Starting chemo April 2019
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mpv459 - I had a friend tell me that her oncologist put a small dot on a piece of paper and said 'that is the one cell that we need to kill with the chemo' - I thought it was a good image to have. We HAVE to get that 'one' so that it doesn't multiply and grow down the line. I asked my own onco the same question. She said with the type of cancer I have (triple positive) - the chance of recurrence after my BMX is 30% - with the chemo she said it will lower it to less than 10% chance of recurrence. I definitely want the 10%. So we're going to do this and kick those cells in the tail!
I finally got my start date: Tuesday 4/30 - so still waiting (rather impatiently). Guess I need to plan a bunch of girlfriend lunch dates this week to help take my mind off the waiting!!!
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From SaltyPepper:
It feels actually strange that I am not "sick" and that for the most part still 99% of the people in my life have zero idea I even have cancer. I buzzed my long hair last week the night before treatment but I have not posted anything at all about having cancer and did not publicly post a short hair picture on FB or anything.
I guess it all just seems a little surreal at times.
Hi SaltyPepper, I so agree and can relate. I'm on TC too and before my first and so far only chemo, I kept reflecting on the fact that we go to the doctor to get some relief from whatever is ailing us but I wasn't feeling sick so did I really have to do this? Of course, the answer was yes but I too found it so surreal.
I buzzed my head this week which was hard but was made easier by my boyfriend doing his head along with me!
I have my second round on Wednesday 4/24 and I'm hoping against hope it will be as smooth as the first. I really believe acupuncture made a difference. Good luck to everyone starting this week! Happy Easter!
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Sweet to see the photos of you and loved ones. I joked with my son that if I have chemo (recommendation in a few days) we can get a group picture with him (balding, and in the military with 1/8" buzz cut,) my husband (bald on top,) and son's new baby boy (still bald!)
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ILOVERMONT:
You look great! Who knew we could all rock a bald head? So sweet that your boyfriend buzzed in solidarity. My youngest daughter has hair down to her waist. She asked me if I wanted "half" to make a Halo wig. I was floored, because her hair is something she is known for as a professional dancer. Just the offer made me nearly cry.
I guess it is good that we are all feeling less impressed with cancer than our original expectations! Better than it being far worse than expected, right?
Thanks on the tip for asking for them to run C over an hour Sparklegirl2018! I am definitely wanting to avoid a repeat!
Using today to catch up on house stuff- enjoy the weekend everyone!
Karen0 -
So this happened yesterday. A few hairs had started coming out on Tuesday. Was hoping to keep my hair til Friday, for a special event we attended. In the shower, chunks came out. I mean chunks. Didn't hurt, just was everywhere. So bit the bullet and had my husband shave my head. Was surprised I didn't get emotional. My husband offered to do his head too, I didn't want him to. Appreciated the offer though. Was kinda liberating.
Ended up wearing my wig last night to the event. Similar to my hair but so much more of it. Wonder if they can thin it some.
ILOVERMONT, You and your husband are so cute! You’re rocklin the cut! I feel the same as you, don't normally feel sick, got thru first round pretty good. 2nd round on Tuesday,4/23. Just as my taste is co one back. I’m pretty much an open book. All my friends and family know about my BC. But only a select few get to see my bald head, including all of you here!
Hope everyone has a great weekend! On to next week and some of us start again. Hang on, we can do this
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DebraC and ILOVERMONT - You both look great!
I think we each have our next round on chemo next week. I have my second round of TC on Tuesday, the 23rd. Frankly, I'm a bit nervous. Not sure I'm ready to jump back in to not feeling well. BUT I AM ready to get this over with. Sooooo back on steroids tomorrow.
Happy Easter everyone!
Rock on!
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Hi Girls,
DebraC and ILOVERMONT you look great, Bald is beautiful and so easy to take care of.
I am feeling better today, bloody nose, little headache
Good luck to everyone this next week.
Happy Easter!
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Dear New Friends (if I may),
Your posts have made me feel so much better. Thank you to every one of you for creating such a supportive community. I have read this full thread over the past few days and it has given me great comfort.
If my upcoming bone scan is clear, I am starting chemo this Friday (April 26th) . The bone scan is terrifying, but I already had a Chest CT scan which showed lungs and liver to be mets free. My BS says 10% chance of mets; my MO says 5% chance.
My MO wants 8 weeks of Dose Dense AC followed by 12 weeks of weekly Taxol. I'm having chemo before surgery because my lymph nodes are matted together and tightly hugging an artery. Those lymph nodes need to shrink! The recommendation post chemo is bilateral mastectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (ovary/fallopian tube removal) followed by radiation. I had genetic tests, but the results are not in. I have no family history of breast/ovarian cancer. I was told the aggressive approach is due to my age (39). Also, I'm 13 years free of thyroid cancer.
