2010 Sisters
Comments
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Way to go Lago!
I had my 2nd tx today of TCH. My next treatment I will be half way down!!!! Tired today from treatment and horrible foot pain continues. If foot pain gets worse doc is changing treatment. Common SE of Taxotere. I get at least one nose bleed a day. Last week it lasted about an hour. Had to go to ER - it was over the weekend of course. Onc said to keep nose moist with saline solution and or triple ointment. Onc also decided no Nuelasta shot tomorrow. He said I had way too much pain last time and would have to be on more drugs to combat the pain. My counts have been really good and he thinks I will have less bad days without it. I just don't want to land in the hospital with an infection. I should have one more good day being on steroids,except for the night sweats while on steroids, and then the fatigue will set in.
Hope everyone has better great days than bad!
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Jag- when did the nose bleeds start. Also, the bone pain was bad for me, but they extended the steroids at the normal dose for 5 days and then another 2-3 days half dose and it helped me.
my chemo is tomorrow, normally i go on mondays, but we had thanksgiving onmonday and then i had to have the port in today. so im tomorrow. its also way longer as this treatment im getting the herceptin, and they have to do it slower.
I forgot to ask you, (or i forgot which i do a lot lately) did u have a masectomy or lumpectomy. Are you having radiation also? When is your last treatment for chemo.
Is that your real hair in your pic?
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Hi There
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Hi Jainey, how are you doing?0
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JAG I've had some major nose bleeds too. My nurse wants to be updated on if they subside. She said if they didn't I would have to see an ENT (I assume that stands for ears, nose and throat physician). Someone else told me her mom had the same issue with on chemo. She had her nose cauterized by an ENT to stop the condition. Easy out patient procedure.
redninrah my nose started dripping with some blood on maybe the 3rd day. It really didn't get serious till day 5. RIght now I just use vasoline. It's helping but if I sneeze the flood gates open.----------------------------------------------
BTW yesterday was day 7. I was feeling almost 100% myself again. So far feel great today. Guess its over till next time. 1 down, 5 to go.
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redninrah- nose bleeds started about 10 days post first TCH treatment. That treatment was super long because of all the waiting in between the three drugs. My tx plan is chemo and Herceptin every three weeks for 6 tx that equals 18 weeks if I don't have any postponed with weekly Herceptin for the 18 weeks. After the 6 tx's I will have just the Herceptin every three weeks for a year. I did have a lumpectomy with clear margins and 1 node of four positive. I will also start radiation in conjunction with the Herceptin after chemo. I will also have to take hormone therapy for 5 years plus. Yesterday only took about 4.5 hours for all three treatments. My weekly herceptin once they get the drip going is only 30 min.
The picture you are seeing is one of my wigs. No one can tell it's a wig! I have also started to wear scarves, but I'm more comfortable in a wig at work. I went to a great salon and they really helped me pick out 2 wigs to look like my own hair. I wore my hair much longer, but didn't want to deal with long wigs being sick. If you want more on them please let me know, I will be happy to help. I will say that the wigs didn't look nearly as good coming out of the box, the stylist did do some cutting and shaping.
lago- Sounds like you Redninrah and I are all having the same treatment. I'm glad your SEs are next to nothing!!!! I feel pretty good today, just achy feet that is a constant from the Taxotere for me. As far as the nose bleeds, the doc seemed to think that some vaseline and saline will do the trick for right now. If I do have another longer bout I will also see an ENT.
Heading to work and hope to check in later. I also hope all my other sisters are doing well today and having a SE free day!
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Those of you getting Herceptin--how do you feel on your H only days? I had mine yesterday, and I always expect to feel fine, but always end up feeling crappy. Yucky taste, mild headache, and some nausea. Just general "yuck" feeling! I took a compazine after a few hours. I think it helped a little.
Day 8 after last Taxol, and still have some pain--just random sharp pains in legs and feet. Not enough to need any pain med. Hurts worst at night when I lay down in bed. I end up going to the recliner and it hurts less there, but I don't sleep as well. Hoping to get some energy back soon!
