Starting Chemo in December 2016
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Congratulations right back at you, argynis! Hang in there through this last round of SE's. Time to start putting this behind you.
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Congrats Argynis- I had my last one on March 23rd...I am still feeling some SE, but it is such a relief knowing that I can keep feeling better without having the toxins pumped back into me. I still will have Herceptin through December-but hoping the SE from just that won't be so bad. Hoping you (all of us) start feeling a little bit normal soon.
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argynis------Yay! Congrats to you on completing chemo
May your SE be few and leave fast!!!!0 -
congrats argynis!!! Hope you start feeling well soon.
Had my radiation simulation today. What a pain. Had to stay still for 30 mins and my arms and fingers were falling Asleep
My neuropathy is annoying and feels like getting worse I am glad chemistry over but I almost feel worse now
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Scaredashell- I am also still struggling with neuropathy. I know I've posted about it a few times over the last few months. The pads of my fingers are numb, my nails hurt and my hands will randomly throb or get tingly. I still have trouble with buttons, clasps, etc. The finger pads have been a little better since MO lowered my taxotere dose the last few rounds. Also, all my nails have lifted. Not sure if this happened to anyone else, but my nails got thick underneath, sort of like a blister, I guess, then they started leaking fluid and then lifted away from the nail bed. Some are still leaking yellow fluid, a few have bled, they're just in real bad shape and I'm afraid they're all going to fall off
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Hello everyone! I haven't been around in a while. Trying to move on but I had to come see how everyone is doing. Congrats to all who have made it through this tremendous stage in Tx. Good luck with each one of yours next stage.
Midwest Laura you keep fighting girl. I am cheering you on because I can feel your resolve. A true warrior.
I start rads (28 rounds and maybe some boosts)on 4/10. I have what looks like a treasure map drawn all over my chest, stomach and left foob. Interesting! I guess they know what they are doing.
I am getting dePORTEDon the 4/19. I am so excited that I am counting the days like a child right before Christmas. In my mind I will not be totally done with chemo until this bionic vein is out of my body.
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Congrats Argynis! It feels good mentally to be finished and now we need to have our physical catch up!!!
Scaredashell and Jezikah sorry about the neuropathy. I really hope over time it improves. Jezikah sorry about the nails also. I keep reading that nails, eyebrows and lashes can fall off even a month or two post chemo
For those of you with teeth sensitivity I have also experienced this. My teeth were sensitive before and it also looks like my gums have further receded since chemo. I have a dental check up next week to see what the damage is! Not wanting to be scraped and poked but my dentist said it's good to do a check up soon after chemo. They better be gentle!!
Is anyone considering a cleanse post chemo? I have started doing a bit of research and have been considering.
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Congrats argynis!!! Hope it's smooth sailing through the SEs the next couple weeks.
I just finished rads on Monday!! I am officially done with tx! OK, tamoxifen, but nothing invasive. That said, I had to go in for an echocardiogram yesterday to make sure my heart is OK because I had intermittent swelling in my legs back in the beginning of Feb and they want to make sure it was the taxotere and not a heart thing. From reading what others experienced, I'm sure it was the chemo so I'm not worried. It hasn't happened again since Feb.
So now a few weeks to heal and I need to get a polyp removed that my GYN found last week on my uterus. That involves twilight sedative. I think when that is over, I'll feel like things can return to normal!
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Throughout this journey, I never mentioned what I was going through on Facebook. My family and my community knew about it but never really knew how to put it 'out there'. On Monday when I finished rads, I decided to address it to my FB world. Thought I'd share because I think most of you will relate to what I wrote. This is what I posted:
How many times have you had the opportunity to say you are proud of yourself? I mean REALLY proud, like "you are AMAZING" proud? Well that's how I feel today after finishing my LAST breast cancer treatment. I have spent the past 6 months enduring surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. I ventured on this journey helpless and scared. Now I've come through on the other side ready to kick some ass. I've learned so much along the way--who my support system is, how amazing my community is, how sometimes the people we expect to be there aren't, and the people you wouldn't expect show up at just the right time to lift your spirit. I am a better person than I was before this adventure. I am a more empathetic person, I have learned to openly share how I feel and show my appreciation more easily, I have also learned that sometimes the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference and I've been paying it forward. I have learned to be patient with myself as I'm still trying to trust my body that betrayed me. I am more grateful for the mundane things in life, I am thankful for what I have and know that somewhere someone else has it much worse than I do. Most of all, I have learned what I'm made of. I am strong, I am a fighter and after what I endured, I'm feeling pretty badass!!
