Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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They want me to hold my breath for 30 seconds during radiation. It's supposed to lift the chest in a way to protect the heart. I'm practicing but it will be January. If I catch a cold, I'm done for sure.
Anyone else get dark purple smudges underneath eyes and on eyelids? I just noticed today. Great! get out the concealer
Yes SoutherCharm...windy days mean something totally different for us gals..hahaha
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LindyC - that's what I am signed up for in late January and Early February. Speaking to the radiation doctor it would help avoid the heart and minimize the good tissue they have to zap. I feel better but I wish they could avoid the lung.
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hi all. I've just caught up on all your posts. With round 2 of TC behind me I was in the doldrums for sure. The SEs weren't as bad but it all lasted longer and the taste in my mouth and light nausea (reflux?) hangs around until I eat and then is right back. Of course very very little was appealing by way of liquids or food so I got so frustrated. It's a bit better now but still minimal foods that even appeal. I decided to hit the frozen food isle and see what appealed and got a couple things but my MO giving me a dairy restriction is killing me! So my friend did save me from dehydration last week by getting me straws. Particularly with the thrush and bad taste, the straw made everything much easier (and more quenching) to drink. Highly recommend straws!
I went back to work today and was ok. Still only wearing beanies-just can't warm up to the wig. Feeling a bit less depressed but started to think of near future mammograms and such. Wanted to puke. Plus my nine year old DD has been having a tough time with all of this. That sucks harder than any SE
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30 second breath hold? Yea I can't manage that at peak health.
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El Tigre, I used COQ10 during chemo, but I cut all supplements out 2 days before infusion and about 4 days after. I was on a different regimen that you are, but Herceptin can whack the heart pretty good, which is why I did it. Such a tough call though, whether to take or not.
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Italychick - Thank you, I read about certain times to take it and not to take it. I'm hoping to get a good answer next oncology apt. I will def follow up with another echo cardiogram to check my heart after the AC.
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Annie - I agree. Holding my breath is the worst. I had to not breath at one point when they did the ultrasound on my thyroid. Not fun at all.
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I get labs drawn the day of chemo and a week later. They prefer me to come in the morning so there's time if I need an infusion of something.
I am taking L-Carnitine during chemo to try to help with neuropathy. The MO said ok to it and I have read some stuff on it but now I am going to go double check it.
What are you ladies taking for heartburn? We changed meds up this time and now I am getting heartburn. Tums don't seem to last for me right now.
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Aga, we should get flu shots while on chemo, but not the flu mist. The mist is a weakened, live flu, which is bad with a compromised immune system.
Jabe, I've noticed the same thing with side effects. Not as bad for round 2, but they've lasted longer. The fatigue never really left, and my taste buds haven't fully recovered like they did for round 1.I'm soooo looking forward to round 3 tomorrow.
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TFOXY the Alka seltzer chews work better than tums
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Zantac, nexium or Prilosec over the counter are heavier hitters for reflux. I have to do blood draw and vitals every week
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I'm taking Prilosec for the heartburn. It's worked well for me.
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I scared a boy scout selling popcorn. I answered the door completely forgetting my utter lack of hair. Bless him, he was so startled but covered it well.
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Asked MO about the flu shot today and was told no until I am done with chemo. He did refer to the fact that my WBCs were very good (meaning I can fight it off if I get it, I guess?) as a factor. I think he takes the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' approach. (which fits my style, so that is ok, though I do find it interesting to see others getting different recommendations.)
MO is slightly concerned that my low grade fever continues. It was 99.6 in his office when they checked it before chemo, which surprised me, as usually I can tell when it is above normal (and my normal is usually a bit on the low side). He is surprised it is sticking around so long. He did a pee test to rule out a UTI that isn't causing much in the way of other symptoms...they will call me with results and call in antibiotics if it is, but it would surprise me (I've had very occasional slight burning when peeing, but only very occasional, and very slight.)
On a more positive note, for me: Round three is in the books! WOOHOO!!!! I am 3/4 done! Time to celebrate by collapsing on the couch!! :-)
Speaking of celebrating, hope you are there and enjoying this game, Lindy! And I want you to know, I think I am a lucky charm for those Jays. Got home just in time to turn on the game in the second inning....Royals were ahead....and next thing I know Jays are getting hits like crazy! :-)
Hugs to all of you with SEs this week. Let's hope tomorrow is a better day than today for all of us!
Octogirl
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Octo girl you are a good luck charm0
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Lindy hold onto the halo on the way out. I can hear you giggling now trying to keep it on in this wind. Strong winds of Change blowing across the country today.0
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Annie I did that to both of the neighbor kids last week. Luckily they know I have cancer but were a little shocked to see my balding head. I keep a baseball cap by the front door now.
