Starting Chemo in November 2017
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hope, no, just tamoxifen.I lost them toward the end of chemo and they grew back pretty quickly. I think it’s the normal hair cycle shedding now but they’re on the same cycle now so it’s more obvious.
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hope, i would not call my pain excruciating but dang wierd and bad enough that sleep is impossible ...bad unless I take stuff. Tylonel no cutting it and since i am alergic to all nsaids..... not much to take. It is a wierd pain at night. But really glad I bought my lazy boy, very good!
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Iris...They gave me Tramadol for the pain. It did nothing...so you can imagine how excruciating it was. At first they thought it was muscular and I was on prescription strength Aleve...it did nothing. Then on to the Tramadol. Then, my PCP decided to do the CT/contrast. After six weeks of "no relief". I couldn't sleep either. I had to lay on one side and if I moved...oh my...OUCH!!! Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers that all will be fine.
Hope
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i can tolerate tramadol for about 3 days then i start to itch! Well glad my onc visit is tommorrow, hanging in my lazy boy today
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Hi Everyone! Its good to pop in and hear how everyone is getting along.
I too have had reversible heart issue taking Herceptin, (like you Meow) had to skip a couple sessions. I have to have an eco every month now. But what is more concerning are my lungs. I have scar tissue in my lungs long before BC, and I'm having a huge flair up - hard to breath and can't get in to see a Pulmanary Specialist until End of October. I think the chemo caused the flair up. The decision for radiation - No Way. According to the Mayo Clinic, radiation can make Pulmanary Fibrosis worse.
I have aches and pains in my joints, and Exhaustion is unbearable. I find it amazing and so proud of those who are working out.
My hair is (was) coming in black, straight and thick, about 1" and its stopped. Like Blair, I'm shaving the sides and back - but still wear a beanie out in public.
What I've noticed is almost everyone has started their Hormone Therapy. I have not. My MO hasn't mentioned it. (and I'm afraid to mention to him) but it shouldn't be up to me to bring it up, right?
take care all, rj0 -
r.......if your doc has not brought up hormone therapy, axk why, no reason why not to understand your treatment
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Hi ladies just popping in to say a quick hi
i finished all of my treatment last may and have taken 4 months off of work to just rest and recover and as my doctors put it “go back to my life as if i was never sick” i have since put on weight that scares my surgeon hehehe but of course i know it’s because i rarely move. i swear i have yet to find exercise i like. one of my friends flew from frankfurt and spent two weeks here in the philippines. i just got back from the US. I was there for a month to see my best friend and my other relatives. It felt good to go through a few milestones i have set while i was undergoing treatment.
FIrst round of annual scans coming up next month for me
i had my diagnosis anniversary last aug. one year down, 4 to go. triple neg. not even sure if doctors start counting on the day of diagnosis or on the last day of treatment. hair is growing out. i’ve been sporting a pixie cut. I miss my hair and sometimes my old life but i am also happy to have the one i have now. anyway, a few pictures from the philippines when i took my friend around the country
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Beautiful pics, Kat! Thanks for sharing. One year since diagnosis for me, too. 6 herceptin/perjeta IVs to go. Started tamoxifen last week. Still feels strange to be in this place.
Anyway, just thought I'd check in. Hope everyone is doing well, continuing to move forward, and to heal.
Love to all!
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Hi everyone. One year anniversary of my double mastectomy is Wednesday. I still have too much firmness around the implant on the cancer side after the infection and 2nd surgery in May.I think it is breast lymphedema, but no one seems totally sure. It's annoying, but not painful. For those with unruly hair, I recommend a professional trim and let it do its thing. I've had mine trimmed every six weeks since early July. I use a mix of Deva Curl, Redken Aerate and Argon Oil to tame it a little.
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Hi, all!
Nice to hear from some of you; I'm so glad that everyone is doing well overall.
I too will be one year out from my bilateral mastectomy surgery on the 16th. Was a year out from final chemo in mid March. And have only 3 more Herceptin/Perjeta infusions to go. Started Arimidex in June and am doing fairly well with it.
