Starting Chemo March 2021
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natureyogi, hiking in Colorado sounds amazing!! But the hammock is great too as long as it’s in the shade, with a rope tied to a tree so you can gently rock back and forth! You’ll get your energy back a few weeks after your last treatment just as you start thinking that you never will! Thick red hair!! Maybe you’ll have thick curly red hair soon!
Hopeheal, how many more treatments do you need? It does feel like it never ends, hang in there!
Mickeysmom what a good description of your emotions! I’m mostly ok, and then I get waves of sadness and fear or I feel like crying if I just imagine being done with treatment. I have no idea how to move on from this yet but wanted you to know that I share a lot of your feelings and emotions! I seem to enjoy exhausting myself with exercise or attempting to meditate to learn to be present and ease my anxiety.
I’m 4 weeks post my last TC and I’m starting to see a tiny bit of peach fuzz, if my hair was dark I think it would be more visible. No one else is noticing the growth but I swear it’s there! My fatigue and side effects after the last treatment were pretty bad, but then they mostly went away at the 3 week mark and I’ve been on a high for days just knowing I don’t have to do chemo again. Remaining symptoms so far: achy feet, messed up nails, brain fog, elevated liver enzymes, hot flashes, irritated eyes, fatigue (but much much better than during chemo)!Keep picturing yourself ringing that bell and all the wonderful things you want to do once you can!
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GreenOutdoors- Thank you so much for your reply. Congratulations on being done! I guess I am jumping the gun a bit with questions about hair regrowth because I've heard of some people who say their hair actually started regrowing before their chemo ended. It does not seem as though I will be one of them lol. I've come this far; I guess I just have to be patient and accept that the end of chemo doesn't necessarily mean that life magically returns to normal. Honestly, I welcome the flood of tears and emotions because I feel like I've been bottling and just putting my head down and plowing forward since this whole thing started. It feels good to actually let myself feel something again.
I am definitely feeling a little more exhausted after this past round. No other SEs to speak of thankfully, but the exhaustion is real.
Have a great day everyone, and enjoy the sunshine-
D
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Mikeysmom - I equated re-entry into post-chemo life as a kind of culture shock. I had worked so hard to get through each day and stay on top of my side effects, that I was living in another culture. I resumed full-time work and was lost and unable to focus, to the point that I nearly asked my PCP for some Ritalin. I didn't need it, as I found myself slowly adjusting back to my old life.
I'm glad to see you are prepared for an emotional response when you have your last infusion. I was not prepared for it and as the last 20 minutes or so were counting down, I found myself welling up and I didn't know why. I know now that it was because it was damn hard, and I powered through it and I did it all by myself (the chemo part, not the support system part), and that I had been held hostage by this treatment and I was about to be freed by my captors. It was just a profound sense of disbelief and relief.
Once I hit about 2-2.5 months PFC I was able to 'pass' as someone with a very short haircut versus someone recovering from hair loss. Just shy of the 3-month mark, I saw my hairdresser to have her tidy up my neckline and around my ears, which made it look even more like I cut my hair like this on purpose. I was on weekly Taxol, so I lost eyebrows and lashes after chemo, but they grew back wicked fast, as in, just after they fell out I saw stubble.
I won't chime in on fatigue because it didn't plague me much, and I had rads a month after chemo which introduced more mild fatigue and I can't say for sure what drove any fatigue I was feeling. I will say I have had no fatigue since about 3 months PFC. I was active (running, strength training, walking everywhere) throughout treatment, though.
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Hi Dawn-
I’m so glad you’ll be finished with chemo soon. I’m only one month finished, so I don’t really know the answer to your questions. I can tell you that my hair is starting to come back this week. Looks like a five o’clock shadow and I’m excited to see it. As far as the exhaustion, I felt much better after 2 1/2 or 3 weeks. Not able to get back to my regular exercise, but much better. Though I’ve now started radiation and fatigue is a side effect soooo…
As I understand it, chemo was the hardest part.
As for the transition, I really can’t say. Just doing the best I can. I think once I’m finished with radiation and I can start healing that’s going to be the beginning.
And the bell was awesome!! I get to do one after radiation and that one will feel phenomenal I’m sure! Good luck to you :
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GreenOutdoors, I had my second weekly Taxol today. So far I am ok. I had my second Pfizer vaccine on Sunday and had some tiredness, and nausea from that for two days but I am better now. So far Taxol has been much easier that AC even with vaccine side effects, and I hope it stays that way.
Happy to see many of you are done with chemo part. I wish fast recovery from SEs for everyone.
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Greenoutdoors I need 12 weekly rounds of Taxol total. MO said I could transition to biweekly 6 rounds but dose heavier, but I would rather avoid heavier symptom threat. Congratulations on finishing and seeing hair. Hope it grows back in the texture and color you prefer.
Congratulations on those who finished, MochiPie I can relate to your sudden emotional reaction to being set free. Part of your emotions may also be saying goodbye to your caretakers and the relationship we all formed with them. I still have 10 more Taxol rounds to go, then surgery, then rads.
Just wondering if anyone here had low RBCs on their bloodwork and was offered a transfusion? MO suggested it & scared to have one due to potential risks.
