Chemo starting January 2019
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Has anyone experienced frequent periods during chemo? My period ended before my first round and then started again on round 2 and now again after round 3. Is this normal? Usually it's supposed to go away. So dealing with double whammy everytime!!
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MLAnne - I am having the same issue as you with the GI tract. I am so bloated some days its ridiculous. I thought about taking Gas X but with everything else I am taking not sure if its worth it or not.
Round three on Monday. My MO is not in so I get to meet with the PA this time. I hope she can give me something to prevent thrush this round. I really don't know if I can handle it again.
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Hi ladies. I have so many things to respond to but maybe tomorrow. I had round 3 Wednesday and I'm wiped out today...
Mylife42... my period was horrible and long during round 2. Asked MO and was told my cycle is just off and maybe i wont get it next month... then BAM... it came today. I have had it each round. I'm annoyed.
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I haven't had my period since I started Chemo. Perhaps because I was on Tamoxifen between the lumpectomy and the start of chemo?
I definitely crashed harder after round 3. So glad I had the following two days off because I needed to nap both days and would not have survived at work. Sucks for my paid-time-off balance but I suppose I should be grateful to have it so I don't have to worry about taking a cut in pay or working when I shouldn't be.
Also, it might be my imagination, but I feel a bit more nauseous this round. Not terribly bad but enough that I am glad for the aromatherapy scents a friend sent me at the start of this journey.
The recent relentless snows Minnesota has been experiencing has not helped my mental health either. Even though DH takes care of shoveling and dog walking, I am just done with winter.
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Winter hasn’t been as bad here in VT as MN but I usually get to FL for Christmas and February break and haven’t been able to so I too am done with winter!!
I wish I still had paid time off. All of mine was used for surgery so I am just making do with a cut in pay and trying to work as much as I can. I am worried with round 3 coming up but time will tell!
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Round 3 is done. I have become anemic which is normal. Got a prescription for oral thrush. Nothing to prevent it except rinse with baking soda and salt which I do. Interesting the nurse for the PA suggested that to much probiotics aren't good. I said where is the balance especially if you are dealing with GI issues too.
I hope everything is doing well. Check in when you can. Hugs to all!
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Round 3 is Friday, yesterday I had an ultrasound. The radiologist said it looked like it shrunk about 1/3. Waiting for the official report but looks like the chemo is working. I am hoping round 3 goes as well as round 2.
Jenkns00 my MO stted not to take my probotics as well. I also take a magnesium supplement with helps me with the constipation which they allowed.
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rrshannon, YES!!!!!! Way to go!!! Kick that sucker to the curb!
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Awesome news rrshannon!!!
How is everyone doing?
A week out from Round 3 and this one really kicked my butt. I was so fatigued, winded, GI distress and my mouth is just tore up. I rinsed with baking soda and salt after every chemo and I still get thrush and sores. Nothing to prevent the thrush either.
Hope everyone is well and having minimal SE's! We are having winter in Texas right now. 26 degrees with a windchill of 13. Pretty late cold snap for us.
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Round 3 kicking my butt too... hoping a good nap will help!
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Round 2 was Friday. I’ve been napping much of the day, but it hasn’t been too bad so far. Minor SE’s but manageable. I wonder if it’s easier because I had 6 weeks to get round 1 out of my system.Good luck to all!
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I finished my round 4 of AC last week and it has been a rough one. Lots of fatigue and bone pain but my MO was great about treating my side effects. Now I have a sore throat that’s driving me crazy! I am starting Taxol next week so I’m a little nervous about it. Anybody else starting taxol soon
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Just finished my 4th and last round of AC!! Yay! Hopefully all goes well. Starting taxol on the 19th. Have heard mixed things about it. Also is anyone getting or have had ovaries removed? Onc said either that or ovary suppression shot every month since I am ER+/PR+. Won't happen til chemo is done but he said something to think about.
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Congrats on last AC! I have my last AC next week and am hoping I deal with Taxol much better than I dealt with AC!
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Congratulations on those finishing AC!!! Yahoo!
