August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
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Way to go Lizzy! We'll get all those lurkers out yet! Come join the fun!
They didn't tell me thickness of hair would have anything to do with it, but i also have thick hair, and it is the end of the 21st day, and have not lost any hair yet. (had 2 treatments so far, last one a week ago, 2 to go). Sounds like no way to know......
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I am 75% done with the AC tx! Hot flashes - I forgot to mention this se to the np so am writing this down this time. some nausea. slept 3 hours this pm. not feeling too bad but trying to get the last of the water down. DH to give me neulasta tomorrow. My NP says she has seen big strong lumberjack type men weeping about the se's from neulasta. It is hard to believe we all have different reactions to everything but so long as the outcome is NED i'll take it. CALAMTYKEL I was in a twilight sleep for my port and sort of remember being pushed around but no one asking me to hold my breath. My port is still sore. The NP poking around looking for it today and i nearly jumped out of the chair! She says "oh does it still hurt?" Yeah even with the emla cream! so I am wondering if there may be some infection around the port? I will see the onc next week and bring this up. Anyway hope your anxiety about the port was worse than the procedure. She also asked if I had any hair loss - I was wearing the wig and told her it was gone - which it mostly is.
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Thanks to whomever pointed out the "you know you are a cancer patient when....." thread. I just read the first 10 pages and I don't think I have laughed that hard in months! For those who haven't read it yet I highly recommend it (on the Stage III board).
I too, have thick hair, which is why they say I still have hair even going into my third treatment. But make no mistake about it, I would get some really weird second takes if I went out without a scarf......really bad old man comb over on the top!
Adey- glad your port placement went well. Hope the same for Calmatykel.
I have treatment #3 tomorrow, hope it goes as well as the first two.
Night everyone!
Debbi
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JSW I am post 2nd chemo and haven't had "the shot" either. Today at Herceptin was told my white count was low, but will see what it looks like at next Herceptin and prior to 3rd chemo.
WIG PEOPLE Dang it was so hot in NC this week that I broke bad and wore a turbany scarfy thing to school on Wednesday. No students today so doorag and baseball cap. Stares from adult coworkers. I did have one first grader tell me Wednesday that last year when she was in Kindergarten I wore my real hair. She looked so confused. Poor baby.
FRIENDS? Now my opinion on people that vanish is this. Us having C gives them a reality check. They realize they could easily walk in our shoes today or tomorrow.
CRYING JAG Last night I read way too much on the internet, hubby was irritable and I cried until my eyeballs almost fell out. He was scared that I was going insane so has treaded very lightly and politely today.
LISA I decided to work during this, mainly because were I at home I would think, dwell, and obsess and lie on the couch talking to the dog.Way too much time would be spent on True Crime shows. When I am busy at work I can actually forget about the big C for sometimes minutes at a time.
LIZZYMACK Sending good mojo your way on your first treatment. May your SE's be zero. Lay in a good store of Prune Juice.
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Adey: sadly I think "Parks and Rec" was cancelled
Get TAC! We will be TAC'ing it up through the holidays! Onemonga: it is very nice of you to have COCKTAILS for me around the holidays!!!! You are TRULY an angel!! What would I do without you?!! For the first time in years I was going to travel BOTH Thanksgiving and Christmas and now I will not be travelling for either
I was going to TN to see a friend that just moved there from CT and loves it and was going Upstate NY (Canadian border --frigid!) with my boyfriend to spend Christmas with his family. I was just telling him I think I will not be going to either place...or maybe just NY because it is SO frigid germs can't live! I was soooo looking forward to cross country skiing at Christmas up there. Oh well...chemo is first! Lisaattheshore: what flavor chemo are you on? I am going to do a wait-n-see on the fur as I really like my wigs, and will undoubtedly wear them even if I don't lose my hair as they are WARM, but it would be nice not to lose it all. Honestly, though, I am not attached to my hair...just attached to speculating!!!!
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Hey all - I got my port placed today. It was pretty awful - not the procedure but the two chemos I had messed with my veins and they could not place the IV.
The anesthesiologist went and got another doctor and he did it. Since I was practically crying by then they thought it best to go with general - so I was knocked out. It was okay - it wasn't the same anesthesia that I had with my mastectomy - it was somehow "lighter" even though I was totally out. I recovered faster and haven't had the same after effects as that time. My friend drove me home and I was REALLY queasy in the car - came home and immediately took a compazine. The hospital in Newark looked like a third world hospital - everyone was REALLY nice but I felt like I was in the 1950's or something. It was VERY strange. My fanny didn't want to touch that toilet when I had to pee! I came home and took a long, hot bath (port site out of the water of course.)
