Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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I think one of the real attractions of this board is being able to bring that weepy, blue, I-don't-feel-like-myself feeling and share it with others who understand it like nobody else. I've never experienced physical and emotional stress like this, and it's so good to have you all to turn to when I've smiled and said "I'm doing really well" about a hundred times that day (at least it feels like that) but I'm really scared and achey and not looking forward to getting poked in the port later that afternoon.
Plus you're funny and sweet and caring!
Shel, what if one of the contestants on Camp Chemo is FAKING it? She wants attention, or to win, or this is the only way she can get on TV or some other devious ulterior motive. Maybe that's the hook - like The Mole - the other contestants have to figure out who the fake bc patient is. And maybe this idea sucks and that's why I'm not a TV writer!
Have a great rest of the weekend -
Sue
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Sorry you are having a rough time Bethany. It is really difficult to deal with all of this sometimes. I recently got a counselor through Cancer Care to help. The pain related to the pleural effusion passed. I have my mugga on Monday and see my oncologist on Wed.
I'm going on the Komen Breast Cancer walk in Central Park tomorrow and will be wearing my survivor t-shirt.....we are all brave warrior survivors!!!
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Sue:
Actually your idea is quite sick and twisted. The only thing wrong with it is that I didn't think of it myself. So ill and sociopathic. I love it. In fact, the person could even be a victim of Munschausen's syndrome, which is the sickness where you get your strokes from receiving medical attention, and so you assiduously study medical syndromes and inflict illnesses upon yourself in order to stump the very elect of the medical community. This could be worthy of ol' Chuck P...I'll sleep on it.
Gina;
I know I've brought this up numerous times, but Colon Cleanse capsules by Marilyn Farms worked for me where senna combined with Miralax and stool softener failed. Go to www.marilynfarms.com. Go to the cleanse products. This stuff is all herbal...mostly cascara sagrada and various peppers.
Jamie: is the one in Central Park the beginning of a 3 Day? I'm participating in the San Diego 3Day in November. Good for you! What a great place to walk! I was walking there with my husband, oldest son, and oldest daughter two Sundays ago.
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Im sorry for those of you feeling blue. Hang in there,,,,,,,,almost done gals. You can do it.
Shel,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I had a colonoscopy done a couple of months ago and the gastro doctor said to nevvvvvvvvvvver take any herbal laxatives. Very bad for your colon. He says thats probably why my colon is messed up from taking Colon Cleanse. He said to take Miralax,,,,,,,,and it is soooooo safe they even give it to babies. So I take that every night now,,,,,,and it works. Im very leary of taking any herbal stuff anymore. I dont want to mess up anything else in me. Had enough of that crap.
I will be doing the Breast Cancer walk the end of Sept. Last year I had just finished chemo so was barely able to walk a mile. This year I plan on making it the whole way.
Have a good rest of the weekend everyone.
Be strong.
Cindy
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I really find a comfort coming in here and talking to you guys. My husband, bless his heart, just says to people when ask how I am, "oh she is just tired n those days". Sometimes that bothers me cause just tired is no WAY to describe the bottom less pit of down you feel. I shouldn't, I guess, be so cynical, cause unless you walk it you cant put into words how rock bottom chemo really is and he wouldn't know, but I keep telling him to think of the worst hang over you ever had, add the asian flu to it, and maybe throw in, oh I don't know the mumps or something. I know you guys in here understand when I say I am having a down day. Thank each of you for being here, and I hold you all up in prayers on your days. Thank you for holding me.
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Wow. Thank you so much for all of your understanding words -- of course you DO understand completely -- and thanks for taking the time to console and encourage me. I'm better today and I appreciate your responses so much. You've described the way it feels for us and it helped me to realize that we'll all in this together (except maybe for that woman on our chemo cap reality show who is faking -- Munschhausen's by proxy foxy tart)
I just ate the best thing I've tasted in months: a shaved ice sour grape/red raspberry snow cone from a stand near the city park here. Gosh, it was so wonderful. Happy Sunday.
I pray this is a good week for all. xoxoxo B
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This has happened to others before, but this time my entry didn't post. It's a full moon, and the gremlins are out tonight!
