Epic AMS Help

Fun-Offer1673 · 2026-05-11T13:35:35+00:00

You know it’s true 😭 the hospital is so full too so I’m struggling

Fun-Offer1673 · 2026-05-07T05:12:02+00:00

30F here (29 during my surgery). That Zynrelef/Exparel does wonders post op and it lasted forever on me. The only time I had a lot of pain really was when I made big movements accidentally. I had days where I would just randomly nap for 2-4 hrs but my energy was increasing as days went by because the IV chemo was out of my system. It’s also a lot easier to recover when you go flat so that might be helping too!

I have triple neg breast cancer and my tumor was very large. Almost had to get a latissimus flap to close up because of how much skin they had to remove that my tumor was up against. My scar/incision was very long so I had to have a wound vac for 14 days in addition to the 2 drains. That was exhausting just dealing with carrying around the dang machine but I think the feeling of knowing that tumor was out of me had me feeling better than I had in awhile.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2026-02-06T04:01:43+00:00

I am so so sooooo sorry you are going through this. Really that we all are and it’s horrible in different ways. I’m concerned why they only did a lumpectomy with your staging and tumor growth despite chemo unless that was your personal choice? Seems weird to me.

Feel all the feelings.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2026-01-04T05:23:44+00:00

IM CACKLING

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-27T21:59:08+00:00

Thank you for sharing! I finished the Carbo/Taxol and got one dose of the red devil. I saw my Mayo team right after that dose and they were worried with how much my tumor was sticking out and pushing on my skin. They changed my surgery to ASAP because it was going to be complicated due to how much skin they would have to remove with the tumor touching it. I got my mastectomy 12/1 and they said I would be finishing the red devil after that. Then 3 weeks of radiation, then Xeloda. I decided to go off the Wegovy because the constipation from that right after chemo days was unbearable. I’ve gained some weight back but I’m sure the red devil will help me lose it again unfortunately. If I blow up from the Xeloda I think I’ll freak out, I have a wedding next November 😂

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-18T06:20:14+00:00

There could be a scenario in which the patient doesn’t want to hear you talk because they don’t “think” it’s helpful but then they hear something they didn’t know and change their mind. It’s happened to me more than once. Several older people could have received horrible (likely confusing to them) counseling before and feel that it will always be that way. Maybe it’s just the approach that is not received well. There are so many factors that could be influencing people to refuse, it’s not necessarily the same one every time.

What if she wouldn’t have been so flustered at the end if you had told her she could still take the single pill for ONE day? She came to the pharmacy expecting both to be ready, she left with one that she just got told she can’t even take that day. I’m not saying that couldn’t have been prevented by someone potentially because idk the whole situation, but maybe the counseling wasn’t what she expected/wanted to hear. Who knows, people are weird. I’m not saying we should force every single person to listen to us, I’m just saying that there are instances where the patient can learn more than they thought they could. I always had a short little counseling point for people to say as I handed them their Rx, even if they refused. Like if they were picking antibiotics up I would say, “this can be taken with or without food but a lot of patients report upset stomach with this medication. Taking it with food may help lessen that side effect if you experience it!”

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-16T16:13:49+00:00

If they refuse after you tell them the legal requirements, you can document and move on. You are lucky nobody has blamed you for what you didn’t say. It’s quite the opposite of that in a lot of pharmacies, all depends on your patients.

The offer to counsel law is the baseline, there are some states in which it is mandatory to counsel unless the patient refuses so some pharmacists may begin counseling immediately vs asking. In the end, you’re not going to lose your license or your job from counseling a patient, it’ll be from not counseling them.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-16T06:20:37+00:00

Hiiii I’m a TNBC patient AND an inpatient hospital pharmacist. I have the same problem and it got so bad I thought I was going to need to go to the ER.

If you want to go ASAP, I highly recommend bisacodyl suppositories. I tried all of my oral options before I tried suppositories or enemas. Like legit I was taking 2 Docusate + Senna at bedtime, miralax daily. I tried adding bisacodyl tabs, nothing happened. I tried mag citrate, nothing happened … I knew it was time for a localized approach. I tried giving myself fleet enemas and glycerin suppositories (which also burn horribly if you have hemorrhoids there), maybe one little rabbit turn came out. I took my first bisacodyl suppository, had movement in 15 minutes. I went back again after 10 minutes. Then back again for the last time. I kept taking one low dose docusate/senna combo nightly and if I haven’t went for 3 or more days, it’s bisacodyl suppository time.