I have an oncology naturopath (who collaborates with my MO and BS). She told me to avoid curcumin/turmeric supplements during AC due to possible interference with C. She wants me to take Glutamine during Taxol. If I'm stage 4, she'll add on a Vitamin C IV, but says that is a little too out-of-the-box for a Stage 3 hormone receptor positive cancer. I asked my MO about cold gloves/socks during Taxol. He said go for it, but there is no evidence to support. I'm glad to hear of the Claritin for Neulasta bone pain. I'm already taking Claritin daily for allergies.
Dx 3/27/2019, IDC, Right, 12mm, Stage III, Grade 1, ER+/PR+,HER2- (IHC)
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Hi Ladies,
After about five days, the pain caused by the port placement finally went away.
I think I got most of everything I will need chemo next week. I also have the cold gloves/socks, but do I need them for AC ? I will have T about 4 cycles of AC.
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Welcome Ellientta- I am sorry that you find yourself needing treatment again. I cannot imagine. Please let us know how the scans go. That wait is terrible.
Fac03 - glad your port is feeling better. Don't think you need the gloves/socks til Taxol.
My hair is now gone. Don't like it one bit. From the beginning I have said that I will not take on the persona of a sick person. That is just not me and more importantly not how I feel. I don't want to get pitiful looks from strangers or have to talk about with those that are not friends or family. I don't want to give "it" more weight in my life than it deserves! With that said my pictures below are me bald and me with my wig. I believe my wig and I are going to have a love/hate relationship!
Good luck to all who are up for another round this week or are starting! We are behind you all the way!
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I just want to wish everyone good luck and thoughts with you if you are having chemo this week. Getting another round under your belt! DebraC and ILOVERMONT you look great!! I think I might go get my hair cut super short today. I think I might have another week with my hair, but i think it should be shorter when it starts to fall out.
I am feeling pretty good. Today is day 7 for me. Friday (day 4) was pretty bad but I came back pretty well the next day and went to easter with my family. So if that one day is the worst I have deal with. I so got this! ( I do realize by the time I get to 4th treatment there is probably some cumulative effects, but won’t focus on that today. Lol)
I do have a question for you ladies who may be having trouble sleeping. I definitely had trouble sleeping on the steroid but I also do have trouble falling asleep time to time( bad last night) I used to use Melatonin or Advil nighttime but the pharmacist that met with me during my first chemo frowned on both of those and prescribed zopliclone which I understand can be addictive and I would prefer not to take itbut I can’t sleep. I am curious to know what you are taking to help you sleep. Then later today I think I will email my nurse to discuss some options
Thanks
Laura
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Laura, I have a scrip for ambien, but I'll only take it when I'm truly desperate. Next spa day, I'll take it on the day of because that's when I had my big insomnia night last time. Unless I feel like a shopping spree in which case, ha, no.
Bam, I love how you look with and without your wig! And I totally agree about not giving bc more real estate in my life/brain that I absolutely have to.
ellentta, the wait on results is horrible, but hang in there! Vitamins I'm taking: a prenatal multi, D, and B Complex (which I've been on since my first go-round in 2015, onco never took me off it).
Fam and I went hiking at Blackwater Falls for Easter and oh my, I'm so glad we did. The walking was no big deal, we did 3.5 miles according my phone, but my usual walking routes are basically flat whereas the park is mostly hills and some of the trails are through difficult terrain. The capper is the big falls, which has a steep staircase of 214 steps leading down to it. With the fatigue truck...I worried, but nope, I took those steps like a champ, LOL. Helps that I was physically fit going into chemo this time. In 2015, I was a couch potato.
Anyhoo, being a recurrence, I'm on a different plan than most of y'all and won't have my 2nd spa day (of 6 total) until May 1st. In 2015, I never had to do blood panels between spa days to monitor me, but this time I do, so that's different. The PA also said I'd have the neulasta arm delivery system every time whereas I only had it during my first 4 cycles of dose dense AC in 2015. The main difference I've noticed SE-wise is fatigue hitting harder and faster than it did in 2015. But I still took those 214 steps so still manageable at this point.
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"spa day" is chemo day?
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melatonin actually has good anti cancer effects...
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Yes, spa day is treatment day. Back in 2015, I wanted a positive way to look at it and I still want a positive way to look at it so... :-)
ETA: Actually, I'm pretty sure it was one of the other ladies in the March 2015 chemo group who came up with spa day, not me specifically. Not sure who first came up with it, but it stuck.
