Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Carolyn;
God bless your strength! And your sense of humor.
Shelby
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Carolyn,
You, your husband and family are having quite a time -- and I humbly but in hope hold you up for healing..
God Bless,
Bethany
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Carolyn thank God your husband is ok. I often wondered what in the world would I do if my husband came down with something while I was sick as I always thought I would take care of him. With this cancer it takes all I can to take care of myself. But the Lord was really watching over you both.
I feel so for you and your accident. That is one bright side of having this colostomy bag on that I don't have to worry about that all but the one time I tried to burp it and it was full and I ended up with just about the mess you did. The other night when the diarhea hit I was asleep and when I woke up rested with a bag full I thought to myself that this was kina cool having it, even though it was bad when I got it. At least I didn't have to get up and run to the bathroom at night.
I did get sick sooner and it is lasting longer too just like you said. I am some up today but very weak. I am feeling though the worst is over now and it will just take a few days to get my feet back under me again. At least it is done!!!!
I am facing Rads now after the surgery so need one of you that went through them if you get fatiqued like they say??? I know it won't be as bad as chemo, but as it goes on do you get tired?
Well not going to stay up long, gonna rest today so will close. Just wanted you all to know I am beginning to come out of it.
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Carolyn, that's a lot to deal with. As far as the "accident" I think you should congratulate yourself on keeping your head and not getting into a car accident with that distraction going on in rush hour traffic.
As I mentioned earlier, last Sunday night I was at dinner at the hotel with my colleagues and went off to the bathroom. In the middle of having diahrrea, I suddenly lost my dinner and most of it went onto my clothes - something about the diahrrea seems to trigger ti sometimes even if I haven't been feeling nauseous. Fortunately, it was a single room bathroom and was near the elevator. So I cleaned up as best as I could (which wasn't much) ducked into the elevator, hurried to my room, changed and came back down to finish our conversation (but not eat any more).
It was kind of embarrasing to have to send the clothes off in the hotel laundry in that condition (even though I had cleaned them a bit) but I figured they needed to be washed soon to keep from being damaged and I didn't want to pack them dirty anyway.
Having to fly yesterday and pushing fluids pre-chemo, I was worried that the seat belt sign would come on and trap me in my seat at the wrong time so I kept getting up to make sure to keep my bladder empty.
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I just looked at my blood test results from yesterday. Everything is normal except my red blood cells, HGB and hemocrit which are all low. I guess that means I'm anemic. I'm surprised that they all have gone down since my test 9 days earlier. I thought the prior test on day 11 would have been around the nadir. This test was day 20 so I would have thought I would have recovered some. The day 11 test had my red blood cell count at the bottom of normal and the other two just a bit below normal.
My Hemoglobin is 9.8 g/dL (normal would be 11.5 to 15). My hemocrit is 30.5% (normal 34 to 46%) and my RBC is 3.38 (normal is 3.6 to 5.1) I feel okay. At what point do they give blood to get it back up? I've been trying to get plenty of iron in my diet.
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Carolyn!!!! You are the Best!!!! I am so glad that your hubby got surgery in time!! This is not a good time for you, obvioulsy! But planned by-pass beats an unplanned heart attack any day! Carolyn, do you have help at home to take care of hubby during his recovery? YOU cannot be toting a lifting for him!. Please be careful
Cupcake. You are my next best! You and Carolyn never fail to put, and keep, this BC crap in prespective.
I have not been on the board much this past week because I was enjoying my FEEL GOOD week. I could eat anything I wanted with no SE's. I went on a trail ride with my horse and a good friend. This was my first ride since my diagnoses and all of the surgery, so it was a big day! We onlu did 7 miles and it tooks us 1 hour 45 minutes! But that is OK! I got out on my horse.
Tommorrow is my second tx. My hair started coming out 5 days ago. It is not coming out in clumps, it is more like a constant shower of hair. And it hurts. Today I was in a bit of a pissy mood. I stayed to myself. Not the fault of my family and friends that my hair is falling out and I have another chemo in the morning, so I left them alone. My mood is better tonight and I am ready to do it again.
