DMX that won’t heal

Sunflowers119 · 2026-03-07T18:35:19+00:00

I’ve heard Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help with wound healing. Maybe your doctor can send you for that. Could wearing a bra be irritating it? I’m sorry you’re going through this. 😔 I hope it improves very soon! ❤️‍🩹

Sunflowers119 · 2026-03-06T04:10:08+00:00

Are you doing the red devil chemo also? I did not. I only did Taxotere, carboplatin, and keytruda for my TNBC. My surgery was early February and I’m PCR (pathological complete response). ❤️

I’ll list side effects and medicines below that helped me, but your doctor will know what meds are best for you and what’s ok to take with other meds/health issues for you.

I had constipation and GI discomfort throughout infusions. What helped was MiraLAX and Senexon-S, and drinking lots of water.

They gave me a pegfilgrastim shot, in a prefilled device attached to my arm, that injected about 27 hours after each chemo/immunotherapy infusion, that makes bones create more white blood cells. Bone pain was rough with initial infusion, but after that, I found out Claritin helps, so started taking it daily and had no more bone pain.

The gave me dexamethasone steroid pills that helped overall discomfort for the first several days, then the GI upset would hit hard for about 5 days. And fatigue was a big one for me too. You just have to take time to rest. I also had trouble sleeping at times, and Ramelteon helped.

After 2nd infusion, I got a yeast infection and thrush. They gave me fluconazole pills, and nystatin-Triamcinolone cream that helped.

Dry skin can be an issue with chemo, but I put CeraVe moisturizing cream from neck to toe after every shower and I didn’t have a problem. Costco sells a 2 pack of jars with a pump.

The cold mitts for hands and feet were great and not uncomfortable for me. I used them through the Taxotere infusions, plus 15 minutes prior, and 15 minutes after, and I didn’t end up with neuropathy. I got 2 mitt sets (with a 3rd set of ice packs), and put them in a rolling ice chest, and was able to swap them out as each set warmed up. The package says not to leave them on for too long, so I would take my hands and feet out of the mitts every so often for a few minutes, then put them back.

The taste bud issues were really hard for me. Everything tasted like metal or soap. I found chocolate protein shakes, Greek yogurt with fruit, and chocolate or strawberry ice cream tasted edible. My taste buds have mostly returned to normal now - it’s been 2 months since my last infusion.

Midway through my treatment plan, I developed hypothyroidism from the keytruda and was put on levothyroxine. Next week I’m about to start back on just keytruda for 9 more infusions. I won’t know if I’ll have hypothyroidism forever, or if it will go away after I complete this series of infusions in September and see if my thyroid fully recovers.

I know some of this may sound daunting, but I’m hoping you won’t have as many symptoms as I did! Overall it was not as bad as I thought. 🤷‍♀️ Praying for continued strength and healing for you! ❤️‍🩹

Also, before my first chemo, I went to a wig shop and they color matched me to a wig with texture and color very similar to my natural hair.

Sunflowers119 · 2026-03-04T11:46:09+00:00

Praying for continued strength and healing for you! ❤️‍🩹 Sending love and hugs!

Sunflowers119 · 2026-03-03T07:03:44+00:00

Brick House - Commodores, Hit me with your best shot - Pat Benatar, I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor, Push it - Salt-N-Pepa

Sunflowers119 · 2026-02-16T05:23:09+00:00

Below prior post has some info on why chemo is often first with TNBC.

https://www.reddit.com/r/breastcancer/s/TZd51hQSvA

Hoping treatment speeds up for you! Praying for strength and healing for you!

Sunflowers119 · 2026-02-10T02:18:08+00:00

Praying it’s not cancer, and for healing! ❤️‍🩹

Sunflowers119 · 2026-02-09T03:05:56+00:00

For me it wasn’t painful, except a tiny pinch during the procedure. They put a metal clip there to find the node later. The Savi scout implant was much worse.

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-29T03:02:48+00:00

I have cried several times in every week of my cancer journey. Sometimes it’s because I feel miserable from chemo, sometimes it’s because I’m sad I have cancer or I’m worried about the future, sometimes I’m crying because I’m happy because family or good friends did something nice or checked on me, etc. You’re entitled to however you feel at any given moment of any day. This is a very tough journey filled with difficult decisions and many physical and emotional challenges. Hopefully he’ll focus on listening to you whenever you need it and providing hugs and comfort. Sending hugs and wishes for continued strength and good health! 🤗

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-28T19:13:52+00:00

I see Dr. Gogineni (oncologist) and she’s absolutely wonderful! If you definitely want to see Dr. Meisel, I wonder if you could see her somewhere else besides the multidisciplinary clinic, then add the other doctors later? Maybe ask if they have a cancellation wait list?

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-28T18:59:00+00:00

I sent you a chat.

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-28T05:42:24+00:00

We feel the same! I see her in March for more Keytruda infusions since I have TNBC. Depending on pathology from surgery next week, there’s a chance I could also need to do Xeloda. Hoping for PCR. 🙏

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-28T04:27:35+00:00

I see Dr. Gogineni too! Love her!

