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Australian Sisters

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Comments

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2011

    Yay Trisha!!!!  Rest, relax and gain strength!  Glad you've rejoined us in the land of the living!

    Chrissy

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited January 2011

    Hello :)

    Good to know you are feeling better Trish. Take care xoxo 

  • vivvygirl
    vivvygirl Member Posts: 171
    edited January 2011

    Morning Everyone,

    Boy it is hot outside....hope you all manage to stay cool!

    Hugs to all

    Viv

     

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited January 2011

    The bus came back this morning and ran me over again!  Have never felt so sick in all my life.  Talked to the onc today, and he thinks that I'll need a smaller dose next time - apparently that can happen.  I hope so - I don't think I can go through this again.  I'd rather be shot.

    Took some anti nausea meds left over from FEC and that's helped settle my stomach at least.

    This chemo is just so awful, and I want my life back :-(
    Trish

    xoxo

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2011

    Life is on the horizon Trish and every day it's getting closer..................just keep your eye on the prize.

    xoxoxo  Chrissy

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited February 2011

    Quick Hello Girls,

    Trish, i think/hope it will get easier next time. Don't give up ! 

    Making chocolate cake today !!!!

     xoxo 

  • vivvygirl
    vivvygirl Member Posts: 171
    edited February 2011

    Yah Marie-Edith,

    Yum chocolate cake....put the kettle on I will be there within the hour.

    Trish...thinking of you often. In the words of Dory in Finding Nemo....just keep swimming.

    Hugs to all

    Viv

  • pirategirl123
    pirategirl123 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2011

    Hi to everyone...

    Trish you're right it's not very nice and I'm sorry you're having such a tough time.  It can be horrible but at least that's one down and out of the way.  You will be feeling better soon, things will start to taste more normal soon too.  Hang in there - you'll come good again.

    Marie-Edith Salut!! Choccy cake mmmm.  Since chemo I've not been able to tolerate gluten or dairy so I'll have a MEGA slice of cyber choccy cake please Smile

    Hugs to all

    xx 

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited February 2011

    Merci :)  cake is good, didn't burn it but i had to count the eggshells as i couldn't remember how many i put in there. Chemo brain !!   

    Wish i could share it with you. What do the doctor say Pirate girl ? Is it reversible ? One would think so but these medications are so damaging :(

    Take care xoxo

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited March 2012

    Hi ladies

    Just introducing myself - I have been reading this site daily since my diagnosis in October but this is only my third post.  I just had my second TAC treatment yesterday and side effects so far have not been too bad.  I still have some hair! and planning to keep it for as long as possible.

    I live in inner Brisbane and my treatment is at the Wesley Hospital.

    Marie-Edith, I am not French but studied it for many years to university level. While I am not working during my treatment I will be doing a refresher course as I have always maintained my interest but don't have the opportunity to practise. It's all still in my head but I just need to bring it back to front of mind.  I saw a good French film in September - 'Le Pere de mes Enfants'. 

    Nice to meet you all and good luck with all your treatments. 

  • pirategirl123
    pirategirl123 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2011

    Hi

    Marie-Edith - Generally I find doctors aren't very understanding of food intolerances.  I think that I had problems before chemo but it's made it a lot worse. I worked as an au pair many, many (!!!) years ago in Brittany and had a wonderful time but I would probably find it hard to even hold a conversation in French these days.  I don't think chemo brain would help me much with that either !!!

    Racy welcome. . 

    Trish how are you going?  Just thinking of you and sending you a big hug.

    I seem to be over the last couple of days of crying.  I suspect it's a combination of being on Tamoxifen for nearly 4 weeks now plus I suspect ptsd or something similar from just the sheer stress of diagnosis and treatment and just sitting down and having the breathing space to think about what I've gone through.  I'm glad the emotions seem to be settling down again. 

  • racy
    racy Member Posts: 976
    edited February 2011

    Hi pirategirl

    I notice you are in Brisbane. Thought you might be interested to know about the free face to face counselling sessions available through the Cancer Council. I am accessing those and my counsellor is very nice, professional and, of course, experienced in cancer counselling.. Might be worthwhile for you to explore. Just a suggestion.

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited February 2011

    Bonjour Girls :)

    Welcome Racy:) , nice to meet you. 

    It's nice to know that so many people can speak/understand French. It is such a difficult language but good to get the brain going !!. I make mistakes all the time, I speak Franglais at home. Whatever comes first !!! But i also worked as an au pair in England where i  learned to speak .

    One week after the last A/C and i feel less tired !! I too had to give up my job :( I can't even do all the chores in the house !!! A never ending job, there is always more coming all the time.  Oh well !! Tant pis !!

    Pirate Girl you have to get better soon. Wellbeing is so important in the recovery of cancer. Don't let things or medications get you down. It is normal to feel that way after what we all go thru and you will get back on top, so don't hesitate to seek help if you need it. Bon courage :)

    xoxo

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited February 2011

    Hello Girls!

