Any 40-ish survivors?
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So I think I need to lower my recon expectations when it's time! My "old" one was not fab. 2 children and 40 years took their toll. My new ones have got to be better than those.
I'm a few years away from either of my girls wanting to shave I hope. Whilst in the shower this morning I was thinking of how great not having any hair was. No shaving, waxing etc. There are some upsides to chemo. Now if my hair on my head would grow back and not the rest I'd be happy.
I've been reading a chemo curl thread. Did all of you ladies get chemo curl when your hair returned?
I'm off out for a walk with DH. Trying to exercise and eat better, and doing ok so far.0 -
KiwiMum- Yes- I do have wavy hair now.Never had it before. Thicker too . Would be nice to keep the wave...
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NO I did not get chemo curls and I wanted them. lol I still have the same baby fine thin-scarse hair I had before just black and grey instead of brown.
YEAH on finishing chemo!!!!
Oh I just remembered...I finished radiation one year ago today. So I am going to have a great Fourth of July this year. Have a great weekend everybody!!
Now I must try to go get comfy again. Phone rang at 1am scaring the pee turkey out of me. My first thoughts are always something has happened to my mom. Yeah it was a wrong number. Woke my DH up but thankfully miss hyper slept through it. And of course the phone wasn't by the bed like it was suppose to be so it rang for a good while. uggg.
Have a great weekend! I am going to have a great fourth this year.
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Hi all!
Just wanted to wish all you in the US a happy 4th of July! Have some great parties/barbies! Don't drink too much !! It's lovely to have a summer celebration like that. Congrats too to Kymn on finishing the chemo. - it will be a great relief to feel normal again. Yes, Kiwimum, I have had chemo. curls grow back in - twice!- and I do usually have very straight hair. In fact, it's still curly nearly a year after finishing chemo. It also grew in greyer, then turned darker, but now has settled down to my usual nondescript browny colour after the dye I used in the spring has been cut out.
I'm glad there's lots on here about healthy eating - I'm trying to diet (again!) at the moment as I am quite massive! It's so much easier in the summer when the lovely cherries, strawberries etc are in season - mind you, they are so expensive compared to crappy stuff in our supermarkets like cookies, cakes and white bread, which are always cheap and on offer. And the Gov. is always going on about tackling obesity and healthy eating ! Yes, I ate a lot of beets last year while on chemo. to keep my blood counts up (seemed to work) . I'm not very keen on them to say the least and they do have the unfortunate side-effects you describe! You need to boil them first till tender before roasting as they tend to be rock-hard, but I think you can also grate them and have them raw in a salad.
Yes, my lymphoedema has been playing up too for the last month - I was on vacation in June and used the hot-tub a few times - yes, I know I am insane! - of course, I paid the price for my hedonism with a big, puffy hand. I have a new all-in-one glove and sleeve now, which seems to be working on it. Actually, Burley, when we were on holidays, we visited a nearby zoo and 2 of the giant tortoises there had damaged shells which they had repaired with large strips of duct-tape! I can't remember what had happened to them, but they may have been attacked or something. Hope everyone is OK on here and having a lovely week-end.
Sarah xxx
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For those of you in the States, I hope you have a great 4th! Super lazy day for me today after a very long week. Then probably headed up to the lake for a little sun and fun. It looks like a hot but very sunny weekend here. Hope you all have a chance to get out and enjoy the summer weather!!
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burley I am glad you made this thread, I just wish I had found it sooner. I also have an 11 year old just thankful she hasen't asked to shave yet, but she does check her body out daily to see what has changed. Tried to tell her not to rush it, but who am I but just an adult whose been there done that.
As for my "new" ones I wish they were further down and not under my chin and as of right now I can't squish them into anything, too hard. I need to read your turtle story, sounds interesting.
Christine47 you should to just fine if you are in a desk job. I had no lifting restrictions and when I asked when I could go back to the gym and do upper body work the PS said a week. I don't know if he was taking me seriously or not, but I would have thought he would have told me different if not. Have a Happy 4th everyone!
