Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013
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audra, Happy dance for you! I think my BS told me mammo on BC breast every 6 mos for first 2 yrs and then annual mammo on both...haven't spoken to MO about follow up yet. I'm sure it will be annually though. I'm not sure if they use your DX date or the start of TX as a follow up date though. I will be doing rads after chemo and think I will be done with them about my 6 mo; worried if they want to mammo a burnt boob! OUCH!!
quirkygirl, good luck in the BGC today! Hope you have easy SE's, if any!!
Going to see a movie with a friend later after my N shot. Looking forward to putting BC on the back burner for a few hours!
Have a good week-end, warriors! Fight on!
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Hi Keepthefaith,
usually once you finish the chemo, they will do mammo and then you start the radiation. This what my surgeon told me in case I have to do chemo.
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follow up treatment for lumpectomy vs. Double mastectomy is different,
With lumpectomy- I had yearly mammograms and in between yearly MRI's - so I was essentially scanned 2x per year.
With a double mastectomy, my oncologist told me, no breasts, no mammos. I will also not have any MRI's to scan for breast cancer. I WILL have MRIs every 2 years to check to see if the implants are leaking (ordered by the PS).
I am terrified of not having any scans as I now have had breast cancer twice, so I have a real fear of mets. I just have to have faith in my oncologist. I go back now from seeing her yearly to seeing her every 4 months. I saw her yesterday for a pre-chemo visit and she did a physicial exam checking my foobs and my lymph nodes under my arms and along my collar bone. She does this every time I see her. They will test my blood for tumor markers as well, but my last cancer did not show up in the blood work.
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Hi ladies!!!!
Audra, congratulations!!!
I am still having significant back/ hip pain. The Vicodin is just taking the edge off. Really sucks to be in this much pain.
My resting heart rate is 133 so I have an appointment to see my cardiologist on Wednesday.
My MO said no scans as well. Only did the PET because of the pain. He probably also sensed I would not back down.
My BS will see me every 4 months. I know she will order scans if necessary.
I have been following you all, hang in there those of you still in the chemo journey.
I have also been to the Livestrong exercise program. They have modified it around my hip pain. Nice way to ease back into. Exercise.
I am so tired all the time, probably the Vicodin. It is great to check in with all of you.
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EVERYONE!!!!- thanks! I am thrilled! am thinking I will get a scan, whether he recommends it or not in a few months. I see bs and plastic surgeon in March , I will get their opinions..
sc-That sucks you are still having back pain! and the vicodin will make you sleepy, and constipated...if it's not one thing it's another, right?
Are you feeling a little more back to normal otherwise being 2 weeks out and knowing you are done??!!! Is it great??
Pat- What did your MO say about botox and all, mine said he didn't know?? And he also said the supplements and hair color ok after 3 weeks? But all I have is my same dark crew cut thing that never fell out so far...he said ok in 3wks to latisse and bioxin hair growth also...
Good luck today Quirky!
Virginianj- Yes, it is a fine line between being freaked out/worried and vigilant and not worried - as we want to find anything again before it gets bigger but these MO's don't seem to get that...mine anyways acts like I just need to move on and never worry and get back to my life...well I sure don't want mets either and once you're there the MO would just deal with that and say we need to move on too...they aren't in it like we are- it's not personal...
good luck to you all!
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I think when I have my reconstruction behind me, I will start to feel as if this part of the journey is over. I think the fear of reoccurence will always be there and we just learn how to file it in another part of our brains.
Someone called me the other day and when I said I was doing well. she asked "so the chemo worked", I just had to put the phone down. Hey @#$#@#$ I'll let you know 5, 10, 15 years out when there is no reocurrerence. That has to be the dumbest question, statement I have heard and I am not looking forward to hearing more.
