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Chemo in Sept 08

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Comments

  • hopefullady
    hopefullady Member Posts: 102
    edited November 2008

    Thanks girls, for the questions to ask.  There were some I hadn't thought of.

    Chris 

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited November 2008

    Jane, I had AC and then Taxol (4 each, every 2wks). AC hit me like a ton of bricks, and I was not myself at all for the last 2 treatments. Nausea for all 4, for a full week, feeling crappy, my whites so low that I needed prophylactic antibiotics after the last 2 cycles. Short of breath. Thought it hurt my heart!!! MUGA 5 weeks after last AC told us it was still ok, thank God. I found AC a real bear... I still worked (I work at home) but it was all I could do, and sometimes I could not do it.

    Taxol - I get tired on the evening of night three, and body aches and sore joints for a few more days. But, NO NAUSEA!! I feel myself!!! Much easier on the blood counts, my reds started climbinb back up ( I was 11.5 for my last Taxol treatment!) but I needed two Neulast shots, One after Taxol #1 and one after #3. My ONC is pretty free and easy with the Neulasta, I was glad - I had no SE's from it and it totally popped my whites back up every time I had it.

    Taxol is SO MUCH EASIER (my onc said) for 95% of the people. I feel human!! I too was nervous the first time, but they watch really closely, and start slow. I bet you will be just fine! Let us know...

    Lili - I am so glad you said all the things you are still doing. I have added Flax seed and green tea, and then started thinking, maybe I should wait another few weeks until the chemo is totally done tumor bashing...  I thought soy milk would be better than cows... How do we find out about this stuff? I will google I guess. sheesh! 

    Spring.

  • Jane_M
    Jane_M Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2008

    I heard no soy and no vitamin C, but I don't think I remember hearing about the sugar.

  • Jane_M
    Jane_M Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2008

    Talk about chemo brain - I can't even remember what I want to ask you guys about remembering.  I've been meaning to ask for 2 days and every time I got on, I forgot what I wanted to ask.

    I've had frequent headaches for years and take Excedrin several times a week.  Lately though, I get a headache and then forget if I've taken my Excedrin or not.  Any suggestions on how to remember so I don't end up taking it twice?

  • Genia
    Genia Member Posts: 1,055
    edited November 2008

    Jane....get one of those pill trays......so you can count them out and then you can look back and see if you have taken it!!!  I have to do that with my medicine or I would forget half of it.......or take too much of something!

  • Lili46
    Lili46 Member Posts: 102
    edited November 2008

    Jane...I also have problems remembering if I've taken a medicine or vitamin during chemo so I write it down in a binder after I take it. I did this for all my treatments because I would forget if I took my decadron or zofran.

    L 

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited November 2008

    Hi ladies,

    Last treatment of TC tomorrow - thank the Lord!  Chris, thanks for asking about questions for the onc. and thanks to those giving suggestions.  Great questions - I see my onc. tomorrow afternoon after chemo. 

    Hope this one is MUCH better than #3.  Hope everyone else is doing good.

    Susan:)

  • priz47
    priz47 Member Posts: 161
    edited November 2008

    NO Pap smear during chemo??!?? I had one last week!!! What was the rational? My GYN did not say a word!

    D

  • Genia
    Genia Member Posts: 1,055
    edited November 2008

    Why no pap smear???  Where did that come from???  Never heard that one before.........

  • hopefullady
    hopefullady Member Posts: 102
    edited November 2008

    Susan,  Even if this one is not much better than number 3, IT'S THE LAST ONE!!!

    I thought the day would never come.  Just hoping that my bloodwork turns out okay so that nothing is delayed. I'm not sure I could handle that.

    Best of luck tomorrow.  Let me know how it goes.  

    Chris 

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited November 2008

    You are so right, Chris!  Hope things go well with you too!

    s.

  • bettysgirl
    bettysgirl Member Posts: 645
    edited November 2008

    chriss and sue- good luck with the last txs! So glad you have both made it to that wonderful day!

    Let us know how it goes!!

    Have a great week everybody!

  • Lili46
    Lili46 Member Posts: 102
    edited November 2008

    I was told no pap smear during chemo by my onc and my gyn because chemo will also affect cervical cells and may cause some atypical results of the pap smear.

    L 

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited November 2008

    Yeah Chris S and Sue!

    You BE DONE!!!

  • Genia
    Genia Member Posts: 1,055
    edited November 2008

    Didn't know that Lili........I had mine done when I went for my yearly visit after my lump was diagnosed.......but before the chemo started.

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited November 2008

    Hi all,

    I found this about BC and soy. It seems soy okay before menopause, and may have an estrogen "blocking" effect, but after menopause, it may act LIKE an estrogen. They are saying concentrated soy supplements should be avoided in POST menopausal women.

    http://www.healthcastle.com/soy-breastcancer.shtml 

    Now on to Green Tea and Flax Seed!

    Spring...

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited November 2008

    Flaxseed:

    Flaxseed. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring compounds that lower circulating estrogens in your body. Flaxseed is particularly high in one phytoestrogen, lignan, which appears to decrease estrogen production and which may inhibit the growth of some breast cancers. 

    That is from the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer-prevention/WO00091

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited November 2008

    Green Tea looks good too.

    http://www.elements4health.com/green-tea.html  

    I wonder if there is a difference between all these things DURING vs. BEFORE and AFTER chemo though.Like my ONC didn not want me on concentrated fish oil pills as she felt the anti-oxident effect may actually protect the cancer during chemo.One of my friends, when in RADs, they didn't want her even on a multi-vitamin or calcium!

