August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
Comments
-
I had tx # 5. # 6 this next thur. Dec. 2 yippee, I know I am slow with the se. i haven't had a lot of them. My eye keeps tearing also and both areas around my eyes twitch, and people notice it too. Kinda freaky lol
0 -
IowaSue - I also have the eye twitching and watering from TCH.0
-
TWITCHING
I dont think i posted this or i might have and it been deleted (that darn cat!) lol but my dr suggested drinking more gatorade and eating more potassium (bananas) to help with the twithcin, something about a deficiency making it send a message to the muscel that doesnt get picked up so your body twitches- the days i remember to drink gatorade it does seem to help!
0 -
Neuropathy, my left hand is hurting in addition to being numb. It is progressing and I haven't had chemo in 18 days. My right hand is having more pronounced numbness too. The soles of my feet remain numb.
Eveb though I have been taken off of chemo I am scared at how this neuropathy is still progressing. It hurts inmy hands.
My taste buds are still bizarre, mashed potatoes were okay, cranberry relish tasted good. Nothing else was good to me. grrr.
Please take the neuropathy seriously, it can become permanent and you cannot predict yours won't. I never dreamed this would get so much worse from the early weeks when my feet felt funny.
Good news my husband put up our christmas tree. The lights are soo pretty. Also our granddaughter is 3 months old now and she smiled and laughed with me for hours yesterday. WHat a gift she is!
I am thankful for all of you. You mean a lot to me.
Ginger
0 -
Ginger: I am so glad your tree is up and that little baby is giggling with you for hours! They are both happy boosters! I love the tree, as I have said before, and the lights are just majestic. I normally go the Festival of Lights all around the state but this year perhaps I will be skipping them all! I am sorry to hear your neuropathy gets worse but it really was my understanding that given time, most chemo patients recover from chemo-induced neuropathy. I hope this turns out to be the case for you.
Texas: POTASSIUM! I totally forgot about that but you are correct. Twitching is a sign of low potassium. I don't know about you but sometimes I feel like part dietician and part scientist trying to keep track of all this stuff we are supposed to take and eat while on this chemo!
0 -
Ginger - I am sorry to hear the numbness is getting worse and it is hurting. Did you try the L-glutamine powder? I think it helps me. I get it from GNC and mix 2 teaspoons in a small glass of water with half a squeezed lemon twice a day. The glutamine is supposed to upregulate the production of nerve growth factor which helps the nerves recover from the chemotherapy.
0 -
I know some peeps don't like "pink However, yesterday the staff was putting up a pink tree in the infusion room that was donated by a former patient. complete with all sorts of ornaments, buttons, pins. Older daughter was with me and we enjoyed checking out the buttons such as "I'm having a no hairday" etc. One ornament was a pink polka dot bra that looked more like a swimsuit top. The dr on duty mentioned that maybe that mind offend someone. I couldn't not hold my tongue. I said I don't think so, like it might "remind" us that we have BC. Having the Her 2 positive along with LIsa and some others I feel that awareness is important. 10 years ago without herceptin our prognosis would not have been so good.
Off to do the happy dance at the mall. LIzzymack I cannot believe you braved the early sales. DD and I left chemo at 12:30 and headed to target. The crowds had waned by then. My Wednesday thrift intervention was not exciting, just a couple of books (that I can understand) etc. DD and I almost witnessed a rumble between two thrift shoppers. It was nice to spend the day with her and catch up on her romance. Her father is about to go insane because she is seeing a gentlement 12 years older than her. I am not offering advice, except make sure he treats you well, etc.
Texas Are you finding good deals on usedWii games? WE bought our Wii last year on CL. Bowling and water tubing can get crazy at our house. Beth
0 -
I have the eye twitching as well (TCH). Drives me crazy when it's both lids because they are always out of sync. My DH keeps looking to see the twitch but it's so slight… but just enough to drive us crazy.
