Starting Chemo July 2019
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Something I really miss (other than my hair)....
Hot showers and baths. Due to treatments, showers are lukewarm and not relaxing at all. One of the first things Illdo when my body heals from rads will be a nice warm soak in the 🛁.
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2019whatayear
Have you completed rads?0 -
jjpope, I am wowed and amazed by your hair growth. It’s long enough to look intentional and nice and thick. I’m happy for you and sounds like you are doing well in every area. Congratulations!
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melmax yes I finished rads on Friday :-) I'd be celebrating more but I have surgery coming up on the 19th. So it's like welp, Cool, I'm done with rads and on to the next thing. It's not very logical but now I'm worried about the pathology that will come from my ovary/tube removal. Oh my GYN said she is going to DnC my Uterus and check that out for any cancerous looking stuff since she will be in there anyway. So I really want to get that all done and be told that everything they took out is cancer free.
I blogged through my radiation treatments. I think that helped. I didn't blog during chemo- just wsn't in the right place. I hope everyone is having a good weekend.
https://victoria7401.blogspot.com/2020/02/guess-whos-done-with-radiation.html
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2019whatayear
I’ll say congratulations to you anyway, but I get it. I want to celebrate each milestone but then have to get ready for the next treatment/procedure.
I’ve thought about having my last ovary and tube removed just to cut more estrogen (although I’m already menopausal) but I know my oncologist will say it’s not enough without pills. I’m still so confused, but I just keep on keeping on.
Once you get yourlady parts removed and uterus checked I think you’ll have more peace of mind. 😊
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thank you shelligurl! How are you doing? Haven’t chatted with you in a while. And my hair I’ve been that shampoo and spray from Monat. It’s weird to see the color of my hair, to me it’s like a gray with a lil bit of brown. Can’t wait to slap some color back up there. I love the deep auburn red colors, or brown with blonde highlights.
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that will be fun JJpope!
melmax yes same will take 10 years of AI after removal of tubes and ovareis0 -
I haven't posted for a little while - been having a rough go of things. Am I the only one that has hit an emotional wall? I can't stop crying but I can't tell you why I cry.
The last few weeks have been pretty horrid - I had my expander placed on Jan 20, got an infection in the incision and drain so I had to go in for surgery again to have a "washout", the PS took swabs and when he got the results, called me and said that the expander needed to be removed because the kind of bacteria that was there wouldn't respond to any antibiotics. So that's four surgeries in three weeks, not to mention the night I spent in the hospital because they were afraid I was septic. I'm crushed. Now I get to go get fitted for a fake boob so I can go back to work without being lopsided.
I also went to the RO and she recommends 28 rounds of radiation but I can't start that until I am healed. I am struggling to find a therapist that will return my call, I need help dealing with all this and learning to move forward without fear.
And I have a question for those of you that are taking herceptin and per-whatever - is that due to BRCA or HER2+? I see that all of you are taking more than the hormone therapy and was wondering why - my MO (whoever that is) has not mentioned any other drugs besides Tamoxifen. Are they not being thorough or is my diagnosis just different? And many of you are talking about having your lady parts removed as well - is that because of BRCA?
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Deanders
Everything you've been through is reason to cry. It's good that you're able to let it out. Unfortunately, I’m unable to cry. I’m hardened right now.
When is your next oncologist appt? They will help you get in to see a therapist. My dad's oncologist helped us get an appointment for him because we weren't able to get him in. They had that appointment made the same day. Please ask them for help.
My heart goes out to you! 💜💜💜I'm hoping and praying it gets better soon.Regarding the lady parts....Everyone has different reasons for removal depending on their diagnosis, age, and treatment plan.
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deanders have you already started takingTamoxifen?
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Deanders Oh my goodness you have been through the ringer. You must be so exhausted. Herceptin and Pertaja work on HER2 Positive BC. So it would not be part of your treatment plan.
Yes the only reason I am having surgery to remove my ovaries and tubes is because being BRCA 2 pos. gives me a higher rate of ovarian cancer and it also means a higher rate of pancreatic cancer and gallbadder cancer and melanoma. Booo Today I went to my M.O. for follow up and it was kind of a bummer. I was hoping it would be more positive but I was basically, yeah you are high risk even after all we have done. :-( So it's going to be a long couple of weeks of me scared about having the preventative surgery and then waiting for the pathology to say if it was preventative or if they find a cancer surprise in there. Uggghhhhh. I said to my MO, since the scans before chemo were clear and then I had chemo, it's not likely that they will find anything when I have the surgery right. And all I wanted to hear was. Yes it's not likely. But instead of just letting me have it's not likely to cling to for a couple weeks; my MO was like well if they find something then since you had the taxol already, you would get staged and have carboplatin chemo. My brain was like : OH GOD NO , Please lady parts be old but cancer free when they pluck you out!!! The Chemo nurses are nice and all I but I don't want any more of that, can I just run into them at the grocery store! So now basically I was on a worry scale of 4 out of 10 up until today - now I'm at at 7. Can't wait for the weekend I'll be a full 10. Ughghgh.
Deanders you have a really good treatment plan, hang in there!
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i started the tamoxifen a week after my surgery. I was thinking maybe that was the problem but when i commented to hubby that if this was a SE of that drug, I'm not taking it - he was adamant that i continue because the MO said how beneficial it is for ER+ pathology. I tried to tell him that negativity will be harder to live with but i think maybe its time to call MO office. Thoughts?
