Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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SouthernCharm, my thoughts are with you and your family also!
I wish I could write more, but between my SEs, smoke in my eyes, and pre-exisiting vision issues, computer screens and I are not getting along. Know that you are all in my heart, however, and I send hugs to all!!!
Octogirl
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southerncharm, I'm so sorry for what you and your family are going through right now. You are very strong to deal with all of this at once, it's not fair.
Carolina Amy I'm so sorry for your loss. We lost my dear FIL in February 2014 and it was and still is tough on all of us at times. My kids especially.
One thing I have learned after taking care of everyone else is that I can't ignore myself. I did that for too long and now I'm the focus. We all need to take the time to be good to ourselves!
I took my mom and DD wig shopping and we had fun. My mom bought me a baseball cap with hair attached, she just loved it and DD picked out a cute scarf for me. I haven't decided yet how or when to cut my hair. I keep joking that I'm going to ask our good friend to get out his clippers with a 2 blade and just go for it!
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thinking of you Southerncharm...
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Could I join the August Group. My story is a little wonky as they had all kinds of problems with my port so I only had one Chem clear back in July and just started again August 26. This group would be a better fit as I have a lot to face by December.
I am 42 and went in for my first mammogram only to find double breast cancer ( Bad news) Left breast Her2+ and Right ER+/PR+ it was actually thought to be DCIS but actually had two tumors when they went in. Thankfully I had decided on a double mastectomy as there wasn't enough of my right breast to save. I have some genetic issues so they are talking about a hysterectomy or oophrectomy in December 4 weeks after Chemo.
I am happy to be in the group. Since I did have Chemo there are a few things I can post that might help someone else.
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Well my report time for my port is 8am tomorrow. I cannot believe how nervous about this I am. I'm almost more nervous about this than I am chemo. I guess because I know I'm a bleeder. I just want it over.
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Good luck with the port tomorrow, Fidget.
I meet with the oncologist tomorrow , so will hopefully have a start date for chemo.
Port is scheduled to go in next Monday, the 21st.
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Best wishes to everyone receiving chemo or getting your port this week.
Southern God Bless your MIL and your family
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BALD!
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teacherhikermom--girlfriend, you are GORGEOUS! No smoke blowing here, you are radiant and beautiful. I'd pay a boatload of money to have a bald head and smile like that. Just gorgeous!!! 😍
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Seriously, could you're binge structure be any more exquisite?
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Welcome to the Sept group Excercise Guru! we are eager to hear your advice as we are all new to the chemo routine.
southerncharmer I find your candor, courage and humor so special. My heart too is with you right now with the difficult situation with your MIL.
Fidget you will be amazed at how simple the port implant really is. Two weeks later and i hardly know mine is there. Tube tops are very helpful during this time.
Greytmph2 be courageous and think of you first! we are here for you.
5 days post Neulasta and I am just starting to have side effects. Head ache and really bad neck pain. I was attributing it to my mod arthritis I already have in my neck but this is more painful. The good news is it will subside in a day or two. While on steriod infusion and pills after chemo my neck felt much better...so I guess it will be a roller coaster.
By the way, after mx I found the bra they gave me to be very uncomfortable except it was easy to access from the hooks in front. I recommend trying a 'Coobie' as they are much softer, wider lower band and although no hooks I just pull mine up after stepping in. You can order them on line
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Valerie, I'm baffled now as to why I'm struggling with my port so much. I'm also nearly two weeks out and it's driving me mad. I literally slept on the recliner last night because the area is so horribly sore and the pressure onout from lying down was just too much. I had to put frozen peas on it again and sit up. I most certainly can't touch the actual port bump--OUCH.
Is this so unusual?
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teacherhikermom! Beautiful! Seriously you rock the look!
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My turn to chime in with some Neulasta SE on day 3. Started with slight neck discomfort last night and then radiated to back and chest. Not along the spine but across, from shoulder to shoulder, really weird. Then the TE felt completely lopsided with the side boob becoming more and more ridiculous. Took a couple of Tylenols with codeine and got through the night ok. Queasy feeling stays and everything tastes awful.