I eat dried apricots and peanut butter daily. I also eat a lot of avocados and brussel sprouts. They are high in potassium so I know it's the chemo and not my potassium levels.
0 -
House - I sortof wish I could have gone somewhere else to do chemo - now everything in my house reminds me of feeling sick with chemo. Hope that goes away eventually.0
-
Hello ladies, I hope everyone is doing well this Saturday. We had family visiting for Thanksgiving, my parents live in Nevada and DH's family lives in Maryland and we hadn't seen any of them since before my chemo started. So it was fun to see them and spend a few days together but it was also tiring! Fortunately they stayed in a hotel but DH and I spent all day with them Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then they all left around mid-day yesterday. Even though I am a little late on it, I will also chime in that I am so thankful for all of you ladies and our forum here. It is so helpful to talk to other people who really get it!
LadyinBama I think you are an Auburn fan, right? If so then congrats on a great win yesterday (if not them I'm sorry!).
I'm so excited for the big FSU vs Florida game this afternoon. The game is here in town but we don't have tickets so I'll be watching from the comfort of my couch! Go Seminoles!
Also congrats to everyone who finished their chemo this week! I am still hovering at the halfway mark and jealous that so many of you are finishing!
0 -
Hi all,
Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving. I had some family over and the kids had a greta time so it was nice. i did have to take a nap though, getting more fatigued I guess. And I am thankful for all of you, sorry I didn't pop in to say that. i had chemo yesterdya so didn't do any shopping. Guess I'd better start online. My white cells are low so they said if it continues they'll think about starting neupogen shots. I also have numbness in my hands and feet. I slammed my hand in the drawere the other day putting soem clothes away and I think I had a delay in feeling it so I had some bruising. The onc was concerned b/c yesterday was only 6 out ot 12 treatments. She asked if I could take my earrings in and out and I could, but she said I'll have to keep an eye on fine motor and how I'm walking. She said the damage can be permanent so they'd rather stop the chemo if it continues to get worse.That will be ahrd decision for me, Right now it feels weird to type so I'm not sure how much is too much.
Hope evryone has agreat weekend. I've got to work on getting out invitations for my son's birthday. He turns 6 on Christmas day:-)
Carolyn
0 -
Potassium - my nutritionist just gave me a list of potassium rich foods. He explained that it's important that the balance between potassium and sodium be high, such as bananas.
Dates are REALLY good for potassium - (mmmm dates.....we used to order them from a place in Arizona that grew their own.,... 
) and if you don't want the sugar from Gatoraid, there is non flavored electrolyte solution that you can get in any Rite Aid or grocery store. Lack of potassium can also cause night time leg cramps. I've been feeling pretty crummy these past few days. Yesterday my leg and hip pains were the worst they've been. I felt like crying. But I did' sleep well last night and am feeling better today. They are still there but I'm able to do much more and I'm going to go outside and walk in a little while. I tried that yesterday and it just made things worse - the first time that exercising has made things worse for me during chemo.
Texas - awesome on the Wii! My kids love theirs!! And yes, you can play gamecube games on it! I sell video games and i always advertise that Gamecube are wii compatible.
And Gamecube games are really cheap right now. I just nabbed a Wii Fit Plus with the balance board on amazon last night on a"Lightening Deal". They have a certain item that goes on sale for a block of time. If you get it in time, you can buy it - if not, you're "wait listed" and if someone who has it in their "cart" decides not to buy it, you will be notified. I was number 300 something on the waiting list and suddenly I got a pop up that I was next and I could buy it - so I did. $67 with free shipping - their original price was $79 marked down from $99. So I'm happy. I hated to spend the money specially since it's mostly for me (DH can give it to me for Christmas) but it's cheaper than joining a gym!! And I will need it for days when I really can't get out and run in the winter weather. I'm determined to get back into shape and keep my weight down especially with the tamox.
Was reading black friday stories - I'm appalled at the number of people who were not only hurt, but robbed on the way to their car of all their "deals". It's unreal how people behave this time of year!