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Congratulations to all of you that have finished chemo! We're all getting to that finish line!
I had my last round yesterday, but will continue Herceptin until the end of the year. Such a weird feeling - thankful it's over, concerned about what's next (surgery and probably radiation), just pretty emotional all around. And, while I normally feel pretty good for a few days, I got hit hard with the diarrhea already. Darn Perjeta!
For those of you who mentioned teeth sensitivity - my dentist recommended Prevident for me before I started chemo. It's a prescription toothpaste with added fluoride. My version isn't specific for sensitivity, but I'm pretty sure they make one for that. It might help more than the OTC stuff.
My fingernails never lifted or discolored, but they all developed a ridge across them due to the first round wreaking havoc with my cuticles and all the skin on my hands. So now that the ridges are about halfway grown out, 6 of my nails have broken way down on the side. I guess I'll be dealing with snagging them on everything for quite a while.
I really appreciate all of your honesty in your struggles, suggestions, and basic camaraderie. I feel like I still can't believe all of this is happening to me. I don't feel particularly depressed or strong - just trying to do what I have to do and looking forward to the end.
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Congrats to all who have finished chemo!
Pamela23---Great to hear you completed rads too! What a wonderful FB post you wrote
Wishing all of us wellness always!
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NotVeryBrave--I still feel like I can't believe this is happening to me!! About a month ago when rads had started, the SEs from chemo were fading and the "noise" quieted. It was hard for me. I was slowly entering normal life, my energy was coming back and because rads didn't have debilitating SEs, it was hard for people to remember I was still going through cancer treatments. I cold capped so I have a lot of hair and do a great job drawing on my brows and lashes and spraying bald spots so I look fairly "normal". I started feeling lost and kind of anxious. I was doing a ton of research to figure out how I could keep this from ever happening again and I was getting overwhelmed very easily. I almost wish I was still in the mode of 'trying to do what I have to do' like you are. It's scary and as the memory of chemo fades, I'm finding I'm not sure what to do next. Not sure if this makes sense, but I was told what to do for 6 months and suddenly I'm at the point of being on my own with some follow up appointments.
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I have been off the radar the last few weeks just focusing on resting. I have been trying to catch up today and I am so happy for everyone who has finished chemo. I feel for everyone going through SEs.
I finished my last big chemo (round 6 of TCHP) yesterday!!!! Yeah! I will have weekly Herceptin until the end of December. I had some made bumps in treatment and ended up in the hospital after round 4 with an infection and low Potassium and Magnesium. Low platelets postponed round 5 by 1 week. I also had to take a medical leave from work. I have also had to have a blood transfusion. I am so happy to have finished round 6!
Next up for me will be double MX with tissue expanders.
DizzyGirl
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dizzygirl- good luck !!! Surgery was the easy part for me. Hope same for you
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hey Dizzy, I'm another one that will have Herceptin weekly. Platelets issue.
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I went for my 6 month follow up with by plastic surgeon yesterday. He couldn't believe how good I looked after 6 rounds of chemo. He said most of his BC patients look so worn down, have bad skin, etc. Really, I just kept on top of moisturizing, (I had to put lotion on my face a few times a day, my cheeks would get so dry), tried to eat well, took my vitamins, drank water, and tried to get as much exercise as possible - even if it was only 10 minutes of stretching or a slow walk around the block. And sleep - I slept a lot.
He said my boobs are looking great and healing really well. I do have a little rippling, but it's hardly noticeable unless I move certain ways. He wants me to come back in January and we can talk about maybe doing fat grafting if the rippling is worse or bothering me. But I am really pleased with how they turned out. I really didn't know what to expect going into it, but I'm really happy with the results, which helps with my recovery, I think.
And I agree with surgery being the easy part - I would pick surgery over chemo any day.
I have more energy and am feeling better every day. My next big undertaking is a half-marathon that I'm running with my best friend in September. It's been a few years since I've ran more than a couple miles, so I'm basically starting at zero for training, but I'm really excited to have this goal to work toward and get my body healthy and in good shape again!
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Jezikah, kudos to you! For a great follow up but especially for your race plans. One year ago this month I ran my second marathon, and a third one in August. Itseems like decades ago. I hope I will be able to race again someday.
