Hi! I'm new to this discussion board stuff.
Comments
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No!carriesoup said:Miss Murphy
hugs to you!
i will have to take the tamoxifen too, for 5 years. from what the oncologist said, there are really no side effects. has that been your experience?
carrie
I have had side effects from the Tamoxifen but there are plenty of women on this board who have no side effects and hopefully you will be one of these lucky ones. I started off on Femara and then tried Arimidex as I'm post memopausal - both are AI drugs and I had severe muscle, bone and joint pain with both. Last October my onc put me on Tamoxifen. While it's not nearly as bad as the other two drugs, I'm having hot flashes and mood swings and just don't feel as perky.
I gotta love these oncologists who say there are no side effects. I remember at my first onc visit before I had the oncotype test, she told me that chemo was a piece of cake and that the only side effect was loosing you hair!
We are all different in how we react to all these various drugs. Good luck.
Hugs, Sally0 -
h20!Mama G said:I"m so sorry Carrie.
I will say that my first was my worst. AND each treatment had different side effects. Make sure to chew ice during the administration of the red devil. AND drink water ahead of time, like you were preparing for a marathon. It definitely seems to help if you do those 2 things. I tried to go without and found out.
My favorite comment lately: "LIFE IS NOT FAIR!"
i drink a lot of water. i actually drank so much the first time, i never had discolored urine once! how do the ice cubes help? i didn't realize that side effects can be different with each treatment. my first round, it was headaches, neck pain,dizziness and exhaustion. i hope the anti-emetics they are giving me, still help. nauseousness is the worst.
they also have me on steriod (dexamethasone) is that typical for everyone??0 -
I think socarriesoup said:h20!
i drink a lot of water. i actually drank so much the first time, i never had discolored urine once! how do the ice cubes help? i didn't realize that side effects can be different with each treatment. my first round, it was headaches, neck pain,dizziness and exhaustion. i hope the anti-emetics they are giving me, still help. nauseousness is the worst.
they also have me on steriod (dexamethasone) is that typical for everyone??
I was on the dexamethasone day before & day after chemo. They gave it to me at chemo. Kept me going like the Everready bunny. Needed a sleeping pill though.
Cindy0 -
Chewing ice chips prevents
Chewing ice chips prevents mouth sores. I hate mouth sores so I chewed 'em like crazy through my A/C cocktail and I didn't get any. The steroids are to prevent a lot of side effects including allergic reactions. The A/C was really hard on me because of the neulasta shot the next day, they killed my bones, I was really achy, took lots of pain meds. I was lucky to not be too nauseous through it, however; the 11 rounds of taxol made me nauseous and caused pretty severe neuropathy. All things that were do-able considering the alternative. I hope your next round treats you better, hang in there sister in pink, you can do it
Kari0 -
jojojo jo said:Hi Carrie just wanted to
Hi Carrie just wanted to welcome you to the board. Chemo is never easy and i was nervous with each one...i hope chemo does get a little easier for you!
thanks so much! i'm glad to be here. everyone is awesome! what a wonderful place
i'm hoping chemo gets easier, not expecting it though. just have to truck along and keep my chin up! maybe have a mental/emotional breakdown or 2
carrie 0 -
Carrie, you'll be okaycarriesoup said:jojo
thanks so much! i'm glad to be here. everyone is awesome! what a wonderful place
i'm hoping chemo gets easier, not expecting it though. just have to truck along and keep my chin up! maybe have a mental/emotional breakdown or 2
carrie
And welcome "little" Sister in Pink. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances that we meet you.
Just follow everyone's good advice...the water, positive attitude...etc...you'll get through this.
Anything on your mind, just blog away. We Do know 100% what you're going through.
