Chemo Starting August 2018
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Hi everyone,
I just finished my last chemo this past week. I had my double mastectomy with TE before chemo and now my PS wants to do the implant surgery before starting radiation. He would much prefer that the implants are radiated than the TE. Is anyone else in this situation? Thoughts? He said if I wait until after radiation, then I would have to wait as long as a year to have the implant surgery due to the scar tissue.
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HugHope: Yay for your last chemo! Hang in there you will bob back up to the surface soon.
determinedat54, Yay to your last chemo too. (Sorry no experience re mastectomy/rad. Maybe check surgery specific threads?) A 2nd opinion might help too...
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Hi my tough treatment sisters! I hope everyone is tolerating their treatments and the all so lovely se's ok.
I finished AC and had my first Taxol this past Tuesday. It hasn't knocked me down to the bed like AC did for a couple of days, but I do tire quickly. I have run 5 miles total since Tuesday and plan to do a little run tonight. Before getting hit with surgery and chemo, I would run up to 30 miles or more a week, and felt physically great. I can't do that now, but I am grateful for any miles I can run. Every mile counts these days! I do it to keep the blood flowing and heart pumping and it just makes me feel better mentally. But I do listen to my body. Some days, I just can't, and some days things like getting stuff done around the house and going to work and doing what I need to there is priority.
Other than feeling tired and wore out quicker, I have not had any major se's. I have been taking Senna to prevent constipation, but that's it. I continue to drink lots and lots of water.Appyfan, is rads radiation?
MoonGirlJess, I am curious to see what my blood count does. My white blood cells have been high during AC because of the Neulesta shot, but now that I won't be getting that, I am curious to see what happens. I bought a bottle of hand sanitizer the other day. I went to Target and the guy checking me out kept wiping his running nose and touching everything. I was freaking out on the inside. Hawaii sounds wonderful!! I can't imagine doing the flight, but it sure would be worth it! That's funny about the tattoe pen. I wondered about those. I found the benefit pencil to be the best. It is waterproof, and does fine thin strokes like hair. Maybe google how to outline the eyebrows first? The lady that did my microblading used a pencil to figure out the inner/center point/ and outer eyebrow perimeters. Then filled it in. But it has faded quite a bit. Right now I still have eyebrows and eyelashes, but they are thinning. I am having to fill in quite a bit now.
Hughhope1, Congrats to you! Hope you got to ring that bell loud!!!!
Benji69, I am no help either. My surgery was prechemo. That sounds like alot of stress on the body, chemo and surgery. Glad your lymph nodes responded and shrunk!
Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!
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Dawn—one Taxol done! Check it off the list! Whoooo! Still in awe of you getting out there and running! I'm making good time on my 4 mile daily walk but I keep forgetting to put the compression sleeve on. I was told not to run without it by PT. (that is just because of the axillary node dissection.) I'm so forgetful I just need to put the sleeve in plain view. I'm sending you good vibes that your bloodwork will behave. When you described the Target clerk . . . Ugh so gross. A guy had a coughing fit today and I bolted the other direction. I can't live without my sanitizing hand wipes. I see every cough or sneeze as a potential looming disaster and I want chemo done.
My head is quite fuzzy with that white pre-hair like substance. My Sunday pre-chemo anxiety has settled in. Who knew chemo whouldgive me some kind of anxiety disorder? It sucks! Hubby said go take a Valium. He's probably right I am just am tired of taking medication. I just want a bottle of wine. Taxol #7 tomorrow.
Jess
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hi SmilingDawn, yes, rads is radiation. Only 4 in, but doing ok so far. I have some lingering shortness of breath from chemo, making it harder to get cardio in, still working full time too. I need to get out of my office during the day and at least take periodic laps around the building
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no bell ringing for me girls,
:(:(
I have surgery scheduled Dec 13, first with nuclear medicine for Lymph nodes, then surgery at 11:00am. I have one more follow up with Surgeon, and Plastic surgeon on the 5th of Dec. Before surgery on the 13th. They are continuing me on the Herceptin for 12 more rounds, starting on the 7th of Dec. That kind of took the wind out of me, I was looking to have a break from all of this before my surgery. I guess no rest for the wicked.
