Chemo in Sept 08
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Hi Girls,
Genia, glad you had a laugh over the bear story.
How are you girls doing with the hot flashes, I am having them on a regular basis, I started tamoxafine, but have now stopped until my radiation is over. Still no sign of a period, so i am assuming I am in memopause anyway. The flashes pass very quickly, less than one minute, and I forget about them as soon as they are gone, I only remembered now as I am having one!
My husband is fed up with me talking about my hair, a daily topic for me. I inspect my head every day in the magnifying side of my mirror, but I am sure that I don't have any NEW hair, what I have is defniately growing longer and I feel comfortable going out without any head cover, but when is the real hair going to arrive? My last chemo was 7th December, so about 7 weeks. I do have a tiny bit of golden hair appearing around my receeding hair line at the front, I hope that is a start.I have heard that having radiation slows the whole process down, anyone else got any hair stories?
Have a good weekend. Singapore Chris x
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Hello - this is my first time posting on this thread. I just discovered it. I too started chemo in Sept. 08, and my final one was Dec. 24, so I feel a kinship with you all
. I'm wondering if any of you might have suggestions for me regarding the continuing "bad/weird" tastes in my mouth and the fact that by evening, when I go to bed, my gut/stomach feels like a heavy ball of lead and I have tons of gas. this has been the major side effect of my chemo, and I'm guessing that it just did a number on my whole digestive system. It's been a month since the last chemo (FEC). Food tastes good while going down, as though my taste buds are truly alive and cherishing every taste, then 15 minutes later the residual tastes are all mingled & it's awful, like I've got a garbage dump in my mouth, so i brush my teeth. I have the best-brushed teeth ever! I notice too that if i drink cold water it creates a cannonball effect in the pit of my stomach.I also , from time to time, "hic" - like the first part of a hiccup, but they do not develop. though during my treatment they sometimes would.
Does anyone have advice/experience for these digestive woes? digestive enzymes or something to do with acid/alkalinity ? Or am i on the wrong thread & someone can point me to a more appropriate one?
Congratualtions, all of you, for bearing what you've had to bear, and being there to support each other! wish I'd found you earlier.
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Chris (and all),
My armpit hair is growing back! How insulting is that? I have more hair under my arm than I do on my head. I even have more hair under my arm than I do on my eyebrows! I'm going to have to shave before I have my next OT appointment on Tuesday.
My daughter posted a picture of me on facebook that was taken 2 weekends ago at my in-laws anniversary party and I have no eyebrows.
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Still having the hot flashes.....I've learned to just live with them......and I hate em!!!
My hair....looks like a fuzzy peach. VERY thin.....and when I wash it and towel dry it....I look like an Uncle Fester bird.......round face and all!!! I think when my REAL hair does start to grow......I'm never getting it cut again.......lolol.
Jane......put that pic on here girl......I wanna see ya!!!!
souad.....has the Dr. given you anything like Prilosec or Tagamet? That helped me tremendously with that ball in the gut feeling and the gas. Chemo does a number on your digestive system.....and I'm sure it takes a while for it to get better.
hope you all are having a great weekend.......I'm feeling lots better.......thank God!!!
I see the surgeon on Monday.....so I will know more then as to what we are gonna do.
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Genia - Yay! You are feeling better! ,,,doing the happy dance for ya.
Souad - Have you tried Biotene mouthwash?
My neuropathy hasn't gotten any worse. In fact, since I started the Vitamin E, I think it's a little better. Only 4 Taxols to go.
Chris & Genia - Does this mean we will have hot flashes for 5 years on Tamoxifen? yikes!
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I've gotten through 5 of 12 Taxols, and like the AC, I find the effects are cumulative. My nose definitely bleeds more. It used to just be in the AM, but now even into the afternoon. Not really bleeds, but drips lightly. The onc's office agreed it is chemo related. The chemo affects mucus membranes - eyes, nose, mouth. My mouth had been fine, but this weekend, no-so-much. New symptom is that my skin is splitting. My thumbs have both split and the ball of my foot on my right foot. Hurts, but doesn't look infected. I see the onc on Thursday, so I'll ask about it them. My counts are staying decent, and this last time we were able to do it with much less decadron. I know that my next step is to talk to the radiation oncologist. I've already talked to their office, so I know there is a way to do radiation without tattoos. I know they're small, but I just don't want them.
Trude - Your decision about radiation may be easier after the surgery. They will be able to remove the nodes and see if any look affected. Do you know what kind of reconstruction you want to do afterwards? Implant? Flap? Again, this may change depending on if you have radiation.
