plastic surgeon on Monday for go-ahead for chemo on Tuesday, and I see my onc on Tuesday before chemo to see if I need to follow up with a transfusion. Isn't this fun?
On top of all that, my plastic surgeon's partner told me NOT to look at my chest, where they removed an implant. He said it would be too distressing for me, as it's now concave and quite ugly. So I shower with a towel over my chest and have been avoiding mirrors.
I don't mind any of this in my battle against cancer, but it has been depressing to have gone "backward," so to speak. I am back with a drain, with more surgeries in my future, and still have 4 out of 6 t/c's ahead, and radiation. Some days it just seems endless.
But this will be a fine weekend--happy 4th to all!
Jo Anne
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Nadine - go to the 'Stop Smoking Support Thread" by webwritter...there are lots of great women all planning to quit starting next week - you find a lot of support there...I'll bump the thread up for you.
I will be starting Taxotere and Cytoxan towards the end of the month - once cleared by BS and port is installed.
Hugs
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