Although I cold capped, my hair thinned about 50% overall and about 80% on top. It's about as curly as Lisa's and the top looks about the same length. (Thanks for sharing the pic, Lisa; you look great!) I've been trimming the sides to about jaw length because I just can't do short all over. So it's pretty mullet-y at this point and I'm still wearing a wig outside the house.
Taking my first real vacation since diagnosis in a few days, and very much looking forward to that!
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Magari, my stylist has been fighting the mullet! It grows so much faster in the back. Have fun on your vacation. I took a couple of short trips in September and had a friend from Sweden stay with me for 8 days for a Nashville staycation. It was nice to stop thinking about work and doctor appointments for a while.
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I'm approaching one year since the mastectomy too. Since then I've done chemo, prophylactic mx, and radiation. Overall doing pretty well. My hair is about the length of Orange Daisy/Lisa's, and very curly as well. I had a trim a couple weeks ago and I agree it helps. The new growth was so wispy at the ends that it looked unruly very quickly. I think it looks cute now, and I have been wearing it out since late June.
I'm scheduled for the exchange on my prophylctic side later this month. Need to schedule my prophylactic ovary removal too.
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Hi Everyone ! SO good to hear from you all!
My dbl BMX anniv came up - I still have tightness but I forget about it everyonce in a while.
My hair is straight/ black and stopped growing about 1 1/2" Lost eye lashes again, but coming back.Had quite a set back last month. Spent 8 days in the hospital. Had to break my rule and call 911. scary. I had UTI/ pneumonia, first then they released me 2 days - had to call 911 I thought I was dying. UTI/ Septis/ Dbl Pneumonia. My lung specialist came to the conclusion it was my auto immune disease "Dermatomyocitis" causing my lungs issues. I was concentrating on cancer and not taking care of my other diseases.
My idiot Oncologist came by the hospital to make sure I knew that it wasn't the cancer/chemo or Herceptin that caused all of this. Ass. No empathy,
Getting better and stronger - but so very tired. thankgoodness I don'thave to be on oxygen, and not having to go to a rehab place. Still a little scary to be living by myself. Cute firemen that came and rescued me. Beautiful fall day - love fall and cool weather. take care, rj
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rjiis.... i live alone, i have one of those life alert necklaces....ive fallen and cant get up. I recomend them. Have not needed to call it but it gives me a sence of security having it. If i used it, they have the name of a good pal who lives across the street and has a key to my house. I got it before my reocurrance but since i feel it helps me feel safer
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Hi Proud to spin - that's a good Idea ID Pendent , but im afraid I'd forget to wear it. Luckily my phone is always with me - like glued to me. I hear that you can yell " Hey Siri call 911" I'm afraid to test it though. I was lucky when I fell, I knocked over the table and the phone fell at my feet. Or my head - I was upside down. They are tapering me down from 60mg a day of steroids - slowly - then starting me on Methatrexate. I'm getting stronger everyday. What is scary is they (the Doctors) cant be specific and tell me what brought this on. I was feeling bad - but fell asleep and when I woke up - couldn't move. scary,
beautiful fall day ladies! take care, rj
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i have a pendant and also a help button in my shower and a third thingie i keep with me but sure youfr phone ould serve the same0
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Aymerz33:
I just finished TCHP. So far I only have very mild neuropathy. Some tingling/numbness in my finger tips and toes/bottom of my feet. I have been told it can still get worse as I am only 2 weeks out from finishing but the previous cycles that I had it, it would peak mid cycle and then drop off.
For my first infusion I got IV Aloxi to prevent nausea and it worked very well. I had to take a zofran the next day but had very little nausea and it was mild. Aloxi caused taste alterations for me that I couldn't tolerate so I was switched to IV Zofran and later IV Zofran plus IV Emend. I had more nausea but less bad taste and could have gotten rid of the nausea entirely probably if I took more Zofran at home but Zofran also causes me taste alterations...not as bad or as long as the Aloxi but I decided to wait out the nausea. I would just have like a day of mild to moderate nausea the day after the infusion and about 4 to 5 days out.
I didn't have horrible nausea until after my last infusion but there were extenuating circumstances and I think it was partially from low blood sugar.
