Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Blood counts look good, entering Taxotere 4 rounds every 3 weeks tomorrow. My onc was out so I saw her partner. He said in their experience, folks tolerate the taxotere every 3 weeks better than Taxol, like SEs aren't as bad in their experience. So we'll see! If all goes smooth, March 1 should be the last 1 for me!
Good luck all this week!
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tkemp- no,no, you made the right decision for you! what I meant was that my mo said that weekly taxol and dose-dense taxol have the same outcome for all types except triple-. I elected the weekly taxol then changed my mind when I started having problems. How low were your counts? Can you call them and ask for a neupogen shot? Neupogen is fast acting and can be given as needed. I had to go over the weekend Saturday and Sunday for the injections at a different location. It's also possible that your counts will rebound. I just knew that I was going to continue to struggle. but I think I'm the exception rather than the rule. I know people who have completed weekly taxol with no delay. My ANC went down to .1!
Even if you are halfway through, you might still be able to talk to your mo about moving to a dose then schedule where Neulasta is given automatically.
My final thought is that I also called my naturopathic doctor for the E. Coli k-12 supplement and I will never know whether it was the neupogen or the supplement that BARELY kicked me over the line for treatment, but something worked. I note that that is not a treatment approved by the traditional medical community, as they have never heard of it. but I was very fearful that I was headed to the hospital soon for severe neutropenia.
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My final chemo is in the books! I'm not looking forward to the next week or two but it is easier knowing it's the last time.
I'm on the same time line as you Southern charm. I have an appr with bs on Jan 19th, the same day as my first herceptin only treatment. The worrying will never end.
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tiger, we are NYE chemo buddies! I'm going to wear a party hat - are you in?
Southern, I'm afraid it does not. With every bone pain, I will worry about bone mets. With every round of colds or bronchitis, I will worry about lung mets. Every time I get my tumor markers done, I will say a prayer. I try not to think about it constantly, but I know the odds are not all that encouraging with my type of cancer and being diagnosed post-partum and BRCA+.
I'm not waiting for a lumpectomy, but I am waiting for my ooph. Hopefully I finish chemo 1/14, Start rads beginning of February, ooph at end of March or early April and deportation.
I never would have imagined you could do this much to your body in 6-7 months and make it through.
Southern, what size do they think your tumor may be?
Lisa, are you around at all? Thinking of my 30-something BRCA+ sister and hoping you're rolling through the weekly Taxol with no complications and that your son is doing well. My son (now 18 mos said "pink flamingo" today, it was so funny. My girls didn't start really putting together words much until after 2, but my little man is determined to keep up. And he's learned the word "mine". Lol.
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twiggy-- Congrats! Hoping your last SE's aren't too terribly bad. I see you already had surgery. How did it go? Are you moving on to rads?
Southern-- Good luck tomorrow! I'm one week behind you and twiggy. Next Tuesday Jan. 5th will be my last poison chemo, then onto Herceptin until September. I have an appointment with my BS this Wednesday, then my MO next Monday. I'm starting to have bad dreams that the chemo didn't work even though like you, I have to look for the tumor now.
I'm back to the anxious mess I was when this all started.
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Wow so much happened the last few days. Tumors shrinking, chemo conquering, Radiation going well. poop fairy visiting. Yah!!!!! So good to hear from everyone . Sending prayers, tears, and hugs to those of you struggling but we have come so far and I believe so much that its just getting up every day and gathering the strength to push forward.
I am 6 weeks PFC ( post final chemo) of TCH chemo. I just yesterday started to feel a little like myself. Running around getting ready for my double surgery tomorrow. My mom flew in and the christmas tree is out. My PS drew all over me and my oncologist gyn gave me a big jug of something that made the poop fairy my permant resident today. I am scared doing both a hysterectomy ,breast and nipple reconstruction at the same time. I will be in the hospital for 3 days so please know I am sending healing thoughts to each of you.
I kissed my kids and just laid by them a good long time while we read the last few nights. It felt so nice to be a mom again and not feel like I was this zombie walking around our house.
