Starting Chemo in November 2017
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Nonahope - I fell forward into my coffee table (hitting my mouth), and I more or less rolled onto my back, but was close to the ground at that point. That happened on Day 3 after treatment. It didn’t hurt afterwards. My back started hurting on day 7 & 8 after treatment. By last weekend was when I noticed it bugging me a lot. I’ve been pretty sedentary since treatment, so I have no clue why I hurt like this. It seems to be mostly my lower back, and really hurts by night time. Leave it to me to have a weirdo side effect, however I could have done something to it when I fell. I’ll just have to discuss it Monday with another call
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hello ladies, I'm so tired recently. 3 months change my life totally. today I feel so painfull in my stomach. no constipation, it's looks like colic. is that common after chemo?
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Hi Everyone
Blair - have you tried Ice packs? My lower back has been 'going out' for years, i can sneeze and it goes out. I stretch, go to the chiropractor and use Ice. I agree, the muscle relaxers don't do anything.
Got my head shaved this morning. A little miscommunication - my hairdresser can't shave with a razor at her place - have to have a special licience for that. But I like it. At the end of Round Two I might go to a barber shop and have it razor flat shaved (like a baby's butt)
Mom4gma - my round 2 (Cycle #2) starts Tuesday Dec 19th. Are we ready for this? I am taking Maralax now - and will stay on the regiment for the BIG C this time around. I don't know what I can do to prevent mouth sores this time around since I did everything right last time and still got them.
Nanahope - I have never used the patient portal. I wouldn't want to get news in an email!
Gloria-J - You rock with no hair. Did you have yours flat razor shaved (what ever its called) to have it smooth like a baby's Butt? or did it all eventually fall out? I'm obsessed with getting my hair Baby Butt Smooth! I am too going Flat & Fabulous!
Here is my latest and greatest hair cut. Take care
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rljes- I’m ready for the next round. My side effects weren’t horrendous but I am going to be working through this cycle. MO change a few things so that I’m not so tired. I am concerned about working when the big D hits me though. Still haven’t did anything about my hair yet, I have probably lost half of it but it was so thick that it’s barely noticeable, I can tell there is a huge difference but no one else can. Although I can see my scalp a little more at my part. Love the pic! You have a great shaped head. I have big ears and OMG are they going to stick out!!
Blair2 I am so sorry the muscle relaxers didn’t work. I have lower back pain when I am at work and I just turn the heat and vibrate on one of the patient chairs and sit there a little bit and it helps. I couldn’t imagine going through it all the time. I would try the chiropractor, at this point it couldn’t hurt to at least try it.
Went and saw Star Wars tonight...amazing. Going fishing tomorrow with my boy for his 30th birthday. Sure makes me feel old. Got to enjoy this weekend before the next round. Have 1 person left to finish for Christmas! Hooray!
Tina
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rljes...Great picture!!
Tina...Enjoy fishing with your son. You think "you" feel old?? I have a 29 year old granddaughter!! I "am" old. Would you believe I've never seen any of the Star Wars movies?
Going to spend the day wrapping gifts and just piddling around the house, and football will be in the mix.
Hope
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Good morning girls - you think you’re old, my baby is approaching her 40th birthday and I wasn’t a spring chicken when I had her either. I can’t believe she’s almost that old - 39.5 actually.
Yes, for my back, I tried ice pacs, heating pad, stretching different ways, and sitting against my Dr. Sholls back messager (which also has heat), Tylenol, Aleve, Claritin (thinking it was bone pain in its earlier mode), and I went ahead and tried the muscle relaxer again last night, but woke up this morning at 1:00 am miserable. So I ended up sleeping on my back semi-reclined on 4 pillows and I was able to sit up getting out of bed, but this is getting old to me and needs to be addressed. I’ll see about a chiropractor, but need to call my doctor again tomorrow to see what else should be done. I’m thinking this is a nerve thing now and not muscle related, or my treatments would have relived some of this pulling type pain. I never had back problems before, unless I just pulled a muscle, but that would go away. This isn’t going away. Leave it to me to get some weirdo side effect
Rljes- my head is exactly like yours now. However, I look like Dr. Evil, you look good!It’s pretty scary to see myself in this guy! Just like this:
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Blair.....You are too funny! I definitely look like my grandpa who would be 117 years old if he were here on earth!!