We will all get thru! Heads up! Bald and All......
!
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Dear Lisa,
And, don't forget that the dexamethosone causes irritability. Your mood is medically induced. My hair hurt so much that the discomfort made it an easy decision to buzz it off -- and, then when even that wasn't enough to feel good against the pillow, I was happy to shave it. One more thing to put behind you.
Your attitude is infectiously positive. ;-).
Bethany
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Bethany, thanks for the "out" on the irritability - but I haven't had any steroids in three weeks!
I am in a better mood this morning. However - my sister called me this morning. She lives out of state and I know she worries about me, but I often do not answer the phone when I see her name on the caller ID because I know she will say something that ticks me off. She did. I made it perfectly clear that talking about hair, or the lack of it, is not allowed. If you have not experienced it, you just don't get it, so don't say anything. Well, she just had to say something anyway. "Well, you knew it was going to happen" I responded with a very bad word and pointed out that SHE was not the one going bald. Why do people have to be so stupid?
There! Now I feel a whole lot better.
Lisa
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Thanks everyone for well wishes. I know that God will take care of all of us and I am sure trying not to sweat the small stuff. I am like Scarlet O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind." I can't worry about that now I will worry about that later. I had a boss in the 1980s that called me Scarlet because that was my motto.I guess I never noticed I said that so much until she brought it to my attention. Anyway we can only do what we can do and give the rest to God to handle. I can't do much so God handles the most of it.
As for hair, I remember my head would be sore in the mornings when I woke up from laying on my pillow with my patchwork head. I decided the hair had to come off so I had it buzzed. Now that my hair is growing ever so slowly it is a little sore from how the scarf or hat sits on my head. If it was warmer I would ditch the head gear and just look like a boy.
They just called me from the hospital and my husband is getting put into a room. He is doing really well and so we may be home before the normal time. I have a Herceptin on Wed. so he will have to stay there until then! I think they will have him go through physical therapy a little just to show him how to take care of himself and get stronger. he has not walked a lot yet because of the tubes and so they will start that today I am sure. My grandson is here with us but he is working and going to school but my daughter is close by and can take leave if I need her to and of course lots of friends so I think we will be okay. He does have long term care insurance and if I need to I will use that for someone to come in to help him which will be helping me. We can use it as many times as we need to and I am going to check to see what it will actually help with today.
Lisa1964, I am so glad you had a good day and the food was tasting good. I always looked forward to those weeks where I could eat anything. As for the irritability,I understand. My husband and I called the day after my TCH my "mean day." I would snap about the least little thing. I would know I was doing it but couldn't stop and he is so understanding he just tried to stay out of my way and heaven help the salesperson who called on the phone. Fortunately for them I have the "Do not call" set up on my phone and during the election the messages from the candidates were recorded. I am not sure if it was the steroids or just the TCH but I was a different person then. I like me better now.
Bluedasher, I am like you about the blood tests. I don't understand why and when they drop. It seems like it would be the week after the bad stuff but sometimes for me it would be just before the next big one. I had 2 blood transfusions and the first one my RBC got pretty low. I think they were waiting to see if they would come up and in fact I had the blood the next day after the TCH. I was surprised they went ahead and did the tx but I guess since the blood was going to be given they felt okay about it. The last time I had blood I felt really bad but my counts were not real low and had raised a little before the transf. My doc was going to have knee surgery so I guess he figured they may drop so he ordered the blood and it really helped me feel better. This last treatment I think they were thinking about a transfusion but I am feeling a lot better. I started feeling better on Sat. after I ate a little bag of pretzels and a diet coke which usually does not make me feel good. I guess I needed the sodium and potassium. I have tried eating healthy when I feel bad like that and dizzy but it does nothing. You can not help your RBC by eating, your bones have to do that but I am thinking if you are getting dehydrated you might need electrolytes. Now that I am through ( I hope) I have figured that out.
Well, I need to get myself going. I am going to the hospital and take my hubby some stuff now that he is going to be in a room he can keep his stuff. Carting it back and forth is a bummer. Have a good day and I wish everyone few SE.
