Karenhi

So far, so good, knock on wood. A couple of days of pain but much better today. I thought I might be getting sick, my throat was sore and temp was going up. Never got past 100.3. Ok now though.
Went for little ride yesterday to "leaf peep". Not quite at its peak here yet. Saw a few awesomely bright ones though. We need a good frost I think. Not that I want it to get cold. Do you get all colors of leaves where you are? Did it snow there yet?
Halloween is at the end of the month. I get chemo on that Wed. I love dressing up. I'm usually a witch. I hope I feel well enough to dress up. Every year I add something to the costume. Since I have fuzz for hair and a flat chest I was thinking of being a little old man. lol I could get pants and suspenders. Well, we'll see.
Do you dress up or decorate at all?
Catch you later.....:)

Woo-hoo! It's Friday---5 more rads down for you.! You say you only have a couple left? Awesome.. Goes by a lot faster than chemo, that's for sure. I still have about 11 weeks to go. Oh well.
Feels like fall here today. Leaves are turning. Going for a ride this weekend to take some pictures. Hope they are really brilliant this year. Well, catch you later.....:)

Cheno went OK. So far, so good. knock on woos. I keep expecting it to get worse with each treatment. It has a liitle bit but nothing that isn't manageable so far. Slightly nauseaous all the time now but pilla tke care of it . I am halway through! YAY! And you only have 7 rads left! WOW!! Did it seem to go by fast? Are you fatigued? I think they will be tumor markers soon to see if chemo is working.
How is your doggie doing? Had surgery right? My cat is the most expensive thing I own. lol. He had 3 urinary blockages. He is the most demanding pet I have ever had. He is too smart for his own good. His name is Mr. Mitts cuz he has huge double paws in the front.
Well, glad you checked in and I'll catch you later.

Karenhi, WOOHOO! 5 more treatments behind you! Past the halfway mark. Are you still handling it well? I hope so.

It does sound like Lyme Disease. I have been tested many times over the years, all negative. My mom tested positive though.
I am feeling better though I have started taking Zofran and Compazine around the clock again I stopped after 3 days after 1st round. Oh well, rather do that than be sick.
Supposed to be nice here all week. I'm loving it!

No problems with Lymphedema even from first mastectomy but now I have no lymph nodes under either arm so it does worry me.
I was diagnosed before anyone really knew what it was. I had a sleep study done in 1983....not the breathing one but a complete one where they figure how much time you spend in each level of sleep. They found I was only getting a third of the deep sleep needed to feel rested and restored. This was caused by "alpha intrusion". They thought maybe the pain I was experiencing was due to the muscles in my body not getting any real rest. So I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which was sort of known about way back when. My sleep specialist called MD's all over the country to try to find out what to do. He finally talked with an MD in Canada who said it sounds like Fibromyalgia. Ta-Daa
I have been on every med on the market I think. NSAIDs wreaked havoc with digestive systems so I don't take those anymore. I don't take many meds anymore (till now anyway) I did Yoga, Cranial-Sacral Massage, plain massage, supplements, acupunture, psychotherapy, physical therapy, and on and on. Oh yeah, your personal favorite-Chiropractic adjustments.
So I have been dealing with this for a very long time. Enough of me, how are YOU doing? Is there snow where you are? I thought I saw on the news it snowed in Wyoming and Colorado. It's beautiful here today..mid seventies.
Well, guess I used up enough space for now.

Yes, I have heard of Neurontin being used. Also Lyrica. I never tried Lyrica because a big side effect is swelling of hands and feet. With no lymph nodes under my arms, any fluid that goes in can't really get out and I will have to deal with Lymphedema. A lot of pain meds work by not necessarily getting rid of the pain but making you not care that it is there.(like you said) Fine with me. Vicodin would be OK

AAWWWW That must have been so scary.For you and the dogs. I hope you have a great weekend off. It is supposed to be nice here in New England. Yes belly pain and pain from the Neulasta shot. But I think the chemo aggravates the Fibromyalgia. One night every nerve in my body was screaming! I cannot do another round of chemo with no pain meds. Pain meds or new doctor.

Karenhi,
Today is Friday and WoHoo you are past the halfway mark with rad. Hope you are still tolerating it well. I am not feeling as well with this second round as I did with rhe first but it is cumulative so I guess that it to be expected. I have started taking the Zofran and Compazine again. Just a general, vague feeling of unwellness. lol Don't really know how to explain it. Things must have quieted down after all the pet sitting you did. The animals do make me smile though. Anyway, keep me posted.

