Starting Chemotherapy March 2018
Comments
-
I’m not from the March chemo group, but wanted to ask this group since a lot have finished chemo, I’m reading the thread and it’s been so helpful. (I am still approaching 2/6 of TCH on Tuesday)
My question is, how long did it take before most side effect went away? Or when did you feel like fit to travel? I am planning a 2 week family trip after Xmas (dec 27) and I’m not sure if that’s even possible or if I would be well and feeling normal by then. I finish chemo by Nov 13 if nothing is delayed.
0 -
Livlife—I’m not directly answering your question (I had my last Taxol two weeks and I’m a little tired but feeling pretty good but I didn’t have your same tx). Are you doing rads? I only ask because I scheduled a vacation that I had to move—I assumed I’d be getting 20 sessions of rads like last time but will get 33 this time.
0 -
Ingerp that’s really good to hear that you’re feeling feeling pretty good after 2 weeks of last chemo. So- it possible that we can travel. By the time I’m done, it will be a month before planned trip. I just worry that I might be not strong enough to do activities with family while traveling overseas. Yes I do have a different tx (I’m on TCH).
I will be doing rads too but not until next year. (20x) so I can do that after our trip early January. Thanks for your reply. And congratulations on finishing your chemo. I can’t wait to finish.
0 -
Livlife the timing of your trip sounds perfect. A month out I bet you’ll be dancing a jig. :-)
0 -
Livlife - I'm about five weeks out from my last TCHP infusion and while I have some lingering SEs, they're nothing that would stop me from going on vacation. All I've got left for SEs are no hair, some mild neuropathy, sore muscles, and mild fatigue. By mild fatigue I mean I can still do active things, but then I sleep for a good 10 hours that night. I might also still have some swelling but it's a lot better than it was, but then I can't tell how much of my weight gain is from swelling and how much is from all the crap I ate during chemo. I think you'll be fine on your trip.
0 -
Hapa and Ingerp-thanks so much for the input, it’s so helpful, now I can plan better.
0 -
Livelife,I just finished TCH and start Herceptin only next week. Still have lingering but mild tingling in my feet but am so glad to be done with that part of chemo. The RO wants me to spend a few more weeks taking care of myself before radiation begins. Then I will be able to do a big family vacation working around the Herceptin and the AI which will begin as well. Very long course of treatments
0 -
Yang! Keep us posted on your radiation! Hope everything goes as planned and you can get that started and finished.
Radiation seemed to last forever to me.... Even though mine was 22 treatments total... It just seemed like a long time.
But now that it's over it seems like ages ago... 😂
0 -
Wildcolonialgirl I just want to say thanks for all the info on the stretching exercises, it was encouraging and I really appreciate it. Since so far nobody has talked to me about any of it, I will definitely bring it up with PS and maybe try to find a therapist if necessary. Permanent tightness is what I definitely want to avoid. Also wondering about using ultrasound on the area for healing (as used by PT)? It will be nice to know where I stand after my sx and how much radiation I will actually need, of course I am hoping for less.
Its good to hear many of you all seem to be doing well with just a few lingering side effects
0 -
mlghtn, I had radiation 3 years ago and now BMX, no increased tightness...I’m also a PT
ultrasound may not be warranted/indicated ...however , stretching and strengthening will definitely help...I’m very active and worked out a ton before this round of breast cancer hell...the fact that i had radiation was never a problem and I didn’t have any issues getting back to a normal workout/ work routine...if you do nothing there is a increased possibility of tightness, but if your lifestyle is active you should be ok0 -
Wildcolonia, I'm on Arimidex too. I started about 3 weeks ago. I had a bone density test to check my baseline so they can monitor any potential bone loss that may occur due to estrogen blocking. Thus far, hot flashes are the most obvious SE. I also have Herceptin infusions every three weeks, with MUGA scans to monitor my heart.
I'm glad to hear that somany of you are doing well. It's a long road and this forum really helps along the journey. It's interesting to see how many people post on the site, vs. how many read it. Sharing our stories is helping others.
Wishing you all wellness.
0 -
For all of you with your hair growing back after chemo.... What color is it? Is it the same or different?
Mine is gray.... 😂 🤔😐
0 -
May 07, Thanks for telling me about your radiation experience,it made me feel a lot better--especially knowing your are also a PT. I have always been very active but had to work out with caution in the last few years due to herniated disc in my neck, the muscles around it would easily go into spasm. I've managed it well with acupuncture and yoga, I just got worried about from horror stories I read about radiation fibrosis of the muscles, I know most people don't get it and I probably shouldn't read too much negative stuff. Does make me want to do everything I can though to prevent future problems.
