Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Anyone start tamoxifen yet? If so how are you feeling if not when will you start?
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yup Scotland deported this coming mon; final chemo was 12/9, so 12 days post. Mo & bs said it was fine. Bs actually wanted to do it yesterday but I said nope.
Thanks tessu. You will be done before you know it.
Cajun wow your taxol is flying by.
DL have you tried adding b12
tkemp I was using baby shampoo when my stubble was falling out on AC. On taxol and now afterwards it's a moisturizing shampoo and a deep conditioner. I know it may sound silly to use a deep conditioner but I swear it worked to make my scalp soft and feel baby smooth. For head bumps I'd use cortisone cream to shrink and dry the sore spots. I also don't wear a hat unless I go out. Having my head bare helps my head breathe and prevents dry scalp in my opinion. No wig here. Smooth new peach fuzz and baby hairs that I can't stop touching. It's almost hypnotic to rub my head like a magic 8 ball. Ahh...must rub some more..
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Cajun - re: uti, I have felt like I had one since I started chemo a few months ago. I've had my pcp check a couple times and they didn't find anything, but just knowing I had checked helped with the anxiety. I definitely don't need kidney issues added to the mix... I'm guessing the constant bladder symptoms are irritation as a result of having to clear all of this poison, so I'm trying not to worry too much. That said, I would encourage you to get checked out for peace of mind.
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Wow, Shopgal, I hope my people will move that fast on my port. All I have to go on is that it will be about a month between the final chemo and rads, and that there's no reason I cant get the port out before rads. I'm hoping to get the ball rolling on scheduling things (sims, deportation) when I have my last chemo on the 29th.
I can't tell if new hair is growing or not. In some places, it seems like it's coming in. Others, not so much. I. Cannot. Stop. Touching. My. Head.
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i obsessively rub my head too
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Scotland lol. It's mesmerizing to touch isn't it. On the subject of port I asked about it at my 2nd taxol about a month ago. Mo nurse emailed bs scheduler to set it up. And they had breast care coordinator set up appt with ro for initial consult. I def wanted port out this year to take advantage already meeting my out of pocket max.
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I've got rads and reconstruction next year, so I'll easily meet out of pocket max in 2016. Part of me just wants the port gone, and the rest of me wants to put chemo completely behind me.
The RO I met with last fall is no longer on my insurance, so I have to use another one. There are several others at my hospital who sound fabulous, so I'm not worried. I'm eager to get the ball rolling, though. I want to be finished with rads by mid-March so that I can be somewhat recovered by spring break and camping at the beach in April.
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You guys are too funny! I can't stop rubbing my fuzzy wittle head either! My Mom used to say that I had chicken feathers instead of hair when I was a baby, well I've got them again!!
My RO called me back and it was an interesting conversation. She said that there are some newer studies indicating that immediate reconstruction vs TE's and exchange have the same cosmetic effect after radiation. She had treated women who have chosen each and they have been just fine. It makes no difference to her as long as we don't delay a few months to start rads, a few weeks is fine. Good to know.
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mom 2 I think I keep rubbing it now since before I was afraid to rub since my stubble would fall out, or I would rub to get my stubble to fall out. Now I rub my head without thinking about it I guess to check that the fuzz is really there. Or subconsciously maybe I am stirring up those hair follicles getting them to grow. I think I need a chia pet. Do they even still sell those?
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LMAO I rub my head all the time. Feels so weird and satisfying!
Battling body itches, but i have pills Gabapentin. They should help with the nerve itches and I can taper off of them after taxol.
I was at my treatment #3 or 4 DD Taxol (1 left!!) and someone kept ringing this damn bell but it was one of those bells that you would see at a hotel that you's ring for service. That can't be the bell, right?
Twiggy - have you heard a bell when you are there?
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omg, I told the nurses I looked like a defective Chia pet today!!! I was told that on weekly taxol, it sometimes grows back, but on DD, it will probably all go. A little sad, my fuzz is therapeutic for me. My eyelashes have almost totally jumped ship.
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2 more to go!!!
Lisa, sure hope it gets better !
Countdown to bone crushing pain. T minus 24 hours...
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El Tigre: Where do you have itchiness? The armpit-half of my mastectomy scar has been itching like crazy this past week, but there's no redness or swelling or new bumpiness. The whole scar area used to hurt like h*ll especially when the lymphedema swelling got bad, but it never itched before. The arm pain has stayed the same, no itching there. I wonder if my itchiness could be nerve-related, too? I get a different oncologist every time I request a callback, and their only answer was "hmmm...we'll check it when you come in for the next dose" --- not very helpful.
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When my son asked something about passport renewal, I ran to check my expiration date, too. Had remembered it expired spring 2016 but luckily it doesn't until spring 2017. I hope I have normal-looking hair by then --- don't want 5 yrs sporting a chemo cut and trying to explain yes, that's me
My hairthinned dramatically during Taxotere but never completely jumped ship. MO warned all the rest would go during FEC, but it's now 15 days since dose #2 out of 3 of that, and like many of you, I've sprouted fuzz, and the regular strands that are left have grown. Still very sparse up there, but almost half an inch of it (I had gotten buzzed to 1/4 inch during Taxotere). Brows and lashes still slowly disappearing. Very curious to see what happens after my next dose.When I got buzzed, my hairdresser said to continue to use shampoo on the scalp, not regular body soap, because the scalp skin is built differently. So that's what I've been using (L'Oreal), and no scalp skin problems so far.