Karenhi, This chemo round about the same, thanks for asking. No Nausea. Very tired and winded. Lots of nerve pain (?) bone pain.
Seems like this time it took 4-5 days to feel worst. Hopefully today will be on upswing again. And so you begin another week of rad. Will be thinking of you.

WOW, sure sounds like you have your hands full. Good distraction...only for a week. Things will seem so much easier after that....lol. YAY on your tx's!! You're reaching the halfway mark soon. Do what you can when you can.

Karenhi, If my count is right you have put another 5 radiation treatments behind you. Hope you are still tolerating them well.

YAY!! You made it through 8 treatments! Everyone IS different, and I have read stuff on this site where people had NO skin burns (or very minor ones) I try to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
My next chemo is TUES. Hair is coming out in clumps. I think of you all the time when I am "pulling"....lol. I just want it all out now.
I am not working. I am retired.
I hope you are having a good weekend off. It is getting a little chilly here in New England. A few of the trees are starting to change color. I hope the colors are spectacular this year.

You are too funny! I saw this picture in my head of the client "on the couch" and the therapist with the notepad in one hand and a handful of hair in the other. lol Client" I don't know Doc...I 'm at my wits end....I feel like pulling my hair out!" lol
I shaved it first time around but thought I could just let it fall out but I am tired of having hairs all over the place. So I am compulsively pulling......lol.
My hair will come in white as I have been dying it for years. But I have really straight hair and last time it grew back curly, for a little while anyway. I am glad yours is finally starting to grow a little. You can always take care of the color later.

Karenhi, just wondering how you are doing with the radiation. I hope you are still doing well with it.

Karen, hope you are doing well. I was dx'd Feb 2012, did lumpectomy, 16 rounds of chemo and 33 rads (finished in Nov). I just wanted to reach out in case you wanted to know about a BC support group. We meet the 4th Tuesday from 5 - 6:30pm at the Allina Clinic on France Ave in Edina. I live in EP. feel free to contact me if you wish kheuchert at yahoo dot com.

How funny.....I was thinking the exact same thing about the number 33!

I know what you mean about compulsively pulling...lol. Its day 14. I did have chemo 11 yrs ago and I did lose my hair so its nothing new. Seems like you lose it so quick but takes forever to grow back. I have straight hair but when it grew back it was curly...for a little while anyway. I do not have mouth sores or reflux yet. I get a little winded on my walks and a little tired but so far, so good (knock on wood)
When you get radiation do they do a big area? Do they do different areas?

Sounds like radiation is a breeze, hope it stays that way for you. Try to concentrate on how many you have done not on how many you have to go.
I have recovered sufficiently though my hair is really starting to fall out today. Kinda want to get it over with. I think I have it all hairsprayed to my head today,lol I go for round 2 on Mon.
Thanks for the update. Makes me feel better knowing its doable. Keep in touch if you can........:)

Hi Harenhi, I was just wondering how the radiation went. I hope it is going easily for you. Thoughts and prayers are with you.....:)

Wow! A chiropractor messed up your back? Geesh! I'm sorry to hear that. The whole concept IS a little scary but it did help me. I don't know if I will be going back after all this cancer treatment. I will have to think about it. I tried it in the first place because it was one of the few things i HADN'T tried yet.
I think it is so cool that you will be participating in clinical trials. It will benefit you as well as so many others down the road.
I hope radiation goes well for you. I am following in your footsteps so to speak.Keep me posted if you can...........:)

Chronic pain IS a @#$%!!! It wears you out. I have tried many things for the Fibro pain. Acupunture, Yoga, Cranial-Sacral massage and on and on. Most recently I have been getting Chiropractic adjustments and that helped enough that I could start going for short walks. The more mobile I am the better I feel. This whole surgery and chemo thing put a dent in that routine but I am determined to get back to it. I don't really take a lot of pain meds as they do a number on your digestive system. Also I want them to really work on the really bad days when I HAVE to take something..
How many times do you have to go to radiation? Did they tell you Arimidex might cause pain flare-ups?
I hope all goes smoothly for you. Keep me posted.....:)

i had bone/nerve pain from Neulasta for about 2 days. I have Fibromyalgia too so that pain got amped up too. I did have a port put in with the first mastectomy. I got 4 rounds of Adriamycin, Cytoxan and 5FU. Then no radiattion. Then 5 yrs on Tamoxifen So this tine 6 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxan, probably radiation and then Femara or Arimidex. Are you getting neuropathy symptoms already? Are they giving you chemo and radiation at the same time?

Karenhi....wanted to let you know its been roughly a week since 1st chemo and my belly pain is much improved...no pain meds today. Hope you are feeling better as well.

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