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My DD was 10 when she started shaving her legs...I found out while on vacation! We were sitting around the pool and I went to rub some sun screen on her legs and felt stubble. Sneaky little bugger
Have a terrific 4th of July!!!
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I feel like a pre-teen again. Just restarted shaving my legs, still looking for under arm hair, and wearing a bra, even though I don't really need it. My mood on Tamoxifen also matches any preteen, laughing one minute and crying the next. I just wish teenage boys weren't calling me mother. Ha, ha.
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Bahahahahahahahaha Christine!!!
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Bethie...
My doctor said to double my multivitamin and that the Vitamin E in a multi is fine....
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Sarah1968~ So good to see your post. Sounds like vacation was fun!! Hope the LE gets better for you. I just hate that- seems like another one of those things I'm not in control of.
Christine47-It was funny to read your post. I got leg hair back first,but it was a long time before underarm hair returned and for a long time I had no underarm odor at all. Still don't really.Thought that was so weird.
We will celebrate the 4th today with fireworks and all the good grilling food. Kittydog - What a wonderful thing to celebrate as well...a year out YEA!!!! Very happy for you!!
Everyone have a safe,fun 4th!!!!
Kim
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I hope everyone in the US had a great 4th!
I've had my mum staying for the weekend after her sisters funeral last week. It was great to see her even if it was under sad circumstances.
I'm in week 3 after my last AC so feeling great and making the most of it. I'm hoping when I start Taxol next week it's a walk in the park! I've been n doing heaps of reading on what vitamins/supplements to taken when on Taxol to try and avoid/reduce neuropathy. Armed with my knowledge I went and spent A LOT of money at the health food store yesterday!
I'm also feeling proud that I've managed to eat well and healthily for a week now. I've also exercised 3 times so feeling good. I'm hoping Taxol and the related drugs don't make my appetite surge again next week!
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Happy 4th everyone! Since laughter is the best medicine, I thought I would share a link to a blog sent to me from a friend. It is laugh out loud hysterical. If you don't like cursing, you may want to skip.
http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/
I am off to enjoy the last of my three days off. I have chosen to completely ignore my job and just about everything else this weekend. It has been heavenly. Back to reality tomorrow.
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Hi KiwiMum, So sorry to read about your Aunts passing. Those things are never easy,but glad you got to visit with your mom. You are smarter than me to educate yourself about your next round of chemo. Looking back,I think I kind trudged along. I did not take supplements during chemo. I hope you will sail through this next round and be on your way to DONE. Can't wait for your post that says last one.
Lisa- Hope you enjoyed that time off and thanks for the laugh!!
Thanks to all who wished us state side girls a Happy Fourth. So happy to do things with my family this year and can't wait for all of you gals who are in the chemo part of treatment to be done as well.
Thoughts and prayers are with each of you,
Kim
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hi ladies hope all my american sista;s are enjoying the fireworks tonight. Questions for those of you who are further past being done chemo than me....when do the hot flashes stop???? They drive me insane.
thanks Hugs Kymn
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Happy Independence Day!!
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Hi Kymn and all!
For me, the hot flashes stopped probably 6 weeks/2 months after chemo. finished last summer. I then had rads to ovaries in the Nov. which started them all off again! Not pleasant are they? - To say the least! They should also lessen when the weather cools down.
Hope you all had lovely times the last few days. I wish we had something like that here in Britain - it sounds fun. We do have bonfire night/ Guy Fawkes night on 5th November with fireworks etc, but it's cold and dark then! Love to all those still in treatment and good luck to everyone with their healthy efforts!
Sarah x
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Hi Kymn and everyone,
Yes,I also still have the hot flashes. Mine began toward the end of chemo. At first they were very intense,but slowly they have become less so. My RO actually told me about the anti depressant that can be given in low doses to help them. I did try it so I could sleep, I will say I didn't care for the way I felt on the drug and it made me not able to sleep. I think my body is very weird though the way it handles drugs. Usually if a med says it may cause drowsiness in adults or excitement in young children etc. I would be the one with excitement. I even tried the Tylenol with the added sleep med in it ( which i later found out was really Benedryl ( sp) ) and that stuff keeps me wide awake too. Hopefully they will get better for you Kymn. Again I know other girls who take the med and have no trouble at all. I am just not a good medicine person.