I will be SO READY to get my tastebuds back the end of January! Food is too much of a tease, looks and smells great but ha ha, tastes like cardboard (except broccoli, baked salmon, and the organic green tea my son sent me --- go figure!)
Wishing everybody a comfortable weekend
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tessu - all over
it started in my hands. I think mine is taxol related but yours sound like nerves maybe healing? I'd ask your MO.
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El Tigre: Yikes, all over itching sounds awful
I hope the gabapentin helps. Yes, I'll ask my MO when I go for my next dose. Right now crossing fingers my temp stays below the go-to-the-ER level of 38C -- feel ok except for sweats off and on all day. Luckily temp so far not into the true fever range. I did pack my bag on the same principle of take an umbrella so it doesn't rain :0 -
oh man so sorry to hear about your temp Tessu. Stay well I'll keep good thought for no fever
It should I just realized I'm not taking enough L Glutamine. I was only taking 10 g a day when it seems like i should be taking more.
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anyone wake up after DD Taxol with a bright red face? No fever
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I take 30 g of lglut.
So sorry, tessu. that happened to me for at least a day on the dd taxol but it never went over a hundred so I got to stay home. Praying the same for you.
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Cajun - yeah I was wayyyy off HA! feel so dumb I blame chemo brain. No red face but I it could be a slight allergic reaction. Have you looked at SE on other forums?
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DLcygnet - #6 Taxol of 12 will be Tuesday for me. The neuropathy has been creeping up for me too. B6 + L-Glutamine helps, but doesn't completely knock it back like it did for the first five weeks. Congrats on last work day of 2015!
Shopgal, Lindy & Shelley - Cheering for you!
tkemp - On hair loss during Taxol... I've read hair loss is a Taxol SE. But my PA told me (if I'm remembering right) that my hair would start to grow back about round 9 of 12. That seems weird to me, so not sure if that's an accurate memory. : /
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tkemp - on the hair issue, my leg hair grows back but my head hair doesn't. So not fair
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minnesota_lisa - that sounds right as so many of us on the 6th round of tchp or some variation are sporting fuzzy heads!
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Cajoon queen, my dr. told me to expect red face on taxoter, but I didn't until the last one.
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Cajun, I get the red face after Taxol, and thought it was from the steroids. It only lasts a day for me. Exceedingly attractive
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I'm not sure which looks better... Bright red or pale with dark circles? Getting my Neulasta infusion now. Took the Claritin this time, we shall see how it goes.
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A freak thing happened after my on body injection - blood came spurting out everywhere when I pulled out the cathater!!! I was able to stop it, but now I'm concerned I lost some meds... And I need it all! Grrrrr.
And I've got yet another skin opening on the cancer side by the tissue expander. It's so weird, it's happened a few times on that side only, on the scar. It's as though the hard plastic of the TE is pushing the internal sutures up through the thin skin. In fairness, my cancer was very close to the areola, so I asked the BS to remove the areola and extra skin around it, which she did, so the skin is probably more stretched than on the right.
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That may not be something bad, this is from the dispensing instructions:
What if there is blood at my application site after the On-body Injector has been removed? If there is blood, press a clean cotton ball or gauze pad on the application site. Apply an adhesive bandage if needed.
What if my application site is red or tender after On-body Injector removal? Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience persistent or worsening redness or tenderness at the application site, as this can be a sign of infection.
http://pi.amgen.com/united_states/neulasta/neulast...
Here is their website, you can call them 24/7 For any On-body Injector for Neulasta problems, call Amgen at 1-800-772-6436 or
1-844-MYNEULASTA (1-844-696-3852).
Maybe this time you want a bit of bone pain just to convince yourself that you got the full dose
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Thanks! I called the on call MO but he had no idea. I'll call the company in the morning. Bring the pain!!!!
Wishing you all a restful evening.
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Cajun. I had bleeding one time after removing my Nuelasta shot. I think I pulled it off from the bottom up rather than from top down. No bleeding any of the other 7 times. I also have had a red face after all my taxol infusions. It looks like a good sunburn. Lasts only one day.
I had a rough day today with aches and uncomfortable neuropathy. In bed all day. Hot and then cold all day. Grrrr. The hot flashes are definitely worse after this final DD taxol. Also, no hair -no fuzz to rub-- but I will look forward to it soon, I hope. My doc did reduce my dosage by 20% and gave me another Neulasta despite this being my final session. I don't have much trouble with the N so didn't object.
I'm using nioxin shampoo and conditioner. My wig lady told me to use it. It smells like chemicals but not sure if it's good or bad. ???
Thanks for the good wishes on crossing the chemo line. Good wishes for all of you that are coming up to it soon!
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