I will try and push on I just have to re-group and hope this is the best method moving forward. I guess I should be happy that I get to drop the Taxotere, Carboplatin, Perjeta. from my chemo now. Gotta try and work a little while, feeling pretty sick today, upset stomach and not sure how long it will be before I can eat again. Usually a few days and a few pounds. I had a good time at the Great Wolf lodge with my Grandsons, I was able to walk up all the stairs and go down two rides with them. That was all I had in me, then I went to bed. This getting old is not all it was cut out to be. lol!
Hope everyone has a good day! Hughope1
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hughope1– I’m sorry! I wanted that that bell ringing for you. This last chemo push is ridiculous. Feels never ending.
I slept like crap last night. Anxiety through the roof. Hot flashes and night sweats for hours. I grabbed the Ativan bottle and took 2. Got a bit of sleep for 3 hours. Now I’m here for #7 Taxol. I’m in a foul mood. Pre-meds are about to start and then I have to ice my hands and feet for almost 2 hours. Burrrrr. I dropped to 109 pounds. I’m so bored with this shit. And I’m in front of the bell today. Great
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hug hope, sorry to hear that the finish line got pushed back. Here's hoping you find it a lot mellower with most of the drugs dropped from the regime.
moongirljess, the icing is a total bummer; I agree!
I guess we all have to pace ourselves for some extra follow up and then be pleasantly surprised if we don't have to get any....
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hughope1, I think you could have rang the bell since technically you are through with chemo if you are done with the taxotere and carboplatin. I plan in ringing the bell when I’m done with those two next month even though I will continue on with Herceptin for another 11 sessions.
My ultrasound showed improvement in my two tumors, they could not find the small tumor and the larger tumor has shrunk somewhere between 50% to 75%. When I met with my OC today he was happy with the results but remains cautious. He said until we get the final pathology we really won’t know my final results. He said the pathology will tell us if the cells are dead, the ultrasound only measures the size of the tumor not whether the cells are alive. The path report will also determine if I only have Herceptin or if he will add perjeta. I didn’t ask him but assume that if he adds back perjeta that would mean there are still live cells that need to be dealt with.
My neuropathy got slightly worse after round 4 so he is going to reduce the dosage of taxotere slightly to hopefully help reduce the chances of any long term damage causing my neuropathy. I love my OC, he really cares and wants what is best for me in the long-term.
I also had my bloodwork done today and he cleared me for round 5 of TCHP on Wednesday. I’m not as reluctant this time, I know I only have 2 more to go and I will be done with the chemo phase of this treatment.
Onward gals, hugs and good luck to you all. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.0 -
MACTAZ, right ahead of you - just did #5. GI symptoms slightly better! But fatigue was worse. And mental exhaustion...
A really close friend offered to visit me yesterday and I said, "Can you wait till I'm done w chemo, and on the upswing, in a couple of weeks? Right now, its sort of an effort to be with people and sustain a conversation. I'm frankly not that interested in you or in me right now." Luckily she's a close enough friend!
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santabarbarian, I totally understand not wanting visitors. Hope you recover quickly from fatigue, With #4 I have had to nap daily so sounds like that will cont8nie with #5. Take care
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Hughope - Sorry about the lack of break. I hope that with Herceptin only, it feels a lot better than with the other agents. I feel like they should have had you ring the bell for that. I will be thinking about you on the 13th and hoping you heal up quickly.
MACTAZ - That's really great about the tumor shrinking! I hope the last couple of rounds pass quickly and the neuropathy doesn't get worse.
santabarbarian - So one round to go? I felt the same way about visitors toward the end - I just wanted to wait until I was through it and past the worst of the SEs.
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Hughope, that stinks about not ringing the bell. It's going to be so sweet when you do!
Mactaz: cheers to shrinking tumours!
Wanderweg, what's up? When is your last chemo?
MGJ: I am irritated by everything, staying positive is awfully wearing. Hang in there!