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Good morning ladies! My thoughts and prayers are with all of us as we fight this awful disease, especially those who have added personal complications. It's hard enough to deal with this without all the extra stress in our lives. Bottom line though is that, no matter how inconvenient, we have to take care of ourselves so that we can get back to taking care of others like we are used to. I thank you all for sharing the experience as it helps to know I am not alone in this fight. #CANCERSUCKS
Teacher, a special shout out to you for rocking the bald look. You courageous post of your picture makes the next step a little easier for those of us behind you.
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Day five post Round One: the mild but totally doable constipation I had been having morphed into mild but not quite as doable diarrhea...nothing awful, but enough that I don't want to leave the house until I am sure it has subsided. And once the steroids wore off after day three my stomach queasiness increased a bit. However, right now the worst of it is that the metallic taste in my mouth is getting worse, so almost nothing tastes good enough to eat. I am drinking a lot anyway, (lemon in the water helps a little, not much) and finding I can mostly stomach bland and pickled foods (Bland for my stomach, pickles and vinegar taste normal, not metallic.) Sweet stuff is awful, can't taste salt much one way or the other. Stomach is a little better today than yesterday, but taste issues remain :-( LindyC, let us know if you find any solution that works for you.
I had my last neuprogen shot last night. yay. Pain has been very manageable from Claritan and Aleve. I do think walking helped. However, I did not walk yesterday, because of the stomach. Going to MO tomorrow for a check in one week out so will be interesting to see how the WBC is.
Good luck SouthernCharm! Sending many hugs to those starting and to those with SEs!
Xoxox
Octogirl
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Day 7 first day out and about. I'm so tired but it's great not to have to go lay down all the time. Haven't taken any pain meds since 10 last night so I think I'm over the hump! Woop woop! Nuelasta bone pain lasted 5 days which I am told is not usual. So other than a tender mouth and an up the nose sore and some fatigue I'm A ok day 7.
Hugs to all the chicks starting this week. I love the ladies rocking the bald heads! I haven't gotten that far and I'm not sure how I'll react. My head isn't a nice shape lmao!
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octogirl I think I'm 2 days ahead of you. We seem to have had some of the same symptoms. It's just so weird how all of our bodies react so differently to the same things. I got 1 nuelasta shot. You seem to be taking something different over multiple days. I wonder if I'd have less bone pain on sometime else. Worth asking about I think!
Your DX is close to mine too. I was 1.5 cm so just under stage 2. And we're getting the same chemo meds. Did they talk to you at all about the anti hormone therapy after radiation? I have some big decisions to make with that. Just wondering if your MO had a different path.
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Hi AnnieB: Yes, I will be getting the AIs post rads. I am already post menopause, however, (61 yrs old) which makes a big difference in the decision making (with my markers, and at my age, it is pretty much a no-brainer that they put me on the anti-hormonal drugs as long as I agree, which I will. It works for estrogen positive cancer). That said, I have arthritis and pre-existing vision issues which are both issues with the anti-estrogen therapies....
by the way, if I didn't ask before, where is Phillipsburg? Hubby is from PA...though I am a California girl through and through.
I've decided I feel good enough to go to work today! Wish me luck...
Xoxo to all
Octogirl
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I've had a mild sore throat and slight temp elevation since Saturday (only 37.2c) but yesterday evening spiked to 37.9C. Also the headache got much worse over the weekend, head felt like it would explode whenever I tried to lie down. Sooooo
I spent 4hrs last night then almost 4 more this morning in the Emergency Room. My neutrophils were ok last night but crashed today (5 days after chemo, so early respinder, I guess). No real infection found, calling it "probably just a cold", and started oral amoxicillin for a week.
