Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Use tea tree oil on your nails first then put coconut oil over it. One member here swore by it saving her nails.
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A relatively innocent question from my husband last night sent me into an extended, sobbing meltdown that bled into more uncontrollable crying this morning. I hate this SE worse than all the rest put together. Feeling marginally better this afternoon.
My GP quit her practice and I have to go the clinic tomorrow morning to establish care with another GP because the clinic wouldn't let me transfer my file to another GP without an office visit. I'm dreading both the exposure to sneezing, germy patients and the conversation with the new doc:
"How are you?"
"I'm only here because I was forced to be here to transfer my file to you and I have cancer and I feel really, really shitty. You?"
End of rant.
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Last chemo in the bag...made the bell my bitch0 -
mLisa I am also in the same boat with looking for a new pcp. My old primary closed his practice. Now I am researching a new doc.
With regards to nails mine have been ok. I keep dark polish on them. I am 1 week pfc and my nails actually look better now than when I started treatment. I started taking a skin, hair, & nails vitamin a week ago and it's working. I actually see small dark new hair growth at my hairline. For those on taxol my neuropathy got better with the final reduced dose. The b6 & 12 vitamins worked to ease the tingles. I feel more energetic and am increasing my activity level daily to build my stamina.
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woo hoo Lindy. Congrats on no more chemos!!!!!,🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
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Just checking in to wish everybody an easy day.
Right now physical health has to take a back seat to psychological well-being: my right hand hurts from lymphedema, but the swelling isn't as bad as it's been, so I've just been taking pain pills, so I can do crafts. I'm making a couple of counted cross stitch Christmas ornaments, something I've wanted to do again for years. The embroidery part is done; hope to sew them into ornaments tomorrow. I also made a 3-D snowflake out of printer paper for the window. I feel so grateful and blessed that my next chemo is delayed a few days until the Tuesday AFTER Christmas, instead of being moved earlier to just before, so I should be at my strongest right when my kids visit for a couple days
Husband does not like the Christmas season at all, but I love it. So I'm going to enjoy it! 0 -
Lindy congrats! Hoping your se's are minimal this last time.
Tessu sounds like a lovely way to spend the season! Enjoy yourself.
Shopgal are you taking biotin? I thought I would start taking that after my last chemo.
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mom2 I am taking biotin. I started last week after my final chemo. I swear it's working. My head looks darker, like I have 5 o clock shadow head. And there are a lot more colorless fuzzies on the sides of my head. But I am most excited by the dark brown hairs coming in on my temple and top. I haven't seen my natural color in 20 years, so I'd be happy if the colorless turned brown. Maybe someday I'll be blonde again.
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shopgal that's exciting!
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so pleased for younLindy! Well done.
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yaaaaaaaay, Lindy!!!
I'm having the reverse effect. My usually brittle nails are stronger. However, today I lost almost all my remaining eyelashes and my head looks like a Chia pet.
Taxol #3 of 5 tomorrow. Gearing up for the pain, but no neuropathy yet, so I'll take it.
My 17 mos old son threw up all over me this morning. Spent most of the day bickering with the husband about the front yard design, which wasn't even my project to start with. I feel like I'm getting a UTI and hot flashes are causing my bald head to sweat like I'm in the Sahara. Chugging water like crazy, I do NOT want trx delayed over a uti!!
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Congrats Lindy and Shopgirl! I am sharing your delight today as I finished, too no bell to ring --just smiles around. Phew!
In 5 weeks I will get a series of tests then the ooph (considering full hysterectomy) and estrogen blocker. I asked if she thought aromasin and she said her patients have done better with Femera (sp?). Any thoughts on that?
I have been on biotin from the beginning. My nails are fine, but a bit ridges, if you know what I mean. No hair benefit that I can see though.
Cajun I love the chia pet reference. I look more like Buddha. Cran juice to head off the uti?