I'm lying in bed now and there's no pain even though all my pain meds have worn off. It is a bit sore when I stand up and stuff shifts and i just took two advil since I'm going to sleep soon.
I'm just so freaking done with all of this mentally. I'm tired of being beat up, brushed, burned, poked and poisoned. I feel like things will never be right again with me.
OH - as I was in recovery, my nurse shared with me that in two weeks she will have a mastectomy as well and will have chemo. We talked a while about that. I just cannot freaking believe how many women have this horrendous disease.
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calamatykel
Glad the port is in and you're not in pain! Mine was a little sore for a few days , I'm pretty thin up top and think it was rubbing my collarbone and I guess stretching the skin a little. They told me to take tylenol but I was glad I had leftover percocet from surgery to take at the end of the second day. Now it's fine, little aches her and there again b/c I'm thin it sticks out, even the tube is prominent. Well worth it for the blood draws and chemos! Make sure they give you an EMLA cream script; you won't even feel the needle pre chemo.
Carolyn
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calamatykel
Glad the port is in and you're not in pain! Mine was a little sore for a few days , I'm pretty thin up top and think it was rubbing my collarbone and I guess stretching the skin a little. They told me to take tylenol but I was glad I had leftover percocet from surgery to take at the end of the second day. Now it's fine, little aches her and there again b/c I'm thin it sticks out, even the tube is prominent. Well worth it for the blood draws and chemos! Make sure they give you an EMLA cream script; you won't even feel the needle pre chemo.
Carolyn
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calamatykel
Glad the port is in and you're not in pain! Mine was a little sore for a few days , I'm pretty thin up top and think it was rubbing my collarbone and I guess stretching the skin a little. They told me to take tylenol but I was glad I had leftover percocet from surgery to take at the end of the second day. Now it's fine, little aches her and there again b/c I'm thin it sticks out, even the tube is prominent. Well worth it for the blood draws and chemos! Make sure they give you an EMLA cream script; you won't even feel the needle pre chemo.
Carolyn
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Lizzy So glad you got a start date for chemo! You must be relieved. I know after having the summer to ponder all the potential awful side effects I was actually looking forward to starting; the anticipiation was driving me nuts. My second treatment seems much less bumpy, still low level queasy but I'm getting used to it so I know what to avoid. I hope it's smooth sailing for you. Hope you have a great weekend and are able to have an alcohol induced epiphany or two before you start next week. I won't be able to have a drink through the holidays either, my last treatment is 1/7 - my 45th birthday. But at least with the a/c part done I'll be able to enjoy birthday cake again!
Carolyn
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Good Morning all, I am up getting ready for my 2nd chemo and 4th herceptin, I am hoping this goes as well as the 1x besides my hair falling out I hardly had any se. Hope you all have a great and symptom free day and weekend !!! Prayers to each of you.0
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Hi everyone,
Haven't posted since August 17th, but have been reading daily. I just had my 3rd of 4 TC (Taxotere and Cytoxan). I had my first July 23, second August 12 and was suppose to have my third on September 2. My blood work was too low and they said I had to wait a week and get re-tested. Well I re-tested on Wednesday morning and I PASSED! I never though I would be saying YEAH! chemo, but I am soo glad to have number 3 out of the way. My infustion went well, no suprises. My fourth and final (hopefully), if my bloodwork comes out good, will be September 30th.
I never have had the Nuelasta shot through my first three treatments, my onc wanted to see if my body could recoup on it's own. I don't think that is an option for anyone on Adriamycin or longer lengths of infusions. I have been lucky so far. The week between my low blood counts to passing, I really watched my protein and fiber intake. I has trying to get 75 to 85 grams of protein a day. I also took it easy. The week before my best friend from Napa, California was visiting for a week and I only get to see her maybe twice a year, so we did alot. Oh well, it was worth it (missed her and needed to spend time with her),
I'm still taking steroids and Zofran today and then Zofran tomorrow. Sunday and Monday will be my down days if things go like they normally do. However, I have to say I have had very minimal side effects except fatigue, some itchy red bumps on my head (that are starting to subside, I'm using 100% Witch Hazel and it works and a little Bacitracin) and constipation (if I don't watch it carefully, which I am). After three times you are much more proactive.
Weird thing too my hair fell out for the most part on day 14 of treatments but now it is like these strawberry blonde wispy fine baby hair that's almost an inch and a half standing straight up all over my head. My Mom says my hair looks like it did when I was 6 months old. Even my onc commented on how much hair I had. Let's see if it falls out with Round 3.