I am not sure what my MO is planning with me as I have one ovary left. She is hoping chemo puts me into menopause. If that doesn't happen then will discuss removal or ovary suppression since I am ER+/PR+ too. I will find out in April when I see my MO three weeks after I finish my last round March 18th.
Anyone else dealing with constant runny nose, congestion, and eyes watering? Its worse at work than at home. I bend over and my nose is like a faucet dripping. Sorry if that is gross.
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No congestion, but running nose and eyes watering are a major yes!! Very annoying but it's better than some of the other SE.
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Congrats to those finishing round 4. AC for me years ago was so much rougher than the TC. I have had 3 rounds and so far only had pain after round 1 and about 5 days of fatigue after each round.
I have and some watery eyes and blurry vision as well, I will take that over any pain.and Each round the fatigue has not been as bad as the last. I was thinking the TC would get accumulatively worse but for me thankful it has not.
Trying to get my surgery scheduled now so that once round 4 is done everything will be in place to move forward.
As for the ovary suppression, in 2001 I had an ovary removed due to a large dermoid cyst, the 2003 triple negative bc (age 35) and with the genetic testing negative for BRCA they decided not to remove my other ovary. Then in 2014 I was having issues with my cervix and after a lot of appointments, scans and tests, including more genetic testing I finally convinced my Gyno Onco to give me had a hysterectomy due to gyno family history. Thankfully she did as I had precancer in my endometrium and remaining fallopian tube. Still after the hysterectomy (age 47) I had no menopause systems and surprised to have the new diagnosis of ER+ breast cancer.
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Looks like Round 3 is a butt-kicker for a lot of people. It certainly has been for me. I "bragged" about low SEs after 1 and 2, and my MO even complimented on how well I was doing, said I should write a book! LOL! That jinxed me for sure. I had Round 3 on 2/28, and took my usual Friday and Monday off work, but then had to stay home Tuesday and Wednesday too due to bad fatigue and really weird frequent severe flashes of pain in my hips, knees, and the tops of my feet. So bad I had to take a couple of my oxycodone to sleep at night. Also, the tasting distortion seems worse this time around. Pretty much nothing tastes as it should which really makes eating a chore. Someone should make a diet pill that does that; they'd make a fortune!
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Anyone else gaining weight? Especially in the abdomen? I am. Pants hardly fit. I think it's all the steroids they give me. Seems like I am hungry all the time too.
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I am gaining weight each dr weigh in and it is also all in my abdomen. I look so swollen. I am in sweat pants mostly now bc my pants don’t fit. It is definitely the steroids for me and all I want and can somewhat taste is sweet stuff! My dr says maybe I’ll be able to reduce the steroids on Taxol as I take them for pre med and for a week after my ACs. Ugh!
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ruffian and nanomom— I’ve definitely gained too in my abdomen. My yoga pants are my best friend these days.
I go in for my last and 4th treatment tomorrow. I have noticed a lot more fatigue after the third round. I have even been napping this past week I’m so tired. I’m usually over that by this point.
My eyes and nose have been dripping like crazy. It is annoying. The skin under my eyes looks so rough. I will need some amazing eye cream when I’m done!
I was so worried about constipation after my second round being so bad— no worries there because all I had was diarrhea after the third round. I have a serious medicine cabinet now! Not sure what to expect this go around but I’m prepared lol.
Give mad props to all that are working through this. You have incredible stamina and strength
Wishing for spring weather to come soon and minimal side effects to all! Good luck!
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I lost some weight the first and second round and then I started the steriods and gained it all back for the third round. Pretty sure I will have gained when I go back next week. They definitely help with the nausea, but they also make me want to eat constantly!
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I am in the same boat as everyone else with gaining weight. Wearing sweats at home and stretchy jeans to work. Luckily I can do this otherwise I would had to buy new work slacks. Not!!!! I am hungry too during the first week! I thought to myself how can I be this hungry but nauseous at the same time. Then thrush kicks in and taste goes out the window.
I did notice this last round I wasn't bloated right after from the previous two rounds. I noticed this nurse really took the time with getting the air out of the syringes and even with the infusions. No beeping from air being in the IV's. Felt better.
Near 80 today! This up and down with tempatures is not helping my nose.
