Starting Chemo in November 2017
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Nonahope - I have one more round to go, but this flu feeling has been the worst. My back is stiffining up again, however, I can stand body aches. I can’t stand that flu feeling that fatiques me into body dibilatating ongoing grogginess, and then sleep doesn’t even give me a break. I felt so weak that I couldnt breathe well. Although I wasn’t struggling with breath. I almost took myself to the hospital, but was too weak to do that. I’m still washed out, but trying to eat more. I think taxotere is the black devil of this regimen. Something has to give with this feeling. I’m exhausted.
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Blair I truly hope you feel better soon. I'm on the same regime and I don't have much appetite either. At this point in the cycle I have to force myself to eat. It's no fun.
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Amerz - Thanks for checking in with the cute photo, and CONGRATS on being finished with chemo! I'm sorry to hear that you still have to rads to get through now, but you have the right attitude about it and those 5 weeks will pass quicker than you think.
All - Keep posting the doggie pics; they always make me smile! Hoping that those who are struggling with side effects will be feeling better soon.
Since people are sharing ages, I am 54. (Got my diagnosis 10 days before my birthday this year.) That seems to put me in the neither old nor young category here.
A family friend who is like a cousin to me lost her 3-year battle with ovarian cancer shortly before Christmas; she was 3 years younger than me. I'll be attending the celebration of her life next weekend and had to let her parents know about my own situation before I see them then. I hadn't done so previously as they have had such a difficult year; they also lost their home in the Napa fires.
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Ended up being another seroma. Needle aspiration in the office to remove the fluid and I'm good to go. Fortunately, it was healthy lymph fluid, so I can stop the antibiotics. I love my breast surgeon. She is fantastic, and I am relieved. She said it is unusual to get a seroma 2 months after surgery, but chemo messes with everything and delays healing.
Started my steroids today - ready for chemo #3 tomorrow. You all have me a little nervous about the side effects this time, but I am going to try and remain cautiously optimistic. The good news, #3 means half way done! We have to keep remembering that this is temporary.
Always love puppy pictures, and I am a huge fan of goldies.
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Meow such good news! Happy that you can continue on as planned. My SE's have followed a predictable pattern in that I know what day will be my worst, which was yesterday. Today was better and I expect tomorrow will see more improvement. When I get discouraged I remind myself that it's temporary and doable. To me, the trade off of kicking cancer to the curb is worth it. And halfway through is a milestone so good luck tomorrow.
Magari I'm sorry about your friend. I can understand not sharing your condition as I've only told some people. It must have been a hard conversation with your friend's parents. And losing their home in the Napa fire, how traumatic in itself. Blessings on them and you.
I'm staying with my sister and cuddling up with her wonderful dog. I don't have a dog but I love them!
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Girls, I need to go back and catch up with all your post-just wanted to come on and say, “I'M Done!!!"I just finished up chemo and rang that bell!!!! Also, last time I
will wear the cold cap!0 -
I sent a letter to my OM about this 3rd treatment through the patient portal. I was going to call, but figured written words are better than going through people as details are always missed. I should hear something back by tomorrow.
Congratulations LizabethM! You must be taking these drugs fairly well - please let me know if treatment 4 (assuming that was all you had) is worse in side effects. I know we are all different and I still think age makes a big difference.
Meow - that's great it was not an infection after all. These chemo drugs do some weird things. You are on different drugs, so don't let my venting scare you for treatment 3. I hope it goes well for you. Hopefully the nausea will be under control this time too.
Magari - I can imagine the ackwardness in telling your friend's parents about your own dilemma. It's got to be so hard to lose a daughter before you as a parent pass away. The loss of their home on top of that really makes it even harder for them. This has been a hard year for so many people losing loved ones and homes
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Lizabeth, it's so wonderful to congratulate yet another person on this thread completing their chemo. I hope you do something special to celebrate! And what success with the cold cap. I have cold capped but still lost almost all of my hair. I'm jealous!
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CONGRATULATIONS Lizabeth! So happy for you that you are *finished* with chemo. And look at all of that lovely hair in these pics! You look great, and must feel even better. Although this board is enormously helpful, this particular thread is definitely one from which I think we universally want to move on.
I go in for lab work and a quick check-in with my MO tomorrow morning. Will take myself to lunch somewhere in the neighborhood since I am signed up for the Look Good Feel Better workshop at the same location in the early afternoon.
