Calling all TNs
Comments
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I'm sick too! Feels like the flu. Husband has it too. I have an appt. Y tomorrow with onco. I'm coughing, my lungs hurt, and i feel like I've been hit by a truck. Temperature was 99 so i think I'm ok. If I'm not sick and this is a side effect this is awful. Had a wonderful Christmas. Small, but with four kids even a small Christmas is a huge accomplishment. Everyone was behaved and grateful. Can't ask for any better than that. Happy holidays!
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Hopefaithcourage...I got a cold too on Monday and fought it hard all day xmas. My nose hurts so much and I think I now have nose sores. My temp was 99.8 at the highest. My back is just killing me. I would just like a break. I am SOOOO happy xmas is over.
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Just what we needed. We got through our first chemotherapy and then got a cold! Hope we can both get rest today. My house is so disgusting i can't stand it may have to stay that way. Peace sister.
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I hope everyone had a Very Merry Christmas! Sorry to the ones that didn't feel good with colds, flu and chemo symptoms. I love the Holidays, but I a have to say I am glad Christmas is over. Now just have to figure out when I am going to clean my messy house. Hope everyone has a good week and here is to a better New Year for the ones who have been going through treatments and for us newbies a Happy New Year also. Hugs to my new friends:)
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Here's wishing that 2013 brings shrunken tumours, effective treatments, no mets, no new diagnoses, no Se's and good health and loving and supportive family and friends to all of you!
Doreen
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I so sympathize with all of you struggling with colds and the need for housecleaning. There is a service called "Cleaning for a Reason" http://www.cleaningforareason.org/
You apply, your oncologist faxes them a note stating you are in treatment, and if they can match you with a service in your area, you get cleaning once a month for four months for free. Yes, free. Now, I know that once a month is not enough to keep a place clean, especially with children. But it will surely help.
I had the first of what I hope is a very long run with Carboplatin this morning. Because I'm getting it weekly, the infusion takes 30 minutes and I should be relatively side-effect-free. Let's hope. And let's hope it works, I need something to work.
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Luv - Hope springs eternal in the human breast.
Jan
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Luv: praying this works for you!!
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Luv...oh yeah..I sincerely hope the carboplatin kicks this stuff...please!
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Cried like a baby to my 17 year old daughter early this morning.
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Sjesse,
About your question on tumor shrinkage during neoadjuvant chemo: I had 4 cycles of dose dense neoadjuvant AC and am finishing 12 cycles of taxol (2 remaining). I did not notice much shrinkage on AC, which made me very nervous. Then I only had about 40 percent shrinkage at 6 weeks into taxol. But the key for me (and some others who have posted on this topic) is that the chemo was killing the tumor even though it was not shrinking much. Even though a lump remained, it was nearly all dead tissue inside. Dead tissue (ie not cancer) is just as good as shrinkage. The MRI I had after 6 taxol cycles showed a lump the radiologist said was like an apple - the only cancer was on the outside "skin." Now after 10 taxol cycles no one can feel the lump. However, we won't know until the surgery and pathology report whether all cancer is gone - pathology is more accurate than MRI or palpation.
I don't know about your case. There are instances of tumors not responding to certain chemo drugs. But I wanted to let you know about the "dead tissue" phenomenon as a possibility as you go through chemo. My breast surgeon had said it could happen.
Best of luck,
Jennifer0 -
Placid..my surgeon said the same thing about dead tissue. The tumor is actually encased in a little "shell", and when she pulls the tumor out, it is shriveled up dead tissue. I hope this will be the case for all of us!!
Jenjen and HopeFaith: hope you two are feeling better. I caught a cold early on like you have and it took three rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it. Then the antibiotic gave me a yeast infection. That was fun!
In the big girl chair now for my last chemo. Here comes the lorazapam. Goodnight!0 -
Well, second treatment is in the books. Went yesterday and it wasn't too bad, even with the anti-nausea meds was pretty nauseous the rest of the day but managed to eat some scrambled eggs and drink LOTS of water. Was very tired too and let myself sleep in this morning. Got up feeling all right though, no nausea just a little fatigued.
placid44 and Hopex3, thanks for your explanations, of course I obsessviely checked this morning and no changes, I know I need to be more patient, it's only been 24 hours. I've noticed that both you ladies did Dose Dense chemo, I am on 21 day cycles of FEC right now, if there are no changes by my next Onc appt. I'm going to ask her about Does Dense, not sure if that is doable with the FEC though or what the proticols are in Canada.
