Starting Chemo in February 2016?
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Chambo I hear you. I'm almost done chemo, meet my RO at the end of April, and I assume I will be starting radiation sometime mid May.
everybody is saying what a treat radiation is compared to chemo, but right now it doesn't feel that way for me. Chemo was hard, but I was only at the hospital twice a cycle, once for blood tests and once for chemo, and after the first cycle I pretty well do what to expect and when I would be able to work and feel mostly like myself again.
The thought of have to go to the hospital for treatment every day is very overwhelming! Especially because the hospital I will be going to is about 40 minutes away somewhere with very bad traffic and bad parking. It seems like such an ordeal! Luckily it is not too far from my office…but arranging to have my appointments before work ( even if I start work and hour or two late) means I will be dealing with it during rush hour which will make it much harder. I'm still trying to figure this all out. I'm quite worried about the side effects, I still have my breasts and they are quite large, I'm worried that I'm going to have very bad skin reaction, not be able to wear a bra, not be able to go out much, etc.
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Chambo, Loves to Fly
I hear you about radiation. I won't have it till after surgery next month. Last chemo is monday. I dread going to the cancer center 5 days a week. Have already met with RO and I really liked him.
Chambo my MO said the same thing, as yours about dietary risk factors.. I was a vegan and organic (my own grown) person for decades before it was popular. As was my mother. So we just don't know.
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Good to hear from you Praline! Tired seems like a regular part of life lately!
Piper, so sorry more problems have come your way. In your pocket and hoping they figure out all this soon!
Chambo I still have what I refer to as my smurf boob as well, from Dec 17th. Starting to feel like it is going to be a part of me! Not sure how many weeks I will have rads yet. Luckily I am about 25 minutes away and won't be working.
I won't be working until I am just on Hercepton. Start LTD in May. Feel very fortunate for that. Jill, the neulasta shot definitely causes the worst of the Doxetaxel chemo. I never had an unbearable pain day but sure not enjoyable. I am usually okay in the morning (except day 3) but by mid afternoon I am on the Tylenol and sleeping. My throat is really acting up as well so having to use the magic mouthwash a lot. Hard to eat anything so I treated myself to a big bowl of ice cream, bananas, whipped cream and chocolate sauce today.
Beautiful sunny day out. Hopefully it will last now and we can all get out to enjoy it...even if just to sit and have a coffee and listen to the birds sing!
Love to you all xox
Kare
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Big love Piper, we've all got you.
So good to hear from you Praline, and you are almost done!
Second week out from AC #3, better than #2, only lingering SEs are sore mouth and heartburn (a new one ! O joy) but I can deal. I will say that I am NEVER doing this one again after #4. (is that safe to say? We don't ever have to do AC twice do we? Don't tell me if we do, it's keeping me going.) God I thought I was doing so GREAT after #1, too funny now.
Love and hugs to all.
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relieved about praline. Got a chair for feet and back. I'm all Dr Evil from Austin Powers I tried to post my first video. If anyone knows how let me know Piper 🎀
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Piper, I am so sorry that this has been so difficult for you. I am in your pocket my friend. So ladies, I have again been so weak and bed ridden since Thursday. It exhausts me to go to the bathroom. I am told the fatigue would get worse. I am staying hydrated but no appetite. Almost through right!
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Piper and Frances, big (((hugs))) to you. I am thinking about you and wishing you quick recoveries. You are so strong and brave.
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Has been the most laid back week yet. I hope I get it back this week so I can enjoy some good days. This has definitely taken a toll on me. End of May can't come soon enough!!
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Watch out for your toes! Piper is on the loose
. I love Dr Evil can't wait for my kids to be old enough to watch those movies and understand some of the innuendo! I don't want them looking to me for explanation Hahahaha Trying not to overdo things today. Weather is so nice this weekend finally after a month of rain, snow, cold, yucky stuff. But the sun is zapping my energy. Taxol so far......not horrible but not bad. I now how the opposite of IBS-C yay can't win
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HI lADIES
i just finished my last Taxol. Woo hoo. It's been a long 16 weeks.On to surgery in May and rads in july
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congrats Val!!!!!
