Chemo starting December 2018
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Christine!! Congrats and what a happy face 8)
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Nice to hear from everybody...its good to know that everybody is doing fine and coping well!
Take care everybody and enjoy the weekend!
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Christine - you look so happy! AND you look great. Happy, beautiful and healthy. One week and hopefully I'll be joining you with my happy face. I found out yesterday my RO does have a bell to ring and I'm going to ring the shit out of that thing on Friday!!!!
I agree with anxious - hope you all have a great weekend!
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As a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis I jokingly asked my Oncologist when I could stop chemo. His reply was “never”. So I will not get to ring the bell in celebration. I am so very happy that others do get to finish and move on from the daily effects of this disease. I hope for a vaccine to prevent cancer. I hope for therapies to cure cancer. I hope for maintenance medications to assist in quality of long life for those that cannot be cured.
Congrats to all that ring the bell! I support you 1000% from the sidelines with all my heart.
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So great to hear from everyone!
Christine you look fabulous! JCS, medicine and science are always on the verge of discoveries. Therapies to find a cure may just be around the corner. Becky, please do take a photo of ringing the sh*t out of that bell come Friday!
6 more rounds of Taxol to go and I’ll be so glad to be done! Still feels like a long way, but it will be here before I know it.
Wishing everyone well as you finish active treatment.
xx
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I found out this morning that the white discoloration in some of my fingernails is actually the nail separating from the nail bed. I hope this doesn't sound petty but this really stinks!!! I thought I'd beaten Taxol and made it through with only neuropathy as my fingernails have been so strong going through it. I did develop Beau's lines but didn't know those could be precursors to nail lose! I'm in tears and just showed my husband 3-4 of the nails that will probably come off. I did find 2 interesting links here in the forum, even though they're really old, but they are helpful and informative.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/72/topics/667760
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics/709416?page=2#post_5211170
I also think I have hand and foot syndrome as I had a weird spot on the side of my right heel and dh said it looked like my skin was peeling away. He asked if I'd done anything to my foot and I told him NO it was itchy a few days ago. Here's a link for this wonderful side effect
http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/side-effects/handfoot-syndrome.aspx
come to find out that even though I'm done with Taxol.... it just seems to be the chemical that keeps on giving, and giving and giving!!! I wish the oncologist had mentioned the nail loss or the foot thing as possible side effects. Maybe mentally I would have been more prepared that I'm falling apart
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Nanette, I too have the nail thing, but have been told that I probably won't lose the nails - it's not a certainty. I was told to keep them short and in so many words, baby them. For example, I don't open any pop cans or do anything that requires me to use the nail. When I first started having the pain (before the nails looked anything like this) my NP said one woman kept her hands well moisturized and wrapped the nails in bandaids til it all grew out.
I'm thankful they no longer hurt, but I agree, this sucks. Now I didn't have taxol, but rather taxotere but since they both start with tax I'm guessing they're related, lol. I've been watching this develop and it seems that it's a race between the nail separating from the top and the nail growing out from the bottom. Can't do anything much, but I'm choosing to be optimistic. I've attached a pic of the nails here so you can tell if this is what you're experiencing. It's not gross, but it's not attractive either. Sorry the pics are soo HUGE. I can't figure out how to shrink them down lol, so I've given up. My toes don't seem to be doing this, but they started hurting a week or two (or maybe more I don't remember) after the fingers started hurting. They don't feel loose or tender. There's just a tad bit of what I'd describe as numbness at the tips of a few fingers. But they don't look pretty. I've also read to avoid nail polish with a couple of exceptions, so I'm just ruling out any nail treatments for the time being.
Taxotere - the gift that keeps on giving!
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hi Becky yes taxotere and taxol are in the same class with taxol being slightly "kinder" to its victims lol
My nails aren't as advanced as yours but similar. My thumb is the most advanced and is lifting right in the middle of the nail bed starting at the edge going inward. I wouldn't have found it if I hadn't been using my orange stick last night cleaning underneath the nails 8(
I've been trying to be kind to them and using a fortified nail strengthened. They are as hard as carpentry nails and actually other than them starting to lift in the best shape they've ever been in. As for my feet my R big toe is the worst with lots of white showing all through the nail and on my left foot looks like 4 out of 5 will be leaving eventually.
