Starting Chemo in July 2017
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Proud, praying for good results and peace as you wait. Ugh, scans stink.
Paulette, today will be easy, you’ll see! How many are you having?
Tpralph, my rash showed up on day 4. However it’s practically healed, so I’m thinking it was not related to rads.
Met a friend for lunch, was going to do more shopping, but my son is coming for dinner and I don’t want to be exhausted. So I’m going to do a few things around here and take my walk and make a nice dinner for tonight, that’s enough. Trying to make each day count as I don’t know when fatigue and or skin issues are going to hit.
Have a good day.
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Teese - I should have 25 treatments with 5 boosts, but I’m not sure why I received a schedule with only 2 treatments so I need to check with them again? Maybe I had chemo mind? Hmmmm Question: do you continue using your pump while you’re on radiation
Have a great dinner Teese, will check back later.
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Hi All! I'm two days out from port removal, and feeling good! So much less painful that when they inserted it.
Started Tamoxifen last night, and so far, so good. Will take the second pill tonight.
Had my two little cavities filled today, after delaying it during chemo. Went well. I really don't like tooth work (I get claustrophobic with all the stuff in my mouth and it causes a bit of anxiety), but it went really well. I will say, my tooth sensitivity is higher than usual. Took a bit more numbing agent to not feel the work being done (which is not like me, I usually go numb quickly with no issues in that department). I'm sure it's a chemo SE. I made it through well, and seriously, I'm very happy that this is done. I'm so over medical procedures! I have no more big things in the future, thankfully!
I hope everyone is doing well. Will continue to update on my Tamoxifen experience. Anyone else on it now??
-LoJo
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LoJo- I need teeth cleaning really bad, after radiation I think it’s my turn to sit in that chair. I hate dentist and i have bad oral health. Just so happy I can use my electric toothbrush now.
After radiation I will start Arimidex hope I can handle it well.
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lojo - not yet, but it's in my future. Exchange surgery (12/19), rads (Jan 9?) then something. I'm meeting with a gyn-oncologist to figure out what to do next... I was highly ER/PR+ and have a PALB2 mutation, which is too new to definitely connect to ovarian cancer risk, but I'm concerned. Just saw some research out of a breast cancer conference that ovarian suppression (+tamoxifen or an AI) may have better long-term impact ... hoping he'll know more.
Officially starting to feel a little better, neuropathy-wise, 1-week PFC. it's still here, and annoying, but it's not as painful as it was last week... grateful for that, along with less fatigue
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well results of my pet not so good. My onc called yesterday and not pleased with taxol so going to switch me to an oral thing. No more driving for infusion which is surly good in winter but not understanding as last scan was really good. Onc says cancer can mutate so this is something she has seen and wenwill deal with
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Sirey to hear that proud. Sending well wishes that the oral pill will work better.
Lojo I am starting Tamoxifen on Friday NXT week after I see my bs follow up from alnd
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Proud, sorry to hear the scan results weren't what you'd hope. I hope the next treatment is more effective.
Well, I have the flu, even though I got my flu shot. I spent a good part of yesterday at urgent care. My temp went up to 103. Fever down now, just feel like a limp rag. Bummer, as I was def starting to feel pretty normal. I had been planning to do xmas shopping this past week.
My teeth are sensitive now, and I need to go to the dentist too. Ah, to not think about body/health for a little while!
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my teeth have been senitive, i turned to sensidyne toothpaste, itdoes help
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I’m sorry to hear you had a not too good report Proud, hope the oral pill works better for you. It’s so frustrated when things changed.
I need to clean my teeth, but I need to check with my MO Can I do that after radiation before I can make an appointment. I started using my electric toothbrush that made me feel better.
Leatherette- sorry that you caught a flu, from what I read this year flu shot is only 10% effective. So much about flu shot!
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Proud. Sounds like your MO is confident she can deal with this. Did I get that right?
Jen- what did they tell you to expect with the exchange surgery. Is your expander over or under the muscle?
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proud, sorry the Taxol no longer working, but your moving to an oral drug and an end to infusions must be a relief. Praying for good results with this med.
Paulette, yes I'm keeping up with my pump as my RO felt my lymphedema will most likely worsen. So far so good though.
LoJo you're moving out of cancer land woohoo!
Leatherette, ugh, so sorry to hear if your flu. Take care of yourself, I dread this as the cold I just got over took a bit out of me. Did they give you Tamiflu, I was given several years ago and it knocked the flu right out, and was better in a couple days.