Carolyn
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Thanks, Carolyn. I really hope that my doctor says the treatment will be okay today. I don't want my schedule to slip because I have business trips planned to align to the thrid week when I feel good.
I'm not dehydrated now. I did get dehydrated when my white cells were so low. When I felt so tired and weak that I just wanted to lie down it was hard to get enough fluids in. And my serum sodium was low then too. They gave me 2 liters of saline and since the white cells came back a week and a half ago I've been able to drink lots. When the tech did the stick on Saturday she was able to use the inside the elbow vein which no one has found for a while so I take that as a good sign (though I also think she was very good). I'm so tired of them sticking the back of the hand which feels sore so long after.
We usually eat fairly low salt, but I've been adding salt to my food and eating bananas for potassium. I'm only feeling tired during exertion like the up-hill walk so I think that is probably RBC making oxegen delivery to the muscles a little poor.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery to your husband.
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Lisa some people have foot in mouth disease and sounds like your sister had lower left leg in mouth disease. She probably just rambles not realizing the extent of what comes out. Most likely she doesn't know really what to say. I do feel for you though and it is ok to have those days and people around you will have to just understand that.
Carolyn so glad hubby is doing so well and you will have help with him. Thanks for letting us know how he is. You take care of yourself not to overdo. I still am not chipper this morning. I haven't been sleeping and usually all through this I have with the AM/PM, but now even taking them I don't do well. Makes me tired in the morning like I had no rest and then of course without sleep everything else goes out of whack. I have to just buckle up and ride it out until Thursday when it breaks. Just seems so slow this time. When you started your maintenance Herceptin was it every three weeks? Did they triple the dose? How did you do with it? I'm kina worried cause now the H just makes my heart feel like its pounding out of my chest. Thank God I don't have to go in tomorrow for it. The H after Chemo hit just didn't do well and I think that was always because I was so weak yet to have to drag in for the infusion.
Well very tired , even though I just woke up, so will close and chat later. Hope all the campers are doing well today with few SE.
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I read all of the trials everyone has been through over this past week and I feel so guilty for my pitiful side effects. Carolyn you are a trooper! You are going through so much but you are handling it so well. You are amazing.
Cupcake, I asked my doctor about the herceptin after chemo and it is the same dosage we were getting during chemo. The first dose (when we started) is higher and all of the treatments after that are a little lower. I guess we get a loading dose and then a maintenance dose. They don't "triple up" because it would not be safe. I know Herceptin can weaken your heart and that is why my doctor monitors my heart function.
As for the hair loss, I shaved it when it started hurting. I did not hesitate when the pain came. I just buzzed it off and It was not a big deal to me. BUT I do miss my hair at times now. I only have one more tx so I know I can get through this. I still feel ycuky from my tx on Thursday but I am coming out of the woods so to speak.
I do have a ? on salt. Does anyone crave it? I certainly do. I have a jar full of dry pickles because I drank all of the pickle juice! I cannot help myself. I crave salt soooo much. Does anyone else?
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Thanks Cupcake.
I felt bad for getting ugly with my sister, but dang she was not thinking! I don't mind talking about hair with you guys, 'cause all y'all are livin it too! Just not a conversation to have with folks prone to foot in mouth disase.
For those of you that shaved it all off, wow! I just can't do that yet. I had it all cut off really short before the tx's started - real short in the back, about 2 inches on top. I have lost at least half of it and it is getting patchy on the sides and bang area - ugly. It is not hurting as much today as it was yesterday, so maybe it will slow down a bit for a few days. Once the top starts getting big holes, my boss (she is also a dear freind and my hairdresser) is on standby with the clippers.
Had my second tx today - so that means I won't sleep for the next few days!!!! I had the doc give me a script for anti-nausua meds this time. I got the one that starts with Z - can't remember the name and the pharmacy gave me the generic as per my insurance. The pharmacist did say it was an excellent med and I should be OK with it.
I have not had any salt cravings - but I had a wierd sugar reaction last time. Brownies, cookies, chocolate, etc. were fine, but things with hidden sugar (cheap white bread) was gaggy. HIgh carb foods like white potatoes (high non-obvious sugar again) were gaggy - wierd. Kinda curious to see what will happen this time.
