Starting Chemo June 2017
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WOOT WOOT! So excited for you hhuey! Keep at it Paulette and Susie!
Hap, I started herceptin infusions along with chemo starting in June. I will continue to get herceptin every 3 weeks until next June. So far I haven't noticed any side effects with the two herceptin-only infusions I've received. I hope your knee soreness fades quickly!
Have a wonderful autumn weekend everyone!
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Susie- hang in there girl..i was a pretty pleasant patient with no major issues..Im going to a gastro doctor on the 27th for some issues I have been having since round 2 of Taxol so hopefully that will be remedied, little to no neuropathy, and general aches which I hope will subside after about a week post treatment..
Paulette- goof l uck with number 5
Hapb- thank you..I too will be getting a year of Herceptin every three weeks starting next week..wondering what side effects I will have with just that..hopingyoue knees feel better soon
Thanks Tsue
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It is so great to hear how well everyone is doing. Good luck with the surgery hhuey. Some of us had that first so feel free to ask questions here. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
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Congrats Huey! Celebrate!!!!
Susie keep on being awesome! Glad to hear you are doing well.
Paulette keep on keeping on. Your bell is in sight and waiting for you.
It has been a little quiet around here. I hope that is because life is full of more things than chemo-related stuff.
My last Tax was Sept 28 and I got a Neulasta shot the next day. My knees were very sore for a bit. They are better, but still achy. Hair is growing in slowly, but I do notice it. Eyelashes are not making any progress. Still have some tingly/numbness in the feet. My fingernails have turned white (half the hail anyway) but not coming off nor do they hurt. A few more bumps appeared on my head but easily taken care of with benzoyl peroxide gel.
Walking 5 miles in a Making Strides Against Breat Cancer walk on Sunday.
Monday is a follow up mammo and MRI to see how I responded to chemo. Appt with the surgeon Tues afternoon. Then we go from there.
Hope all are feeling ok.
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thank you..I will Def ask questions about surgery of I have them..one thing that has me concerned is I've been getting some intermittent heart palpitations and pounding and my echo I had yesterday says I have some calcification on the tip if my mitral valve with trace to mild regurgitation..with bowing of some part of the valve as well..I called and left a message for my Dr to call me back because I'm wondering of that's why I'm having these symptoms..anyone else have this happen?
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Hhuey - I ask same question with HapB did you have this problem before or after chemo?
Peachy - good for you to do ththat cancer walk!! Wish I can do that in one day. You only off chemo three weeks and you bounced back fast!!
Sue - good to see you visit us, I always like to hear people who finished chemo and tell us all the good news!
Just finished my long #5 taxol now I'm still in the cloud. I have make an appointment to see a dermatologists on Monday to check on my hid and seek rashes. It still have a traces of the redness but it might disappear tomorrow because all the steroid
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I seem to remember issues (palpitations) here and there prior to chemo but my first 2 echos did not show anything..I have felt fine all day today so Im not sure what the deal is..I just worry with the Adriamycin and the Herceptin making anything worse ..on a lighter note my hair on my head is coming in nice and fluffy..my husband and I are going out for our anniversary and I think I will be daring and go hatless..Its certainly longer then a buzz cut ..I figured celebrities do it all the time and I feel a hat is just screaming that I have cancer so maybe no hat will be less noticible.
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hhuey, Congrats! That's so wonderful to be finished with the chemo.
Had 10/12 Taxols yesterday, so only 2 more for me. #READY! I have my next lymph node surgery already scheduled for 12/1. I will get the whole month of November free to try and recoup from the chemo. So looking forward to that.
My fingernails are pretty much white, and several of them sore. My right thumb is especially painful. I keep that OPI nail strengthener on there with a pink polish to hide the hideousness. I definitely get really sore knees/hips now a couple of days after chemo. That started about halfway into the Taxol. Ready for all of these SEs to abate once treatment is done and a little time has passed.
Looking now at planning a fun trip for next spring! I can see light at the end of this treatment tunnel, though radiation will begin in January. Getting chemo behind me seems one of the biggest hurdles, though I am sad to have more surgery to have to heal from again. Hoping it will not be so bad, since they will go into the same scar and just extend it a bit. Trying to stay positive of what is behind me.
