July 2020 chemo club
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hello everyone-I’m on day 3 after my 6th infusion and I’m doing pretty good. This last one went a lot better and I feel like I’m recovering quicker. Surgery is creeping up and I’m getting a little nervous for it. Sounds like I will get a brief break after getting my next infusion for Perjeta and Herceptin due to the timing of surgery. Is anyone else going to start tamoxifen soon?
Hope everyone is doing well
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Congrats on finishing #6 nottoday!
I met with my surgeons, and they told me the plan. I will have a double mastectomy with expanders, then the plastics surgeon will switch the expanders with silicone implants, and then they will do lipo and transfer fat to make the implants look more natural, and then have nipples tattooed. Both surgeons are comfortable putting the surgery off until the first of the year, so I am very excited to have a bit of a break and be able to enjoy the holidays. I’m not excited that there will be so many surgeries, but it’s a relief to not be in the dark anymore. Timing will really be dependent on if I will need radiation or not
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Nottodaycancer2020...🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔👏👏👏👏congratulations! Happy you get a chance to heal up before surgery. Enjoy your days off!😁
mtspacekace...how many surgeries are planned? Happy you have a plan. I wiil finalize mine in about 10 days when I meet in person with breast surgeon and plastic surgeon.
My daughter is coming over this weekend to help decorate for Christmas so that big job will be done. After surgery I hope to enjoy the season and heal. Has anyone done yoga nidra? I just started with a gal from the integrated health at my breast center. She also does relaxation for chemo, surgery and radiation which promotes healing. It takes the body from stress or our fight and flight mode to using the parasympathetic system. It is really quite amazing how it works and what a difference it makes to the mindset of our situations. Plus it is a free service from the center! Happy hump day!
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I am so tired of this emotional roller coaster. I had an appointment with my oncologist today, and he basically said if I waited to have surgery I would be putting myself in jeopardy, and risk the cancer coming back in that 2 month time frame. So I now have to schedule my surgery which will be right in the midst of Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Christmas. I’m so sad. I love the holidays. He also said, I can not be around people who do not wear masks. So my husbands family, half of my family, and anyone we thought we would be safe celebrating the holidays with, are now off limits. It makes me want to pack up, find a nice house with a pool somewhere on Arizona, and move there by myself until all this cancer crap is over and done with. If I can’t be around anyone else, I may as well be somewhere nice and warm. I thought this would get easier after chemo was over, I’m sad and angry, and it’s not any easier.
Iamloved: It will be probably 3 surgeries if everything goes as planned...2 if I choose not to do the fat grafting.
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myspacekace, I’m so sorry you are having a rough time. I don’t really have any sage advice, but just wanted you to know I’m thinking about you.
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I’m sorry that cancer is ruining your holidays too. Cancer is ruining everything this year.
The nurse navigator scheduling my surgery said 4-6 weeks after chemo is the sweet spot for surgery, which means mine will be the Monday before Christmas. Chemo will be the Friday before Thanksgiving, which means that holiday is effectively ruined as well. The only good news for me is that my husband and I are used to having low-key holidays with just the two of us so it’s not hard for us to adapt. It has to truly suck for those of you who are used to big family gatherings
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Hi ladies! Random question for those of us going through radiation treatment after chemo ... do you know if our immune system remains compromised while on radiation? For some reason, I was expecting it not to be but now am doubting myself. I've been really restrictive in my house since my teenagers are in school full time. My husband sleeps on the couch since he drives them to school, etc. My daughter plays on her school basketball team and I was hoping I could start attending her games once my immune system rebounded after chemo. My MO had told me to give it 4 weeks post chemo. That's probably when I'll start radiation so now am wondering if I need to brace myself for another couple of months of heavy restrictions.
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My oncologist said radiation does compromise the immune system, although not quite to the extent that chemo does. If you look at CDC guidelines for what makes you high risk for Covid they list chemo and radiation
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Thanks Melbo! That sounds right. I think I was in denial
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@brittonkb, I’m finished with chemo (10/23) and in the waiting period (recovery?) before starting rads at the end of November (tentatively 11/30) and I was told the clinic would not do radiation if I have an active case or am *recovering* from Covid.
This makes me really nervous...I don’t know what they consider “recovering” to be, but I don’t want to delay radiation so I’m staying quarantined. My holidays have all been put on hold as well...I’ve done it this long, what is another few months to a year? This Covid crap has really been an added headache to the cancer “detour”.
Melbo, thank you for that source! I’m forwarding to my friends and family, who seem to think, because I finished chemo, that I’m “normal” now.
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Hi there. I'm about to start TC at the end of November, and the nurse gave me the choice of having my treatments on Tuesdays or Fridays. I have kids so I was thinking if it's at all possible to control the process (as if!), I would like to pick a day of the week when I will be more likely to feel somewhat better on the weekend.
For others who are doing TC, which days are worse or better the week of your treatment? Thanks.
- Sharon in Boston
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BREASTCANCER.ORG is having a webinar on November 19 about cancer, COVID and seasonal blues:
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/133/topics/878120?page=1#idx_3
Ampmusic, great to read that your energy is returning and the Tamoxifen is going ok.
Nottoday, that’s great you have finished chemo. 🔔🎉🎊👍🏻 Wishing you the best as you prepare for surgery.