I feel a little sick right now though, not sure why.
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Hi, all. Just checking in to see how everyone is doing and provide an update.
I have my FINAL Herceptin/Perjeta infusion in a couple of weeks, and although I've been glad to have a port, I am also excited to be scheduled to have it removed the following day!
I also got my hair cut and colored over the weekend. I saved about half of it via cold capping during chemo, but had enough of a thin spot on top that I've been wearing a wig for the past 6 months. It's still a bit mullet-y, but I can fake a short wavy bob and co-workers have told me it's cute.
Although I still have at least 5 years of Arimidex in front of me, I am glad to be moving forward and feeling like less of a "patient" on a day to day basis. Much to give thanks for this year.
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congrats, magari! That’s wonderful news!!
I had my ooph and exchange 12 days ago. Still recovering but mostly back to normal. I even feel better looking in the mirror as I adjust to the foobs.
I’ll need to figure out what I want to do for nipple recon on the cancer side, but I’ll wait a few months before I do anything.
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Hi Everyone!
I thought I’d check in to see if there was any activity here and I see a few of you have posted.
Kat - those were beautiful photos. I hope your scans went ok.
Meow - I see your hair is coming in and hope you’re doing well.
Lisa - Your hair is just like mine in growth and color.
Margari - Glad you’re doing well and hair under control. It’s a slow process for sure.
Star - Have you had your ovary removed yet?
Rljes - what a scary horrible experience you went through! Reminds me of my reaction to oxycodone when I had to call 911 after my bypass, and my terrible fall I had after my first chemo treatment last year. I know how awful it is not having anyone home to help you in these situations. I agree with Proudtospin on maybe getting a help button.
Well - my 6mo. post radiation mammogram is this Friday. I’m rather nervous as they took extra views last June. Nevertheless, sent me home clear. I’m always thinking something else is growing on my noncancer side. If that is clear, I’m having corrective surgery Dec. 10th. That scares me only with the anesthesia, but it won’t be like the reduction I had, so maybe not knocked out for long. Other than this event coming up, I seem ok taking letrozole for my hormone therapy. However still find myself feeling dizzy at times, but nothing like the tamoxifen vertigo. My back pain comes and goes with yardwork, and lately I’m sewing, which for some reason aggravates it, but I’ve learned to live with it. Not happy about it at all. Swim exercise classes at the Y 3 times a week until it gets cold - then I’ll try walking.
Other than my status, the kids are settled in Tampa. It’s great having them much closer to me here in Lakeland. Bad grandkitty is going to be staying with me first week of December- I can’t see me putting up Christmas decorations with her around. Oh well - life goes on. Photo is my daughter and I celebrating my 69th birthday- ugh - so old!
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hi Blair! Yes I had my tubes and ovaries removed 10/24, along with exchange to implant on the left (prophylactic) side.
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btw, beautiful photos, Blair!
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Thanks Star- sounds like you have had your full swing of surgeries. Just stay positive and go forward. I hope for all of us the worst is over - forever! It’s been a long hard year for us. I think we all just want to put it behind us. I try to live like it never happened, but then I look at my hair, my body, and my back pain is always reminding me of my experience. A bit hard to forget. I don’t even like looking at the pink ribbon and when asked if I’d like to donate to the breast cancer cause - it’s a bit ironic when you realize you chunked $10,000 out of pocketinto the whole mess just to survive.
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I hate all the pink ribbon stuff.
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Blair...You look wonderful. Happy 69th! I'll trade you! Glad everything seems to be going great for you.
Hope
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getting set for 3 month pet scan, hoping for good results. Course scan ix tuesday, then i see onc on wed for results and treatment, can you say turkey day will be stinkie?
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Iris...Fingers crossed that you will be smiling brightly on Thanksgiving!
Hope
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hope, thanks, thinking of making turkey soup! Hooe you are doing well
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Iris...Nothing better than Turkey soup to get the chill off. I hope to get a carcass from my granddaughter who is hosting Thanksgiving this year. There will be about 30 people...it will be crazy!
Hope
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i agree on the soup, the remains of the bird are best, course folks who talk about bone broth...... funny as have always made it!
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