Sure hope you get some relief soon with your back.Hope
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Thanks Hope - I really do see myself in this guy! In fact my face hangs like a bulldog much worse than Dr. Evil’s, - I can’t even send a photo to my own sister! I just need to get use to looking at myself this way.
Still hoping your results are good. When do you think you’ll face the results - are you seeing your doctor soon to discuss the results? I’d be scared too - in fact I’m a little scared as to why my back is bothering me this way. I’m keeping myself stiff and slow today. I did clean a bit yesterday, but was careful moving, but may have aggravated my back moving or bending too much doing that.
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Hi Hope99. Yes all sorts of stomach problems are common after chemo. I didn't have nausea in the sense of wanting to throw up. Like you I had abdominal cramping. The anti nausea medicine helped but caused constipation. I took as little of it as possible to calm my stomach and ate fruit. It was uncomfortable for a few days but by day 7 I felt much better. I hope you feel better soon.
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Hi Everybody, Day #20
Blair - your probably tired of all of us giving you advice about your back - we just want to help (with luv) - how about Acupuncture?(providing your MO ok's - some (like mine) don't allow it. I tried it a few times, but I wanted instant gratification so I prefer my Chiro- except - I have to find a new place - they have that artificial bathroom fragrance that is so overwhelming i can taste it - gives me instant migraine. Spoke to the owner and he showed no interest in changing. I am using essential oils too, (for over all well being) plus CBD Oil. So I don't know whats working and what is not, unless I stop and start one at a time - and I don't want to take the time to do that. Something is working. Blair your too funny with your photo!
Mom4 -Tina - What did your MO tweak to help with your fatigue? I was pretty energetic the entire time - WEIRD! Because I have chronic fatigue before Dx. But who knows what will happen with round #2. Battling Big C / Big D. I can't seem to balance it out. Its either or. I take Fiber pills, Prunes, Smooth Moves Tea, and after 4 days I take Maralax, then 2 days later all heck breaks loose. then repeat.
Yesterday and today I'm tired. Bone tired. And I think I'm getting a little anxious about starting Round #2 on Tuesday. I told my family I'm skipping Christmas - I don't need the stress. Can't wait to start my Steroids tomorrow! Love those steroids. They make me feel great!
My cousin told me they decided to have an old fashion Christmas - the only gifts allowed are to be either hand made, or an offer of assistance, or time to a charity. How wonderful ! (their families have no children under the age of 18)Take care All !
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Hi, all. Went to a Pink Martini concert last night with a friend who will be helping me cold cap at a future chemo session. It was a fun show and I enjoyed getting out to do something celebratory with her, but I was tired by the time I got home.
We're having lovely weather today so my husband and I took a walk to pick up some groceries in our neighborhood. Made fancy open faced egg salad sandwiches for lunch and we're grilling chicken and eggplant for dinner. There will be leftovers for later in the week, which is always a good thing.
Chemo # 2 is tomorrow (Mon) so I am pushing extra water, packing snacks and getting my cold capping paraphernalia ready while my husband breaks up the dry ice slabs. Cannot say I'm looking forward to it, but it'll be one more down and another step closer to being done. So far I haven't noticed any steroid boost, sadly.... Wish I were!
One of my closest girlfriends is coming to town the 21st-25th (Thu-Mon.) She usually stays with us for at least part of her Xmas visit but she's planning to stay with other friends this time since her stay is likely to coincide with when I'm feeling my worst. Hoping that I'll have at least one good day to spend with her before she leaves.
We've made no specific plans for the holidays, since it's impossible to predict how I'll be feeling on any given day, which I hate. But I'm trying to be kind to myself and just roll with it, since there's really no alternative anyway.
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rljes- she is stretching my steroids out. I used to do two the night before then two am and 2 pm the two days following. Now I am spreading out the post infusion ones to 1 in the am and 1 pm till Friday or Saturday then 1/2 in am and pm Until I have taken all 8 pills, so hopefully I am not so fatigued. I have had no bowel issues since the first week or so, I’m hoping if I can stay away from any extra meds I won’t this time. But I won’t take anything I don’t have to, I hate pills. We will see how that goes.
