Starting chemo February 2018
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I had a PETscan prior to surgery. I had already had an MRI and positive lymphnode biopsy at that point. The scan was initially called "clear" but there was some small activity on one of my ovaries. They said it was probably due to an active follicle, common false positive in premenopausal women. Then I had an ultrasound last week and now they think I have a complex hemorraghic cyst. So...inconclusive. Probably not cancer but probably more than nothing. Fabulous.
And my freaking insurance company sent us a letter stating they denied my surgery claim because I haven't signed an affidavit stating I don't have any other insurance? WTF?! I know this will all get sorted out and they'll pay it I'm just seriously hacked off that I'm having to mess with that when I'm freaking fighting cancer!!!
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indahood- glad you are still feeling good. Getting out for that walk must have felt especially nice today.
amburt- life has been nothing but chaos since the BC diagnosis 7 weeks ago around here. Just the yearly routine mammogram and here I am. You're not alone.
CBOK-there is enough going on with all of this cancer crap. It’s easy to lose patience with everything. Makes you just want to yell at the insurance companies “ I have cancer- can you just do your job- I’m busy and tired
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Hi Ladies,
Just had my first chemo session on February 2nd. Everyone was wonderful and supportive and I walked out feeling positive. I am still waiting for any SE. Only symptom so far have been rosy cheeks. But this could be from the Dexamethasone or Chemo. Crossing my fingers that the SE will be minimal, but I am still not sure what to expect as I know they can sneak up days later.
Good luck to all you fellow February ladies.
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Lolabear-Hang in there. Everyone is supportive here. I finished my first round on 02/01/18 and my Neulasta shot yesterday. It has been helpful for me to search for SE based on my chemo.
Today will be a rest day for me.
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Hi Lolabear, we're on the same schedule and I am not experiencing many SE's either but my chemo nurse told me that most people start experiencing the SE's end of day 3 until about day 10. So for me that's today. Strange waiting and feeling pretty good. I do feel a bit weaker and I think I got up to pee about 6 times last night. Also I have a bit of mela-plasma showing up on my face, hyperpigmentation brown spots.
Hope it doesn't get too much worse for me or for anyone else for that matter. Are you taking steroids the 3 days around chemo? I think that helps.
Laurie indahood
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AMBurt I understand, I am the same way. Give me details so I can plan! It’s the teacher in me I guess. Not knowing everything is reallly hard when you like to be in control. I guess it’s an exercise for us in letting go, patience, mindfulness...whatever but it still stinks.
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Feb flowers!
hope everyone is having a good weekend. I start chemo on Friday Feb 9th. I'm doing AC x 4 followed by Taxol x 4 every other week.TWills: i saw you did AC+T as well last year? Can you please share what SE's you experienced and for how long?
Does anyone know when hair starts to fall out usually and how soon does it start growing back? I need to plan my wig buying
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The feeling of chaos would not be so bad if it was not so hard on my intellectually disabled adult child, he thrives on routine like most of them do. If he knows a week or so ahead of time that some part of his routine will be different he can cope. However all these appointments for me and having to change his routine on a days sometimes less notice has his anxiety over the top. His brother and sisters have been helping to try to keep his routine as normal as possible but even small things like one of his siblings taking him to and from work is a change that he stresses over. Hoping that once chemo starts things will calm down somewhat and he will settle in to what for some time will be a new normal. His doctor has upped his anxiety meds for now but then he does not act like himself and wants to sleep more. He is also afraid that I am going to die if I get out of his site one of his friends at work told him if he watched me all the time I would not die (he works at a sheltered workshop so this friend was only trying to help and truly believes this). Woke up in the middle of the night a couple nights ago and he was sitting in the chair in my room watching me and whispering to me don't die mommy please don't die mommy. I could not help it I just held him and we both cried. Then I told him I and all the doctors I was seeing where going to do every thing we could to make sure I did not die for a long time yet. Thanks everyone for letting me talk about this and get it out.