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HopeHeal, what is your RBC value on last treatment? I have had two transfusions since chemo, at first I was really scared about it, but then I was close to passing out several times. My hemoglobin got down to 6.3, I was lightheaded, I heard a whooshing heart beat in my ears, could not walk very far, sheer exhaustion. I tried bone broth, steaks (I usually do not eat), protein. MO said it was the AC and that once I was done with chemo, I should start producing again. I have one treatment left (Taxol) next week, I bought MegaFoods Blood Builder supplements and a B complex to start taking about a week out after chemo to get things back up and ready for surgery. I do feel so much better after the transfusions, I looked at the risks involved and if my levels went any lower I wouldn't be able to get treatments and if it goes under 6.0 it causes a lot of other problems. I totally understand your concerns, my first thought was when getting transfusion, "here I go again, doing something else that may cause serious issues later". I have never been anemic in my life and this was severe.
The procedure itself is easy, they give you Benadryl for any reactions and they infuse the blood slowly. I took a long nap there, you usually go to hospital, make sure they have numbing spray if they access port. If they don't, have them do IV. Let me know if you have any questions, would love to help!
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NatureYogi, thanks much for taking the time to respond with your experience. My RBC was 2.57 and hemoglobin 7.7. I was becoming very out of breath just from walking for 5 minutes or going up the stairs, and I'm not that out of shape! Unlike you though I have always had a tendency toward actual and borderline anemia. Once in the past I almost passed out once during an episode. I usually don't eat much meat so rely on iron (chelated to avoid GI irritation) to keep my counts up. MegaFoods Builder – that' a great brand which I also bought. I have been offered iron transfusions in the past for my anemia which I refused due to risks and relied on doubling up on my iron pills, which did work. But I don't think that will work now because the rbc count is the issue.
I noticed my anemia usually pops up when I avoid eating meat for long periods of time, as I have done unfortunately during chemo which wasn't my plan. I knew meat would be good my marrow but I couldn't get to the market to buy specific meats due to covid or feeling tired.
I felt as you, with the AC risks of leukemia the transfusion might add other risks, but to extend life now we must do a cost/benefit analysis. I agreed to the transfusion after my team spoke to me and I realized how dangerous my situation was. My AC began knocking my RBC counts and now after each Taxol my anemia could get worse. I really should just do whatever my team suggests, they know best.
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HopeHeal, I was surprised how quickly my condition deteriorated. I was out of breath and if I went upstairs, I had to sit on bed to catch my breath, not to mention my heart pounding. Low brain power, not a good feeling.
They are better at screening blood these days and they will draw blood from you to get a close match on other things besides blood type. It takes about a day and a half to feel better, you wake up with more energy and bounce back. Pound down water too.
Let me know how it goes and take care!
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Hello all,
Hope everyone is doing well and hanging in there! Yesterday was my last chemo! Kind of disappointed because their bell was semi broken! Oh well, I'm done and that is all that really matters. I feel at peace and I enjoyed a good dinner. Months ago I thought I wouldn't get here, but you do, so all of you hang in there!
Next up, double mastectomy with node removal mid July, then radiation later on.
Take care!
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Hi NatureYogi,
Congratulations on finishing Chemo and good luck with the surgery!
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For those of you who have mentioned blood transfusions: I had one last week when my oncologist said that my bloodwork had contiued to drop from high 7.8 to 7.2 over the period of 7 days. I receive one unit of blood on Thursday, June 10th and on Sunday morning, June 13, I felt like a different person. I hadn't realized how truly awful I had been feeling until that Sunday. Head was cleared, breathing was much easier when I moved around- just everything. I found out on June 17th that my hemoglobin had jumped back up from 7.2 to 10, which apparently was a little unusual to to go up that much after one unit.
Anyway, now I realize that little by little each week feeling crummy crept up on me, and it is easy to forget what it feels like to feel good. I have no regrets and if my numbers get that low again, I would not hesitate to have another transfusion.
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Thank you Aram! How many do you have left?
Heliosue, I agree with you on the transfusions! My hemoglobin got down to 6.3 and I felt really bad, the transfusion saved my life! It took about a day and a half to feel the effects, but you really notice a difference in your brain power, breathing, energy, etc. Hope you continue to feel better!
If there are any other March sisters still getting chemo, hang in there and let us know how many you have left. We are here to support you!
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NatureYogi congrats on finishing chemo! I received 1 pint of blood this week. Beneficial effects immediately of not becoming very out of breath walking back to the parking lot. I also no longer feel my heart pounding in my ears. Definitely have more energy, though not perfect and still out of breath sometimes because I am still anemic. I was advised to take it easy and not do too many tasks at once.
Glad the transfusions worked out for you HelioSue. My iron crept up but not that much. I think that non-motivated feeling I experienced had to do with feeling weakened.
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NatureYogi, I have 9 left. I will be done with Chemo mid August, then surgery, and then Herceptin for a year. My treatment plan is long!
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NatureYogi, congrats on being done! I have two more left and should be done mid-July….then on to radiation.
