hello from İstanbul / how i am handling TAC :)

Well hello GIRLS,

I am posting from Istanbul Turkey…
Amazing world isnt it…

My story started when i found lumps in both breast mid april, malignant according to core bio.No BC history in th family but i have Ashkenaze ancestors from my mother side, so anyhow, it was there. Went through bilateral lump. on May 14. i have ilc and idc , stage 2 with pos. nodes on left braest, so i had also ax. node dissection there. Clear margins and clean scans after operation, for mr that was the worst to wait that all that bone, long liver etc… thing will come OK, thank God it did ( i a have a great and very kind surgeon and he advised me an oncologist which turned out also super, witha graet knowledge she is concerned and very kind too )

Now i started 6 rounds of Chemo on TAC
Today is my forth day after and almost no side effects, yes i was on dexamethasone injections ( 1 injection chemo day + 2).

But as i believe also on alternative medicine since april i start taking beta glucan 1.3 3 capsules daily ( i bought a Turkish brand but also its available on Solgar ) than so grape seed extract 3 table spoons daily its a russian product avaialable only at pharmacies here but maybe you can have something similar at yr place vitamin c and multiple vit b complex…
At least 3 litres of water daily + 2-3 mugs of fresh brewed green tea. Only healty food, everything cooked with olive or kanola oil. Lean read meat only once a wwek and oven baked, the rest chicken, turkey, salmon and tuna fish, lots of fruits and also walnuts and warm water soaked dry figs( i eat one fig daily every morning than drink water ) No alcohol, no cigarettes, no artificial fruit juices or no artificial anything…

I had some groin and joint break through pains but i did not listen to them, drank more water and did not use any suggested pain killer to avoid more toxic.

I dont feel dizzy or weak. Some times i feel tinglings inside of my mouth or cervical area. Thats all for the moment.
As i have taxotere i am going my hair, very very long and have a wig …

But i know everbody is different but i still wanted to share all this with you, may some of it help, who knows ???

And if any body planing a holiday or trip to Turkey or Istanbul
let me know , i will be most happy to try to help…

God Bless YOU all

Seda

Hi Seda - its a shock all this isn’t it?!! I was diagnosed early Jan with grade 3 lump, had lumpectomy and node clearance, showed 1 node involved so started chemo in march, 3 fec and 3 tax and I’m due to have the last tax this thursday!! Yehhhhhhh!! Mind you, dreading the 8-10 days after but hey ho! I agree the water drinking helps a lot I think, I’m trying to be healthy about the eating but its hard especially in the early days after chemo when you don’t really fancy things - I was fine on fec but the tax is horrible…take care, mary x

Merhaba Seda!
Hos geldiniz.Sorry you have had to join us! I was on Taxotere and for me it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
I have been to Turkey quite a few times and know a few words to get by.It is a beautiful place.My friends have a villa in Gocek and other friends have an apartment in Alanya.
Best wishes,
Alli x

big & warm Merhaba - Hello to all

First of all a big thnx for all the replies and nice thoughts

i feel soo international : )

Next round of my TAC cocktail party is on the 3 rd of July. Untill now i head minimal side effects, some mouth sores and some body aches in the 7 and 8 days, i treated with chlorex, baking soda and salt mothwash and advil or voltaren for the pain, no nausea at all neither change of taste in my mouth, the only thing is time to time my right foot gets very swollen but after a good night sleep it goes back to normal… And now i feel completely fine… I cut my hair 2 days ago like GI Jane, send my own hair for a wig , got a spare one… but my hair still there for the moment…

My onco. told me that after my second round i can go for some vacation but i think i will prefere to do it after my 3rd or 4th because round it will be very hot Istanbul during August .At least i hope that , lets see if i will still be so fit …

I asked once more my surgeon and my onco abt my supplements and they told " no problem " my only restrictions are aspirine and grapefruit …Those days i eat lots of watermelon but at least my 3 liters of water daily is become now normal…

What i miss to do is manicure and pedicure and long walks because is so hot those days.

And here i want to share a different and very easy Turkish milk pudding recipe, its light, fresh nutrisious and very tasty for us and for the children :slight_smile:

I send to everybody in this forum a big hug and i wish enlightment from heavens to each of
Y O U

Girls be well and be happy :))))

Seda

lt milk (5 cups)
1-1½ cup sugar
4-5 tbsp flour
125 gr butter/margarine (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla extract/1 package ground vanilla or mastic/mastic gum
Crushed nuts or cinnamon for garnish

In a pot, sautee margarine/butter and flour over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.

Then stir in milk and sugar and stir continuously.

If you’ll use mastic gum, add it.

Then stir till the pudding becomes thick, turn heat low and cook for 3-4 minutes.

If you’ll use vanilla instead of mastic gum, then add vanilla, stir and turn the heat off.
Transfer the Milk Pudding into glass or porcelain bowls and let it cool.

Garnish with any kinds of crushed nuts or cinnamon,

and sprinkle some rose water if you wish / additional

ENJOY

P.S: Do not sprinkle the cinnamon right after you pour the pudding into bowls, let it cool …

Mehraba Seda Hos Geldiniz to the site!I have a Turkish daughter in law and a gorgeous grand daughter [Serra].My son went to teach EFL 1n 1992 and met Ozgul and never came home to live.He lived and taught[at one of the universities]in Istanbul for a couple of years then moved to Izmir where his wife is from.I go over at least twice a year and can 'get by’in Turkish.
Iyi aksamler
Valxx