    I'm feeling a lot better today.  I went back to work yesterday for a couple of hours - and again today.  Still feeling weak and shaky, and still spend a fair bit of time on the loo, but I think the worst is over.

    Thank you all for your thoughts and wishes - I have never been so sick in my life, and I've dealt with a couple of bouts of flu where I thought (wished) I could just die.  This has been so much worse.  I'm usually fairly resiliant and positive, but at the moment I can't even face the thought of doing this all over again - twice.  I keep telling myself that a reduced dose next time will mean it won't be so bad. 

    But tonight, we are going to have grilled chicken and fresh salad and that potato salad I've been craving, now my taste is getting back to normal :-)  Isn't it funny how the simple things can mean so much sometimes?!

    Trish

    xoxo

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited February 2011

    Good to see you are feeling better Trish :)

    And enjoy your evening. I agree the simplest things in life are the best :)

    xoxo

  • VickyC10
    VickyC10 Member Posts: 11
    edited February 2011

    Hi Trisha-Anne,

    Glad to hear you are starting to feel better. I had different chemo to you but after my first AC I had a day of vomiting and passing out each time. The doctor thought that was dangerous!! so for the next 3 treatments he reduced the dose by 20% and added another anti-nausea pill on top of all the other pre-meds before chemo. It was called Emend (Aprepitant), which I had prior to the chemo and then took for the next 2 days. It was expensive but I didn't have to pay for it. From then on I didn't vomit but I still felt awful for days. Perhaps your treatment can be adjusted too.

    It is now 5 months since I finished chemo  and it seems like a distant memory so hang in there it does finish.

     Hi Marie-Edith,  I have been learning French for a while now and speak it poorly. Don't think I will ever be able to converse easily.

    Vicky

     

  • pirategirl123
    pirategirl123 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2011

    HI

    That Emend is good stuff isn't it Vicky?  I was given it but it didn't cost because I was told it was just listed on the pbs during my treatment.  Trish have you been given some?

    Racy thanks for the info - I've been so tired still from the rads which finished 5 weeks ago and I think I've just had a couple of meltdowns with everything.  If it continues I'll definitely call them and make an appt. Next week will be 6 weeks since rads and I'm hoping that some of the fatigue will start lifting then.  I understand that it takes roughly the same amount of weeks to recover from rads as the duration of the treatment. 

    Hugs to all

    xx

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited February 2011

    Hi Girls

    I'm feeling almost back to my old self - except for still being very tired.  Have been able to go to work, which is nice :-)

    I agree with you guys - Emend is great!  Problem is it isn't routinely given with Taxotere.  Apparently Taxotere isn't supposed to make you sick like some of the other drugs, and to be fair I really didn't feel like throwing up until day 7, and that was only because of the really bad diaroeha that I had.  Emend is around $100 per tablet!!  Which is why it's only given when necessary.

    I was still given the Ondansetron which is a pretty powerful anti nausea med and the Dexamethasone (sp?) which is a steroid is also an anti nausea med.  While I was on FEC I had the Emend along with the other two, and took everything I was given and wasn't sick - just a bit queasy.

    Taxotere has different se's though.  It seems that for me both FEC and Taxotere cause bad diaroeha and I just have to learn to get through it.  Chemo is just so much fun isn't it!?!

    Hope everyone else is going well here?  Sorry - I seem to have lost a week of my life.

    Trish

    xoxo

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited February 2011
    Trish - my onc gives Emend with taxotere
  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited February 2011

    That's interesting Sue - mine said that it wasn't normal practice with T.  But as I said - to be fair - I didn't really need it, now something to stop everything else would be great!!

    Trish

    xoxo

  • Marie-Edith
    Marie-Edith Member Posts: 21
    edited February 2011

    Hello :)

    Me too i had emend and dexanethasone, but i didn't need them for the last two AC. They are still in the medecine cabinet. Didn't realise they were so expensive. What is it with the cost of medication here ??  I coudn't beleive it when 8 years ago i had to buy ventoline for my daughter. It was half the price in France !!

    Feeling less tired and managed to clean the whole house yesterday. Had 3 painful ulcers coming and the only way i managed to get rid of them is by applying chunks of salt on them. I had to make sure i didn't swallow it though !!!!

    Pirate Girl, hope you get better soon :)

    Trish : Take care. It will be my turn next thursday :(  

    xoxo everyone

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited February 2011

    I had emend, dexamethasone and onadestron - I only paid for the dex as it was to take before tx. The other two were supplied to me on treatment day at no cost.

    Trish - there definitely seems to be a difference between public and private when it comes to that sort of thing. I know you said your hospital has a great reputation, but there is no way I would have gone near the public system up here.