Keeping you in prayer,
Sylvia0 -
Welcome Carrie...I was dxcarriesoup said:jojo
thanks so much! i'm glad to be here. everyone is awesome! what a wonderful place
i'm hoping chemo gets easier, not expecting it though. just have to truck along and keep my chin up! maybe have a mental/emotional breakdown or 2
carrie
Welcome Carrie...I was dx stage 2, HER2, e&p positive Sept 09. Finished chemo in March 2010. See my expressions for pic updates. Im glad you are still working. I honestly believe that having to get up to go to work really helped me. There were days when I just couldnt get up, like by the 3rd day after chemo, but Im glad that at the time I went thru chemo I had a job, im currently unemployed. Another good advice to avoid mouth sores, I brushed my teeth at least 3x a day and the only toothpast I could stand (due to nausea) was the Arm&Hamer baking powder. Hope we can be here for you and all the other newbies.
Lupe0 -
Welcome ladiesPinkpower said:Welcome Carrie...I was dx
Welcome Carrie...I was dx stage 2, HER2, e&p positive Sept 09. Finished chemo in March 2010. See my expressions for pic updates. Im glad you are still working. I honestly believe that having to get up to go to work really helped me. There were days when I just couldnt get up, like by the 3rd day after chemo, but Im glad that at the time I went thru chemo I had a job, im currently unemployed. Another good advice to avoid mouth sores, I brushed my teeth at least 3x a day and the only toothpast I could stand (due to nausea) was the Arm&Hamer baking powder. Hope we can be here for you and all the other newbies.
Lupe
Sorry to welcome you Carriesoup and Brooklynchele but you've found a great a place. Questions seem to get answered before you even ask.
As Bette Davis so eloquently put it, "Fasten your seat belts. it's goning to be a bumpy night." You will get trough it. Cancer's not pretty but, all of the new meds that are available make it all doable. Don't hesitate to ask your onc for any drugs; from anxiety to heartburn that's what they get paid for.
Visit here and visit often the ladies and gents on this board are a phenominal group of people.
Love and Peace, Edie0 -
Welcome
Welcome to the site, sorry you have to be here.
The first treatment is the worst usually because of the fear of the unknown. Also it seems odd that when you're first diagnosed you feel fine and like you said, it's not until the treatments start that you begin to feel sick.
Be good to yourself. Drink lots of water. Keep your team advised of what's going on with you. Tiredness is just a fact, but you're fighting a huge battle.
Take care and keep us posted.
marge0 -
Carrie welcome
to the bc network. These bc sisters are full of information and encouragement. Yes, you are very young! I'm old enough to be your mom. My daughter was more upset that I had bc than I was because I'm the 5th in my family and she has 2 daughters. I had bilateral mastectomy and am currently getting chemo cocktail of Taxotere/Cytoxan with Neulasta the following day. I just had my 3rd chemo Tuesday. I will start to feel achy tomorrow and it will last til Monday morning. Extra strength Tylenol has helped me. I also have arthritis that I take meds for. I am definitely more tired after 3rd treatment but I've had no nausea or constipation, so all in all can't complain. I lost my hair 15 days after 1st treatment, I'm bloated and have some swelling issues. I get mild diarrhea that is helped by taking Immodium. I drink lots of water and eat small meals and raise my head at night to escape acid reflux. Take it one day at a time and be kind to yourself. You have a lot of living yet to do!
{{Hugs}} Char0 -
Hi Carrie! As other people
Hi Carrie! As other people have mentioned, each treatment can be different. When you are exhausted and if it brings you down, I hope what I am going to tell you will get help you get through. I'm much older than you, 52 years old but running 1/2 marathons for fun when I was diagnosed. When I had treatments, sometimes I would be so exhausted for a couple of days that I would think I wasn't going to get energy again until all treatments were over. Well guess what....after the worst day, I woke up the next day feeling so good that I went running over this high bridge that is a mile long each way and felt great! After that, I started making notes about how I felt everyday after treatment. When I would feel bad, I would read my notes from the last treatment and it would remind me that good days were coming soon. Hang in there!0 -
LOVE your photo, is it really you?
Hi Carrie,
welcome aboard on the rocky ride to survival!! There'll be lots of ups and downs,
and winding arounds but you just hang in there, we are all coming along for the ride.
So you can squeal if needed, hold on tight to someone or just lift your arms up and
free fall. Just know this, nothing lasts too long and you never know what's around the
bend.
