TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Eileenohio,
Curious as to why you're getting tamoxifen and not an AI......Did they tell you?0 -
Ms. Tori, you look a-ok. I bet the poor quality was due to your youthful age and having dense breasts. They sometimes don't estimate LVEF above 55% because they know all that they need to. Your heart is working great!
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Ashla, I have osteoporosis and the risk of bone damage was too great. I have a bone density test scheduled for December,we will see if my MO will then change to another hormone treatment
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Ms Tory, LDH is lactate dehydrogenase and it is a very non-specific test. If it seems to be higher than usual during chemo, that could be due to destruction of the red cells since they are the cell in the body that carries the most LDH (they are a fascinating little cell to say the least, at least to this geeky biochemist). So don't fret. Lipemic means your triacylglycerides might have been high. That could easily be the case if you weren't fasted and had recently eaten something.
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Hi Usha,
My husband and I went to the gym and walked the track soon after I posted that and fortunately, some endorphins have kicked in.
Thanks for your words of encouragement! I'm just ready to get this show on the road (a saying we have here in the US - not sure if it's used worldwide but right now I'm just in nervous/anticipation mode and way too wordy, etc. etc.!)
When I get to the gym and start walking and look up at the mountains and blue sky I get more into the mode of what you suggested: "live life fully!"
Have a good day/evening/week!
Editing to add: Usha said: "This year I’m very glad to pass all check-ups and my MO was saying” You don't have cancer any more” This is so great to read/know! Congratulations!
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Oh, and one more thing, if you want the actual percentage, they can probably give that to you. I suspect in your institution the cardiologists just click greater than 55% in their medical record system. But they'll have your actual results in your chart.
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Oh, and thanks everyone for the info on Neulasta. I asked about it on Friday and my MO (he's a hoot) just shrugged and said "I don't like it." HAR!! I love the guy!
Eileen, you have inspired me. First chemo is next Friday and I'm pretty nervous. What the heck am I going to do for 6 hours???
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Pbrain I broke open my old color gameboy and played video games. My onc walked into the chemo room one time and cracked up when she saw what I was doing. I don't think she ever expected me to be a video game player. (Actually used to design them). I also brought books. If I had an ipad I would have been online the entire time posting here.
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Pbrain....
My first chemo would have been closer to 8 hrs if it hadn't been split up. Did herceptin the next day because the desk gave me a 12 noon appt and I had no idea it wouldn't be long enough. They went really slowly the first time for me. After that...I loved my benadryl which I had never taken before. If it were quieter, I could have actually slept for maybe 2 hrs.....
Dress comfortably and hope they have WIFI..I'll play words with friends with you!0 -
Thanks Eileen...makes much sense!
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pbrain - I watched a couple movies on my laptop.
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You guys crack me up. I think it is time for an iPad. I just have an iphone and I can kill that battery in a few hours...
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pbrain - I was nervous before the first one and the PA gave me ativan in the premeds. that helped relax me. From then on they included it in premeds for the rest of the treatments.
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Pbrain- thanks for all the info! Yes, I did eat before my labs. They didn't say to fast, so yep, had my coffee and cream and breakfast. Lol!
I bought an iPad, then found out the VA is behind and no wifi. Humph! So, I use my phone. But honestly, after the premeds, and the icing time, by the time I'm done with those, I throw a big comfy warmed blanket and relax and talk the nurses ear off. It's slower on Fridays and I'm the last out. I asked for extra saline at the end too. But I am enjoying my iPad after treatments and at home. :-) and yes, like Omaz said, I get Ativan too....yay for Ativan. Even have a home script for it- it helps in a different way for nausea. And also helps to sleep at night with all those steroids. Oh! And I take my extra long cord for my phone to keep it charged if I am on it. But again.....hard to do with fingers stuffed into frozen peas. Blah!0 -
There was an hour wait between seeing my onc and the pharmacy making the chemo so we went for lunch at the Au Bon Pain in the hospital. My last chemo I did alone and I still went for lunch. Actually went to that same Au Bon Pain 2 days after my BMX for lunch in my hospital gown and everything. It was just an elevator ride.
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I got a seat by the bathroom and would wander in there a couple times with the IV pole. I had snacks and water. I wasn't at a hospital so they didn't have food but sometimes other families brought in treats to share, that was happy. I also had my big cooler of peas and my elastogel caps.
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Ok, so I must have missed something somewhere! Why do some of you have your hands stuffed in frozen peas during chemo??? I am sure it is not because you are trying to get frostbite!
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Bren freezing your hands & feet are supposed to prevent your nails from lifting. It is not a very common SE but not a fun one either. The peas did not work for me and all my nails lifted. Some toenails fell off. They were painful, oozed and smelled. I got it really badly… but as I said it's not that common and even less common to get it as badly as I did. Bit more common with ladies that are on chemo for life.
So that's why people use frozen peas.
