February 2012 Chemo
Comments
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Hi, have you ladies stopped your periods since having chemo? Mine haven't stopped and are every four or three weeks. My doc said they would stop unless you have strong estrogen, which is positive for me.
Have got a calmer to take before my port. One the night before and my doc said take one in the morning. Question, can you take the calmer if you have sedation as well.0 -
Hi Ali
I didn't get a calmer or anything else other than the "twighlight sedation" they gave me at the time of the port insertion.
Not much help here on the period issue, mine stopped a year prior to being DX. I am curious though once I'm done chemo to see what % I am on the Estrogen reading.
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Hi, so do you think I should just take the calmer night before and just stick to the sedation. On the ER, mine is 5 so if It were 1 or 2 I would be triple neg.
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Ali
I guess whether you take it really depends on how anxious your're feeling. It's likely mild, I don't think your Doc would prescribe anything too strong where you were out of it. Personally I felt totally fine before, during and after the procedure but that's me. The only discomfort I felt after was when I laughed watching something funny on TV.
I completetly forgot to ask my MO what my %'s were. Mind you my brain only allows me to deal one thing at a time and we'll be addressing the AI after chemo as far as I remember. He did say that my PR was basically neutral though that I remember.
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Myleftboob - I'm on TAC every 3 weeks for 6 rounds. I'm hoping it's the same as last time but I wouldn't mind some sleep, lol.
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Hi Everyone!
Had tx#3 yesterday. I'm doing 6 so this is my halfway done point. YAY! Buzzing on steroids, up at 3:30 this morning. Just got back for Neulasta shot. The tx went well, blood counts were good. I hope to get some things done today while on the steroid buzz as tomorrow or the next I expect to crash. Food tastes yuck, but that's ok. I am not having severe SE, so I won't complain.
Day 5 & 6 I also had back spasms from the Neulasta, so I plan to lay low and plug in the heating pad for those days. I like the idea of the baby bath. I'm going to get some of that today and try it.
For those of you with sugar cravings. I get them too and I am normally not a sweet craver at all! Be careful of the sugar though. Cancer loves sugar. That's the reason that they put the radioactive dye in a glucose soloution when you have a PET scan. The sugar rushes the dye to the cancer cells.(I'm not any type of an expert in this, this is what a doctor told me.)
Hugs and positive thoughts to all!
Judy
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That's hilarious Jag - gave me a reason to laugh today.
Need to vent. Things have been going really well until today. No problems with myself but was just informed that my 9 yo son has either Lyme disease or Rheumatoid Fever. Geez, I've really been trying to take everything in stride and not let things get to me lately. From my horrible reaction to my first try at chemo, to the insurance issues with the second try. And also going on through all of this, my boiler broke down and we had to spend thousands of dollars to replace it and then we had a plumbing disaster that took a couple more thousands to fix - put us into serious financial straits. Through it all, I've tried to keep my head up and just think "it is what it is and we'll deal with it." But now this with my son - really, WTF, how much more can I take!!!!!! I've been teary all day since the doctor called me. I know this too will pass, but its just not a good day.
And, chemo #3 is this Thursday - the good news is that when its done, I'll be half way through. But the bad news it seem like I still have a long way to go - 2 whole more months, ugghhh.0 -
BTW Jag, I was laughing at your haircut story, not your last post. Just saw this new page of posts!
Ali, I thought my period was going to stop but so far it hasn't. In fact, just had about a 2 week period!! It sucked big time - hoping that after tx #3, they'll stop.
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Msbelle - as far as the math on the bone pain, it depends on how you count the days. I had my shot on a Sunday Morning, and my bone pain started about 1 am on a Friday morning. It lasted until about 7 pm.
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ymac...i don't know what to say...i just am glad that you can come here to share. prayers for your son and a hug for you!
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ymac, That really stinks! Sometimes it seems like everything comes at once! It's especially difficult when it involves your child. When you feel especially overwhelmed, feel free to cry, scream, and stomp your feet here. We sympathize! This is a great place to vent...we hear you!
Judy
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Ymac
Everything is secondary to your son even though ithe rest is just plain aweful and unfair. Can this be treated? Not a subject I know anything about. Vent away!! That's what we're here for!!
Judyp
I've heard that about sugar loving Cancer too. Keeping the chocolate to a bare minimum but once TX is done, I really going to be cutting out the white carbs too since they also convert to sugar. Not yet though, its the only food I want right now. Wouldn't even thank you for a nice steak.
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Ymac, I am praying for you and your son. Please feel free to vent here we do understand. Promise not to give advice unless asked for, but thee if you need it.