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kat- your puppy looks just like mine just younger, mines and old boy now.
Blair- I am so sorry you are doing so bad this go around. I’m finally feeling normal, still some aches and pains and the runny nose which makes me crazy.
Meowmmy- I found my first seroma last week, so it was 2 months 5 days after my surgery. It was pretty painful but it’s better now. It’s still there just not as painful.
Klvans- so sorry about your mom. I couldn’t imagine having to go through that on top of everything else.
Since we are sharing- I am 46 and I got my diagnosis on oct 5- 2 days before my 46 Birthday. Makes me one of the younger ones, but I sure don’t feel like it some days.
There’s my boy bringing me his duck! Always has to have something in his mouth. Tina.
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Mom4gma Thank you for your sympathy. I appreciate it.
Your dog is so cute!
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This is my grand kitty Violet for the kitty lovers. I love both dogs and cats, but would still love another Doxie. Miss my baby so much
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52 at diagnosis in the fall.
My goldie... adopted at 18 months, but he rescues me everyday. Gil is 4, and is my third, beautiful, amazing, golden retriever.
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Love these animal pictures...sorry I don't have any to show. But, I enjoy my family's dogs. I had a cat years ago that I had to have put to sleep. I'm not sure I could ever do that again...even though, it was necessary. I just get too attached.
Well, no one has topped my age of 73 -- will be 74 in April. I was 67 when first diagnosed with BC...then, diagnosed this past year with metastatic disease.
Had Taxol #7 this morning, along with my X-Geva injection. All went well and I'm good for a couple of days until the achiness sets in for a couple of days. I keep looking for new side effects with each round. My onco did say that this would be a six month treatment and then I would go on a hormonal oral pill of some kind....at least, that's his plan at this time. It will depend on how I do on down the road. Scans will be done after treatment, so that will tell a lot. My labs have been much better so he's pleased about that. He feels that's a good indication that the Taxol is doing its job. Not that I will be "cured", but can continue to survive with a less potent med.
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Awwwww, I love these pet pictures!! Makes me smile!! I call both my cats my therapy cats (even though I've had them long before my diagnosis last fall) I love it when they curl up on the bed with me when I'm feeling awful.
And, I've got a sweet Labrador Winston who we joke "Can't hold his licker" because he's always giving his "lick kisses" whether you want them or not!
Margari-I'm so sorry to hear about the heaven-homegoing of your friend.
NonaHope- You are cruising through the Taxols! And, I'm so glad it is doing it's job! You remain in my prayers, dear lady.
SDK8 and Rljes~I hope you ladies are both feeling better! You are in my prayers!
Kat~Love your dog!!! How cute!!
Meowwy- Love your precious fur baby!
Blair-Violet is beautiful!! What a sweet kitty! I will definitely let you know how this final chemo treats me with regards to SEs. Almost each time has been different. But, one thing that I have noticed is that the cumulative side effects have been fatigue and the so well put "noodle legs" I forget who named them that but it aptly fits how my legs feel! LOL! I also am now anemic so I'm trying to address that with some iron supplements and red meat-Ha! Blair, you will be finishing soon! Hang in there, girl friend!
Tina~what an adorable puppy! Love all these pet pictures!!
Kvlans~Thank you for the well wishes! Hang in there!
Amy~Congrats again on finishing chemo!! Will you be moving on to radiation? That's where I'm heading next month, if so, come join me on the February Radiation Post!
Well, I was diagnosed three days before my 50th birthday! Not exactly how I had hoped to celebrate that milestone, but I am so happy to have had the opportunity to discover bc and be in treatment. My 50th birthday isn't one that I will ever forget! That's for sure!
And, I'm so glad to have been able to share going through treatment with all you wonderful ladies, your sharing your experiences have helped me immensely, and you ladies are so STRONG and BRAVE!! You inspire me!
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i went for treatment today and it turns out I have shingles! Anyone else have this during their chemo?
This is my second delay now as I had an allergic reaction to taxol and had to be switched. I just want to get this chemo done
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Lizabeth....I forgot to wish you a big CONGRATS on your last treatment!!! Loved the pic of you! So happy for you and all those who get to ring that bell!!
Hope
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Blair...Have you heard anything back from the message you sent?
