Post Chemo Life
This is my first week clear of the three week chemo cycle. I am officially finished. Next up for me is a bi-lateral mastectomy and reconstruction in three weeks Everyday this week I have felt my an...
Forum Discussion
@kmakm
The f*&%$*g hot flushes and sweats are the pitts. Every so often I'd knock myself out with some diazepam or mersyndol just to get some sleep. The sweats backed off fairly soon after finishing treatment but the flushes continued for months until I took a break off the hormone therapy then they pretty much vanished over night. I had an erratic eye twitch as well through chemo. It went as soon as I stopped.
As far as the brain fog and memory goes. I remember sitting there trying to play a game of uno with my adult children after AC . Ridiculous. I could not concentrate. It was like Mum its your turn, Mum we are going the other way now, my god Mum pick up two, They didn't realize what was happening and thought it was a great joke. I cried and left the room. .
I too had sticky notes all over my desk at work. As soon as I put a phone on hold I'd forgotten who I was speaking to so I wrote it down as soon as they had said who it was. I got lost in the shopping centre trying to get my christmas shopping done in a chemo induces haze and promptly burst into tears.
If it's any consolation the fog had cleared a lot by half way through taxol, so that was about 6wks and was pretty much gone by the time I started radiation. So all up 10wks. I was clear headed right to starting the hormone therapy. Now that's another story. I had to set an alarm on my twin daughters birthday as I was so worried I would forget in the morning. I didn't.
One of the girls on here recommended the "Elevate" app for the memory problems. It seemed to help if I played it first thing in the morning and I do think the Vitamin B+c helps as well.
I didn't have any nail problems but the dry skin yes. Aveno moisturizer has been the best one for me and I combine it with a bit of bio oil for the really dry bits. Again I think the vitamins help with this as well. (funny I was never a vitamin kinda person before this). Luckily I never had the severe fatigue. But in my normal life when shit goes wrong...I renovate and that's exactly what I did. I think that actually helped me through because that's what I would normally do. Everyone's different I guess.
As far as being dismissed by the Onco's, totally agree. I don't think they get all the emotional side of this shit. Their job is to recommend the best possible course of treatment to prevent it coming back. They don't get that it effects every aspect of your life from skin and nail changes to your sex life. Which I would really like back!!!
I had a ding dong argument with my onc at my check up on Wednesday. I told him I've gone off Tamoxifen again. Three months is my limit before it starts doing my head in. I was on my way to counselling as I had become anxious, moody and bursting in to tears at the drop of a hat. I knew I was on the verge of depression. So of course he recommends anti depressants. I go off the hormone drugs for a couple of weeks and I'm pretty much normal. He says my side effects are extreme. I tell him to google the studies being done on the toxic effects on brain cells that are being done in other countries and they really should crowd source to find out exactly what's happening to the people actually living this stuff and not just what the pharmaceutical companies list as SE and storm out the door. Don't think he likes me too much anymore. Too bad. I'm sure he's forgotten about me 10mins later.
Isn't it funny that we don't think about all the good these hormones do for you before BC? Bone, brain, hair, nails, skin etc.
Unfortunately, unlike Onemargie. I do not accept a knew normal. It would be easier if I could I guess. I have fought it every inch of the way. I want my old normal back and I'm damn well going to do my best to get it.!! I have a lot of trouble accepting that I have to feel permanently worse after treatment and have to take more drugs to counteract other drugs. Still pondering whether to go back on them because right now I feel fantastic.
So that's my rant and I'll wind it up.
All the best for your surgery @kmakm. I really hope you do feel better soon.
XOXOXOXOXOX
The f*&%$*g hot flushes and sweats are the pitts. Every so often I'd knock myself out with some diazepam or mersyndol just to get some sleep. The sweats backed off fairly soon after finishing treatment but the flushes continued for months until I took a break off the hormone therapy then they pretty much vanished over night. I had an erratic eye twitch as well through chemo. It went as soon as I stopped.
As far as the brain fog and memory goes. I remember sitting there trying to play a game of uno with my adult children after AC . Ridiculous. I could not concentrate. It was like Mum its your turn, Mum we are going the other way now, my god Mum pick up two, They didn't realize what was happening and thought it was a great joke. I cried and left the room. .
I too had sticky notes all over my desk at work. As soon as I put a phone on hold I'd forgotten who I was speaking to so I wrote it down as soon as they had said who it was. I got lost in the shopping centre trying to get my christmas shopping done in a chemo induces haze and promptly burst into tears.
If it's any consolation the fog had cleared a lot by half way through taxol, so that was about 6wks and was pretty much gone by the time I started radiation. So all up 10wks. I was clear headed right to starting the hormone therapy. Now that's another story. I had to set an alarm on my twin daughters birthday as I was so worried I would forget in the morning. I didn't.
One of the girls on here recommended the "Elevate" app for the memory problems. It seemed to help if I played it first thing in the morning and I do think the Vitamin B+c helps as well.
I didn't have any nail problems but the dry skin yes. Aveno moisturizer has been the best one for me and I combine it with a bit of bio oil for the really dry bits. Again I think the vitamins help with this as well. (funny I was never a vitamin kinda person before this). Luckily I never had the severe fatigue. But in my normal life when shit goes wrong...I renovate and that's exactly what I did. I think that actually helped me through because that's what I would normally do. Everyone's different I guess.
As far as being dismissed by the Onco's, totally agree. I don't think they get all the emotional side of this shit. Their job is to recommend the best possible course of treatment to prevent it coming back. They don't get that it effects every aspect of your life from skin and nail changes to your sex life. Which I would really like back!!!
I had a ding dong argument with my onc at my check up on Wednesday. I told him I've gone off Tamoxifen again. Three months is my limit before it starts doing my head in. I was on my way to counselling as I had become anxious, moody and bursting in to tears at the drop of a hat. I knew I was on the verge of depression. So of course he recommends anti depressants. I go off the hormone drugs for a couple of weeks and I'm pretty much normal. He says my side effects are extreme. I tell him to google the studies being done on the toxic effects on brain cells that are being done in other countries and they really should crowd source to find out exactly what's happening to the people actually living this stuff and not just what the pharmaceutical companies list as SE and storm out the door. Don't think he likes me too much anymore. Too bad. I'm sure he's forgotten about me 10mins later.
Isn't it funny that we don't think about all the good these hormones do for you before BC? Bone, brain, hair, nails, skin etc.
Unfortunately, unlike Onemargie. I do not accept a knew normal. It would be easier if I could I guess. I have fought it every inch of the way. I want my old normal back and I'm damn well going to do my best to get it.!! I have a lot of trouble accepting that I have to feel permanently worse after treatment and have to take more drugs to counteract other drugs. Still pondering whether to go back on them because right now I feel fantastic.
So that's my rant and I'll wind it up.
All the best for your surgery @kmakm. I really hope you do feel better soon.
XOXOXOXOXOX