    I need a manual!!! 

  • priz47
    priz47 Member Posts: 161
    edited November 2008

    I am so confused with all of this! Each onc seems so different! It will be interesting to see what my Pap comes back as. I guess i won't freak if its abnormal. I am trying not to freak over the mammo tomorrow and hopefully it willbe OK.

    D

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited November 2008

    Hi ladies,

    Things went smoothly yesterday - no reaction to the taxotere this time.  My anc (I think that's the right name) was 286 when I went to the doc 2 weeks ago.  Yesterday it was 13000+ (I had been on an antibiotic).  They said I should do much better this time.  The nurses did a line dance and a last chemo song for me - very funny!

    Had a good bit of heartburn/indigestion last night.  What do y'all suggest/use - zantac, pepcid?  Thanks for all the good thoughts! 

    I go Dec. 1 to meet w/ the rads dr. and then begin 3 weeks after that, so I guess that puts me after Christmas - yay!

    Hope you all are doing well.  Chris, how was yesterday for you?

    hugs,

    Susan

  • hopefullady
    hopefullady Member Posts: 102
    edited November 2008

    Susan,  WE ARE DONE!   It feels great.  Yesterday was uneventful, I was telling everyone that it was my last time.  That was a good feeling.

    I am becoming quite anemic, so I do have to go back next Monday for bloodwork to see if it's any better.  If my numbers come up to normal, then we will make an appointment to have the port taken out.  Then I think it will really feel like I'm done.  

    Today I go in for my neulasta shot.  

    I'm so glad that you had an easier time of it yesterday.  Now let's hope the next few weeks have fewer side effects than before.  I have not had much luck with pepcid, try the zantac and if it doesn't help much, call and they will probably give you a prescription for something stronger.

    Chris 

  • Juli50
    Juli50 Member Posts: 652
    edited November 2008

    Susan - Prilosec works for me. I get the generic at Target.

    Congrats to all the LAST ONE's this week!

    Juli

  • bettysgirl
    bettysgirl Member Posts: 645
    edited November 2008

    Good morning ladies! Don't know about you but it is COLD here in GA today!!!! 23 this AM BRRRR

    I begin the taxotere tomorrow am. I took the first steriod this am...I am a little on the nervous side again. It's almost like starting all over again. So we do three taxotere and then done. Please send me good vibes as I hope this one isn't worse than the FEC. Seems like a lot of you have heartburn/reflux with Tax..Do i need to go and invest in some OTC prilosec again and start before it gets bad???

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited November 2008

    BettysGirl,

    Cold here in NC too, also in the 20's, Brrrrrrrr!!!

    Good luck tomorrow! Only three to go! Let us know how it goes.... I bet just FINE!

    Spring

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited November 2008

    thanks for the info and good wishes about tx 4 being over, ladies :)

    Bettysgirl, good luck w/ tax #1.  Hopefully things will go just great (as possible as that is w/ chemo, huh?).  It wouldn't hurt to go ahead and have some prilosec or whatever on hand.  That's the one thing I never got around to buying (just had tums etc. on hand) and I was wishing I had some Monday night.  Thing got better later on though.  Must have been that chocolate shake and french fries I had eaten!!  Anyway, good luck tomorrow!

    Susan

  • Genia
    Genia Member Posts: 1,055
    edited November 2008

    Hey ladies.....

    Just got back from the Dr.

    Have to go see my surgeon tomorrow. My oncologist thinks my  port is gonna have to come out. I had a low grade fever today and this thing just won't heal right!  

    My back has really been hurting for about a week and a half!!!  Throbbing right in my spine!

    He's gonna just watch my back.....to see if it keeps hurting. If so I have to have another bone scan done. He's hoping it is the Neulasta shot. Plus I was borderline anemic today.....could explain why I've been SOOO tired lately!

    Hugs and hope everyone is having a feel good day!

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited November 2008

    #&$^#%@**^%%$% to these dang ports! Hang in there Genia!

    I think I am going to ask for mine back after Surgery in Dec and create a bon fire in the yard. 

  • Genia
    Genia Member Posts: 1,055
    edited November 2008

    This one has been so much trouble for me.  I've been on antibiotics 3 times for infection in it!!!  So my oncologist says it needs to come out.  But I'll have to see the surgeon to see what he says......cause he put it in there.  I hate to lose it.....but on the other hand.....my onco said it's dangerous if it keeps staying infected!  I had a low grade fever today when I went in his office!  He thinks it's from the port........UGH!!!!

  • trudecox
    trudecox Member Posts: 143
    edited November 2008

    Wow, it makes me feel bad.....my port although annoying, has not been any problem.  It irritates me and I hate it but at least no infection.  But on the down side, I got the cold from hell today !!!!  I work in a Dr's office and never get sick, but this one is the pits.  Nothing I take seems to help.  I called my onc and she said not to worry unless I get a fever......easy for her to say......I'm on my 3 week break before I start Tax......just not fair !!!!   Oh well, I guess this is the way it goes.

  • trudecox
    trudecox Member Posts: 143
    edited November 2008

    Oh, I forgot,  got my 2nd MRI results today....after the 4x AC....all looks good.  It seems the mass is now less than 1 cm and the lymph node that was affected is now fine.  Since I am basically a triple neg, this is really good news.  YEAH!!!!!  Still have 10 x TAX....and surgery but at least we know the chemo is working

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