Hey, Bethany: I'm ecstatic to have you back from Curt Cobainsville. If you're in Austin, maybe the weather contributed to your funk! When not on chemo, my little excursions usually last 2-3 days. More like weeks on chemo. Makes you wonder what that stuff is actually DOING in your brain. Don't tell me it doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, because I won't believe you. And then there are all the psychosocial aspects. This is why I think there needs to be a REALISTIC fictional treatment of our situation. It will help validate our feelings--like YES ! I'm normal!
I'm not sure I'm going to do the whole imposter thing. I'm a devoted fan of "House" and Robin Cook novels, and anyone with the IQ of an amoeba would be able to catch someone impersonating a chemo patient. It would work only if the patient was a complete masochist and they had a partner who was an unethical sadistic doctor who would be willing to inflict symptoms on them. Then you'd have the question of motives...
All the best to everyone this week. I'll be far too busy to write stories, I'm afraid, since I'm involved in a wedding and have my son and girlfriend coming into into town...plus the zoo I already run here. So keep kicking it, girls! I'm thinking particularly of a couple people I haven't heard from recently--Aly and Donalee. Where ever you are, my best wishes! Whenever I don't see a post in awhile, my prayer is that you're feeling SO GOOD that you don't need us anymore. And, just so you all know, if you don't hear from me, that will be why. It's kind of like the injured bird you find on your window sill in winter that you nurse back to health. It's a bittersweet time when you let him go in the spring. But you know he's taking off on two healthy wings toward the rest of his life. Here's to strong, healthy wings!
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Shel,
I've been around, just haven't had much to say. I was visiting Curt Cobainsville!! Tomorrow is my last chemo!! YAY!!!!WOOOOHOOOO!
My husband was in the hospital last week.(Good timing since it was my good week!) My kids are heavily into sports so my week was unbelievably hectic!! I won't even begin to describe it.
I find myself cleaning out closets and drawers a lot lately. It's kind of like when I was 9 months pregnant and was getting that nesting bug. Anyone else have that? I've got 7 bags of old clothes ready to go to charity. I also cleaned my basement!! (the rest of my house is a mess though!)
Donalee
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I need that nesting feeling! My dh is so crabby because he is snowed under at work and here with the lawn at home and the church building lawn. It rained Sat. so he did not get any mowing done. He mowed Sunday evening some at home, but we have 3 acres so it is a big job and I can't help him. He acts like he is mad at me because I can't do my share but I cook, pay bills and do laundry, Keep stuff cleaned inside as much as possible. He is still volunteering me for stuff and so we have a slight problem there. We have been married for 45 years and this is one of the hardest things on our marriage yet. He does not see all I do just the things I can't do. I even keep up with his family that is sick because he can't hear very good on the phone plus they all speak so soft, sometimes I can't hear him. ain't it fun getting old?
I am wondering if I can't take my tx this Wed. if I am going to suffer the mouth sores and some of the other things I felt like I had got through from the first ones. I have to call the onc. off. today to see exactly what we are going to do. the schedule they gave me has the Herceptin for the next 2 weeks and then the doc and tx in Oct. I thought he told me to come Wed. and we would see what will happen after the blood tests. He said bring my steroids for the morning of the tx but to take the ones the night before. I am really confused? I do think it is getting to my brain more than anything else. A woman we go to church with is going to the same place I am so my dh is taking us. I am hoping I get to take it and get the last 3 finished. I would like to get this done before the end of the year because of the insur. So many things to think of and worry about. Do any of you feel like me and just want to say forget it I am not playing this game any more? they say they got the cancer and this chemo is to make sure but the Herceptin and Radiation is for that too. Let's just do that! I know this thinking worries my husband and so I should not say it in front of him I guess.
Donalee, is your husband better? I hope so. Talk about things on top of another. My husband needs to go for his heart tests he has to do every year but at least this is for precaution only. I am just trying to get dates co-ordinated. I need to be able to drive him so I can't be sick. I am fortunate not to have school age children. The grown ones is enough.
Aly if you are there let us hear from you. I hope you are feeling so good you are busy doing fun things.