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lumpynme - how sweet of your son. the roses sound so beautiful.
flddreamer - kudos to you for getting so comfortable in your own skin. I never thought I'd go without a wig either but at home and weekends I am loving just the knit caps I have. However now that the weather is warming up, I may have to get some baseball caps myself. lol @ the comparison with cordoroy - ditto here.
flddreamer - I'm rooting for you to die in a horrific bicycle accident at age 100! On a more serious note, I am right with you, I feel regret for saying dumb things (or nothing at all) to other people who have gone through this. I have a co-worker who has really been doting on me since all this started. She has been through a different type of cancer (still dealing with it actually) and she confessed to me the other day that she has felt really ignored during all that she has gone through already. I felt terrible...
jag1110 - that sucks to not sleep. Don't be too scared about #2 tomorrow. I had #2 last Monday and it was not worse than #1, in fact in some ways it was not as bad. I hope everything goes well for you.
ali - I am due for my first period since chemo started this coming weekend. My onc said it might be light or not come at all. I hate getting my period...yet I am still hoping I get it. That's interesting that the estrogen levels may factor in (duh, it makes sense); I am ER+ so maybe I will still get it. As far as the calmer...if you feel like you need it, then take it. Personally I'd take it but I'm not shy about admitting I get nervous about this stuff!
Judy - that is AWESOME that you are halfway done!!!
ymac - I am sorry to hear about your son...
and the boiler, that is WAY too much for all at once!!! Why do bad things cluster like that sometimes!?!I am getting small, red spots on my hands and they hurt a little. Does anyone know why, and if there is anything to do about them? The skin is not broken in any way. All this stuff seems to primarily affect my stomach and my skin...
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christina...I've had some little red spots on my hands too. A litle sensitive, and they went away after a few days....
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lumpnme, what a wonderful son! and you are finished chemo, or will be soon--did I read that right? Bell ringing ceremony!
I have four Taxol treatments coming up after this--from what I have heard, they are easier in many ways, but you have to watch out for things like fingernails falling off. Fun for all!
Firstcall and Christina, I don't know if you are on Adriamycin, but if so, it could be a mild hand/foot syndrome? I have peeling on my fingertips that I thought was h/f, but the chemo nursesays the culprit is cytoxan.
Yay to JudyP for being 50% through! halfbell!
Ali, good luck with the port!
Ymac, what a bad string of things to happen--I know Lyme can be very treatable so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Jag, must confess I laughed at the hair story as well. I wouldn't mind having that as a secret message somewhere on me.
Re: Periods. Mine is gone, gone, gone, and I'm ER plus 95%. However, I was starting to shuffle off into menopause anyways--missed periods and so on, so I think the chemo just gave me an extra shove. I gave my sister all my leftover tampons as a matter of fact, and damn if that didn't feel good.
So I know my daughter is at increasesd risk of getting BC--does that put my son at increased risk too? I was just thinking the other day that my dad's colon cancer 20 years ago meant that all four of us siblings, male and female, were doomed to the poop chute exam 10 years earlier because of that. But nobody has mentioned that I should have my son do self exams on a weekly basis, or anyting like that. I just don't know the risk factors here.
Edit: knew I forgot something: Moonflwr, for what it's worth, I have thus far found AC#4 much better than number 3. Hope the same goes for you!
How big are your infusion rooms, generally? I think I'm in a big one--it seems to be about 25 chairs in all. some have terrific window views but those all get taken first so I'm generally in an inside cubie thing. Ah well. I just didn't know if this was a big center or now.
Got to sign up for the Red Sox ticket raffle for April, the patient resource center runs one every month.... fingers crossed.....
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JAG, that is funny. I had my head shaved today and my wig fitted, but it wasn't as much fun as your fitting. Huh, LOL! I am still running a low grade fever In the evenings. I bet I don't get a TX this week either. Lump, and MLB, I, too don't know how thosevwith little ones do it. I have been trying NOT to think about the March board, or the upcoming April. Too, too many people. It's depressing.
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hildy i have one more AC on 3/26.....then we ring that bell !!!!!!
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JAG, that is funny. I had my head shaved today and my wig fitted, but it wasn't as much fun as your fitting. Huh, LOL! I am still running a low grade fever In the evenings. I bet I don't get a TX this week either. Lump, and MLB, I, too don't know how thosevwith little ones do it. I have been trying NOT to think about the March board, or the upcoming April. Too, too many people. It's depressing.