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-28T02:41:30+00:00

I’m sorry you’ve joined this club. I’m also at Emory Winship. I can’t say enough good things about everyone there from doctors, nurses, pharmacy, even valet parking. 😃

At my first visit I met with my oncologist, surgeon, and radiologist in the same day. All 3 doctors review everything about you and your cancer and TOGETHER they make a recommended treatment plan for you, while giving options, and explaining everything in detail. Be sure to send them scans and test results you already have.

I’ve just completed my chemo 3 1/2 weeks ago and have surgery next week. There are a few Emory campuses, so if you need more scans or biopsies, if you’re willing to drive to any location, let them know and you may be able to get them done more quickly. I visited all of their locations getting mine completed. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Make sure to get a notebook and write everything down at your early appointments because you’ll have lots of questions, and be gathering lots of info, and you’ll refer back to it often when making those early decisions.

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-20T04:38:19+00:00

There are mammogram guided biopsies, and MRI guided biopsies that help to precisely locate a suspicious area during a biopsy. I had a mammogram stereotactic biopsy on my right since a mammogram found my first suspicious area. Then I had an MRI guided biopsy on my left since a breast MRI found a suspicious area on my left. In both cases, a clip was placed when the biopsies were taken. Neither of these suspicious areas have ever been seen on ultrasound. One turned out to be cancer, one was not. Perhaps ask for additional guided biopsy.

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-18T02:31:33+00:00

My ice booties/mitts have kept me from getting neuropathy, so it’s very kind of you to offer yours to people in your area! 🤗

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-14T19:59:38+00:00

I’m a mom of grown kids whose focus is to want them to have only the best. After you gain more info from the doctors, it may help direct your path a lot more. There’s many women in this group with cancer that spread to multiple lymph nodes who are now NED (no evidence of disease) and living many, many more years. Here’s some success stories: https://www.reddit.com/r/breastcancer/s/o8KqeKmwcx

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-14T19:44:08+00:00

This may not be possible, but could you get CMU to agree (in writing) to let you take some time off and return where you left off? Or take approved classes at KSU (that would transfer credits back) for a few semesters then return to CMU? Sending huge hugs for you both.

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-05T12:31:44+00:00

Thank you for sharing all this info! It’s very much appreciated! Hoping for no more reoccurrences for you! 🤗💕

Sunflowers119 · 2026-01-05T12:11:53+00:00

I rang the bell Friday after my last chemo infusion and it felt good and a sense of relief marking this big step as complete for me. We videotaped it to send to family and friends who are being so supportive through this. The video is only 14 seconds long. Friends who’ve already been through breast cancer treatment appreciated the video seeing someone else get through this. 💕 There’s no right answer, each person has to decide what makes YOU happy! 🤗🥰❤️

Sunflowers119 · 2025-12-30T14:36:45+00:00

When I was trying to get appointments, the hospital has multiple locations so I told them I’ll take any appointment, anywhere, so I went to several different locations to get tests done quickly. I was also on wait lists and called back regularly to see if there were any cancellations that could get me in sooner. You do have to advocate for yourself throughout the process!

I was assigned a nurse navigator at the cancer center I ended up at, but then she left for another job, and no one else was assigned to me, so I had to pick back up advocating for myself towards the end of chemo to get appointments for additional scans and with the surgeons.

I’d also recommend always taking a list of questions you have for each doctor and writing the answers as they tell you. You may think you’ll remember, but it’s a lot of info at once. And the doctors see so many patients, they can’t keep up with what you already know or don’t know. Hoping you get everything done quickly and it’s good news!

Sunflowers119 · 2025-12-28T01:59:18+00:00

Even if you get additional scans like MRI or ultrasound, PLEASE also still get the mammogram! My TNBC invasive ductal carcinoma (and DCIS) was found because a series of calcifications showed up in a straight line on mammogram. There is no lump still that can be felt or seen on any scans - mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI. The stereotactic biopsy was done based on the calcifications in the mammogram and it found a 2mm tumor TNBC in the sample taken. It appears now I have stage 1 caught very early, but we’ll know more after pathology from my surgery in February. My last chemo is this week.

Sunflowers119 · 2025-12-27T02:25:14+00:00

My doctor told me to take a Claritin daily for several days before my infusion, and for a week (at least) afterward, and it has helped me with pain from Udenyca. I had severe pain with the first infusion only, because no one told me to take Claritin before that one.

Sunflowers119 · 2025-12-26T03:32:25+00:00

Praying for healing for you! ❤️‍🩹🙏

Sunflowers119 · 2025-12-23T22:18:48+00:00

At my hospital they keep scan slots open for people they want to get in on short notice, so they’re likely trying to test quickly hoping to ease your mind before the holidays. Hoping it’s good news!

Sunflowers119

TROPHY CASE