Sorry I have been writing in circles. This has been a long weekend. My brother lives in Houston and they lost elec. and I was told they are heading for Corpus Christi where her family lives but I have not heard from them and my brother is not well. I am stressed I guess!
Carolyn
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Donalee "steroids" ain't it grand!
Carolyn: I know exactly what you mean about the husband. Mine keeps telling everyone I am fine just tired. I keep telling him it is not just tired, but he see's me as normal. He doesn't see me as sick. A thing was on the learning channel last night and it was a woman going through chemo and I ask him to come in and look. She was sooooo sick. Just because I put on a good front doesn't mean I am not sick too. I THINK he gets it. Our husbands see us as their strength that has always been there and they don't see us as not being able to do what we normally do. Just hang in there and do what I do. I feel sick, I am GOING to lay down. I do what I can for now and later after chemo I will get back to where I was before. I also felt and still feel guilty of not doing work with him, but that is the way it is and I can't change it. I think I was harder on myself than my husband was. It is a tuff time. Please don't stress and take care of yourself. Remember the Lord says worrying will not change anything.
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Yes, I know worry is not good for us. In fact I think it can become a sin when we take to a certain limit. I know we need to worry enough to watch when we cross a road or something that is common sense but I have seen some so paralyzed with fear they would not go any where outside their comfort area. My husband"s sister and brother is like that. One was not like that but she had a bad wreck so we will see what happens there. Thank goodness she is getting better but now she has to face the music since she was the one at fault. I dread that for her. She only had liability on her pickup so she is out a vehicle but right now she does not need to be driving. I think she has another car.
I have read a few of the posts on this website where some have had the cancer come back or it is in their bones or brains and that brings me back to reality. I am lucky compared to so many. I just need to remember that I guess. It just feels like I am the only one at times but I know God is carrying me right now like the poem "footprints" I don't know who wrote that but I think it is right on for me at least.
As for reality, I have never watched one of those reality shows so I am afraid I can't add anything to the script Shel. I know I would not last on one though. I give up too easy!
Tomorrow I find out if my platelets are up enough or down enough to do something about the tx. I am going to have to make a decision if I am going to take the Cytoxan. A lot of people take this from reading the other subjects. I would like to know if any of them have had reoccurrences. I posted but no one acknowledged me even though that is not one of my questions about it. Oh well!
No one is posting much. I hope this means everyone is healthy and busy. I am doing okay but not busy. too much time on my hands and I need to go to work during the times I feel better but the onc said NO!
Carolyn
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Hi Everyone!
Carolyn, I know what you mean about not wanting to play the treatment game anymore....am going to talk to my onc about risks/benefits of continuing herceptin...it doesn't make me sick but my joints are always achy and I am concerned about my lungs and heart. Have had 6 days of radiation so far and I'm feeling it too mainly on the clavicle and under my arm and with fatigue....this I can take for 5 more weeks but Herceptin through Feb? I just wish I could get the port out and get the chemo room behind me. And then I have to continue to deal with the reconstruction. My plastic surgeon wants to lift the left breast to match the implant which scares me because I hate the implant. My radiation onc said I didn't need to do it but I feel that I would like to one day be able to take my clothes off in front of people (an be intimate again??). OK enough complaining!!
Bethany, the Komen walk was just 5k or about 3 miles....just the right length for me. It was a really great experience. I walked with my daughter. I am going to see if I can put up a new picture from the walk.
Donalee, congratulations on your last chemo!!
It is a gorgeous day here today and I am going to go to yoga class this morning which always makes me feel whole and at one with the universe. I also am in the middle of promotion to second degree black belt (without the fighting). So I must be doing pretty good!
Take it easy everyone!
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congrats Jamie on the promotion to black belt. I wish I could get myself into shape but the most I can hope for is to walk. When I try to do too much I get really sick from the fibromyalgia. I mean anything right now will send me into a spin. I just want to get the treatment over even radiation and try to get going again and at least do my yard work and other things I enjoy. it is beautiful here today also and I was outside to move my car and look around. So nice, cool, perfect! Fall is almost here but I am not looking forward to winter. I will still be going for treatment until June with the Herceptin. whine!