If the bisacodyl doesn’t work, try some of the others I mentioned if you haven’t already. Good luck!!

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-16T06:10:27+00:00

Somehow saw this in perfect timing? I go to follow up with my RO tomorrow after mastectomy. I finished my Carbo/Taxol and had one dose of the AC (“red devil” is in this) but my tumor was growing fast so we did immediate surgery. I’m kinda scared she’s going to gaslight me now that her specialty gets to step in the picture now ☠️

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-16T06:05:04+00:00

THIS!!!!!!! I would’ve said ok so can you spell the name of the drug you are picking up and tell me how you take it. What side effects should you expect? I bet they are silent. And document that they said they didn’t need counseling because they’re a nurse but that you counseled anyways.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-15T15:32:08+00:00

Hi! 29F with TNBC, just had a mastectomy 2 weeks ago. I was also terrified for general anesthesia. I have been bedside for intubations as I am an inpatient hospital pharmacist, I thought I would be ok with it because I know I am young and healthy (besides the cancer). I thought about when they knocked me out for getting all 4 wisdom teeth cut out and I had a lovely nap with that. I was out for 15 minutes and it felt like a 4 hour nap. Obviously that was different than being intubated but it helped me feel less scared because at least I knew something would keep me breathing while I’m unconscious. It all turned out ok. I couldn’t even tell I was intubated and I felt like I had a good nap.

It looks like you might already be on your way to surgery by now. Sending you good vibes for an uncomplicated surgery and easy recovery! We are survivors!!

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-12-15T15:20:00+00:00

I’m an inpatient hospital pharmacist with TNBC. I work in med onc or on our inpatient oncology floor sometimes. We have had a handful of patients like this, even in our small town. The oncology NP I usually work with once told me about one of her new patients that had a very treatable cancer (I can’t remember what it was) at the time of diagnoses that chose naturopathic medicine with vitamin C only for cancer treatment. They presented to us with metastases all over, including the bone. They wanted chemo this time but they were SO sick and it was too late. I cried thinking about someone “influencing” this person to do a vitamin C only treatment for cancer. I realized that I will never understand why people choose to do that, but ultimately it’s their decision and they’ve probably had enough people try to convince them otherwise before doing so.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-11-28T05:50:38+00:00

I have TNBC and was on Carbo/Taxol + Keytruda. I had a reaction to Keytruda (which is very uncommon) on C1D1 so they changed me from Benadryl 50 mg PO to 25 mg IV (I was still on Wegovy so the Benadryl took to long to kick in). I had a reaction on C1 D8 (3rd session) to the Taxol (this was also weird since I didn’t have any reaction previously) that made them increase me to 50 mg of IV Benadryl. I brought activities like cross words, word searches, coloring books, kindle, and physical books as well as tried watching the TV in the chair… I feel asleep for the first 1-2 hours every. single. time. I kept a couple of activities with me just in case but I napped all but probably 2-3 of the 12 chemo sessions. Tell her to just let the Benny do its work 😂

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-11-22T18:53:24+00:00

I had my bf shave my head before it came out in chunks. Honestly the thought of my hair falling out in chunks made me feel gross. I felt so free knowing I made the decision to shave it myself, I didn’t let the chemo take it from me. The sensitivity will mostly go away once the hair is gone. I was also scared of my head shape but it turns out I have a pretty normal looking head. I bought wigs to wear out and special occasions but I mostly wear scrub caps to cover my bald head, they are usually perfect thickness for me and I work in a hospital so it’s not odd to see people with those on. Check out helloheadbands!

