Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
Comments
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Lisa, I'm so glad they caught that!
Is anyone getting Neulasta after weekly Taxol? I despise Benadryl, I'm going to feel like I smoked crack on Friday.
So excited for you ladies who are finishing up!
Roll call: who finishes chemo in Jan/Feb? I'm out 2/5. Just in time for my twins' 3rd bday.
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As a late starter, I think I go to early March. By Jan I should be on Taxodere.
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Is this weird or not?? I'm got the munchies! I don't feel nauseas so I'm slowly going with the crave. Had Trader Joe's spinach quiche for dinner, after drinking ginger tea which so many toot the benefits of it for nausea control. Now on to unsalted pretzels. It's still early of course as last time it was later time that I lost my dinner, but I feel pretty good at this moment post AC #2. Just watching hair come out.
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Arista, my hair came out hugely in the shower when I washed it. It was insane.
Minnesota Lisa, so glad they caught the clot, but sorry you have something else to deal with.
No bell at my center. Just lots of hugs and high fives. There seem to be a lot of stage IVs getting chemo when I do, and I can't imagine how hard a bell might be for some of them
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Though arriving in a less than optimal way, I'm done with chemo!!! Due to my various allergic reactions to taxotere, I've decided (with consulting MO and allergist) it's not worth it to do the final round. While a hard decision, when the consulting MO said its not safe--I was not going to argue. Now to have the hives go away and off to rads.
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Oh wow, I didn't even think of the stage IV folks and the bell. I guess that's why we don't have bells in our centers. If I'm stage IV, I don't want to hear bells as a reminder that I won't be able to ever ring it.
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not weird. Steroids make you hungry!
Does stage 4 chemo never end?
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congrats jabe! Now who will be be the first to give us a report on radiation?
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I'm getting weekly Taxol but no Neulasta shots. Glad to be done with that, actually. I had one after each AC dose.
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Stage IV ends, badly. Stages I-III are "curable" but IV means time is a ticking for sure. How long, no one knows. Very sad.
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I'm due for a CT scan next month to see if they can find the tiny nodule on my lung. So tiny that they're not sure they'll be able to find it again. If they don't find it, they won't know if it's because it's too small to find (benign) or if chemo got it. Best case scenario, they find it unchanged over a series of scans. I may never know if I'm stage IV or not. I won't know if I'm actually done with chemo forever on December 29, but I'm going to celebrate
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Wow Scotland, I'm in the same exact boat as you! A CT scan found a 6 mm nodule in my lung. Too small to test to see if it's cancer or not. So MO is keeping to the stage III plan. When done they will do the scan again and if it's gone then could very well be I'm stage IV. Though as you say, maybe there's a chance it was something else that just went away if it's not there anymore? So of course I'm hoping it'll show up again. So I feel for you!
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Well Im coming out the otherside of my first Docetaxol. I have another two rounds. This round was horrible temperature, bone pain, vomiting and my mouth tastes foul. Really encouraging reading about the girls that are done with chemo. You have gone through it and done it and am going to get my last two treatments done and then get on with life.
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I'll be doing Taxotere when I'm done with 2 more AC rounds. I was told there isn't any real difference between Taxol and this except the carrier and how it's metabolized. I guess if it's wretched, you could go Taxol and see?
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Arista, mine is 2mm. 2. Barely detectable, not testable. Just something else to worry about. The MO feels that it's benign. They're pretty common, and I have a history of pneumonia and bronchitis, making it more likely. I'lljust add it to my list of thing to worry about long term.
So far, I feel pretty normal after Taxol today, just tired. I never felt OK after AC
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All - Thanks for your good wishes - I was CRAZY relieved when she said "Positive for a clot." (It startled her a bit: "You're HAPPY you have a clot??1?" I was, because that means I have a problem we can address!)
luzeelu - I will have weekly Taxol for next 11 weeks, no Neulasta. (Which is bit ironic since i had zero Neulasta SEs.) We can do this!
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luz, how have your counts been on weekly Taxol?
Yes, I know stage 4 is terminal, but I thought ringing the bell just signified end of chemo, not a cure. That's not promised for any of us.
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sending you ladies with concerns about metastasis up in my prayers tonight. big hugs!!
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I think with the stage IV thing and the bell, that those who aren't accepting their ultimate fate would take it as I'll never be ringing that bell because they will be on chemo or something like that in meds to maintain for it won't get better for them like it does for many if not most of us. Depends on the person of course.
Scotland, yeah that is small. You history of lung issues very well may play into your favor as you say. I don't have such a thing. So I get the worry thing. The substitute MO I spoke to yesterday said or it could be something else that just goes away. So even if it disappears there's a small chance it sounds like it still couldn't have been cancer. Like you say, how do you ever know unless that damn thing is still there after chemo.
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Also my MO tells me not to worry from now. CT isn't coming for a few months yet. Just to take each day as it comes and focus energy not worrying about the current unknown and pour that into getting through txs. I do agree with the route she decided to take with me by doing stage III regimen instead of IV. If she changed it to stage IV and it isn't then I'd be out of the time frame in which chemo med combos for stage III would be effective and well not long until I'm sure I'd become stage IV then. She has a PhD in oncology and is board certified in oncology, which is a rare find in oncology so I feel blessed to be in her hands.