Hope99- I hope you are feeling better, you made it though the first week and that’s usually the hardest. I took tums for my stomach upset and some anti gas pills. All my SE were stomach related so I feel your pain.
Blair2- you crack me up! I am wondering what my head is going to look like when it’s naked. Probably like Yoda with these ears. Haven’t shaved it yet but I can understand the inclination, every time I brush my hair a pile comes out. I’m collecting it in the BR garbage can, my son said it looks like cousin IT is hanging out in there.
Went to a Christmas walk last nigh, had funnel cake and hot apple cider, saw The Last Jedi...amazing. Spent all day today fishing with my boy and watching football. The steelers lost, so sad. But it was a wonderful weekend anyway. Back to work at 430a tomorrow and Tuesday, second infusion Wednesday.
Good luck ladies for everyone hitting cycle 2 this week
Tina
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Magari....Will be with you today in "spirit"....hope all goes well!!
Tina...Sounds like a wonderfull day for you yesterday! Hope work is a good day and will be with you on Wednesday. My next Taxol infusion is on Thursday. This is "chemo" week for lots of us it seems.
Hope
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Yes, Magari, I hope all goes well for you too.
It does look like this is chemo week for many of us.
Tina I don't like to take extra meds either. Before breast cancer I hardly ever took anything. I'm going to try tums and the gas pills for my tummy as that is my major SE as well. Do you use any particular type of gas pill? It sounds like you had a wonderful weekend.
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Hey everyone.
Today is #3 for me and my anxiety is pretty high. Looking forward to the week being over so I can get back to feeling normal again.
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Yesterday was day 10 after my first infusion. Last night, my head started to feel sore. I assume this means my hair is getting ready to jump ship. For those of you who are ahead of me, is this how it happened for you? And how soon after feeling sore did you start noticing hair loss?
Thanks all!
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klvans- I just take beano or gas-x. It seems to do the trick.
Meowmmy- I didn’t have any scalp pain just tingling, it’s coming out pretty good now.
Tina
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today I feel sad and nervous because I don't know how much bad if you have nodes involved. I asked many doctors but no clear answers. all what I think about is nodes, I think if its possitive it means the mets should be on my body, that's why the doctor start chemo first. cancer cells reach to my node means it also reach to my body. its horrible, I can't sleep due to these ideas.
also this study make me sad:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41523-017-0050-6
sorry for bad sound but I need to cry, no one can understand my feeling and why I'm worry about the questions above.
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Meowmmy...I only had itching -- no pain. My onco had told me my hair would start falling out on the 12-14th day...it did exactly that!
Hope99...I'm so sorry you aren't getting any answers from your doctors. However, I would advise you to stay off the internet. Some articles will make you crazy...it's just not worth it.
Hope
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thank nonahope, sometimes you feel that you need to talk with someone about your emotional, how you feel as a cancer patient. the problem with cancer is all answers are relatively, no direct answers, this thing make you nervous. someone told you nodes involved not big issues and the doctors identifying stage 1 and 2 as a early-stages. and other doctors said we will worry if we find positive nodes and the chances of Mets spread will be more. so , as my case, you will start chemo first then surgery, not only for reduce tumour size, but the main reason is to kill the mets if its break the lymph system . who should I believe?
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Hope99 - I can tell you this much, being ER/PR positive, and HER2 negative - that is the slowest growing of the breast cancers, with the highest cure rate. I remember my surgeon saying not to worry if there were a few lymph nodes - they would just expand the radiation treatment to target those spots, and chemotherapy would remain the same.
Do you have a nurse navigator? Or an oncology nurse in the practice you are going to whom you could sit down and talk to about your questions? They are experts, and they will help guide you through this. Also - look for a support group where you live. Ask your oncology office for a recommendation. We have several organizations where I live that have free support groups and activities for cancer patients.
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Hope99 - I believe all of us at one time or another latch onto a thought or an aspect of our diagnosis and obsess over it. I’ve done it so many times I’ve lost count to be honest. The truth is that this disease has so many unknowns. I’ve seen women with small low grade tumors end up with mets and then some with a very aggressive tumor with multiple positive nodes still in the clear a decade later .