Donalee, I am also happy you have finish your tx. I hope you are feeling well.
We have the Komen walk at the Bricktown Ball Park here in OKC. I don't plan on attending since I get tired just walking to the road to get the mail. It is not that far but if it is nice I do walk around a little. just listening to the birds and squirrels lifts my spirits a little. I am afraid to venture out in the grass too much since I had that tick. Of course all I have to do is take Herceptin and it will fall off! it might not do that again and it still itches a little. Maybe next year I can be in the walk.
Enjoy this day if you are having good weather. If not enjoy it anyway.
Carolyn
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Jamie I wished I WAS where you ARE. I still have 3 more awful chemo's to go through to get to the surgery, then radiation, and then until next June on the Herceptin. In time we will all have this behind us as so many before us, we just have to ride it out.
Carolyn I think the platelets have to do with your liver. I know platelets are the things that clot our blood, but I think the liver is the organ that produces them. I sometimes think of the recurrence at another time. They say once you have cancer it is always lurking there where you have to keep a guard to watch for it. Eventually it will come back at some time I have read, but by that time they may have a cure or at least something else than this medieval torture on the body called chemo. I am looking forward to getting past this TX and having some good months, or years before it comes back. If it does then I will deal with it then. I don't want to miss my fun time in between. Our weather too is so beautiful and I want so to do things, but I just do not have the energy. I start then poop out within 45 minutes. I had my Herceptin today, but no problems with that. just tired, but that is still from the big Taxotere/Carboplatin with Herceptin last Tuesday. Next week will be my good week and looking forward to that.
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True your liver has somewhat to do with platelets but the bone marrow produces the cells and the liver processes them. Platelets also are destroyed by the spleen after about a week. there are a lot of factors to why platelets get too low or too high. sometimes if a person has a serious disease where the spleen kills off too many platelets the spleen has to be removed. medicines can cause a lower platelet count which I am sure in my case it was the chemo but then with the other problems I have I am sure that does not help. I did ask the doc if the meds I take was part of my problem he said no. I don't take any meds for inflamation like Celebrex, ibuprofen or asprin but I am taking the Warafin he gave me to keep my blood from clotting and keep the port open. I wondered why I would take that and try to get the platelets back up. I don't want that port stopped up though. I have always had a bruising problem even as a child and my brother does too so I am thinking we may have a genetic problem that kills our platelets. I read where if they gave a person too much whole blood ( which they gave me 2 units) it can lower platelet count too. Our bodies are amazing aren't they! I wish I was smart enough to understand all I read about this. I just hope my platelets are up and everything else so I can take my treatment tomorrow. I am not looking forward to being sick but I want to finish this before the end of the year. I would like to feel good during the holidays. I will still be taking radiation though.
Carolyn
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Well, I got my treatments yesterday. I got the TCH and they lower the Carboplatin after saying they would not. I was prepared to go ahead and take the Cytoxan. I have to go today to get the Neulasta shot and sure hope the SE are not as bad as last time.I guess I will live through it.
My favorite aunt died yesterday and I found out when I got home for the treatments. It was the anniversary of one of her brother's death and I also heard form my brother in Houston and all is well with them but a lot of damage in the yard but they can live with that. they have gas hot water and water so at least can bathe and cook outside if they can find food. No electricity!
Is everyone sick from this board? I hope not but the other way.
Carolyn
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Hello,
I had my last chemo on Tuesday the 16th. It was my 6th. I felt bad right off the bat! I never slept so much from any other treatment. I have to continue with herceptin every 3 weeks now instead of every week for a year. I wonder if the 3 week dose of herceptin made me extra tired. I know when I get herceptin only that it makes me sleepy even though I don't get any other drugs with it. The sewer mouth started when I left the building! I don't know if I'm just more aware or if the drugs are just built up in my system!
Radiation will start in October. I feel that that will be a breeze compared to this torture!
Carolyn, so sorry about your aunt! What treatment are you on? I'm goin back to my couch!!! UGH!
