Finishing treatment

tsayler
tsayler Member Posts: 4
edited November 2023 in Breast Cancer #1
I have just finished my chemo treatments and after a brief 'high' from being finished, I found myself unsure and wondering 'what now?' Is this to be expected?

Comments

  • vinnie
    vinnie Member Posts: 14
    #2
    Congradulations. I'm sure your more concerned to speak to someone about the level your at right now, but if you get a chance could you let me know how your chemo went. How did you feel, how long were you on it. Were you able to function normally. Stuff like that.
    Thanks
    vinnie
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • denise
    denise Member Posts: 11
    #4
    Dear Tsaylor,
    Hi, my name is Denise. I finished chemo one year ago. I remember when my treatments were finished I experencied the same high then Oh no, what now?
    I kept waiting to feel like my "old" self and wondered how long till I felt better. I have to tell you HANG IN THERE! You will start to feel like your old self. One day you will wake up and realize that cancer isn't the first thought you have. I still don't look like before. For one thing my hair came in really curly. But I don't have the chemo glow, I'm not puffed up like the pillsbury dough boy and I have eyelashes again! It took me almost a full year to start feeling good again, but remember everyone is different. If I can be of any help please let me know. Untill then take care and God bless.
    Denise
  • tsayler
    tsayler Member Posts: 4
    #5
    denise said:

    Dear Tsaylor,
    Hi, my name is Denise. I finished chemo one year ago. I remember when my treatments were finished I experencied the same high then Oh no, what now?
    I kept waiting to feel like my "old" self and wondered how long till I felt better. I have to tell you HANG IN THERE! You will start to feel like your old self. One day you will wake up and realize that cancer isn't the first thought you have. I still don't look like before. For one thing my hair came in really curly. But I don't have the chemo glow, I'm not puffed up like the pillsbury dough boy and I have eyelashes again! It took me almost a full year to start feeling good again, but remember everyone is different. If I can be of any help please let me know. Untill then take care and God bless.
    Denise

    Hi! Thanks for responding to my message. It helps to hear from someone a year after treatment. I woke
    up last Sunday and for the first time in 8 months actually felt like 'myself'!!!
    Today, though, I was hit with 2 surprises. First the hospital decided that they would not
    discount any of my $49,000. hospital bill (I have NO health insurance), then my doctor told
    me that she wants me to do radiation. She denied it, but she had told me at the beginning
    that I wouldn't need radiation. So today I'm bummed. I'm going to have to take some time
    to think about this radiation thing. Maybe if I get some statistics about survival it will help.
    The other thing I am doing is a little bit on the 'alternative' side, so I just need to think now
    before I decide. Did you have radiation?
  • tsayler
    tsayler Member Posts: 4
    #6
    vinnie said:

    Congradulations. I'm sure your more concerned to speak to someone about the level your at right now, but if you get a chance could you let me know how your chemo went. How did you feel, how long were you on it. Were you able to function normally. Stuff like that.
    Thanks
    vinnie

    Vinnie, thanks for responding. I was in chemo for 6 months. Two cycle of 4 treatments (total of 8 treatments)
    I went back today for my 'final check-up' and found out it is NOT my final checkup. The doctor
    swears that she told me I need 30 days of radiation and I SWEAR she DID NOT. So, right now
    I'm pretty upset with her. I've lived these last 6 months thinking I would be finished now. OF course
    I can choose not to do it, so I just need time to think.

    During my chemo though, I tried at first to work (I teach) and it became more and more
    difficult because of the fatigue. Some weeks I worked 10 hours, and sometimes more. But
    it was almost always very difficult. I live alone so most things didn't get done around the house
    unless my daughter (23 years old) came to help. I'm sure part of it was depression - I did take
    Zoloft for that for 3 months, and decided I was clearer headed not taking it. Some days though,
    it was ALL I could do just to get out of bed and put clothes on. Some days I spent more time in the
    bathroom - on the stool - than anywhere else.

    Where are you as far as your treatment? How are you feeling?
  • tsayler
    tsayler Member Posts: 4
    #7
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    I know how you feel. Did you say you will be taking Tamoxifin? I won't because of the type of
    cancer I had. I am really, really, really going on faith and believing that I am ok now.
  • denise
    denise Member Posts: 11
    #8
    tsayler said:

    Hi! Thanks for responding to my message. It helps to hear from someone a year after treatment. I woke
    up last Sunday and for the first time in 8 months actually felt like 'myself'!!!
    Today, though, I was hit with 2 surprises. First the hospital decided that they would not
    discount any of my $49,000. hospital bill (I have NO health insurance), then my doctor told
    me that she wants me to do radiation. She denied it, but she had told me at the beginning
    that I wouldn't need radiation. So today I'm bummed. I'm going to have to take some time
    to think about this radiation thing. Maybe if I get some statistics about survival it will help.
    The other thing I am doing is a little bit on the 'alternative' side, so I just need to think now
    before I decide. Did you have radiation?

    Hi back,
    No I didn't have radiation. It's a weird thing, not that I want any more treatments but then you think why don't I need it too? Do you know what I mean? I just want ALL the right treatments to be rid of this. I'm sorry to hear about your day. I had a few of those myself. I just tried not to let anything, except getting better, use up my energy. I will try to find out for you but I'm pretty sure that hospitals have to accept any minimal payment that you can make, so send them $5.oo a month. Maybe some resourses out there for you. Hang in there! Don't let anything but YOU matter for a while. Take care, God bless Denise
  • jane38
    jane38 Member Posts: 123
    #9
    Oh yeah. I had to figure out what I was going to be doing with every third Monday (the day I normally went for chemo). And, how was I going to handle not being sick, not worrying about my blood counts? It was like a void. But, I muddled through it. And it was quite nice.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #10
    tsayler said:

    I know how you feel. Did you say you will be taking Tamoxifin? I won't because of the type of
    cancer I had. I am really, really, really going on faith and believing that I am ok now.

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #11
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • carla
    carla Member Posts: 3
    #12
    I wish I could say that I was as far as you. I
    have been diagnosed with breast and bone cancer and my treatments are just getting ready to begin.
    Iworry about my children and husband, too. Carla
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #13
    carla said:

    I wish I could say that I was as far as you. I
    have been diagnosed with breast and bone cancer and my treatments are just getting ready to begin.
    Iworry about my children and husband, too. Carla

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • test_user
    test_user Member Posts: 4 *
    #14


  • EmpressSammi
    EmpressSammi Member Posts: 19 Member
    #15
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/135232/finishing-treatment

    hi, Congrats on getting though it, i know it must have seemed like a relive. I started my Chemo back in May of 2023 and it ended in Aug of 2023. My last day was rough, but i was glad to have graduated from chemo, most especially because of my last drug. For me i wasn't thinking about what was next, i already knew, and for me all i wanted was the next step to come and go, so i could move on to the next. The only thing i didn't like was that time tables kept changing in regards to treatment. I wish you the best of luck in your journey.

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