Ginger - - I'm sorry about your neuropathy -I have been having pains in my arms this round. Taxol definitely builds up!
I wonder if accupuncture would help with something like that. I have never had it and don't know much about it......... Hope everyone is having a good weekend. The weather's turned cold here....but I'm just spending today cleaning and dont' feel like dragging out the Christmas stuff just yet.
0 -
ckptry seems Taxol has more neuropathy problems than Taxotere. I still have the left heel and maybe a couple of days of the left palm go numb. Left heel seems to almost go away by treatment time. I'm still doing 500mg of Acetyl-L-Carnitine. I think it's helped since this round the neuropathy is the same as last tx, maybe not as bad. Granted I'm not Taxotere not Taxol.
Still even if you only do 6 out of the 12 Taxol did you have 4 rounds of AC first? I assume you will/are doing Herceptin. You might ask onc what it means to stop early. The numbers might not be all that different given all the treatment you're going through.
0 -
JSW: Thanks and War Eagle!!! That one was a nail biter, but all the AU/Ala. games are. I don't want to jinx it, but we could actually be on our way to play for the championship! Good luck to the Seminoles today. I'm in a football pool that my stepson started (it's on ESPN.com, you pick the winners of 10 games each week, competing against the others in your group). Anyway, I've got FSU picked, so ya'll better win!
Neuropathy: I didn't want to do Taxotere so my onc said we'd do Taxol. But then he told me Taxol is worse at causing neuropathy. But he did say we could start Taxol and switch to Taxotere if neuropathy got bad (I eventually went on with taxotere instead). Just a thought .. it might be an option to try another drug if the Taxol is getting to you.
0 -
support group - Is anyone going to a support group in your area?0
-
I am. I go every Monday night at Mt. Sinai. It's fantastic. It is so great to be around people who "get it". No matter how great my friends and family, these women are living it every day.
Ok. Now. May I bitch and moan? My last chemo is this Friday, 12/3. I am elated about that. What I am NOT elated about is the fact that I no longer have any eyebrows and my eyelashes are nearly gone too. I am a makeup wiz and am able to disguise it all with brow pencil, eyeliner, false eye lashes, etc. But for some reason this is truly depressing the hell out of me. I am very fair and blonde (well, when I had hair that is) and I feel like a ghost with no make up on. I've always dyed my brows because they were so light and now they are just gone....I truly look like a cancer patient and ironically at the end of the chemo. Ugh.
And then I have a surgery scheduled for 12/20 to fix my implants. This will be the 9th surgery I've had in 2 years. Four related to cancer, and four related to reconstruction and infection.
Then there's radiation that will start sometime in Feb and go on every day for 6 weeks. I AM SO SICK OF THIS. I know I should be grateful bec. they are being sooooo agressive with me. When this is done I'll be on Tamoxifen and and aromitase inhibitor for the next 10 years. All good. But really. I just want to have a normal life.
Thanks for letting me vent.
0 -
ckptry I ended up having 3 neupogen shots. However, did not have any side effects. I would see the dr on Wed before chemo. If WBC was really low they would neupogen me so I'd be ready for the chemo on Thursday;. Inevitably it rebounded in time for chemo. I had them inject me in the tummy fat for the last 2...no stinging to burning....couldn't even feel it. The one in the arm was like a bee sting.
Taxol vx Taxotere I have had 6 tx of Taxotere, carboplatin and Hercept. So far no neuropathy. Maybe a little tingling in the feet early am.
lago I've also had the eyetwitch begining with the left now the weird unsychronized twitch. Its crazy.
Beth
0 -
Libraylil: the doctor might have meant some people might get offended who are celebrate Kwanzaa, Hannukah or who are Jehovah Witnesses etc.... It is very hard to decorate a melting pot like a hospital effectively for the holidays. My mother had a company and she had such an ecclectic mix working for her that each year she decorated for everything. It really needs to be all or none. I think the doctor might have been leaning toward a more ecumenical decorative effort as opposed to the pink tree....then again it could have been the pink tree?!? On the BF shopping trip, I need my head looked into! I can't believe I did that either even though I was only out of my house for a total of 45 minutes!