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SchoolCounselor - People don't understand BC. I know I didn't until I found myself here. The reality is more frightening than I ever knew. I honestly believed early detection would mean cure. I am hoping when the time comes that I can put myself in a place mentally that will allow me to live each day without a fear of impending doom. I hope that day comes earlier than 10, 15 or 20 years from now. We'll see.
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I am constantly getting "so how do they know the chemo is working" and my other favorite is "what's your prognosis" - I think some pple just immediately think the worst when they hear the word "cancer" - I want to shout at pple to not bury me!!! But I guess since I'm a 2 timer they immediately think the worst
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Gotta laugh: when we were leaving our cabin Sunday night, a neighbor who drinks came by to see me. He told me he was praying for me, and hoped he'd see me again. Ummm, yeah, don't think I'll have passed on before the month is out. People really don't understand BC. I agree about all this early detection means you're cured, mammograms help, but they're not gonna keep everyone alive even if you get them on time, but early/schmurly it depends on what kind of the beast you've got. I think the complexity of the disease is so far over people's heads. Grades, her2, hormone receptors, nodes: people want simple diseases, either you got it or you don't.
So these doctors are all over the place. I am 6 weeks till hair color (temp stuff), 6 weeks to supplements, and I stayed on latisse all the way through with her ok. 6 weeks to botox and Restylane. 3 weeks till sushi.
She was very reassuring about the blood sugar which was the only out of whack thing on my bloodwork.
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VirginiaNJ, what I seem to hear from some people is how I am lucky to have BC ( if i had to have cancer ) and not other more serious cancers & how so much research has been done, it is more curable.
Yep- the early detection = cure mentioned above.
I have realized like many of you that people equate the pink ribbons and walks with being curable, survivors.
They don't understand how unpredictable this disease is, how stealth and misunderstood
WE KNOW. Amy(momat)
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Wrenn -- great new pic!
Agree with all about how the peeps just don't get it. When we are with people and I start to explain anything in depth, my DH tends to cut me off and say how proud he is of how I handled treatment or how fortunate we are that there is treatment. All true, but it was bugging me until I asked him about it and he said that people don't really want to know the details. They just want to know you will be OK. As I thought about it, the dumb questions and misguided conclusions seem to signify that he's right. So now I try to be more patient and to muster up a little positive vagueness or gallows humor (" So they think after 30 zaps I will be sufficiently microwaved"). Sometimes I just can't do it, but I try to know my moods so on those days I just avoid the conversations. Seems like those are days when I need the energy for healing and other more important things.
So hot here today (86 degrees) that I went out bald for the first time -- to the pharmacy that was supposed to have my Tamoxifen ready. Only to find when I got there (looking like a Charlie Brown) that "the lab that supplies us has Tamoxifen on back order"). Really? Not like I was looking to buy something cool like an iPad! Lol! Got a lot of funny looks from the middle schoolers buying candy at the front of the store. I feel like I should have one of those baby girl headbands with the giant silk flower on it.
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PatAlameda - Are you telling me no Botox until my chemo is over????!!! My anti-aging doc just said that the chemo eats it and it's a waste of money but earlier my surgeon said it wouldn't be an issue. I stopped using Retin A and the Obogi skin care because I thought it would be too harsh on my skin but now my face is breaking out. Oh this is going to be ugly.
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Hey, just checking in (haven't read entire thread, just the first page).
Unless my oncologist changes plans (about 2 weeks ago, right in the middle of treating Cancer Round 2, very possibly Cancer Round 3 may have raised its ugly rockhard little head)
I should be starting this Cytoxan and Taxotere after this next surgery
(calculating for yet unscheduled surgery expected to be done sometime February then allowing for some healing time)
... will guesstimate chemo will start maybe about March/April 2014
even if there is a new lump... I really can't see how she'll have me do anything else.. there's nothing else left to cut off over there, we're already in progress with mastectomies and chemo followed by a diffferent anti-estrogen drug... will guess new lump or not that we would go on as planned (but that's just me guessing. my Onco is rather good at 'we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" and not theorizing ahead, won't tell me what we'll do if its a new lump until we find out if it is)
pretty scared about this.. I've read some scary things online.