On top everything else going on my stupid dryer broke down on on the 25th, ugh. I have a guy coming over to fix it this afternoon, hope I'm not waiting around most of the day.
To everyone going in today, hope everything goes well. Minimal SEs and all that good stuff, take care of yourselves.
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Anne, I saw my surgeon today. I think I needed reassurance about the swelling in the breast and the cording. He said I had a seroma but didn't want to drain it yet. Told me to use heat and do exercises, like finger walking up the wall facing it and perpendicular to it, and to bend over and do "churning" like rotations with my arm. Ten of each, finger walking up and churning clockwise and counter clockwise. He also told me to massage my breast firmly. That smarts!!. Getting my port placed tomorrow so I will be a bit gimpy on both sides now. Not feeling to bad today, yesterday was an emotional rollercoaster. Take care, Sheryl
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Luv: Sending my positive energy that this is THE one that kicks the crap out of it. Fingers and toes crossed for you.
Hopex3: Happy Dance for your last chemo. It's always a great feeling to walk out of there for the last time. I hope you wore your big girl undies for the big girl chair.
Hoping everyone had an awesome Christmas.
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hello all
my tumor started at 2 cm, grew to 6cm when commenced chemo, finished chemo tumor 9cm, path report after mastectomy was 10cm.
tumor became chemo resistant on 4th dose.
breast surgeon went ahead with mastectomy.
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Hello TN sisters! Today marks my 14th year cancer free and I wanted to share my joy with all of you! I was diagnosed at 31 and I'm 45 now! Peace, love, joy and hope to all of you.
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Anita - I love you for posting this, as I just finished crying about this. This gives me hope and encouragement. xoxo
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Anita - here's to your next 14 ! Cheers and thanks for posting.
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Jenjenl, hang in there. Time does heal all. My boys were 3, 8, and 10 that first year. Treatment was hard but we made it through and you will too. My baby is graduating high school this year and I feared I would never see it, but here I am. You can do it too. God bless!
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Went to gyno today because i have bad periods. Learned something interesting. She asked lots of questions. One was do i have hot flashes? I. Do but only since chemotherapy. I am very modest but i get so hot i have to sleep without a shirt. She said chemotherapy is most likely killing my ovaries and my period will stop. I'm going to get a hysterectomy because of fibroids. I'm trying to keep my sense of humor but when i got a biopsy i got a little cranky.
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Thank you Anita! Are you BRCA positive?
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Anita...best post we will see all week and a great one to end this up n down year for all of us...thank you thank you!!
Maggie
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Hey fellow TNBC folks,
Had my port placed today, my anesthesiologist very conservative and actually intubated me and put me out. No problems at all. Arm kinda achy but I know as a nurse they put you in some weird positions when they do procedures. Still numb from the surgery at the site so more to come I am sure. I was really nervous even more so than the lumpectomy and SLNB but all well. More to come, start chemo 1/10, anxious to see what kind of SE's I have.
Hang tough.
Sheryl
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Anita - I notice you only had Adrimycin and Cytoxan as your chemo drugs - were you offered Taxol at all? Just wondering? Congratulations on staying cancer free - do you follow any special diet?
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Thanks Anita for posting this. I was 33 when diagnosed last yearand i fear that i will not see my boys graduate or marry or anything like that. I needed to read this today. All the best to you, you give me hope
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Anita: thank you so much for posting that. Congratulations to you!! Some of us including me are having a difficult time with this dreaded cancer that was bestowed on us. Hearing your positive outcome give us all hope!
Best wishes to you!!
Erin0 -
Sheryl: you will be so glad you got a port. So easy! Mine has never bothered me!
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LNBCA - I do not know if I am BRCA positive. My insurance would not cover it. It's expensive to get that answer without coverage. I was quoted just under 4K.
Adagio - About taxol, my MO mentioned it as an optional treatment. It was fairly new at the time and she left it up to me without really pushing it. I was so fatigued after the cycles of the other drugs that I just didn't want any more. I recall my limbs feeling like they weighed 600 pounds sometimes. She and my entire team strongly urged the prophylactic mastectomy of the healthy breast and I had that done after I finished chemo. It was also recommended that I consider having the ovaries removed but was not pushed. I eventually had that done too at the five year mark when I was sure we didn't want more children. I do not and have not followed any special diet. I do try to include plenty of fruits and veggies many of which I grow in my garden and can/freeze for year round use. I avoid fast food when I can and include regular exercise at least twice a week, preferably more.
Everyone else, it is my absolute pleasure to provide encouragement and hope to all of you. You can do it too! Blessings and joy in the new year:-)
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