Well I had 9/30 today, the pink where my rash was is a lighter pink everyday, so relieved it's getting better. Yesterday afternoon I was hit with a bout of fatigue, I just started fading after lunch, still got my walk in, but it felt like my walks during chemo, a struggle to finish. Today though no fatigue, so I guess it will come and go.
Doing most of my shopping online this year, thank goodness for Amazon.
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Teese - so you got fatigue as radiation SE, how are you doing with your protein intake? In the radiation thread they talked about 60-70g of protein a day. I doubt I get that much protein, I ate one egg for breakfast, some meat at lunch and dinner. I had a breakfast bar in the afternoon, i don’t think I have 60 g of protein.
I’ve been using my pump also, I will see how long can I go on.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
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Proud..Saying prayers for better results with the oral drugs. And sending you a big hug as well.
I am 5 wks PFC this week. Hair is coming in...pretty white but starting to fill in more and more. I start radiation on Monday. 28 treatments + 5 boosts. Almost finished with my Christmas shopping. Hoping to get some baking done this weekend. I feel good and am just ready to get radiation over with. 6 1/2 weeks seems so long, plus I live in the northern part of the US and like to hibernate in the winter and not go out in the cold unless I have to. I work from our house so having to go out every single day for 6 1/2 weeks in the winter sounds horrible! I suppose I will live but it won't be fun!
Happy Friday ladies! Hugs to all!
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Paulette, I'm taking in about 60g of protein, which is way more than normal for me. I can't imagine eating 90. I'll be happy with the 60, and that's with me really working at it. I'm resisting the powder.
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you know, i refuse to be negative! I have confidence in in my onco and really not unhappy with switching to a pill for now, we are having our first snow this morning. My doc is with mem sloan kettering in nj, can not get better in this area
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Proud, love your attitude! Even though the results were not as expected, I'm glad you found out sooner than later.
Teese, glad to hear that the rash has lessened. Hope the rest of the treatments have minimal SEs.
I just finished 22 out of 28 sessions yesterday. A week and a half left to go! I met with my RO the other day and he gave me calendula cream to start using at night and advised to continue using aloe Vera during the day.
I haven't been able to get into the Christmas spirit lately. With working full time and going back and forth to appointments, I don't have time to think about anything else. I helped my parents put up their tree but I feel like I'm just going thru the motions. I haven't gotten much shopping done either but I'll probably do most online and/or go the gift card route.
I will be doing Christmas-y stuff this weekend so hopefully that will change my mood. I will be watching my niece perform in the Nutcracker for her first time. I'm sure tears will be flowing as they do whenever I watch her dance. I get so happy and excited to see her on stage that my emotions get the best of me! And then tomorrow, my choir has a Christmas concert so I'm excited about that.
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Oh, I almost forgot... I wanted to share my hair growth. This was taken last week, at 8 weeks PFC. It seems to be growing faster in the back than on top. Can't wait to see how it looks by new year!
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Proud, Absolutely, I think having confidence in your team makes all the difference, if you're worrying and second guessing everything you're adding stress you don't need and now we know is unhealthy. Glad you're positive, I am too! None of us know what the future holds. I always have said that but only since thisdiagnosis can say I really understoood it. I enjoy each day and more grounded than ever before and have gotten a lot better at keeping dark thoughts at bay. I think my faith in God has allowed me to have a sense of peace and joy through this ordeal.
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Sunny, Woot, HAIR!!! My fuzz is white and not really visible in pictures yet. Did yours start out with color? Keep the pics coming
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Teese, mine started out with more gray so I was ecstatic when the color started coming in.
I'm the type of person that would second guess everything... But I learned from folks on here to stay positive and trust your medical team. That is the best advice I ever got and that, along with prayers, has got me through these last 9 months. I've been hearing more and more people in my circles with illnesses and I tell them the same thing.
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Teese - I’m the same way, I follow what my medical team suggested and be positive. I learned everything are numbers who do you know are you the 80% group or 20% group. Only God would know, I learned our life is on God’s hand.
Sunny - yay!!! Love to see hair pictures! I only have a little bit of fuzz in white. I noticed my nasal hair is starting to come out also. How’s your eyebrows? Any hair yet?
Hope everyone have a good weekend!
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eek, I feel like I missed a lot!
Proud, glad to hear you're confident in your team... MSK is one of the best in the country, not just NJ, so you are definitely in good hands!
Love the hair photos! Exciting to see it all coming in.
Travelhound, I don't really know what to expect with the exchange surgery, other than every says it's easier than the bmx! My expander is under the muscle... PS said it was relatively simple.. go in, and swap out. When we thought he would take out my port (he isn't - MO wants it in until rads is done), he said I would feel more sore from that than the implants!!
