Starting Chemo December 2019
Hey everybody, I'm about a month late due to slow wound healing, but after seeing my oncologist this morning things are back on track. Fingers crossed. No dates or schedule yet, but port planned for early next week and chemo a couple of days later. Wish me luck.
Anybody else celebrating the Holidays with a twist this go around?
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I am! It’s a real bummer as far as the timing. I’m late starting too because of a slow healing seroma.
My first treatment is Monday, Dec2 ....This will definitely be a different winter. No activities with the grand
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Hmbscit, sorry that you find yourself here, and needing chemo, but we wanted to welcome to Breastcancer.org and thank you for starting this December group! You're in good company here so we're sure you'll find the information and support your seeking while you start your treatment. We're here for all of you!
Good luck, and best wishes!
There Mods
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Hello. I’ll be celebrating the holidays with some chemo. I start on December 17th.
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Thanks margo53, Eigna and Mods. I think things are finally moving forward again. Port placement Dec 6. In the mean time I've been scouring the tips and tricks lists here and stocking up on some of the recommended supplies. Oh, and checking out how to draw on eyebrows on YouTube. I'm not really a hat person so maybe I'll just rock the bald when the time comes if I can learn to spruce up the old mug a little.
Little bit anxious, little bit ready to do this thing and get it over with.
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Thanks margo53, Eigna and Mods. I think things are finally moving forward again. Port placement Dec 6. In the mean time I’ve been scouring the tips and tricks lists here and stocking up on some of the recommended supplies. Oh, and checking out how to draw on eyebrows on YouTube. I’m not really a hat person so maybe I’ll just rock the bald when the time comes if I can learn to spruce up the old mug a little.
Little bit anxious, little bit ready to do this thing and get it over with.
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Hi group! Merry Christmas to us! I was scheduled to start chemo on December 13th but having issues with one of my breast implants. Might have to have it removed and stay out until after chemo.
Should get the plan during a Doctor tomorrow afternoon.
Good to meet you guys
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Hey yall!
I had my port placement on Nov 24th and had my first AC chemo yesterday. I'm delayed about a month because of seroma behind my tissue expander. It was a long day yesterday but very uneventful other than knowing chemo was going in my body. My next treatment is the 23rd so Christmas should be a blast (eye roll) I feel okay this morning only a slight headache. My daughter gave me good advice last night and told me to not let my brain control how my body feels and to stop thinking about all the possible negative side effects because then I'll convince myself that I am experiencing them and let my body tell me what's going on. Who knew at 19 she could give such good advice. Good luck everyone!
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Hi CATHYWH59! Hope your doc appt went well
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Hi halezma!
Love your daughter’s advice. Working on that.
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Hi everyone!
I am starting my first chemo tomorrow (Wed 12/4). I am doing AC 4 rounds, every other week. Then Taxol and Herceptin 12 rounds weekly, than Herceptin alone every 3 weeks for a year.
I am super nervous about tomorrow... worried about the side effects and how long they may last, etc. I am sure others feel the same way as well.
Good luck to everyone having chemo this month, and although it's not the best way to spend the holidays, at least there are many things around to distract us!
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Hi Bejeweled! Welcome to our club. Wishing you best of luck for tomorrow. I have 4 rounds of TC; one every 3 weeks. Starting December 17th. Anxious to start and get it over with.
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Welcome Bejeweled! Wishing you the best today. I’ll have my first chemo on Monday and I’m nervous as well. We can get through this.
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Hi everyone and welcome to all the new folks.
Bejeweled: I hope everything goes smoothly for you today.
Eigna: we have almost the exact specific diagnosis and treatment plan!
Halezma: I also had a seroma that had to be drained twice, mine was from the node dissection. We have the same exact chemo dates.
I had my first round of chemo Monday. Infusion went well ( no port yet). Yesterday woke up to a red sunburned looking face and was tired most of the day. Today my tongue is a little sore....all normal things so far....
Next treatment is Dec 23 and getting my port on Dec 20. I’ll be glad for that because the vein used on Monday is dark and hard and I don’t have many.
To those getting TC: what are your side effects so far?
Hope everyone has a good day today
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I'm scheduled to have my first chemo treatment on December 11. I also had a delay in starting chemo due to tissue expander infection (sorry I got those!) so there's no way I can delay start of chemo until after Christmas. My issue is that I still haven't decided which regimen to go with....two local oncologists suggest ACT-H and two out-of-town oncologists suggest TCH. (My tumor is a mix of ER+/- and HER2+/-). I have no idea what to do! It's a very scary choice to make. Best of luck to you all!
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HI group! I found out on Friday that my reconstruction surgeon was really worried about my continued drainage from one of my incisions. Yesterday, I had surgery but the great news is that he kept the implant in and cleaned around it and put in 2 drains. I feel good today so hopefully this in not too many steps backward.
I have a doctor appointment on Friday to check it out and then an appointment with oncologist to see how long they will postpone by first treatment.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I am SO scared about the chemo but the sooner we start, the sooner we finish, right?
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CATHYWH59 - that's great news. I am glad you are feeling well.