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TMarina - I havne't gotten that far yet, still doing TCH every 3 weeks but I thought I read something about there being a couple choices about what they mix the herceptin with for the infusion. Perhaps changing the 'diluent' for the herceptin might make a difference.0
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Im home from my partial mastecyomy and SNB yesterday. Still having internet issues, hopefully the new moden will be here by tomorrow.
Ok, so the shots for the radio active dye they give before going to the or SNB) , really DO hurt like HELL. The poor student nurse was so upset about me crying and carying on that she has a panic attack and had to leave the room. Then, the wire locialazation, he missed the first time, so That needed to be done twice, then off to the Or. I have to say, I highly recomend my BS Dr Careage here in NJ, he is a bresst consertavilist, (really cute, and so careind) and after taking an area about the size od an egg from my breast, It looks (so far) just like it did before. He even fixed the area the other rediologist screwed uo. and great news, 4 nodes remover, 4 nodes neg!!!!!!!! Im pretty sore now, so Im gonna give it a day or 2 for me to heal up, the bf will be back with the perxococets any min. BTW, he loved his basket I made and cryed.
So, I guess the next step is, if I get clear margins, I'll have a port put in so I can start chemo. Just wanted to let you all know I was ok, and I hope all is spelled right, Im still wasted from the drugs and dont feel like spellchecking. lol0 -
sweetaerobabe Glad you made it through. Awesome news about the nodes! I know exactly how that news feels!
Sorry the dye injections hurt. I can't believe they didn't give you lydercain shots 1st. That's what I had. I know this isn't funny but you had me in tears laughing with the fact that you sent the student nurse into a panic attack. I mean weren't you the one who was getting that awful dye. Wonder if she's going to reconsider her choice career choice.
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Yay sweet! Great news on the nodes! You are right - the isotope injection was the worst part. Drink plenty fluids to flush out the anesthesia. I'll bet your BF is so relieved.
Jag - I think your wig rocks! It looks so pretty.
For everyone who started their treatments, am thinking of you.
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Hi sisters, I didn't even think that the neck pain that I had last tx had anything to do with chemo, but yesterday it was back and very sore. Hmmm now someone else mentions it too. My SE are a bit different this time 2nd, opposed to my first. Still same grogginess for 3 to 4 days, light nausea on and off, and upset tummy and off food for days, but this time I can't handle the taste of water anymore or ginger ale anymore and definitely off diet colas, being insulin dependant diabetic I'm lost at what to drink anymore. I can drink my coffee again in the morning, and tea is ok but not really what we should be taking in for fluids. I'm to the point where it is almost causing nausea trying to drink water. Uggghhh. Asked hubby to brink home some diet sprite. Getting desperate.
Cathy
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Oh Sweet.Ive been prayin for you.NEGATIVE NODES. great news YAY. just take it easy now.thats what the sistas told me.do what you can dont do what you cannot.listen to your body.it does talk to you just like GOD does.I wish you a speedy recovery
gentle huggggggggggggs comin your way.
GOD BLESS
K
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tryn2staycalm try putting lemon or lime juice or squeeze some orange into your water. Not sure if any of the crystal light powders would work for you.
I'm drinking nothing but water now. I stopped drinking soda as soon as I started chemo because I know that can cause heartburn. Also I don't want to drink anything with caffeine while on chemo. I do miss my morning Diet Dr. Pepper. I don't ever drink coffee so that was my morning jolt.
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sweetaerobabe,
Great news on the nodes! Great news that you are home and resting! Here's to a quick recovery!
Take care,
Tori
DE COLORES!
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Sweetie-YAY to no nodes! Cathy - I wish I could help but here's a ((((HUG)))) for you.Jag, I agree w/Janet - the wig is very cool. Tina, I think you should see if they can change what they add to the H. Red-you doing all right after your chemo today? Omaz - how about you? You doin' all right? Lago, good luck staving off heartburn. I have been having it for no apparent reason??
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BarbaraA - I am doing ok, 9 days out from TCH #3. Tired today, nerve issues bothering me some. Thank you for asking, hope you are feeling well.
sweetaerobabe - so happy about the nodes!