Sharon, in answer to your question: If you are going to have steroids, too, I would say Fridays for the chemo infusions because the side effects may not start to kick in until the children have returned to school after the weekend. Someone with children may have a different perspective, though, that may be more helpful. Wishing you the best as you go through your treatments.
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Sharon--I would recommend Friday--steroids keep you feeling pretty good for a couple of days after treatment and then your blood cells start to drop after that. I had my worst days over the weekend and had chemo on Tuesdays.
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BrittonKB, odd how different docs have different recommendations. Both my MO and RO said radiation would not compromise my immunity. MO said at this point I could consider myself at about the same covid risk as anybody else. That said, I’m still being extra careful because even with just an exposure, not even an active case, I’m afraid my radiation schedule would be screwed up. I’m not sure they’d even let me in the door past the covid checks if I couldn’t answer “no” to “have you been exposed to anyone who tested positive.”I figure I’ve got 11 days left. I’m not taking chances on delaying that.
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I am almost 3 weeks out from my last and final chemo treatment but my nose won't stop dripping. The Herceptin I am sure. But my latest problem is the sudden urge to pee! And it does not go away. At times I feel I have a UTI but it is not constant. But the incontinence has happened at least 5 times in the last week. WTH? Should I be worried about a secondary cancer in the bladder or else where? Meeting with my oncologist on Thursday so maybe will get some answers then. One more question....has anyone here had oncoplastic surgery? I am having a hard time finding much information about this type of surgery.
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Iamloved - Not sure where you live but could be weather related? My friend who went through this about 10 years ago warned me of the runny nose issue since we don't have nose hairs. Mine had been really runny and still is when I'm outdoors. Now with the drier weather I've been dealing with bloody noses. I'd definitely check with your MO on the bladder issues. I doubt you need to be concerned about secondary cancer but your doctor may have an explanation and hopefully a solution. I'm unfortunately no help on the oncoplastic surgery. The only plastic surgery involvement I had was a lymphovenous bypass during my ALND. Congrats on wrapping up chemo and good luck on next steps!
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Hi everyone.
Brittonkb, I hope you are doing well as your weekly infusions continue.
Iamloved, I hope your appointment goes well today and you get answers to your questions.
KMom, all the best to you as you finish radiation treatments next week.
Take care, everyone. Stay safe.
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Iamloved, isn't oncoplastic surgery just where they incorporate a better cosmetic outcome into whatever surgery you're having to control the cancer? I'm assuming what I am having (or at least as it stands now) is that. My breast surgeon will be working with a plastic surgeon during the surgery. When I was trying to decide between lumpectomy and mastectomy, she told me to google mastopexy reduction to get an idea of what that looked like. Never heard that term before in my life, Maybe ask your doc to give you the specific name of whatever kind of surgery you'll be having and you'll have more luck finding info.
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my final chemo is tomorrow! I can’t wait to get it over with so I can start to feel good again.
Brittonkb — my nose has also been super runny since the weather got colder. It’s incredibly annoying
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Congratulations on finishing chemo, Melbo!!
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Yay Melbo! Congrats on finishing chemo today!!!
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Melbo...🔔🔔🔔👏👏👏👏 congratulations to you! I hope you body heals quickly so life can be somewhat normal again!🤗
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I have arrived for imaging at the Mayo clinic. BS ordered a mammogram. I would have preferred an mri but I am hopeful the mammogram will show the tumor has been destroyed! Excited but nervous all at the same time. If you are inclined to pray I would ask for one this morning.
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good luck with your imaging! I’ll be curious to know what they find. I have a mammogram scheduled for next week to get a new baseline after chemo.
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Iamloved - Hoping you got good news with your mammo. Prayers definitely being sent your way!
Melbo - Good luck on your scan next week!
I finished my 9th Taxol treatment today. 3 more to go!
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I had a MRI last week and the tumor has shrunk 95%. So my SO decided to bring forward my surgery to be on the 1st December. Hope everyone is doing well
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So here is what I learned yesterday. They took 2 mammogram pictures and sent them out to be read. 30 minutes later I am having an ultrasound sound done. The technician is having trouble finding anything at the 9:30 position but says everyone has a different idea of the "boob clock". She finally located the clip, takes her pictures and is off to show the radiologist. She comes back in about 10 minutes to tell me that there is hardly anything left of the tumor. Next my appointment with my breast surgeon. She tells me I had a very good response but until surgery they won't know the final results. She can't feel it so she is having the radioactive seed placed the day before surgery so she can find what remains when she does surgery. This was a 7cm to 8cm tumor which now they can only find because of the clip that was placed during the biopsy. So happy 😊. One week to surgery. God is great!! He answered my prayers 🙏.
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WONDERFUL news!! So happy to hear!
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that’s great news! I hope your surgery goes well and that all the chemo took out all the cancer
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I am so frustrated. My surgeons and oncologist can not get on the same page and surgery still is not scheduled. I thought I have been waiting for someone to call me with a surgery date, and finally had someone from the plastics office call me to tell me since I’m anemic, they will not do reconstruction surgery, until a later time. My general surgeon still has not called to schedule my double mastectomy, and my oncologist wants this all done ASAP. The surgeons say my blood work is not good, my oncologist says it is fine. He never said I was anemic. Also. My blood work has not been done for 5 weeks. I really do not want delayed reconstruction. The original plan was double mastectomy with expanders.
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