August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
Comments
-
Yay, Rachel!
Texas, I too would say that by 2 weeks you'll be okay. Driving was hard for me. It hurt to turn the steering wheel. I didn't have any muscle removed so I'm not sure how that might lengthen your recovery time.
I'm chanting for you, Lil.
I have had the 2 month post chemo visit with my onc and they drew blood. I can't remember what the test is called, but the nurse said it had to do with screening for a reoccurance.
0 -
Rachel - YEAH! I am so happy for you and your good news on the scans. I know you must be relieved. Celebrate and enjoy...it is so hard and stressful to go through the waiting. Pamper yourself!
Cal - Glad they didn't find anything at the ER. Maybe it was even stress related form all the worrying? I had an optical migraine right before Christmas and it scared me a lot. Every day after, I waiting for another one to happen. So glad there hasn't been any since (knock on wood). So it was probably just something random that happened to you too.
Texas - I think what everyone has said about 2 weeks being enough for recovery is about right. I know I was feeling good but I only had one and no muscle removed. I pinned the drains to the bra the surgeon put on me. I wore that bra for the first couple days. The drains were a pain with the kids, but luckily you usually do not need them for long.
Lil- Hoping and praying for great news that all went well. Hugs!
All - Enjoy the weekend. It is cold here in PA and only gonna keep getting colder. Expecting lows below zero at some poing, and that will break a 15 year old record! Not as bad as some of you, but cold just the same!
0 -
Cal & Rachel: Hooray for good test results.
Texas: I had BMX with TEs, I was ok in 2 weeks. But, the muscle removal may make it different for you. The BMX was pretty easy, the dang tissue expanders hurt like heck for a little while. Like Lizzy said, drains are a pain in the rear, but they could be gone by 2 weeks.
Lil: Hoping you are doing well.
I'm supposed to have my first f/u with MO since finishing chemo on Monday. Last one got cancelled because of snow/ice. Now they are saying it might snow again this Monday! If my appt gets cancelled again I'm gonna scream! I just want to see the doc and ask him where we go from here.
0 -
Hi all...
So much has happen since the last time I was here...I had a staph infection...my port had to be remove...my port was on same side as mastectomy... probably happen when they readjusted it...I was in hospital from Dec 27 - Jan 4...then I got a Picc line and had 7 days of IV antibiotics at home...then one week oral...
Started rads Thursday...28 treatments...8am every morning...I join gym...for last two days right after rads I went and did 15 min on treadmill...I also went to a Zumba class for survivors...
You all are in my prayers...Out of sight...But not out of mind...Spiritually and Mentally I am at my best... Physical issues I get me down for a min...then I come up swinging...
0 -
Got last Herceptin through IV...praying veins hold out...I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER PORT...
0 -
sohard - So sorry you had such a rough go over the holiday. You and Lizzy both
. Glad you are feeling better and very happy to hear yuo say that mentally and spiritually you are feeling great...and that physically, even though you get down sometimes, you come right back up! I am very happy for you. How long do you have to have the herceptin? Are you finishing out a year?0 -
Sohard: Glad you are back. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital in October, so I feel for you; it's no fun especially since you were there at the holidays. "Come up swinging" ... I like that!
Rachel: I was looking at Facebook this morning and realized that I posted on your page that you were halfway finished with rads. 10 out of 30 is not half! Please don't think that everybody in the US is a math idiot; it's just me
0 -
texas The hardest part with the kids after bmx is that I wasn't allowed to lift them for 6 weeks. My 3 yo did have a meltdown and tried to run in the street so I had to sort of lift pull her. I had pain/ fluid under that arm the next day which luckily went away but it was a warning to me to take it easy. I would sit on the floor and hold them in my lap or have dh lift them from behind so it felt to them like I was holding them if they were upset. I'm very glad you'll have family to help. I couldn't lift my arms past my shoulders so dh had to help wash my hair. It was really long and I had to have him put it into a ponytail for me which turned out over one ear. After that I did wash n wear;-) By the second week I felt alot better. I didn't know they did mx in Stage 4, I was hoping that at least you'd get to avoid the surgery, but you're a tough cookie so I know you'll be fine. I'm sorry you had to hear that 1 in 4 statistic. I think I had mentioned my dad had stage 3 melanoma. It was on his chest so he basically had a mx with ALND, + nodes. They put his 5 yr survival at 5-10% WITH chemo. He didn't qualify for chemo b/c of a blocked artery and was put on a vaccine trial and has been NED for 13 years. Statistics don't really matter because you don't know which side you'll wind up on and I think with your attitude you'll kick cancer's a$$.