Hi sara1968~ Thanks for the 4th wishes. It is such a fun celebration. I didn't know about bon fire night. sounds like fun too. We really had a good time. Swimming/music/food . We did have to dodge some stormy weather though. Hope everyone else had a great weekend!!
Soon we will be off for the gulf coast of Florida. We were there last year,but I was right in the middle of this chemo business,so I could not taste much. Really looking forward to swimming with my son. Hope my LE arm will do ok in the humid weather. I have told myself while gone I will not even mention cancer or arm swelling. I just want to not think about it for one whole week!!
Have a great day everyone,
Kim
( I edited to correct the spelling of kimn to Kymn)
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Hi Everyone. I hope those of you in the US had a great 4th and that everyone else had a great weekend. Been catching up on reading from the weekend and I apologize if I don't know who wrote what, but congrats to those you who finished treatments. I know it is such a relief.
Hot flashes. I have to say I suffer from them also. I wish I could blame them on chemo, but mine started with my totally hysterectomy. I know they got worse on chemo and have subsided some in the last 3 months since I finished so I think there is hope if you haven't been surgically put into menopause. I was on an antidepressant during chemo and it really didn't help with the flashes much. They also get worse when I am wearing a hat. Thankfully those days are coming to a close. Almost have enough hair to go without without people looking at me strange and then maybe they will think I am just being stylish. Does anyone know when it is safe to start coloring again. I am coming in much grayer then my age. lol. Don't know about curls yet, though was very curly before chemo and hope they come back.
Kim - I don't know if you were told but the therapist told me that swimming is wonderful for LE it's a pressure thing. Sorry you have to deal with it at all.
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Hello - can I join? I am now 46, was 45 at time of diagnosis. Finished with chemo and rads, just started Tamoxifen and of course working on the life style changes to incorporate exercise and a healthy diet.
Already had my exchange surgery, downsized, and I love being smaller. Still waiting for the drop and fluff (whatever that means) of my saline implants and am lopsided at the moment, but now I can wear clothes that I could never wear before, YIPPY!
Still getting use to being careful with certain things to avoid LE, like wearing compression sleeves with exercise and changes in elevation (not fun in the heat but adds and extra layer of warmth in the cold weather) but so far so good.
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Hi ProudMom, Welcome to the 40-ish group, several of our Jan girls have made their way over here.
Do you have LE? I do not but constantly worry about that on my axillary node disection side. Next Thursday is my exchange day (and port removal), starting to get alittle nervous.
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Hi christine47 - No I don't have LE, just being really proactive in hopes that I don't. My cousin, who is a 20+ year BC Survivor, has LE and advised me to stay proactive on that front by seeing a PT/LE Specialist soon after my BMX, which I did. If it happens, it happens, but at least I will feel that I did what I could to prevent it.
Your post above made me laugh ... pre-teen years.
Never thought I was going to have to "grow" breasts again, at least this time I was able to control the how big they got (smaller is so much nicer for me).
Good luck with your exchange. I was actually more excited about my port removal than getting my new real fake breasts. The exchange surgery was easier than mastectomy, I just hated having to wear a bra again, since I basically stopped wearing one after the bandages came off from my BMX.
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Hi mamachick- Yea for getting hair back. I was so happy to get my hair and my daggone eyelashes back.... The antidepressant only made me wide awake so I only took it two times. I know when I began with rads my RO was teasing me because my hair came back in almost white/gray she said you know you could prolly color it...I think it was just a few inches long at most. I got very brave with the short hair and decided to color it myself. I read about an all natural hair color that is actually good for your hair so I began doing it myself. It is a henna product and you can mix colors to get the color right. My first try..I was a little too red but I think I have it down now. I really didn't have much to lose....Thanks for the tips on swimming. I had heard that and really hope I can keep it in check.