I'm still beyond words at husbands that would say they like the old boob better. It just seems to me they just don't get it. Do they not realize that boob was killing you? So the choice was, he could be a single dad, or you could face surgery so that your child has a mom. Look at your scar with pride. You went to battle to be there for your child, and even that curmudeon of a husband. So, if someone was killing you, would your husband say, oh, but please, don't shoot her in the chest. I wouldn't want her to have scars there. I think it just really hasn't sunk into him, that this could have killed you. I know we don't like to think about it so harshly, but cancer wasn't just making us sick.
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Oh, another newsflash, Drugstore.com is having a buy one chillow, get one at 1/2 off for those of you interested in them for hot flashes.
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Thanks for the update on the chillow. I will look into it. My onc gave me a script for Effexor to counteract hot flashes and night sweats. I took one pill and felt AWFUL. So the last 2 nights I have just taken my Ambien for sleep (wish i didn't have to but...) and only woke once with hot flash.
Went back to work today. Boy, am I tired! It will take me awhile to get back into the swing of things.
tookmy son to a neuropsychologist. I hope he can help with the seizures. he believes that matthew never let himself grieve for his cancer, is still very angry at his brother who ran away (made our life miserable) and is petrified of his cancer returning. So he has internalized ALL this and it is coming out as seizures. Makes sense to me. My point is, I do not want any of us to do the same thing-internalize everything.That's why we have each other and we need to know it is Ok to lean on each other
D
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Crap... I've been shaving my pits for about three weeks...my hair on my head is silver and is about 3/4 inches long, and my eyebrows are more blonde than non-existant. Annoying! I've finished 9 of 12 Taxol...no side effects to note, unless we're counting depression and a sore throat from sinus drainage.
At this point, I'm VERY glad I don't have a man in my life...I'd be up for murder somewhere along the way...
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My pits are still hairless, but my legs have hair. i haven't shaved yet, since it is so fine ( and no one sees it in the winter). My hair is maybe a centimeter long, all different colors.Still very sparce at my front hairline, which REALLY worries my DH. (He's afraid it wont grow back) Eyebrows are light. Eyelashes??? Who was using the Nioxxin shampoo? Is it working?
D
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I have almost NO eyebrows....and about 10 eyelashes per eye. This hair on my head is comical.......well almost! My nurse said it's my old hair left over that didn't fall out. Lucky me....lol......I still look like a bird!
My nether region is still naked too......lolol
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OK, at Genia's request, I uploaded a photo of me and my daughter (she's cuter than my dh). I'm the one wearing the wig with no eyebrows, in case you couldn't tell. She's the cute one with 2 boobs.
Having a naked nether region made it easier for the gyn to do the trans-vaginal ultrasound yesterday. Everything looked good, but I was not a happy camper when a second dr had to come in to manually move my bowels out of the way so they could see the left ovary. There are no cysts on the ovaries that would justify removing them. They did bloodwork because they think that I am now post-menopausal. If that is the case, they won't remove the ovaries. My gyn said that removing them just so the cancer won't mets to the ovaries isn't justified and that, if it's going to mets, it doesn't make a difference if my ovaries are there or not. If my ovaries aren't there, it will just go someplace else. I never looked at it like that, but it does make sense. So, I am waiting to see what the results of the FSH from Friday are so onc can decide wehter to put me on Tamoxifen or an AI. I see the rad onc on the 10th to discuss the next phase.
I've been up since 2 AM with another toothache. I called two different dentists today (not the one that screwed up in October) and neither one of them called me back by 6 PM. I also called my PCP and their office told me to either call the dentist or go to the ER. I ended up in the ER because I couldn't take the pain and I don't want to wake up tomorrow morning with an abcess. They ended up doing bloodwork and my WBC was 19000. They sent me home with an Rx for Penicillin and 6 vicodin. I had to promise them I would get up every 6 hours to take the Penicillin because they wanted to admit me. It's not like they could pull the tooth at the hospital, so there was no sense staying there to take an antibiotic and pain medicine. So, I will keep waiting for the dentist to call me back, but at least I have probably bought myself enough time to make it until Monday. I should just get them all pulled and get dentures and have it done and over with!
Sweet dreams, ladies.
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Hi girls,
It is so nice to have somewhere to talk about hair! Genia, I am sure you look like a very sweet little bird. But it is true to say, that we all know how that poor little ugly ducking felt! Let's look forward to the day when we turn back into swans.