Carolyn!! How is hubby doing today?! My dad had 5-way by-pass in Feb, 2004. He recovered very fast, but once he was feeling better, keeping him down and slow was impossible! He was 67 (his b-day actually) at the time and was used to a very active life. AND my mom was in treatment for BC at the time, so he felt like he had to jump right back into care-taker mode - immediately! My dad is just fine today and helps take care of my horse farm on a daily basis - I don't know what I would do without him.
Gonna run now! I should be on a great steroid high and be wide awake to catch the California girls after dinner posts!
Lisa
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Carolyn - Wow, when it rains, it pours, huh? I am so glad your husband is doing better. All this when you're having your own problems - God bless you.
My DH fell off of his bike last night and we spent 5 hours in the ER - he fractured his elbow. He kept feeling bad because it was taking so long, but I figure after all of the hospital/doctor time he's put in this last year, he deserved it. Didn't get a lot of sleep last night, though. I need some of Lisa's steroids!
Bethany - How is radiation going? Hope you're doing well.
Wishing minimal side effects for all -
Sue
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I got my TCH today even though my RBC is down. My onc said it wasn't low enough yet to need a transfusion. Procrit could also be used to raise RBC but there is some evidence that it interferes with the chemo effectiveness so she doesn't like to use it. I got my friend for a chemo nurse today which makes it nicer. And she got my port in one stick - they had trouble with it the first chemo because the area was still so swollen and the power port has a fairly small opening.
I'll get an extra blood test mid-cycle (oh joy - another poke) to check if I need a transfusion. She lowered my chemo dose a bit too. She prescribed 5 doses of Neupogen for this round. Three did it last time but she said that may have been because it was started around the nadir when my body was starting to bring it up anyway. At 5 doses, I might ask her about Neulastin for next time.
I have acne on my scalp apparently. My onc offerred to prescribe tetracycline but I didn't want to add another drug to my system - it doesn't seem bad enough to warrant it. So she prescribed some cream instead and said to go bare headed at home to get it more air. Fortunately my granddaughter isn't bothered by my bald head at all. She likes to steal my hat and put it on herself. Tonight she was putting a shirt on her head when my hat wasn't available. An 18 month old granddaughter makes this all easier to live with.
Sue, I hope your husband feels better soon.
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Hi all,
I offer this as encouragement - I feel pretty good. Five weeks from last chemo. Tired by the end of the day, runny nose and teary eyes, wanting my hair to grow fast, but basicallly feeling pretty normal and grateful for everything.
Brenda -- I hope you have more energy soon.
Carolyn -- you sound remarkably calm and ready to cope. Amazing.
Lisa -- when you're ready to snip off the hair you'll just know it's time -- you won't look back -- you'll be able to look ahead and forward to your new healthy hair.
BlueDasher, what a joy to have your granddaughter nearby. Mine (14 mos) is in Seattle and I'm in Austin.
Sue - oh gosh. So sorry about the elbow and long night in emergency. What a shame! He sounds like a sweet man.
My radiation -- 9 down and 24 to go. So far very very easy. And, I made a new friend -- a woman whose time slot is the same as mine everyday. Using cream and don't expect any problems.
My thoughts and prayers to all for good days and nights. Bethany
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TracI I wonder, like with all our tx, if my onc has a different plan cause I know they said I would be longer in the chair from my regular Herceptin cause it was a stronger dose to last the 3 weeks and they put it in slower. Watch the salt girl. dehydration is a biggie. Between doses could be ok, but while on you could dehydrate very quickly. Apparently your body is missing some element to make you crave it. Ask your onc. Your meds was probably Zofran. Most people that is a good drug, but wasn't strong enough for me so although they started me with it they switched to Emend which worked better...wow you know what I just said....it WORKED better...thats past tense. Cool I am finally realizing this awful chemo is done! I don't have to endure it anymore. My heart is with all you in your tx now. You will think through it you won't ever get through, but like the post when I was in it from those who got through I will say you will get through it and be where I am today. I pray for all of you to have easy SE.