It's just so disheartening to have it start to happen 5 weeks PFC. I'm actually naive enough to think if it didn't happen during treatment it wouldn't ever happen.... well SURPRISE....sigh
I don't think the nails will come off again due to our treatments so maybe that's the weird blessing in disguise.
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Toenails are worse for me.0 -
JCSLibrarian ~ and I hope for you that you have YEARS of a good life ahead of you....seeing your family, sleeping well and painless at night, living every day to its fullest. Chemo is hard, but it does work a lot of the time. Sending very positive thoughts your way in your treatment. Big, big hugs. ~ Lillian
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I had three rounds of Taxotere and one round of Taxol....and I asked the team, "hey, isn't Taxol more likely to give me neuropathy, because if so, I'll take my chances with Taxotere." I was told not to worry because "that only happens after 6 or 7 treatments."
Well, guess what? My feet are tingly a lot. And last night, I noticed when I walked around barefoot on my hardwood floors (which I won't do again), both of feet were completely numb all over.
My first thought was....I KNEW IT! I guess I'll never really know which drug, or both, did it. Hope it goes away over time, but it is better than cancer. I won't complain.
Christine, you look great and CONGRATULATIONS!
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ok you're all making me feel better so 8) you showed me yours now I'll show you mine...what I'm trying to show is the white spots that,are showing up where the nail is lifting
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Sigh. Fair trade, beauty for life. But still not easy.
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so true Mary so true. What is it Joyce Meyers said once? From the Beautyfrom ashes! Kind of fitting for us chemo ladies
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Speaking about hair and nails, are you ladies taking any vitamins or planning to take vitamins (Biotin) for hair and nails? I did not take any vitamins during chemo, tomorrow I am two weeks post last chemo, is it safe to take vitamins and eat salad?
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I'm generally a skeptic when it comes to this kind of stuff, so I did a little research. From what I read, there aren't really any studies proving it helps, but it might. There are relatively little risks associated with taking it, so I might even try it. But I did read this in one article:
"However, hair, skin, and nails supplements do come with one warning: Even in small amounts, they can sometimes totally screw with your lab test results. This is especially true if you're testing for issues with your thyroid or hormone levels, cardiac troponin levels (used to diagnose heart attacks), or vitamin D levels. This could lead to bogus results and misdiagnosis, which could potentially be dangerous.
"The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) further warns that the biotin effect on the monitoring of cardiac troponin has resulted in at least one death due to a falsely reported low results," says Michelle Galant, M.D., dermatologist at Stanford Health Care."
With all the blood tests we're going through or are finishing up and may yet face ahead, this is something we might want to keep in mind and discuss with our doctors. I see my RO on Monday and will be asking him about this.
But I eat a Spinach and goat cheese salad almost daily, lol. And apparently spinach is food which contains biotin. So, anxious, I'm six weeks post chemo and am eating salads.
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I just made my appointment for post chemo surgery follow up - I can't tell you (I guess I hardly need to tell you!) how good it feels to plan something, anything, for life post chemo. I'm doing chemo first, surgery second, and taking a concrete step for the next phase seems like an important milestone. I have 4 chemo treatments left and I am so ready to be done!
FWIW, my oncologist and nutritionist advice re: supplements vs. diet was that they wanted me to avoid some supplements but I could not possibly eat enough spinach or tangerines to adversely impact chemo effectiveness.
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kber kind of scary isn't it...making appointments for surgery...sigh but it does mark the beginning of the next phase of our beating the c%#$ out if cancer
To the rest of you lovelies... please take care of yourselves. I'll be checking in when I can I have my BMX tomorrow morning and I have to be at the hospital 630-645am for the Sentinel dye loading thing .. then it's off to pre-OP where the surgeon will make her permanent marker mark's to guide her surgery...then the Sentinel biopsy and if that's clear the Plastic Surgeon will do the temp implants and then to recovery room and to my room sometime around dinner time. OMG I hope they order my dinner. After "sleeping" all day I imagine I'll be starving lol
Until I make it back ((HUGS)) to All of you
~Nanette
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Post-surgical nausea can be wicked. I think you will be happy with jello, bouillon, and toast.
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Nanette, I’ll be praying for you tonight for a successful surgery tomorrow; and for aquick & easy recovery. You got this!
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Nanette...good luck!!! You have all of us cheering you on!!!!!!!
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Nanette,
Thinking of you today as you go in for surgery. I’ll be in the chair for #7 Taxol, sending you lots of positive energy.
xx
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I did my first boost of radiation yesterday, now 3 more to go and I. AM. DONE!!!
