Topic: Starting chemo November 2020

Jan 1, 2021 07:10AM Rainyday7 wrote:

I’m only half way as I’ve 6 in total to get on a 3 week cycle so 21st Jan is the next one.

I too get the call from the hospital to go through COVID questions and every time have to answer yes to some of them like loss of taste, sore throat, body aches. It shocks them every time. You’d wonder when they are ringing on behalf of oncology and chemo causes everything on the list.

Jan 3, 2021 06:21AM Rainyday7 wrote:

DanniB still feeling ok this morning. Took Neulasta at 5pm yesterday and so far so good. I'm almost afraid to say that in case I jinx myself.

My scalp was very itchy last week too but switched to head and shoulders shampoo and it feels a bit better now. It's paraben free too so thought it was worth a chance and I have it in the house with a teenager who used to have awful dandruff.

My head is freezing though. I have to wear a light cap around the house and a 2nd wool one if I go outside.

Jan 4, 2021 04:54AM DanniB wrote:

Hi Etincelle - happy new year to you too lovely! I really feel for you, im not in a bad shape, but on the 3-5 days with muscle aches even moving in the house has to be strictly strategical (lol) let alone moving house and then worrying about have i, have i not and not being paid. Sorry you had to deal with this - big massive hug 28th will be here before we know it. Since i had an allergic reaction to Taxol and need to take loads more steroids and antihistamines, i got Zopiclone at tiny dose - its been brilliant for sleep, maybe check if you could have this?

Jan 6, 2021 02:33PM JoW888 wrote:

Hi Everyone,

Just like Sharon, I had round 3 of TC on Monday as well. Today is day 3 so I can feel it kicking in. The downing water light switch got turned off again so I'm back to adding juices to my water. I've been having heartburn too the last few days. I'm not sure if this a new side effect as I hadn't experienced it previously. I'm going to try and finish these 3 weeks strong by trying to eat as good as I can!

Hi Etincelle - good that you're almost there! Did you lose your eyebrows or lashes?

Hi DanniB & Rainyday 7 - how are you all doing? When do you all get done with your chemo?

Our November chemo group is getting quieter as more of us get done. Hope everyone's doing good.

Take care,

Jo

Jan 7, 2021 11:53AM Rainyday7 wrote:

Hi all. After a good start with my 3rd round I went downhill for the last few days. Like Danni I actually got sick this week and felt very miserable for 2 days. Hadn't the energy to get off the couch for 2 days but its starting to get better now. Must be the cumulative effect.

I'm not finished until 5th March so I'll probably be the last one here. I'm getting 6 at 3 weekly intervals.

Jan 7, 2021 02:51PM - edited Jan 7, 2021 02:52PM by Puncapher

Well said Sharon0706. I feel the same way. The 3rd round really kicked my butt. No energy so tired. I feel weak as a kitten. My reserves are gone and I just can't handle it anymore. I told my doc how I had been feeling and she prescribed Lexapro every day and Xanax on standby for when it gets really overwhelming. Oddly enough just knowing it is there for me, I feel better. Only used it once. Came in handy when I had to have a drain put into my seroma in my arm pit that wouldn't stay away.

I also learned an interesting fact. I have been sick for a week with fever, laryngitis, sorethroat, coughing up crap. My doc did a covid, strep, and flu test, all negative thank goodness. Apparently you can still get just regular sick.

My fourth and last chemo is next week. I just want it done! I'm hoping I recover enough from whatever this is that they won't postpone it.

I have a Telemedicine session with my radiation oncologist on Friday to discuss the next phase. Part of me says, let's just do it and get it over with. Part of me wants to wait until I recover at least a little of my strength back. What do you think?

Jan 8, 2021 05:16AM DanniB wrote:

Sending a huge massive hug to you all lovely ladies - i got a lump in my throat reading how each of us is basically going through the very same motions of overwhelming feelings and physical hardship! I imagined if we could join together for a pyjama party, a nice movie and some good hearted laughs.