Starting to do some research on hormone therapy... MO early on said tamoxifen. But I'm seeing stuff that says with ILC and ER+, if I stay pre-menopausal, I should consider at least tamoxifen+ovarian suppression, and maybe even anAI+ovarian suppression. Trying to make an appointment with a gyn-oncologist to see if he has an opinion on it. So much to do/know/ask/consider.
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i am hoping to have hair photos to show soon, new med i am told will allow my hair to grow
Well snow last night, think about 5 inches, todays challege is to find someone to dig my car out, i am really unsteady on my feet, i live in townhouse so they plow the development but digging car out is my challenge and i have alwaiys been able to do that, not this yeair
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Yesterday was the first snow, only a couple inches, so very pretty without all the trouble. Disappearing as I type.
Proud, so glad you'll get your hair back, exciting times ahead! I figure by Spring we'll all be sporting our new do's.
Leatherette, how are you doing? I had started back to church after a break this fall. Once you started hearing coughing everywhere we decided to take a break until chemo was over. Now I've decided to take another break till rads are over as flu is becoming widespread in our state. Ugh! Don't need a long break in the middle of rads due to flu. I'm sure you're all as sick of worrying about this stuff as I am.
My rash has now completely healed and not even pink. So this couldn't be rads related, a mystery. Tomorrow is 10/30 so a third of the way done. So incredibly easier than chemo. With it being nearly Christmas I always have an errand, then home and a walk and a few things to do around the house and the day is done. Going very quickly, thank the Lord.
Hubby is in the kitchen trying to make bread, wonders never cease ;-).
Have a great Sunday, hugs and prayers.
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got snow in nj, i was stressing out about digging my car out but i am really unsteady on my feet so whe9n i went outsiide, a guy walking by shused me back inside and promined to take care of it, since learned there is a list at senior center
Ok back in
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Love seeing everybody's updates!
Teese - glad your rash is better. Rash's are no fun. As you said, I found radiation to be so much easier than chemo, of course, I was feeling better as my chemo SE's wore off, so I think it helped it to be easier.
As many of you have said, I've been trying hard to stay away from people coughing and sick. Everyone in my office seems to be sick and I've banned them from my office until they are well. I did get a flu shot this year, but still... I need a cold or sickness like I need a hole in the head!
Now I'm staying inside today because our area is getting a lot of smoke from the fires out of So Cal. I'm not in harms way at all, just have lots of smoke. was hoping to take a hike today, but that's not going to happen now (it was practically like night all morning because the smoke was so thick!).
Hope all of you are enjoying your Sunday. You're all such amazing people!
-LoJo
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No snow here, it has been sunny and nice, according to the weather man, we wouldn’t even have rain for next week, we can use some rain for Southern California.
LoJo, which part of California are you in? Our air quality still ok, just hope we can get some rain down south.
I have no hair picture because I’m still bald. Hopefully in a week or two I can show off some hair.
Teese - I am praying my radiation will go fast also, this will be our last treatment. I’m also stay away from church also, don’t want to get sick during radiation, it is only six weeks I can stay away from crowds for awhile,
Just wondering anyone have Lymphedema problem when you're doing radiation? I only did 2 sessions but I can feel my fluid is starting to build up. I'm using my flexitouch pump, I just didn't want to tight up my chest, worrie it might irritate my breast or underarm.
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Hi Paulette - Glad the skies are clear up North. I'm in the Central Coast area, and have been going to LA for treatments (worth the drive for an amazing team!). We were in LA earlier this week right as everything was starting. While driving home the next day we drove right by the big fire in Ventura County as it marched towards the 101 and Pacific (which it ultimately got to about an hour after we drove through).
We are pretty far north of the fires, but the winds must have shifted, because it looks like there must be a fire only a few miles away, but nope... just smoke from the big fire!
As far as lymphedema, I haven't had it happen, and was really hoping radiation wouldn't trigger it. I did notice a very small bit of tightness and maybe swelling just at the edge of my armpit during radiation, where it comes into the chest, but that has since gone away, and I haven't seen it again. So, I hope that whatever symptoms you're having now are also temporary.
-LoJo
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LoJo, I just hope we can have some rain that would help out all the fires we are having.
I did measurement on my arm and it seems to be fine, but I worried my armpit area also. I knew radiation will flare up lymphedema and Im preparing myself for this. I even told my PT that I know I will be back after radiation. We just can’t stay away from all our appointments.
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