So far radiation hasn't been that bad. I now have one spot under the breast that is about dime size and looks/feels raw. Otherwise, doing fine. Breast is red, nipple is sore, skin is "burned" but not really painful and I haven't had much itching. I'm told to expect the skin to get a little worse even after the treatments are finished for a few days, then it's all good and everything should clear up relatively quickly.
Nail update - unfortunately my optimism was not completely warranted. Looks like I'm losing one, probably two nails and I'm skeptical for a third now also. What really sucks is they are both of my pointer fingers.
I also went to a dermatologist yesterday for a full body mole check. Figured one benefit of no hair was an ability to see everything. I'm clear - no signs of skin cancer. Dr. did actually recommend biotin for hair regrowth and latisse for lashes. Said he'd write me a script for them once he gets the ok from my MO. He said there was nothing really to do for the nails, just be patient and let it all grow out. Not what I wanted to hear, but oh well, at least I know.
And I scheduled my colonoscopy. No more procrastination or excuses. I am now Proactive!!!! Also, I figured I've more than met my deductible for insurance, let's get every doctor appointment I could possibly need in the first half of the year so I can be mostly doctor visit free for the second half of the year. Anyone else getting tired of doctor offices?!!!!
It's sunny and warmer here today, my mood is good, and the end of treatment is near!
Nanette - hope the surgery went smoothly and recovery will be quick and easy!
Angie, hope your lungs are clearing up and the treatment yesterday didn't kick your butt.
Kber - are tangerines especially good for us chemo warriors, or do you just really like them? And by tangerines, does that mean the whole orange family - tangerines, oranges, clementines?
Hope you all have a good day too!
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I read there’s something about the orange family chemistry that really helps with oral health. The are acidic to start, but convert to alkaline once eaten.I found they helped with thrush and preventing mouth sores.
That said, could be bs. I do like them and they are good for vitamin C, so what’s the harm?
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Hi everyone 👋 I'm home. It really wasn't too bad and a million times better than I projected. PS gave me a good nerve block so no real pain just pressure. My BS came to see me this morning and I proudly showed my range of motion and she was excited!! She also said "Let's sit down and tell me what you remember about yesterday." I told her I vaguely remember hearing my cancer spread. Yes it has spread to my second set of nodes on the left. She took the Sentinel node on the right and it was clean. So it means this crap is more aggressive than the taxol and I now have to face radiation in my L armpit and the chest wall. This is not what I wanted to hear at all. I had hoped and prayed that the BMX was the end of it, but I guess God has other plans. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE METASTATIC TRIPLE+ IDC!!! I DON'T WANT A SHORTER LIFE SPAN!! I WANT TO BE "NORMAL" AGAIN!! I will see my MO in 2 weeks for my Herceptin treatment and discuss what meds he'll be adding to stop this. Someone please stop this train I want to get off now 😥
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Oh Nanette. I'm glad the surgery wasn't as bad as you feared, but so sorry you didn't get all good news. Hang in there, lady. You've been through worse - you can do this. Hugs.
(on edit "you've been through worse" seems like a dumb thing to say when trying to cheer someone up, but the sentiment is you are stronger than anything thrown at you yet and I believe that's not going to change. More hugs.)
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Nanette, that sucks. Cancer sucks. Treatment sucks. It all just sucks. Let yourself grieve for a day or so (Not that I'd be able to not, but I'd feel guilty and I don't want you to be like me!). Then do what you have to and what you can. That's all. One day at a time. One obstacle at a time. You are strong, even though it's exhausting to have to be strong. I really don't have the words to express what I feel for you. So, sending good thoughts, positive vibes and wishing on a star.
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Nanette,
Happy to hear you’re home, but sorry to hear that it’s not all good news. Radiotherapy treatments can work wonders. Keep the faith. I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. We’re all with you on this journey.
Sending you lots of hugs.
xx
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Nanette, I'm so sorry the news wasn't all good. They are doing amazing things with treatment though, and as someone told me about worrying....don't worry about things that may happen. Today is a setback, but it just means you need more treatment. Radiation is much easier than chemo and it will kill everything in its path. It's like a nuclear bomb on cancer. Boom....shock and awe.
You are not alone and we are with you every step of the way. Big hugs.
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Nanette, glad to hear your okay but sorry to hear the bad news. Lillianis right, don’t worry about the things that might happen, stay strong!
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