Starting Chemo in December 2016
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NotVeryBrave - I will be thinking of you on the 9th and hoping that all goes well with a speedy recovery. I am usually better when things move fast, if gives me less time to overthink things.
I did Chemo first to shrink the tumor, the surgeon did an MRI and mammogram and the tumor is gone. I am having surgery on May 11th to check the tissue around where it was for microscopic cancer cells.
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Scaredashell and others. I read the MD Anderson study about diet and breast cancer and then read:
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breas...
I need to change my diet, and lose weight. Can anyone recommend a cookbook or 2 that would give me ideas of dishes to eat. I will probably have to cook 2 meals (one for family and one for me), but that is OK, I can do that.
I do love bean soups and beans and rice, but with a child we have been eating more meat and sweet foods as well as prepared foods. And I'm going to change my rice to brown rice from Jasmine rice.
I'm done with neo-adjuvant chemo and surgery (1 week ago) and have radiation pending.
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not very brave- good luck. Sounds like you've made some tough decisions and you are comfortable with them. Prayers for you.
Hang in there- I saw a nutritionist and will be seeing a biomedical scientist to evaluate my bloodwork specifically. For now, I am eating 1/2 veggies and 1/4 or more of low fat protein (fish 2 times a week) and no farm raised fish. Another 1/4 or less of carbs but only good grains (brown rice, sweet potatoes or wholeness grain pasta or non wheat pasta. I also take vitamin D and c. Limiting my dairy also. No added sugar. And not very many fruits.
I have also read a lot about avoiding estrogen producing foods and avoiding aluminum in cans and for cooking Switched o cooking on cast iron pans and baking in glass.
Has anyone changed their cosmetics? If so, what brands ?
I am using "non toxic" toothpaste, shampoo, soap and deodorant.
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Notverybrave--good luck with the surgery. After going through chemo, this should be easier, but certainly not easy. It's a big decision. Wondering what made your decision?
Mistyeyes--that's great news! Keep us updated on how you are doing! Makes it worth going through!
I'm a registered dietitian and ate healthy and worked out 4-5 times/week, rarely drank. I'm STILL finding ways to improve my diet. I am currently doing a 21 day cleanse--never had done one in my life but it is taking all the inflammatory foods out so I can heal now that I'm done with radiation. It's a plant based regimen with lots of vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains. It's dairy free, meat free, gluten and sugar free. I still don't have taste buds so really couldn't tell you if the food is good but my energy is up and it's teaching me to cook with foods I wouldn't usually try and my lymphedema has gone done as well as losing a few pounds and increasing my energy. I don't know if I'll stick with it for 21 days as it's labor intensive with all the prep and cooking, but it has been a catalyst to make me realize it's doable with planning. I purchased a couple magazines: Clean Eating, Forks over Knives (it was a documentary about eating REAL whole food), and my Cooking Light magazine. It all comes down to choosing real food--vegetables, whole grains, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and there are different opinions on meat and dairy. I'm still trying to decide what I'll keep in my diet as far as those go. I LOVE my Greek yogurt so may just keep that and buy my dairy from organic sources. I'll limit my red meat to grass fed and I feel OK about organic eggs and seafood. Sugar is my vice and I love to bake so I'll have to watch that. I also drink green tea and lots of water. Just make small changes like your rice (I also only by whole wheat pasta/bread/tortillas). It'll add up over time instead of going cold turkey. Good luck!
Scaredashell--I just bought new ceramic coated pans. I also switched out all my lotions, deodorant and soaps. I love my cosmetics so I'm leaving those. I switched all my tupperware to glass as well as my water bottle. I try not to drink out of bottled water. We can only do so much, right? I figure between the weak ovaries and the tamoxifen, I am much better off than I was when this started.
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Anyone still having a lot of fatigue PFC? Not sure if this is chemo related or Tamoxifen. MO said it takes time to recover from chemo and brushed off that it could be Tamoxifen. Maybe my expectations are too high. I just thought 2 months after chemo I would be feeling much more energy than this
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Pamela23 - I was always debating on making the decision about surgery. I felt like I could convince myself of either one. Ultimately it came down to not wanting my lifetime dose of radiation in the left side of my chest and ongoing concerns about watching things in the other breast. I knew I would worry and really feel like I can't do this again. Of course - I would if I had to but would be so hard mentally and emotionally.
I think if the tumor was smaller (2.8 cm), slower growing (felt 3 months after normal mammo), or not HER 2 positive - I might have felt differently. I'm very grateful for what appears to be a great response to the chemo, but I still worry about why I got BC to begin with. Negative genetic testing but lots of family cancer including prostate, ovarian, and pancreatic
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notverybrave, you are actually very brave for making this decision. It will give you more piece of mind. I made this decision too. And I'm also having my good breast removed next month along with reconstruction. I know it's nerve wrecking but I wish you a good recovery.
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I'm 11 weeks PFC and my nails are still dark and thick. I know we all love to have thick nails but mine are ugly thick. Anyone else have this problem
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Hopfull2, I'm
3 weeks PFC and my nails have some discoloration by the cuticle and are also hard. Have kept them short and apply coconut oil every night. I just hope they don't lift or fall
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Most ofmy nails darkened after the first few rounds of chemo. Since the chemo has finished, the dark areas are growing out. Plenty of pink near the cuticle now. I don't think I'm at risk of them lifting off the nail bed as they seem very solid.