I hope I don't end up permanently bald, or with hands and feet permanently on fire.
First chemo was pretty easy for me really (I was tired, had a couple variety of bizarre really painful but nonthreatening infections on my face mouth nose and eyes, but that was the worst of it).
IIn "CMF" I had one half of these drugs before (didn't realize until I found papers), Cytoxen I've had before and will not be new to me, but the Taxotere will be new to me -- and that's the one that scares me
I didn't even go bald with the first (my hair just got thin and my scalp got really strange, I had to be careful not to pull my hair, scalp and all right off),
This one however she said WILL make me bald, and in 18 days. I have also read somewhere that you might wake up one day with all your hair on your pillow. I don't think I could deal with that. When I'm close to time to start chemo I think I'll shave it
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neverready- Welcome..... if you need to know anything about the Taxotere.... just ask. Some of us iced our finger nails and toe nails and some of us didn't here. The icing is in hopes of preventing nail damage. Check with your onco to see if it is okay to do that if you are interested in doing that. I can post some info about exactly what to do which will give you an idea of what to do. As for the hair fallout, I cut my short bob into short boy cut right before my second round of chemo. I got tired of the hair falling out everywhere. I never cut it again after that and just watched my little head to see what would fall out. That was my personal science experiment.... to see what the chemo would do to my hair. I never became 100% bald since I always had some very sparse hair all over my head. I did not take up one morning with my hair all gone either. I did use a lint roller to pick up the hair all over me, my clothes, my pillow, my bed and wherever I had been. Here is the thing, you make the choice of if and when you want to shave or buzz your head and you just do what you feel comfortable with. There is no right way or wrong way here...... just your way. Again, welcome......
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Audra - sorry for the delay - whoo hoo, all through!! After mastectomy I was told scans once a year. Since recurrence I've been having either a PET/CT or a breast MRI (or both) at least every 6 months & I gather that will continue - along with Echocardiogram to monitor potential heart damage from 3 of the chemo drugs.
WTH does it mean we'll "know" if it's a "recurring cancer pain? As we age there are all sorts of new aches & pains. How does this doc think we could begin to know? I think that's a fatuous statement - especially since I had no pain w/my recurrence in spite of a 1/2 golf ball sized swelling under my collar bone.
Pat: Yup, isn't Dilaudid wonderful. Ooooo - 3 weeks to sushi? I guess I can get some tomorrow!!
SC: sorry about the continuing pain. I do hope the docs can find something that works.
Warrior - I went for my full body check w/the dermatologist yesterday. She was ecstatic that all of the various chemo drugs have killed most of the 20 or 30 pre-cancerous cells she usually has to freeze every 6 months. I did notice some pimples w/the Cytoxan.
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Neverready - sorry to skip you. Welcome. Ask away!!
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Welvome neverready. This is a great group of women. Ask away!!!
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MinusTwo - That's great news!
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whew... good to hear from all of you!
I've not been focusing on this (pending chemo) greatly because I have a surgery (and now new test results on a new suspicious lump... I'm so DONE with this cancer....)
I did find it odd that she was able to say '18 days" (I think that's awfully specific), maybe I misunderstood.. I took it literally as if "on the 18th day into chemo" like I could maybe check it off on a calender or something, heh
Melrosemelr…Overtime hair loss like you describe, would yes be a PITA like you described, but not near as freakish as the waking up and finding you've had a visit in the night from the ... erm.. "Hair Fairy" or something.
At your first round of this chemo combo, did they (chemo room staff) kind of stand all around you, waiting to see if you'd convulse or some other (I can't even recall all but there were a couple scary things) I believe they may huddle around you watching for... and were you able to be safely sent home after your first chemo treatment?