Finland - so glad you are enjoying your crafts. For xmas I bought adult coloring books and nice colored pencil sets for my 25 year old daughter and son's girlfriend. Wish I bought them for me, too. Crafts are so relaxing. Really a form of meditation, don't you think?
MnLisa- hi to you neighbor! Heard you got some snow. Glad you are plugging along on your taxol path. I love your positivity. You inspire me.
Have a great weekend everyone. May you get all your presents wrapped and find something tasty to enjoy. Not necessarily.in that order.
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yay Shelly! Woo hoo on being done🎉🎉
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Congrats Shelly, Shopgirl and to the many just about ready to finish up their chemo....It's seems like forever but we're getting there.
Radiation is next for me in a few weeks but in the meantime, I'm now on the "hair watch". I avoided looking at my head for weeks, too depressing. So now every day is an intense scrutiny to determine any new growth. There is another thread on the board for hair that I'm checking out. Good stuff there.
My brows and eyelashes are jumping ship but I found youtube helpful in tutorials on how to draw in very natural looking brows. As for the eyelashes, I'll just wear eyeliner and my eye glasses all the time. Not sure I can do fake lashes (never done it) without glueing my eyes shut..lol
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good to hear Lindy. Did they reduce your last dose?
And I am the same with eyes. Just eyeliner and fill in brows. I am getting better. I have 3 diff pencil shades and now realize lighter is better and less drawing in is best. I sorta have to stand back 1/2 way thru to see how they look.
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Shopgirl..Yes, I had the reduced dose again. The last round #3 Taxol was definitely easier with the reduction and while I still had a few days of joint pain, it was nothing like the crippling effects of the full dose Taxol of round #1 and #2. My MO was fine with me doing the lower dose as I told her I just couldn't tolerate it and continue the full dose and would refuse...it was that bad! And I'm not a crybaby (at least I wasn't before this).
And I agree...lighter brows is the way to go...avoid the old Joan Crawford look..lol
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yay for being done Lindy, Shelly and Shopgal!
Hugs to all!
Octogirl
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Lindy I'm really glad your mo reduced the dose again. I had the 3rd reduced by 40%, then the 4th reduced by 50%. I am not a whiner but I couldn't take the numb legs any longer. And I was having issues with being able to pee, which I found out could have been bladder neuropathy. Thankfully that issue is gone now,
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Octo how's rads? I start next month and am wondering what to expect after just completing chemo, esp with fatigue levels.
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Cheers out loud to Shopgirl, Lindy and Shelley for finishing chemo!! Love that we are all reaching that point with our group that we can celebrate these milestones.
I am sitting here in chemo round #2 - week #6 of 12. Mid point, yahoo! I am more fatigued as each treatment passes so did some research and learned I am not getting nearly enough protein for my weight. I have also lost 14 lbs (which I needed to do). The formula I read said for my weight, 125, I should be. Consuming 62 grams of protein per day in about 2400 calories. NO WAY has that been happening! It's so hard when your tongue hurts and everything tastes yucky.
The dietician just came by and I asked some questions about the right kind of protein. Here are a few things I learned (knew a lot already but reinforcing) Quinoa has 8 grams protein per cup, soy beans, tofu, any beans (I love them in home made veggie soup), deviled eggs (of course I knew about eggs but just hadn't thought about doing deviled), and of course meats an fish. She also verified the range of 60-65 grams per day. Should be my goal.
Love to all, I'm finished for the day
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Shopgal, Lindy and Shelley: woohoo!
I'm also in the eyeliner/filling brows club. I've never worn much makeup, and now work three times as hard to look half as good. I am not good at girl stuff! My daughters are exasperated with me.
My MO reduced my Taxol by 10% for round 3 last Tuesday. So far, the neuropathy isn't worse. It may even be better, and is just fingers, toes and tongue. She's talking about reducing it more for the final round. I don't want to reduce it too much. It has work to do! She's also reducing my steroids for the final round. Yay!