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Super congratulations to you women who are finishing up your chemo! I still have two more rounds of FEC75. If my white counts hold, my last dose will be the Monday or Tues after Christmas, but my MO said with the high dosing, to expect at least one of the doses to be delayed. Then a three week break, then another heart scan to see whether my heart is still strong enough for the 14 more doses of Herceptin (which I need for this HER2+ BC but which is heart toxic) and AIs for life. There is some concern because the pre-chemo heart scan showed borderline normal function, no explanation for the significant drop from the scan I had three years ago before starting vigorous cardio exercise. I'm trying not to worry at this point; there is nothing I can do about it, and surviving the lymphedema and chemo SEs is taking every bit of energy left in me right now. Almost passed out yesterday just walking around the block with my dog and husband...
I have not had tumor markers or a PET scan or even a gene test --- not routinely done here --- but because of killer headaches right after my first chemo dose, did get a brain CT to rule out brain mets --- thank heaven that was clear, at that point in time. Follow-up imaging studies are apparently only done if/when symptoms from mets appear. Not sure about blood tests. I need a bone density scan before starting AIs with the Herceptin after chemo, because my last one three years ago already showed osteopenia in one hip.
I got the "don't worry, we removed all your cancer, this chemo is "just in case"!" from the oncologists here several times, but after reading up on what grade 3 and HER2+ and high KI67 means, found those comments insulting, to say the least. All cancer treatment is my smallish city is given at the one hospital here; to go anywhere else would have involved impossible travel for each dose. Initially I tried to read all I could about treatment options, since so many of you have gotten such different drug combinations -- but I'm just not up to that anymore. Just going to focus on surviving what they give me, and trying not to get infected while my white cells are low.
One thing I hate is that if a chemo patient with fever has to go to the ER here, you have to take a number and just wait your turn in the same room with everybody else, all the coughers and drunks etc. I want to avoid going there again at all costs. I told about the chemo id cards some of you have to get you quickly into isolation at your ERs but was told that's not done here. Finland is very strong on treating everybody the same, "no privileges, we all are equal" --- but in this case I think that philosophy has gone too far. Oh well.
Again super congratulations to everybody reaching there chemo-DONE! milestones this week!!! I hope you still post in this group at least off and on. I haven't been up to posting much lately, but Iread all your comments everyday and you strong and brave women give me strength
Thank you so much for being here with me on this journey.0 -
cajunqueen, i am doing neupogen (aka neulasta) with dose dense taxol and will be finished january 18 - i am in the october chemo group
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tessu, I don't get a VIP chemo card at the ER either which is one reason that my team tries hard to never send us there. I have had to call on 2 weekends and both times they said stay home.
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I have my last chemo scheduled for 1/13. Then herceptin for a year.
I went to the ER today due to feeling very weak when trying to do things like pack lunches for my oldest kids. Plus I threw up again, which was #4 since Sunday night. Turns out I also have a C diff infection, so I am admitted while they try to get me to keep the antibiotic down.
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skittlegirl I'm glad you went in! Can they give you iv antibiotics? I hope you are home soon.
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Yeah they can. Obviously it's easier to do oral and I tolerated the last dose well so here's hoping that the vomiting is under control.
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Skittlegirl I hope your feeling better soon.
Congrats to those whose have finished chemo. Ring that bell. Jump up and down its s BIG milestone.
Neupogen and Neulasta are not exactly the same. Neulasta has polyethylene glycol added to it so it stays in your system longer and thus may cause more SE's. It also works longer to raise your counts.
And on that note. Taxol is not the same as Taxotere. According to publications and oncologists Taxotere is more effective in treating advanced and metastatic BC. Taxotere is more potent. That's one reason you have to wait three weeks in between doses.
We all should trust that we are getting the best treatment possible. My MO has more experience with BC than I do!
Wishing you all a great Hump Day!
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I went to the,ER once during this and no one will drag me there again unless I'm nearly dead. 5 hours, no help and an enormous bill. People hacking and coughing. Just no way!
Feel better Skittlegirl. I hope they fix you up quick so you can go home.
I woke up in the night with the start of nuelasta SE. Took pain meds immediately. Just achy right now so the meds are helping. I also can't swallow right. I had to crush my pills up with a spoon and drink instant breakfast to settle this god aweful steroid hunger. The swallowing thing is worse this round. I am so glad I don't have to do nuelasta again!
Started my big C rituals the day before chemo. Crossing fingers it works. I'll know this morning I guess.
Sending hugs and the poop fairy to all the sisters in need. Try and think of 5 positive things today and try to smile a little. Love you guys!
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Skittle - Glad you are on oral antibiotics and hope you are feeling better already.
Annie - Last time you will battle Neu-Nasty - yeah!
I am not counting on this lasting (because Taxol-induced fatigue and muscle aches are most likely on their way), but right at the moment I am almost SIDE EFFECT FREE for the first time in months. Wow - hard to remember what "normal" felt like. This is delightful.
Oh, wait. I do have one minor pain - in my tumor. Heh. Suck it, tumor, suck it.
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I CAN DO THIS!!!! There.
Skittle, feel better soon!!! You did the right thing going in.
I'm getting one on one time with one of my twins today, taking her on a train ride. Living it up before the Taxol starts on Friday. Suck it, cancer!!!
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