Starting Chemo May 2019
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santabarbarian. I will look into Dr Lango. Her intestinal irritation is on day 2 and 3 with this first Taxol. I think the full dose AC knocked her intestines for a loop and caused the diverticulitis. This seems different and we are hoping it goes away after #2 or 3. We will discuss with MO before #2 on Monday. Thank you for your advice!!! When this is all over we will be looking at a lot of the same things you are doing!!!
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Go gettem Happyanyway!! Keep us posted. Praying for you.
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HappyAnyway: best wishes for today!
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jrominger: no pains for me, but I do have a feeling (from time to time) that my stomach is slightly irritated. Likewise, I plan to mention this to my MO next week.
I hope that Nat feels better soon
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Best wishes HappyAnyway! Thinking of you!
Yesterday's Taxol #3 went well. Got prescriptions for gabapentin and ferrous sulfate for neuropathy and anemia. Finally stopped losing weight! My port gushed when the nurse took the catheter out. I walked out of there looking like I had murdered someone. Lol Last night's big SE was hot flashes/night sweats. They were unbearable. I had to break out my frogg togg towel to get through the night. That was extremely helpful.
Hope you all are doing well and SEs are kept at bay!
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I didn't sleep last night, I fought the steroid. I'm fighting the Benadryl today. I asked to have my IV steroids lowered. My MO agreed to that. If I do well, the goal is to eventually quit the steroids altogether.
I was wrong about my carbo schedule. I get it every week with Taxol. So three weekly Taxol and Carbo, one week off.
My MO said if I don't achieve a pCR, there is a chemo pill that I may take. He also mentioned immunotherapy. One is a clinical trial.
He doesn't want me to take Metformin. He said the research regarding BC is conflicting. I am happy that he had already researched it. Since Carbo can be hard on the kidneys, and Metformin is, too, he doesn't want me to take the risk.
To everyone that shares their research, links, book recommendations, etc., thank you. Thank you for your support, prayers and positive vibes. Right back to you!
I'm so sleepy. I hope I'm making sense. I'll probably have to edit this post multiple times.
Once again, I'm sharing with all of you before my family. ; )
I hope that you are all well and have a lovely weekend. I'll try to do better addressing you individually when I have the mental capacity to do so. Take care!
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jrominger: best wishes to Nat, pray she has an easy day today and no SEs afterward
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Thank you Lacombattante!! We are here at the center now. Infusion at 1 pm. Oncologist at 10 and then see a naturalpath. The only SE she had this past week were weird abdominal twinges. Hoping it’s chemo related and not diverticulitis related. Still eating bland foods. Lot’s of hiking. 3 mi/ day. She does get out of breath on the steep hills. But it does her soul good!! How are things across the pond?
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Things are good here
thank you for asking! I have my 4th Taxol tomorrow, hopefully my blood counts are good enough to get it under the belt. Shortness of breath on steep hills is likely anemia related but it is so great that Nat keeps on pushing forward and doesn't let it stop her from enjoying life.
HappyAnyway: how are you doing? How do you tolerate Taxol / carbo combo so far? Looks like you are in very good hands with your MO.
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Hi LaCombattante! I'm fine, thank you. My only complaint is that I'm tired. How about you? Is Taxol easier than EC so far?
Hey jrominger and Nat!
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Exercise tells the body: Stay well! You are needed!
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Yes, I would say that - so far - Taxol has been easier on the body. On the other hand, I find it more challenging emotionally. Weekly chemos are becoming a bizarre routine, which I still struggle to accept.
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Heilo Everyone: Sounds like we are all off to a good week. I have taxol #4 this week. Have it counted down on my calendar and each one is one less to do. Had a pretty rough weekend with lots of fatigue and a little depression.. Also, despite the cold cap I am shedding hair but I think I see new growth (just a little and very light). Of course the eyelashes are out partying somewhere along with most of my eyebrows. Oh well.... Praying for everyone and hoping everyone has minor SE's this week... Hard to imagine that we are getting through this one day at a time. Thanks for all the advise and well wishes. I may not comment much but I do follow our groups progress...
We are all going to get through this and it will be just a memory soon. 0 -
LaCombattante and Mpv459: I'm counting down, too. Since I have three weekly treatments, then a week off, I should be done on September 27th. I pray that none of my infusions will be delayed. I agree, it's taxing.
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Thinking of you today, LaCombattante!
Jrominger, how's Nat feeling?