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2019whatayear - i know what you mean about wanting just a little reassurance from the MO and getting the non-commital general answer. They won't even say that the surgery got it all - which lets people like me breathe just a little easier. Instead i get to sit here crying my face off for no particular reason grasping for a positive outlook. It sucks. And now every headache, muscle ache or twinge is sinister. I can't live like that.
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I say yes call your MO office get appt to see therapist for sure . Yes keep taking the tamoxifen it is really effective to stave any cancer cells that might pop up. And also OMG I reread your post some more 4 surgeries in 3 weeks!!! Holy moly that alone is a lot on your body and mind -just from the anesthesia!!! Everything you have been through in such a short time can case distress, anxiety and depression!
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Many hugs, deander!
Please ask if your cancer center has therapists. Mine has ones who specialize in us! So they know very well the emotional roller coaster of this all.
Every change in my plan has thrown me for a loop (and there have been a bunch -- my HER2 result only came back 3 days before my surgery was scheduled so all of a sudden surgery was canceled and it was port and chemo), and even small changes throw me -- just when I was completely in a groove with my rad therapy team most of the team changed and that threw me for a loop! Even just getting the surgery over threw me for a loop emotionally. Plus it is all so physically exhausting! Please be gentle with yourself! this is hard! And you have been through so much!
Best wishes for healing and clearing the infection and getting back into your grove!
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I have been on tamoxifen since 01/01 and YES YES YES I cried for a week straight. I noticed it and before I could say anything about it my husband who doesn't notice or talk about anything said it first. He said baby you need to call the doctor because you've done noting but cry since you've been on that medicine. So YES it got me at first. I started taking my anxiety medicine trintellix again (stopped taking it during chemo cause all the other meds I was having to take and I hate taking so much) but quickly learned those 2 don't mix well I tried to take 1 in am and 1 in pm and still felt sick so I stopped taking it. Once I stopped taking trintellix I felt better. And I did stop crying. Now I can’t even tell I take anything, just a pain to remember to take it every am. I do take Xanax at night to shut my brain off and only during the day if I get too stressed out. So def talk to your dr and see if they can give something to help with anxiety. You def have all rights/reasons to have anxiety, fear, anger, depression, the list could go on. But between what you/we have been through physically and emotionally we def def have a reason to have issues and get help for it. DONT IGNORE IT!!
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Wow just saw this in ref to my water post I was concerned about and this was mentioned. My sister stays in Mooresville and too close to home if you ask me. So glad the ball is rolling!
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Happy Valentine’s Day❤️❤️❤️
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Taking a poll: Are you using all natural deodorant now?
I have been using Toms and another - I can’t think of the name. I stopped using aluminum antiperspirantat diagnosis. TMI: The deodorant doesn’t work that well for me and I’ve always had severe underarm wetness. Guess I’ll just live with it.
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Happy Valentine's Day
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I use a brand called Crystal deodorant. It contains no aluminum and works great. Comes in roll on with different scents and unscented too. Good to stay away from antiperspirants. Body needs to sweat to allow detox, so good to just use an aluminum free deodorant. Hope that helps someone.
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Melmax, regular Tom's didn't work well for me either. But Tom's has a new one out that is supposed to last 48 hours...found it on amazon. Seems to work well but I haven't been working out as much or as hard as I used to...
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divergent
My Toms says 24 hours but it only lasts 30 minutes lol. I have to take it to work to freshen up every so often.
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I already posted this once but not seeing it. Hope I didn’t post it to the wrong thread.🙁
I bought Crystal deodorant so I’ll see how it works for me. Thanks
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Melmax-I think you'll be happy with the Crystal deodorant. I do exercise daily working up a sweat, and it has not failed me yet. The only negative is that it is a bit pricey. Good luck with it. Pat😊
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No, I am using the same antiperspirant I have always used. I also still eat sugar. 😜
My thoughts on all this is that no one can definitively say what caused my cancer (with the exception of my genetic mutation). So cutting out everything that gives me enjoyment or makes me comfortable doesn't make sense. Nor does it guarantee that the cancer won't come back.
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Melmax you are not alone Toms does not work. My husband buys it like ever 8 months or so and then it doesn't work and I say, why did you buy it again, you know it doesn't work. And then he will say something like but it says improved and it was on sale and I used my walgreens points. LOL
Fairydragon agree! I completely blame my cancer on the gene. :-)
I am pretty sure I have said this before, but I am going to say it again. IMO our culture blames breast cancer on the women who get it--but you don't see that same approach to prostate cancer do you? No one blames that on the choices a man makes with his life.
Happy weekend amazing ladies!
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Well said Melmax. 😊
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Hey ladies (and gents, if there are any in this group),
I just ran across this thread and thought I would say hello and ask if I can join the party, very very late in the game. I started chemo back in July and when I posted it was in the triple positive thread. Most of the people have changed in that thread and I find myself without a group with which to compare treatment notes.
Quick about me: Dx'd early May. First BMX in June, then after transferring my care to an NCI, another BMX in November! Chemo in July, ongoing Herceptin infusions til June of this year. Gearing-up for reconstruction/fat grafting surgery this Thursday. It's been a long journey, but I'm grateful for modern medicine!
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Hey wheat! 2 BMX? yikes!! What is a NCI?
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