Bec-Ky I am sorry if your hair seems to be growing back grey, that will be a big disappointment for me too. I'm about 4 weeks pfc and am glad my hair is growing back pretty fast and evenly on my head, but unsure about the color. It was kind of ash blonde at the roots before chemo with different colors varying from gold blonde to light blonde at the ends. Now I would say its all the ash color, kind of a non color--hard to say. My 15 yr daughter actually just confirmed it "doesn't look like a color". Sometimes I worry it looks grayish but the areas on my temples where I had some grey before look like they are coming in white, so I'm still hopeful the ash color will turn into something thats not grey. Overall I'm thrilled I have as much hair as I do---I was totally bald 1 month ago. I will try to post a pic.
0 -
Hair 4 weeks PFC
0 -
Oh wow, mLghtn--that looks amazing. I started noticing some growth about 10 days PFC but am a long way from having as much as you do. And mine is pretty blond--I think even once it's longer you'll still be able to see my scalp. If my hair looked like yours I'd ditch my baseball caps.
I decided this weekend I'm tired of being bald. :-(
0 -
How do you all have so much hair? I've got five little hairs over here - that is not an exaggeration, I counted - and they're all clustered together in a tiny little island. Last chemo was July 11! I imagine the herceptin is slowing things down. My surgery is Wednesday (BMX with DTI) and I'm not excited about it but glad it will be over soon. Hopefully I'll get some sort of mental health boost from knowing the cancer is out.
0 -
This was just last Saturday... 8/18/18
0 -
Bec-KY you look *wonderful*. Remind us how long PFC you are?
0 -
Livlife
Keep a eye on your WBC levels when you do the regular blood work during chemo. Each person reacts to chemo somewhat differently. If you’re planning a trip, I will suggest that make sure your WBC and Netrophil is back to normal so you minimize the risk for infections etc since our immune is comprised due to chemo.
Fatigue is also different person to person. Keep in mind to some, it may get a bit worse before it gets better. I had smooth sailing for first 3 cycles, then had severe allergic reactions to the chemo half thru 3rd cycle. They switched to a different drug on 4th cycle.
MLghtn
The rads are not bad. I am onto my 15th today. Sensitive skins will have slightly harder time with the skin reactions and etc. mine is very red now but not painful but doc asked me to start using steroid cream to control inflammation etc. but not painful. I haven’t started the weights yet, but have kept up cardio, on bad days I will walk 5-7 k, good days I go for 10k. I finished chemo in May, 2nd surgery in June. radiation started 4 was after surgery. Comparing to chemo. Rad is much lighter an deasy
0 -
I am almost 12 weeks PFC... 😁
0 -
Thanks, Bec-KY. 12 weeks for me happens to be *exactly* the day I leave for WDW! (And honestly you look great in the short hair—are you thinking about keeping it for a while?)
0 -
I probably will keepThe short for a short time....
😂
Pun intended.... Lol
But I really love my long hair, so we'll see what my hair is like as it goes...
0 -
Becky-Absolutely beautiful pic!
0 -
Hi Girls, happy Friday! How is everyone doing?
I was 8wks PFC yesterday and today is 2wks after my BMX. I'm doing pretty good so far, my strength and range of motion is slowly getting better and I got one of my drains out yesterday. Hopefully I will get the other drain pulled on Monday. I was released by my BS yesterday and also saw the PS who is very happy with my healing and he said my expanders are right where he wants them and we will begin weekly fills next week. I was pleasantly surprised to wake up with 125cc already in the expanders, it helped to have some kind of a boob there.
I also saw the radiation oncologist yesterday and they have recommended a course of radiation to my chest wall and mastectomy scar to begin in a few weeks when my expansion is complete. This is because my tumor was originally over 5cm and there was still 20% residual cancer at the time of surgery. I was disappointed, but not really surprised. She warned me that I will burn because I am so pale and recommended using aloe straight from the plant so we bought and planted some in a pot yesterday to feel like we were being proactive. It looks like my exchange will be delayed probably until around Christmas time--now I don't have to look for a gift for my hubby ;-)
So...speaking of hair growing back in...I am a hot mess over here. I continue to lose a small handful of hair everyday and my ponytail is 1/4 the size it was. In the meantime, my bald spots are filling in and over my entire head I have new growth that is about an inch long. It is making the "old" hair stick up all over the place and even in a ponytail I feel all lumpy because my hair is so much thicker near my scalp. I really don't know what to do with it right now. I keep telling myself to just wear a hat and wait it out, but part of me wants to cut and dye this crap lol.
I'm going back to work on Tuesday since I have my HP infusion on Monday. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
0 -
Sidalee--if I had an inch of hair I'd cut the rest of it down to that level and let it all grow out together. Short is in these days!!