Again, this is stuff I've gotten off the internet (along with reading I believe this was on WebMD or another pretty trustworthy site), women were complaining that they had these baldness and fiery hands and feet permanently and that... *sigh*.. that manufacturer starts with an S.. something like "Sofi" for its name? anyway, the women said the manufacturer knew it could make these permanent and were withholding this info...
I even have had a sense/fear that this chemo might even be deadly if things really were to go too wrong
so getting to talk directly to women who've had this is pretty huge to me (just like my looking for 3x survivors which is how I found this site in the first place).
I've got questions:
Do most of the women here come through this alright without permanent damage, and if not, if somebody's got the flaming hands/feet for life.. how do you manage it, how bad it is, is there anything you can do for it?
being bald for life... okay that one kinda sounds interesting.. especially if it made you entirely hairless (I read it can go either way, just your head or entire body)
entire body might be nice in that at least you'd never have to shave your armpits and legs again
has anybody here had any permanent bad effects, if so, what were they and how do you manage it?
I'm hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
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Neverready, it's probably more a "by" 18 days, since days 14-16 are more likely. You don't find a dead rat on your pillow, just run your fingers through your head a pull out clumps. But yup, it's pretty much gonna happen. Yes a good number of people get some neuropathy. Permanent hands on fire and permanent hair loss, sure: they exist. You know how you can find websites that prove driving a connection between electromagnetic lines and impotency? Beware the internet. Some people do get these issues, but not very many.
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Neverready -- Welcome to this thread. There are some great sister warriors here. You have been through so much, and I can see that BC has been really giving you a roller coaster ride for a few years now. It seems like you are looking for more info on the CT regimen, and you've come to the right place. We will try to help with info and support.
Please remember that people who are having some sort of difficulty with CT are more likely to post in many places, and that rare SEs are the outliers. Most of us having CT will have an easier time of it than many other chemo regimens. Everyone reacts differently to the drugs, everyone has different cancers and different bodies and different MOs. That said, there are some SEs, and a few are pretty much given.
HAIR -- If you read through this thread and the various chemo threads, you will find a variety of experiences with hair loss. It seems that most CT sisters lose their hair somewhere between day 14 after the first infusion and the beginning of the second infusion. Day 18 might be average. Some use Penguin cold caps to prevent hair loss. It is kind if expensive and inconvenient, but can be done -- Google chemo cold caps or search this site for more info. Personally, I decided that having something cold wrapped around my head would give me a headache, so I just dealt with the hair loss. When it started to fall out to the point I could not style it! I went and got it cut to about a half inch long and bought a wig. I never lost every single hair -- a few hardy individuals remained throughout. MOST women have their hair grow back and very few are bald for life -- I got some very good advice from someone on BCO early on: "worrying about something that won't happen to you is wasted energy." Try not to dwell on the remote possibility that the baldness would be permanent. I had my last infusion on 12/12, and I already have new growth all over my head about a quarter inch long. My pubic hair and hair on my arms thinned, as did my eyebrows and eyelashes, but. Didn't lose all of that hair. Leg and armpit hair just stopped growing during chemo, and in the 5 weeks since my last tx, I have only shaved my legs once.
NAILS -- Most who receive CT have some discoloration of their nails. Some have peeling or lifting nails. I iced my fingertips during the T portion of the infusion, and I had discoloration, but no lifting. I also had no neuropathy in my fingers -- maybe the ice helped, not sure. Keeping nails painted with Hard as Nails helped them stay strong, and dark polish hides the discoloration til it grows out.
I still have a little neuropathy in my toes, but I don't think it is permanent. During chemo, my MO advised me to take L-glutamine powder to help nerves heal. He says that for nearly everyone it resolves within 6 months of treatment and that B-12 shots post chemo can help.
