Starting Chemo March 2021
Comments
-
Has anyone experienced discomfort with the port after it has been healed? Mine was put in about 6 weeks ago, and it is still tender.
0 -
Aram, my port was placed on 2 March and accessed many times with all the hospital visits I had. It has worked flawlessly. I do remember it itching for a few weeks as it healed, but never hurt past about day 4. The skin over the nubs seems thin to me, but the doctor and infusion nurses are not concerned by it. I will be happy when it gets removed.
0 -
Aram, my port was put in beginning of April and feels fine after a period of healing. However the entrance platform can get tender after the nurses use it. I put a waterproof bandaid over it and it felt better after a few days. I hope you are not having complications.
0 -
Kippeo when can it get removed? This was never discussed with me. Should it stay in for the 5-year post treatment monitoring period in case it has to be used again?
0 -
My por does not hurt but it does feel weird having it in there. Not sure I would call it tender exactly but I avoid touching it and have one of those little seat belt pillows to protect it from that.
0 -
Hopeheal, I asked my MO and he said the port stays in for 6 months after all treatment ends unless it is bothering me. I asked why so long. He said "just in case". Yikes!
Ursa/Aram, you'll cringe! I like to freak my family out by wiggling and moving the port under my skin.
0 -
thank you everyone. I am at the infusion site for my first THP infusion. I am going to talk to the nurse as well.
0 -
Hope everything went well Aram. Wishing you ease and comfort. I'm also starting Taxol weekly, this week and I am nervous.
0 -
Hello Ladies - Woo hoo! Yesterday was my last chemotherapy treatment. Can't tell you how happy I am to have this part of the journey over. TC was kind of difficult and made for a long 12 weeks. But it is over, and hopefully this coming week won't come with too many side effects. I will be seeing my radiation oncologist next week and get a better understanding of when we will be starting radiation. I think it may be three to four weeks from now - so perhaps the last week of June.
NatureYogi - you are almost there. June 17th is around the corner. That means today is your #3 treatment. Good luck and hang strong.
0 -
HopeHeal, I was supposed to have my first Taxol yesterday but I had an allergic reaction to Kanjinti and by the time Kanjinti was done there wasn't enough time for Taxol. Going back to get Taxol today. Yours start today as well?
Carpe-Diem, congratulations on finishing your chemo part!
0 -
Carpe-Diem, congratulations on finishing chemo! Hopefully you get through the next couple of weeks without event.
Aram, so sorry you had a reaction. What does that kanj drug do/prevent? I'm glad you can still get your taxol. Good luck.
I had my radiation mapping/planning today. For some reason having all these marks on me and these 3 dot tattoos is bothering me. I think it's the outward sign of treatment...as if a bald head, port bump and surgical scares aren't enough. I'm already thinking about having the dot tattoos removed, I hate them so much.
Radiation starts next Thurs for me.
0 -
Kipepeo, Kanjinti is for Her2+. It is similar to Herceptin.
0 -
Carpe Diem, Congratulations to you for getting through the chemo! I have two left of the Taxol, then hopefully lymph node removal/mastectomy.
Everyone hang in there!
0 -
NatureYogi - Thank you. I hope your last two taxol doses go smoothly, and the mastectomy is not too difficult. That is what I did in 2014 - AC & taxol (dose dense followed by the mastectomy).
Kipepeo - Thank you. I had heard that the tattoo marks need to remain so that they know where they had given you radiation in the past. Don't know if that is accurate or folklore. On the other hand you can look at it as part of the journey and our scars are proof of the battle. Over time, you don't see them as much as they kind of look like tiny moles. At least mine were real small first go around.
Aram - Thank you for the congratulatory remarks. I hope your taxol infusion was uneventful today.
0 -
kipeppeo- I’m telling people my tattoos are tiny Death Stars from Star Wars. 😂😂😂 Like I asked the doctor to make them something I liked.
I had my day 2 of radiation today. No side effects yet that I can tell. I might go read some old radiation threads and see when I can expect them. Not really trying to join a new group for real. I know y’all. I like y’all. Haha.
I’m still suffering from the hot flashes. Suuuuuuccckks. Other than that, I feel pretty good. My muscles ache, esp legs, for no reason. Like I went jogging but I definitely didn’t.
Congrats to those of you finishing chemo!! So great to have that part over.
0 -
Congratulations CarpeDiem and all others who completed their chemo! This is a March thread so yes by now June the majority is done. Good luck with the radiation.
Aram sorry you had a reaction. My MO said a chemo-round time frame is about two or three days so you are still good to be on schedule for the Taxol. Getting mine tomorrow.
0 -
HopeHeal, thank you. I had my Taxol today and thankfully I did not have any allergic reaction. The nurse said nausea is not very common with Taxol. I will know tomorrow when the steroids wear off.
Good luck with your first Taxol
0 -
Aram - thanks for the information on the weekly Taxol dose versus the every two weeks protocol. I ultimately went with the weekly and, like you, had my first Taxol infusion yesterday - no allergic reactions and so far only had mild night sweat and some sleeplessness last night.Twelve week seems like a very long time.