Hi ProudMom- You know I don't know how to describe the drop/fluff either. So happy to hear you are through with the hard stuff. I know what you mean about wearing things you could not before. I love not tucking bra straps every five seconds LOL. You may never have problems with LE at all. It is just so weird. i did great for a year then wham,but I also had every node removed on that side. It still is ok though- early stage..Sounds like you are doing all the right things.
Chistine47- I will be thinking of you Thursday, i think you will do fine. How great to get that port out and you will find the implants much more comfy. I will say a little prayer!!
Have a great night everyone,
Kim
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Welcome ProudMom- I am new here too, everyone has been wonderful. I agree with the no bra. It is so hard going back to one now that I have had almost 9 months without. My PS called me a bra burner and I didn't know how true that was.
Christine47- will be thinking about you tomorrow too. I hope all goes well and you get just what you want!!
Kmur-Kim thanks for the tips on hair coloring I will have to look into that. Any suggestions on where to get the all natural coloring?
Okay I am going to bring up a gross subjects. What is everyone's take on nails and chemo especially toe nails. Do they recover and how long does it take. The onc. blamed it on the taxatere.
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Hi Proudmom-welcome!
Hair coloring-I colored it as soon as it was long enough. One of my closest friends is my hairdresser, so I had her do it. But I was 6 months out from chemo before it was even long enough to do.
I'm glad everyone had a terrific 4th! We had 15 people over for a BBQ. I drank about 4 mojitos-yum. Not too much-just right. And we let off some fireworks in the backyard-good times.
Monsoon finally hit here yesterday-60 mile wide wall of dust that was a complete block out for the most part. Luckily I was home. My husband was driving home at the time and had to pull into a gas station to wait it out. One of my gi
gantic trees had some tall branches split off-sad.
Well, I ate and drank like a pig for 2 days, so it's back to the diet today. This lack of estrogen is a killer. I can't keep the weight off unless I'm dieting. And I love carbs!
I started having hot flashes during chemo and they never stopped. But I was put on Tamoxifen a month after chemo stopped, then had my ovaries out in February. So I'm screwed. I'm already on an antidepressant, so maybe they would be even worse without it-who knows.
I haven't had any LE, and feel so fortunate. It's so damn hot here I don't know how I would handle a sleeve.
Hope you're feeling well Kymn!
I hope everyone else has a terrific day!
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Hey mamachick. I'm on Taxol and my nails are all blotchy and sore. The nurse said I could soak it in vinegar and water, but I doubt that would really help much. They also said that they have to just grow out. With the way my nails grow, that is going to be a long while. Sorry. I wish I had better news about it.
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I lost all my nails on taxol. The fingernails came back really quick but the toenails didn't finish falling off till almost six months after finishing chemo. They took a long time to grow back and some grew back curled up on the sides. yeah gross. I also can't stand for them to get any length on them now. Not sure if that has anything to do with loosing them or the neuropathy. Wishing you the best. Some say to put your fingers on ice during the treatment. Wish I would have know that. I would have given it a try.
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Okay, KittyDog, do tell. What exactly happens when you lose your nails? So far, I have red/brown blotches in the middle of all my nails. Are they just going to lift up and go? Then you just have that really sensitive skin under there open? Any info you can give would be really appreciated. Thanks!
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Me too Kittydog- Gosh I thought that was supposed to be a rare thing to lose your nails with Taxotere sounds like lots of us did. I didn't lose my toenails though. My finger tips hurt while on Taxotere also.
mamachick- The product I use on my hair is Light Mountain Natural hair color and conditioner. It leaves my hair thicker and very shiny. Do know that coloring with henna takes several hours to do and the henna smells like freshly cut hay. It can be ordered on line and only costs about 6 or seven dollars. I would be happy to answer any questions about it.
Chritine47 - I will be thinking of you tomorrow. you will have to let us know how you are doing when your up to it.
Have a great evening everyone
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Hey girls, my surgery is not until next Thursday, sorry if I confused you all. This week and weekend I am trying to get things at home and work in order so my time off after surgery is less stressful. Fortunately both of my boys will be at summer camp next week so less to worry about.
Hope you are all having a great week.
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