Having hung out on these threads for months, I find that everyone has a different journey. When SEs do occur, your medical team is there to help you with them, and these threads are a great resource. The support from women who really understand what you are going through is priceless. My observation is that none of us seem to get ALL the potential SEs, a few get unusual SEs, and we fight the good fight, one day at a time. I hope this info helps a little -- others will chime in to help you as well. (((Hugs)))
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Welcome Neverready. You have found a great group of sisters here. I will chime in whenever I feel I can be helpful! Amy (momat)
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Welcome Neverready!
Audra, congratulations on finishing your chemo treatment!
I am sure I am missing a number of congrats to ladies that finished chemo in the last two weeks.
An update about me and my SE: I had my last chemo #4 on Dec 4 and I just passed week 6 post chemo. I started working on week 4.
I feel tired, mainly from work driving to meetings back and forth and catching up after four months of being on medical leave. Lots to do and somewhat stressed for being so behind.
My hair: they are growing but I don't see a full coverage yet, they strted to grow a week or so ago but again, thin and not the full head. They must be now a quarter of an inch long. I am wearing the cutest wigs and they look so real and always perfect I love them. They are synthetic.
My nails: they were dark after chemo 2, like a black shade. I had them cut very small. Now I am leaving them longer and with dark nail polish. A friend who owns a spa gave me organic nail polish and I am using that. They are growing long and healthy! Still not going for manis or pedis. I just got too scared of getting germs from places and my DH actually got Mrsa from one pedi place! That hapenned two years ago, but after that and now my BC I am doing them myself, at least for now until my strength come back. As I said, I still feel tired.
My weight: I gained 30 lbs total, between getting the bad news of BC (10lbs), BMX (5-10lbs) and TC (10-15lbs). During the BMX I gained lbs mainly because I wasn't moving, the pain is indescriptible, you ladies know what I mean. Fluid retention is also an issue with the chemo and steroids. During TC I was earing mashed potatoes for breakfast, lots of carbs (noodles, potatoes, bread) that helped with the stomach cramps. I took Nexium and still do, but because of the past ulcers my stomach suffered. Now I am on a diet, only vegetables and fruits with small portions of meats. Nothing fried, no carbs, no sugars. I have lost 7lbs without starving myself. I am still swollen but that might take more weeks? Who knows...
My skin: I had dry skin during chemo and for that I used Neutrogena sesame oil after my showers on damp skin. It worked very good plus the smell is very nice. On my face I was washing it and right after I used any face cream I had, still do the same. I still have to ask my MO about Botox but I will see him in two months so I don't have nothing to report on that topic. Oh! I shaved my legs for the first time! Those little suckers grow faster in my legs than in my head! I am using an electric shaver and won't use a razor anymore. I read somewhere that shaving the armpits and using deodorant right after is not good. I am using a deodorant I found that doesn't have aluminum chlorohydrate. The brand is Crystal Essence and has a pink ribbon on the cap.
Look Good Feel Better: I went there this past Tuesday and the ladies were great. Lots of freebies and some good make up and tips. I still have my lashes, but they are thinning out. Same with my eyebrows. I am not sure if i will lose them all at week 8 like somebody mentioned, but at least I know now how to do them in case I lose them.
TE: I have my exchange scheduled for January 31st and I am thrilled about that. It is so uncomfortable to sleep with the TE and can't sleep on my side, the muscles hurt. Some people say with the implants I will be able to move freely!
Well, that is all for now. I will keep reading all your posts and keep us up to date aith your progress!
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Headeast- good to know what 6 weeks post looks like...somehow I thought this last one would be awesome and great but still feels awful and nausea is worse than last 3....good in back of my mind to know I WONT have to do it again though...
My hair never all fell out and I have a good quarter inch all over still, and my eyelashes and brows , arm hair are all there too...my leg hair thinned and arm pit hair gone..
I am exhausted today and behind on water as I slept 14 hours and got up at 12 noon!!! Trying to drink but makes me more nauseous...barf!!!