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Taxotere & Cytoxan Chemo Treatment
Hi Ladies - I finished my last TC treatment on June 2nd - (24 days ago). I am experiencing shortness of breath when I walk fast or uphill. Also my resting heart rate is higher than usual. Anyone else experience any of these symptoms? I put a message to the chemo onc and the NP said that it is typical and will go away in a while.
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Hi Carpe-diem, my last TC chemo was 18 May and my out-of-breathness seemed to end just about a week ago. I'm finally able to walk with purpose and not get winded. I'd say roughly a month to get better.
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Check your hemoglobin.
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Hello March chemo warriors!
Carpe-Diem, my resting heart rate (according to Fitbit) was in the high 70’s for weeks after my last TC mid May, it is now back to a more normal 58-60. At last check my RBC and Hemoglobin were a little low and my liver enzymes stillelevated. I feel so much better now and I anticipate my next blood work will look normal. Congrats on being done!! I hope you feel better really soon and if you don’t, insist on getting blood work done. Don’t forget to pause and rest.NatureYogi, you are all done with chemo also! Congrats! Isn’t it a great feeling?!
I’m about 6 weeks past my last TC and I’ve lost most of my eyelashes and eyebrows, but hair on my head is now visible, many patchy areas and thin, so not looking great but improving weekly. Anyone on just Taxol (Aram and HopeHeal) noticing hair growth? I read that happens sometimes. How about those who have completed chemo?
I hope you all get to relax this weekend and do something you enjoy!0 -
I am about to start 4 cycles of TC post mastectomy and asked my oncologist the same question- I could be cancer free now so why do chemo? She said we will never know but this would kill microscopic cancer cells- which may or may not be in my body?!
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GreenOutdoors, I have some baby hair showing on my head. I was surprised by it, as was my MO. I am not sure if it is going to stay though.
AvaG, it is very common to give chemo based on tumor size and receptors as there is no way to be sure tiny cancer cells are not floating around by imaging.
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GreenOutdoors-So glad chemo is over, I am already feeling a lot better, even though it has only been a week. I go back in next week to get blood work done, it will interesting to see where my numbers are at.
My son is here from Colorado and we went to the beach yesterday, I walked quite a bit and actually got in the water and played in the waves. It felt good to get out and do something physical, I was tired by 9:00pm but that is ok! The only real bad side effect I'm experiencing is neuropathy, I read Apple Cider Vinegar can help.
Carpe-diem-If you continue to feel bad, have them do labs for you so you can make sure your blood is ok.
Ladies hang in there you can do this!
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Hi GreenOutdoors,
I am nearing the middle of 12 weekly Taxols and just noticed last week that, holy moly, I lost a lot of eyelash! Quite sad about that & hope they grow back. I didn't have much brow to begin with but I think I may losing some too. As for my head hair I never lost it completely - my greys hung on on during AC and trying to hang on despite the Taxol trying to take them off.
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i ran across Chris Beat Cancer right before my diagnosis of invasive ductal HER2+ breast cancer with lymph node involvement. I started his diet protocol the week after my diagnosis, 8 weeks ago. I did my first round of treatment (TCHP), very reluctantly a week ago. Unfortunately I could’t find a surgeon willing to do my surgery without pre-surgery treatment, and I cannot afford some of the holistic programs out there.. I will have the 6 protocol treatments, 1 every 3 weeks, and then I will have the surgery. They will remove the lymph gland and surrounding tissue to check for clean margins. They are wanting me to follow up with a year (at least) of herceptin treatment, but my husband and I are pretty sure we won’t continue treatments after my surgery.
I had no side effects during or after my first treatment, praise God. Don’t know if it was the diet and things, but I”ll take it. Haven’t even had any fatigue. I also started an all natural body cleanse the day after my treatment to try to flush these toxins out of my body. Did detox baths for 48 hours following also. I find it reallyhard to find information and resources for holistic advice since everything that comes up is buried beneath the hospitals, pharmaceutical ads and the like😡.
Wondering if you followed the Chris Beat Cancer protocol and if you did, what were your results
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Dmjshriver, few side effects are most probably due to pre meds that are given prior to infusion. Modern medicine is amazing like that.
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Hi Dmjshriver, Chris BC is great. I found him weeks before my diagnosis and began his protocol somewhat. I find him to be the most sincere out of the myriad of holistic advertisers and continue to incorporate his tips into my diet such as with substances like ginger and turmeric and teas; I think the healthy diet has helped. However, my MO's advice such as not taking anti-oxidants trumps any holistic advice because it needs to be followed as part of the treatment protocol.
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Aram, how are your blood sugar measures while taking the Taxol steroids?
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HopeHeal, so far normal. Everything is normal except for my blood counts. Red and white cells are all very low. Is yours elevated?
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Aram, I am worried because my blood sugar went up way past 100 while on the steroids but the nurses said that was normal because the body processes steroids like sugar. Therefore I am surprised you have not had the same reaction. I then stopped the steroids 2 weeks ago and even my glucose was much lower it remained high at around 100. Perhaps it takes a longer while to come down than I read.
WBC & RBC continue to be low. It makes me tired but I am used to it. As you may have read I had one RBC transfusion.
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