Brighter days are ahead. For those of you going into lumpectomies. I am saying big prayers and cheerful thoughts to you and your family. Chemo is suckity suck but we are doing this and pushing through.
Stay strong everyone. I want to catch up on the other side of the new year.
I just wanted to respond and say that for you who are fretting over the 6 week wait for the lumpectomy . Please don't agonize over that. The rest of us had surgery and then had pressure to hurry and get onto chemotherapy. Its always a feeling of hurrying up and waiting for these treatments. Its hard not to feel like we are in a constant rollercoaster of survival and recovery. The neoadjunctive is a very cool option because you get to understand how Chemo worked with your specific treatment. The adjunctive gals just hope for the best.
Cancer does enough don't let it take too much of your heart and mind worrying. I hope peace is with you.
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Best of luck tomorrow, Exercise!
Final chemo for me tomorrow, too. Southern, I think Tessu is also ringing that bell. It's a party
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My final chemo is scheduled for 1/13. Then 4-6 weeks to wait before surgery. My large tumor was estimated to be 2.9 cm and has shrunk that it can't be felt. Since I am having a MX regardless of chemo response, my thoughts are eh if it decides to start growing back at least there will be something for the surgeon to remove. So no, I am not that worried about the time line of waiting between chemo and surgery.
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Hooray for everyone finishing chemo! Prayers to those who need a boost in their blood counts, are burdened with stress and worry and for exercise who is facing her 3 in 1 surgery.
MNLisa- glad your taxol treatment is going well! I am 11 days PFC and still struggling with neuropathy and fatigue. Fatigue is improving. Hot flashes are not. ☹ I am seeing an acupuncturist weekly and trying to be patient for gradual healing. My MO is confident the N will gradually go away but could take a few months. It is very uncomfortable but eased by a heating pad on my feet at night.
My acupuncturist has me drinking dandelion tea to aid in eliminating the chemo toxins. Hmmmm. No rad for me. I will get scans in 3 weeks then will know how chemo has worked. Praying for the best. Hysterectomy after that with Femara to follow.
So many of us are on the same road. It is so great to hear other people's experiences. It helps take the loneliness out of this journey.
I will ask my MO about cleanses. Perhaps a naturopath would be a better source of info. Thinking about how I need to change my lifestyle going forward. Diet and exercise, to be sure.
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ring , that bell, ring that bell, ring bell, woo hoo!
exercise, prayers for a mouth and speedy recovery. You've got this!!!
My husband, mom, and one daughter all have a cold... I'll be damned if I am going to the hospital in my last few weeks of treatment. No, cancer, no.
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cajun - dang i have no party hat. I have a pink wig ;
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Yay for those finishing chemo!!!!! Big Party Time!!!!!
Hugs;
Octogirl
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southern, twiggy, & Scotland woo hoo you are done! No more chemos! Yay🎉🎉🎉🎉
Tessu are you done also?
Exercise wishing you good healing after your surgery.
Southern lumpectomy lounge board here is great and was comforting for me when I first was diagnosed.
3 weeks pfc tomorrow and feeling better every day. Neuropathy is getting better, my peach fuzz has sprouted darker hairs that are filling in the sides and back of my hair. Fatigue still lingers, and I notice more body aches, esp in my knees that had arthroscopic surgeries in the past. Prob more pains since no more steroids. Sad news is that my last eyelashes fell out this morning, but my eyebrows are growing back in between the few hairs that linger! I am getting better with the brow pencil. I have my rad sim next Tuesday, and prob start rads 1/18.
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I am just loosing my eye lashes now!!!!! I just truly don't understand this stuff. I thought, after A/C and I still had them and eyebrows I wasn't going to loose them! So much for thinking.....
A/C done and 4 Taxol down!!! now I only have about 6 on each eye.......this happened last week.......any ideas on how to grow them back???