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Go Jays! :-)
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edsmom - exactly me o. The wigs! I have 2 given by friends, one bought for me, just ordered halo and really want the headband one. Held off, but if I am up to working on Th-Fri it's mine. Please post if you get it and whether you love it.
Minnesota- I would love to chat about those topics
You can friend me on Facebook
Jody Greer Van Ness
Or email me
jodygreervanness@gmail.co
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LindyC and luzeelu
I am dose dense 4 AC, 4 taxol
Did first AC 9/28 didn't feel too bad but my onbody neulasta failed, so I was delayed for dose 2
Got dose 2 today. Feel fine at this moment. Waiting for day 3&4 plus neulasta pain. I already had fibromyalgia and joint pain pre-cancer.
Fingers crossed I tolerate the chemo as well as last time.
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saw this funny post on Facebook and thought of all of you!
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I can find no argument with that kid's logic.
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Italychick - That's Awesome
HazelFrance - They recommended I take Claritin the night before the Nuelasta shot as well as that morning and night to avoid bone pain. I'm sorry ot hear that you are suffering from joint pain and fibromyalgia.
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My head has been bugging me (sore). This morning I took a sticky lint roller to my head and pulled off 4 sheets of brown stubble. Gross. But my head feels better now. Mostly just gray stubble left...
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Have a cold can't get rid off. Feel like crap so tired. Sitting in the Publix parking lot and just can't get out of the car.
I will ask my MO about the flu shot but someone said " there mo said it might not cover you sense you have chemo " so I wonder what's the point of putting more chemicals in your body? Idk
How does everyone feel after the flu shot?
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I had my flu shot the week before starting chemo and I felt fine, no impact. I was told by my doctor to get it but do not get one with the live virus.
I'd definitely check with the MO before getting it if you've already started chemo..
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Very interesting. Wouldn't this be great?? History has many accidental findings. Claritin, the allergy reliever, was taken by someone who had body aches and pains from the drug Neulesta (used to increase white blood cell counts during chemo) and found it helped significantly with it. Advil was created for headaches but someone with arthritis found it significantly helped that problem. You never know!
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK — Scientists researching for a vaccine against malaria in pregnant women may have accidentally discovered an effective weapon against cancer.
Scientists from the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) may have found a breakthrough in fighting cancer, which could result in a medical treatment for those affected with the deadly disease.
Malaria researcher Professor Ali Salanti from UCPH in collaboration with cancer researcher Mads Daugaard from UBC have revealed that the carbohydrate the malaria parasite attaches itself to in the placenta in pregnant women is identical to a carbohydrate present in cancer cells.
Scientists have created the protein that the malaria parasite uses to attach to the placenta in a laboratory and have added a toxin.
The combination of malaria protein and toxin finds cancer cells, is absorbed, then the toxin is released inside, causing the cancer cells to die.
The process has been witnessed in cell cultures and in trials of mice with cancer. The discovery has been detailed in the scientific journal Cancer Cell.
"For decades, scientists have been searching for similarities between the growth of a placenta and a tumor. The placenta is an organ, which within a few months grows from only few cells into an organ weighing approx. two pounds, and it provides the embryo with oxygen and nourishment in a relatively foreign environment. In a manner of speaking, tumors do much the same, they grow aggressively in a relatively foreign environment," says Ali Salanti from the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen.
Research groups from the two universities have tested thousands of samples from brain tumors to leukemias and have found that the malaria protein is able to attack more than 90% of all types of tumors.
The drug was tested on mice implanted with three types of human tumors: non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, prostate cancer and metastatic bone cancer. With the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the treated mice tumors were about a quarter of the size of the tumors in the control group. With prostate cancer, the tumors disappeared in two of the six treated mice a month after receiving the first dose. With metastatic bone cancer, five out of six of the mice treated were alive after nearly eight weeks, compared to none of the mice in a control group.
Researchers are now working towards being able to conduct human trials. They say the earliest possible timeframe would be in four years.
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Aga I've had a cold for a week. I keep coughing and peeing my pants. I got the flu shot a week before chemo started and never felt bad from it.
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Artista928 - I saw that fingers crossed
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ok help!! I'm 13 days post second infusion and am having some serious D!! What the hell? I baked some frozen egg rolls and ate three last night and am wondering if they were fried before packaging and that has set this off. Had lemonade too so the citrus? I haven't had this bad this whole cycle. I don't get it. I've was doing so much better yesterday and am planningwork this afternoon and teach my class at 5. Tell me it's just my stupid ambitious eating last night! One immodium and waitig the 2 hours to take the second if necessary (per dr's special immodium instructions)
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