Carpe-Diem - you were absolutely correct. This current set of infusions (12 weeks) is Taxol, not TC. First one yesterday and I guess it remains to be seen what happens and when in terms of side effects. Thanks for clarifying for me.
0 -
heliosue, I hope this one is going better than AC with few side effects.
HopeHeal, how did the first taxol go?
0 -
Hey ladies, just posting a pic of me and my daughter in Ocean City, MD. I needed a little vacay in between chemo and radiation. We're actually staying in Fenwick Island, DE. The one thing I keep saying..."I want my hair back."
Funny thing with this pic...had to take it 3 times because my top wouldn't stay covering my port (the nasty alien)!
0 -
Heidi, that is a great picture of you two. I hope you are having lots of fun.
I had my second Pfizer Covid vaccine today. About 3 days after my last chemo. I am not sure if my WBC is high enough to get any benefits but my doctor said to go ahead anyways.
0 -
Hello!
Carpe-Diem Congrats on being done with chemo!!
Hopefully everyone in this thread will get done fairly soon.I had my mapping for radiation done last week, and I will start that part of treatment next week. I’ve been loving this little break between chemo and radiation and spending time in woods and mountains because that’s where I’m the happiest! I’m sharing a picture of an 8 mile hike my husband and I just did! What do you guys do to relax? Or what are you looking forward to do again once you get your energy back?
0 -
Thank you Aram.
Greenoutdoors, I love this photo. There is such meaning and a story behind it. I'm especially proud of your relaxed attitude about being bald.
I am ok as long as I'm wearing a hat or something, but super self conscious about removing it at all. I wish I wasn't.
0 -
Great photo Kipepeo! I see women around the clinic going confidently bald but like you I am self-conscious and cover up.
Aram, after first Taxol dealing with body aches. I think I had my steroid crash yesterday when I felt moody.
0 -
GreenOutdoors, I love your picture! I try to do walks around the neighborhood on the days that SEs are not terrible. It gives me a sense of normalcy. I am not hitting my step goals everyday but still better than nothing.
HopeHeal, I am sorry you are having body aches. It seems I have escaped the SEs for the first round at least. I will see how next one will go.
0 -
We love the photos here!
Chiming in to let you know that TOMORROW is our Zoom virtual meet-up for people going through chemotherapy (caregivers welcome)
Tuesdays 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
0 -
Heidi, thank you for the compliment! I do wear scarves at times and I really really miss my long hair. But for now, I am bold! Oh, and for the tattoos, Google “3 dot tattoo meaning”, I’m going with “my crazy life” minus the gang and prison references!
Aram, did you get side effects from your second dose? I can relate to looking for normalcy, I don’t always hit my step goals, but I think having a goal helps me move more.
Crystal, those hot flashes are awful! Do you have any advice/tips? I haven’t found much, I try to keep my temperature constant as I read that a small change in temperature can trigger a hot flash. So I drink iced water, wear cotton as much as possible, eat warm food slowly but I’m not sure it’s helping.
0 -
Kipepeo, That is a beautiful picture of you both! Hope you enjoyed your vacation.
Green Outdoors, I'm with you, I am happiest when I am hiking! I am looking forward to Colorado days of hiking and lots of yoga. I need vinyasa yoga seriously. Right now, no energy, so it's a hammock life.
Last round of Taxol is on June 17, I just might go bald. I ran into a lady getting treatment that I know from the parking garage downtown, we used to ride the elevator together. She said, oh yeah, you had the thick long red hair. Lol.
Everyone take care and get through this!
0 -
NatureYogi, the exercise is go good for the body. Can't wait to get out more as soon as I have energy. I am worst in the immediate days following infusions but then I feel I could get out. Covid was keeping me in a lot as well.
0 -
Good morning warrior sisters-
I haven't been on in a while because life has just been crazy, but I just finished round 5 of 6, and on June 25, I will have my last round of chemo ... as they were walking me to my infusion area on Friday, they walked me past the "bell" and I had such a rush of emotions and tears. I feel like I have been holding everything in for the past year since my initial diagnosis, and now it's like there is a crack in the dam and I can't hold it all in anymore. I'm sitting here filling up with tears as I write this.
I have a few questions that I was hoping I could get some help with ... mainly what to expect in the weeks after my last chemo. For anyone who has finished already, when can I expect to start feeling myself again? When will my hair, lashes, brows, start to grow back? I cold capped pretty successfully, but my hair is destroyed and I have quite a few bald spots, so I'm wondering what the general timeline is for regrowth and when I can start cutting, coloring, and styling my hair again (I can't seem to find the cold-capping thread anymore for some reason). Also, when will the exhaustion start to let up? Most importantly, how do I transition back to pre-cancer life? Is there even such a thing? As you can see my mind is racing and I am experiencing alllllllll of the emotions. Any wisdom anyone can share would be tremendously appreciated.
Thank you so much for your support, wisdom, strength, guidance, and love throughout this journey ... I could not have made it through this process without all of you carrying me through it.
Much love-
Dawn
0