I am quite sure that when my hair grows back and I have lost some weight, I will look even better than I have ever done before, I have become very good at drawing new eyebrows, and creating extra think eyelashes, I can match any hat or scarf to any outfit, what more could a girl ask for!!
Maybe we should update our photos, so we can see how we are progressing. I will take a shot today and put it up soon. Genia, I would like to see that little bird, priz lets see yours too. You have had a hard time with family worries, I really hope that the future holds some wonderful times ahead for you and your family.
come on girls let's see those photos, we all know that whatever we look like, no one on this site cares, as we have created a bond stronger than looks!
Take Care, Singapore chris
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You're toooo small to see Miss Jane.......or I need to get out my glasses maybe......lol
My teeth are horrible too.......and since chemo they have gotten worse. I'm seriously thinkin about gettin mine all pulled. I'm a nightime clincher......and I have broken most all of my back teeth off. So once I get surgery out of the way.....then I'm gonna get these stupid teeth taken care of!
Hope your tooth feels better soon sweetie.....hugssssss
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its amazing how much we all have in common. I too will have to have dentist's visits this year to fix what is ailing after all this. I have broken a few too genia...i guess we are stressing during the night..GO FIGURE!! Jane I hoep your toothace gets better soon.
I have been using the nioxin and i think it is helping a little i just wish the head hair would grow as fast as the hair on my legs!!! UGH!!! The nioxin kind of smells like mint and/or wintergreen and kind of gives you a cooling/warming effect when you use it. The scalp treatment does not hurt my head but breaks out my arms so last time i just skipped that step. My hair is not growing in at the front as fast as the rest but i have been told that is normal...
The first weeks of rad went okay. I have to see the Dr. Monday so the visit will be longer. I like the 4:15 appointments but Friday it was a challenge as the machine had a problem and i ended up getting out right at 5 when everybody was getting off work so it took me a while to get home.I have been having some shoulder pain today and not sure why. I took some advil and after a nap it got better. It may be the positioning but ii want to ask him monday.
Chris- My DH is watching my hair more than i am. He can tell me how much it's grown. He's having fun watching it come in. The babies are beginning to rub my head again. The oldest one would NOT touch my head with no hair..now she will rub it and say "ma-ma's hair coming back" She seems to be glad to see it too. She got her bandages off Thursay and her little incision is looking good. The steri-strips came off last night in her sleep so now she has a barbie bandaid on it..I wish we adults recovered from surgery as fast as they do. Thankfully her hernia was really small and he says she should have no problems.
I hope all of you have a good evening.
Take care!
Lisa
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My mom informed me yesterday, as we were walking in for Taxol #8, that I have "chemo face" from the steroids (weight gain). gee thanks mom...
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Thank you Juli50 and Genia. I'll see about both.
To everyone - I'm so enjoying your hair stories. Laughter IS the best medicine. I too was rendered virtually hairless all over, but I know I'm returning to normal because yesterday I discovered 3 chin hairs!!!! They'd gone awy & I was so happy. (I'm 61, post-menopausal) And I have a 3/4 inch silver buzz cut. I'd shaved my head once my hair all fell out in September. All through chemo, because I do not have to face the public, just wore a classic wool beret, they are so warm & cuddly. people told me how French I looked! All my life i wore bangs because I thought my forehead was too sloped & had bushy eyebrows, but now you can see my features and my husband thinks I y look better in a funky sort of way - liptstick & hoop earrings help - I'm very lucky to have such a kind man in my life. But during the beret-wearing time I would pop my beret on & off, much like an acorn & its top, with the little stem sticking up. I called myself "acorn-head" & now sorry I didn't use that instead of souad.
Because I'm slightly older than most of you (I think) I'm not doing the same regimen. After surgery, chemo I now take Arimidex (for post-menopausal women with ER PR+) and am about to start radiation.
It's too far for me to drive to be part of a breast cancer support group, so this is a lovely find.
Best of luck, and a hug to all. We all need all the hugs we can get!
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OK, the more you ladies tell me, the more I think I need a 2nd opinion from another onc. I am worried that she is so busy, she is just considering me done to soon. No follow up meds....I did have a small amount of ER+ (19%) which she considers not important.....I think I need to hear from some one else. I may need hyst. or other treatment. And why after telling me I need rads at the beginning would she tell me I don't need it now????
