Starting Chemo September 2019
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Hair update: 4 weeks PFC (excuse my messy workspace)
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Brilee, hair is looking good, seems like it's coming in even. Thanks for the update
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Wow, looks great, Bridget! I'm 6 weeks out and not even close to that. I see dark stubble in my hair follicles, though, so fingers crossed I'll get some good growth in the next few weeks!
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I meant to add that I'm a pretty hairy person to begin with but I also do the following: (not sure if any of it is helping but just in case...)
Smarty Pants Women's Gummies (I'll be changing this to Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails soft gels with Argon Oil when I run out)
Vitamin E 400 IU (oral) - Started taking it for my hot flashes
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream - I massage this into my scalp every morning
Thanks for the compliments on my fuzzy bean. lol It feels so strange when I walk quickly or it's breezy.
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You did it, Gamb, Yeah!
Merry Christmas to y’all
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Merry Christmas to a great group 0f ladies, I pray we all have a better new year filled with peace and comfort
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Merry Christmas Patty, Gamb, and everyone else here who celebrates this special day!
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Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! Hope everyone celebrating has a peaceful time filled with lots of love and laughter. May 2020 be a better year for us all!
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Merry Christmas ladies! 🎄❤🙌
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Merry Christmas to a special group of ladies!! I hope that you all can enjoy the holidays and relax! ❤️🌲
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Merry Christmas everyone, I’m thankful for all of you for the support and shared experiences. I hope each and every one of you enjoy a peaceful holiday.
❤️ Tracy ❤️
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Patty66 - Good luck tomorrow with your last treatment!
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Has anybody been given the drug Enhertu? If so what are the side effects??
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Patty - Good Luck and Congratulations on your final treatment tomorrow!!!
TBrooks - it looks like Enhertu was just recently FDA approved in the US. There may be someone in the stage IV group who has experience with it.
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LMS & Tracy,
Thanks for the congratulations. Sitting in the chair right now while the last drops of the third drug of
my 6 TACs are running through. The news still hasn’t quite sunk in: I don’t have to do this anymore!
So happy to join the post-chemo Ladies in this wonderful group now. And to those close to finishing: you are almost there! Keep trucking - your final chemo is just around the corner. We are waiting to cheer for you...
But now time to ring that bell 🔔
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Congrats Patty, hoorah!!!!!!
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Congratulations Patty! 🙌❤🥳
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5 weeks PFC:
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oh wow Brilee, looking good, hair coming in great, congrats . I have some behind my ears and around the nape of the neck but none anywhere else. I get my port out this morning,,hope it the right decision, but I figure a port can always be put back in.
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Patty - Yay!!! Congratulations!!
Bridget- that peach fuzz is growing!! Looking good!
Hope everyone had a great Christmas. I ate more than I though (lots of sugary treats 😬). My digestive system was proud of me 🙄. Ready to get back to the fight.
Have a great day, ladies
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congratulations Patty!!
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Brilee,
Love that hair coming in! Awesome
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7 weeks PFC, my hair is growing pretty well. So far it’s the same color as pre-chemo, and still straight
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I go for my second Zoladex shot (ovarian suppression) on Monday. So far, the side effects from the Zoladex and Tamoxifen are minimal. I definitely have aches from the Tamoxifen. My weight has leveled off so I think the weight gain was chemo/steroid related. My hot flashes have also leveled off, probably due to the Zoladex shutting down what was left of my ovary hormone production. So all in all, so far so good.
Also, I started taking a prenatal vitamin a few weeks ago for it's magnesium and multiple B vitamin content. My neuropathy and muscle aches and weakness have greatly improved. I don't know if it's coincidental or the supplements are helping, but I'll take it.
Hugs
Tracy
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Tracy! Look at all that hair! I wish mine was still dark. Lookin good!
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Hello everyone! I have been reading this thread since September, but never written until today. My first chemo was 9/13/19, and my last one was today. I can’t believe I made it through. After my 2nd treatment I wasn’t sure I could do it anymore.
It’s been a rough go for me. I started with TCHP and got severe diarrhea starting about 5 days later. This continued despite medications, so my MO stopped the Perjeta thinking I was one of the few who get the severe diarrhea from it. Unfortunately, the diarrhea continued and has continued nearly non-stop the entire time. I’ve had to go in for IV fluids and electrolyte replacement 2-3 times per week almost the whole time. The diarrhea will begin to ease up right before my 3 week mark (TX every 3 weeks) and then comes back within a couple days of treatment. (The Perjeta was never re-started.)
I know I’m facing 2-3 more weeks of side effects but at least now I know I don’t have more chemo waiting. My next step is surgery, which will be at the end of January. I’m doing a bilateral mastectomy with implants, although I’ll have tissue expanders first. I will also continue having Herceptin every 3 weeks until September, possibly to be replaced with Kadcyla depending on pathology.
To add to the diarrhea issues, the day of chemo for about a week after, I have almost no appetite and my taste buds make everything taste horrid. Even water. Then when I do manage to eat something the diarrhea moves it right out again! Usually about a week after, my taste is starting to become more normal but then I get a weird texture issue where everything feels gross in my mouth. This lasts up to 4 days. By the 3 week mark when I go back for the next treatment, my taste buds are closer to normal but still not quite right. How long did it take others with this problem until their taste buds were back to normal after the last chemo? I’ve lost around 35 lbs due to all the issues I’ve had. I am overweight so that’s not a bad thing in and of itself, but it sucks how it has happened.
I’m really happy this was my last treatment but still having so much anxiety knowing the side effects that await me for the next few weeks. I use CBD oil and that helps with the anxiety and I also got some Xanax for when the CBD oil isn’t enough. I’m sure in a week I’ll be feeling much better but tonight I feel discouraged even though I shouldn’t!
I’ve really gotten a lot of help and encouragement from all your posts. Usually I am one to post on message boards quite a lot, but cancer has been hard to talk about. Thank you all for sharing your experiences
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Congratulations Patty!
Hair growth looks good, Bridget and Tracy! Mine is growing, too, but a bit more slowly and not as evenly. But, at this point, I'll take it!!!
This is me tonight, 7 weeks PFC. The longer hairs are the ones that never fell out! A lot of areas have dark stubble just starting....
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Hi BlueCoconut! Congratulations on making it through your last TC today!!!!!
You've made it this far, you are going to get through this last round of side effects. We are all here to cheer you on!
I still have my down moments. This is a tough process to go through, physically, mentally and emotionally. But, it helps to share. Hope you stick around the board.
My taste buds were about 50% improved at 3 weeks out and seemed normal about 5 weeks out from my last chemo. I hope yours improve at least as quickly, if not quicker.
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Leah - yay for hair growth!!
BlueCoconut - Welcome! Like Leah, my taste buds were much improved by 2.5-3 weeks post chemo and 100% by week 4-5. Fatigue stuck around longer but has been improving every day. Be kind to yourself and give your body time to heal itself. I'm sorry you've had such a rough time. I added you to our member list, please hang around with us
Tracy
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Hey BlueCoconut! Congratulations on your last treatment!! I'm at 5 weeks PFC and I feel pretty great with the exception of some fatigue and shortness of breath. I gained a good bit of weight though. I've started my plant based diet adventure to try to help shed some of these pounds and lower my chance of recurrence.
Some days are easier than others when it comes to talking about cancer. Just know that we're here if you need to talk or vent frustrations and we're cheering you on through this battle.
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