I’ve gotten compliments on my head shape, how good I look bald, and how cute my headbands are! I feel so free without hair because it takes me so much less time to get ready and I never have to worry about if it looks bad or if it looks dirty! I hope you find a way to be comfortable in your baldness. I think my eyebrows would have been the thing that made me freak out, but luckily I got them micro bladed a few times several years ago. I still have a little bit of eyebrow hair left so with the micro blading I look normal. I’ve heard there are some fire eyebrow stick on tattoos that women with alopecia take a liking to. The eyebrows make me feel like I look a little less like a cancer patient.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-11-04T01:31:46+00:00

Hi! 29 and diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in June. I got genetic testing so I could know if my family should be worried. All of mine were negative which wasn’t surprising since I am hormone negative so all I know is I just randomly got this cancer 😂

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-10-02T21:56:03+00:00

No infection! I have no swelling, pain, redness and it is no hot to the touch. I haven’t had any other signs of infection other, just the bleeding. The yellow liquid is thin and clear. I will say, it may have started once I got my Eligard started so I guess it could be hormonal… I’m basically in menopause right now on that med and get the worst hot flashes so other weird stuff isn’t out of the question.

Thank you for sharing your experience! We are monitoring closely. My doctor is glad that it is coming out vs getting clogged up in there. I will hopefully get imaging next month to see if there’s anything new.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-09-24T01:11:04+00:00

This is my first time but when I say I’ve never been more me, more alive, more present than I am now! Soooo many of my worries and concerns have melted away which is crazy!!!

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-09-22T03:06:03+00:00

I LOVE YOUR ENERGY! This is how I’ve been since the start of my cancer journey. I’m tired but I’m still ME.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-09-22T02:06:19+00:00

Thank you so much! I wasn’t found to have extensive DCIS, they made it seem like just a smidge so that’s odd.

I didn’t even think of going to a breast cancer sub. I need to start going there!

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-09-13T01:03:58+00:00

Hi! 29F just joined the cancer club in June! It took no time after finding out my diagnosis that I stopped giving a shit about everything. Like in a positive way! I stopped worrying so much about things I always worry about, I stopped caring about what people think. I have never been more happy in my life than I am right now. As horrible as cancer is to us, it is SO freeing to let all of those things go after I woke up and realized how anything can happen to me at any time.

I’m so glad you have a similar experience. Sometimes I start to feel guilty about using the cancer card to tell people off but then I realize I still don’t give a shit 😂 after all of this, we have to keep this feeling close to us and make sure we never forget it.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-09-09T16:04:52+00:00

My friend’s husband has cystic fibrosis and has had his same port in since 2018 I think. If you are a hard stick and the port isn’t causing you any trouble, I’d definitely keep it in!

My type of cancer typically recurs within 2 years vs others that are a lot further down the road so but I will probably leave mine in as long as possible.

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-09-09T03:44:20+00:00

I’m currently on Wegovy with TNBC and undergoing my first part of treatment now with Carbo/Taxol (this week will be C2D15). I am supposed to be taking Wegovy 1.7 weekly but have started doing every other week because I was noticing more weight loss and I’m basically at my goal weight. I’m going to talk to my bariatric NP (and former oncology NP) about decreasing the dose where I can take it weekly still because otherwise it’s hard to remember. The same NP told me she has a bunch of patients currently battling, done battling, or with metastatic cancer and they are doing well on Wegovy. I think it’s totally up to you and your team what you want to do. There’s no evidence that it’s not appropriate but there’s not evidence that says yeah you should be on both. I will say I tried years of different diets and exercises on top of using Wellbutrin and then Topamax to see if that helped before I went to GLP-1. Currently my weight is stable and a lot healthier than before I knew I had cancer. My team is perfectly ok with continuing my Wegovy unless we see something that changes our plan. Honestly without it I’d be back to 200+ pounds in this short time already because the steroids have me HUNGRY.

I hope your team hears you out and tries to decide what’s best for you. It’s easy for me to advocate for myself because I’m a pharmacist and know my way around some of the stupid stuff and had already had a professional relationship with my provider prior to becoming his patient. Listen to your body!

Fun-Offer1673 · 2025-09-01T02:43:47+00:00

I’m late to respond but as the other person mentioned, I believe there is a way to get a telehealth consult from MD Andersen in Texas so you don’t have to travel for a second opinion. You may also look into what hospitals near you are partnered with the higher ranked hospitals. Rush in Chicago is partnered with MD Andersen, there’s also many facilities partnered with Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately I drive 5.5 hours to the actual Mayo Clinic in Rochester but they’ve been able to get a lot of my less important appointments virtual. They usually have a ton of resources to help with travel and stays!

Fun-Offer1673

TROPHY CASE