Smilingdawn & appyfan: running? You two are ANIMALS! Keep it up!
Where's KellyAnne lately?
Santabarbarian, we're SO close! One more!
I see the BS on the 5th; I guess to discuss surgery. I was supposed to have a lumpectomy but my tumour is still approx 4cm (1/2 the starting size). Mastectomy it is. I have a plan to do double and just stay flat. I have this deep on my guts feeling that somethings is going to show up on the left as well. Is that ridiculous?
I just want to live my life again, feel normal. This sideshow just needs to be over already!
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KWilli,
I am finally feeling more normal -- I'm so happy to have a good week ahead, prior to bell-ringing day and the last round of yuck. By mid December or before, we will be out of our last SE period and back on the road to full normalcy!! I can't wait.
BTW I think staying flat would be my choice too. Partly to get out of the medical maze faster!
Great that your tumor has shrunk!!
My 3.8 cm tumor was easy to feel and to my touch, it too has melted. But I still feel "activity" in my breast ... especially during chemo day and day after... sensations of soreness or fizziness in the area of the tumor. Two days after chemo #1, I felt a very strong sensation in the area of the tumor and it prompted me to feel it, and it already had shrunk. So maybe there is still live cancer dying, or maybe my body just steps up its immunological efforts to get rid of the dead cells.
I think it takes a very long time to break down and process-out all that dead tissue. The lymphatic system does this...likely can only go so fast... so if the cancer dies, there's still a lot to process. I think my body is still processing my tumor, even if it's all dead.
Or perhaps it's the tissue and nerves adjusting back into place as the tumor goes away?
Does anyone else feel "activity" in their breast?
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santabarbarian I also feel “activity”, usually some soreness are ache. Your comments on dead cells makes sense and is what my OC said also.
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KWilli our tumor is about the same size as yours, mine started out about 6cm down to about 3.5 now. Surgeon was still willing to do lumpectomy, but I was not. They did not know if they could get clear enough margins, and if not I would of had to go back in for mastectomy. Screw that, I'm tired already.
santabarbarian & MACTAZ, I to feel activity in my breast but, and sometimes think its in my head. LOL
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KWilli - I had my last round November 2nd, so I'm now 19 days PFC. I find myself bracing for the next round, which would be Friday on my 21 day schedule, and have to remind myself that I don't have to go back. My Thanksgiving will involve a huge dose of thankfulness this year. And I don't think it's ridiculous at all to feel like something will show up on the left. I wondered about that, too, when I had a BMX. The right side was clear, but I still feel like it was only a matter of time before cancer developed on that side.
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wanderweg I wish you courage for Friday
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whoops I misunderstood your post to mean you had a chemo Fri... but you are done :-)
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Hi beauties, cool to hear that the tumors are shrinking or are getting softer. That must be a great feeling! You can feel that the chemo is working. Love that!
I’m in a much less foul mood today. This week I’ve been a flaming B. I think the time in the chair is just wearing on me. Took my gel polish off my toes and the nails look perfect. What a relief. My fingernails are much worse off. Really discolored. However, no pins and needles of neuropathy. My hair is growing like crazy on my head. My face looks horrible—I look so old. I had a hot flash and tried to flip my pillow a couple nights ago but ended up carving my face with my fingernail. Really?!? Old, wrinkled, and now scabbed. 🤬
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MGJ: I have been a B too... I'm too pooped and passive to be that nice. Though I feel reasonably ok physically, other than for about 4 days, I am anemic/winded... & mentally foggy and tired, so that I am just "over it" on things like politesse, using energy reasoning/explaining, taking extra time to be tactful, etc. I just need to be indulged, or left alone! No reasons!
Nails: I have iced.... but also I am on a diff chemo... my nails are fine but I get little isolated electric zaps occasionally in my feet. Like when a limb wakes up form being asleep, though not as painful.