You guys have inspired me! I would have never thought of buying a Wii used off of CL! NEVER! I don't have kids and don't love games but I kind of wanted a Wii for the "fit" series. I just did not want to spend all that money but now if I can get the Wii off CL then I can buy the "fit" stuff new and cut my costs way down. That is a great idea. Plus when my nephews, Godson and friends with kids come over, I am sure they would like to have some Wii fun!
Claritin: I never had allergies so I never had to buy this stuff. I was a little surprised it is $25 per box but that is ok. I bought a bunch of it, like $150 worth, to get me right to the end of chemo taking it 1x per day. This morning I went into my bathroom to open up the next box of 24 and I also had another box of 10 just to cover the last 8 days between the last box and my last chemo. Can you believe someone STOLE my Claritin? I was stunned. I called my best friend, who went shopping with me to make sure I did buy all that Claritin and sure enough I did. I knew I did. I cannot believe someone I know, or don't because there has been a lot of traffic in this house, stole Claritin. My friends are not morally or financially poor or at least I would like to think so. In any case, I will be hiking off to CVS to buy another $50 worth of Claritin. People are sick to steal from someone with bc. Sad folks out there today.
Twitching: people are going to think we are WINKING at them!!!!!! I get the eye twitching also but, unlike some of you, my potassium consumption is pretty low these days.
Zachsmom: I am with you. I am tired of this as well. I have a surgery in Feb to fix a failed TE then I have fills then another the surgery for the permanent implants and then radiation. After that I have 1 more surgery. I am focusing on next year, next holiday season and NOT having to go through this all again. Don't forget they are being aggressive with us and we were aggressive with ourselves in opting for an mx/bmx so we don't have to spend the rest of our days in the hospitals/dr's office waiting rooms. I did the bmx so I could totally put as much of an end to the potential for recurrence as possible and to get the heck out of the medical industrial complex as quickly as possible. Last time I was in a hospital I was 17 getting my tonsils out and now I freakin' just about live there for the past 9 months. I am so glad I did not try lumpectomy, even though I was encouraged, because in my case, with so much IDC and DCIS, I would have been squarely in the system for about 3 years, if I lived that long, while they carved me up and eventually did a bmx or mx. I really think the DCIS would have festered and I would have had huge problems, if not be dead, way sooner than in having chosen the bmx which was 50% prophylactic. In any case soon we will be OUT of this system! I can't stand it any more than you.
0 -
Calamtykel: I am sorry to read you are having hip and leg pains. Personally I think those are the worst because they negate your ability to comfortably walk and put undue pressure on your back. I am glad you slept well, however, and hope you sleep well again tonight. Take it easy because the more you do when you have hip and leg pains, the worse it gets.
Ckptry: I am so sorry to read about your issues with numbness and the fact that they may want to stop txs. Clearly they would have to if it gets worse but I just hope it does not and you are able to finish. I just hope it does not get worse. Best of luck to you, woman.
Omaz: I thought about the house thing. I also try to wear the same clothes to chemo because I am going to throw them out immediately when I am done. I also started a packing tote to put all my scarves, wigs, paperwork etc... in and it is going to the basement as soon as I am done with all of this. I don't want reminders hanging around. Don't forget you can move furniture, get new furniture, put up new blinds/curtains etc... and do something in your house you would have never done before. Change the décor...you will be ok...oh, yeah....and paint using invigorating colors...you can lose the whole bc reminder stuff with lots of paint!
Lago: you are a potassium-consuming machine! All good stuff. I should get some dried apricots...in fact I will tomorrow!