Mpv459, what is your treatment day?
Be well, everyone!
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Thank you, HappyAnyway for thinking about me. All went well today, my blood counts, to my surprise, are trending up, so I bagged my 4th Taxol without issues. So now I am officially 1/3 through. As my son said, 1/3 is almost half way
I had a chat with MO today, she is trying to find a clinical trial on CDK4/6 in early stage BC. So far nothing is available, but she keeps searching and pushing - I like this!
jrominger: how is Nat today?
Mpv459: Success with your treatment this week!
Palmetto: how are you feeling?
Everyone: I am thinking about you daily, praying for your health and no SEs. We will get through this!
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This is the last lap of this ordeal, May people!! You are headed for the finish line of the very hardest part of treatment. You are NEARLY there.
I was diagnosed one year ago, and I have been feeling darn good lately. My hair is now a style again! My energy is back! No more anemia! You will all be here too, very soon. You will get out of chemo, have your surgeries or rads, and emerge from the cancer conveyor belt... and then you will get back to living your lives.... but with more compassion, and more gratitude, and more joy. More awareness.
I remember SO WELL the feeling of total mental exhaustion of latter chemo. I didn't want to talk on the phone to my best friend because my brain would not fetch words without a huge effort. I wasn't interested in anything. I was so exhausted.
I did one very smart thing in my last month of chemo: I adopted two kittens. It totally changed my mood. I would be lying in bed and watching them and instead of moaning I would be laughing at their antics. Laughter is good medicine! Consider kittens!
Cancer treatment is an ordeal by fire, but we do emerge-- and we know our own strength going forward!
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Hi all. Sounds like everyone is plugging along. We have to drive 2.5 hrs to treatment and they highway was to be closed so we got a hotel and went down early. The treatment center has a deal with a local hotel. All went well on Taxol #2. They slowed the push on benedryl from 3 min to 10 min and that completely took away the dizziness. Nat bought a wig for this fall and the center trimmed it for free!! The oncologist PA said the tumor is to small to measure and she thought things were great. The lower guttwinges and side aches, according to PA and Naturalpath are most likely from chemo or slight constipation and not diverticulitis. We hope!! Steroids kept her up for a few hours last night. Blood work is a bit of a concern but hanging in there. WBC was 2400. Not bad. ANC was only 1500 and needs to be over 1000 to continue. RBC continue to slightly drop but some actually improved a tad. The PA thought they looked ok for now. If they drop they will reduce the chemo or unfortunately take a week off😫. So our prayer is the blood will hang tough. We will meet with BS on week 10. Nat feels quite good. So off for an hour walk! Praying for everyone here. Good blood and minimal SEs!! Thanks for asking about Nat!
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Great news, LaCombattante! Our kids are a source of inspiration.
Thank you for encouraging us, Santabarbarian. I was the first in treatment for May (actually, I had one infusion in April) and may be the last one to finish.
Jrominger, how nice of them to trim Nat's wig! I hope her battle with diverticulitis is won. Does she like her naturopathic doctor? Praying for her blood counts and for safe travels to and from the treatment center.
Are we down to LaCombattante, Mpv459, Nat, Palmetto and me? Please let me know if I'm forgetting someone.
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We have to keep this small group going until the finish line!!! Such a great source of encouragement. We just did a 3.4 mi hike I could hardly keep up with her!!! Maybe the steroids? Seems like her best RBC had to be good!! Also Taxol is so far less toxic on her
Lacombattante we are 1/6 th of the way through Taxol 😩🙏😜. We r hoping our blood work like yours might actually improve a tad!!
Happyanyway if by God’s Grace we don’t have any issues or delays we will be done in early October. So just a couple weeks after you!!
Praying for this whole group!!
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Happyanyway. Yes we like our naturalpath. He is a bit odd but means well. Lot’s of great ideas and he specializes in oncology. Nat’s supplements, which we r just starting up again due diverticulitis, include turkey tail mushroom powder in daily smoothie. Supposed to help immune system and possibly WBC’s, calcium chews, melatonin, vitamin D and CoQ 10. We will work a lot with him and dietician at the end. We will remain kinda bland diet with high quality protein just to try and get through chemo!!