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Hello everyone; have to say everyone looks great bald, and with their wig too! I am sort of patchy bald and it's itchy and uncomfortable, shaved as close as I could. I am getting used to my wig so there's that. Between my UTI, and the Microbic (antibiotic) that I took for it that made me nauseous, and bad mouth sores (partially self inflicted because I ate all the wrong things when they were brewing, now I know better) my "week off" has not been 100% or nearly that, as it was the first time. I was able to meet my work commitments, but cancelled most social stuff. Hopefully better hydration and v careful eating can help me for next time. Another issue I have is a chronic cough only when I lay down; its non productive, like a tickle in my throat and likely post nasal drip, but it drives me crazy when I try to sleep/
In terms of sleep, I take trazodone 25 mg. With blessing of MO and my psychiatrist. It's an old line antidepressant that is v sedating and used at low doses (25-100 mg) for sleep. It's not habit forming or addicting. You can take it every night for years, meaning you don't develop any tolerance to it. I have tried Ambien and Ativan in the past, and not only can they be habit forming, but they don't work as well for me, or make me feel weird. Trazodone makes me feel like myself, only tired. And also able to waking in the middle of the night for a sick kid, feel fine in the morning, etc. So it may be something to ask about.
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I think I may start thinking of my bald self this way:
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I think I may start thinking of my bald self this way:
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Bam, I think you Fabulous bald and in your wig! Your eyes just pop!
Stayinpostive, one down day is amazing!
Ok, heading out for bloodwork and appt with onc doc, Spa day tomorrow, love that PrincesofMeh! Wish it was a spa day
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bam - your wig is chic and looks very natural - A+
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I had my first round of Taxol and Herceptin today. Before everything started I was nervous about how it would go. Turns out the infusion went well. I had a very minor sensation of a change of breathing when the Taxol first started. Other than that, it was fine. I drank water throughout and had a small snack. My nurse was a gem and explained everything she was doing. That helped a lot.
The infusion center was very nice. Each patient has their own area, separated by curtains and cabinets. There's also a sitting area down the hall that we can go to if desired. Very pleasant atmosphere.
Now 3 hours later my mouth feels a bit dry. I have my Biotene drops just in case.
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Hi ,
Today is day 6 of my first round of AC. The first 2 days were good. Then I had the nelesta shot ahe have been having clavicle pain. Today did not stay hydrated enough and a bout of diarrhea and I feel yecky. This is the first time I have felt nauseous at all.I was hoping as the days go on I would feel a little better every day. This stuff stinks. It's so hard to imagine in a week I have to do it all again. Sorry just feeling whiny today. I hope you are all having a better day.
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Vent away, it does suck! You'll have some good days coming soon!
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Hi Alicesneed,
My cancer is also triple positive. I will do whatever necessary to stop any possible cancer cells left from multiplying. It's too darn aggressive otherwise.
My first infusion was today. I hope yours goes well too.
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Ohhh Santabar I sure hope so!!!
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Hi Stayingpositive2019,
My MO recommended melatonin or benedryl to help with sleep. However, I don't need either one until I finish my steroid regime. Apparently (according to my MO) studies have shown that taking Zyprexa at bedtime while taking the steroids helps ward off nausea longer (I didn't have any nausea with my round 1). I thought it sounded crazy at first taking a antipsychotic med, but it really worked and helped me sleep too! Below is a link from national cancer institute if you want to read and perhaps ask your doc about it.
https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2016/olanzapine-chemotherapy-nausea
Hope this helps.
Hair has been gone for a week. I hate my wig. I go "naked headed" most days, unless I go to the store. So far, I've not received any looks of pity from neighbors, passersby, etc., or when wearing my bamboo head cover. But then again, I don't spend energy worried what strangers think.
Spa day' number 2 for me tomorrow. Best to everyone!
TTFN
Ro
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I will start Chemo in May 2019.. anyone else??
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mpv459 Good luck to you. I don't know my treatment plan yet. If I'm doing chemo, I'll be a May start, too, I expect.
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Ro, I bought multiple wigs in 2015 and didn't really love any of them. Wasn't the wigs. Was me. I wore (and will wear) them going out, but at home, I stuck to scarves, do-rags, and hats. Never went bare, just didn't like that look on me. This time, I ordered a variety of turbans.
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All -
Does someone go with you and hang out with you while you get your chemo? Just had lunch with a friend who had chemo 4 years ago and she was insistent that I should have someone go with me. Just curious what you all do.
If you don't - do you drive yourself to & from chemo?
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