Because of my low blood counts when I went to see my PS for a fill, I had a BMX with immediate reconstruction with TE, she said no more fills until 3 weeks after my last chemo. I'm fine with that, it is alot less running around and I got 3 fills in so I look fine for me. She said the fills can be taxing on the body too and she doesn't want to put me through more than I have to.
For all of you starting my best advice is drink plenty of fluids and eat your protein. I know I'm not telling anyone anything they haven't heard before, but it really, really makes a difference. Also, don't put up with alot of SE's, call your onc and get the right meds for you. You do not have to suffer, but you have to be proactive and "noisy" (squeaky wheel gets oiled").
Have a great weekend, we are having wonderful fall weather here in Wisconsin and I am loving the cooler weather.
Michelle
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wow, just reading about lady in New York who got caught faking leukemia to get monies to pay for a wedding, and a very fine wedding she had too....but then went on to read article about people who faked cancer which included Victoria Gotti who started out with a breast cancer claim, but eventually backed down. People shaved their head and plucked their eyebrows, and some just told others and found themselves receiving contributions and care from coworkers and friends. I cannot imagine life being so bad you had to come up to cancer for an excuse to improve your condition......the article promotes these people might have some psychological illness, well whooey to that.....I just think most times it's just out and out greed and a popularity thing. Article says this is on the rise, so hopefully it means the fakers are being outted sooner. Sad thing about life, is sometimes there is a new low.
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Deb-
OMG! I am flabbergasted and very sad.
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Lizzy, I am on taxetore and cytoxin (maybe spelled wrong, idk). They did tell me "day 14". When I was there on day 14 they said "between the second and third week". On day 21, yesterday, they said "some people don't lose their hair". Like you, I am attached to speculation, if I lose my hair, fine If not, fine If I go bald forever, fine. (yes that is a possible se).
Unfortuneately this leads me to speculate that I am just getting clear stuff in my IV instead of the actual drugs. It would require a really huge conspiracy, and I can't figure out what/where the market for the drugs would be....... I asked the doctor, and he sai he was positive that they were giving me the correct stuff, although of course he would be part, if not the head conspiritor.......(this is mostly tounge in cheek)
Anyway....morning of day 22. No hair loss.
No se s to everyone today I hope!
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I too am 1 day out from second treatment (of 6). Feeling pretty good. My husband shaved my head (buzzed it actually) last night. It is so incredibly sore. Has been for about 5 days. Does that eventually subside. I feel like my head is black and blue all over. I go in today for a nuelasta shot since my counts dropped during last treatment. Scared to get it, but am hoping for minimal side effects and good counts trough end of treatments.
Hope everyone is doing well. Been reading alot, not posting too much. My prayers are with all of you!
Peace,
Michelle
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I promised my two girls (15 & 17) they could do the shave, Mohawk optional, they are looking forward to it!
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Mommichele - Are you doing TCH (taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin)? Also, I have padding in the tummy area and got the neulasta shot there. Did they suggest Claritin for the shot starting tomorrow?
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I asked about Claritin but my doctor said I should wait and see how this first one goes. He recommended Tylenol for any pains. I have extra padding in the tummy too, is that a good spot? Have you had any reactions to the shot? Yes, I am doing TCH. Herceptin for a year and the other two will hopefully finish up early December.
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GOOD DAY CHEMO-SABI'S!
I hope everyone is well today.
Iowasue: congratulations on minor se's and I sure hope that continues for you. Good news!
michelle1014: Good to hear from you again. Your hair sounds beautiful! I hope you don't lose it after #3. I, too, had a BMX but have had no fills because a drain came out prematurely causing an infection. I had to be treated for that while undergoing all the scans and tests pre-chemo and now chemo is upon me so with my te's, the same size they were on June 22 , is the size they shall remain until February...or so I thought....Not so good news: I think my TE may have ruptured! One of them is smaller than the other and I called the PS to find out what might be going on and after a few minutes of troubleshooting we arrived at a rupture conclusion. Now one will go flat and the other will be puffed until February!? WTF?!!?!?! The "F" could stand for fudge!!!
Adey: Mohawk? It will not be the first, will it?!??! You will look uber-stylish on your walks with your Franken husband! The only thing I remind you is signing yourself OUT of the hospital might not be so easy after these antics so I do promise I will take the 2 hour flight to visit you! I will miss you posting as I am not sure you will have computer access where you will be going!
mommichelle: my nurse told me yesterday any part of the body can feel sore and can bruise easily. I also wondered why you (and many others) are quite partial to Claritin over Zyrtec? Just wondering. I have never had allergies but last year mistakenly started OTC treating myself with Zyrtec! In any case, I have 2 bottles of it left and will probably use that in place of Claritin but I notice most on these boards are using Claritin. Just wondering.