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AMBurt I’m so sorry. I’ve also had a few of those “crying with the kids at night” moments so far too.It’s so hard. This all just sucks.
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ButterflyLilly,
I’ll share my SE’s and how my treatments were for me but it can really vary, as bad as it was for me it was still doable.
Thursdays were my treatment days and I felt fine that day except for the first one and I was really sick that night but that didn’t happen again. From then on I took two of the meds they had given me “just in case” with dinner.
Friday I felt great actually, steroids gave me tons of energy so I’d try to get stuff done around the house or shop. I’d also go and get my nulesta shot that afternoon.
Saturday and Sunday I was wiped out and the nulesta shot gave some moderate bone and muscle pain. Mostly upper body, chest, shoulders, back so I didn’t want anyone to hug me. This usually ended Sunday night like clockwork.
Monday I felt better but hungover from being so tired on the weekend.
Tues and Wed sluggish but ok.
As far as eating, steroids made me hungry, chemo makes you not hungry so there’s a kinda battle that happens there. But everything tasted bland. I didn’t have the metallic taste I’ve heard about.
Having said all of that, my WBC dropped to 0 with my first two treatments so they dropped my dosage by 20%. It still dropped to 0 the third time. They had no idea why. I would go into the hospital each time for IV antibiotics and several days of isolation.
Taxol....sooooo much better for me! No real big dip in energy just an over all feeling of “not great” but not too bad either. They had to lower that dose as well:/ Mild neuropathy and I stopped one short of finishing. I’m a hairstylist and I kinda nee to feel my fingers. It’s improved a little but I’m glad I stopped when I did.
There’s more but I can’t believe how much I’ve already forgotten. Never thought I feel that way at the time!
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TWills: Thank you! This is really helpful as gives me a closer look as to what to expect more or less! My treatment is every other Friday so hopefully by Monday I'll be somewhat functional. I hope you feel better and better every day further down the road you are PFC
Thanks again!
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Oh Ambert, your post about your son made me cry, I'm so sorry you are all going through this. I feel so lucky to not have any young children as I go through this like some of you do. I do have a 28yr old on who seems to be a bit in denial about my cancer diagnosis maybe just his way of coping. I'm stopping in here daily to see how everyone is doing. Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers
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Debsmisto and Collen thank you for you thoughts and kind words. I am almost 63 my son is 26 but will always be about 8 intellectually. My heart weeps for those like Collen who have young children. I know my older children will make sure their little brother will always have a home and be safe. I also know he will never forget me some thing a young mother with young children worries about. Make videos lots and lots of videos it is so easy today. It really does not matter if one has cancer or not any one could be gone tomorrow. My husband passed on Aug 8th 2016 and my son watches videos often they bring him so much peace and he likes hearing his dad's voice and to be honest they bring me peace as well. I have videos of us dancing together and his last Christmas where for the first time in years we managed to keep him from finding out what his gift was so it was a surprise. At one point he looks at me and I am the one holding the camera and his look tells me how much he loves me. You ladies who have been married awhile knwo what I mean that look that is meant only for you.
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lolabear and insideout hoping you weekend went well and you had minor or no Side effects. Indahood how are doing as well? Sounded like the first day wasn't to bad hoping it continued for you.
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ColleenS80- I too will be doing tamoxifen when I'm finished with chemo and will be doing 4x DDAC and 12 weeks of Taxol. I will be doing the same treatment as you other than I was Her2- so I won't do that part of the treatment. I am also 37years old and was first diagnosed with stage 1, but it changed to stage 2 when we got the actual size and it spread to 2 nodes. My biggest fear is being sick and losing my hair...the 2 number 1 side effects lol. I shaved my head 2 weeks ago to prepare me for losing it and it has helped. I too have small children (7year old boy & 12 year old girl) so emotionally everything you are feeling, I 100% get it! My girl has been a rock star throughout this, so strong and understanding..tells me I look beautiful. My son..he's scared, but won't say it..he actually won't even talk to me about it at all. He did talk to his teacher about it though, and I felt relieved he found comfort in her and opened up. If it wasn't for having kids, I wouldn't be as worried about the whole process.