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Thank you for asking about me, LaCombattante! I am doing very well this week after the slight fiasco that was infusion #3. Besides the terrible night sweats/ hot flashes the first night, I've not had any SE, like the neuropathy or bone pain that plagued me with previous treatments. I definitely think the gabapentin and Claritin/Pepcid helped with those. I can tell I'm a little "off"- chemo brain and fatigue are increasing, but if that's the worst of it, I'll take it!
Jrom- glad to hear Nat's numbers are hanging tough and that you have #2 in the bag.
Thank you, Santabarbarian, for reminding us of what's on the other side. My friend keeps telling me, "Soon it will all be a bad memory." Well, I honestly don't know about that. I've weathered many a storm in life, and look to each one as a time that tested my mettle and let me know just what I'm made of. They weren't the greatest of memories, but I wouldn't be who I am without them.
HappyAnyway, you and I have the same finish date, if everything holds. One big party for us!!
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Palmetto so glad to hear #3 went better. Hopefully all the rest will be the same. Nat sure feels good today!! She is doing light dumbbells as we speak!! As far as your mettle, I’m thinking you and everyone on here aretungsten steel!!! We just set all our appointments and infusion dates. If all goes according to plan we will do #12 on 10/8. So not too far behind you and Happyanyway. I still think a party at our place 60 miles from the Grand Canyon should be a must, sometime in 2020!!!!
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Just saying hi to everybody!
I read the thread almost everyday. Not much to post about. I have my last AC on Thursday then onto 12 weeks of taxol! Camping was a good time. Boyfriend and I had to pack up our camp site after a storm rolled in... we were planning on just leaving in the morning but 2 sites over from us a massive tree got struck by lightning and fell on somebodies tent! (Thank God nobody was in it!) So home it was. As we were pulling out of the park we noticed there were trees down everywhere so we may have been the lucky ones. We got a beautiful sunset on the drive home.
I agree with jrominger that once we’re all healed up we should have a get together
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HappyAnyway, I'm still around! I have Taxol #7 on Friday. I should finish September 6 if all goes smoothly. Surgery will be in October. I began chemo on April 26th. I follow the thread daily, too, even though I don't comment as much.
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Hey Britt and BAMR. You guys are hanging tough!! Moving forward!! Good to hear from everyone!!
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Brittandherboobs and BAMR, I'm blushing. I'm totally calling chemo brain! Anyone else still around? Roll call!
Brittandherboobs, I'm glad you made it out safely. Beautiful pictures. Thank goodness for your last AC this week.
Hey BAMR! Did you try the stomach medicine that I'm taking? Again, can't remember the name. I'm still taking it. It's made a big difference.
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brittandherboobs, loved the pictures, glad you got out of the park safely. Congrats on getting through your AC. Hoping Taxol goes well for you.
BAMR- Good to hear from you. Glad you are coasting through Taxol. Hoping that the rest of your treatments go smoothly.
Santabarbarian-always good to hear from you and I value your words of encouragement.
Palmetto-glad to hear you are doing better.
Jrom-sounds like Nat is doing relatively well. Hope it continues with minimal se's ,good blood counts, and no diverticulitis. Good to hear she stays so active.
Lacombattant- 1/3 the way through Taxol. Congrats. Hopefully your MO will find a good clinical trial for you as well.
Mpv459- Hope all goes well with Taxol #4 this week. You are right- gotta keep thinking that this will all be a memory soon.
Happyanyway-hope your day is going well.
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HappyAnyway, I just looked and it's still in my Amazon cart! I need it, though, so just clicked buy. Will get it tomorrow. Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #1. I'm still having tongue and tastebud problems, and most foods taste awful. I was worried about the habanero pepper and when you assured me you couldn't taste it, I just forgot to follow through. Talk about chemo brain!
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happyanyway.... I am still here had #2/4 AC on July 16th, #3 next Tuesday, #4 two weeks later, then 2 more T/H/P again, geeze I hope I am done with 'chemo' in September but I still have 1 year of Immunology H/P for a year ... it has been a rough 2 weeks as some form of vertigo decided to visit and has not left, so I have been pretty nauseous.. I also can not get rid of my mouth sores and everything I try to drink its flavor is is multipled, water is ungosly gross but mostly things are too sweet, even watered down, I can still taste the sugar in gatorade like drinks, frustrating.
Jrominger...Grand Canyon and the Badlands does sound like a great celebration event. A few of our RV friends are going through there now, the pictures are amazing. Maybe I should write down the RV places they stayed
Very happy to see everyone looking for the finish line!
Keep Moving Forward!
The only way out is through!!
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