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited February 2011

    Hi Girls

    Fighting a migraine today.  It's intersting, when I was diagnosed, my migraines seem to pretty much stop, and didn't really reappear until I started chemo.  Still - at least with the migraines I know exactly what to do about them :-)

    I had some good news this week and some bad news.  My brother was diagnosed with bowel cancer about 3 weeks after my mastectomy.  Talk about being stunned - we both were.  Anyway - he had his op on 20 December, and has just had his follow up appointments.  He's completely clear!  No chemo and his bag will be removed next week.  I'm so happy for him - I was worried he'd have to have chemo, and wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.  So - very, very happy.

    The bad news - my breast surgeon, who is the lovliest man, and according to the medical profession (I work for the Australian Medical Council) is the best bs in Australia, has just closed his practice.  He just found out he has pancreatic cancer and only has 3 months to live.  This man has saved the lives of many thousands of women, and now has a cruel form of cancer that cannot be cured.  It's so unfair.  I feel lucky to have had a form of cancer that has a good chance of being beaten, in a part of my body that I can live without quite easily.

    Trish

    xoxo

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited February 2011

    Trish - I'm so sorry about your brother and your doctor. Tell your brother he can beat this. My DH had bowel cancer 8 years ago and it was in his lymph nodes. Had surgery and chemo and 4 years later it came back in his lung - more surgery, more chemo and his last scan in November was clear. Amazingly, the lung surgery was done using cameras and he was fine a day or so after. Brilliant surgeon. Our onc wants one more CT scan in 18 months and he said he will leave him alone.

    Sue

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited February 2011

    Oh Sue

    I'm sorry that your DH had to go through so much.  There just seems to be so much of this awful cancer around.  Both of you!  I guess it means you both know exactly what the other is going through and can support each other.

    My brother and I have always been close, but this has made us even closer.

    Trish

    xoxo

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited February 2011

    Trish - I just noticed your chemo regime is not what you would call standard for triple positive cancer. Usually you would get AC-TH or EC-TH given your positive node. I wonder why they threw the Fluorouracil in - DH had that for his bowel cancer. Also, you would normally get 12 weekly taxols not 3 taxotere. I had TCH - so I had 3 weekly taxotere x 6.

    Hope your brother is recovering from his surgery.

    Sue

  • Trisha-Anne
    Trisha-Anne Member Posts: 1,661
    edited February 2011

    Hi Sue

    I'm not sure about the regimine they've put me on either.  I just assumed that this was what was given for my type of cancer.  There was never any other options put to me - just that this is what I'd have.  I do know that I was borderline for chemo before the HER2+ came into play.  My node had a micro met, and apparently my case was put before a group of oncs at one of their weekly (or monthly) meetings for discussion.  Because of the micro met, the fact that it was grade 3 my bs felt I would need chemo - but it was not a given.  Once the path came in for the hormone receptors, that tipped it over the edge.  Also - in Australia you cannot have herceptin without chemo.

    I didn't question the type of drug - I left that to the onc - I assume he knows what he's doing lol although after reading some of the posts on this board, sometimes I wonder.  No - not going down that path, I'd go mad otherwise :-)

    Trish

    xoxo

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited February 2011
    Trish - I was worried because you are having so much less taxotere- not that you want more :) FEC is usually given to triple negs.
  • hereandnow
    hereandnow Member Posts: 27
    edited February 2011

    just adding my 2 cents :)  my regimen was FEC x3 and taxotere X 3 - it's not just for triple negs. Australia has very good benchmarking for outcomes after breast cancer - there is mostly a multi-disciplinary approach, and it's very much evidence based, as in large multicentre trials with good follow up. Always good to ask questions about the individual treatments we are offered for our unique situations.  This site is a great source of information, but make sure you hassle your onc if you have any questions.

    Hope all my Australian sisters have got dry feet. We got a little kick back from the cyclones even down here in Melbourne.

  • pirategirl123
    pirategirl123 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2011

    HI Hereandnow - hope you're staying dry.  I went for a drive yesterday through the streets in Milton and Toowong here in Brisbane yesterday.  I've no doubt the clean up continues but the streets are clean just as before. Amazing. You wouldn't know anything had happened. 

    Trish I had chemo in a public hospital here in Brisbane and didn't have to pay for Emend or Dex or anything from memory.  To be honest I also googled my onc that I was referred to and I have to say that I think it highly unlikely I could find anyone better qualified in Australia.  I have total confidence in him. I do see him 'intermediate'.  The staff in rads and chemo daycare were and continue to be amazing.  I think any half decent specialist welcomes your questions but I would suggest that you might want to write them down during the week and then take them with you when you see him/her. I know people like to bag the public system but it truly has been there for me when I needed it. Now the cost of the Tamoxifen was $30+ for a supply, that's another thing............

    Hugs to all

    xx 

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