Blue sounds like you are moving right along with TX, and they are tweeking your dose. Thinking of you.
Bethany I'm surprized you still have the watery eyes after 5 weeks out. ??? I was hoping by this weekend I could wear eye makeup again. Seemed like it made the watery eyes worse when I wore it so just as the bald head I have no makeup so I really look ghostly. What again is the cream your using for Rads? I will need to get some as after Christmas the surgery and will go right into the rads after that.
Yes I am feeling better today. Slept well again. Sleep is so important to recovery. Steroids really didn't keep me awake, but the tingling in the feet did. The AM/PM Tylenol really helped to knock me out. I am going to get dressed today from the PJ's that I have lived in (different ones everyday) for the past 8 days. Hope all of you have a wonderful day and for the not so newbies in here carry on the TCH page for those who will come in just beginning so you can help them. They will be scared and you can walk them through what to expect.
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Traci, I'm on Zophran (really the generic version of it) for nausea and that seems to be doing the trick for me. The only vomiting incidents I've had were when nausea came on suddenly during diahrea but one time I had gotten nauseous only just before so I had just taken the Zophran and it hadn't had time to act and the other I was just suddenly nauseous and it didn't give me a chance to take anything. I do have Compazine to take as needed if the Zophran doesn't solve the problem but I haven't needed that much. It was nice to have the time I tossed my cookies right after taking the Zophran pill because I wasn't sure how much of the Zophran had gotten into my system. I'm on Zophran twice a day but my chemo nurse said up to 4 times a day is okay if I need it.
Cupcake, yes I think I'll do better this time. I asked my onc if I could taper my steroid dose by doing half a dose today (day 3) and a quarter tomorrow instead of stopping cold turkey after day 2. She said that would be okay and I'm hoping to avoid the steroid crash. And she has me starting the Neupogen today so I should avoid the Neutropenia which was even worse.
My head folliculitis or acne (from one site I read, if the follicules get clogged and form a white head its acne, if it is just the red spots it isn't but I can't see up there well enough to tell) seems to be clearing up. But there is always a new minor surpise. This time my steroid cheek flush is unbalanced. My left side has just a small pink spot and the right is much bigger. The rosy cheeks looked okay when they were balanced but now it is really odd looking. And I have a dry peeling patch on the right side that doesn't help either. I put some Eucerin on it which I hope will help. My hands get really dry if I don't keep up with the moisturizing cream too.
I'm scheduled for Look Good Feel Better next week. I'm generally not one for cosmetics but if I have to go somewhere with my blotchy red face I may need to break down and use something to conceal it. At first they were talking about maybe cancelling that session because they might not get volunteers Thanksgiving week but I'm glad they didn't because the next session that would work for me was well into December and had the holiday problem too.
I'm not looking forward to the probable transfusion next week but I'm also kind of worried that my red cells will get too low over the weekend and I'll be stuck with waiting for the weekend to pass before getting my blood topped up. My nurse said that they use to do the transfusion at the level that mine are at but now they wait until the hematocrit drops below 25 or the hemoglobin drops below 9. I'm not sure whether to go in for the next blood count on Monday or whether to wait until mid-cycle on Wednesday. I guess base it on how I feel.
Bethany, I hope I put about the right amount in my FSA for next year. It is so hard to figure the amount I'll be using with rads coming up. Is the cream for rads prescription or OTC? Sometimes these things cost more OTC than my $10 prescription copay so I'm sorry to see some things be made OTC. But I guess I'm pretty lucky to have a low copay and shouldn't complain.
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Been reading your posts and trying to educate myself from all of your past experiences, since I'm a relative newbie.
My hair loss began this morning, not alot yet, but enough to know it has begun. All I could do was stand in front of mirror crying. Whaz up with that I knew it was coming, I was expecting it, I have the wig...I'm prepared and now I'm crying like a baby.
