Chemo starting December 2018
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Mary, think I had gained 10-11 lbs in 6 weeks after starting prednisone. I had dropped to less than 100 lbs by wk 6 on Taxol. Though, I believe prednisone has redistributed my weight gain mostly to my face. Is it not already torture all the SE’s that we must endure, but to have moon face adds even more insult to injury. If people didn’t know by the baldness of my head that I was fighting cancer, moon face really seals the deal.
Nanette, you are so right. Taxol was not pleasant, but the obscene amount of steroids to curb inflammation and nausea really effects us so much!
Becky, love the photo! So envious of the amount of hair you have! I can see my sides are starting to come in. Though it is a gray and dark mix and sparse. The top is still only a few long white strands, a few are exceptionally long! I’m hoping the top starts growing soon!
Ipenelope, you look great! I’m right there with you with the hair. A little peach fuzz.
Kber, interesting about how post chemo still effects us so much! I’ll know not to try and rush the recovery process. And then not over reacting to the aches and pains. Looking forward to being “regular” again. While on AC, because of all the anti-emetics, constipation was the game. But then on Taxol, flu like symptoms with 2 rounds of antibiotics, it switched to the extreme opposite. About 2-3x a day! Was seriously having a difficult time with Taxol! And now, with prednisone, happily, it’s somewhere in the middle. Not quite “normal”, but thankfully, not the extremes.
Keep the photos coming. Would love to see how everyone evolves with hair and everything!
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Penelope great picture!!
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kber, wanted to wish you a great trip to California for your son’s graduation!
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thank you, Angie!
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Hey - so back from my son's graduation. Boy am I out of shape! There was a lot of walking, which I normally enjoy, but I am pretty sore. On the other hand, it's muscle soreness from using neglected parts, not the soreness I've experienced with post chemo side effects. I was able to keep up and attend most of the events without detracting from them due to tiredness. I wore my chemo cap and a few people asked (respectfully) about it, but most just shrugged and moved on. Either way was fine with me!
The plane rides were both fine. No one was sneezing over my shoulder or coughing on my food.
Now that we are home, I'm a bit tired, but we didn't get home until 2:00 am, so that's understandable, I think. I took an extra 1/2 vacation day and slept in. Now I'm working from home this afternoon, catching up on emails and wearing my fuzzy slippers. Honestly, I haven't felt this physically and mentally good in half a year. I feel at peace.
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kber glad you had a great time. Amazing isnt it when we try to re over we find out what we've lost to chemo and the SE's but on the brighter side we know we WILL get better!! Hope you had a good day of rest 8)
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Neuropathy sucks.... my right hand it the worst. Now I'm finding it is very heat and cold intolerant!! Grabbing ice cubes... water hotter warmer than warm hurts... I accidentally quicked my thumb nail the other day and it was more painful than I recall. Only the pads/from 1st joint to end of digits of my fingers and thumb are still numbish but I never expected temperature intolerance. Anyone else notice this??
Well today was my day to get out. DH works in another county and we had to gi to his job to pick up new FMLA paperwork to get filled out. Then he drove me around to various places he also works at (He's a Corrections Officer for the State & works road crews). Them we went to the Farm stand came home with lots of fresh veggies!!
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I went to the neurologist last week, and he struck a tuning fork and put it on my foot. I felt pain, not vibration. It seems like everything is uncomfortable, even though they are numb.
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Kber - that's great you had a good visit and time at your son's graduation. Rest up!
Nanette and Mary, so sorry about the neuropathy pain. I still have some numbness and the nails are beginning to go, but no real pain. That sucks.
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I’ve been reading everyone's posts for months. You all have given me tremendous hope and very good company. I was too uncomfortable to post until today. I wanted to say thank you
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hi Toad. I understand! Hope you are feeling better
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hi Toad nice to hear from you
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Yes, Toad, welcome.
Neurologist wrote me a prescription for some anesthetic cream to help reduce the pain. It works! I gardened this morning, just wearing my crocs. My athletic shoes, which give me support, need to stay nice and clean for the gym. Once my feet and legs had it, I knew that it was time to go inside.
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Hi Toad and hope recovery is going good!!
MC- glad you were able to get the cream and it helps you!! Hopefully the neuropathy will decrease soon!!
Hope everyone is doing good!!
~Katie💗
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My recovery is going well. I have finished 28 rounds of full Breast radiation and I got my first “boost” today. My breast skin looks terrible so they gave me some prescription cream, which seems to help. My energy is a little low, but nothing compared to chemo low. I have neuropathy in my finger tips and feet. I’ve been on gabapentin for about a week, but no big improvement to report. My hair is growing back along with my eyebrows and eyelashes. I think eyelashes are my favorite.
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good for you Toad!! My eyelashes come and go... I wish they'd decide to stay lol
I had my4th Kadcyla treatment today. MO was relieved when I told him neuropathy hasn't gotten any worse... it's from the taxol he thought it was Kadcyla lol I'll be on it until December for a total of 37 treatments! But it'll kill any cancer anywhere in my body so if it tries to run again even with Rads starting soon it'll just go boom!!