Hair is now like the ghost of Bob Marley -- nearly bald but some wispy pale blond baby hair remaining. (Lower legs going strong.) Weight is about 10 lbs lower than before chemo-- I had been almost 10 lbs lower than that, but I was hungrier and I ate more dairy and a few potatoes between last two rounds and put some weight back on. Had a full monty Thanksgiving dinner which I thoroughly enjoyed before kicking off my last round of fasting-mimicking tomorrow.
Hughope: Sometimes I think it's in my head too... Or maybe I am focusing so much on my boob that I am scaring myself and tensing up that area...arm, neck, torso, & thus causing the feeling...!
But I hope it is the cancer dying... or my immune system or lymphatic system killing/ clearing cells, and it's feeling sore from all that activity. That's what I try to visualize.
I want someone to look in there and tell me WTF is happening. Scary to be a few weeks away from news abut pCR, or not. Knowing my next steps; finding out whether or not more treatment happens after radiation. Mine is a scary kind cancer, and my long term survival odds rely a lot on what this surgery discovers about my degree of response. I know it has been a good response, but will it be a great one?
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MGJ and santabarbarian, I'm in the same place as you, I just don't want to deal with anyone. I'm so tired of this, 5 days of starvation because nothing appeals to me and my taste buds change hourly. I was hoping the reduced doasage of taxotere was going to help, I didn't gain any fluid this time but as with you two am so tired and I gather a little depressed with this whole thing. I assume they reduced my steroid also and therefore I have been more nauseous than before.
I thought since my chemo was the day before Thanksgiving i thoughtI would be able to eat so I baked a chicken, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Well, no such luck, nausea hit me hard. At least husband got a great meal.
MGJ, is your treatments weekly? I didn't realize that, I'm thinking of you.
Santabarbarian, I am thinking about you, her2- is a tough one, I'm praying for a good response for you.
Thinking of all us on this thread, we are getting close but sometimes doesn't seem like it will ever end. Take care all.
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I did my mental health a favor and, due to a black Friday "sale" at a local shelter, I just adopted two kittens. They are sisters and are totally darling. One is tiny (runt?) and shy, yet she's very coordinated (she can leap up to the cross bar of a stool and land like a balance beam.) She is a tortoise/striped color. The other is bossier; very confident and affectionate, and clumsier and bigger. She is white with symmetrical tortoise markings. They are HILARIOUS and very playful -- I am so glad I did this! It's been less than 24 hours and they are already letting me pet them and purring like little motor boats.
KWilli I will be thinking of you on Tues when we both get our last chemos. YAY
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santabarbarian - That's the best Black Friday shopping I've ever heard of. I know those kitties will bring you joy! And I have the same ghost of Bob Marley wisps on my head. I so want it to start growing back.
I was looking at my nails today - they have a brownish line right across the middle. That's the only change I can see (I didn't ice because I'm a weenie.)
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MACTAZ: I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy your tgiving meal. I hope this round is better for you.
MGJ: I’m sure you don’t look 1/2 as old as you think, although the scabbing certainly doesn’t help!
Hughope1: I hope you’re hanging in there, lady.
Santabarbarian: You and I are both tnbc, both diagnosed in July AND finished chemo Tuesday; what kind of coincidence is that?! I’m super excited for us to be done. I really cannot bear the waiting to hear pcR. It’s scary again. What does FISH mean?
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santabarbarian-please post some pics of your Black Friday bargains!
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I will post photos soon!
FISH is the kind of test that was used to verify my HER2-negative status.
and yes, KWilli a crazy coincidence!
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Hi Everyone! I’ve been in and out reading your posts. Thank you for taking the time to leave them.
I’ve been so tired from the docetaxol and the radiation treatment that it is ridiculous. Dr called it fatigue and offered me a booklet to read...
I’m not sure if I get to ring the bell on Thursday (after last chemo) or not. If the bell is for success I failed. I did everything they told me and still ended up as stage 4 with a met in my spine. In not sure what the right thing to do is, ring or just exit. Anyone have any suggestions to share?
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Meet Simone and Nadia
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KellyAnne - Good to hear from you. I think the bell is for sticking with the chemos and doing them all. You get the bell!
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