Carolyn
0 -
Ladyinbama...
I read your post and immediately went to my face book page... No post from you... Came back here and reread... You wrote Rachel...lol
My name is Rachel too... I was thinking, when did I friend her...lol
What were you in hospital for...
0 -
HI all --=
been having tamoxifen woes.
After much much much prayer, reading and research and thinking, I've decided to stop it for a week. I took it again this morning after a 2 day break after the emergency room thing and have been dizzy, light headed and foggy. My appetite is shot. I was up last night shaking and with hot flashes. I can deal with the hot flashes - I cannot deal with the anxiety and depression that also seem to come with this. I will be talking to my doctor but as of right now I will not put my body through this for the next five years. Feeling as I did the day of the ER and now today - I can'tn function - I'm not myself - I can't focus. I cannot and will not live like this. Lifemath says tamox adds about 4% onto my survival...........I can't even go running. I tried today and got too light headed and dizzy. It' s like a "spacey" feeling. Just thought after all the chemo, my life would be okay again. But this is worse than the chemo in many ways - at least I knew that was going away..........
0 -
Cal - I have read that some women start with one half the dose, maybe the dose is too high for you.0
-
if/when I start up again in a week, I'm going to start with half a dose. Right now I just want to totally purge my system and hit the "reset" button on everything. That way we can see what is the tamox and what isn't.................
0 -
Cal - good plan!0
-
Super easy dinner idea - cut up an onion coursely and lay the pieces in a big 'frying' pan on the stove. Lay 6 pieces of skinless boneless chicken thighs smooth side up on top. Sprinkle well with pepper and garlic powder and a few shakes of lite soy sauce. Get it hot and cooking then turn down the heat to low and cook an hour covered. Really good with rice or noodles because it makes a juicy sauce. Can add mushrooms cut in half too. Really easy after a long day!
0 -
Lady-- Goes to show how my mind works--I didn't even think of the "halfway" there until you mentioned it --- when I first looked at it, I thought--"woo---halfway there!".
Cal--Sorry to hear your hard time with Tamoxifen. Good thing to review with doc and figure out if this is what is causing your issues the last few days. I haven't noticed any side effects but do know that everyone is so individual. I met with my onco this week just to review how I am doing on Tamoxifen so clearly they know that some people have issues with the drug or else they wouldn't request specific appt for followup! I did notice some increase in hot flashes at night--but that seems to have calmed down now. I take mine in the AM--the whole dose--I had to write a post-it on the fridge to remind me. Hope that once you can "detox" your system--they will determine what is the issue for sure. Take care.
Omaz--thanks for the recipe--I shall try it--I hate cooking so always have hard time figuring out what to cook. I will minus the mushrooms as I am allergic!
0 -
Recipe - I forgot to add that the chicken has to be covered while it cooks! I don't like cooking either and this seemed to make the fam happy.0
-
Hey all- Sorry i am gonna be popping on and off the boards cuz i have a TON to do before my surgery. Monday i have an appointment in san antonio with oncologist, then have to pick up my matress from my sister in laws on the way home (its been there 6 months lol i have family staying with me when the surgery happens so i need it now)
tues-thur clean my house top to bottom!
friday my pre op appointment at the hospital (maybe get my herceptin infusion cuz thats due on monday)
sat- RELAX
sunday go to airport and pickup family then last minute things
Monday 7:30 surgery!
So anyhow i am here, trying to read the thread at least once a day so i dont have a ton of reading to catch up on
0 -
SoHard: I started running fever so they put me in hospital. Did tests, cultures, etc. for a week and never decided exactly what was wrong. They suspected an infection in port. I came home and was on IV antibiotics at home for a week. Then fever started again and I was back in the hospital for another week and home on IV again for a week. Finally got over whatever it was, but they never did diagnosis it. The second time they suspected a TE problem. Whatever ... I'm just glad that's over! It held up my chemo for a month.