When I finally left the house the a.m. to head to work stopped at beautiful Mission Bay in San Diego and stared at the water for a while trying to pull myself together. All I can figure is that I'm not having my mastectomy until after chemo, so I think this has just made the reality of it all hit me. Everyday for who knows how long I'll look in the mirror and be reminded that I have cancer.
Also kicking myself, because I'm the one that's always calm in a crisis and here I am crying about hair loss that I knew was coming....geeze. I really appreciate venting here, as nobody around me really understands....they just look at me like I'm having a major PMS moment or something.
Can't wait to go to the Herceptin treatment today. The nurse will ask me the litany of questions about how my bodily functions are doing, and they'll get to the one .... Are you Depressed? and all I can think that will come out of my mouth today is, WTF do you think....I have cancer! Hopefully by later this afternoon I will have come to grips a little more so the filter between my brain and my mouth stays adequately in place.
I guess the other thing is I'm feeling cheated. I was just feeling better physically and thought I could enjoy that for the next few days until the 2nd TCH treatment on the 26th. (That should make for a great Thanksgiving) Now physically I'm okay, but emotionally I'm wrecked.
Funny thing is I never even really liked my hair. Boy do I feel totally stupid.
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Cali4, don't feel stupid, it is perfectly natural. It's not bad enough that we have to have our boobs whacked off, be sicker than a dog for 6 months or more, but we have to do it all BALD!!! You are exactly right WTF!
I started loosing my hair one week before my second tx. It is coming out slowly and I miss it more every day. Cry all you want! Then pull yourself together and get ready for that next tx. Like my doc told me Monday, 2 down meant I was 1/3 done!
Lisa
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Hi everyone. I thought I would stop in today to give you an update. I had my 2nd TCH today, but my RBC were slightly low. They said that this is common and not to worry too much because should they continue to drop, they would just give me a shot to boost them. I'm not tired or anything, so they weren't too concerned. Other counts were just fine.
Bluedasher....I have started losing my hair too and I am holding onto it for as long as I can. I have a wig and some hat hair on standby, but I want my own hair for as long as possible. I shed a few tears with the social worker about this today and she gave me the information for the look good feel better class at Memorial Sloan Kettering. I will register for the next class next month. This made me feel much better. I guess it's not common, but I'm grieving the loss of my hair more than the loss of my breasts......go figure. I haven't told many people about my cancer.....trying to avoid dopey comments and stares. I guess that once the hair is gone, everyone will know. I am not looking forward to that.
Lisa1964 - I was just thinking the same thing as you before. 2 down, 4 to go! 1/3 of the way through. Hopefully I will not have the nasty intestinal thing this time....following Cupcake's advice and staying away from salads.....so far so good!
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Hey campers!
I haven't checked in for awhile, but I've been brooding over the deep, watching your posts, and you all are my inspiration for what I'm doing this weekend: the Susan G. Komen 3 Day...a two-night camping trip with a 60 mile hike thrown in. You ladies were my inspiration for raising $2300, and I'll be thinking of you and your gut-fighting spirits when I feel like I need a bilateral foot transplant on day 3. God bless you all!
Cali4. The hair thing really weighs us down at times with both self-loathing and self-condemnation. We feel branded and humiliated. (During the Holocaust, remember that the Nazis shaved women to humiliate them...I'm personally looking like a well-fed Birken-Belsen survivor at present, sans tatoo). Then, on top of it all, we feel guilty for feeling bad, because hair is just a "vanity" thing. Do you ever feel bad just because you feel bad? I never used a wig. I just fit funky do-rags and drivers' caps into my iconoclastic look. Some ladies find help in those Looking Good/Feeling Good seminars. I just tend to avoid mirrors a lot. But you might want to try it out. I've found, personally, that I kind of like looking like a boy. A feeling which I'll get to enjoy until the plastic surgeon starts diddling around with my silhouette come January. But by then, I may not be able to pass for a Marine recruit!