Thanks to everyone for the welcome - and welcome to the additional folks who have joined.
My first "AC" today was fine. I didn't have any side effects or complications during the infusion (via port), except that my urine was red as expected today. I have been home for a few hours. I am starting to feel a little headache-y and run down, but still completely manageable. Will see what tomorrow brings. I have to go back tomorrow for my shot.
Hope all is well with everyone.
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Now I find out that I might have ovarian cancer. I had a PET scan after surgery which was “good” but showed a probable uterine fibroid. That was followed by a pelvic ultrasound with same conclusion but MRI was recommended. I got that result today that suggests ovarian malignancy but no sign of uterine fibroid??
I’m exhausted from thinking about the whole thing. All of this 5 days from finally starting chemo. I just don’t know what to think
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Chemo class today. Hoping this will help fill in the blanks. Onward
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Hey Hmbscit I have chemo class too today. Let’s compare notes after 😉.
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Hey Eigna! Chemo class was pretty good. I already knew a lot thanks to this community. I got info specific to my treatment plan which helps. And a ton of reading material which is perfect since I learn by reading vs listening lol. I also got a couple of oral meds to take at home for nausea and the lidocaine-prilocaine cream for my infusion port site. Also got a tour of the infusion suite. Not bad.
Port placement tomorrow and then first chemo on Monday.
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Hi everyone, I'm new here and glad I found this forum. I'll be going through 16 weeks of chemo before surgery; my regimen is dose dense AC +T, starting on December 19th. I am quite terrified. It will be a reassurance to compare our experiences for those on the same regimen. Instead of steroids they'll be giving me an anti psychotic drug which apparently works welll plus other standard anti nausea drugs. Anyone else is getting that?
My oncologist refused I get a port (too high risk of infection for what she calls a short chemo period) and dismissed my fears of the hard dark vein effects of having it directly in my arm...I guess I have no choice. Any counter arguments?
Anyway, I hope we can still enjoy the holidays. I have two small children so I am quite apprehensive. Anyone else with a young family?
Thanks for your support!
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Hi Marmotka. Welcome to our club even if no one wants to be here in the first place. I will be doing TC for 12 weeks. Starting Dec 17th. No port to install. Will see how that goes cuz I have fears too about hard dark veins. I too have two small children. Hope we can encourage each other.
Hmbscit- chemo class was not bad but very general. We had a tour too which was nice.
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Hi Marmotka and welcome! Glad you found us but so sorry anyone has to be here.
I have 3 more TC treatments to get and will be getting a port. To me 16 wks sounds like a long time to get treatments without a port. If you want one, insist on it.! Unless you are more prone to infections in the past from other issues. Remember your doctor works for you and you DO have a choice. Also, however, it could be that your veins could handle the chemo better because you are young.
My MO first said I wouldn’t need a port, but I insisted and he was ok with that. My first treatment was this past Monday( no port yet), because of holiday schedule issues last week they couldn’t work me in. I only have 2 good veins and can’t use the left arm at all..... but I am also 66 yrs old. The vein they used is now dark and hard, but could recover over time. I get my port on Dec 20 which is right before my second treatment.
I haven’t had too many side effects ( I’m on day 5).... the worse thing for me has been excruciating bone/ leg pain from the Neulasta.... I hope everyone has a good weekend!
Let us know how it goes.
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I was able to get my doc to move my start date for TC treatment (4 cycles every 3 weeks) until 12/30/19. My best to you all and thank you for sharing your chemo stories. It helps me tremendously to know what is coming. I'm still trying to find someone who, like me, is ER-/PR+, HER2-. I'm reading that it is only 1-2% of cases. So they are treating me like TN since my PR is only 3%, but they also think I should have endocrine therapy after the chemo and radiation treatments. Anyone else in a similar situation?
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Hi Kate. Welcome to our club. Well I’m weakly Estrogen positive (15%). So I’m kinda like you but for Estrogen. And yes they are treating me as triple negative too but the MO said we would talk about hormonal therapy after I finish my chemo. It looked like he was undecided.
Margo - Hang in there. 1 down 3 to go. We can do it.
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Thanks all for the welcome and to margo for the info. The MO said a PICC line might be doable. I'll see her right after round one so I might sway her if I get vein issues.
Eigna: yes! Good to know we can share. Please don't hesitate to send me a private message.
Anyone else starting AC?
Courage!
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Port is in. Yay! It’s so hard to find a good vein on me so this is a relief.
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Hi everyone,
Just an update from my first AC on Wednesday. The worst has been headaches and nausea - near constant since Thursday. I had my shot on Thursday - no bone pain yet.
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Bejeweled, what meds are you getting for nausea? Have you tried ginger? I asked my oncologist about it and he said it can help.
Sending much ❤️
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So I had my 1st AC on Monday. I was ok Tuesday and Wednesday just mild fatigue and nausea. But boy Thursday and Friday knocked me on my butt. My husband called my MO and they explained how to take the Zofran and Compazine together to stay ahead of the nausea. So my advice is to not play catch up to nausea.
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