Calling all TNs
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Let's start Jan 3. That gets us through all the merry-making with none of the guilt. Truthfully, I've already been watching what I've been eating the past few days so I don't have to lose *more* than 10 pounds!
My chemo was at a brand new NCI cancer center but I still hated every minute I was there. Hated it. I couldn't get out of there fast enough even though the soup was delicious (and fattening). That center was (and remains) a really crappy reminder of this sh*tty disease and the emotional devastation it creates. In fact, I try to refrain from thinking of it; it makes me want to scream.
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Heidi I really want to drop 15lbs , but I will try for 10lbs. Let"s see if we all can get motivated!!!!! FUN! FUN! FUN!
Sugar I also convinced myself that eating 2 to 3oz of Dark Chocolate a week is good for me. It makes me happy!!!!!!
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I want to lose ten, too! I thought I'd work on 5, but I keep yo-yo'ing 3 up, 3 down from that point.
Heidi: Beautiful picture of you sleighing. There's a doc in our neighborhood who drives a wagon with jingle bells. I love hearing them come down the street.
Chemo: I couldn't concentrate enough for a book, so brought magazines with articles I wanted to catch up on. I always brought water, and a blanket I could throw on and off.
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OK, that makes 6 of us so far. As I recall, a realistic weight loss is @ 1pound every 3 days on average. So, on Feb. 1 we should all plan on buying a new bikini.
Retail therapy.... YES!
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I need to lose more than 10, but I'm in - it's a start.
What I brought to chemo:
I brought a soft small fleece throw that a friend gave me (M&M's all over). I used it under the warm blankets and it was soft on my skin. I also brought my book that I NEVER read, pen, paper, gum and bottled water. My chemo center had soft drinks, juice, water, snacks and a cafeteria 2 minutes down the hall, but I liked having my own room temp water. My Mom came with me for every chemo and we ended up either talking, me napping or doing crossword puzzels together, with the nurses or other chemo patients. I was not a crossword puzzel, but did look forward to them every week during chemo.
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ok, ladies i have a taxol question...tonight after my 2nd treatment my mouth is very sore when i brush my teeth...in the back there is some white specks...could this already be thrush...any special toothpastes that i could use or do i need to go to the dr. this is one of the things that i didn't discuss today..today was much better..i had a new nurse and was told to ask to not have the same nurse from last week... i again had an allergic reaction to the preservatives in the taxol and had to stop and take more steroids and then start again..but its amazing how a good nurse can make all the difference..
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Melissa, it could be thrush. I got it pretty quickly once I started chemo. Ask your doc; they'll probably give you Nystatin. Mine was a candy-flavored liquid I would swish and swallow 4 times a day.
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thanks...i will call them tomorrow!
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mommafluff - I never had neulasta and never needed it. I was worried at first when my onco said she would not give it as a matter of course, but in the end I was glad I did not have it. It sounds like it causes a lot of SEs itself, plus the hassle of going back to the doc to get it. My blood counts were checked the morning of my infusions and were great every time.
What I brought to chemo that I could not live without: my mom.
I also brought frozen peas for the fingers/toes - I had no nail problems - and two liters of water to drink.
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Titan: haven't heard anything yet, maybe today the hospital gets back into the swing of things. Boy, I've got all my fingers and toes crossed.
For mouth sores and thrush like stuff, my onc. suggested club soda.... I drink alot of it anyway, so I just doubled up, and it really worked for me. Add a bit of lemon or lime and it isn't a bad drink at all
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Hi TN sisters.
I had a rough night. I see my BS today for my lump./snb follow-up and did not sleep all night. I went to bed before midnight and was still awake, with mind racing at 5am when Dh's alarm went off. Weirdly, I fell asleep while he was in the shower and had a few hours (thankfully my two little ones are on holiday break, so I can sleep past 7am).
My frozen section of the one node they took was clear, but I'm getting to the point where I am becoming afraid of any doc appt. or phone call. I was going to take half a Valium last night but thought I was holding together and calm - that will teach me, huh?
Here's hoping for nothing but happy, best-case news today. I wanna come home and collapse with relief for once.
Sorry for venting but I feel like no one in my life wants me to worry (?!) so they don't like to hear about this kind of anxiety - and I need to get a little off my chest - no pun intended.
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Hi girls!