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Well...I had my last chemo today. I also seemed to have gotten a sinus infection the weekend before ON TOP of my allergies kicking in. Needless to say I had a crappy weekend before my last treatment. Went in at 0930 didn't leave until 2pm because they wanted to give me extra fluids to start me off right because of the sinus infection. After that...my temp decided to creep up to 100 so they stopped the chemo to do a CBC and all checked out so I was able to continue. I got to ring the bell and I also got a "You finished chemo" certificate signed by my Dr. And all the awesome nurses! So....I am amping myself up for the dreaded SE's. I am hoping the Diflucin(sp?)will stop my thrush before it starts because I do NOT want to end up in the ER again because I haven't been able to drink or eat much. Stupid thrush. I'm just happy to be done with the chemo!!! Next.......rads.......yay.
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Congrats Val and Suz on your last of the Chemo! Be sure to check back in with is during your journey!
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????? What day is is? (lol) Came back from chemo treatment around 1:30 this afternoon. My sister and her husband stopped by on their way home from California. After they left, it was not even 3:30, I went in the bedroom to get something(?)and lay down on my bed.
The first thing I know, the house phone is ring off the hook. I opened my eyes, ... is it morning? is it night? It's dark .. has to be night. And all this time the answering machine on my phone is going yak! yak! yak! I finally figured out is was Monday evening at 8:30. I slept for 5 hours!Had #10 chemo treatment today. Two more to go.I have been pretty good except no hair...and not just on my head...just thin eyebrows and eyelashes left. I should invest in stocks in the Kleenex company .Nose constantly running! And I feel like I am 150 years old. No energy , I take a shower and get dressed and it it time to rest. And no appetite either, nothing looks good.
Time to go put the dog's bed in the dryer.
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Val and Suz - Congratulations!
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You go Praline, you are almost done! So good to see you here again.
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Big congratulations Val and Suz, you DID it. I am taking heart.
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Val and Suz, huge congrats! So glad you're done with that part! Suz, hoping the thrush stays away so you can start getting back to your old self without too much of a bump.
Praline, you always put a smile on my face!
So round 4 is pretty much a repeat of the others for me... In bed on day 3,4 & 5 . Gonna need to go in for IV fluids again tomorrow. Heart palps are really bad just trying to get to the bathroom and back. I drank so much Gatorade today I feel like I'm floating but still not enough fluids I guess. Has anyone else had heart palps this bad? Any advice?
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Hi Myra, I've had random heart palps but not on exertion so they are not worried. Will you check in with them today about it? Hoping you feel better soon.
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Hi, ladies~
LAST chemo today!!! Woohoo! I've already done the surgery (lumpectomy) and radiation, so now on to a hormone blocker. I certainly hope they give me a break before they do that. I also need to get this port taken out and that can't happen soon enough. I imagine I will need to wait at least 3 weeks to get over the SE from today.
I'm concerned about the SE from this infusion. Since my last chemo, my muscles have become really sore and tight. It's like I have worked out and strained them. I will def mention to my dr today before I go back for infusion. I googled it and apparently this is very common, and interesting that most people mentioned it happened after the 3rd infusion. Some mentioned it went away after a couple months, others said several months (> 1 yr). I doubled up on my L Glutamine powder hoping that would help. The thrush and nose bleeds seem to happen no matter what I do, so I guess I'm just resigned to that. I've taken Diflucan every day as a maintenance dose and STILL got it from chemo #3. I'm also on a anti viral since my MO told me the nose bleeds were basically cold sores in my nose. Again, the meds didn't help. Just used lots of saline spray and try not to blow my nose very hard to keep the bleeding down. Both the thrush and nose bleeds went away as soon as my white count went back up. I've taken either Neupogen or Neulasta the day after chemo but I still experience the dip before it builds back. Last chemo I started Neupogen the day after and after 3 days of shots and a weekend, I had my CBC checked on that Monday and the white count was 1.1. So, 2 more days of neupogen. This time I'm going back to Neulasta which guarantees I'll be in bed with a 101 fever this weekend. I guess it beats the 6 trips up to the clinic to get shots/CBC checks. Maybe?
Have a great day ladies, hugs all around. Prayers and good thoughts to you all.
Gail
P.S. I've shaved my head in late Feb but started getting white peach fuzz, so not shaving again to see what happens. It's very sparse, though.
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I'm so sorry that I've missed so much! I've been feeling so great that I needed to take a break from the cancer world for a bit. Hope you all understand;)
Walked 4 miles yesterday with my knee brace after being inspired by watching the Boston Marathon. Heading into Boston now for my last chemo!!!!
I'll catch up in the next few days and wish everyone well😘
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Yay Val and Suz!
