Starting Chemo May and June 2024 Support Thread
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@bailey.boo You are definitely on the other side of chemo and things will keep getting better from here! Every day you will get stronger and stronger (even though it may be in tiny increments!). Hang in there and keep moving forward!
I’m five weeks post chemo now, and I’m just starting to get some energy back. I’m taking it slowly and trying not to get too frustrated with my body for not doing what it used to do. I may not be in the best shape anymore, but I can still walk, take care of myself and the house, and have minimal side effects from the lumpectomy. Trying to be grateful, but sometimes it’s hard. I’m still pissed that I got cancer!0 -
@sarahjunefox I love your celebration! 🎉 So fun and so happy you are done as well! I will be doing Hormone blockers for 5 years. I am 2 weeks out from my last chemo and still have my port as well.
My issue is that when I was diagnosed in March I was already scheduled for a hip replacement. I was pretty active and the hip pain stopped me. I had to postpone the surgery and have the mastectomy instead and have been in extreme hip pain through it all. My oncologist cleared me to fix my hip in a couple of weeks so I will go straight into hip replacement. My numbers and pre op all look good. So I won't get my port removed until after I heal up a bit from hip and I won't start the Hormone blockers until then as well. Its not easy to imagine going into another surgery, rehab, PT so soon but I am so tired of this awful pain.
Then I figure while I'm on a roll, I will start looking into Diep Flap and have my reconstruction done a few months after my hip is done. What the hell, bionic woman!
Wow @bailey.boo that sure was a big accomplishment 10 days out 👏
Sending you all best wishes for feeling your best 🌸
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has anyone here had their ct simulation yet for radiation? If so, did they tell you if they saw anything? I had mine done on Monday, but haven’t heard back yet on anything or to schedule my radiation. Just curious if they’d share anything like if they saw spread or if they saw swollen lymph nodes or whatever.
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@ebfitzy I started radiation therapy last week. When they do the CT scan, I think it is only for mapping purposes so the radiation oncologist knows where to send the radiation beams. I assume they don’t even look for evidence of cancer since they’re just getting coordinates. I wouldn’t worry about not hearing back from them.
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@ebfitzy I have 20 total and I’ve had five as of today. Super easy and fast. I’m only on the table for three minutes tops (the actual radiation only lasts thirty seconds on each side). I don’t have any lymph node involvement, so they’re only radiating my breast. I’ll have one booster dose during the last week of radiation where they direct the radiation directly to the spot where my cancer was.
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How is everyone doing? I love how quiet this group has gotten, hoping it's because we are all done or almost done with the chemo part of this journey. I am three weeks out now, got my hair cut on Monday, the day I'd normally be getting my infusion. Much more enjoyable all together!!
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@sarahjunefox, you look absolutely beautiful with your new haircut! It suits you so well! 🤩
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Hi @sarahjunefox! You look AMAZING! I love your hair so much!
I’m shiny bald, but I’ve held onto the inner halves of my brows and about 30% of my lashes 😁 I’m ready to start growing some hair again!
I’m also about 3 weeks out from the last chemo. Depending on surgery pathology, I may need Kadcyla, but fingers crossed I won’t! I’ve been so busy with pre-op appts and surgery (DMX) prep. And I’ve been getting out and about more as I feel better.
I hope everyone is doing well! 💕
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@sarahjunefox You look wonderful! I've been thinking lately about what it will feel like to have hair again. All in good time, though. I'm triple negative, so just started the 2nd half of my chemo regimen; I have a ways to go yet. If I can stay on schedule, my last chemo will be Nov 19, with a DMX just after the 1st of the year.
@bailey.boo You're almost there! I'm pretty much shiny bald too, except for a few stragglers! I've been told I'll lose the eyebrows and lashes with the AC chemo; time will tell! I hope your surgery path reports are all in your favor! Please stay in touch and let us know how you are.
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@sarahjunefox Looks like the cold capping worked, huh?! You look so happy and beautiful 😍! My hair is at the peach fuzz stage… and it’s coming in WHITE!!! Oh well, better white hair than no hair 🤷♀️
I just finished day 11 out of 20 of radiation. It’s really starting to hit me now. I am sooooo tired. Feels like I’m getting sick, but I think it’s just the radiation. My chest feels heavy and congested, my ribs and shoulder ache a bit, and I cannot sleep for shit! My last radiation appointment is October 8th, then I start the hormone blockers for five years.
All things considered, I am grateful to be on the other side of the halfway point of my treatment. Sending all my love and support to you warriors still in the muck of it all! Hang in there!!
Here’s a pic from this weekend with brother who flew down for a quick visit. I certainly paid for all the beers we consumed, but we had a blast!
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I'm starting hormone blockers too, in about 3 weeks. it's nice to have a wee break now, no medicine at all. Best of luck everyone! We are getting there. ❣️
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I am so freaking pissed off…. ALL of my eye lashes fell out in a matter of hours yesterday. I didn’t lose any of them during chemo (which I finished on august 8th). What the actual fuck?! Chemo… the gift that keeps on giving.
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Finished radiation today. I’m officially done with treatment! Keep moving forward everyone. You can do this!! ❤️
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@Love4All Wahey congrats!! Sorry about the lashes. Mine fell out really late as well.
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@Love4All Congrats on finishing treatment! That's freaking awesome!
