August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
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Thanks Wherria, that is very helpful. I'm going to start now
I'm not sure why yours end up in italics. I seem to be stuck at 44 posts no matter how many times I post.
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Wherria - I thought the italics meant something.... (:0
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wher - I thought you were just trying to be artsy........ :P
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Hey, I like your artsy italics!
Wherria- I'm so sorry too about your lymphedema. Your descriptions had me wincing and really feeling for you. I hope you find a way to reverse some of the effects. Is that even possible?
One week of radiation- no sunburn, no excessive tiredness. But glad to have a wkd break. I"m going away with a bunch of girlfriends this wkd.:)
On weight gain- I too have gained about 10-15 pounds on chemo (TC). I definitely have water retention. My rings are tight, my face is puffy, etc. But I'm hoping to lose this soon.
Everyone have a great SE free weekend!
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WHerria- I didnt have either lumpectomy or mastectomy (yet) because of the stage they didnt want to focus on removing cancer in one area and let the other cancer free to spread and grow for bout 2 motnhs while i was recovering.... Dr said i may get a lx later....
I also wondered why 1/2 your posts were in italics LOL
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Wherria, I always thought your italics meant you were telling us little secrets.
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Hi I woke up today feeling good. That was so nice. The shooting pains are gone and I am so glad.
Round two of taxol on Monday. I am hoping for no newlasta.
GInger
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Wherria: Thanks for the info on the lymphedema. I am going to ask the rad onco for a referral since I see her everyday while I am doing radiation. If I can't get it from her I will call the surgeon. I am really worried about the lymphedema because of the radiation to the axilla and because I have a tendency to overdo (kind of envision myself as superwoman). Hopefully I can get some preventative exercises to avoid it. So sorry to hear it has affected your life so profoundly!
Ginger: So glad you are feeling better!
Sweeney: Have fun on your mini vacation!
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I have gained at least 10lb. I asked the onc. and she said yeah nobody dwindles away with bc Then she told me that many of the meds. cause wt. gain and I have read somewhere that herceptin also causes wt. gain. Yea just another one of the wonderful effects of treatments.
I think you can really tell in my pic. how round my face has become.
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Round two for me on Monday too. I don't get a choice with the neulasta - they give it Tuesday after chemo.
BUT it will be my LAST ONE because I'm not getting it after the last time! I'm feeling so good that it's hard to believe I'm having chemo again on Monday. It makes it hard...I went running tonight - not as hardy as I once was but I had my heart rate up for half an hour even though much of it was very fast walking - I DID it. Part of me wants to just put the cancer in its place and I guess that is part of it. Plus it helps me feel not as fat..............
So yes, Monday will come soon enough, but it's one treatment closer to the end.
Texas - do you have a date for surgery?
Is anyone else scared of getting your port removed??!! I'm beginning to wonder what that will be like.
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Cal - I don't get my port removed until next Aug since I have the herceptin infusions for a year. I wish I could get it out! Though I have to say that now I often forget about it, which is good. Seatbelt is still a bit of trouble though.0
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I don't know when mine can come out, but my benefits and deductibles start all over again in January.
I am hoping and wondering if they can take it out before then. It's going to be expensive otherwise. 0 -
Calam: Glad you are feeling like a normal human being!! Enjoy your weekend!0
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Day 2 post chemo #5. Feeling OK--some achey bones today. Have to stay on top of the pain. My radiation oncologist talked quite a bit of lymphedema--mentioned that by radiating the axilla--can increase chances up to 20%, but out of that 20%, studies show that about 5% may have ongoing problems. I am a little concerned and wonder if the additional 0-2% decreased recurrance chance is enough to take the chance on radiating the axilla. I had 1 positive node, grade 1 cancer and tumour in one spot. I had lumpectomy---due to the size of lump--no mastectomy--had two doctors say no to that suggestion
. Hard decisions all the time.....have time to change mind if I don't feel like doing the radiation to the axilla. Thanks for all your info. I am guessing my SE will start soon, so will check back in at earliest chance. Have a great weekend everyone.0 -
Oh Lord, why did nobody ever tell me before about the sublime joy of hiring someone to clean my house?! It's beautiful. I've got fresh flowers throughout, ready for a nice two-day visit from a very dear friend who is in town! I'm still having Se's, but I'm in good enough shape to enjoy some company!
Hope everyone has a nice weekend!