Hope
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avalon, i came down with shingles about 6 months about ending rads thought i had missed them
I did go to my doc for them shot as soon as i was cleared,
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Avalon-I had shingles, too. Onco put me on a pill that I am still taking. She didn’t want the shingles to break out all over from the stress of chemo on my body. It has been working and they are gone but I will continue to take the pill for three more weeks
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Nonahope- I didn’t hear back like I thought I would from OM, but I will call tomorrow. Some doctors are quick to respond, and others aren’t. I’m so glad you can tolerate these chemo drugs so well. However, it’s got to be frustrating to have a recurrence when these drugs should have prevented it years ago. Also they usually claim after five years that breast cancer isn’t likely to return. Do the doctors just say it’s just bad luck? You are so positive in your attitude, and strong to fight this situation on, but it makes me sad to hear that this could happen to any of us. Will the scan prove the cancer is in remission? Then what happens? I truly hope the best for you to get through it.
Meow - Gil is just beautiful and I love his fancy blanket. I think he’s spoiled - which is what all these animals should be.
Lizabeth- Violet looks all innocent in this photo, but she’s a sly little burger. She boxed me one morning while visiting, and then did a big scratch attack. I couldn’t figure out why until I realized she was use to being fed in the morning by the first one up. Since I was the first one up, she got mad at me because I didn’t feed her. Well, I learned my lesson and fed her from that time on. She was just training her grandma to get with the program.
Avalon - oh my goodness - not shingles! The chiropractor I went to said his aunt who had BC had gotten shingles too. I can’t imagine what that must be like. At least it’s happened to others. Search the topics - maybe there’s info there.
Well - tomorrow I should find out what my OM thinks. I’m hoping the chemo drugs on last treatment could be lessened a bit. My back is bothering big time again. I know it’s these drugs. I had to sleep sitting up last night and Aleve didn’t help it, so I’m back on ibuprofen. Also icing it again. I’m still fatigued, but at least eating again. Taste buds are gone. I can stand the aches and pains, but not that sickly flu feeling that debilitates me. I never had a flu that bad before - just no relief after so much sleep
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lizabeth, congratulations on your last treatment. Every side effect you have this time will be your last. My fingertips are hurting and I have two fingers with skin cracked at the nail, but it will go away and not come back! I am envious that you did cold caps. I really wanted to, but I didn’t have someone I could ask to invest the time and effort to help me. There was a woman doing them at my last treatment who also sees my Onc. My onc said her husband is militant about watching the temperature and changing them. She still had her long beautiful hair.
My stomach issues have been less severe this time, namely the diarrhea and gas pain. I didn’t do anything different, so I’m not sure why. I’m not complaining.
I’m starting back full Pilates sessions on Monday. I’ve been doing half sessions with lots of modifications because of surgery and PICC line lifting restrictions, arm movement restrictions and never feeling good for more than a few days every 3 weeks. It’s been 3 months since I did a full workout. I know I won’t be quite full speed yet, but I’m excited.
I’ve started taking Biotin. If anyone has any other recommendations for hair regrowth, I’d love to hear them. I’m holding off on other supplements that I took before chemo and the oncologist thought it best to stop during treatment. I’ve read to wait 4 weeks before adding them back. I think I’ll stop the Claritin and Benedryl next week.
Peaches and Smokey say hello!
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Mkn86 Thanks for the darling Buddy! I had a port installed today and have my first chemo tomorrow. Happy furry faces are much appreciated.
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Blair...I know what you mean about getting responses from the portal. I agree...calls are much quicker, even if you have to wait for a return call. I've heard about that "five year" mark, too. But it's nothing carved in stone. I know several people whose CA has returned beyond those five years...I just happen to be one of them. I think I was surprised/shocked more than frustrated. I was in so much back pain before I was diagnosed with the metastatic disease, I was thankful to move on. I've had no pain since starting any of my treatments. I guess the scans will show if there's any progression or if all is stable. Whatever it shows will determine the next course of treatment. Don't know how "strong" I am, Blair. I just figure "it is what it is" and I can sit around and mope and feel sorry for myself, or I can move on with life and thank God for getting me this far. There are those "achy" days where I force myself to keep moving...not always easy, but I know I would feel worse if I just sat around all day. I'm very conscientious about eating very healthy meals and drinking a lot of water (that's the hardest part for me)....I firmly believe that drinking lots of water a couple days before treatment and afterwards has a major effect on curbing side effects. I double up on those days. So, basically, I just move forward with my "new normal".