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southern - I am waiting on an additional sugery for my reconstruction. I had bilateral mastectomy & reconstruction before I started chemo. Please don't let it unnerve you, chemo is the worst part, surgery, especially a lumpectomy will be easy. Think of it this way - you will go to the hospital & take a nap, then go home & rest & wear a bra & not lift heavy stuff for a little bit. Hope that helps.
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Last Taxol flowing in, and no Neulasta tomorrow!
Southern, I had surgery before chemo. My recovery for a MX and ALND was quick, and some people say that recovery from a LX isn't so different that getting a port put in. But all surgery is minor until you're the one on the table.
The woman in the recliner next to me is hacking up a lung. Oh, joy.
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Scotland no neulesta=nice New Years bonus to no more chemo.
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tkrmp67, my eyelash situation is similiar to yours. Apparently, lashes and brows can grow in and fall again PFC. Sometimes more than once. I seem to have a couple of lashes resprouting. I'm trying not to get attached. It takes the body a while to get its act together after this much chemical trauma.
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Shopgal, I'm so excited about no Neulasta. And I didn't have to take 20mg is steroids this morning, only last night. Christmas came late
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southern- I had lumpectomy in August 2015, about a week after I was diagnosed. The tumor was a little less than 2cm. It wasn't bad, I mean it wasn't fun! I was sore and tired for a week or so, but the second surgery removing 25 lymph nodes was far worse, took longer to recover. If you have gone through chemo you can handle the lumpectomy for sure.
good luck!!
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The more posts I read, the more concerned I get with the fact that I had a lumpectomy vs. MX. My doctor recommended lumpectomy, and I did what she recommended. Of course that was b4 she knew I had 4 lymph nodes containing cancer. After that news I asked multiple times about MX. Got same answer, "one is just as good as other. NO MORE OF RECCURENCE WITH LX OR MX. If this is true, why is it that 95% of women on this and other forums have MX???? I am in process of chemo now. But am really questioning my surgical decision.
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tkemp67, my MC was driven by my tumor to breast ratio. I had a big tumor and a really small breast, making a lumpectomy and a MX as pretty similar procedures in my case. Plus, my Grade 1 tumor was unlikely to have the kind of response to chemo before surgery to make a lumpectomy possible. A MX before chemo was really my only good option. A lumpectomy may be the best choice for you.
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Tkemp - I was in the same boat as Scotland. c cup with a 4cm tumor. I wanted to just get rid of both for peace of mind. I traded it for torpedoes and pain. But the "fills" are all over now and it was not so bad. But I still have a reconstructive surgery to look forward to, oh joy.
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So nice to read about all of you who are finished with their poison and moving on. Can't wait to join you.
Exercise, best wishes for your surgery and speedy recovery.
I had my Taxol dose #10 yesterday. Two more to go. Told the MO I was really tired of this and couldn't she cut it short? No such luck! My final dose will be January 11 and then will move on toward rads. Not sure of any dates for all that but hope I get a little break in between. I've been looking at the Winter Rads group to see what those folks are saying. A few familiar names there!
Saw the PT today for my lymphedema arm and it looks like the bandage has worked well enough and I was able to order a compression sleeve. Yay! Can't wait for it to arrive so I can get rid of this cumbersome wad on my arm. And wash my hands whenever I want! I'll have to wear a gauntlet with the sleeve but it seems like it will be simple enough to move out of the way when I need to.
I'm really tired of being so tired and I'm really sick & tired of 2015. Here's to a better 2016 for all of us!
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To everyone finishing or finished with chemo - Hoorah! What a joyous day.
Shopgal - Thank you for the preview of what three weeks-post chemo feels like for you - so encouraging to hear.
To my neoadjunc pals on the many fantastic tumor-shrinkage stories - congrats!
Tkemp - I had weekly Taxol #7 of 12 today. I had noticed my protein levels were low last week, so i concentrated on getting more high-quality protein this past week.
BIG FAT DISCLAIMER: I don't know if this was cause-and-effect. But my labs were significantly better today: WBC was 3.3 and ANC was 2.2. I've been feeling better too (underneath the SEs, if that makes any sense). If it sounds like an experiment worth trying, swap some protein for carb calories. It might have made a difference for me. (Again, could be phase of the moon for all I know.)
