Chemo Starting August 2018
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MACTAZ - Nothing about taking needed pain meds makes you not badass. How else can you rest enough to heal?
MGJ - Actually Freud said humor was one of the mature coping mechanisms, so no worries there. Psychologists also use gallows humor a lot. I hope you continue to do okay on the Tamoxifen. I'm taking 81 mg aspirin daily because i have read that it boosts tamoxifen's effects. One article:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/259480.p...
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wanderweg—thanks for that article! I have to go and get some 81mg ASA today. I only have the 325mgs. I'm hopeful I will tolerate Tamoxifen well. I think the onc wanted me on the ASA to prevent DVTs but the other positive ASA/BC findings really motivate me. I was on ‘the pill’ forever and am not worried about DVTs rather CA returning is what freaks me out. Again, thank you for the article.
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look at the stats on metformin and melotonin too... Several OTC helpers for us TNBCs, but i dont know about HR+.....
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Doc just called, path came back with PCR, all clear, nothing remaining. OMG, I'm in lala land right now, I can't believe it. I'm so thankful to my August Chemo gals, wouldn't have made it without you.
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Yaaaaaayyyy!! MACTAZ I am so elated to hear this news!!
xxxxxooooo
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Great news
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Benji69!! Did you ring that bell? I hope so!!
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MACTAZ—That is the best news! Whoooohooo! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 I bet you are so stoked! 💥💥 💥 💥 YES!!!
Benji69—Are you all done? Everything went well I hope for your last Taxol today.
Santabarbarian—I forgot to ask the new onc abt the Metformin. The NP completely shot it down at the last place. I take melatonin 20 mg at night. I forgot what the melatonin was exactly for (other than sleep!) but there was some benefit for BC, but I can't remember exactly what.
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Benji69, last day, right? Hope you are celebrating.
Thanks to all, we’ve endured chemo, surgeries, radiation and other countless treatments. I’m rather a serious soul, but would love to come up with something funny to say, guess I will leave that to our resident comics MGJ and SB. 🤗😘
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MACTAZ - woo hoo!!! What a wonderful relief!
santabarbarian & MGJ - Melatonin is also helpful with those on tamoxifen (helps keep cancer cells from becoming tamoxifen resistant). So every evening I now take my tamoxifen, a 5 mg melatonin, and a baby aspirin.
benji - Bell rung today?
I went to a talk at the cancer support center given by my breast surgeon. We all introduced ourselves first (a brief statement about where we were in the cancer journey) and she was tearful as she started her talk, saying that she is overwhelmed when she is with a community of breast cancer patients because we are why she is excited to get up every day - that this is her passion. I already loved her, but I do even more now. And I stopped to say hello after and she hugged me and said I looked great. I really feel like I hit the jackpot with her.
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Is anyone still taking their last chemos on this thread? Benji is recovering, is anyone else?
We have not forgotten about you!!!
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wanderweg, sounds like a great group, wish Tennessee was within commuting distance. They don’t have such a group where I live.
My next decision will be AI or tomoxifen.
Benji69, we are here for you.
Love you gals, take care.
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I am very touched that you asked about me. Yesterday was my last scheduled taxol. I don’t know why but it was emotional for me. August was a long time ago. Port accessed, no problem. Met with oncologist. I always say my pain level is “0” but I had to admit it was maybe “3”. There was a funny argument with my husband who insisted it was a 7. I’m sure the doctor was amused that my husband would have such a strong opinion that I was wrong about MY pain level. I said a 7 would require an amputation or something. I know I have been lucky to tolerate chemo pretty well, my toes have been a problem for a while which kept me from weeding on hands and knees and finally pain in leg muscles. Tongue sores throughout Taxol but I could still eat. I gained 7 pounds since August. We compromised on 5. Anyway the doctor decided it wasn’t worth the risk of more neuropathy for the gain of one more Taxol. I was un-ported, nurses gathered around, I didn’t know we HAD a bell, never heard it ring or see nurses gathered. It was all so fast and unexpected. No chemo, gathering of nurses, kind of embarrassingly walked to a bell, gave it a little ring and kind of escaped. Relief, disbelief, a little guilty for not having #12. Kind of dreamlike. But it is over.
