Starting chemo January 2018
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I’m so sorry it sounds like your not happy with your health care team. NEVER LET ANYONE make you feel dumb or stupid your not it’s your life your body and your fight!!! YOU GOT THIS... my prayers are with you and all my fellow sisters in this fight!!!!
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I will be starting chemo on January 16, 2008 and will be receiving the same treatment plan AC for 4 weeks then Taxol for 12 weeks then radiation for 6 weeks. Everything is moving so fast. It's nice to know there is this great forum for support. Surgeon originally thought we captured it early and staged as Stg II. Had lumpectomy with sentinel node dissection and 7/7 nodes positive. Original plan was radiation, I now need chemo and radiation. It's all so scary. I started 2017 sitting on a beach in Mexico and now I am ending it embarking on the biggest fight of my life.
Dx 11/1 DCIS/IDC Left 3cm Stage IIIC Grade 2 7/7 nodes ER+/PR+, HER2-
Surgery 12/13 Left breast Segmental Mastectomy, Sentinel Lymphadectomy and Axillary Lymphadectomy
Chemotherapy 1/13/2018 AC and Taxol
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Hi January chemo ladies,
I’m from July / August 2017 group. I have finished my AC+T about 7 weeks ago. If you have your lymph nodes removed, would be good to think about LYMPHEDEMA. Chemo does retain fluid on our arms and PT can walk you thru prevention of LE plus stretching exercises that will help your arm motion.
My experience with AC was tough but doable, beside physical it hits you emotionally also. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Be strong!
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Paulette- thanks for the warning of chemo snd lymphedema. I’m always moving and stretching and rubbing my still numbish arm. Did they suggest you wear a pressure sleeve around chemo days?
abj... Mine started out with the light protocol. Upon dx I was told only hormone therapy, then it progressed to then some rads, and by the time pathology report came back the opened the silo of assault weapons.
I’ve started my “fast” - totally without doctor supervision (although holistic oncologist suggested it, she left me in the woods alone with no proper guidance).
I’ve also ordered the Proton five day fasting mimicking diet kit for next chemo (this is the one dr suggested but anyone can “make her own” (somehow).
I see suggested diets on the www and one said as a snack (keeping total calories under 500 for two days) that two almonds are permitted. So my question is will I want to eat the shells too?
This sucks—- all of it does. I hate this disease.
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Hi,
This is my first post, but I have been reading and getting so much information here since surgery. I had my port placed in my arm this past Friday, the 29th and am scheduled to start chemo this coming Thursday, the 4th.
I will start with 4 cycles of A/C every other week and from there i will go to 12 weekly Taxol. I am scheduled to come in the following day after the first cycle for iv fluids as a precaution, and the Thursday that I dont have chemo, i will see my oncologist.
I am very scared and this hit me harder in a way than surgery as i completely lost it after chemo training.
Good luck to all! I hope we make it through without an avalance of side effects.
Denise
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Hello Ladies,
I just wanted to say hello. I will be starting chemo at around Jan 20th (will know exact date after appt with MO). 8 rounds of AC-T. Any other lady in her thirties out there starting it? I am absolutely terrified I have mets, even though my dr thinks they shouldnt be. I will hopefully have a ct scan and bone scan before I start.
I am very thankful for this community. Having a family and two kids doesn’t leave me much time to vent..
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originally I was told I would only need radiation after surgery but when my surgical pathology report came back my bs told me because of lymph node involvement I would now have to do chemo so I understaD the scared and shaken factor...
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today I go 9:30 . Wish me luck lol I’m nervous but I’ll makeit though
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Best wishes @Motherofall6...you got this!
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prayers going up for you!!!You got this
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good luck motherofall6! Thinking of you today!!