Sporty99, I'm in PA too...my sister graduated from E-town, so I've been out your way a time or two. Good luck with starting chemo. I'm keeping fingers crossed for you.
Kelben, keeping fingers crossed for you and your lumps too!
Good luck to all the ladies going for the 10 lbs
I will eventually join you, but not quite yet.I'm still fairly sore post-surgery. I feel like my whole boob is swollen, does that make sense? I don't have a follow up until Jan 4th (surgery was Dec 20th) since the BS is on vacation. I still have bandages and just feel like there's a huge boob where my normal boob was supposed to be. Like--how long does this swelling last? I only had a lumpectomy (small-ish tumor, like 1 cm) and SNB, but it's a strange feeling--like it's hugely swollen.
I don't know when I will start chemo, hope to find out on the 4th. Not looking forward to it at all of course, but I know I can lurk here and get all kinds of valuable info
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Michelle- ask your Dr. about Ativan. It is an anti-anxiety med. It helps you get to sleep-doesn't always keep me asleep for long periods, but helps you calm down. I don't take it every night, just when I feel i need it.
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Michelle67 - what's your news? All good? Yes, do try the ativan (Lorazapam). I take it every night for sleep these days, since my diagnosis. I am afraid not to take it, as I wouldn't be able to take a sleepless night, just thinking about all this stuff. So, yes, it sure helps.
Hope all yours worries were for nothing and that it is all good news today. Praying for you.
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Okay, so tomorrow is my first day of chemo...I'm feeling a bit anxious about all of this. I read that someone said "chemo is like going in (for a treatment) to get the flu!" I have high hopes that I will breeze right thru all of this.
I just got back from my hairdresser...she washed and flat-ironed my hair for the last time for a long time...next appt. will be for a "shave."
FROZEN PEAS on your finger nails and toe nails??? Anyone else on this thread lose nails or have them turn black? Someone advised using "hard as nails?"
lrr4993...
thanks for the neulasta shot info! My hands and toes are normally cold..wondering if I will really freeze?!?
You guys are the best...
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oops, one more question...
Anti-Nausea meds...doc prescribed promethazine (only 12 pills) doc said to start them the morning of chemo - chemo nurses said to save them for the next day??? After reading about the meds tapering off, I think I should go with the docs advice?!?! Did any of you take this?
Should I ask the Doc for sleep meds tomorrow or wait and see?
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Ladies,I have an RX for an Emend patch to put behind my ear day before and keep on for 3 days. I get a bag of Aloxi in my pre-meds. I have never thrown up once-no real nausea just a little yucky feeling. I have compazine to take if needed-used once. Definitley as for sleep meds (Ativan)!!!
Last treatment is tomorrow!!!! Yeah!!!
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mommafluff - hi, I had my finger and toe nails on ice during each of my Taxotere infusions and never had any problems with my nails whatsoever. I put a clear nail hardener on them and kept them filed and they looked good (better than they do now...lol). I would highly recommend keeping them cold during the infusion.
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I would recommend the cold peas for fingers and toes. I did not use them but wish I would have. Although my nails turn black or fall off, there are ridges in my nails. I had chemo on Thursdays at 3 pm and was fine on Friday and Saturday and then started feeling tired and yucky on Sunday. Mon, Tues, and Weds were the worst for me. Tired and not wanting to eat. AC wasn't bad but Taxotere was hard. I had tons of anti-nausea meds. Had to take 2 pills day before, day of and day after. Had a bag before chemo and then had pills to take whenever I wanted if I felt nauseated. I worked through everything. My SEs really were not bad and I lost 20 lbs. Still could lose another 50 lbs but I am happy 20 is gone. Hope it does not come back since all my tastebuds are back and I am back to my old eating habits. Happy New Year to ALL.
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Caryn Rose is dying. I just visited her CarePage and read it on another thread. She was one of the first people I communicated with after my diagnosis and was an inspiration & fighter to the last. This sickens me.
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can anyone tell me the difference between taxotere and taxol...
I don't know Caryn Rose, but im praying for her and her family...
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Taxol (paclitaxel) and Taxotere (docetaxel) are both from the same family of medications - the taxanes. Both of these show a high level of activity when used as single agents in metastatic breast cancer.