0 -
Off to the airport, have a good week everyone!!
0 -
texasrose you are in my thoughts and heart as you go through surgery.
all my re excision was Friday afternoon. I was feeling like I deserved a large pity party, however the entire outpatient staff was in Friday afternoon mode so I was really lifted up before I went to the OR. True to form I went in and came out talking. My daughter went with me and said the BS will probably want to get a restraining order:). He came by pre op and talked to us for quite a while. Also told me that with neoadjuvant chemo the re excision rate is more like 40 % instead of 20%. This is due to the fact that the tumor does not just shrink like a deflating balloon, but in irregular ways. I was out by 5:30, home in my own bed. BS feels good about the margins, however I essentially had a reduction on lefty. It looks a little smaller. I see him on the 31st and will find out. libray lil
0 -
Libraylil - Glad you are home and the surgeon seems to feel like all is good! Rest and try to enjoy the day!
Texas - Will be thinking about you and praying for a successful surgery and quick recovery. I am sure you will be fine, you seem to be made of some pretty tough stuff! Hugs to you!
0 -
lil - Glad you are home and cozy and the surgeon feels good about everything!
DH and I went for a short hike this morning. I am 8+ weeks post final chemo and my thighs have stopped hurting when I go uphill!! Still move like an old woman when changing positions but at least the thigh thing has improved - yay!
0 -
Cal - It does sound like the Tamox is causing your problems. Trying a "reset" sounds like a good idea and then you can consult with your dr on how best to move forward.
Sohard - Good to see you again! Sorry to hear you were in the hospital but it sounds like you are doing much better now. Herceptin is not supposed to be as hard on the veins as chemo so hopefully you will not need to get another port. Are you getting your Herceptin weekly or every 3 weeks?
Texas - It sounds like you have a lot to do before surgery! I am sending good thoughts your way and I hope your surgery goes well.
Lil - I am glad your re-excision went well. See, I told you it would be easier than the original surgery! I hope you get good news from the surgeon at your return visit.
I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!0 -
Hi Everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!
Omaz: Thanks for the recipe, I am going to try it this week, sans the mushrooms. Between the two jobs and the many sports practices, I am always looking for quick dinner ideas. I LOVE my crockpot!! I am glad to hear you are beginning to feel better, coming out of the chemo fog..one mountain at a time.
Texas: Wow....what a schedule. I am glad you reserved a day for relaxing!! Your breast surgeon seems like he is good and very knowledgeable. I hope the surgery goes well. I am sure you will be relieved once that cancer is out at least. I will be praying for you!!
Sohard: Great to hear from you!!! Sorry you had such a hard time of it, but it seems like you have a good attitude. I wish you continued recovery!
Iowasue: Enjoy the Florida sunshine and the warmth!!
Calam: Don't worry about the numbers you find or the research studies. I can tell you right now that for every study against Tamox, there is one for it. Studies are very suspect at best and you really have to know what the study parameters are before you draw conclusions based on them. And as for the numbers....we all had a 1 in 9 chance of getting breast cancer. We were the 1!! So much for those odds.....so why bother with the "odds" anymore.
The bottom line is that you have to do what you are comfortable with. You were uncomfortable with the chemo, but probably went along with it because it was a short period of time and you could "detox" afterwards. Tamoxifen is five long years, and I think that is why you are having such problems taking it. So, you need to go with your feelings, because like you said you have a life to live and you have to do it in a way that you can function. Stay strong and do what you think is best..it is your body and you have that right!
Still freezing here, and somebody at my son's hockey game says they are predicting 30" of snow for Tuesday????!!! I certainly hope they are wrong. Stay warm everyone!!
Debbi
0 -
Good evening chemosabes and radicals:
I am getting ready to pack my bag for chemo again. Here we go, for the last time thank God, with the *&^%$ steroids and the swamp and the bug spray-tasting food. I hope I am feeling so out-of-the-woods by mid-February and have a decent amount of hair by May. I am so looking forward to being able to get on my treadmill again.
Texas: I agree with ckptry in that you will be in the 25%. Additionally, it is 1 in 4 today and very well could be 2 in 4 soon enough. These stats are fast becoming antiquated as they learn more and more about bc. On the surgery, it is going to be such a breeze and you will so good when it is done because you sort of feel like you are permanently evicting any possibility of that cancer still living in your body. It is a great feeling to wake up from surgery knowing you made the choice and did all you could do to get it out of your body.