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I go meet with my oncologist tomorrow,My breast surgeon is pretty sure that I’m going to have to do chemo because I did have one lymph node That came back positive from the sential node biopsy my bs did when I had my lumpectomy on 12-4-17. I try to occupy my mind time and thoughts on something other than this diagnosis however I’m not doing a very good job I find myself constantly thinking about the breast cancer and the What Ifs,Worrying about the side effects of treatment that I haven’t even had yet. Worried about how cancer may potential affect my relationship My husband is 13 years younger than me and has no children I was 14 weeks pregnant when I was diagnosed had a ultrasound the same day and our baby didn’t have a heartbeat so losing the baby and being diagnosed with cancer has been hard on him too. I worry that cancer is going to rob me of the opportunity to give him a child. And is it selfish of me because I love you so much to worry that he’ll leave me because of that? I hate hate hate cancer one minute I’m calm in OK and the next I’m crying and having panic attacks. The people that know about my diagnosis Have been encouraging and positive and keep stressing to me about not worrying but I have no clue how to do that I’m worried about so many things. Well ladies thank you for letting me vent I don’t really feel like I can do this at home because I don’t want to lay all my emotions on him and he’s already going through a roller coaster because of me
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I too went in with my surgeon and I expecting no nodal involvement and no rads necessary... MAYBE chemo after oncotype. I woke up with my SO telling me 7 positive nodes, chemo, rad and they put expanders in. I am at Moffitt in Tampa with 1) option of weekly 12 or bi-weekly taxol 4. (Suck up MAYBE having more SE to get done quicker?) followed by 4 bi-weekly AC. and 2) trying to decide if I should use their dignicap when it has a LOW rate of effectiveness when Anthracylcines are added to the mix. Does anyone have insight into 1 or 2?
My So and I had been in the "we got this mode" until after my surgery 12/5. Now we are both trying not to lose not only our sex drives, but our minds. We both want to run away and join the circus.
Wishing everyone the best of luck in healing.
If it does not come up, I am 50 years old, IDC 4.8cm left 7/31 positive w/ axillary D, E+P+Her2-, Stage 3a. Left DCS. Double mast with tissue expanders. DX 10/6/17. Bilat MX12/5/17.
I got mammograms Every year since 40 yo. Last one 11/16. Always clear. Useless.
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Best of luck tomorrow, @Woriedme77!
One thing that keeps me going is the thought that two of my co-workers had bc 9-10 years ago. I remember one of them going through treatment and how scared and depressed she was. Also, 9 years ago they didn’t deal very well with the side effects, so she had it more difficult. Both of them are doing well now (cancer free, of course!). They both reached out when they heard about my diagnosis to chat. What I found really encouraging is that the cancer was a distant memory to them! And one of them was Her2 positive with an impacted node as well! So I try to think of this not as the end of everything, but as a speed bump in my life. After all, it is treatable!
I also try not to let it get to me and keep a semblance of normal life at home. It helps my kids and my husband, and it helps me as a result.
I can’t purport to understand what you are going through, but I’m sending my warmest thoughts!
X
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You can always reach out to me through PM or on boards! I too have seen my world flip upside down and the fears of my relationship not being able to handle what's to come. My SO and I are going to crack under the strain of "our brave faces". We can rarely relax, we are trying to be "normal" and from an independent woman to patient and caregiver roles for the foreseeable future is overwhelming.
To put it in perspective, one of my great guy friends was dating a woman for 3 months when she was diagnosed. Five years later they got married a month ago and she is healthy and happy.
We will all get there, but patience (I am a LEO) is NOT my virtue
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Thank you ladies for all the encouraging words😘😘😘 it helps a lot
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I'm home and I'm alive 😊😊 went extremely well was really nothing to be nervous about , I made some homemade bone broth tortellini and spinach soup for dinner today and just trying to make sure I am drinking plenty fluids today at least through Saturday and hope I get min side effects that they said would prob start day after tomorrow and could last 3 days, got my nulasta on my arm that will go off tomorrow, and so far my lower back hurts and I’m tired but I also have rheumatoid arthritis and those are all side effects from that lol
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Started C & T chemo Dec 28th and I’ll have at least 4 cycles every 3 weeks followed by 35 radiation appointments. I had an agitation reaction to Taxol which was quickly fixed by Ativan, Pepcid and Benadryl. I received the on-body Nuelasta injector. I decided against icing my head as my toes, fingers and mouth were quite enough.Day 1 after chemo was perfect, no issues. Days 2-6 have intermittently been hard. Tons of bone pain on Claritin and ibuprofen, hot baths even in the middle of the night are the most effective! Weakness but insomnia with strange dreams plague me every night. Mouth sores and dulled taste are the only other SE.Overall, it hasn’t been awful and as a single mom, I’m still able to parent her even if I moan through some of it!