Donalee
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Glad you got your TX yesterday and truly hope those nasty SE won't bite you this time. I am just coming out of my last one. Day 10 today. This last Herceptin though just kina kicked my behind. Happened last time too. I think the Herceptin (everyweek) right after the big three is alot for my body that is trying to get back up on high ground. I will see this next Tuesday if it happens again. I bet it is the one right after the big slam.
Sorry about the loss of your Aunt, happy your brother is doing well. Isn't it amazing to have hot water you think you are a king? Hope they are stocked up on the food to last them. Is there anyway we can send them things? Is the mail not running now???
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I finished tx 4 Wed. and I am on the Taxol, Carboplatin & Herceptin. He wanted to change me to Cytoxan instead of Carboplatin because the Carboplatin takes my blood cells & platelets down too much. he thinks it is because of my arthritis and fibromyalgia. I was afraid I would have to start another 4 or 6 tx for this med. I will do the Herceptin after chemo every 3 weeks and the radiation and I don't remember how many weeks but everyday. I dread driving down town everyday but I can do it. I have heard conflicting stories about the radiation but I know we are all different so only time will tell. I am like you about sleeping when I take my tx. I do take the meds but they do not make me go to sleep there like it does so many. I kind of wish it did because it is boring sitting there all day. My husband and I take the lap top and watch movies though and it passes the time a little. I also got the sewer mouth right away this time. It usually hits the next day but I am doing liquid and light foods this time because I always get diarrhea on Sat & Sun. so I want it to be easy. I read where they are doing tests on lab rats ( of which I feel like one) and they are giving a fasting diet and it seems the chemo goes easier. I have to get something in my stomach but I will do juice and water and soup but once the diarrhea starts I have to do the BRAT diet but without the bananas. I can't handle bananas, It hurts my stomach real bad and itch my mouth so since I am allergic to mangoes I am afraid I may be somewhat sensitive to bananas and the more you eat stuff you are sensitive to more allergic reaction you get. the rice and toast will plug me up okay and the applesauce can go either way. It has Pectin in it and that is what is in most meds for diarrhea and the fiber can't hurt. I dread the chemical taste I get and keep for a week. Everything tastes like straight chlorine to me. I don't like city water for that reason and I can taste what is naturally in our well water to strong.
do you have to take the neulasta or neupogen now? the Herceptin made me tired last week when I took it by itself but I was under a lot of stress too so I am not sure what it was. I am hoping they keep the same dose of herceptin at the 3 week treatment and not increase it. have you talked to anyone about that? I haven't but I am trying to take one step at a time.
I did read some things about radiation though even though I said I wasn't going to worry about that until the time came. I didn't like the doc I met with on that but they said they could change me until I found one I liked. that seems weird to me. I don't like to say I don't like you so get me another doc. I want one that is good at what they do.
I am like you I need to lay down for a while. I am just checking my email a lot to see about my aunts funeral arrangements. she lived in Odessa Texas and I would love to go but can't make the trip I am afraid.
Carolyn
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So sorry about your aunt Carolyn. I am doing pretty well with the radiation so far....I thought it was making me tired but I think it was the herceptin. I spoke with my onc and he said that I needed to continue the Herceptin as planned. He said the heart and lungs are good. He did offer a once a week lower dose but I'm going to stick with the 3 week dose so that I don't need to go in so often.
He kind of put everything in perspective for me when I ask wasn't the cancer gone....he said it was invisible. So on with the fight!!!
Yes cupcake....it is good to be on the other side of the chemo. It is amazing what the body and mind can endure but we do make it through.
I go back to work 10/1 after being off since January. I am so grateful that I have been able to be off through this and that I have a good job to go back to.
Take care everyone!
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Jamie, how long does your radiation last? will it take longer as the time goes on? I have heard of some saying they were burned later as the radiation went on. have they told you any cream or something to put on it? I have a while but just 2 more TCH tx and I will be where you are I hope. so is the Herceptin stronger than normal just taking it every 3 weeks. I know they gave me a loading dose the first time and I have heard others say it was not necessary anymore. Seems like a lot of docs do things different than others. I always take a nap when I get home from any tx. I am glad I do not have to try to work right now and my husband wants me to quit but I want to try to work another year before I retire. I had to take an IRA out to pay bills so I want to get more in my 401K also by that time my son and grandsons should be out of college and able to care for themselves.
