Chemo in Sept 08
Comments
-
Jane, I hope you get some wonderful things from the chemo angels. Give it some time, I think it takes a while to get things going. Let us know how it goes.
Tanzie, thanks for being willing to gather the mailing addresses. I hope some day I will have a bit of energy again too. It seems impossible right now. Each treatment has seemed to knock me a little harder than the one before.
Off to bed now, hope you all get some sleep tonight and no bad SEs tomorrow!!
Chris
0 -
Hi Girls,
Juli, I did find that Taxotere killed off my taste buds over a 2 week period, then I started to get my taste back for a couple of days before having another hit ot TC. I did have metal mouth and nothing taste good, but with my 2 week split FAC, I can still taste food well, but just have a horrible sick feeling and water taste foul!
All of my 6 TC treatments did NOT get worse, in fact they got better as I managed the side effects better with meds and diet. My nails took a real hard beating though, but remember this doesn't happen to everyone, I was unlucky in this respect. It also happened after I had finished all 6 rounds of TC, I only had discolouration and ridges during the chemo. Now my nails are recovering, but two have come away from the nail bed, but never hurt or caused me any trouble, one even went a tiny bit green inside, but is now growing back really well.
This nail stuff was one of my worst fears, as I have always have lovely long nails. Despite this, when they did eventually look like they were going to fall off (never actually happened), I found it didn't really matter. I wasn't upset, just glad to be alive and I knew they would grow back, so don't stress too much ladies over the side effects, as without them we might not be alive! Remember though, having side effects has no bearing on how well the chemo is working, even if you don't get one single side effect, the chemo is still doing it's job.
Tomorrow I have my 3b FAC and after that I can say only one more round to go! There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's shinning bright!
Good luck to everyone having treatment this week. Tanzie thanks for taking on the addresses, i will PM mine to you.
Singapore Chris
0 -
Juli,
You are feeling good after AC #3 if you are Christmas shopping! You Go Girl!. Take it easy in the upcoming days! (I used ot feel a whamo if one was coming days 4-6-ish, how about you?)
I am Day #8 after my second to last Taxol (one more to go!) and all my body and joint aches are gone! yay! (This is still so much easier than AC was for me...) So I'll have a nice week before the last one next Monday.
Jane, your pumpkin head is cracking me up!!!
Trudecox, I bet your eyes will clear up too. It got worse through the AC then started clearing up after. I kept blinking and blinking! I hardly need to do it at all now... It seemed to clear up pretty fast after I stopped AC...
0 -
Springtime - Any nail issues for you with the Taxol?
I am getting a Neopugen shot Today, Wednesday and Friday.
My best friend is adopting her 16 month old foster baby on Friday...can't wait to celebrate!
Happy Monday girls, hugs to all!
0 -
Is there a difference between Taxotere and Taxol? I am scheduled for Taxol when I finish AC.
0 -
Julie,
No nail issues so far with the Taxol. I keep looking at my nail beds like a mad woman! Going into the light with glasses on and everything! I am hoping something would have shown up by now, if it was going to... They look "clear" so far. I have painted toe nails so hoping all is well under there, ha.
Jane,
Taxol (I hear) is less toxic or less SE's than Taxol. I think Taxol is a little easier to take. It seems that Taxol is often paired with AC, and you get Taxotere with other combos. (My lay person observations!)
I did get some tingling in fingertips with Taxol, (Neuropathy) but started taking L-Glutamine and that really helped. My Dr office said there is no proof it works, but it is also not "contra indicated", so I decided to try it. Worked well for me... (you get it at natural food stores like GNC - powder)
Spring.
0 -
Spring - you are my hero... thanks for all the info. Are you doing rads too?
I think today is the day I will call an acupuncurist for the hot flashes. They are worse now. Anyone try acupuncture for that yet?
0 -
LOL....well Juli anyone that can go Christmas shopping on day 3 of their tx is MY hero too!!!!!
Honestly you are ALL my heros!!!!!!
0 -
Juli,
I had hot flashes too during AC. They seem to have abated now during Taxol? (still no period, though I was very regular before chemo). I wonder if it was hot flashes from going into "chemopause" as someone mentioned somewhere?
Yes, I am doing rads after surgery. I am doing mastectomy (I think 2, I keep going back and forth!) and then DIEP reconstruction in New Orleans (y'all are lucky who can do lumpectomy! you avoid a lot of craziness!), so it's a "6-week out of work" deal, type of surgery. I'll do rads in early 2009 sometime. We will have to start a rads group!