The main thing that's helped me...and I got so severely depressed that my husband watched my entries on this thread to make sure I wasn't planning a suicide...is laughing at things that aren't funny. And, by the way, if your oncologist is anything like mine or many others, he/she won't even ask you about any mental health hx. They're treating the TUMOR, not your whole being. My caregivers couldn't care less that I was depressed. All my nurse had to say was, "Of course. You're on chemo." It's really an underaddressed problem. I ended up having a few sessions with a counselor I know who works in a hospital setting with cancer patients. She really helped me to put a new spin on things. But probably the biggest help emotionally were the prayers from people who knew how badly I felt and were determined to see me through.
If none of this sounds helpful today, that's all right. I'm praying for you. That will help a lot more than any words I could say.
Shelby
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Dear Bluedasher and Brenda,
The cream I ordered (the 2 oz size) is called Jean's Cream. It's aloe vera (without alchohol) and vitamin E. It WAS more than a $10 copay ---
http://www.jeanscream.com/html/index.asp
Maybe overkill -- but they sell it at MD Anderson and other cancer hospitals and so I figured it was worth the money: $21.50 plus shipping but check out the retailers -- there might be one near enough to you.
Bottom line is I'm 1/3 done with 33 treatments and I'm not even pink or the least bit sore. So far so good. I'm also putting cornstarch in any creases and under my arms. It feels good.
Went back to the eye doctor today and he said the extra tearing could go on for a couple more months or so -- and might not go completely away. My nose is still runny....oh well, small price to pay.
I'm sorry for the chemo and the bald-is-not-what-I-wanted-blues, Cali4 and Lisa -- it takes some time to adjust. I hope the Look Good Feel Better workshop is fun and helpful.
Shelby, your level of activity continues to amaze me. Cheers.
Congrats, my2boys! You're getting there. Two down and completely behind you now.
My best wishes to all, Bethany
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Hello everyone! I really understand the hair loss but for me it was not so bad until lately and I am so tired of not having hair. I went for my H tx yesterday and we were supposed to get my husband out of the hospital too. they said my RBC was down to 7 so I had to have blood even though I protested. I thought 2 units but after the second was almost done they told me I was to get 3 units and I was beside myself because I knew my hubby was waiting on me to get him out. I finally had to call my daughter because I started having some breathing problems which could have been mental but I got a breathing treatment and benadryl and 2 shots of lasix. I knew I would pee my pants on the way home but I didn't.I am almost afraid to go for my next H because of low blood count but surely they won't be down in a week. I knew I was tired but I figured it was from running to the hospital everyday and staying all day and then driving home at night. Maybe I will feel better for Thanksgiving.We did not sleep very good last night because Hubby was used to hospital bed being elevated and I had pillows propped up for him. He is sitting in his recliner sleeping now and I am so sleepy myself but I have to go get meds and food since I didn't buy groceries last week.
It is hard to think about being through with the TC but I am! I can't wait to get on with the rad. and my hubby has to go to rehab at the hospital too so we can go together. I will be going longer than he will because he is really good to do his exercise and I am sure he will bounce back real fast.
Shelby, I really don't see how you can push yourself like that but glad you can. I will be rooting for you.
I hope all of you that are having SE are dealing with them okay. As far as craving salt or anything I really didn't but the salt will make you retain water so maybe a little would not hurt but just don't over do it. I know they said I was not getting enough salt and that is why my water I drank ran right through me. The Taxotere will make you swell though and you don't want fluid around your heart and lungs either. I think whatever just do in moderation. I had heard that vinegar was good to settle your stomach but it was really hard on mine.
Well, I need to get some laundry in and then by the time I get this house straighten it will be time for the store to open. I hope all have a good day.
Carolyn
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Carolyn, I've never had a blood transfusion and may need one next week so I hope you can answer some questions. How long does it take a unit to go in? (3 units sounds like a lot - I think that comes to about a third of what an average adult has.)
I guess it may be hard to tell with the benedryl, spousal care and other stuff today, but did it make you feel better. I'm getting tired of this increasingly dragging feeling so that I'm starting to look forward to them saying that I'm low enough to need the transfusion in hopes that that will get my energy level closer to normal. It isn't nearly as bad as I was with low white cells on the first treatment but it is bad enough.
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Lisa - Thanks for your comment. It's amazing how much better you feel when someone says it's okay to fall apart. Have picked myself back up today.