Today I have MRI, meet with surgeon next week, surgery February 19th. One thing down, a few more to go. Thank you all for being there. You have been such a help to me.
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my pleasure to stop by, Girls!!!
Wanderweg- I don’t have yet SE of tamoxifen, maybe I m speaking too early , I mbexercising every other day - maybe it helps. If you go to topicHormonal treatment- ladies said what really makes SE is postmenopousal pills.
If I develop some dryness in down n there- they will give me estrogen cream.
Hughope, I hope you recovered from mastectomy and wish the shoulder pain go away- do you go to physical therapy- should help , exercises
Moon Jess, you have lobular carcinoma- it was easy to diagnose? Usually it’s not showing easy on mammogram, I eill go to onc and ask if zometa a and Femara are better choices for premenopausal women but , oh, boy - they have so many SE - but they preserve bones against bone metastasis.
Mactaz- speedy recovery!!!
Benji - last chemo whohooo!!! Best wishes!!!
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Hair update—the front is still quite thin but looking better as it's starting to darken. (There's a line on my forehead from my hat!)0 -
OMG it is more than twice as thick as it was in the last photo!!
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Bostonian—yes, the lobular was extremely difficult to get diagnosed. Never showed up on 3D mammo just 3 mo prior to diagnosis (it wasn't particularly small and was multifocal.) Plus, I showed it to my on/gyn 8 months prior to diagnosis and he said it was nothing. Damn lobular is just a sneaky beast and drs miss it. My RO this week told me it was the number one cancer in litigation. That makes total sense. I've only been on tamoxifen for a few days but I feel just fine. The AIs give me pause when I hear about the SE. I'm just not ready to fully commit to go there yet. However, next month when I get Oncotype results I might reconsider and have the ooph and start the AIs.
Santabarbarian—the hair is looking better but she's got a ways to go still. I found some white hairs that are so strange. They look like winding, switchback roads.
Benji—Congratulations! All done! Nice work! Chemo slayer 🍾🎉🍾🎉🍾🎉🍾🎉 (I always deny my pain, too for some reason. I know better, but I do it also)
Someone in the passport agency took pity on me and actually issued my passport. It's awful but it's in hand and now I have 10 years with it. My daughter laughed at it and said I looked like something out of a sci-fi show. An alien of some kind, I suppose. 2 weeks of rads done!
👽 Take me to your leader
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MACTAZ—how you doing? Feeling any better?
Wanderweg—that sounds like an amazing group. How cool!
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Benji - Good grief, you got through a LOT of chemo - you earned that bell! So glad you're done!
Bostoniangel - I'm post-menopausal, but still on tamoxifen. I do know the AIs seem to have more side effects.
MGJ! You're hair has really come in a lot since the last time you posted!
I went to see my MO today for my first post-chemo follow-up. I asked about the plan and whether I'd be eventually switched to an AI. He said he didn't think that would make sense because of my osteopenia and also because there was only a minimal advantage for an AI in my particular case. He said he wanted me to take tamoxifen for ten years and then we'd discuss what to do next! He was stoked that I'm not having any side effects yet, and is monitoring liver enzymes and also cholesterol (which can be affected by tamoxifen). After the appointment, we drove up to see a herd of elk that have been reintroduced north of us. And of course, I'm enjoying being out without my head covered!
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OMG, you gals look fabulous. I’m getting fuzz so hope to post a pic in a week or so. MGJ, I can’t believe how much you hair has filled in, looking good. Wanderweg, you look fabulous, hair looks good, the style actually fits your face. Ever consider leaving it that way.
I’m doing good, I graduated to sports bra after met with PS, he said all looks good. Hoping to get one drain out on Mon or Tues, the. Second drain on Wednesday along with my first “pump me up” session.