JSW: enjoy those games! Your Thanksgiving company/entertaining story made me want to take a nap! I agree on all who talk about the fatigue getting worse. I am cleaning my house this weekend and at 1 I had to take a nap. These naps aren't even a luxury but rather a necessity. In any case, JSW, relax and enjoy that game!
I hope you all are having a nice weekend. LIke I said, cleaning house. It feels good. Thanksgiving did a number on the kitchen which is also why I don't like to cook because then I don't ever have to clean!
0 -
Omaz - this IS my support group.
For me, I can't imagine getting much more support than here. But I understand how important support groups can be! The cancer center has a support group run by one of my favorite nurses at the center and I have a friend who had BC last year who goes there. She invited me - I dunno...... I'm tired of running to the center for chemo, bloodwork and neulasta..... it's about 25 minutes away.Lizzy - I'm confused -you left the claritin in the bathroom and someone took it from your house? What did they return? That's insane that someone would steal from a medicine cabinet - not like it's a meth ingredient or something! =:O
My pain is significantly better this afternoon. I ran my duaghter to my brothers, since she likes going to their Saturday night coffee house at church and came home and went for a long half hour walk. Hot and sweaty now and trying to start dinner. I think when the chemo finally starts leaving the body, then the stabbing pains go away. Just hoping I can shake the brain fog and the blues - that ALWAYS happens after the taxol. I just flatline emotionally. Don't even feel like putting up the tree......
0 -
calamtykel: someone stole $50 worth of Claritin out of my bathroom. Claritin is packed in these little tin foil, 10 pill squares! There is one lone square left with 8 pills in it. I never opened any of the boxes until I moved them to my pill-taking station in the kitchen. There were only closed boxes in the medicine cabinet so i don't know if the thief returned it OR it was just something I forgot about. I did not, however, forget buying $50 worth of Claritin and I tossed my house looking for it What a gross thing to do.
Survey: how many times do they ask us if we will take that survey before they stop!? We are not appropriate subjects for their study yet!
Off to Staples...later!
0 -
Cal - this is my support group too. I was just wondering what others had experienced. There is a group at my cancer center but its a drive and in the evening which I don't want to do.
We got a tree but the lights aren't right, can't find the ornaments, my arms are too heavy to hold up, grumble grumble. Maybe leave it till tomorrow.
0 -
For get the pink Christmas tree. They should put up a Festivus pole so everyone can air their grievances.
Story of Festivus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS7-jcsB_WQ `````````````````````````````````
Trader Joes sells dried apricots in large bags. Cheaper than getting them at the grocery story. They have the California ones with and without sulfer dioxide as well as the Turkish ones.
````````````````````````````````
Support group… This forum although there is a thread specific to my state. I'm going to meet several of the ladies next week at their annual holiday BC party. I tried to meet them this past September at the Komen race but some how missed them.
0 -
lizzy - too WEIRD! How could they steal from someone with BC?! And rummaging in the medicine cabinet! UGH!
I agree about the survey - I started taking it and it was about Tamox! I selected "I am not taking tamoxofen or something like that and it continued to ask me about the drug! What? Now i just click out of it.
Noticed in car mirror today that my eyebrows are falling out asymetrically . Hm. I look really interesting in my Santa hat.......
I'm considering taking the kids out to Hershey Park in PA for their Christmas thing. They open the park in the evenings with some rides and do a big holiday thing with a light show and all that jazz. My kids love Hershey; in fact, last time we were there, I'd had two mammos and was waiting for my breast surgeon appointment.
/ So it's kinda like a full circle thing. It's like a 2 1/2 hour drive so we would probably stay overnight. There's a nice little motel in Harrisburg that we always stay at. Last time we got a room with a fireplace (it was propane or gas or something- it was summer, so we cranked up the air conditioner and put on the fireplace ) but that's sounding pretty nice about now. It won't be cheap but I feel like it would be great for the kids and I to get away (DH has to work.)