SE's from Taxol.....wow. Much easier than AC, but definitely a problem. Dry eyes, taste buds gone, numb toes and now a bad skin reaction. I have a huge welt on my bottom after the last tx. So, you do the last tx and your body decides to scream at you.....It just seems cruel. My hair is starting to come back but I still feel like Uncle Fester with fuzz ...LOL
I hope me feet return to normal. My hands are better today, so I am sure they will be fine, but a little worried that my feet may have some residual numbness forever. Oh well
Trude
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Juli....I have chemo face BAD. I got up this morning and my eyes are all puffy and my face looks so round and fat. Geeeeze.....will we EVER be the same again.
I'm gonna go on a diet.....the only thing stopping me now is my surgery coming up. I don't want to get my system down before surgery. When I diet I tend to not eat the right things.....so I should prob wait til afterwards.
Chris.....I will try to take a picture soon and get it on here. Don't think you will be able to see my bird hair tho.......lol.......it's too fine!
Trude....and sec opinion never hurt anyone. I am getting one from another surgeon tomorrow. You have to be comfortable with their decisions.
souad.....good to have you here hun. You will never find a better group of ladies than right here.
hugs and have a great day
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Chemo face...can we BE any bigger?
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Robin....looks just like mine.....only I think mine is bigger!!!
Does anyone know how long it will take before it will go down? Or is this FOREVER.....
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Told ya...lol.....I look like Uncle Fester's sister!!! Omg.....lolol.......good thing I can laugh about it cause it sure ain't a pretty sight!!!
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Well I look just like you girls! We could be triplets! How can I have hairy legs and peach puzz???? Glad to know we are all in the same boat. I have fat cheeks anyways and now.....If I knew how to post a picture, I would!
Hot flashes are Ok,its the LEG CRAMPS!!!! I am taking Vit D, magnesium, clacium and potasium. Anything else you can think of that would help?? I have been walking everyday and will take dogs for walk in a bit. Having friends over for SuperBowl. DH is smoking a turkey.
I yelled at my ds earlier and feel bad. I was trying to finish a paper that is due today and I was freaking out over it and he came to ask me a question. I hope that this is not how things will continue....When will I be me again??
D
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Is buying a chillow worthwhile??? Does it keep you from waking up during a hot flash? I am just wondering since they are pricey.
D
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Taxol #8 kicked my butt a day earlier than I expected. Usually Monday is my 1st bad day. Naturally we are celebrating my mom's birthday today (lunch at a restaurant) followed by a Super Bowl party at my sister's. I took an Aleve. Hope I start to feel better soon.
Love the new pics! Will take one when I feel better.
Denise, I will send you my chillow. I haven't taken it out of the box, so someone might as well get some use out of it. I have your address.
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Denise....you just go to your "my home" page and click on the little box that says "add photo". It will pull up your picture file on your computer so you can add a pic. You have to have the pic you want to add in your picture folder on your pc.
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Hi Ladies!!!
I have been working and doing RADs and then the work computer broke, so have been too "out of it" to post, but have been thinking about you all....
Genia, Uncle Fester's sister cracked me up!!!
SOUAD - welcome to our band of sisters!!!!
I have very good hair coverage. I used a whole bottle of Nioxin Folicle stimulator, and I tihnk maybe it works. I showed my ONC and the Nurse Practitioner my hair progress, and they thought it looked very good and like a lot of hair for someone who stopped chemo in early Nov. FYI. i dunno. I am still in the WIG!!
I too am thinking about ovaries in or out, etc. End of next month I will have some blood tests to see if I have the enzyme that motabolizes tamoxifen, and three others blood things to see where I may be in Menopause. I had regular periods up until chemo, now nothing. So who knows.
I will have Rads # 12-16 this week. So by the end of the week, i will be over the half way point. I will be glad when it's over. It sort of stings me! Not as bad as chemo though.
For you ladies that are feeling like cancer will get you. I still feel that way too sometimes, but I have noticed the more time goes by, the more hopeful I become. I think this is because I feel better and life is getting back to "normal" more than before. I have noticed I have started thinking about the future, and started to believe I might be okay. I still want to be humble, but also hopeful. I am hoping I can find my way through this. Humble and Hopeful...
Love you girls!!!!
Springtime (Beverly)
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Ok, I uploaded a picture a little bigger than the one of me and dd, but dd is cuter than dh.
I finally got a call back from a dentist who will pull my tooth tomorrow at 10:30. Do you think we can find a dentist who will give us all a group discount to pull all of our teeth and give us all dentures? A girl I used to work with went somewhere in North Carolina where she had her teeth pulled one day and went back a couple days later and got her dentures.
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Priz - I like my chillow. For me, it was worth the money.
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Back home... survived the lunch and party. Showed off my baby bird hair.
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