Lisaattheshore: I think we should have our own show on CNN call "Lisa and Liz: Conspiracy Theorists!" I think it will be a big hit! Of course they are giving you chemo...I mean why wouldn't they? Under the aegis of conspiratorial thinking, I encourage you to keep an eye on that onc because if this person is in on it, the potential for them to be super surreptitious is evident so you must connect the dots and anticipate their trickery way in advance!!!!! Do you see that michelle1014 finally made a post..gone almost a month...another lurker!!!!
DebJ: I agree just when you thought the lows had been reached, someone proves your wrong. That is disgusting. I cannot believe someone would raise money on a lie about having cancer so they could get married. It is just so antithetical it is unimaginable. I can't imagine how they think anything good can come of that. The Gotti chick...shameful. Just so gross. When is enough money enough, I wonder?
CKPTRY: thanks so much for your well wishes. The anticipation is the worst. The "hurry up and wait" thing was getting on my nerves also. Unbelievable. I am just glad, as of Tuesday, one down and 5 to go! I cannot believe I am celebrating such a thing!
FINALLY where is Wherria? I hope you are doing well. Please drop in and let us know how you are.
Question to everyone: is anyone both working, on a computer all day and experiencing neuropathy? How can one type if they can't feel their fingers? Just wondering. I posed that question yesterday and was told I am the first chemo patient who has a job where they are on a computer all day so I will have to report back to let them know how it goes!!!!!! I am not joking! I wanted to point out what year it was and then I decided better of my smart ass antics!
Alright Jokers (this is a term of endearment btw!)....good day to all! Please do one thing nice for yourselves today...just one thing and when you do it remind yourself you are doing one nice thing for yourself today!
Your FEARLESS Leader!
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Hi Lizzy - I work on the computer most of the day and after the first tx with TCH developed numbness and tingling in my feet and on the tips of pinkie/ring fingers. I asked the oncologist and he said it was most likely not neuropathy but a nerve toxicity caused by the taxotere. He said it should start to resolve before my next treatment, which is Tuesday. So far it doesn't seem much better.
Claritin - that is what was recommended.
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mommichelle: Maybe it's a regional thing, my center recommends Zyrtec. I think just about any antihistimine serves the same purpose. I know others who are using Benedryl.
lisattheshore: I don't want to feed any suspicions, but there was an episode of the show American Greed the other night where a doctor was doing just that - stealing chemotherapy drugs. But I was told to not make any correlation between serverity of side effects and efficacy of the chemo; there is no connection, it just hits people different.
DebJ: I guess I have a sick sense of humor. When I read the line about they thinik people who fake cancer have psychological problems, I laughed. Really? Ya think there might possibly be something wrong with these people's brains???
Lizzy: Oh, I hope your TE hasn't sunk.
Did I tell you all that I had a delayed reaction to the Neulasta? Exactly a week after I got the shot, the pain set in. I called the cancer center just to run it by them and make sure it wasn't anything to worry about, and they said while unusual, it wasn't unheard for the reaction to come 5 to 7 days after the shot. I asked the nurse who gave me the shot when the pain would set in if I was going to have a reaction, and she said quickly, within a day. So there you go ... once again, there are no answers that apply to everyone.
One last thing, last Sunday in church the pastor used the line from the Bible about knowing the number of hairs on your head. I got tickled and thought, yeah, in a week that will be easy: zero.
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re claritin/zyrtec.....idk regarding bc and chemo, but from an allergy standpoint, those and benedryl do the same thing, as well as all the 'store brands'. Claritin is usually cheaper, and benedryl makes some people drowsy, the other two do not. It is kind of like-- do you prefer tylenol, aleve, or asprin when you have a head ache. Of course always check with your doctor! Do not take medical advise from strangers on message boards!
I take one of those every day always, because I have really bad allergies, I just buy whatever is on sale.
I am on the computer all the time too, but have not had a problem with neuropathy now during chemo. Some years ago I did have carpal tunnel, and some problems with numbness, and I just had to kind of feel my hand further back than the fingertips, if you know what I mean.
I am pretty sure most of the people where I get chemo are not working. At least the ones that are there when I am.
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I vote the CAPE to LIZZY this week!