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pbrain - I have a feeling that with your medical background this first chemo you will be asking questions and checking and double checking all that goes on. This is a good thing - I always checked the bags of drugs. I did not have a "chemo 101" class prior to my first tx - I had labs, a doc appt, and all three drugs with pre-meds all in one day - we were first in and last out because they wanted to run everything in slowly on the first tx - so I had a lot of explanations and Q&A with everything. I brought an e-reader but DH downloaded movies to the ipad and watched/listened on headphones. You have to go back to another thread to read about my first chemo experience, I will put the link here, scroll down the page to my avatar and read the post. It is one of those things that is funny now, but was pretty crazy at the time. There are some amendments in the following pages that expand on the experience if you want to read further:
http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=69&id=766186&page=1
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Bren - Here is a link to the research article from the J. Clin Oncology about icing during taxotere (docetaxel) - LINK
Conclusion
Frozen glove significantly reduces the nail and skin toxicity associated with docetaxel and provides a new tool in supportive care management to improve a patient’s quality of life.0 -
SpecialK- just read your link! That is horrible. I know you've told me that story, but to read it brought a whole new image. Very tacky. You handled it better than I would have.
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Thanks Omaz and lago for that information. I had heard about the cold caps but not the peas. I can't believe there are so many things to think about before we even start! I have already decided I won't be able to do the cold caps because my neck and shoulders tighten up terribly when my head gets cold for more than about 10 minutes. I might try the frozen peas for my hands, but I don't want to spend the whole infusion time shivering with my teeth chattering either
I just don't do cold very well. Of course my nails lifting off would not be a pleasant alternative.0 -
Bren the nail thing is a rare SE. But of course I did get it. I personally think that the peas don't keep your hands cold enough and that's why it didn't work for me.
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Bren,
Wow! Small world
I did the peas, and wore acrylic nails the entire time I was on chemo. No problems.
And you only use the peas when the taxoterrible is dripping into your body.
Also, I don't know how you feel about someone driving you to/from chemo. I didn't want anyone to do that, so after the first one, when there was no obvious allergic reaction, I refused bendadryl for all future infusions. It meant I was alert and productive all day, and could go to chemo by myself. Which I did every time but the first. (It was boring enough for me..I didn't want anyone else to have to sit through it. AND it's kinda nice to just chill and not have to entertain someone else
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Ms Tori,
Pbrain seemed to answer your Echo question. From what I understand, the echo is "read" by a technician/radiologist so you should be able to get an exact number (but this is the reason the MUGA is the gold standard for EF). MUGA generally has software that gives a LVEF %. Though my team says it's open to fluctuation as well +/-5...and they explained it but all I heard was blah blah blah science.
Anyway, an ECHO may not be exact for EF, but over all I think it's a smart thing to get before tx. It gives a lot more information about the heart as a whole...so if something goes wrong down the line, they have all that info as a baseline.
lol
Pbrain,
My Onc was just like yours. He said, "let's wait and see." A couple days after 1st tx, HOSPITAL FOR FIVE DAYS! Omg, it was the longest most boring 5 days of my life. Everyone suited up before coming in the room, couldn't have salad, flowers, etc. Had to wear a mask.
I got the shot from #2 on. Actually they gave it to me the day of chemo, I took it home and refrigerated it and then just gave it to myself the next day. Saved me a trip.
Turns out I really needed it. Even with neulasta by wbc was low.
Everything my Onc told me that began with "you won't have any problems, you're young and healthy..." well, turns out young and healthy has nadda to do with wbc and herceptin heart damage! lol
I'm kinda glad we waited to see if I needed it. If I wouldn't have...I don't think I'd have had many SE at all from chemo. Most of mine were Neulasta.
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I just want to throw this out there.
Halloween is of the devil.
I am SOOOO SICK right now from Halloween chocolate! There is a reason I don't keep that stuff in the house! Now the evil stuff is calling to me from my youngest son's goodie bag.....Mounds, Reeses, M&Ms....heath bars....the devil I tell ya! The DEVIL. lol
I have to go puke now....ha!
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Bren - I put the frozen peas in insulated lunch sacks from target and they were very cold. I am not sure if you used any insulation lago. I agree that the peas without insulation might not be cold enough. Like SpecialK said you only need to use them for the taxotere, not the carboplatin or herceptin.
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Bren, I didn't ice and my nails are fine. They darkened a little and got a bit tender. I hate cold and took my chances.
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TonLee- thanks for the info. on echo. If it weren't for the chemo, my cousin wouldn't have any candy left! Ha! I told her, next year, she better hide it! Lol!
I used ice the first time, but this second time I used the peas. Not bad at all. In fact, my thumb was so numb, I thought the sensation would never come back! It did, but felt weird.
Well Ladies, it's almost nine here in Florida, and feels like ten bc time change. Day 2 post chemo over with. Gonna take my meds and go to la la land. Good night.0 -
cami - What are you up this weekend you have been quiet!
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