In reviews of reported studies, when compared with standard therapies Taxotere looks to be the most active single agent in treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
There are some differences in the treatment schedules of the 2 medications, and there are some differences in the side effects of these 2 medications. I have listed the side effects of both medications.
Taxotere: decrease of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, flu-like symptoms, fluid retention, numbness and/or tingling to fingers and toes, muscle aches or bone pain for a few days after each treatment, mouth sores, hair loss
, decreased appetite.
Uncommon Side Effects: allergic-type reaction, blood pressure and heart rate changes, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash usually occurs on hands and feet, nail changes, menstrual cycle may become irregular or stop permanently, menopausal effects including hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Decreased desire for sex during treatment.
Taxol: decrease of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, allergic-like reaction, blood pressure or heart rate changes during the infusion of the medication, mouth ulcers, numbness and/or tingling to fingers and toes, muscle aches or bone pain for a few days after each treatment, mouth sores, hair loss, diarrhea.
Uncommon Side Effects: nausea and vomiting, nail changes, menstrual cycle may become irregular or stop permanently, menopausal effects including hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Decreased desire for sex during treatment.
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I lost about half of each fingernail, and most of the nails on my big toes. I wish I'd known about keeping them as cold as possible during infusion!
The idea is that by keeping the extremities cool, you decrease the blood flow and therefore lower the amount of chemo that gets into those tissues. It's the same reasoning behind wearing ColdCaps to prevent/reduce hair loss and for chewing or sucking on ice during chemo to prevent/reduce mouth sores.I don't know Caryn Rose, but will be thinking of her and her family and friends.
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I too did not know Caryn Rose, but my heart breaks for her and her family.
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Mommafluff - promathezine is the generic for phenergan, which is a good anti nausea medication and one that I use everytime I need strong medication or have a surgery. I would take it at the first sign of feeling queasy or even before then like the onc suggested. If you find that you are still feeling nauseated, don't wait it out and suffer, call the onc immediately - there are other meds. Emend is excellent and used for the day of and three days after chemo. I ended up using Emend, Zofran and/or Phenergan. Good luck (((hugs)))
I am so sorry to hear about Caryn Rose - no I'm shocked.
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My thoughts of peace are with Caren Rose.
My taxotere and AC were on Tuesdays. I was fine on that day and wed. and starting to feel tired and flu like by thursday and the weekend was a write-off. Leg pain, back pain and shoulder pain were the sx I felt the most... also I was very tired. Very little nausea, but I didn't feel like eating much. I had steroids the day before, day of, and day after chemo that were to help with any allergic reaction and to help with any SE. Onc. gave me all kinds of nausea meds. (just in case ) and anything I wanted for pain. The heavy duty pain pills oxycontin, demerol, etc. put me sound to sleep, so I only took them the first day and a half, then switched to tylenol or advil. One thing I will suggest is that if you are going to be taking pain meds, make sure you drink tons and maybe add prune juice or laxative of some kind to your daily pile of pills. I got constipated the first round of chemo, and it was awful.
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Heidi - I am so sorry to hear about Caren Rose, although I did not know her. It seems like she must have been diagnosed around August of 09, which was just recently. What happened? Was her cancer metastized when she found out? I can imagine how you feel, as we connect with people here. I am very sorry and it also sickens me.
I join you in saying - F*ck Cancer.
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Caryn Rose was the first person I really put a face to after my diagnosis. I didn't know her personally but I followed her story pretty closely, as her diagnosis was so similar to mine in the beginning and the fact that she was node negative and then Stage 4 really scared me. I had contacted her about that and was really upset when I learned she had progressed.
She was also very pro-active in her care, taking part in many BC forums and helping to create awareness. She was (is) a real fighter and I admired her spunk. Later, I learned that she was also BRCA+ (I'm not, to my knowledge) and that, in all probability, contributed to her continued problems with the disease.
I think that her decline is, for me, another scary reminder of how serious this fight we are in really is. As much as I try to put the reality of it out of my mind, losing another TNBC sister brings the nightmare back.
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Lovelyface - CarynRose has been fighting this beast for quite some time. She was originally diagnosed in 2003, and went Stage IV in 2007, I believe, and progressed and fought valiantly from that point on. She has been such a guiding light for so many of us and has always reached out to help anyone in any way she could. So sad to have to lose such a wonderful lady to this beast of a disease.
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She passed at 10:15 tonight.
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