I have one more infusion left and the most valuable lesson I’ve learned over the course of 7 months is that worrying is exhausting and takes away the joy of today. I still have tantrums, I still have cries in the shower, but overall I’ve come to understand that I’m doing all I can to beat this thing and im not going to let it take away today.
Have you started chemo
I hope this helps.
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VL22, i wish you luck on your last infusion
i am so happy for you that you are reaching this milestone! Hope99, i must admit i have had my moments and bad days too. But focus in the fact that chemo is systemic. that it hunts down possible stray cells that may have broken away. when I was first diagnosed, a cardiologist (long story) told me: never start treatment if you don’t believe you will get better.
Trust the treatment. Maybe a meditation app will help. (try Headspace) I was not one for meditation but i found that it helps to just breathe sometimes. and on some days to let yourself go through the worry and the fear. But don’t let it take over.
In the same way you are able to pick something from google that makes you feel bad, maybe try picking something that makes you feel better. i read so many things about having TNBC. but when i read that chemo works well for it, i knew that was the point i had to stop reading and hang on to that one article. the rest, let your medical team handle your questions for you. they have spent years dealing with cases like yours. the internet can be a tricky place.
Blair, i hope your back feels better.
been having trouble too from all the sitting/lying down. but i try to stretch it out twice a day. Rljes and magari, good luck on thw next round. we are with you
ladies who are having their next round this week, best of luck. today i had a plate of spaghetti and boy did my taste buds celebrate. after two days of busted taste buds. if anything, each good meal that i have, i appreciate it more.
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Hope99...When I was initially diagnosed in 2010, I had surgery first, then chemo, then radiation. I did have a couple of nodes involved. It is not unusual to have chemo first. I know several friends who had chemo before surgery..for the very reason...to shrink the tumor.
VL22...So happy to hear you are nearing the end of treatment!! Will do a happy dance for you.
mkn...Isn't that a great feeling to be able to "taste" food and enjoy it??? I remember those tasteless meals and it was like heaven when my taste buds found their way back.
Hope
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Well I didn’t get anywhere with my doctor call today concerning my back, except that I was suppose to keep taking the muscle relaxer every 8 hrs. for10 days! The capsule directions say take as needed, and I thought it would relieve the pain right away. I didn’t know, and when I asked if back pain was a side effect for some the nurse said no. That was concerning as I have read that taxotere can cause back pain. I don’t like that. Anyway, I’m still hurting pretty bad. Friday is my chemo day - ugh! I’m beginning to feel they aren’t taking my pain seriously. Oh well, I’ll take the dang pills and see what happens.
Hope99 - the girls here have said it all. Please don’t cry - we are all in this together. You are not alone in going through these annoying digestive episodes. It’s not fun, but remember it’s temporary. It’s frustrating when doctors don’t explain very clearly about things, but we have to trust in them that they know how to treat your situation. BC is a varied disease among us. The good thing is that you are ER+ PR+ HER2-. TN cancers are harder to treat, but they are all treatable. So keep your chin up, try to be positive. (I know I need to be with my back problem)
Rljes - good luck with #2 tomorrow! Will be thinking of you!
Margari - hope #2 went well today!
Mom4gma3 - sounds like you have enjoyed yourself with several activities. Good luck with #2 Wednesday!
Nonahope - Will be thinking of you Thursday!
Aymerz33- hope your #3went well today! Is it just one more treatment?
Kivans - I’m with you and Tina - I hate all these pills I have to take!
Meowmmy65 - I too never had any tingling or itching. My hair started to fall out in the back of my head on Day 14 as I stroked it. Then the next day, it did the same on the sides and as I brushed it, more hair was in the hairbrush. That was last Friday, and I quickly had my hairdresser shave it all off. I couldn’t stand watching it do that, so off it went. I’m still shocked looking at my bald head and even at night I wear a beanie cap on it. It does get cold - especially after a shower. I haven’t cried - it’s depressing, but what good does crying do? Again we just have to keep telling ourselves, it’s temporary- it will be back.
VL22 - I bet you are feeling relieved your treatments are almost over! Wha hoo!