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Hi Mother, I had my first chemo today too. I didn't realize the red urine would begin immediately. Thankfully, I was anticipating it. I came home and took a nap. So far I am just feeling sleepy. I was happy to mark one infusion DONE on my my calendar. We are on a roll!
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Hello Ladies
My port was implanted today and I start 1st of 4 chemo treatments tomorrow-Taxotere/Cytoxan. I’m feeling ok but a little anxious.
My mom passed from breast cancer 4 years ago. She was originally diagnosed stage 3 at age 59 and my current age is 58. I sat with her during all her treatments so I have a good idea what to expect.
Today I read through her handwritten prayer journal for inspiration & comfort and found this simple but powerful prayer:
Holy God,
Enter me
Center me
Guide me
Teach me
Bless me
Forgive me
Heal me
Amen
I feel Mom will be with me in spirit tomorrow.
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Thank you for sharing your mom’s beautiful prayer with us, @garifalia.
Best of luck tomorrow. You got this!!!
Please let us know how it went. I’m especially interested since I’ll be starting TC next Friday and don’t know what to expect.
Have a good night, everyone!
R
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Garifaila, I pray daily, God really help me throughout this rough time. Now I’m doing radiation, when I’m under the machine, I pray then it helps to calm me down.
Amelia, I wore my sleeve on my better days. I did not were my sleeve in the infusion day. I felt I have enough already. During taxol time, I wore my sleeve almost everyday. Now I wear my sleeve daily because of radiation.
Gigi oh yeah Red Devils will made your urine changed to red. My bad days for AC was day 4-6,I hope you handle it better than I do.
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Just touching base. I had first EC on the 2nd and didn’t expect it to be so devastating.
I’m kicked to the curb and had to call emergency medical services the night of due to extensive vomiting (even with anti -nausea meds).
I have no appetite and am weak. The steroids did nothing to keep me up and peppy unless this is the “new “ peppy.
I think they gave me too much EC. I’ve been reading about dosing not based on weight and height but on skeletal mass (I have tiny bones and skeletal structure).
Having a hard time believe that this is something good for me when I’m feeling so awful.
Sleeping throughout the night is nice.
And some good news the dignicap was absolutely fine - just inconvenient to keep on for two hours afterwards. Not only might it help prevent hair loss it does protect the bulb so even if loss is inevitable to a point it will grow back quicker, so they say.
No other complaints about actual infusion 15 minutes one bag, 30 minutes second.
Hope number 2 is tweeked to provide less discomfort.
Now how to get this toxic mess out of my body? Epsom baths? Charcoal? Zeolite?
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Amelia,
I am a believer in Epsom salts.
The salt scrub is the best supplemebtary medicine. Sleep better, skin looks fabulous. It helped quite a bit re swelling in hands and feet. The salt scrub time is my mediatation time also.
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I’m going in at 3pm today to see MO and I’m so nervous and 😟 anxious. I had a panic attack this morning out of the blue no triggers and idk why... My BS kinda prepared me as to what I should expect from MO however I can’t but hold out a little hope he will say no chemo just rads but I know that is not realistic. Sending hugs and love to all my sisters in this fight
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Wht should one expect at the first appointment with the MO???
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worried... my first appointment with my mo was basically her giving me information about my cancer, the treatment, and what to expect. She sat with me and my husband for about 30 minutes, then set up when my chemo treatment will begin. She answered any question I had, and I got a packet for her patients with any information I may need. Have questions written down that you have, you will probably forget when you get there, I know I did! Also, if you aren’t comfortable with your MO, go somewhere else if you can. Hope this helps! Good luck
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Hi All - I went in for my neulasta shot today (my infusion center have you come in for the first shot to monitor for allergic reactions. The remaining shots will be via auto-injector.
When I woke up this morning (slept well) I felt a little nausea starting so I popped a zofran along with a claritin.
Going back to bed for a nap!
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