0 -
Sidalee - so good to hear from you! I had BMX two days ago and this is so far going much better than I had expected. I agree with Ingerp on the short hair, everybody looks good with it that I've seen.
0 -
Beck your hair looks great..mine is black but looks like your husbands hair like a mans hair it not flat like yours lol..
0 -
It is so great to hear how everyone is healing and moving on - I haven't had much of a chance to keep up with everyone - school is back in session, kids are in a million things, and we had a couple big trips - Mexico in June, and I went to Florida for a conference beginning of August. I was 5 1/2 weeks PFC when we went to Mexico. I didn't really love the heat and sun like I usually do, and I was still pretty bald. I had just finished my whole breast radiation when we went to Florida. On top of the red tide problem there, my RO told me not to be in the sun, so I had to wear a rash guard over my suit. After spending an hour or two in the pool, my nipple completely peeled and cracked open at the areola. That was pretty awful. After I got back, he told me to put silvadene on it and cover with xeroform gauze. I was amazed at how fast it healed. I completed my last 4 boost doses after I got back. That skin has been a little red and sensitive, but is turning more brown, and I can tolerate my bra better.
My muscles used to burn and hurt with exercise, I pretty much gave up on it during chemo. It took a couple months after, but I can finally exercise without feeling like my legs have serious lactic acidosis. I have not had a period since March. Sex has continued to be awful. They had me use some cream with vitamin A and E and hyaluronic acid in my vagina for a month. It made a very slight difference. They have given me the OK to use some estrogen cream "sparingly" after I cried in the office about my vagina feeling like it is 90 years old. I started Tamoxifen last week. My MO gave me the choice of that or something like arimidex with lupron shots, but at (now 48), I was worried about my bones, so I though I would do a year or so of tamoxifen then switch. I was having heinous hot flashes before, so I don't know if they are worse or not. I do feel slightly nauseated for a few hours after taking it. I still have some faint neuropathy in my fingers, worse in my toes, but it isn't unbearable. I am taking Vitamin D (5000), Vitamin E, lysine, fish oil, B6, alpha lipoic acid, calcium glucarate, and biotin. My only prescription meds are tamoxifen and lisinopril, but I have an "old lady" pill organizer for all my supplements, and I feel like I am swallowing handfuls of pills every day.
I gained about 13 lbs during chemo. 8 of it has gradually come off, and I think if I started exercising more faithfully, I will get the rest off. I am still more tired than normal, but my blood count has come back up, which has really helped with the shortness of breath. I am due for my next echo in September, so hopefully that will show no damage from the herceptin. I don't notice anything with those infusions. They give me tylenol and IV zantac before infusion, but I wonder if I even need that. My hair is really filling in, much more gray than I was before, but I kinda like it. My 12 year old daughter told me she likes my new hair better than my "old" hair. LOL. Guess I won't tell my hairdresser!
I hope we all keep in touch - I'm not on here as much as I used to be - feeling better means less time sitting in front of my computer. I honestly don't know how I would have made it through all this without the support and encouragement I received on this board. As supportive as friends and family are, only someone going through the same thing truly understands. I am on facebook as Connie Novak - feel free to add me!
0 -
Persnickety - I also have weekly pill Organizers for my supplements... I take all of them in the morning and save my tamoxifen for at night.
I take :
Lysine
Fish oil
Biotin gummies
B complex
D
E
Magnesium
I keep saying I'm going back to the gym, that I've been paying for all year and haven't been there since January (when I was diagnosed) but I really think Monday is a good day to start. I'm Off this Monday and I still am 15# heavier than my beginning chemo weight. Ugh. I feel super fat and can't fit in barely any of my clothes... And fall is right around the corner and God forbid I have to buy all new clothes.
No WAY!!!
I JUST NEED TO GET TO THE GYM! AND STICK WITH IT!
No excuses! 😜
I am lucky to feel overall pretty good... So there's no reason I can't do this. I have shortness of breath it seems ever since 3rd chemo. It's likely from inactivity but I feel still a little puffy everywhere so I wonder if it's fluid buildup. It doesn't help that I have cocktails here and there - more so on a regular basis. At least 2x a week I'll have something.
🍻 😁
0 -
Hello ladies happy weekend. ,Sept 03 I maybe starting Rad's I'm not sure yet because I just had the CT planning and I don't know how are they going to do my Rads. I've been doing walking everyday for an hour then stretching my left arm more often I still feel like a nerve is being pulled I wonder if the left arm will be back to normal again since I had mastectomy. Doctor said I should not gain weight as much as possible I'm 49kls now.
Have a great weekend everyone hugs and kisses!
0
