Starting Chemo April 2024 Support Thread

@bailey.boo oh my goodness I’m so sorry to hear about your burns! Ugh it sucks when stuff like this happens during treatment as if we don’t have enough to deal with. Praying for good healing for you! What exactly do you mean about antibiotic use during chemo?

@halyy2024 My hair is depressing too! My bald spot is in the front so I cover it with a silk scarf as a very wide headband. Not my favorite look… And more of my brown hair fell out and left behind the grey. My shedding has finally slowed down, though. Trying to be positive about that and rooting for regrowth to start. You can see what it used to look like in the pic with my two cats. I cut it shorter before starting chemo.

Hi everyone. Thabk you all for the well wishes! Surgery and removal went well. Had round 3 on the 11th just woke from a nap with bad nausea

Thank you @bailey.boo

Welcome back, @chickenlovva ! Hope the nausea eases up quickly!

@bailey.boo sorry to hear you have a cold on top of everything else!

I think a bunch of us have treatment this week. Good luck to everyone! Friday is my last one. I'm dreading it but also can't wait to have it behind me.

Sending hugs to all!

@grammie2 sending lots of positive thoughts to you!!

I felt well enough to actually get out and attend my first local breast cancer event. It wasn’t through my cancer center, but it was nice to listen to speakers and meet and chat with other ladies fighting breast cancer. I now have business cards for local wig cutters, mastectomy bra and prosthesis fitters, authors, artists…. Everything except a 3D nipple tattoist, but I do have someone who is sending a name to me. And I won raffles for a free mastectomy bra up to $80 and a complete pedicure pamper gift set. And I was invited to the next pajama bunco 😊 Never played that before, but sounds like a blast. Hoping I feel well enough to attend!

Got #4 done today! Platelets had gone up to 190 and BUN and Creatine were good. My RBC is low and has dropped with each blood test. Time to eat red meat, beans and quinoa!

They did send me home with stool specimen cards. They don't seem super concerned. I think they think it could be Perjeta related, low platelets. But at least I will know it was for sure blood.

Also prescribed a mild sleeping pill and an inhaler. Had a little wheezing when she listened to my lungs. My allergies have been worse lately so that is probably the problem.

How about everyone else with treatments this week? @bailey.boo how's the burns? @lbn2222 did you have your last one? Who else had treatments? Hoping everyone is doing ok!!! Hugs to all of you!!

Congrats for getting another one done, @grammie2 and @halyy2024 ! Wishing you strength, rest, and as few side effects as possible! My last one is tomorrow.

@grammie2 4/6 is still awesome! We’re almost there. Can’t wait till this is behind us!! And yes the sleep thing is annoying..I can either barely keep my eyes open or am wired lol. Not much middle ground.
hoping everyone is having an okay week! 🩷 sending so much love to all you beautiful ladies

@lbn2222 Congrats!!!

I've been scarce and meaning to say hi, too. My youngest, who has special needs, is slowly but surely making it through community college, but it requires a lot of attention! I'm done with wound care for my leg burns—some scarring, but nothing too bad, and I’ve got some fresh new skin layers. I caught a nasty cold and cough at the end of my last chemo, which ran right into my current chemo (#3, halfway point!). Now, my husband is home with a cold I hope to avoid. Work doesn't stop for chemo brain, and it can be overwhelming to manage all the breast cancer "extras."

The newest news is I’ve tested positive for the CHEK2 gene mutation. This might explain my thyroid and breast cancer, though only one great aunt had thyroid cancer and one had breast cancer (both elderly, both on the maternal-maternal side). Colon cancer is on my dad’s side, so the source is unclear. However, I feel confident that my decision for a double mastectomy is the right choice for me.

@lbn2222 HUGE CONGRATS!!! 🎉

How’s everyone doing? ❤️ Big hugs to you all!

@chickenlovva I dreaded my last one more than the others too. My oncologist told me she thought it would go better than round 3 and she was right. The treatment itself went better and the side effects have been pretty consistent with other rounds except food tasted terrible for longer. Hope it will go smoothly for you too!!

The thing that was hardest is that once I finished the actual treatment, I wanted to celebrate being "done" but still had to manage the side effects. I told myself (and others) that I was completely fine and then totally crashed a few days after because I was so tired and not really eating or drinking enough water. After a week, I think I'm starting to turn the corner and get my energy back. Also starting to see glimmers of regrowth for my hair (along with new bald spots…).

Good luck, everyone! Sending positive thoughts to you all!

@lbn2222 I'm so happy you're done too! I'm sorry you were tired, I hope it passes soon! Yay for the hair! 8m excited for you!! My stubble never fell out after 3, it's like 1/4 inch long in spots and much lighter, more blonde than dark brown. So odd. Maybe it's coming back pre highlighted?? 😆 🤣 😂 Hopefully it keeps growing and doesn't fall out! I'm praying SE are minimal this round. I don't want to be so depressed again! Hugs to you all!!