Hugs,
Ayse0 -
welcome to site, Carrie
Glad you have found this site....you will find answers and support here when you need it ... 24/7. It was a lifesaver for me during this journey. I had a rough time toward then end of my chemo treatments, but now I am done with all 8 and started rads. The side effects of chemo cumulated for me . .. but, it was a necessary journey. We are all different and have different reactions or side effects.....but whatever happens, you are strong and will get through this. It is sometimes a rough journey, but doable. The docs will be able to give you meds to help when needed and the info from everyone on this site is invaluable! Good luck, keep us posted on your journey, and lots of hugs sent your way!0 -
feeling ok.cavediver said:welcome to site, Carrie
Glad you have found this site....you will find answers and support here when you need it ... 24/7. It was a lifesaver for me during this journey. I had a rough time toward then end of my chemo treatments, but now I am done with all 8 and started rads. The side effects of chemo cumulated for me . .. but, it was a necessary journey. We are all different and have different reactions or side effects.....but whatever happens, you are strong and will get through this. It is sometimes a rough journey, but doable. The docs will be able to give you meds to help when needed and the info from everyone on this site is invaluable! Good luck, keep us posted on your journey, and lots of hugs sent your way!
ayse
yep, that's me. it is a rocky road. what a great reward at the end though US!
i'm glad to inform, i had my second a/c treatment today, and i don't feel quite as bad as the first one! i'll take a small slice of improvement! everything went really smoothly! only there for 2 hours. (my first, start to finish took 4!) actually felt good enough for lunch with my amazing mother after
pscheer
i think i will start a journal on how i feel. the first few days after my 1st treatment, i really though it was never going to get better. it did. the second week i felt like i could go back to the gym. i decided against it. maybe next week. exercise is so valuable to my mental health!
*hugs*
carrie 0 -
Welcome Carrie
It's not exactly the club women jump at the chance to join, but for all of us that are members, it's a great community of amazing, strong women!!
My story is somewhat similar to yours. I was diagnosed at 35 with stage 2 BC 9 years ago! So...your future looks bright my friend!! Just stay positive!
I had the same chemo drugs as you as well. I didn't have that bad of a time, they give you so many cocktails to keep the nasty side effects away, I just got really tired and felt "under the weather" more than anything. I will say though, be sure to drink a LOT of water after your treatments to flush out your system. That's REALLY important. And if you can go for a walk, do it!! My oncologist really stressed the importance of light excercise. You don't have to walk miles and miles, but even if it's around the block, it's beneficial. It stops blood clots from forming, which is common in chemo treatment.
And REST! I know you're a young women with crazy amounts of energy, but you have to remember, the chemo is poison and your body needs time to recover! It can't do that effectively if you don't rest. So...be kind to yourself. Listen to your body. If it's telling you "I can't freakin' move off the couch" then DON'T!! LOL.
Lastly, I just finished my 5 years on Tamoxifen at the end of Aug. Every women is different in how they respond. I did have some rather harsh side effects, but they seemed to even out after several months and I was determined to just "suck it up" knowing the benefits would serve me well in the future. It wasn't easy, but it's definately do-able!
Oh, and I will also say, the chemo treatments weren't near as bad as going through the experience of losing all of my hair. That was to me, far more difficult and traumatic than I ever thought it would be. Just be aware that you will go through a bunch of crappy emotions and feelings about it at first. But...it will be OK!! You will be able to handle it and move forward. Hair does grow back!!
OK...I've been much too "chatty"!! Again, welcome! You will meet so many amazing women here! We are all here to help and encourage each other!! And you're so right, unless you've been through it, you just can't understand.
Hang tough!!
Blessings,
Sally0 -
Sallysal314 said:Welcome Carrie
It's not exactly the club women jump at the chance to join, but for all of us that are members, it's a great community of amazing, strong women!!
My story is somewhat similar to yours. I was diagnosed at 35 with stage 2 BC 9 years ago! So...your future looks bright my friend!! Just stay positive!