Spring.
0 -
Spring......if I remember correctly what my Dr. told me....if I have a mastectomy.....I won't be doing rads. If they do a lumpectomy.....I will have to have them.
This may not have been what he said.......because this was during the time when they told me I had cancer......and there were no clean margins. It all hit me so hard I can't remember half of what they said.
I'm sure I will be discussing this with my Dr. again.........right now I just want to get through Chemo!!! lol
Edited to add.....my surgeon and I are at odds over a double mastectomy. He doesn't want to do one. And I want him to. I NEVER want to go through this again.....and I don't want my other breast left.
0 -
Hi Genia,
You are right, generally with mastectomy you don't need rads, but with lumpectomy you do.
However, sometimes you need both mastectomy and rads, and I may be one of those, We have to wait and see what the final pathology shows. If a lot of DCIS, I will be spared rads. If a lot IDC left after chemo, I will get rads. I am trying to remain serene. ha. Mine was large and not detectable via mammogram, there for way too long. Dang it!
I know what you mean. I am really thinking just do both. The surgeon has no place to say in this. THIS IS YOUR DECISION. Even if just for peace of mind. I mean really. It's YOUR BODY and YOUR LIFE.
Sorry, I am on a soap box of something! Good grief. I should go do Yoga and calm down!! ha!
Spring.
0 -
LOL.....calm down Spring!!!
He will do what I want.....or I will find another surgeon that WILL. I talked to a lady the other day......that had breast cancer in 2005 in her left breast. They took that one.......and it came back this year in the other breast. I am NOT goin through this again. I don't need the other one.....and it should be my choice.
Soooooo........I suppose I should get down off MY soap box now too......lolol
0 -
Springtime, Thanks. My last AC is on Thurs....Yeah....I will look forward to it getting better.
To All : Please be sure you find a dr that works well with you. I can't tell you how lucky I was to find another Dr who gave me so much more in options and information. The first Dr was so non communicative.....I was really in the dark, and I work in the medical field. Find out all you can, get all the answers you need, and make the best decision for you!!!!!
My second opinion probably saved my life.
0 -
Genia
Find a Dr that will do what you want. I had the same problem....I wanted a mastectomy and she only wanted to do a lumpectomy....but the second opinion I got (from a very well know Dr from Stanford) suggested chemo first....surgery to be decided after chemo. I was ok with that so this is what I did. Stick with your gut....it is usually right....besides, it's only a boob
0 -
Genia - I had a modified radical mastectomy and I am now having chemo. I was told that, after chemo, I will need 33 rads. I didn't ask why. If they told me to stand on my head and spit nickles and the chemo would go away, I'd try it.
0 -
Trude I feel the same way....it's only a boob!!! I've nursed my children......which is the main purpose they were put there to begin with. My hubby just wants me BETTER.......even if it's boobless!!!
I hope I never have to go through this again.......and knowing there is a chance I might have to if I keep the other one.......just makes me want it gone even more. Heck I wouldn't care if they took out ALL my female parts......lolol......cause they ain't caused me nothin but trouble for the last 8 years!!!!! lol
0 -
I actually called and made an appt with the acupuncturist for tomorrow at 4:30 pm. yikes!
0 -
Jane- I LOVE you humor! The image of you on your head spittin' nickels!!!
Anyway- girls just go to your doctor with a GOOD reason as to why you want the double. Mine asked me to come up with a good reason and i clearly stated the size issue and imbalance (i was DD) and also the fact that the first recall i ever had was on the non cancer breast and was told it was an enlarged milk duct...well mine was invasive ductal..so that was enough said. I haven't regretted the decision as i too didn't ever want to have to go through another DX.
As far as the rads with mx- i think it is all about the nodes. I was told I would have rads due to the 2 postitive nodes and the size of the tumor. I had so hoped it woudn't be the case but there it is. We do what we have to do and while i DREAD it i have 3 txs to get through first.
Hang in there girls! We can do this!!!
Juli- good luck with the acupuncture-
0 -
Guess who forgot to set their clocks back upstairs??? lolol
I had my alarm set for 5.....staggered down the stairs and realized it was only 4.....so here I am posting this at 4:45 am!!!
Well I've decided.......I will ask my surgeon one more time the next time I have to see him if he will do the double mastectomy. If he says no.......I'll be on my way to finding someone that will do it. I'm also a DD cup.....and I'm NOT gonna run around lop sided when my neck and shoulders kill me already because of their size. Not to mention the fact this kind of cancer mirrors itself in the other breast.