Anybody in PA done Hershey at Christmas?? Worth it??0 -
Calamtykel - Hey! We live about 25 minutes from Hershey. We have had season passes for a few years now and it is funny that you say about being there after mammos and waiting for breast surgeon appointment. I remeber going up there a number of times this summer at various points in the whole process. Right after finding out that it was cancer (we went up two days before my surgery) and I was holding my little girl watching my husband and son on a ride and I just cried. We went up a bunch of other times (and I have cried a few of them - when I see "normal moms" and wish for those carefree days). We went to Halloween at Hershey and are maybe heading to Christmas Candylane tomorrow night. It is nice, but I would not go every year if we didn;t have passes. The light show in the park is pretty. Sweet lights was crazy. It is their drive thru light display. It took a couple hours to go through about a 2 mile stretch. The little ones got very rammy! It is also a two lane road and we were next to a bus which blocked our view of the other side. You'll have to let us know if you go!
Michelle
0 -
mommichelle -- I've heard that Sweet Lights is insane--that the traffic is horrendous. I'm pretty sure we'll skip that! I know that Bethlehem, PA also does a lights and display thing but I've heard that also is lots of traffic, and then there's Lights on the Parkway near Allentown (I think?) that my parents took the kids to once. But maybe we'll give the trip a try --just to get away. Drive out in the afternoon and then stay over and leave in the AM.
It seems like just a nice quick getaway that I can surprise them with. I'm not saying anything because I will have to watch the weather, etc- the motel has a cancellation option so I can just book it and cancel - not tell them until right before if we go. hoping to get to bed early tonight!
0 -
I'm still lurking around mostly reading all the posts! JSW I too am somewhat jealous of those whose chemo is ending or has ended! This taxotere every 3 weeks is too much waiting but it does take about 1 1/2 weeks for the worst of the SE's to end. I hate everything tasting like bug spray and of course the pain and neuropathy. Has anyone had skin peeling from one or both feet? My toes are very sore from neuropathy, nail changes and skin peeling! Yeah I can relate to whomever said they are at the end but looking more like a cancer patient because of the eyebrow/eyelash loss. I never used to like to see women with drawn on eyebrows but now I am doing it. I bot stencils. I guess the LGFB class didn't really help me because I look bad and feel worse. I did buy glue on eyebrows and they were a joke! the glue is white like elmers and if you get too much they you have to try to remove it then that part of the brow is loose - what a hassel! I have #3 of 4 taxotere scheduled this friday and was just realizing that #4 would fall on xmas eve and with xmas being saturday i'm sure the onc office will be closed that friday and maybe thursday! I don't want to wait another week to get #4 in so i'm calling 1st thing monday to see if i can't get it done on wed.
also waiting on bone scan results. in aug 2 radiologists said my rib spot was probably an old fracture but wanted to redo the scan in 3 months. waiting waiting waiting......
my mom had her hernia surgery and is on the mend though very slow. I took her home last week and started having chills and a fever, lots of fatigue so I don't know who was feeling worse!!!
well ok enough of the pity party. glad everyone seems to have had a nice thanksgiving. Ours was small and quiet - just the way i like it!
0 -
Calamtykel: GO TO HERSHEY! I never heard anyone say they had a bad time at Hershey AND my friend, who lives in PA, used to take her son there around Christmas and she said it was great. GO, have fun, be merry! I am sure the kids will love it! I will live vicariously through you
I hope you go...kids love everything anyway but I do hear it is a nice time. 0 -
Funny: I read about this today and checked it out; I think it's hilarious, and I think some of you will find the humor in it. It's a blog by a comedian who has taken photos from catalogs and written captions for them. The fictional couple who "live" in the catalog are Gary & Elaine. I guess it really struck a chord with me because there is so much that used to mean something to me - like having a perfect house - that all just seems like BS these days when compared to what we are going through in life. Hope you enjoy: http://catalogliving.net.
0 -
LadyinBama That blog is hysterical. I just love the idea of it. The captions are great.
0