Glad everyone seems positive and is getting lots behind us. We are awesome!
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Congratulations Hhuey!! Happy anniversary with your cool new hair!
Kim - 2 more weeks for you .... yeah!! That’s such a long road for us I still have 7 weeks to go. My right thumb starts numbness so did both pinky. Mo might lower the dosage when we meet this week. Some of the ladies actually said the MO cut 12 weeks to 10 weeks I wonder how that will do to our treatment? So you have the whole November off, you should make some plans for thanksgiving! Enjoy it!
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Kim.... hooray!! You only have 2 more! I'm jealous, I have 7 more. Enjoy your month off! The end is near!
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Friday was 4 weeks post chemo for me. Food still doesn’t taste good but my biggest problem is swollen legs and ankles. Walking is hard but I know I need to. I prop my legs up, avoid all salt and am trying to eat potassium rich foods. It’s been 1 week since this started. My onco gave me 3 diuretic pills and said no more, it’s just s common SE.Now toenails hurt and are turning white, when they were fine before. Discolored red but not falling off or hurting. I told my onco this and he said Uh,huh. That was it and silence. I have compression socks to help my feet so I’m not getting blisters but I wonder if that’s killing my toes. I have my echo on Oct 30 but I don’t feel like there are any issues there. Lumpectomy next Friday tnen next radiation sometime. Anyone have any hints to help with tne edema?
Congrats to everyone finishing up
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I just talked to my Onc on Friday and he said it was a normal SE and he would not move my echo up as I have no other symptoms saying heart issues. He told me to prop my feet up when I’m sitting and to get out and excerise. I walked a lot today but my feet hurt so much. I also have terrible neuropathy in my feet, I complained often and it just got worse with each chemo. His only response was to give me prescriptions for Cymbalta and Oxycontin, neither of which I filled. My husband wants me to call my regular dr on Monday so I think I’ll do that.0
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hhuey - Congratulations!
It looks like everyone is getting to the finish line at different times - but finish lines none the less! Congrats to all!
Just over a week after LAST chemo - dealing with normal SE's -taste issues, tongue and lips feel burned, eye twitching and other muscle twitching (legs, stomach, arms etc). They are all there but tolerable esp since my mind is telling me...hey - no more chemo!
I had a weekly Hercpetin last Thursday and will have one more next Thursday and then switch to every three weeks until next June.
Thank you all for your well-wishes and I could not have done it without your support!
Prayers to ALL,
Sue
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Still no hair growing back but that doesn't bother me as much as the thin eyebrows. I didn't lose all of them, maybe because I put some coal tar stuff I bought on them twice a day but they are pretty sparse. So today I spent some money at the Lancôme counter at my local ULTA and got some Lancôme Sourcils Gel Waterproof eyebrow gel cream. The gal showed me how to put it on with a little brush which you use just the tip and then you can buff it out a bit with the other end of the brush which looks more like a mascara brush - it is called a dual ended firm angled brush. You just use a little on the brush and outline the shape you want first and then fill in and then smooth it out with the other end of the brush.Here is the result. I am happy with it. The eyeliner helps make up for the sparseness of the lashes. I usually am not one for make up but I am also using some crème foundation I got at the ACS program as under eye concealer. I am definitely aging and I am sure the chemo hurried it along a little but, we've gotta do what we gotta do, right sisters? Have a great weekend.
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Julia, the faux brows look great! Very pretty scarf, too. You wear it well!
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Julia, looks great. Very natural looking. I agree with chemo aging us a little more than what was expected. I’m finding it’s taking longer to recuperate.
I’m on day 17 since my final treatment and am still struggling with side effects. The worst is the watery eyes and runny nose. Nurse says d it could take up to two months before it goes away. 😢 Means I can’t use any eye makeup. Still have muscle weakness on and off. Taste buds are still off, although they are getting better. Digestion system totally screwed up. At least no diarrhea this time so far!
My first radiation treatment starts Oct 26. Nov 2 is when I start hormone therapy but not sure what they’re planning to give me. I expect it’ll be Aromatase.
Hap, I don’t know how you managed to go through chemo as many times as you have. You must be one determined woman.