Hi Praline! I have #10 Thursday. Bless your heart, you were exhausted! So far, I still have hair, though MO warns it could go anytime which is fine. The biggest SEs so far are a little tingling and soreness in my joints. My knees and feet ache the first few days afterwards, but it eases off after awhile thank the Lord. I go Friday for a CT to get ready for rads. I'm trying really hard to finish everything by the end of June so my insurance deductible won't kick back in! Hope you all are doing well and have a good week.
Hugs
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yeah val and Suz. Good luck praline.
Last chemo today.
It's a bittersweet feeling. Of course I'm glad to be done chemo (which sucks) but I've been trying to take this step by step. Since January 6 I've gotten very used to this step. Moving forward to my next steps of treatment and the unknown physical and emotional (and logistical) challenges they will bring is certainly frightening!
Oh well...today is for celebrating. I can start worrying tomorrow (and feeling like crap Thursday and Friday and into the weekend!)
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Wow look at everyone go! Praline so good to,see you here! Those long naps sure are great, just figuring out where you are and what's going on is the hard part! So close to being done, hang in there and treat yourself well!!!!
Myra, I don't get heart palps at all. Are they checking you out regularly as to why you have them so bad? I'm sure they are but please keep on top of them!
Gail! Hurray for last chemo day! Can't come soon enough for me after this last one! I found the neulasta shot really made my SE much worse. I often wonder how much of my hair would have fallen out. I never lost it on my body anywhere and I still have hair on my head, it never all fell out and it's a mix of grey and brownish. My eyebrows are getting thin though and eyelashes goin slowly. I do still have 2 more infusions of chemo though. I will be thinking of you and hope this recovery is not too hard for you!
MLP! Great you have been off and keeping busy and enjoying life😀 The weather is finally breaking and I just love the sunny days! Sounds like your knee is getting great exercise too!
Deacon, you are getting close to the end too! Sounds like the timing should be good to complete by when you are wanting to. Will be thinking of you Thursday and hope the SE are easy on you!
Jill! Finally your last one. Totally understand the bittersweet feeling. This whole experience has happened so fast from the time of my mammogram. This has been a break from all that had my head spinning! It sure is an emotional roller coaster. Take it easy, allow yourself to get well from this last set of SE, enjoy the sunshine and grab a good book and relax! We have all worked hard to get where we are now and deserve to acknowledge that in ourselves! This has been no picnic!!!!
Keep in touch as you move on everyone....this will always be our Fab Feb page!!!!
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Ladies, so happy for you to be finishing up! I know that you feel great about it being the end of that chapter. FEB FEBS FOREVER!
I am finally sitting up, though the fatigue is no better. 2 more to go! UGG, pushing through. Seems as thought the SE are going out further and getting longer. I am wow'd by the 4 mile walk that MLP just mentioned. I cant walk to up my stairs with out getting fatigued and it has been over a week now.
Karen - we got this!
LTF - you are looking good girl!
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thanks Karen and Frances!
LTF is rockin' it in her fun pants and pretty scarf!
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Congrats to so many that are done or almost done with chemo!!!!!! I'm totally jealous. I still have til July 1st and 11 more Taxols. Seems so far away.
Headache from you know where this morning.
Dog is still having seizures and we can't deal with it at this time.
. He's going back to the rescue in 2 weeks when the coordinator returns from vacation. They have all of her fosters filling up other spots. We have tried for 2 months. I'm sure he needs a diff medication and trial and error. But every seizure means extra cleaning for me and a lot of times a bath for Felix to clean him up. Not to mention a huge heart pounding adrenaline rush which can't be good for me after the A chemo. :0 -
Karen my hair started growing back on Taxotore! Eyelash and brows were still going (since they are the last to go) but what little is left seems to be staying put now, and I have about a half inch of stubble on my head (which was fully smooth and bald-with very little help from a bic- when I started Taxotore,), and it is growing, enough that it lays flat on the sides. That said, it is very patchy...hard to believe it will ever be a full head of hair but I am resisting the urge to shave off the ugly patchy stubble and letting it grow. I never lost all my leg and arm hair, but most of it. Pubic area and underarms are still hair free.
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Congrats Jill on your last chemo. Love your last chemo picture you look great. Do you get a small break before starting radiation?
The bone aches kicked in yesterday. I felt horrible. I had a nap in the afternoon and felt a bit better but does it ever affect your mood. Today's has been a better day I have to take it one day at a time. I have 1 taxol Done 11 more to go
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Yay for all who are finishing up. On to the next. For me it's surgery and rads. We got this. Thanks so much for the support.
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