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I would agree with everyone here, round 3 of the AC definitely was worse than the first 2. I am supposed to go for my final round this coming Wednesday, but I'm worried because I seem to have caught the cold the rest of my family has been passing around. Has anyone been sick during chemo? I don't have a fever or anything, just sore throat and runny nose.
So how is everyone tolerating Taxol? I'm worried because now that I have the side effects of AC figured out they will be throwing something new at me. The only thing the nurse the my Onc's office said is they hit you pretty hard with benadryl because it's more common that people have a reaction to the Taxol, so it benadryl makes you sleepy be prepared to be done for the day after your infusion.
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I have a perpetual runny nose and always wake up with a sore throat since round 2, but was cleared for round 3. I think both are just SE and not a cold, but I work with little kiddos so who knows!
I too wonder about Taxol. From what I have read it is “easier” than AC so I am hoping it is. Mine will be every two weeks for four rounds and most info I see is people having it weekly so I wonder how I will tolerate it! My MO too has said I will be given massive dose of benedryl to ward off any reaction but between that and Ativan I will just sleep.
This Thursday is my last AC. Hoping everything goes smoothly but know I have not bounced back yet from round 3
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Hi everyone, I’m glad everyone’s getting through their treatments, albeit with a range of unpleasant SEs. I haven’t checked in here or updated for ages because after #1 & #2 I developed a really bad aversion to anything chemo-related - talking about it, reading about it, thinking about it - ughh! - everything to do with it makes me feel sick.
I had my 4th & final AC on Fri - hooray! I actually started getting acupuncture just before the 3rd round & am still getting it and oh boy has it made a difference!!!! I mean, I still don’t feel wonderful but I’m a lot less sick & much more capable of normal activity. The Neulasta effects (when they kick in, probably tomorrow) are still nasty, but overall last time I felt so much better & seemed to recover at least 3 days earlier. Oh & I didn’t even end up taking any dexa post-infusion (the nausea was quite mild & I hate the after effects of dexa).
I start weekly Taxol on March 29. Everyone had told me it’s “so much easier” than AC but now they’re starting to tell me more about all the pre-meds they have to load you up with in case of a hypersensitivity reaction, so I’m getting all nervous again. Fear of the unknown.
I have fasted 48 hrs before & 24 hrs after each AC which has been seriously tough but I think it has helped, although I haven’t been SE free they haven’t been too many or dreadful (mainly initial nausea, tiredness, & just not being able to find any food that appeals - even though food TASTES ok).
Oh and apparently my haemoglobin is now quite low, if it gets much lower I might need a *blood transfusion* eeek.
Good luck to all you lovely ladies, who’d have ever thought we could get through an ordeal like this?
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Hi ladies, I hope everyone is managing ok with your treatments and SE’s. I wonder if anyone has experience with this .....
I’m on day 11 of my 2nd round of TCH. Last week was bleh, not horrible but bone pain, diarrhea, mouth sores, fatigue, etc. I felt like I turned the corner on Saturday (day 9) and most SE’s were gone or minor, except the fatigue. Today I feel good, nearly normal, EXCEPT that I have no energy! I want to get out and get back to a normal routine, but just moderate activity wipes me out and I need to rest. I don’t know if I’m still coming out of that low point and will continue to improve over the next few days, or if this is my new normal. Any thoughts?
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I have also gained some weight in my middle during ac, I'm assuming due to steroids. I'm also hungry a lot but feel bloated after I eat. No period so far this time around, so relieved. I am also weary of starting Taxol(19th). Hope all goes well for those of you starting soon. Sunday heading to Mayo clinic for surgery consult for single mastectamy. I am opting for flat. Have heard it can cause some balance issues? Don't really want all the surgeries that come along with reconstruction. Plan on getting prosthetic. Anyone here have helpful input on this?
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Kathy03- I can’t speak to TCH, but yes, I fatigue very easily and have to rest more often than I would like.
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I’m about 3 weeks behind you Kathy03, also doing TCHP - rd1, day 13. I have found that my energy has waxed and waned over the last week. I’m doing a QiGong video every day & it feels like it gives me a little extra boost of energy. It’s slow and easy, but there’s a lot of nice breathing, and I think it helps. Good luck
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