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wherria so glad you got the house clean and ready for your visit! Glad you will have some company to cheer you up. I was feeling overwhelmed recently, trouble keeping up with the house and kids. DH is great but he gets up at 4:30 for work and alot of times works through lunch to get home at a decent hour and I worry about all the stress he must be feeling. I was just feeling like I had no support. My sisters live nearby but work full time and have kids themselves. Anyway one of them came over and folded laundry yesterday and told me she'd called a cleaning service and left money for them to come twice this month and next. I didn't want to take it but she said if she wasn't so busy she'd be over to help more so taking the money would actually help her feel better;-) I had Taxol yesterday and woke up this morning with severe lower back pain - took 2 percocet and still can barely stand up straight. So now I'm so glad she was over and I made a dent in the clutter, otherwise I'd be too embarrassed to even have someone into clean. Still have to straighten up some so I'm not too embarrassed but will have to wait til I feel better. They come Tuesday, I can't wait to feel more organized. Everything is so out of control lately it's really getting to me.
Hope everyone has a good weekend with minimum s/e's. I had to miss my 5 yo's soccer game this morning and he cried so I am feeling sad...but thinking maybe later I'll sneak in a little halloween candy and a kids movie in bed with mommy to cheer us both up
Talk about chemo brain, I unplugged the call light accidentally twice yerterday instead of my IV pole when I got up to go to the bathroom. That sets off the emergency bell and sends the nurses running. One of the nurses I used to work with was there and teased I was just trying to make sure they were all awake and on their toes. Then on the way back from the BR I forgot where my cubicle was and wound up walking into another paitent's. The nurse said you follow the red footprints, not the yellow. I didn't see ANY footprints to begin with and was embarassed . i mumbled soemething about chemo brain but she said don't worry, we have it too;-)
Carolyn
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wher - you're so lucky! put your feet up and enjoy. You'll be back to health soon enough and cleaning and busy!
We're crash cleaning because I decided to do my daughter's birthday ( a month late) tomorrow - had to grab a weekend when I was feeling well! We're still moving stuff from the garage sale -so much clutter! I just went through the closet and got rid of a bunch of coats and shoes and made room - there's just been SO MUCH junk that's accumulated here! I'm tossing stuff left and right - catalogs, mail from months ago, whatever! I think we're making some headway.
I hit walmart and shop rite tonight and then pizza hut for the kids and DH for dinner. No way was I coming home and cooking tonight! I restrained and had a spinach salad with cranberries and walnuts (who know raw cranberries cut up are really good??) Now I'm taking a break...........
The upside to crash cleaning on a saturday night is that the house will be clean after I have chemo this week!
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Calamity- Still no date set because we're still not sure if its gona be 6 or 8 tx of chemo (after my 6th i'll be doing the scans again to see if i am still responding) Dr says the way its looking i'll prob do 8 like we want
Also because of my AWESOME response he (my oncologist) is thinking that i will just need the lumpectomy vs the mx that we first talked about. Havent met with the BS since he did my port, so i will prob get his input again too before any dates are set....I was told i wont get my port out because of me being stage 4 its known that eventually i'll need to use it again- sorry morbid to think that but oh well...
Omaz- yup that seat belt gets me almost every time espcially after chemo its a bit tender, i just happen to turn the wrong way and it sends a pain shooting up!
My house has ebbed and flowed with tidiness. Its like one day it looks nice, the next i cant stand to be in it- let alone look at it, and the next its looking nice LOL
i think its because i go in and out of sleepyness- yesterday all i wanted to do was sleep, today i am cleaning took my kids to a birthday party and now am gonna sleep as soon as i can get them down. who knows what tomorrow brings...
PS- SSI, i applied a while ago and just out of the blue got a check in the mail. No explanation just says SSI on it, also got a thing saying if i had bills from june or july that they could pay for them, unfortunetly or fortunetly my sister in law did the fundraiser and i paid everyhting up, but i got a couple of august bills....
Night ladies, my hip is burning and i cant sit for another minute!
ENJOY THE REST OF THE WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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PORTS -- while we're on the subject - I'm scared about them accessing my port Monday. Last time in the beginning when I first got there, they got a perfect blood draw. Then halfway through chemo, when I complained that my port hurt, they were unable to get a blood draw - they tried twice. No clue what happened in those couple of hours.
They continued with the chemo because they saw no evidence of the chemo leaking or going where it was not supposed to - soon as they took the needle out, I had no pain, so I guess the chemo did go where it should have.
but I'm wondering why that happened....anyone else have that happen? The nurse said "Ideally, we like to be able to get the blood out of it - but sometimes a little flap closes or something and we can't - as long as you're not red and swelling we can keep doing the chemo."