Have a good day.
Carolyn
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Hi everybody,
I'm new to this board and starting TCH, 4 rounds, on 10/3 - just finishing up mammosite rads now, and getting a port next week. I'm still trying to read through the 56 pages of posts for all the great advice. I'm going for "chemo teaching" on September 26. What should I ask? What do I need to know? Will I lose my hair for certain? Will my nails fall out for certain? Will I get numb toes and fingers for certain? I'm trying to work through all this and not lose too much time from the office. I have to have Neulasta shots too. Do most insurances pay for that? Does Claritin work to avoid bone pain? What else works to avoid the unpleasant side effects? School me!
Prayers for all of us,
Teena
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Just a quick note to say that I'm still on the planet. But my oldest son and girlfriend are here from New York, and I'm about to start rolling out home made pizzas for about 12 people. Doing great. Had follow up echo yesterday...don't know how it turned out, but ran 5K this morning in about 30 minutes. So it can't be too funked.
Hey Teena...great hair. Got some extra for me? Just kidding. I have peach fuzz. Anyway, when I get a few minutes, I'll answer all your questions. By the way, welcome to Camp Chemo, the camp where all the food in the mess tent tastes like it came from the latrine, the counselors are sweet, and no one in your tent has a hair brush, cuz we don't need 'em. Sorry you have to be here, but you came to the right place. Our theme song is somewhere on this thread. Memorize it. It might get you through a funky spot or two. Ciou. Gotta make-a the pizza pie!
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Hi Teena,
Welcome but sorry. Good questions. Yes you will lose most of your hair -- and my head got sensitive and the hair that was left was bothering me when I lay down -- so we buzzed it off finally. Mine didn't start to come out until right after TX 3. My fingernails are OK. No neuropathy -- just a little sensitive at first but now all is OK. My nose is running all the time. My eyes are gritty but not really dry. My tummy goes from constipation to diarrhea for at least two weeks and now looking at TX#5 on Monday, this time it's still funky -- I take 2 Prilosec each morning and each evening for heartburn -- now everyday until I'm done with all side effects (s/e's) of TX#6. Still have some eyelashes and eyebrows but they're fading away. No need to shave my legs. The couselors are VERY SWEET at this camp and you'll find lots of support and helpful advice. Best, Bethany
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Donalee,
My last chem made me really sleepy for a few days and no other chemo ever did that- go figure!
Teena,
ABout 70% of my hair fell out- what remained started growing around treatment 4 and new hair was coming in around treatment 5- a lot of people lose all their hair though. I lost about 70% of my eyebrows and my eyelashed stayed put the whole time. My fingernails never fell off- they got a little weak and flaky so I kept a hardener on them.
Keep asking questions- lots of experience here and everyone will help you through!
3 rads down 30 to go! I will be in the twenties after tomorrow!
Kristy
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Hi Kristy,
I was reading back through your posts b/c I was curious to see what you had to say about getting ready for radiation. Saw you live in Texas. I'm in Austin -- where are you? Were you affected by IKE?
Bethany
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Hello ladies.
Welcome to the new ladies. And hope everyone is hanging in there.
It is with my regrets that I wont be posting here anymore. I started this thread last year when I was diagnosed,,,,,,,,,,,and it was a life saver for me. I hope you all find comfort with each other and guide each other thru your treatment. I have felt that maybe people dont really want to hear from others who have been thru that tunnel. I was hoping to give encouragement to others,,,,,,,,,
To all of the old gals (not old in age, lol) who started at the same time as myself...........I wish you all the best and it was soooooo nice getting to know you all.
I wish you all the best of luck during and after your treatment...........and that life treats you all well.
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Hey Cindy:
God bless you for being the "founding mother" of this camp. May the peace and joy you've given to others come back to you many times over!
The pizza party went great, but I'm exhausted and taking a breather before making homemade cinnamon rolls for tomorrow's brunch for 40! My son is at a bachelor party tonight, so I wonder when he'll get in!
