Struggling through Chemo

@Rona, congratulations on your mammogram results 🥳 I have my first one at the beginning of November 🤞 

Such a crazy year, I received my diagnosis 1 year ago, 16 October 2023.

Hi Ladies 
@unicorn3 you might have different side effects to me or none but I wouldn't plan on anything the day after your first zoledronic acid infusion until you know how you react to it! 
@Rona great to hear from you and you are going OK and passed your mammogram with flying colours! 🥳 I've got mine coming up in a few weeks and I hope to also pass with flying colours, as a dear friend said to me she hopes my mammogram is boring this time! 😴 Yes, my oncologist did warn me I might feel like I have a flu after the zoledronic acid infusion.  I had it about 2pm and was ok that afternoon and evening but it hit me worst about 24hrs later and I had a fever of 38c which came down with some panadol. I  basically had to spend 2 days in bed. Apparently it can affect you for up to a week!
@Katie46 glad you're ok too, sounds like a good idea to have a rest from your ameberciclib for a bit. I've found the hormone therapy not too bad, the goserelin monthy injections are ok other than the hot flushes and some muscle pain that does get better with movement and my qigong, which I am still doing daily. 
My hair has really thickened up recently and it's wavy, it's a dusty blonde with the occasional what I call quoll spot (a lighter spot). I'm contemplating my first proper haircut this week! The facial hair is another story.... @Rona I also got a ladyshaver and I love it!  I'm also a member of the one pit deodorant club...only use half as much, I'm chalking that up as a win!🏆 

Hi @Rona, glad to hear you are doing well 😃 @Coastiejas, I had no side effects from the zoledronic acid infusion at all, The randomness of cancer treatment side effects are amazing. I've stopped abemaciclib for 4 weeks, I got grade 1 diarrhoea every day from around the 2nd week and it never settled down. I got very tired, lost my appetite and started feeling awful, and my oncologist said it wasn't sustainable long term, so I'm having a break and trying again at a lower dose. You start on the highest recommended dose and they can then tweak it. Hopefully that suits me more, my oncologist told me not to be disheartened if it doesn't suit me, I've done all the heavy lifting with the chemo, radiation and hormone blockers, this drug is an added extra on top. I'm getting along ok with the Goserelin injections and letrozole, I'm continuing to get hot flushes (they started during chemo) but they are ok, and I get a bit of muscle stiffness in my legs occasionally, but movement, exercise and stretching sorts that out. It has no impact on my day to day living, other than to remind me that exercise is good for me.

My hair has grown back pretty much the same colour with a bit of a wave, with maybe a few more greys, and is currently at pixi cut length. My nails look normal again.

Other than the abemaciclib side effects, life has gone back to almost normal. 

@Rona, I hope you were finally able to get that Chinese meal! 

Hi everyone, was thinking about you all today and wondering how you all are.
Haircuts are back in fashion, half dosage deodorant and what about a fluffy face 😂. I bought myself a face de fluffer (little round shaver) and I absolutely love it! I highly recommend it.
Coastijas, sorry to hear about your experience, is this one of the side effects? I’ll be going down that path soon too, I’m yet to start the abemaciclib. Glad to hear you are coping on it Katie. From what my oncologist said, diarrhoea is the main symptom.
My hair is growing thick, fast and extremely curly. It’s also black and white!!! I have to control the curls with product……. never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this.
I haven’t had any hot flushes on the letrizole yet?? I must say though, like you Katie, my stomach hasn’t been the same since chemo. I still have numbness and tingling in my feet, often creeping up to my thighs. I’ve read this can be permanent damage from the Paclitaxel, it’s something I have come to terms with.
I had my first mammogram last week, passed with flying colours 😂. I do however still have a large lump under my arm from scar tissue. My measurements started to go up so I’m working hard on my exercise regime to keep the fluid from building. I see the surgeon next month and we are going to discuss surgery as she thinks this is causing the fluid not draining, also have come to terms with this. 

thanks for the advice @Coastiejas. I’m supposed to have that one soon too. Might see if I can put it off till next year when the kids are on school holidays, I can’t afford to lose two days at the moment.  

Hi Ladies 
I had my first zoledronic acid infusion on Friday and it's basically put me in bed for 2 days....like I have a flu....temperature and all. Starting to feel slightly better this afternoon but still generally yuck 🤮 Apparently the first one is the worst ..... but my advice would be have it on a Friday like I did so you have the weekend to recover!  Everyone is different though so you might have different side effects from me, thankfully I haven't had any joint or muscle pain! 
Have a good week everyone! 

Hi Ladies 
Woo hoo @Katie46 a haircut 💇‍♀️!! I had my mum give me 2 trims so far and a tidy up as it wasn't really worth paying a hairdresser for it!  Good to hear that you are doing well! 
@PSP I had a constant runny nose on the paclitaxel,  it's because your nasal hairs fall out with all of the rest of it! I also sneezed all the time. I took an antihistamine when it got really bad, but even the non drowsy ones make me tired so mostly I just put up with it. It was like having a tap for a nose! Good news is that it went away when I finished the chemo. My hair started to grow back when I was on the paclitaxel, around cycle 5 I think it was.
I had a fair amount of energy last week, felt a lot more like my old self, but am more tired this week, could be something to do with the zoladex depot I had this week! Still have loads of hot flushes at night so my oncologist suggested to take my exemestane in the morning and see how that goes.  I am having a zoledronic acid infusion in a few weeks so will see how that goes too as I will be having them 6 monthly. 
Hope everyone is having a good weekend! 

Hello @Katie46 - Thank you for a positive story.  I know they have to give us the details of possible side effects for all drugs these days but it does make people more scared at times.  Enjoy your haircut !

Hi everyone, hope you are all ok.

I thought I would update you on my abemaciclib journey so far as I was nervous starting this drug. Despite having a list of side effects as long as my arm, so far the only side effect I have is occasional diarrhoea, which is easily controlled by taking just one of the gastro tablets I've been given. I think it was spicy food that caused it, so I'll be avoiding that for a while, my stomach is slightly more delicate than it used to be. It seems to be the most common side effect for this drug, and not as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Other than that, life is carrying on pretty normal, and I'm feeling ok. My energy levels are good, and I'm sleeping ok. 

I'm excited to be contemplating my first haircut, to tidy up the back of my neck and around my ears, and start giving my pixi length hair some shape. Happy days! 

Thanks for sharing your experiences girls, appreciate it. Hopefully it will improve.