Shelby - Thanks for your comments & good luck on your camping trip & hike. Good Lord I can't imagine that I even would have had the energy for that before I got this disease. You really are a warrior!
Gosh, I just read about some of the things that all the rest of you are dealing with and remind myself that...it's just hair. Best wishes to everyone & hang in there!
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bluedasher, it takes about 2 hours for 1 unit of blood but they monitor your blood pressure and temp every 15 min and if anything is changing they may have to slow it down. The first time they gave me blood my blood pressure went up a lot but the second time the blood pressure was not bad but still took forever it seemed. Yes the 3 units was a long time but I guess it was a good thing I got it now that I am through with it because I feel a lot better. I always feel so much better but it is just the time it takes to do. Take a magazine or if you like they have TV to watch but I never find anything I want to watch. You want to just relax and get the blood. You will feel good for Thanksgiving if you get it now. I was wheezing when they started the last one and they had to give me a breathing treatment and then lasix but of course I could go pee while the blood was going in. I told them I was just going to sit on the pot while I got the blood because I was going every 15 min after the lasix. they said because they were giving me a lot of fluids I needed that. When I just got the 2 units I did not have the lasix.
I hope you can get it and feel better but they will have to find the blood that matches yours and if you have not had it before that may take a little while. I could have drove myself home but you might want to have someone take you home just in case.
Carolyn
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I'm probably pretty set for what I need to keep me busy during the infusion. Fortunately my job involves a lot of computer work so for the infusions I take my laptop, cell phone and Borg ear (i.e. Bluetooth headset) and work. They have plenty of outlets to plug in if my battery runs low but I have the extra battery so for the infusions I've been able to run off that and not have to deal with the cord.
It isn't ideal because I have to not talk too loud on my phone to disturb the other patients and I don't have an internet connection while I'm there but my cell phone is hooked to my email so I can monitor and send simple emails with that. But it is pretty good.
I wish I could go in and get the transfusion right now. My onc said my counts weren't quite low enough on the blood drawn last Saturday and to come in mid-cycle for a retest. I don't want to go in for the retest too soon and be told it isn't low enough again but really mid-cycle would be next Wednesday which is too close to Thanksgiving. Maybe I'll go in Sinday or Monday for the blood test. But I already feel crumby right now. Last cycle, I had a terrible weekend because of the neutropenia kicking in around Friday after my Monday infusion. I don't want to do that again either. So I don't know what to do.
I'm A+ which I think is a pretty common blood type so hopefully it shouldn't be too hard to find. My husband is O- and I use to tease him about me getting a A+ on my donation card and he is an O- but of course the like him best because his is less common. (And he really is a much better blood donor than me - I use to have problems feeling faint afterwards.)
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Hi All,
I haven't been around in a while. Decided to come back and catch up on the posts. I'm 3 months past my last chemo. I can't believe it's been that long. I'm still getting Herceptin every 3 weeks, and will until next August.
I see there are a lot of newbies here. Hang in there. The time will go by. I lost my hair about 2 weeks after my first treatment. Now, I've got a raging 3/4 inch all over. My eyebrows are completely back, and my eyelashes are all filled in and getting longer everyday. I'll post a new picture as soon as I remember how.
I'm having some of the post-treatment depression that others have mentioned. I'm thinking of asking for a therapist. I feel like I handled all of this pretty well, being positive and all. My fear is that if the cancer comes back I will lose it. I have 2 daughters, a 4 year old and a 9 month old. I am so afraid that I will be taken from them at some point. I keep trying to tell myself that anyone can go at anytime. I could be killed in a car accident.
Shel, I love your posts. They always make me laugh.
Carolyn, Brenda, and Aly, I'm glad you all are hanging in there. It is good to catch up.
Bethany, your posts always sound to me like you are smiling.
I will continue to check in. I'm glad the group is still here.
Lynn
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Shelby: I'll be thinking of you this weekend (and feeling a little guilty in my warm bed.) You're an inspiration to us all to move it, and $2300 is great! Have a wonderful, heart-lifting time.
Sue
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