I have a quick question for anyone in the know. What's with this post-mammography radiation? They told me there wasn't anything left to nuke, so they're going to skip the gamma rays. Why do they decide to do that after they surgically get clean margins? I've noticed some of you are having it even without positive nodes. So what, exactly, are they radiating? Anyone know? Now that I'm done with the poisoning, I guess I'm nervous that I'm not being tortured any longer. (There are probably some naturopaths out there who would be happy to give me a picante sauce enema, but I don't think it's effective against breast cancer.)
Teena:
I'm like some of the others who, after the hair started coming out in handfuls, just buzzed the old melon clean. That way, when it comes in, it'll all come in at the same time. I only had 4 tx's, but I had NO nail problems. I had some skin rashes and sensitive skin. I also had lip and mouth blisters, which my onco treated with a benzocaine, cortisone, antibiotic, antifungal mouth wash. I would say the best thing you can do preventatively is make sure your bowels are working REALLY WELL, like soft stools more than once a day (sorry to be graphic) BEFORE your tx. Because the steroid you take beforehand and definitely the anti-nausea stuff you get during the tx will just about paralyze many people's bowels for a string of several days if you don't do something. So I finally found that if I took stool softener and something like Miralax for a couple days before and just kept taking it every day whether I needed it or not for several days, I didn't have a problem. Then if I actually got diarrhea (which I would after awhile) I would stop. Ask your doctor if you can take probiotics. If he/she will let you, I would recommend that to restore healthy bowel action and to keep your immunity up (for example, against yeast infections, etc.). Then there's the nausea, which is the worst in many of us from days 4-9, but it can last longer. Take your anti-nausea meds before you really need them. Don't wait to start puking, or you won't be able to keep them down. If you're constipated, don't take Zofran. It'll make it worse. Hope some of that helps.
Well, it's time to do the cinnamon rolls.
Shelby
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welcome to all new ones, but sorry you have to be here. I did not lose all my hair but it did come out in hand fulls so I dealt with that for a while waiting to see if the rest would come out and ended up getting a buzz because sleeping on what was left was getting sore. No problems with fingernails yet or numbness. the main thing is everyone is different and the chemo school I went to gave me books and I didn't really have to ask questions since most of it was in there. I take my Blue Book they gave me there and the nurses fill in stuff for me so I can remember what I had in case I have to call in during the off hours since they are there 24/7. I got mouth sores real bad the first thing and bottom sores that bled. yeast I guess too. Hemorrhoids flared and what Shelly said is keep the bowels going. I have diarrhea mostly but some of the shots like Neulasta seem to have another effect on that. Also like she said don't wait until you are throwing up to take nausea meds. some will make you sleepy so read the literature the pharmacy gives you because you don't want to drive after some of that stuff. You will probably have a bad taste for over a week after the TCH but if you take the Herceptin for 2 treatments in between then you will have a good week where things taste better. All docs do things different so what we say here is only our experiences so always ask you doc or nurse for information.
I am just finished my 4th tx so I am looking forward to the end and then start rads and herceptin every 3rd week. I am taking TCH x 6 tx. the herceptin for a yr every 3rd week along with radiation every day for so many weeks which I have forgot. My husband said 6 weeks so I will go with that. No mention of booster rads but we will see when the time comes.
Carolyn
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Cindy, I am sorry you are leaving us but I understand. time to move on and this has been a good thread and has helped me a lot. I posted to some of the others that did not even acknowledge me and this one did. thanks everyone!
Brenda, I appreciate the thought of sending stuff but I am not sure what the state of things are in mailing. I have had trouble in good times so I would not count on anything now. I think most that want to help those in the path of the hurricanes should donate through a charity they trust. Maybe a church group that is helping out. We have done that before even overseas. I am sure it is going to be a while like when we had the ICE in Oklahoma. Not fun! Hope it does not happen this year.
I need to go lay down now, everyone is off to work and I have been away since 2 AM when I almost wet myself. got to get the water going again for the day too. 2 to 3 quarts ugh!
Carolyn
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