I stopped using retin a when I started this as MO said the chemo sheds skin and not needed...so dreading starting that again as it makes peel... I had used it for over 13 years! I am using cetaphil wash and cerave skin lotion on my face and never a break out during this whole time...or dryness to my face. I use argan oil on my head as it looks dry at times in places...
Happy weekend to all and let's be happy to have this chance to be alive! We are WARRIORS!! Champions!!
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wow wow and wow... thank you, all of you
I'm starting to realy wish this site had 'reputation' marks or like amazon maybe 'was this post helpful?" because I swear... all +'s ' and five stars all around you guys!
See, this is what I need to see.. I know I catastrophize a bit... and just hearing from people who've been there.. from pat's advice to kind of steady myself here and not borrow trouble advice... very true.. I don't know how many times I have to be told that.. but I do.. over and over sometimes..and you're so patient
Momat (i'n going to stay with that because my best friend is also named Amy and I'll just confuse myself -- and maybe her as well heh, since even since being here about 24/48 hours, Friday I was reading aloud to her some of the amazing things I've read some of you ladies here). My friend doesn't have breast cancer, and I wouldn't share this precious and kind of private and personal dialogue with just anyone, but she is a young woman who has (possibly somewhat severe) diabetis, and we walk our walks as friends, side by side and do our best to understand eachother's situation and help eiachother)...
I can't seem to say anything at all lately without it being some screwy run-on stream-of-thought thing and I'm really sorry.. hoping that stops soon...
anyway, seeing everybody's hands on experiences (and you're not all like on that one website where half of them were rating this chemo and having it all terrible etc)... I am REALLY glad I found this place.. this is the real deal here
and the last lady who wrote... I haven't quite finished reading all of your post yet and its because while reading you, a lightbulb came on over my head
I've always been a plain-jane sort of person.. function over form in my clothing (I'm not a lesbian or 'butch' anything, I'm sort've androgynous in my mind, I'm lacking in knowledge in some of the commonly womenly things, enough to be about as thick as a man when it comes to some of it)... growing up (long story I'll skip) doing makeup and 'girly' things was actively discouraged for me. I keep my fingernails short as a matter of again, function
but reading you, it just dawned on me... why the hell not? If not now, when?
but hell you know, with the hair loss (even at the peach fuzz level like it seems it might kinda get for some)
I'm not being snarky here I'm being serious.. I could have some fun with this.. paint my fingernails really dark (I don't usually paint them and I've never had a pedicure or manicure).. and kind of play around and go for a' 'goth' look or sometrhing... there's nothing saying we can't have fun with this..
the day I learned I would have this sort of chemo was the day I was caught off guard and wept a little bit right in the cancer center (I don't usually do that in public, never in front of my onco and stuff -- time with her is too precious and I'm too busy listening absorbing, maybe being shocked at times, to respond emotionally)
anyway, it wasn't really the hair thing itself.. it was just a straw too many on that day's camel (it was the same day I'd learned second before that I'd be losing my breasts.. that didn't do it, but the hair did.. go figure)
so a friend with me was all "hey look, I'll get you wigs.. I'll get you all kinds of colors of wigs.. I'll get you a purple wig for Christmas... that's it, a purple wig!"... bless her heart... was enough to jar me out of my momentary snit, enough to laugh and say "are you outta your mind?"
but what the hey.... you know.... I maybe always have a bit secretly envied people like.. Cyndi Lauper (when she was younger, singing "true Colors" etc) and wore all those flashy bright scarves and had neon colored hair etc
meanwhile I have something like 6 or 7 pairs of identical pants (varying colors) and the same for shirts
I might not have any fashion sense at all.. but that doesn't mean I don't have any friends who do!
Maybe I can get somebody to do a 'makeover' on me with this
seriously, kinda got me excited to take this as a fun side of things..