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Thanks, Pink, I had those watery eyes and even gummy for awhile, but it finally went away. I agree with you, Hap is my hero. She just keeps on keepin' on.
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Thanks HersheyKiss, The scarf is from wrapunzel.com
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Julia- you look great, perfect eyebrows looks so natural. I got so many lines and brown spots since I started chemo, not sure how we can get our skins back to normal again.
HapB - hugs! How old is your daughter?? She gives you incentive to fight!
Ladies, keep on telling me how good it is to finish chemo, give me something to look forward. I still have weeks to go.
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Julia, you look great! I've been playing with makeup a lot more now too. It really helps brighten up a face!
pink, I have had a runny-faucet nose post chemo also. I am 8 weeks PFC and I think (hope!) it is easing up. I have tissues in every pants pocket and room! I started putting petroleum jelly on my nose a couple times a day to help with rawness.
Hap, I hope all goes smoothly for your next treatment. You are a trooper!
Hang in there Paulette! It really does get better! SEs ease up and energy comes back bit by bit!
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Hap, so true. We do what we have to do. When people tell me they think I’m strong and brave I tell them no I’m not. It’s what you do to keep living. You’ve always been there for your daughter. Let her be there for you. She loves you just as much as you love her
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Thanks, everybody for the kind words. Today I noticed peach fuzz on my head for the first time - 7 and a half weeks after my last infusion. I was beginning to wonder. The front (over my brow) hasn't come in yet, so hopefully that will happen in a few more days, otherwise it will be scarves for me. I was salt with a little pepper before. It seems to be coming in pretty white but we will see.
I love the encouragement that everybody is giving on this site. Some of us are having good days today, some not go good, but we keep on keeping on. We try to stay hopeful even on the bad days. We do what we have to do. We try to live each day to the fullest. Our cancer has taught us some of these lessons.
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Julia, Those eyebrows look completely natural! Looking good, girl! Good for you for treating yourself to cosmetics that make you feel good about yourself. Whatever we girls gotta do!
I, too, feel like this process has aged me unnaturally. I just want my stamina back! I keep thinking it will get here once these last two chemos are behind me...next week...yahoo!
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HapB, You WILL be here for your daughter for a very long time. You have shown us you have what it takes to endure what would seem to be so challenging. I can only imagine it has not been easy, but you have sure shown us what CAN be done if need be.
My runny nose is a bloody nose. I haven't seen anyone else post they've had that problem. Now THAT I look forward to being rid of...along with a few other nuisances. I guess when all the good days return, that will make me more grateful.
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Julia, looking good girl!
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HapB, Rest well this evening, as best you can, and best wishes for good echo results tomorrow!
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Kim, I have Bloody nose and running nose, I used Ayr Gel with q tip and don’t push in too much. I don’t blow my nose because once I did I got bloody nose. This Friday will be my half way of taxol, OMG, this taxol such a killer. Soon my good days will getting down to two days.
HapB - with your attitude you will be with your daughter for long time, she gives you motivation. Good luck on your echo.
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Paulette, I am using an OTC spray called Ocean, but I should quit blowing. That does make it worse, but I just hate having that feeling of something in my nose. I do have quite a bit of joint pain. This week it is lower back, so I just took a 20-minute walk with the dog. I am also in PT 2x a week. Anything we need to do to get through this. Hang in there!! We are getting there!!
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Kim -I know what you mean by feeling something in my nose but still now nose blowing. I got legs pains sometime hips pains. I try to walk it off. We will see the rainbow hopefully soon.
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Kim and Paulette, I too had blood in my nose throughout Taxol. It was the very first SE I noticed and stopped a week PFC. I think the skin in the sinus passage is so thin, and once lose our hair, it just has to work hard to do it's job! I found that nasal rinses provided much relief. It seems like a crazy practice if you haven't done it before, but it really helps. Out here in dry, high-altitude Colorado, doctors regularly recommend it. I find the Neil's brand the easiest to use.
http://shop.neilmed.com/Products/Sinus-Rinse
I've always found it in pharmacies. You can watch a tutorial on how to use it here:
I know, I know I was sceptical too.
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