Rainyday - i will stay with you in this group till the last one of us will get through this. Hope it will even out with the side effects. x

Sharon - thank you for sharing, i cried myself to sleep for the first time in ages last night. Just felt so sad and overwhelmed like you say. Re-work, I took sick leave from 16th Oct when i had the operation, came back for a couple of days, totally freaked out that i have no patience for people which is the key part of my job and thought i needed to retreat instead of causing a scene. If i didn't have the option of taking the leave, i would think i'd have to resign, the mental capacity for me to do my job is just not good enough at the moment (about 3 good days before each chemo) I hope i will be able to do some sort of phased return during the radiotherapy. Only issue is that my hospital is an hour and a half each way from home so everyday trips will take half a day.

Puncapher & Jo - my initial consultation for radiotherapy was via a video link. I would recommend you have that, because (at least for me) it was for information purposes. The dr went over the key risks, the odds of them happening, based on my current health levels, and explained what procedures i will require. I wrongly thought my i will only need the breast and the underarm done, but it transpires that these areas are captured by the breast radiation in any case. Because i have 2/4 lymphs involved, i also need the area above the collar bone (this is apparently where the rest of the axilla lymphs are hiding) and the central breast bone (because my cancer was in the middle of the breast, so the closer it is to the middle the more chance of needing the central radiation also). With the latter procedure, i am given a choice to have this done or not so im doing some research now into lung and heart impact. Im 99% that i will do it. It wasn't an easy one to digest, but i always prefer to know in advance - so see how you feel about getting information?

As i have managed well with the bloods so far on the accelerated 2 weekly DD cycle, my pencilled start date is 8th Feb. Basically, they gave me the 3rd week to recover fully, which i feel happy with. The driver for me to pursue things as fast as possible is that because i want to start hormonal therapy asap. We have 6 embryos waiting patiently and as i will turn 40 in April, im not so patient lol. Because of the low oncotype score, the medical oncologist has said that he will allow me to come off them after 1 year to have a go at trying for a year so this is my motivation to get this done soonest. I will get tattooed next thursday.

Re- SE, i've got all eased now apart from numbness in the fingers and cramps in the calves. These give me the heebie-jeebies as i keep thinking it could be thrombosis and start panicking...silly.

Love and a really good day to you all,

Danni

Jan 8, 2021 08:13AM marie914 wrote:

Good Morning! My last day of chemo. Fourth session of TC Taxotere and Cytoxan.

My chemo does not seem to be as bad as yours has. I have a couple bad day each cycle but the only thing that is cumulative is tiredness but not too bad. I take 2-3 walks a day; some 1/2 mile and usually 1 a little longer. I think it all helps. I had a few stomach issues but only for a day or two. Christmas Day of course was the worst I had but my son was here and we were eating my rich foods. I'm so happy to be done today and just recover. I do not need radiation or other surgery besides the exchange of my expander to implant. They are planning to do it February 1 - only 3 1/2 weeks from today - my last chemo. They said my bloodwork has always been good so they think I will be fine. Of course they will check me when it gets closer to see how I recover from this fourth chemo.

I have been working full-time during this but I do work remotely. I do webcasts for clients up to 60 people and I do other work too. I use to travel but not since COVID so that has been helpful not to travel. I take off chemo day (sometimes I work on my laptop since I am wired from steroids) and sometimes the 4 or 5 day I take a nap or take 1/2 days. My third one was December 18 so I took the rest of the year off since I had vacation left so that was good. This month we are busy so it will be harder but I will take care of myself. Since I am 60 my kids are grown and gone and it is just my husband and our two dogs. He has been great through this so he helps alot. He works remotely too.

I will be praying for all of you and checking in.

Jan 8, 2021 03:40PM Rainyday7 wrote:

Well done on finishing Marie914. Onwards and upwards from here.