But a brain CT was done because of the nature and worsening of my headaches: CLEAR. No mets there. I couldn't stop crying when they told me; I had been so scared (and theER internist and the on-call oncologist were surprised, so I wasn't worried for nothing, I guess). They're guessing the headaches are from Taxotere, like all the joint pains?
I'm sorry but I'm too exhausted to read posts right now, still have bad headache, and am following temps hoping I don't spike again and have to go back.
Sending (((((((gentle hugs))))))) to everyone who needs one today, and wishing evrybody good luck with whatever treatments or tests are on your schedule this week (((((more hugs))))).
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Philipsburg is just outside State College - home of Penn State. We've been here almost a year. We moved from Southern Oregon.
I'm not post menopausal so I have to decide what to do.
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Annie, I'm from State College, too! (Well, it's my second hometown.)
tessu, I can't even imagine the relief! I'm glad you have that reassurance even if you still have the side effects.Two things my MO nurse told me that may be helpful: suck on ice during Adriamycin, as it helps with the sores and taste changes. Second was that our bodies metabolize the chemo drugs after 72 hours from the end of it, so if you're feeling 'nauseated' after Day 4, it's almost certainly indigestion. OTC Pepcid will probably do the trick. (She was right.)
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Hi everyone,
I love reading all your posts. So much encouragement and people that really relate to what I'm feeling. I start neoadjuvant chemo tomorrow, 9/16. Four TC treatments, three weeks apart. And Neulasta shots. I feel like I'm prepared, but still scared of the unknowns. Trying to keep in mind that I'm not being poisoned, I'm getting medicine with really unfortunate side effects. Still waiting on genetic tests and results of a second biopsy to determine the type of surgery I will need.
Thanks for keeping me sane. Prayers and hugs to all of you going through this.
Kate
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KatieJones all the best for tomorrow.
Tessu glad to hear about the CT, SE will get better!
Annie glad you are better now
Octogirl just hang in there
Twiggy all the best for you
Teacherhiker you look amazing!
Finally hugs and more hugs to those starting chemo/ having port placed and so forth.
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Hi Kate!
I'm in a very similar situation, and one of the things I like about neoadjuvant is that it gives you a bit of breathing room to get all the info you need (genetic testing) and out of the initial shock before making such huge decisions.
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Just checking in ladies, I hope you are all doing well today and send you strength and love for what today brings!
I woke up at 4am with the worst itching in my hands. At 5 I took a benadryl and that helped but we all overslept and DS was late to school. I've never seen DD move so fast to get to school so her carpool would not be late LOL!!
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hi Ladies,
Just checking in. Hope everyone is feeling as they can and drinking lots of fluids! I keep a Nalgene bottle filled up so I know I'm drinking at least 2-3 liters a day.
Today is Day 6 post chemo 1. Yesterday was by far the worst I've felt, no appetite, everything tastes terrible, blurred vision, slightly nausea, and the D was just terrible. I finally stated taking immodium and it's helped out tons. I put myself to sleep last night with CBD oil and Ativan.
Woke up today feeling ok. Just like I've had the flu for a few days. Mornings are normally better for me. I'm going to try to get a walk in then just rest up the rest of the day.
Sorry I haven't been on much here. I've had all sorts of friends around trying to take care of me.
Lots of love to all of you xx
Melinda
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fyi, Had a small salad of fresh tomatoes, basil and cucumbers, with olive oil and red wine vinegar..tasted quite good. I think it's the vinegar that gets through the bad metallic taste.
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I went out today thinking hey I feel so much better. Back to our normally scheduled program...WRONG Omg I am so bloody tired. I got home and flopped right here and haven't moved in an hour. It feels like an entire day was spent at Disney World open to close!
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I know just what you're talking about, Annie. But it will get better. Yesterday was day 12 for me and I felt mostly normal. No nap!! It was a very good day, and much better than I would have expected on chemo.
Stars, day 5 was by far my worst. You'll feel even better tomorrow, I'm thinking. 💚
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