Orangedaisy....Such beautiful cats! There's one in my neighborhood that looks just like the white one. He/she visits now and then for a "treat". I didn't stop taking my vitamins during my BC or MBC treatments. My onco wasn't a huge fan of vitamins, but said it wouldn't hurt. Plus, everything I was taking was water soluble...so what my body didn't utilize, it was flushed out when I went to the bathroom. He did recommend Centrum Silver if I was going to take vitamins. He was a firm believer in getting nutrition from foods. But, when I went through the original treatment for BC, there were long periods of time that I couldn't eat. I started taking Biotin a couple weeks ago...mainly for my nails during this Taxol treatment. My hair is long gone, but maybe "if" and when I get off the Taxol (and my hair starts growing) the Biotin will have helped along the way. That's a long way off, though.
Zoom...Best of luck on your journey. I have a port...you will be glad you have it. Please keep us posted on your progress.
Hope
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nonahope I agree with you about drinking lots of water to lessen side effects. Flushing out the drugs asap helps. I also agree that good nutrition plays a role too. I think your attitude is right on. It obviously serves you well.
Blair I hope you are feeling better. This has been a rough one.
orangedasiy I envy you returning to your regular workout schedule. I really miss mine. I can't see going to the gym in an immuno compromised state and I don't want to deal with questions about my hair, etc. I'm lucky to live in a relatively mild climate and have walked 1.5 to 3 miles almost everyday. I like working out and miss that part of my "normal" life. I swear I'll never complain about working out again, lol.
This is day 5 for me and a point at which I usually start feeling human again. We shall see if that holds true today...fingers crossed...
Love all the furry friends. They help us so much.
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Lizabeth and proudtospin:
My MO gave me the antivirals so I hope they work soon!
Was there anything that helped with the pain and itching
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Congratulations Elizabeth ❤ hope we will finish this journey with good results and beat the beast. about my bleeding, there is no infection in urina sample, so my doctor suggest it's my period time and that may happend in some patients. thanks for asking.
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Avalon- the one thing I used for the shingles is “Resinol” it has been around forever but I go to my Kroger pharmacy and they order it-only takes a couple of days but so worth it! It is made from Zinc and lanolin and has been around 100years- my grandmother used it on her babies for diaper rash, skin irritations, burns, bug bites, etc. My Mom always used it a and still does and we use it all the time with our family.
Today is 2 days past treatment where I feel like staying in bed-and, the cats are hanging out with me!
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Update:
Got a reply from my OM about last treatment. She said it was completely up to me. Nothing she can do to make last treatment better. Tylenol twice a day is all she recommends. (Don't really think that would do anything as it’s not the pain or achiness that bothers me). She said a couple days of steroids might help. (But I'm not having joint pain). Supposedly I’m having muscle pain. .??? She can always admit me to the hospital if I don't get better. (Wow).
So, I asked what my recurrence rate would be if I quit, and asked exactly what would the steroids do to make me feel better? I also said I would think on it.
So - I wait for answers. If there’s only a 2% increase in protection, I think it would be best to stay away from whatever damage the chemo drugs are doing. At my age, they have been known to do more harm than good. Comparing myself to so many of you makes me think I’m having worse side effects (minus severe nausea symptoms). Right now I can barely walk due to my back pain. Lifting a cup of coffee sends sharp pains up through my entire back. This is is ridiculous, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m getting more harm than good from chemo. Because of my heart, I can’t take strong pain relievers. I will think on this since I have two weeks until last treatment. My decision will be based on recurrence rate. I should know soon and will let you know.
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Hope99...It sounds like things are going better for you. Where are you from? I hope this board has helped you with your difficulties.
Avalon...I've never had shingles. But, I remember my aunt had them. She lived with my grandma at the time. I remember grandma would rub Vaseline on her sores. She said it worked wonders.
Lizabeth...It looks like you are in good company!!
Blair...I don't know how I would move forward in your situation. I would think that if it's only one more chemo, I would go for it. I do agree, you seem to have had much more difficulty than others. My biggest concern with you is the horrible back pain. That's what I had prior to my MBC diagnosis. I would want to check into that further. Not trying to scare you...but, that's what sent me into this new way of life. If you are having that much pain...there's a reason for it. My pain was unlike any back pain I've ever had. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers that you get some answers....soon!!
Hope
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