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Well ladies I thing I am going to have to take the leap and shave my head. Ugh. I had to wash it today and that was a big mistake. I pulled out just as much after my shower as I did in the last week. So basically it looks like the Chewbacca in my wastepaper basket multiplied. For future reference I know what dreadlocks feel like and I never want them. I did get all the dreds removed but when I braided it I can see my scalp through it. I’m going to let it dry and see what it looks like then. I never realized how much I had until I see a completely full bathroom can and I still have quite a bit on my head.
Tina.
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Hi Everybody! Day #21 /Chemo 1
Hope99 - I had node involvement, had my BMX, pet scan afterwards - Clear. So Chemo is just an extra insurance for me (that's How I see it)
Magari - Hope you had an uneventful #2 Chemo today! How fun to have your friend stay a few days. My cousin stopped by the other day and I wasn't feeling to great, but we ended up talking for hours and I felt so much better. I hear you about Holidays - yes, as you said, 'Just roll with it'
Mom4Gma - I will talk to my MO tomorrow during chemo about stretching out the steroids. Sounds like a good idea. OM Goodness 4:30am! I worked a relief shift once in a while and had to be at work 4:00am. By the time I woke up, it was time to go home. Ha.
Klvans - Gas X works great for me!
Aymerz33 - good to see you again - Best of luck on your Chemo #3 today
mkn86 - I'm trying to meditate. Its so hard - My head wont shut down. (i;ve downloaded HeadSpace- soothing)
Meowmmy - My hair started falling out Day #12. and my head/follicles hurt. If I brushed it against the grain it was so painful - so I took out my scissors and cut it to about 1/4" then soaked it in Vit E oil. helped a bit. Then Day 16 - it was falling out like crazy so I cut it down to as short as I could with scissors. about 1/8" That hurts as well. (I cried- looked ridiculous) On Saturday I went to my Hairdresser (Day 19) and she shaved it down as far as she could. it feels like sandpaper, pouring Vit E on it - and its shedding. But I'm comfortable with the way it looks now. Can't wait till all the little hairs fall out and I.m bald Like a Baby's Butt! Never itched. Just hurt. Keeping beanie on all the time.
I have so many beanies - I need a beanie rack!
Hope all chemo's went well. take care.
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Hope99, I understand that you are feeling scared. We all are or have or will be. It is just part of having cancer. It sucks and it's not fair and there are no clear answers because every single case is different, no matter how many doctors think they've seen 'your' cancer before.
Node involvement is serious because it might lead to further cancer other places. THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT WILL. You can have anywhere from 15-30 lymph nodes on each side of your chest (it varies per person). There are different areas in the chest that the lymph nodes are. Chemotherapy is used for 3 main reasons: 1-reduce the size of the tumor in the breast, 2-reduce or eliminate cancer in lymph nodes, 3-eliminate rogue cancer cells in the body (as a precaution).
Also, I am confused on why that study makes you sad. They stated that the sample size was small (94 ppl) and that they could not prove causality. What was not stated but I choose to focus on is that those 94 women, who after 6-7 years had no reoccurrence, may or may not have other health problems when they're older, but they will have the opportunity to get older.
I know this won't work for everyone but try to remember that you are doing this because you want to live. Find that reason for living and focus on it! Don't let your worries steal the joy you can get from today. We are all paying the price for more tomorrows, be it wrestling with bowel issues or hair loss or muscle pains or worse. But there has got to be something that helps get you through it. Go ahead and learn about how to best fight your disease but don't let it consume you. Look for the stories of people who have struggled and over come their battles. Look for stories of people who help others. We will all have anger and sadness and confusion and this natural! Just don't let that be all.
I believe that we will get through this.
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Frozentoes...Great advice. I find Cure magazine full of uplifting articles of cancer survivors. It's free and I highly recommend it.
Hope99...I think you would benefit greatly from Cure magazine...hop on line and order it. Like I said it's free for the magazine itself, but you can also download and read online.
Hope
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Ok here’s one I haven’t seen yet, and granted I am on my feet for 11 hours when I work, and I worked all day today, but my ankles and feet are huge. They haven’t been this big since I was 8 months preggo. I had otc diuretics on hand so I popped two of them. Most of my symptoms I can pretty much roll with it, but this kinda freaks me out. I am going to the bathroom just fine, but with the herceptin I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I literally have cankles, left is bigger than the right. No swelling anywhere else just feet and ankles.
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