Struggling through Chemo

Forgot to mention, I still work 4 days, 2 from home 2 days in the office and around. It is actually a good distraction

Hi ladies. I was a bit quiet as I was waiting for my BRCA test results, which have come back negative. I will continue with letrozole and will start Abemaciclib and zoledronic for two years. I am also taking vitamin D, which has improved significantly since my last blood test, along with magnesium and vitamin B to help with my neuropathy. I definitely need a pill box.

Since finishing chemo and radiation, I have only lost 3 kg. However, I have been very active, exercising twice a week, swimming again, and joining a women's cycling group for a small weekly ride (on a tricycle, to be safe :) ). Thank you for sharing your experiences and you will see more of my updates too. Take care  

Hi Ladies 
@Rona great to hear from you!  The zoledronic acid infusion made me flu like for about 2 days but I'm fine now, it was a bit like my reaction to some of the covid vaccines that I had. You're lucky you have avoided the hot flushes....I'm hot all the time.....I'm on the goserelin monthy injections and exemestane.  @Katie46 I've also lost about 7kg so.far, which was about what I lost on the AC chemo but then put it back on with the paclitaxel then I've lost it again! I'm following the anti inflammatory diet at the moment.  I have lost appetite too and have gone off red meat ....just don't feel like eating it much any more but am enjoying fish which I never used to eat much of! I get joint and muscle pain randomly and find moving around and doing my qigong helpful. 

I'm also looking forward to a better Christmas this year... I was in the thick of chemo last Christmas 🎄 🎁 

Have a great week everyone! 

Hi @Rona good to hear from you 🙂 I lost around 7kg so far, I can't eat as much as I used to, but it seems to have settled now. 

The lower dose of 100 x2 daily abemaciclib seems to be suiting me better, although it's still early days. I think it took about a week or so for the diarrhoea to set in at the higher dose, and although it wasn't as severe as it could have been, it never settled down, and by week 5 I was really not feeling great and my appetite disappeared, and I was pretty fatigued and washed out, I couldn't imagine persevering with it for 2 years feeling like that. Apparently it can just settle down as your body adjusts to it, but that wasn't happening for me, it seemed to be getting worse. My oncologist decided to stop it, and try again.

I've been on the lower dose for close to 3 weeks, but had to stop for 3 days last week as I had a burst blood vessel in my eye which may or may not have been related, so a break again to let my eye settle down. Back on it again now.

I'm hoping the lower dose will work out, the benefits seem worth tinkering around with doses for a while.

The zoledronic acid was fine for me, the Letrozole/Goserelin combo is giving some minor aches and stiff muscles, but stretching and exercise sorts that out. I'm considering ovary removal as I'm going to be getting the monthly injection for at least the next 3 years.

Other than that I'm ok, and life is fairly normal.

Looking forward to a better Christmas this year 🙂

Hi everyone, I’m keeping up on here with everyone’s progress which is sounding great.
Glad you managed to get on with the abemaciclib treatment Katie after the dose was halved. Can I ask when the symptoms got too bad that you needed to stop?
Also have you had to have the zoledronic acid infusion?
I know Coastiejas did and had the flu like symptoms for a few days. How are you going with that Coastiejas?
I was scheduled for the zoledronic acid infusion yesterday and after 2 hours of waiting, deliberately and 2 hours of driving there ( yes, that’s me Katie…. thanks for your empathy 😊), I didn’t get the green light as I have serious symptoms of tmj ( problems with my jaw on one side).
I now have to go back to the dentist for further investigation 😩.
Ive been taking abemaciclib now for 4 days accompanied with letrozole (still waiting for a hot flush 😂).
Ive had to buy a bigger pill box 😂. I’m also taking vit D, Calcium, Magnesium and Collagen. 

Hi @unicorn3, glad to hear you are getting to the end of your active treatment. 

The nurse at the breast screening clinic way back at the start did tell me that my life would be full of hospital appointments for a while, and she wasn't wrong. 

I'm lucky to only be a 20 minute drive from my treatment centre and really feel for those of you that have to travel big distances, or navigate city traffic to get to your appointments.

Congratulations on your clear mammograms ladies, mines not till April next year as I did chemo first then surgery.  One more immunotherapy to go and I’m free of three weekly appointments which will be so good. 

Hi Ladies 
@Katie46 and @GorgyS congratulations on the clear mammograms and ultrasounds 🥳 🎉 
I had the genetic testing done during my treatment. My oncologist said it helps the team get a fuller picture of you. Happily I didn't have any of the genetic mutations that can cause breast cancer.
Hope you’re having a great weekend! 

Hi @GorgyS, congratulations on your clear mammogram, it's a great feeling 😃 I suppose it's no harm to know if you have the BRCA gene, I wasn't offer it. My oncologist had suggested I can have my ovaries removed if I want that.

my mammogram and ultrasound were all clear. My oncologist asked me to do BRCA test and will find out the results in two weeks. I do not know what the step would be if I am BRCA positive. I even do not know why he wanted me to do this after I finished the treatment. My understanding is that the BRCA is usually done before the treatment.