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Thanks everyone for the well wishes! It felt good to be able to vent. As far as treatment for him, both diseases are treatable with antibiotics so he started on amoxicillin today and will be on it for 3 weeks. We go back to the doc in 2 weeks to get the final word on which disease it is and see how far along it's progressed in his little body. He had strep throat back I think around late September, so if it's Rheumatic fever, it's been affecting him for quite some time. We live near a big wooded park in DC and he goes there often with his friends so who knows when a tick may have bitten him if it's Lyme disease. I do know that he's been getting sick a lot over the last few months so at least now we know what the cause has been. As I've mentioned before, he's a really sweet kid, plus he's pretty laid back so he's really handling it all well.
BTW Hildy, from what I've been told, if you carry either of the BRCA genes, then your son is at risk for BC but if you don't, then he should be OK.0 -
Just got some reports my Ki67 is 80% does that mean 80% chance of it coming back.
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Just spoke with the onco nurse, I took my steroids pill, I am getting a treatment tomorrow, back on track, tx #2 starting. After tomorrow, 4more. Let's hope this one is NOT a scenic route for me!LOL
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I was told by my onc that ther eis a 1-2% chance of heart damage on the AC. She said that is a low statistic. they ordered a muga scan to ensure that my heart could handle the chemo. I had it done at my cardiologist and also had him do a nuclear stress test. All went well. I did speak to my ONC yesterday about follow ups. She said that normally she would not order another muga scan but said to go ahead an dget one done before my 3rd tx. I would just feel better knowing that there are no significant changes.
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Had second tx yesterday. No quesies yet, just cant sleep. Woke up at 2am this morning. lyed in bed awake until 4:00am than finally decided to get up and do some work on the computer. My onc lowered my steroid dosage of Decadron from 2 pills to 1. hopefully that will help. No quesies yet. I can't believe that my hair is already coming out in droves after day one of 2nd tx. All over pillow, coming out in shower and all over bathroom counters. I think that wig is going on soon!! Hope everyone is doing well today.
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@ ali68, no, that is not what that means at all. Its the rate that your cells are dividing, or have cellular changes, I believe. Maybe Firstcall will explain it better. But that number was taken into account when they staged and graded your tumor and developed your treatment plan, so, it is nothing new to worry over.
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Moonflwr
I'm so glad you're back on track!! You're now only 6 days behind me. I went out for the first time with my wig today. It's a bit longer than my normal do but I pulled it back in a loose ponytail and went grocery shopping. I caught a couple of people glancing but mabey I'm just a little self conscious. My DH said it looked pretty natural. Before you say "yeah OK he would" he's a brutally honest guy. He's the type of guy if you don't really want to to know the answer, don't ask him if you look fat in those pants LOL! He's kind, but very honest. Its' really warm here today so 5 minutes back at the house I'm rocking the bald.
Another shout out is organic coconut oil!! After my shower I used it like I would baby oil and my skin is so soft! Apparently it has an antiseptic quality to it as well, even used it on my head. I have to say getting ready is super streamlined now. No hair to fuss with!! I'm finding that I am definatley looking at ingrediants in beauty products now and am going to be watching for lauryl sulphates and parabems too. That goes for cleaners and clothes washing products too.
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yay.... moonflwr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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ali .. Your high KI67 does not mean you have an 80% chance of recurrence. The KI67 test is a measure of how actively the cells are dividing. A more rapidly dividing tumor will have a higher number. The oncotype is the test which is designed to predict the chance of recurrence. The KI67 can be looked at as more of a predictor of how responsive your tumor might be to chemotherapy. The higher score would indicate it might be more responsive to therapy and if you were on the line about whether chemo would be a good idea or not it might be helpful. It is one piece of information. You MO will look at several pieces of information. Not all MOs even use the KI67, and there is not universal agreement on what it means or how to use the information. You have to look at many things to get a handle on recurrence risk. You might also look at this score as an indication that you would be more likely to benefit from chemo than others. Again, there are many things to look at to get the total picture on your particular tumor, don't get hung up on this one test. Talk with your MO about it some and get it into perspective.
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Had my second tx today, so far no issues except my usual not sleeping. I'm waiting for my doc to call me back to change meds to something else before the bags under my eyes sag to my chin! I hope everyone is doing well with no se's.
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Moonflwr: we will be sitting in the chair together tomorrow! ( just different states) #2 for me as well. I am praying we both have great days with no SE!! don't forget to drink drink drink water!
I am still having trouble with this wig. Just don't like it and it is not good for hot flashes!! Everyone at therapy liked it though. It was very obvious I was wearing one because I wore a hat at the beginning of the week. I went by the wig shop and the owner showed me a thousands ways to tie a scarf with hats and caps. I feel much better. Think I am sticking with hats. They feel so much better and cooler. As the level of frustration goes up so does the attitude of "I don't care how I look". Think this is a good thing. I could be getting close to bald and proud!?!?
Hope tomorrow is good day for all of us!!0
