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@mo0208 Hello & welcome! I feel you on the anxiety leading up to starting chemo. I felt it ramping up beforehand, too. I am also doing TC chemo, had my first infusion on July 1. I'm doing 4 rounds with 21 days in between, give or take, depending on how things go. Everyone kept telling me to hydrate really well the day before, and then day of and thereafter throughout chemo to flush it from my body. I decided to fill a water bottle that is marked 800 ml on the side and am trying to get 3-4 of those in each day!

I felt a lot of relief to get the first infusion done, but in the days after that, I felt the new anxiety of watching and waiting to see how my body handles things. I keep saying, "I know what to expect in terms of side effects (bc they give you the whole list!!), but I have no idea how MY body will respond to any of this."

I used ice socks and ice mittens to hopefully prevent neuropathic pain in my hands and feet. My hands were painfully uncomfortable from the cold at a few points, but it eventually lessened and so far, my hands and feet feel good, so I'm hoping it's worth it! One could also use ice packs with towels, just bring a small cooler with several ice packs to change out while the chemo drugs are infused. I didn't ice during the steroid or any of the other preliminary things given via IV, only the chemo drugs and while I had to sit for an additional hour with my cold cap on after the chemo drugs were infused.

The first day after infusion, I felt quite energized from the steroids - they gave me dexamethasone and it amps me up and prevents me from sleeping :( I had to go back the afternoon after for a shot (Fulphila, aka Neulasta or pegfilgrastim) to stimulate WBC) and I honestly think that has been worse than the after-effects of the chemo. I had very bad bone pain/aches and muscle aches — felt flu-like for 3 days or so after. They told me to take Claritin to help, and it helped, but I think for this next round, I'm going to refuse getting the shot so long as my blood work and WBC counts are good, so that I can see how my body handles things without the bone pain and body aches.

I'll be thinking of you as you approach 7/10 & sending positive vibes for a smooth experience. Do you have someone going with you for support? My sister-in-law went with me and that helped so much. If you have other questions, don't hesitate to tag me!

@alliec1068 :) Oh, wow, your experience w/the WBC shot sounds so much like mine!! As you said, the bone pain was REAL. I started to feel better midday Saturday, but as the day got later, I felt myself hit the wall again…I'd been taking Claritin around 6pm each day b/c that's what time it was when I first bought some, so I could feel it wear off, I guess? Like a hangover is a good way of putting it, too — I felt so lethargic and low energy and my face was more flushed the first two days after the shot.

I've got a naturopathic oncologist on my team, met with her today and shared about the WBC shot effects and she suggested I try skipping it this next round to see how I fare, as long as my counts are well enough to do so. Her exact words were, "It jacks everything up!"

I seem to have had what she called "a strong reaction on the first round, but delayed" — I started getting a red rash in my underarms and along the pubic line (sorry to be TMI :/ ) over the weekend and my mouth began to feel very fuzzy, tongue was white coated…so I've got oral thrush, too. :( They put me on liquid Nystatin, so hopefully that all clears up pronto!

I also have what looks like a 3-inch rug burn where the IV went in. It's red, irritated, burns/is painful and feels hard under the skin where the vein is. It feels like after one burns themself on a stove or something and the burn hurts for several days. Do you have a port? They had said I wouldn't need one and we could use my arm since it's 4 rounds, but now the nurse I spoke with when I called in said I may wind up needing a port. So I was feeling pretty cranky yesterday, but was able to attend a support group this evening that helped.

I didn't really have any nausea issues, either — I didn't take the Zofran, I had it filled and was going to, but was also taking a natural product called Boiron Nux Vomica (they're tiny pellets you put under the tongue) and drinking ginger juice in the morning and before bed. I drank 2 oz. straight ginger juice the morning of my infusion, too, and think it helped. I know my body takes a longer time to process medications out of my system, so I'm trying to limit how many prescription things I'm on at once — they sure don't make that easy, though! That stinks Zofran makes you drowsy — hopefully you can tweak it a bit next time to see if that helps. I'm going to acupuncture this Friday and want to book an appointment nearer my next infusion, that's so encouraging to hear that it helped you!

I feel you on that last one feeling far away right now. Yes to staying positive and trying to embrace the good days in this, and let myself rest on the other days! There's a full moon this Thursday, so I'm bracing for some big energy with that! 🌕️