I have officially lost 15 pounds since chemo ended 2/22!! So excited and best part is I'm not really trying to it's just coming off.
Tomorrow is a big cancer survivor day at my local hospital. I was sent an invite by my Nurse Navigator so I'm excited to go out on my own. I'm hoping I can hold up in the heat long enough to see all the booths and look for people I've seen at the cancer center. I'm planning on having DH sunblock all my bare skin as Kadcyla has a NO sun warning with it. I'll be wearing my red brimmed hat and taking an umbrella to give me shade.
Have a great weekend everyone. ((hugs))
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Toad, very nice to hear from you. Wish I could see some eye brows and lashes coming in. How many weeks after PFC will I start noticing real hair growth?
18 days PFC, and fatigue is hitting hard! Felt okay the first week PFC, but trying to reduce prednisone dosage, and it feels like I’m experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Guess the best thing one can do is to get lots of rest. Neuropathy doesn’t seem to be getting better. But that’s normal for the timeframe I suppose.
Nanette, sounds like a nice event at the hospital. Wish there was something similar here. Would be nice to also see some familia faces.
Hope everyone is recovering well.
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I had my surgery a week ago and just got my preliminary pathology results - no residual cancer!
Chemo did it’s job!
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yay kber! That’s excellent news
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kber that's fantastic!! Yay!!!
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kber...that's wonderful!!!!!!
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Thank you all for the warm welcomes!
Angie: I noticed peach fuzz on my head about four weeks after I finished my last taxol. I’m about 90 after my last taxol and I have all my eyelashes and eyebrows in, and my hair is about 1/2 inch long. My hair is long enough you can’t see my scalp anymore. I was always wearing a hat to stay warm, but now I’m warm enough without it.
Yay kber! That’s great news!
I’m starting physical therapy next week to loosen up my underarm area. (Finish one doctor/procedure, start another.
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kber...Congrats sweetie aren't those just the sweetest words to hear?? Way to go!! Woot woot!!
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Toad - welcome! This group has been a great support for me too.
Kber - Yay!!!!!
Angie, hang in there, it does get better, just not as quickly as we'd like.
Nanette, that event sounds nice. I wish we had something like it too!
MC - I got to get into my flower gardens this week. Tried to keep the dirt from getting in and under the nails, but failed. Now they look absolutely disgusting. Trying to figure out how to clean them up. I can't get under the nails, but apparently dirt can. Ugh. Hate this. But I LOVED being in the sunshine and playing with plants.
My eyelashes and brows are coming in slowly. Hair on my head is coming in too, but I'm jealous of you who say 90 days out and you have a half inch. The only place hair is growing quickly for me is on my face - side burns. Blonde, peach fuzz side burns. I've had to stay on top of lip and chin hair for years now, but never side burns. I think it's a SE of the letrazole (estrogen blocker) I'm on. I have no clue what to do about it. Can't pluck it - too much there. Don't want to shave because I've heard horror stories about the growth after. Threading anyone? Any permanent solutions you all know about? HELP!!!! I don't want to be the semi bald bearded lady.
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Hello ladies,
Just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing. Am now 4 weeks PFC, started tamoxifen 10 days ago and experiencing extreme fatigue. Literally can not keep my eyes open. Have noticed that each day the level of exhaustion accumulates since starting tamoxifen. Is anyone else having same experience with hormonal suppression therapy?
Hope everyone is recovering well.
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Hi Angie, sorry to hear that you’re having a hard time with Tamoxifen. I take 20 mg Tamoxifen (Teva brand) every night, so far I have no SE. I read that changing the brand might help; or start with low dose and move your way up, something to discuss with your onco.
Hello everyone, I hope you’re all doing fine.
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thanks anxious, will ask about lowering dosage or trying different brand. Could also be that I’m just beginning to recover from chemo, plus finishing out prednisone; soperhaps body is slow to adjust.
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Angie, sounds like you are being hit with a triple whammy.
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Angie, I forgot to say that lately I’m having amild anxiety episodes almost everyday.,,,, it might be from Tamoxifen.
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kber, definitely is the trifecta effect! At least today, feeling slightly clear headed. Though the extreme fatigue is still impossible.
Anxious, I too have not been feeling like my usual optimistic self. I was just thinking that for the past 10 days or so, I’ve been a bit gloomy. Spoke to the pharmacist today in regards to se’s of tamoxifen; extreme headache and fatigue, nausea, hot flashes, mood swings, and unusual dreams. Pharmacist says all except unusual dreams are normal se’s. In the last 12 days, have had 3 very unusual dreams that involve friends in personal matters. Was very strange. Maybe I need to consult an psycho-analyst to figure that out. Certainly, tamoxifen is doing something to my psyche.
Hopefully will be off prednisone in 2 weeks and things become more normal. Then we will know if it’s the tamoxifen (Teva) causing all the heavy se’s or if it’s the combination of prednisone and tamoxifen. Pharmacist is very hesitant to advise anything at the moment and MO will not deviate from standard treatment protocol. Giving it a couple of weeks before trying a different brabd
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