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Shopgal, I am only on my third treatment, but so far, rads is a piece of cake compared to chemo, at least for me. No fatigue, and actually I am sleeping better than I have in a long time (which may just mean the chemo has finally worn off?). The only downside is that I am finding the rads staff don't treat me as well as MO's chemo staff did (scheduling has been an issue, and getting instructions has been problematic. Others report similar experiences), and I have a long daily commute (40 to 45 mins each way) to get the rads treatment. But, the treatment itself really is no big deal, so far, knock on wood.
I did use the long daily commute to rads as a reason to convince hubby that i needed a new car! :-)
There is a very good Winter Rads thread going. Hope you and others will join it!
Hugs;
Octogirl
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aww thanks for the good news octo. I already signed up on the rads board. I am following along and learning lots. Good to hear the chemo fatigue wears off. I also have a 45 min commute to hospital for rads. Kinda sucky that you are getting scheduling issues at ro office. I only had my initial visit and have sim on 1/5, but saw the difference between offices. I think mo is more what can we do for you vs ro you can do this. But the lack of instructions on what to do/expect would drive me batty.
Scotland yes to reduced steroids. I tried to negotiate with mo for no aloxi and reduced Benadryl for final dose but he was too funny and said "nope don't think so, but you can skip the neulesta". Best gift ever.
Now can't wait for my second best gift this year, port removal Monday. Deportation here I come! I will post after to let you all know what it is like for any that are wondering.
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My MO said I could probably skip the last Neulasta shot, too. And get deported next month. It's all far more exciting than it should be. Shopgal, you're getting deported a week after your last chemo?
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Cheering Shopgal, Lindy and Shelley!!! You made it!!!
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Edwsmom-While I was on A/C I lost 24lbs. (which I needed to loose more, just not the ideal way to go about it) I pretty much lived on potatoes, pasta, yogurt, beets, oranges, peanut butter on toast and purple Gatorade. Every once in a while vanilla ice cream. Most meat turned my stomach and unless I added vinegar to the vegetables I could not eat them. I have always loved chocolate and I couldn't eat it at all. Since I started Taxol, I have been able to increase meat consumption, chicken, turkey and fish and I can eat vegetables again without vinegar. I was hungry for the first time since August after the first Taxol, I think because of the steroids. Not sure. But I have not lost anymore weight.
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Haven't read or posted anything in awhile. Still alive. 10/16 infusions done. 6/12 Taxol complete. Can't seem to shake the neuropathy anymore. Still being quite regular with my L-Glutamine & B6. Wearing fleece socks doesn't seem to be helping. Swimming/showers were working. Not so much anymore. Hope everybody else is feeling better & having more success. It's my last day of work until 2016. And if I forget to log in again soon...
Merry Christmas!
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I was wondering, What are you guys using on your scalp? Shampoo, conditioner?
I have had a really hard time with loosing my hair. I've always had really long, very thick hair! I had convinced myself I was going to be that one woman who didn't loose her hair, Of course because I had so much. Well by the time I took the 4th AC I had to get a wig. And I have refused to look at my head without a hat or wig until this week, when I realized it was dry and peeling some. (yes I know I sound crazy) So now I've seen it.........
I think I've lost more hair since starting taxol and most of what I have read on here, most people start growing hair back on taxol???
Anyways what is the best shampoo, conditioner, lotion, vitamins for scalp and/or hair regrowth? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
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Hi all,
I'm sitting here having my third (out of 5) DD Taxol infusion. I had a reaction with throat tightening, so they gave me the rest of the Benadryl and slowed the infusion down. 9-5:15 here at the center. WBC count low, ANC just above the cusp. Hope the Neulasta kicks in quickly. No neuropathy, thanks heavens.
There was a woman sitting near me who was in horrible pain (she looked in her 30's or 40's) and was crying. She had to be taken to the hospital. I wrote her a note of encouragement and empathy and asked the nurse to give it to her mother to give her when she felt better. It was so hard and sad to see
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Cajunqueen- that was so sweet an kind of you !
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