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Pamela,
You made it!! I'll be finishing up TC April 21. Your message, WOW!! So descriptive and pretty much wraps up what all of us are going thruough. It's great
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I had my last chemo March 23rd and today was my first Herceptin only treatment. After my last treatment my ankles started swelling and my legs still hurt like I ran a marathon, I was hoping that pain would ease up after the chemo stopped. I guess I need to check and see what side effects Herceptin has. Sometimes I avoid looking up side effects because reading them makes me think I have them.
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I made out lucky with the eyebrows, my daughter does permanent makeup and she did my eyebrows before I started chemo. Lashes are gone - just a few stragglers. My 14 yr old granddaughter called me and said she wanted to spend the night on Saturday and do my make-up for Church on Sunday, and she wants to put eyelashes on me, I don't know what I will look like on Sunday- it may be a memorable experience.
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Mistyeyes - I have my first Herceptin only infusion on Monday. My MO keeps assuring me I won't have noticeable SEs from Herceptin only, so I sure hope that's true! Although I did hear that watery eyes are from the Herceptin and I've had very watery eyes during treatment. I have to always have a tissue with me to dab at my eyes.
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Thanks lordhelpme!! It was nice to finally get some of my feelings out.
Mistyeyes--I had swelling in my legs about 2-3 weeks after my last chemo. I noticed the worse I ate, the worse it became (it was around Valentine's day and I at e A LOT of stuff I normally wouldn't). I also felt a tightness in my thighs for months. I was just thinking last night that it no longer hurts when I climb into bed. My MO said it was the taxotere but it's worth asking about.
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I also noticed tightness and swelling in my calves and overall retention of water right before my last treatment. I literally gained 8lbs in 2 days. Turns our my potassium levels were low. Dr called in a prescription for potassium and my levels were back to normal within a week. Luckily I only had to take the potassium for one week and the issue seems to have resolved itself.
Next week is my first Herceptin only infusion and I'm actually looking forward to it since I won't be getting that horrible taxotere and carboplatin. I'll also be having an Echo next week to make sure my heart is still functioning ok. Dr. says I'll be getting an Echo every 3 months while I'm on Herceptin.
P.S. my eyes are watery all the time. It started after infusion #4. I sure hope it clear up in a few weeks as it is very annoying and interferes with reading etc...
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I, too, have been plagued with fluid retention, which I had attributed to steroids but it could be Taxol. Manically eating all the high potassium foods: greens, mushrooms, potatoes, acorn squash, tomatoes, etc.. and no addedsalt, which I'm gettting used to. This all helps but it seems to take a couple of daysnto get sorted out.
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hello all. I am staring rads tomorrow. Hope everyone is on their way to finishing up chemo if you haven't already
Been reading so many studies about sucrose and the MD Anderson study in 2016 saying succrose adds a 50-60% increase in BC and lung metastases.
So have you all tried to cut out addedb sugar? What about fruits and other carbs that turn to sugar. It's so hard to eat nowadays. The fun is all gone and now it's only about nutrition. No more alcohol for me either. What are your thoughts
https://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/2015/12/sugar-in-western-diets.html
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Scared..........would you mind posting a link to that study from MD Anderson, I looked and can not find and would like to read, I struggle with what to eat. I try to follow the mediterranean diet plan but I do love my fruit and milk so while fruit is allowed Im thinking I might eat to much of it and worry about all the sugar.
Thanks
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This forum is not allowing me to post the link. If you google it you'll find jt. It was done in Jan 2016.
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Scared--I have read a bit on the sugar/BC connection. It is said "sugar feeds cancer" but really it's because breast cancer cells have more insulin receptor cells that a normal cell so when you eat sugar, your insulin spikes and the BC cells can catch it and use it to become stronger.
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Pamela. This means that if there are stray cancer cells in your body sugar can increase your chances of the spread and growth. I understand this to be the way it becomes metastasized. Maybe I'm wrong? It's all so confusing. Bottom line eat healthy and stay away from the commonly knows bad stuff.
Also so much about estrogens in foods and chemicals in cans that cause metastasis
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Hey everyone!
Just wondering how you are all doing. I've been trying to wrap my head around the upcoming surgery and then went and changed my mind. I was going to do the lumpectomy on 5/16 and now I'm scheduled for BMX on 5/9 with a different BS and a PS! This was all very sudden since I just met with the PS on Monday and they called to say the time had opened for 5/9.
I'm planning to have immediate reconstruction with implants above the pectoral muscles (TE's if they think the tissue can't handle it). I'll be staying one night in the hospital. Any insight from those of you who have gone before?
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