I will be facing hormone therapy soon, it seems you all think tomoxifen is better than AI’s because fewer SE. I have osteoporosis so was worried about AI
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Moon girl Jess- you rock, soon you won’t believe you had no hair before because you eill have Lush hair !!!!
I read somewhere that got better screening they should use ultrasound and mri and better Msmmogragh .
It’s scary .
There is not much screen for stomach cancer for younger patients so as well as screening for dense breasts and lobular carcinoma
Wanderweg- read about zometa and femara they don’t let cancer to metastasize to bones but SE worse but that pills recommended for premenopausal scwell
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wanderweg—you look amazing. I think the short hair suits you! Seriously, you look gorgeous!
I have a date with some friends who haven’t seen me in months. I’m going to slap on some eyeliner and blush and try to look presentable.
It is such a hard choice between tamoxifen and an AI. I’m doing fine on the tamoxifen but I’ve only taken it a few days. If anything I think it has curbed my appetite. Which for me isn’t a big deal but I’m just aware of it.
Have a great Saturday!
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MGJ, you won’t look presentable, you will look FABULOUS
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wow! Beautiful, wanderweg!
The “Sinead-ing around town” comment has empowered me to embrace the shaven head look and actually take off my hat in public. I have been black-knit capped since August. It’s really become a security blanket of sorts. I borrowed a bit of courage from every brave soul here and went out hatless! Thank you ladies.
It’s been 25 days since my BMX; it’s still lumpy and swollen; quite tender. I am exhausted all the time; walking daily (treadmill because it’s -31 here in Manitoba).
Thank you for the courage! XO
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KWilli - That made me tear up! And you look great! I've come to the opinion that covering up is more about making other people not have to think about cancer, and why should we do that? Our close-cropped heads are badges of courage.
MGJ - Thanks, and I bet you get compliments. How'd it go?
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KWilli you look beautiful! BRAVO
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kiwilli, you look great, you guys have so much courage. I think I just need a bit more on top before I could go sinead-ing. All you women inspire me, I do have some fuzzy growth, more on the sides with just a little on top. It.is all whiteish and light gray though and can’t see it very well.
Hugs to you all.
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Yay KWilli!!!! And Woot! Woot Benji!!!! Also wonderful MACTAZ!! Wanderweg, you look great!!
I’m so curious as to what my OC decides. Tamoxifen or Arimidex. Most of my tumor was TNC. Only 10% was ER+. I’m post menopausal with slight osteopenia. I’ll find out in a couple of weeks. Taking 81mg Aspirin twice daily now for my blood disorder.
Here’s my hair 16 weeks PFC. I’m only Sineading still in the house. I’m still a weenie about going to wor without a wig or head covering. I admire you so much KWilli and Wandeweg!! I just can’t get over all of the gray. Maybe my pigment will kick in soon. Sigh.
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cefinkc, look at all that beautiful hair, you guys are giving me hope. I think mine will be similar in color to yours, I think it looks distinguished. I have several weeks yet before I can post a pic with hair. Wookiee like fuzz, but not full coverage, on my head now. I can’t wait.
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YASSSSS cefinkc! Love love love the grey! I have no idea what mine is. In the time before it was more a strawberry-blondish and curly. Now it's either going to be charcoal grey or brown? My eyebrows and lashes, arm hair are all pin-straight; the bit I have on my head is straight as well. I'm hoping it's straight and dark! It will be pretty cool.
I got a call today that I have to go see a Radiation Oncologist; I'm not sure if they're going to recommend rads or not. My Medical Oncologist has sent a request to the pathologist for "extra special" testing; I'm not sure what that means for me. I have a follow up appt with the BS today to check out the healing progress on my new flat chest (that's actually a bit lumpy and swollen still; but the scar looks great).
As I'm a TN gal, there's no maintenance drug approved here in Canada; and I don't have BRCA mutations (thank goodness) so no trials are available to me. We'll see how this goes.
BEST of love to all! xo
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