UGH - is nothing easy? just wonderin'. I have a power port by the way - but after last week I'd never trust them to get blood out of it or use it for a scan! =:O
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Calamtykel - I saw the NP and the onc last monday. I went to get a blood draw first and they told me they have a new policy that because of increased risk of infection with increased access to ports they would not do blood draws through ports unless patients specifically request this. Even though I am at risk for lymphedema on both arms i let them draw from my hand because I couldn't find my emla cream at home and it has to be put on 1 hour before access. My last infusion was painful as the nurse had trouble accessing the port. When I see the NP tomorrow I will ask for a blood draw through the port because lymphedema scares me more. I found the emla. Sorry to gross anyone out but has anyone had an infection under their toenail after getting the taxotere? I noticed an infection friday night under the big toenail and ALL the skin on my toe peeled off almost in one piece like peeling an egg! UGH!
Wherria thanks for the lymphedema info. My BS was supposed to refer me to an education group and they still haven't so I will call and bug them starting monday.
Second taxotere is scheduled for Friday. Onc is reducing it by 20% because of my side effects and allergic reactions. I am still very apprehensive about it!
Wish I could afford a housekeeper because DH has been doing most of the heavy lifting around here and he is still sick with a cold and cough. Friends came over Friday so that meant Thursday we had to do some cleaning and neither of us were in the mood.
On weight - I lost 30 lbs since DX and last monday i had lost another 8 because this taxotere makes everything including water taste horrible for the first week! My appetite has improved so i think i've gained.
good luck to everyone having tx this week!
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Texas - that is great news! It sounds like it's responding well to the chemo!
Zenith -I once asked the nurse what happens if someone MUST have blood drawn from an arm with removed LN's and she said that they take it from the farthest point - from the hand, usually. If anyone MUST have blood drawn from the hand, what has worked great for me is having my hand wrapped in one of those heated bean bag things. The nurse microwaves it for me, I wrap my hand in it for a few minutes and hang it down. Pops my veins right up and it's been painless every time they do it this way.
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Zenith: I haven't had toenails affected, but my fingernails sure are. They are all funky colors, and they all feel like they've been smashed by a hammer. It hurts just to hold the steering wheel while I drive. Six of them became infected under the nails a few weeks ago, so more antibiotics! I haven't lost the nails yet, though they are feeling loose and starting to crack. One of the nurses told me they would probably fall off with the fifth or sixth Tx. Ugh. I'm hoping she was wrong.
I'm really having trouble with the weight gain thing, the water retention thing, and the lymphedema thing. Anybody else feeling really down about weight?
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Wher - I have that peripheral edema thing going on from the taxotere - arms and legs are bigger. It feels strange.0
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Calamtykel--I don't have a port or PICC so just using my gradually depleting veins! This Taxotere they went back in on my left--which they had left alone for two treatments. Nurse had in my hand and recommended the heating pad and positioning and it worked wonders.
Regarding lymphedema--Had good conversation with Radiation Oncologist about chances etc. He did indicate that on recent studies that radiating your axilla can create approx. 20% chance of lymphedema--out of that 20%---only approx 5% will continue to have ongoing issues. I'm sort of one the fence about the radiation of the axilla as the recurrance rate doesn't really decrease too much--but at the same time--I keep thinking--another couple of percent adds to the overall total. I have some time to still change my mind--I was sort of all over the place when he spoke to me as I was hooked up to chemo--bells ringing--nurses changed the drip....not the best time to concentrate on radiation questions. If anyone has any additional info--always looking to learn something new!
I am 4 days post Taxotere #2--feeling OK. No real pain yet but am guessing the steriods are still in the body. Hoping for better side effects than last time. Will keep you posted!
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Hah, my cough returned. I was surprised until I realized that I had stopped the vicodin because I felt better from the SE of Taxol. Of course, codeine stops you from coughing. Duh! Well, I hope I don't have such bad side effects this time, I go for my #2 Taxol tomorrow. I would rather cough a bit than need Vicodin to manage side effects.
We are about to go out to late lunch with DD, DSIL and DGBaby for DD birthday. My first time out of the house since first Taxol.
Texas, Calamity, Wherria, Rachel, Omaz, Zenith, Sptmom, IowaSue, Ckptry, and everyone have a wonderful SE free Sunday !
Hugs Ginger
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Hi All...
Hope everyone is in good spirit...
Has anyone in this group started Radiation...
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Cal: When they couldn't draw through my port last time I was in the hospital, they injected it with something that is like a blood thinner (sorry, I don't remember the name, it was intials like THP or something). They said sometimes a small clot forms on the thing that opens/closes. It worked for me, cleared it up and now it's used for blood draws and giving meds. It was simple too, just an injection.
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Hi Sohard - Sweeney is doing radiation.0
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How have you been Omaz...
Ty...I will inbox her...
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What a fantastic picture, you look great!
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