Libraylil: I am so glad your BS feels good about the margins and that is over with. It is also nice that the staff was in good spirits and kept your mind off surgery before you went in. Glad that part of it is over for you.
Ladyinbama: When you were hospitalized and they could not figure out what was going on, I guarantee it was the TE. That is what I was hospitalized for and chemo will very quickly smoke out any other type of infection like a tooth infection for example. It will go full-blown immediately. I would try to get some follow up on the TE and make sure one breast is not retaining more water than the other because that is a lingering sign of infection.
Hope your appt does not get cancelled but looking at that avatar it seems all but guaranteed!
Sohardbnme: welcome back! Missed you. How did you like Zumba? That is great that it was a class for survivors. I am wondering how you liked it. Good for you on picking yourself up, dusting off and joining the gym. Good moves. Glad to hear from you.
Calamtykel: sorry about the tamoxifen issues. Do you think the symptoms you are having now will go away as you "come up" on the dosage? I know it is frustrating and the 5 year thing is a long time. What is the address for lifemath?Iowa: enjoy the warmth! I am finishing chemo and I am seriously thinking I need to go away for a bit. This CT winter is unbelievable.
Omaz: YAY! Your thighs no longer hurt going uphill! That is such good news. You are making progress and getting back into pre-chemo shape. I am very happy for you. I don't like to cook but I don't have a family so I don't really need to although that recipe sure seems easy and sounds tasty. I am looking forward to the end of chemo and revisiting sushi!!!! I can live on it.
JSW: how are you doing these days? I hope you are doing well.
Sptmm: I am right across from you, woman, just a boat ride through LI sound and that storm this week is supposed to be another mess. My brother was in from Houston this weekend not before stopping in NJ on business and he was telling me how a coworker who lives in CT was remarking how he had to shovel his roof. My brother was so surprised to hear something like that! I told him they are $60 and flying out of the stores. Deb, how much more of this can we take?!?!? I have chemo again next week, last one, and then have to go back for neulasta...ugh...I would like ONE snow-free week.
I hope you all had a nice weekend and for those of you in a warm climate, enjoy!
0 -
Hi Lizzy - Glad you get to finish up chemo this week! Maybe the se's will be minimal since you have had time to build up a reserve. Sorry to hear about all the snow - sheesh you all are getting dumped on!0
-
From this site: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/tamoxifen
I learned: Although tamoxifen acts against the effects of estrogen in breast tissue, it acts like estrogen in other tissue. This means that women who take tamoxifen may derive many of the beneficial effects of menopausal estrogen replacement therapy, such as a decreased risk of osteoporosis.
I also learned about: tamoxifen and another drug, raloxifene, are equally effective in reducing invasive breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women who are at increased risk of the disease.
Raloxifene is a drug approved by the FDA for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Raloxifene is also approved by the FDA for reducing the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and in postmenopausal women at high risk for invasive breast cancer.
0 -
Lizzie--Good luck on chemo this week. Let's hope you get this over and done with fast and don't have to look back!
I cannot believe how much snow the US is getting--and to think everyone imagines we live under piles of snow in Canada. Today it is FREEZING COLD here--minus 30. Had to take my son to hockey this aft and it was actually warmer in the arena. I was walking everyday but in this weather--no thanks. Tomorrow is the start of third week of radiation...plus my oldest is getting braces on tomorrow--eeeekkk....could be a long day! So far, my radiation is going well--granted, the tech told me that the 3rd and 4th week normally bring the problems (gee..thanks!).
0 -
Lizzie: We can't take ANY MORE snow!!! And after the freezing temps of the past couple of days, I might be able to WALK to your house soon..forget the boat..lol! Good luck with your treatment. I bet your side effects won't be as bad as you remember because your body has had a little time to recoup, so it will probably be like the first one was, not the last one. Maybe we can get two snow free days...treatment day and the day after. I don't think that is too much to ask!0
-
Good luck with the rads Rachel!! I think if you are going to have major problems with rads, it shows up right away. If your skin is okay now, you will probably escape with just a major sunburn...but at least no blisters or things like that. That's how it went for me.
0