I do that too you know.. there are 'perks' to t his and maybe only here can I say this plainly and get away with it
for examples
I like my medical marijuana
I like that I'm going to be getting perky new breasts
(there are more perks I've thought of before, but they escape me now)
I will be able to play with hairstyles/hair colors and fingernail polish (I know you can dye your hair, but I once tried to dye my hair..with an 'easy' spray on temporary type... managed to nearly entirely miss my head and dyed as much of the bathroom wall as my hair.. and quickly learned its a pain to have to keep up once you start)
so haven't even had a lot of experience with having different hair colors, never have owned a wig before
"Neverready, at very nearly 50 years old.. is finally gonna get a turn to play dressup -- and like it!"
(now I'll go back and finish reading your post ... there's hope in here.. I can feel in your words and I can take it and feel it inside of me too)
just one thing.. no matter what, heh, I won't be doing high heels (fashion is one thing, but I have nice flat square Fred-Flintstone feet, I like my feet, and I think I'll always stop at things that seem to be hurting or restricting a person just for the sake of appearances (same reason that no matter what, I don't think I'll ever do the eyebrow plucking thing either). I don't have really big eyebrows or anything anyway, so it all works out.
Its gonna be okay.
I was scared to death exactly like this before my other chemo (cmf) and it really wasn't near as bad as I had imagined.
I'm so glad you ladies are here to nudge me back to grounded with some of the fears, and kind of lead the way.
imagine, maybe by about 10-20 years from now (or hopefully much less)
people will be talking about this like maybe they used to about polio or scarlet fever etc... this cancer crap will be nothing more than a notation in a history book somewhere
I'm not really good with words of encouragement.. I want to say something much better, but all I can think to say is "we just gotta keep plugging away"
Audry -- now after reading you I have the song "We are the champions" (by Queen) going through my mind
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Neverready, I, too, found this site by accident and think it rates 5 stars! You will find that someone on the site is "alwaysready" (sorry!) to offer good advice, reliable resources, and an understanding ear and heart whenever you need it, even in the middle of the night. It makes our cancer journey much easier on our family and friends, too -- it's a safe place to express fears that we would otherwise bottle up, and find inspirational examples of courage and and humor...which you already have been for me -- thank you!
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Audra - when I couldn't drink enough fluids, I went to the infusion center every week between tx and had a liter of glucose (saline) only. It really helped. I also insisted on one liter before & during the chemo and then another full liter after the drugs. I couldn't have made it other wise since I was also losing fluid to Big"D" all long.
CeraVe - my derm doc & my GYN and my eye doc all swear that this is the best lotion on the planet. I've had really good luck with it too.
Neverready - you go girl.
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Neverready, loved your post!
Forgot to mention about Tamoxifen and how tired I feel. Maybe related to Tamox? No other side effect...
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neverready - Totally get where you're coming from. I've been a girly girl but now I'm loving being bald. It's so liberating I'm not wearing the wig I bought, the scarves or any of the girly stuff I'd bought. No one is more surprised than I am. I think it's great you're approaching this as a way to have fun and try out new aspects of yourself. Cancer should give us all a restart button on our lives and freedom to do things we've never done before. We deserve it!!!
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I lost clumps of hair day 7-8, by day 10 I was shedding. Of course I had a high does of chemo. I found out through the nurses that higher does loose hair earlier.
Each TC I have had a SE and allergic reaction. Ask for a bell in case the nurses don't stay with you. Also, if you are worried about SE stay an hour or two around the waiting area incase something does happen.
I tried to ice my hands and feet, but it bother me. I haven't had fingernail or toe nail damage. I also ran 1 mile everyday until the chemo#3 when I got the flu. For skin I used aquaphor lotion.
I drank tons of water while getting chemo like 60-80 oz. I take vitamin b6 300 mg for the peripheral neuropathy. As for permanent damage might have some throat issue due to the allergic reaction.
one thing that drives me crazy is this "at least they found it earlier". I know lots of people with early stage cancer who got treated then died in a couple years later."
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