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I'm new to the forum and unsure of the etiquette, so I aplogize if I'm breaking into an ongoing discussion. I wondered if anyone else was diagnosed with micro-metastasis in lymph nodes, and if so, did they go back for further lymph node surgery? I'm getting conflicting messages from my first and second opinions, and am tied up in knots trying to make a decision.
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Hi connierf - of course you're not interrupting!!! We're all in this together! I'm not sure I can answer your question, but someone will come along who can. I can only give you my experience. During my mastectomy, they did the SNB (sentinal node biopsy). The surgeon told me ahead of time if the sentinal node(s) came back positve from the frozen section (pathology analyzes while you're on the operating table) she would have to remove all of the nodes. It was worrisome because sometimes the frozen section results differ when they do the full analysis/pathology work up and report several days later. In that was the case, I assume I would have had to have more surgery. I don't know the definition of micro-metastasis - all they referred to was whether they were clear or not.
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Hi Connie, After my lumpectomy my surgeon said I was all clear with 0/4 nodes. Path said micromets in one node. That made chemo dependent on the Oncotype and rads definite. Oncotype was 17 and I said no to chemo. I would ask for an Oncotype test. More info is better.
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Barbara - hmmm. That's interesting. That must be one of the treatment differences between lumpec & rads or mastectomy. They must figure the rads will get any of those pesky random cells versus going back in surgically to take out more nodes if one was positive?
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That's what they told me. So far so good but hey, I'm only 6 months out. I am being proactive. changing my diet entirely, taking estrogen supressing supplments, etc. Feel great so hey! Whatever. Bring it on!
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I don't even have my stage yet - they are still debating cause I ended up with 2 small masses (one they found by MRI just before surgery). One mass was grade 1 and the other grade 2, both under 1cm and a bunch of foci. Hopefully find out this week. What estrogen supressing supplements have you found? Do they want you to take one of the hormone blockers too? Love your attitude - that has as much to do w/health as all the medicines/surgery on earth.
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I think it all depends on you Dr. In my case I was told radiation was a given. My Dr. would have wanted to do more surery to remove more nodes if my nodes had come back with anything. Chemo was totally based on oncotype score. Mine was 24 so it was left up to me sinse I was in the gray zone.
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My deal is, I did not want to take the AI's (I am meno). So I researched my brains out and the following supplements can shut down estrogen production:
DIM
Grape seed extract - City of Hope is doing a trial on giving this to post-n women who have taken an AI for 5 years. I figure it has to be good.
white button mushrooms - eat them all the time. Cooking does not dilute their efficacy. So I eat them a lot. City of Hope is doing a study with these as well.
chrysin - look it up - works
curcumin - read -Foods to Fight Cancer - Beleiveau (may have spelled his name wrong)
fish oil - the Anti-Cancer - David Servan-Schreiber.
Buy the books and make your own decisions.
So far so good for me and I feel a MILLION times t than I did before.
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Barbara - Thanks so much! Those are great - I'm writing them down
I also read that watercress can 'turn off' some breast cancer - there is a thread somewhere on that w/recent news article. You have to eat equivalent of a cereal bowl full which is hard to do raw- but if you cook it like spinach, it's good. I'm post-menopausal too and struggling about decision on AIs - I know that's coming when I see onc.ps - and 4 cups of decaffeinated green tea/day (not the bottled green tea - get the tea bags)
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Do you know how much watercress you have to eat for it to be effective?! If I remember it was quite a bit. You are eating bowls full.
BarbaraA I too have heard of most of those on your list.
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Lago, you and I are on the same page...we will do EVERYTHING we can to keep the beast at bay...or slay it. I like that one better.
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Hi ladies, sorry I haven't kept up with everything lately, but congrats to those with good news (I remember somebody got a negative nodes report, ya!) and welcome newbies.
I'm finally home from the hospital. They still don't know exactly what I've got, but my onc. said I could come home on IV antibiotics, so home health came out and showed us how to do it. It's not hard at all and I am sooooo glad to be home!
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YAY!! Bama is at HOME!!
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