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Mine have all lifted and are brittle - 2 broke, which is annoying. I have to be very careful with my hands and I keep my nails short and painted with several layers to help strengthen the nails. All my nails are growing out with new growth, but it's going to be at least several months before they're back to normal. I'm 6 weeks PFC.
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My nails had a disgusting thick yellow layer plus the underneath nail was thick. I keep them short. Finally, decided to buff the top-----good and bad. Good is the yellow is all gone. Bad is it weakened my nails and they began to split down past the quick. Therefore, I don't recommend buffing the discolored part off. I'm about 11 weeks PFC and the thickness has return to normal. I still have white lines and my nails tend to break more easily than before. The color has returned to pink and white however there are ridges that need to grow out.
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I'm 3 weeks pfc and still have some dark discoloration by the cuticle
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My nails are a mess. The dark discoloration is starting to grow out, some of my nails look like they will fall off. I keep them cut short and wear dark nail polish to cover-up the dark color on my nails. I actually hold them when I cut and file them so they don't come off.
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hi Pamela., how are you recovering from your procedure. Hope your doing ok.
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It wasn't bad at all, or maybe compared to what we've all been through it only seemed like a piece of cake. The IV is always the worst part of it for me and then they put me under and next thing I knew I was in the recovery room. Took 1/2 hr. I was SO GLAD I spoke to the dr beforehand. She was going to do an ablation! She had never mentioned it and I even asked the nurse if they'd do a D and C and she said no. I asked the dr same question and she said no, she was going to do an ablation. I asked her why and she said to prevent polyps while on tamoxifen. She also said it would leave me with little bleeding for periods or none at all. Well since I still haven't gotten it back yet and I want to see if I ever will, I declined it. I can;t believe she didn't tell me until I asked!
On a side note, I asked to have my FSH and my estradiol taken with the pre op labs. They don't look good. Super low estradiol and high FSH. Hope it's not permanent menopause!
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Hi Pamela23 great to hear your procedure went well! Must say I am nervous for my next pap exam...
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How is everyone doing? SE's lessening? How's the hair coming along?
I'm adjusting to the new me post BMX. Not very happy with the results so far, but it's only been 2 weeks. Being told to be patient. I think I've used up all of my patience over the last 6 months!
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Notverybrave--what are you unhappy with? Is there swelling that will go down later?
Anyone on the board that still has loss of taste? It's been 18 weeks PFC, all my oncologists from surgeon, main & radiologist aren;t concerned and say mine will come back. It doesn't bother me except for celebrations and holidays. With Memorial day coming up and celebrating my daughter's 8th grade graduation, I'm reminded everything will taste like cardboard. Just scared about permanent damage although my MO said she's never had anyone whose had that.
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There's still some fluid that needs to be adsorbed, but mostly it's the size and shape. Too big, round, and flat. Maybe it's just because I was small, pointy, and droopy! But the idea was to try to stay as close to original as possible.
My tastebuds always were mostly recovered shortly before my next round. I don't blame you for being concerned about the continued cardboard taste. That sucks. I think everything tastes normal now and I'm happy to be able to drink coffee again.
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Pamela23 - My last chemo was Mar 23, I have a lot of my taste buds are back. I still have a little of the cardboard taste but not much. During Chemo I could not drink coffee and I did not like water without some flavoring in it. I ate a lot of popsicles. Now I can drink coffee and I like water again.
NotVeryBrave- I think 2weeks is early and there may be some changes. I hope everything goes well.
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notvarybrave, I too think it's too early. Do you have TEs in or actual implants. Im hadelayed reconstruction and finally having that in 2weeks along with mastectomy on good breast. I'm sure you still have your drains in Too. I thing once they are out and your breast settle and come down they are going to look nice.
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Thanks for the votes of confidence!
I had direct to implants at the time of mastectomy. They used Alloderm and placed them above the pectoral muscles. The drains were removed at 6 days since the amounts had gotten down to 30 cc per day.
It was a lot of surgery at once. I'm trying to remember that - my burning and tight chest, aching back, and sore armpits do remind me. It's just that it would seem less traumatic if the result seemed better.
I have PT tomorrow and see the PS again next week so we'll see how things are by then.
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hello all. My hair is anout 1/2 in now. Last chemo was March 24. Anyone have hair they vbs me actually style? And how long before it was long enough!
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Scaredashell07- My last chemo was March 23rd, I think your hair is growing better than mine. I don't think mine is 1/2 inch yet.
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My last DD Taxol chemo was March 30th. I only have 1/8 inch. No where close to being able to style it.
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Last TCH treatment was 3/27. It was growing in really gray, so I dyed it last week. I put some product in it just to try and make it not look too fuzzy, but can't really style it yet
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looks good.
Question about arinidez. Anyone taking this drug? And what were your side effects?
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hi everyone, hope everyone is well. Has anyone got your menstrual period back. I have not. My last one was November.
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No periods here. Last real one was in January. Due for OB/GYN visit and will discuss then.
How is life on Tamoxifen? My MO wants me to start soon. I'm kind of worried about SE's and know some people have had assessments of uterine lining first. He's only ordered a dexa scan for bone density.
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