Stay strong, you got this!
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Good Luck today CBOK! Thinking of you😊
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Go get em CBOK. Hope your chemo day goes well
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Ladies, I so appreciate your understanding and just knowing others “get it.” My babies have been so very sweet. They get worried and scared, then we rally and get through another day. I have a wonderful husband (13 years this summer) and am so thankful he is here to help me and the kiddos. It breaks my heart way more to see them worry than to go through all this myself. I know you all understand. Here’s my baby girl, who I caught “doing dishes” for me last night because she wanted to help mamma.
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oh, and I totally get freaking over losing the hair! I am having a small party Wednesday titled “hair choppin before it starts droppin.” Y’all inspired me to color what’s left after I cut off the donations. I hope the fun will help with the hurt.
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colleens80- your daughter is adorable. Can’t wait to see the hair color
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Best of luck CBOK you've got this!
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Had a slumber party with four of my grand daughters this weekend inspired by others I let them change my hair color. It actually is more purplish than the picture shows. They had a blast doing this.
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Thanks AMBurt and I love your color! So cute!
CBOK hope you’re doing alright!
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Round 1 done!
I had a reaction to the premed steroid. Nothing bad. I guess if they push it too fast it can make you hot. My clinic gives you an emergency bell (like a hotel desk) and I got to test it out. Felt like I got thrown into a hot tub. They slowed it down and everything else was ok.
I've felt a little weird all day and have started to get a bit nauseated the last few hours but nothing awful.
If you're getting adriamycin be forewarned it makes your urine red. Nurse forgot to tell me but fortunately I had already read about it and wasn't shocked.
Also if you're getting neulasta at the clinic make sure you schedule it at least 24 hrs after end of treatment. I was expecting to go in the morning but she said they would have turne me away so early so I'm going after lunch instead. No big deal for me but I know some folks aren't close to their clinic.
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CBOK- glad you are done with round one. I hope you are comfortable tonight and have an easy week. Let us know how you are doing.
This2shallpass and AnnieG- I’ll be thinking of my Feb6 sisters. Let’s get this done. Can’t stand the waiting.
Indahood- hope you are doing well.
LOVE the colorful hair colors. Amburt- the grandkids must think they have the coolest grandma in the world. Colleen- have a fun hair choppin party. That is one heck of a blue. This has got to be the craziest, fun hair chemo group this site has seen.
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CBOK, glad your first treatment went well, I start Thurs and am more anxious by the day. It will be nice to check here and see how all of you are doing. Been wig shopping online I'm a hairdesigner and hope to be able to work some during my chemo so gonna wear a wig for work if I can stand to wear it lol.
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CBOK hoping the nausea stays under control for you the rest of the night and into the next few days. This board is awesome so helpful that you already knew that red pee was going to happen. Rockcity, This2shallpass, and AnnieG we will all be thinking of you tomorrow as the next of the Feb. ladies take this step in this journey. Indahood if you are reading this hope all is well and you are just busy with normal life and feeling ok we will of course worry a bit until we hear from you.
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Talked to the MO today to get questions answered. Made my treatment choice and schedule round 1. I start Monday (Feb 12th) and will be doing dose dense AC + T (4 rounds each, two weeks apart). Scared yet relieved that I got this step done.
CBOK - Hope you are doing well after round 1.
Indahood and the others who have already completed round 1 - hope you are all doing well.
This2shallpass, AnnieG, and Rockcity - good luck tomorrow!
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Yesterday was a lot better. I received a few recommendations for broth to help when my appetite is low.
I am learning how to listen to my body.
I love the creative ways to prepare for hair changes. Wishing everyone the best.
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AnnieG & Rockcity: good luck today! Let's get this done and over with. Much love ladies ❤
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