My body........my call!!!!!
0 -
Genia - Good for you! See how clear things are in the wee hours of the moring!
I've been awake since 3 am... housecleaning. Don't ya just love steroids!
0 -
Eww.....housecleaning!!!! lolol........NOT what I am thinking about at 3 in the morning.
Juli you must be doing really well this time around with your chemo........been shopping.......now cleaning!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!
My next round is tomorrow and I can't even tell you how much I'm dreading it!!! Last time was soooo much worse than the time before.
0 -
Genia - What number tx are you on? Are you getting Emend? So far tx #3 was the easiest on me and I believe it's the Emend.
Good luck tomorrow!
0 -
Hey girls!
Happy voting today!
Much love!
0 -
It's my 3rd round.......how often do you take Emend Juli?
0 -
Genia - looks like we're staying on the same schedule; woo hoo.
Re: double mast - I went through a lot making that decison - because I am having rads, I couldn't do immediate recon, so was worried about the lopsided aspect. The reasons I chose inital left side only - shorter recovery, and the fact that PS prefer immediate recon due to more viable blood vessels. I'll have recon 6 months after rads, and will have the right side mast then. I'm a DD and the lopsided hasn't been an issue. The prothesis is heavy - so more of a pain when I'm wearing it. I tend to wear my fluffy the majority of the time or go without when running. It is doable either way you choose. My surgeon originally said similar things and when I pushed her, she said that the decision needs to be chosen by the patient and not urged by the surgeon. The people who regret getting the double are ones who felt like that was the suggested tx. This goes back to Julie saying - gotta give them a Good reason. Like Genia, for me, they have served their purpose and need to GO!
I'm having rads after a mast because I have multicentric (had 9 tumors in my left breast) and there is a study showing a higher local recurrence rate with this type. Every doc I saw was sure it wouldn't be in my nodes, and it was, so I think I need to fight it as if my life depended on it...oh yeah, it does....
Best to all.
Ruth
0 -
Thanks Ruth.....and I think the fact I am TERRIFIED it will come back in my other breast is a very good reason for them to take the left one too.
Like I said.....when push comes to shove......if this surgeon just totally refuses to do it......I will find someone who will. It's hard enough goin through chemo......but then having to worry when it's all over.......there's a big possibility it will show its ugly self again in the other breast!!! Not an option for me........because as you ALL know this has been no picnic. My whole BEING has changed.......not to mention my life!!!
I'm having a meltdown day...... I let my dog out to go to the bathroom. She always digs out of the fence. She did today and got hit and killed by a car. I had to go get her outta the street........I just have kept sayin all day........WHAT NEXT??? I have cried practically all day......just wish I could find a hole somewhere to crawl in for about a year or so......
Then I think of all the positives I have in my life.........that does help!!!
hugsssss
0 -
Genia - Big hug - if any of my dogs died, I would be a basket case for months. And that is without cancer! Regarding cancer coming to the other side - I felt like I was making a decision without the full info set. If I have the brca gene - than the odds are 50% it's coming to the other breast. Given that I don't have that test, but that I don't need the breast for any useful purpose - I felt like it was best to proceed as if I did have the brca gene in a preventative way. Other than loss of feel, no one has given me a good reason to keep it. It's 40 degrees and raining here - my big hole would be a mud puddle, so I may as well keep sloshing through this mess - surely there is a rainbow headed my way. I think a little illogically about odds. Since we are continually getting the crap side of odds, surely we're due for years of normal odds....or else we should go to Vegas and bet it all.
0 -
Ok, I am starting TC in a couple weeks.....my last AC is thurs. I have been taking Zofran, and god bless this drug. I have had no nause and not thrown up even once. I tried compazine first, what a joke....it made me feel terrible. But, I see alot of you talking about Emend. They say the nausea is less with TC so I may not need to worry but just curious about how these all work for you.
Thanks bunches
Genia......hugs and kisses, my dogs are so special to me.....I am soooooo sorry this happened to you. Things will get better, hang in there
0 -
I had a prescription for Emend, but didn't fill it. My COPAY was going to be $50! For $50 I thought I would just suck it up. Emend is one of the pricer meds.
0 -
Brandonmom-my copay for Emend was 180$ the first time I had it filled the second tim it was only 50$. That 180 nearly knocked me on my feet, umbelievable. They said it was because I hadn't meet my rx deductiable yet. I'm too scared not to fill it, with it my stomach is pretty sick.
0
