 |
11-26-2008, 02:13 PM
|
#1
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: me & my three HANDSOME grandsons!!Jacksonville, Arkansas
Posts: 354
|
Unforseen benefits of chemo??!
Not sure about this one, but......
My skin is smooth! I usually have at least one pimple forming while I'm just getting rid of one.
Well...
I haven't had pimp ONE since I was on FEC. I guess while it was killing all those other rapidly developing cells, it was doing a number on the rapidly grown pimps!!!
__________________
Terri B.
46 yrs. young
Dx IDC 3/6/08
1.5 cm & .6 cm grade III, Stage IIA
es/pr- Her2+++, 9/9 richardson
Double Mast w/expanders 4-14-08
3/9 nodes positive.
additional excision rt breast 4-25-08
weekly T/H x 12 (6-2-08) Done!
FEC x4 (9-8-08) Last one 11-10-08!
Herceptin complete 8/10/09!!
33 RADS DONE 2/13/09!
rt. breast biopsy 3/20/09 .. B9!!
reconstruction complete!
DEEEEEEported on 5/19/10!!
almost 5 YEARS NED!!
|
|
|
|
11-26-2008, 02:32 PM
|
#2
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Posts: 438
|
I had the same experience when I was on ACT. My skin was so smooth and no pimples. Anyway, when I went to the Cancer Society - Look Good, Feel Great (or something like that) I mentioned how nice my skin had been looking and they said "it's called, the chemo peel". I guess the top layer of skin cells get killed off with chemo... hence the clear, beautiful skin.
So you are right, it is from the chemo.
Karen
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2008, 02:33 PM
|
#3
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
|
Well, there has to be some benefits that make us look better!!!!!
That's good news anyway!
Have a great Turkey Day!
Take lots of beautiful skin photos!!!!
ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2008, 02:34 PM
|
#4
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
|
p.s. that's what microdermabrasion is all about!!!!!
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2008, 02:34 PM
|
#5
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: me & my three HANDSOME grandsons!!Jacksonville, Arkansas
Posts: 354
|
Good info!
I'm taking lots of close ups!!
__________________
Terri B.
46 yrs. young
Dx IDC 3/6/08
1.5 cm & .6 cm grade III, Stage IIA
es/pr- Her2+++, 9/9 richardson
Double Mast w/expanders 4-14-08
3/9 nodes positive.
additional excision rt breast 4-25-08
weekly T/H x 12 (6-2-08) Done!
FEC x4 (9-8-08) Last one 11-10-08!
Herceptin complete 8/10/09!!
33 RADS DONE 2/13/09!
rt. breast biopsy 3/20/09 .. B9!!
reconstruction complete!
DEEEEEEported on 5/19/10!!
almost 5 YEARS NED!!
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2008, 04:12 PM
|
#6
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
|
Terri
I had FEC also, and also had great clear skin during chemo, even since then. My onc. nurses told me it's a little chemo secret...
all the best
caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2008, 10:08 PM
|
#7
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Massillon, Ohio
Posts: 247
|
my skin was great on a/c, but on herceptin alone it was a mess. Now that I'm preggers my skin has been great.
__________________
Laurie
Diagonsed 8/10/06 (found own lump)at 35
Her 2 +++, er-/pr-
4 A/C 8-29-06 to 11-06
Lumpectomy, node dissection- 11/30/06
Pathology report stage IIIC
1 tumor 3 cm
10 of 15 nodes +
12 Taxol 12/18/06-03/06/07
Herceptin 12/18/06- 12/11/2007 done!!! yeah!!!
33 rads started 3/22/07, done!! yeah!! 5/07/07
Lymphedema diagonsed 2/1/07
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
port out 1/10/08
pregnant after 6 yeas of trying- due mid feb.
Ryder David Kessel Hunter born feb.6th 2009
|
|
|
|
|
11-28-2008, 08:45 AM
|
#8
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
|
Terri, love the new picture, your eyes tell your story.>>Believe51
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
|
|
|
|
|
11-28-2008, 09:58 AM
|
#9
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 75
|
I had the same reaction and my friends would comment on my skin. I said it was like having a total body exfoliation.
|
|
|
|
|
11-28-2008, 01:03 PM
|
#10
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 869
|
same as above--guess chemo does away with any bacteria on the skin as well....as was pale as you know what though. Ceesun
|
|
|
|
|
11-28-2008, 04:09 PM
|
#11
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
|
Adriamycin (A) and epirubicin (E) are antibiotics. As chemo they are given in massive doses but they are antibiotics none the less. Antibiotics are given to those who have severe acne so I guess it is helping here. It also dries the skin as when I had chemo (AC followed by taxol) I found my skin to be dry and acne free too.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
|
|
|
|
|
11-28-2008, 06:33 PM
|
#12
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Avilla, Indiana
Posts: 261
|
Terri B., Love the picture.
My skin looked better on chemo too. I had the Taxotere Tan with no pimples.
I have two more Herceptin treatments but that does not benefit the skin like T/C did.
Hugs,
Dana
__________________
-Dana-
]
Diagnosed - Nov. 2, 2007 at 45
Lumpectomy - Nov. 13, 2007
Tumor 1.2 cm
Stage 1 Grade 3
ER/PR - Her2 +++ (3.8)
Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin- 6 rounds
Neulasta
Radiation 33 treatments - will be done 6/6/08
Herceptin through 12/08
12/07 MUGA 61%, 4/08 MUGA 60%, 7/08 MUGA 64%
three wonderful daughters, a terrific husband,
Life is Good
|
|
|
|
|
11-29-2008, 10:00 AM
|
#13
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
|
My skin was also very clear, but dry during chemo. Every night after bathing I smeared my whole body with cocoa butter--including my bald head.
People commented on my complexion constantly. A clerk at Walmart asked what my secret was, and I told her I wouldn't recommend my regime! It was nice to have some positive side effects from chemo.
You look great!
__________________
Rhonda (Sassy)
dx age 45
DX 2/15/05 Stage IIb (at surgery)restaged IIIa
Left mast .9cm tumor 5 of 14 nodes
Triple Positive
4 DD A/C
12 Taxol/Herceptin
33Rads
Strange infect mast site one year aft surg, hosp 1 wk
Herceptin for total of 18 months
Lupron Monthly 4 yrs
Neurontin for aches, pains and hot flashes(It works!)
Ovaries removed 11/09 stop Lupron and Neurontin
Arimidex 6 yrs (tried Femara, no SE improvement)
Tried Exemestane-hips got so bad could hardly walk
Back to Arimidex for year seven
Zometa 2X Annual for 7years, Lasix
Stop Arimidex 5/13
Stop Zometa 7/13-Bi-lateral Stress Fractures in Femurs from Zometa
5/14 Start Tamoxifen
3/15 Stem cell transplant to stimulate femur bone growth/healing
5/15 Complete fracture of right femur/Titanium rods both femurs
9/16 Start Evista stopTamoxifen
3/17 Stop Evista--unwelcome side effects!
NED and no meds.......
14 YEARS NED!
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:26 PM.
|
Linear Mode