Because of the deflated TE (geez!), for finally getting her chemo start date, and for BEING OUR LEADER!!
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calamtykel- i am also on facebook, but dont get on often (maybe every other day or 2) I find some of my "friends" also havent even said ANYTHING regarding my DX... my sister in law (the one i mentioned that totally stepped up) started a page for me on facebook and she keeps my people informed
UPDATED: i had to push submit on the last page, i read this page and wanted to add this for you Kel- It is SO HARD to fight ourselves, our minds can be our worst enemies sometimes... take a breath and remember soon this will be all over! (((HUGS))) Cancer really does suck- all the tests, bloodwork and treatments take a toll on us, but i hate to hear of anyone getting over stressed
i mean i am too lol but lets take time to remember what were doing this for... TO GET BETTER!http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Breast-Cancer-Awareness-Support-Timothea-Belmares/126276850751918?ref=ts <----- i hope y'all go on and look at my pics
Never mind bout donating LOL Sorta put a face to my posts stpmm62- about allergic reaction- both times after nuelasta i had a fever (1st time low grade) and also both times my hands itch like CRAZY! my onc said its possible to experince wide ranges of SE that aren't all listed because they are less common, but your post got me to thinking it could be an allergic reaction... If my Onc isnt concerned should i be? Oh this second time my arms have red splochy marks, maybe hives??? i dont really know what a hive looks like
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DebiJ- Reading about that reminded me of that DEPLORABLE woman that faked losing her fiance at the world trade center and ect... she was from another country i cant remember her name but her face is forever burned in my memory!!!!!
WHY TURN A TRAGEDY INTO A PROFIT????? my stomach turns when i think of her.... and anyone else who straight up lies- they a SICK SICK SICK IN THE HEAD!
EVERYBODY-
Went to my oncologist yesterday as a follow up to being hospitalized- he suspects the fever was a SE of nuelasta cuz it happened last time... Because i had an appointment for next week for a check up before my next TX he rolled both appointments into one
He measured my breast masses and GREAT NEWS- he measured the 2 that were in the 11cm of hard tissue- HE COULD NOT FEEL IT OR DISTINGUISH IT FROM THE NORMAL BREAST TISSUE!!!!!!! the 3cm, measured 2 cm last time is just under 2 cm now, the lymphnodes we no longer swollen either!!!! He said we will schedule repeat scan after my tx on the 20th! Needless to say i am on cloud 9!Asked him about my hair growth and he said it does happen, it might fall out again or keep growing, but anyhow it doesnt mean the chemo isnt working cuz thats what i had thought lol
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I vote a cape to Texasrose too for her incredible shrinking masses!!!! That is WONDERFUL NEWS!0
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Thanks Texas!
I've been so down this week - moreso than before. I just look at myself and I'm so totally not me. I don't recognize the mostly bald girl lying on the hospital bed yesterday with two needles sticking out of her head and an upset anesthesiologist telling me that they can't get a vein. It is just not me. I look back in time -pictures from the past - who was that? Even my childhood memories seem faded or something; I am not the person I was. I'm supposed to become a "better" ;person somehow through this - but I just feel like a pathetic weak person right now. I promised myself I'd never be a "victim" of this -- - that instead of a "survivor", I'd define myself as a "victor". but I've just had it. I can't even exercise now with the port in (I guess eventually I can but not now.) It's just one more "foreign" thing to my body. At least its not very sore and that's a blessing, but my chest is tight and coughing hurts as does deep breaths.
I'm hoping I can snap out of it --maybe it's just the stress of this procedure and the chemo again on Monday...... I'm sorry to be such a downer today. You're right, our minds are our own worst enemies. I guess I need to spend some reflective time in prayer and try to get myself recentered spiritually!
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I checked on wherria, and she last logged in yesterday. So maybe just doesn't feel like talking.
I don't really actually think the chemo stuff is not really in there.....but I can't help wondering.....so, Ladyinbama, what was the doctor doing with the chemo drugs he stole? Is there a black market?
Lizzy, are they thinking of just leaving it there until after chemo? I have not had any trouble with mine (have one), but I think I read somewhere on these boards that they use ultrasound to check the condition of the TEs?
Calamtykel, we all have those days. At least we have this place where others can understand what is happening to us. The time that healing takes will pass without your help. Besides the anesthesia that affects your emotions, don't forget that chemo affects the hormone production in your body as well. I can't tell you it will all be ok, but most likely it will. In a day or two, most people say they don't even feel the port anymore, and in a couple days one more chemo will be behind you. I hope you feel better soon.
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YAY! TEXASROSE!
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