My hair loss had stopped for weeks (leaving decent-ish eyebrows, eyelashes and a covering of stubble hair on head), but three weeks ago, I started losing hair again. My eyebrows are almost gone and everyday I lose some head hair. Surprisingly aggravating given I hd already lost practically everything already.
Eyes on our 2016 finishing lines, ladies!
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Read only if you want to hear abou the chemo session from hell:
My final FEC today started out with an hour wait for the doc, who was again a new one. When she said "now we'll get you scheduled for your radiation" I freaked out WHAT RADIATION??? and she continued "of course you need radiation, it says right here....oops wrong patient file." Which explains why she couldn't find past results. I just lost it and broke down sobbing.
After that great start the first nurse ripped a vein trying to get the iv in; then apparently during the infusion through a different vein, "something" leaked out from the rip place into the surrounding tissue because there is a sizable triangle of angry red
The rip did not raise a lump so I don't think it is just hematoma --- but hope/pray it is, because these meds cause tissue necrosis when they leak Taking serial pics and measurements. I pressed the rip site while the new nurse (my demand) inserted the new iv, but then stopped pressing during the chemo infusions --- my mistake?
When I got home I forced down husband-made dinner, then just crashed in bed --- for almost 4 hours. Up now forcing fluids to wash those poisons out of my system before crashing again. Poor Misty doesn't understand why I won't take her on our evening walk -- I can barely hobble aroung indoors with a walking stick and hanging on to furniture.
Yes I know this too will pass, and the day could easily have gone much much worse. Just thanking God and Heaven I don't need FEC again, just Herceptin, if the FEC didn't destroy my heart (new test Jan. 20).
Positives:
I am alive.
I got to delay this dose until after Christmas, so my kids got to see me at my relative chemo-best.
Misty is still with me (reached 12 on Christmas Eve).
I am alive.
I am alive.
I am alive.
And the support of all you ladies keeps my heart afloat. Thank you.0 -
fidget, I did not have clean margins so I will be having a reexcision around late January. That will be followed by rads. The original lumpectomy was relatively easy. Total time at the surgery center was about 4 hours. I had some mild discomfort for a few days but nothing bad. The sentinel node biopsy was a lot more uncomfortable and took a lot longer to recover from. I still have some discomfort in that area.
I too am wrestling with the lx vs mx/bmx decision. Dr tells me I have enough boob for additional lx and that survival rates are no different. I worry about if there are other tumers in either breast now. I'm trying to get thoroughly tested on both sides before making a decision.
Congrats to those getting their final chemo and good luck to those getting surgery.
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Tessu - You are one tough woman. I am amazed at your presence of mind. Do you have a follow up scheduled to check on the rip site and "leak"?
Hug Misty - I'm sending strength, peace and love through her. Please keep us updated on how you heal.
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MLisa glad your labs were good. Sucks about the re-shed on the hair. I would grow on my off week and stop growing on chemo week, so I sort of relate. What helped my fuzz continue to grow was the b vitamins and starting biotin right after last chemo.
Tessu big huge hugs to you. How awful. That doc should be slapped for mixing you up wits other patient. Let me at them I'll b-tch slap them so hard. Sounds like misty is taking good care of you.
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twiggy-- my docs have told me the same as yours that survival rates with lumpectomy and mastectomy are the same. One of the ladies who gets chemo where I do has decided on bmx even though our docs advised for a lumpectomy. She tells me she wants piece of mind. I thought about that, but I've been reading on these boards and elsewhere where cancer has recurred despite a bmx because you can't fully get rid of breast tissue. It's such a personal decision I guess, and I probably won't be anywhere near 100% comfortable no matter which way I go. I'm more terrified of mets right now. I know I have at least one node that showed on the MRI and hope that chemo zapped anything else that may be floating around. I see my BS tomorrow morning so I'll get final opinion.
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