I had the same chemo drugs as you as well. I didn't have that bad of a time, they give you so many cocktails to keep the nasty side effects away, I just got really tired and felt "under the weather" more than anything. I will say though, be sure to drink a LOT of water after your treatments to flush out your system. That's REALLY important. And if you can go for a walk, do it!! My oncologist really stressed the importance of light excercise. You don't have to walk miles and miles, but even if it's around the block, it's beneficial. It stops blood clots from forming, which is common in chemo treatment.
And REST! I know you're a young women with crazy amounts of energy, but you have to remember, the chemo is poison and your body needs time to recover! It can't do that effectively if you don't rest. So...be kind to yourself. Listen to your body. If it's telling you "I can't freakin' move off the couch" then DON'T!! LOL.
Lastly, I just finished my 5 years on Tamoxifen at the end of Aug. Every women is different in how they respond. I did have some rather harsh side effects, but they seemed to even out after several months and I was determined to just "suck it up" knowing the benefits would serve me well in the future. It wasn't easy, but it's definately do-able!
Oh, and I will also say, the chemo treatments weren't near as bad as going through the experience of losing all of my hair. That was to me, far more difficult and traumatic than I ever thought it would be. Just be aware that you will go through a bunch of crappy emotions and feelings about it at first. But...it will be OK!! You will be able to handle it and move forward. Hair does grow back!!
OK...I've been much too "chatty"!! Again, welcome! You will meet so many amazing women here! We are all here to help and encourage each other!! And you're so right, unless you've been through it, you just can't understand.
Hang tough!!
Blessings,
Sally
not too chatty at all much appreciated on my end!
i definitely didn't think my hair loss was going to be this emotional. i knew it was coming, but not prepared at all. i keep thinking, maybe i should have just shaved it off, before this happened. i think either way i chose, it would have/is hard.
the hardest part for me, is that this is me telling the world, I'M SICK! i didn't think i'd feel this way. i guess, you never know until you're there and looking it square in the face.
it's comforting to know, you have been down this road and are on the other side! thank you for that. it helps
carrie 0 -
Heycarriesoup said:Sally
not too chatty at all much appreciated on my end!
i definitely didn't think my hair loss was going to be this emotional. i knew it was coming, but not prepared at all. i keep thinking, maybe i should have just shaved it off, before this happened. i think either way i chose, it would have/is hard.
the hardest part for me, is that this is me telling the world, I'M SICK! i didn't think i'd feel this way. i guess, you never know until you're there and looking it square in the face.
it's comforting to know, you have been down this road and are on the other side! thank you for that. it helps
carrie
Carrie, just wanted to welcome you to the Board, and to tell you that this whole thing is doable. I was diagnosed in February 2008, surgery April 2008, started chemo (TAC) in May 2008, and then had 40 radiation treatments. I am on Tamoxifen now, and have not had too many side effects. Mainly hot flashes....no mood swings, which I am gratful to avoid. Just wanted to tell you to ask your onc for Emend, which is an anti-nausea med that you take the day of, and for three days after chemo. It is a lifesaver, and really makes the nausea go away. One warning....do not take Reglan, which is also a nausea med, but can cause some really nasty side effects which last forever. You don't want this. Drink lots of water, and get plenty of rest. We are all here to answer any questions you may have, and will also be available for all of the venting you need. We will take this journey with you, so know you always have a place to come when you need us. Hugs, Judy0 -
Hi and Welcome Carrie! Youaysemari said:LOVE your photo, is it really you?
Hi Carrie,
welcome aboard on the rocky ride to survival!! There'll be lots of ups and downs,
and winding arounds but you just hang in there, we are all coming along for the ride.
So you can squeal if needed, hold on tight to someone or just lift your arms up and
free fall. Just know this, nothing lasts too long and you never know what's around the
bend.
Hugs,
Ayse
Hi and Welcome Carrie! You have just found the best site for support, encouragement and help. All of your sisters in pink are here for you anytime, any day.
Don't be shy and ask us anything. We are here to offer whatever info we can.
Sue 0
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