Jan 8, 2021 08:19PM JoW888 wrote:

Yay Marie!!! I'm glad everything went well!! Another chapter of your journey closed! I wish you well and thank you for getting the November 2020 chemo group rolling. I think we have all come a long way! I hope you'll check in and let us know how you're doing.

Congrats & Hugs,

Jo

Jan 8, 2021 08:58PM marie914 wrote:

pronexa by hairgenics lavish lash Is what I have been using. I saw other things people suggested but I couldn’t find them available.

I will check in the next week and let you know how it is going with lashes and side effects. Even though I am happy to be done with chemo; I am dreading the next week with side effects so I’m hoping it goes well.

Jan 9, 2021 12:09PM marie914 wrote:

Congratulations Elledwriter. I just finished Friday January 8. 4 of 4. Did you get to ring a bell? They don't do that at my place anymore after COVID. I go back the end of the month for blood work and oncologist visit. My blood work has been great throughout. I am having exchange surgery February 1; replacing my expander with implant so hopefully my blood work will be good again.

I lost about 50-60% of my hair using dignicap too but I hope it comes back quickly too. I have to wear a baseball cap when I go out since my forehead lost a lot of hair especially since I had a high forehead anyhow and the top of my head is bald underneath some strands of hair.

I hope our fourth round side effects will be better and we can get on with our lives. I am glad they give you time before you need radiation. I had a left mastectomy and clear lymph nodes so no radiation. Hopefully I am done.

Jan 10, 2021 05:32AM DanniB wrote:

Oh Lisa - goodness me, you didn't need that on top of everything else, you have every right to feel how you feel. Massive hug and hope it gets resolved soonest so you can go home. What exactly are they doing to it, is it just monitoring or did you need a more invasive treatment for the kidney stone? Re-bilateral mastectomy, did the dr talk timings? Mine was mentioning a couple of years (before my genetics came back) so if timing is not an issue, maybe this could be done at a better time when you wont need to stay alone? Hang in there lovely.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Marie & Elledwriter - hope your last recoveries are tolerable.

Danni x

Jan 13, 2021 08:52PM JoW888 wrote:

Danni - just a quick message to wish you and your partner all the very best for your last infusion (YAY!) and your partner's surgery. I will be praying and thinking about you all!

Hugs,

Jo

Jan 14, 2021 08:52AM marie914 wrote:

lisa1958 - hope you are out of the hospital and doing better.

Danni - Prayers for you and your partner.

It has been six days since my fourth, last and final chemo (taxotere and cytoxan) . I am so relieved. Except for being more tired, the side effects haven't been too bad. I still can't eat or drink most things but it seems to be coming back. I have a real hard time drinking anything. I think it is funny since ever cycle I had different food and drink I could tolerate. I thought it would be the same. I think I am going up now from having a few hard days.

My eyebrows and eyelashes are still hanging around - hope they continue since I heard they can fall out after your last treatment. But really I don't care that much. My hair seems to have stopped losing so much. I have about 50% or a little less but a ballcap works fine to go out. I don't think anyone can tell with a ballcap on.

I have my exchange surgery scheduled for February 1. The plastic surgeon's office said at first she couldn't coordinate with breast surgeon at the same time to take out the port since she had other coordinations that day. However I saw my breast surgeon yesterday and she said the port removal is like 15 minutes and she would be doing surgeries the same day February 1 at the same hospital and that she would work around my plastic surgeon. So I am waiting to hear if the plastic office agreed. I should hear this morning. I can't imagine putting a patient under twice on different days when they could do it the same day. My breast surgeon works often with my plastic surgeon and they lived next door to each other. I think they will work it out. :) I have to get a covid test 1/27 and blood work 1/26 and sign off from my regular doctor 1/18. I hope by end of February things will be more normal whatever that is nowadays with breast cancer and covid.

Have a great day! Praying for all of you. We are strong.