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CONGRATULATIONS!! Omg, that’s awesome, @Love4All ! 🎉✨
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A quick update from me— I had surgery for DMX w/expanders on 10/1. So far, so good, overall! Still waiting on pins and needles for that pathology report. 🙏🏼
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Hi everyone! Wondering how all of you are doing. I am officially in menopause and taking Femara (letrozole) for ten years. I keep gaining weight, my eyelashes all fell out about four months to the day of the first time they fell out, my joints aches like never before, and I have pretty bad insomnia. Otherwise, I’m alive and well 🙃! Trying to enjoy life every day as best I can, making friendships a priority, and doing things that bring me joy.
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HI all, I was just thinking about you lovely ladies this morning. 💕
I am also officially in menopause and taking Tamoxifen for 5 years. My poor eyelashes fell out 2 months after my last chemo and are trying their best to slowly grow back in. My hair is also growing back, but only upwards! It's so frizzy!! Feeling good otherwise. I have a mammogram this week. How do they do it to one missing boob?2 -
@sarahjunefox Same thing happened to my eyelashes! Two months after chemo they all fell out at once, grew back, then fell out again four months later. Guess the life cycle of my lashes is four months, so I fully expect to lose them again in a few months 🤬.
I never let my hair fully grow out since losing it all. It grew back mostly silver and a little curly, but I’m keeping is super short for the time being. I don’t have the patience to grow it out!
Good question about the mammogram 🤔. I had a lumpectomy, so I expect mine will be the same old squish as before.1 -
Hey ladies, it's been a while! My hair is slowly growing back, still not long enough for me to go around without a head cover. I went through menopause 25 years ago. Hopefully, the hot flashes aren't treating y'all too badly because they are rough! Most of my medical stuff is in my signature. Results of the PET scan this morning show a lesion in the muscle under where my right breast was removed. Ultrasound recommended. And I am waiting to hear from the doctors office. I hope you all are well
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I had my annual mammogram this week. Can’t believe it’s been a year since my diagnosis! It came back all clear, so I’m grateful for that!!
I’m taking letrozole for ten years instead of the usual five based on my breast cancer index score. Bummer. I’m supposed to start my zometa infusions in early April. I’m not looking forward to it. I’ve read there are some potential nasty side effects (like the jaw bone can basically disintegrate and cause teeth to come loose) and that the bone density you gain while taking the drug goes away as soon as you stop. So not sure what the benefit is of taking it? Research is not clear about taking calcium supplements and they may actually harm your arteries by leaving calcium deposits. Ugh. The fun never ends!
Hope everyone is doing well. Please keep in touch ❤️
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Hey @Love4All I'm happy to hear your mammo was clear. Yay! I'm not familiar with Zometa so can't speak on that. Hope you're feeling well!
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@justsnapd8 Thank you 😊! Zometa is a drug given as an infusion every six months to help prevent osteoporosis from the letrozole. It’s like Prolia.
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So nice to hear you ladies again.
@justsnapd8 praying for positive information from your doctors and ultrasound 🙏 I hope you aren't struggling with SE's too badly to your medications.
@Love4All Sorry to hear about the Letrozole SE's, I started it as well a few months ago. I finally got my hip replaced as well in November. I was scheduled for the surgery when I was diagnosed last March and had to put it off. It was very painful. I started the Letrozole but it hurt my hip so badly I had to wait till it was replaced and restart. I also turned 70 in November. My SE's are mostly pain in shoulders, hips and low back which so far is tolerable. Sleep is difficult because my body hurts. I am back to being pretty active so maybe that is why I'm sore as well. I'm playing pickleball again a few times a week which makes me so happy. What time of day do you take the Letrozole? I take mine at bedtime but thinking maybe I should try it in the morning. I have not been told about Zometa yet. I hope it all works smoothly and does what it's supposed to do. Happy for your clean mammogram!
@sarahjunefox Hope your mammogram went well! I am having my first this week as well with only one boob, still can't believe it sometimes.
I am also going to address reconstruction now. When I had the mastectomy there was concern because I had radiation on that breast when I was young. So I put it off and now will see what's recommended.
Nice to jump back on and catch up. Sending positivity and love to all of you brave women. 💕
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@bythebay Thank you so much! My ultrasound showed a pocket of fluid, so it wasn't a lesion after all! So far so good with Xeloda as far as SE's go. I'm enjoying the weather warming up, although I'm in Louisiana where winters are relatively mild. Spring is by far my favorite season! Hope you all are doing well. 😘
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@justsnapd8 Such great news on your ultrasound 🥳!
@bythebay I take the letrozole in the mornings. I, too, have achy joints from it. I started yoga again after a good nine months off and I find that everything hurts that didn’t used to hurt (my wrists, knees, hips, and shoulders mostly). I have insomnia from the meds/menopause as well, so that sucks! I’m glad to hear you’re getting active again and tolerating the side effects. What other choice do we have, but to keep moving forward with our new normal?!
@sarahjunefox Did you get your mammogram results? Thinking about you ❤️
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@justsnapd8 YAY so very happy for you!!!
@Love4All That"s what we do, keep moving forward and figure it out as we go along! Yoga is so good for you, don't ever stop…I sure regretted stopping years ago. Can't do it anymore but I can do other fun stuff. I just switched the Letrozole to taking it in the morning hoping I will sleep better, tossing and turning so much. So sorry for your insomnia, thats really rough.
All the best to you ladies 🌸
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