Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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sheilzinla -GOOD LUCK TOMORROW! We'll be thinking of you and hoping everything goes well! I think the first one is the hardest from a 'mind' standpoint as you just don't know what to expect.
devoinaz - I hope your kids didn't give you a cold! I have such sympathy for those of you with kids still at home and having to deal with chemo. Mine are grown and I am glad of that as I am having enough issues caring for myself!
kathleen103 - I hope you are doing well? I believe you are doing some blood work tomorrow? I hope that goes well for you.
For me, Infusion #2 was all about fatigue. Way more fatigue than #1. I was pretty much on the couch for 3 days. A little nauseau and a headache, but mostly fatigue. Fortunately, so far (Day 6) no bone pain and no back ache like last time! And crossed-fingers--no temperature yet. Today I feel like my fatigue is finally lessening somewhat. My hair loss is in full force even with cold-capping. I had such thin hair on top of my head to begin with that it didn't take much to start showing bald spots. No where left to part it, so doing a comb over type thing (pretty badly actually) at home, but I guess I will be using some type of covering when I leave the house. I still have hair on the back and sides, so I guess that's something to be grateful for.
Best of luck to everyone!
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Thank you so much @mandy23 & @devoinaz for the support! I am nervous but ready to do this!! I only started crying when my young nieces & nephews reached out to wish me well. At least after tomorrow I will have a better sense what to expect. Praying the heavy rains expected for tomorrow in LA dont delay my travels or my cappers trek to the hospital.
@mandy23, I am sorry to hear that your hair is shedding more despite capping. Just keep the faith that those follicles are still healthy & you will get regrowth as soon as this saga is over! Glad your SEs so far have been just fatigue & no fever. Hopefully it will go smoothly until your next round!
@devoinaz, hope you dont catch any bugs and are able to stave off any extra stress!! Sending well wishes your way.
Hang in there, everyone!!
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Mandy - Responding to your question re: the meaning of "PFC." I based it on my last infusion, but I'm not sure everyone would agree.
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Greetings to all - Hope everyone is moving forward with more confidence, gaining all strength needed. BC appeared/re-appeared in our lives at this time. I want all of us to get through this and continue on our life journeys. Thank you for your support.
Yesterday, I had infusion #2. All my bloodwork was in the normal range. I was fully in Grade 3, Triple Negative - no choice but to handle this chemo mode. I was ready for the infusion. However, I was not ready for my mediport to be clogged. (For me, the mediport implant was the scariest part of BC treatment.) First, they had me do a series of exercise-like movements. That didn't work. Next, heparin flush which didn't work either. So, they used an enzyme called Alteplase to dissolve the blood clot. It took about 40 minutes to work. My nurses were wonderful. Thankfully the infusion went well - only experiencing mental fatigue and brain fog today. I used more ice chips from the infusion center and ice from my home ice maker than last time. I hate the idea of mouth sores since I already have dry mouth issues. The ice from home fits well in my cheeks, probably look like a chipmunk cousin. I left with a different Neupogen biosimilar (Filgrastim-SNDZ) - hopefully fewer side effects. I will take Zyrtec like round #1.
On the topic of hair loss, I am shedding all over my home. My adult children are far more concerned about it than I am. Chemotherapy really scares them. I keep remembering the looks on their faces and the fear in their voices when I told them each one at a time - some crying and trembling. I know of a number of women who have died of BC, several of them relatives, including both of my birth mother's sisters. My birth mother and my adoptive mother survived BC. I was waiting for my turn, and it arrived in 2022. I just want to survive. I have chosen not to tell any of my friends. I don't want those relationships to change. I'll tell them when I've recovered.
I truly appreciate this space. Here I don't have to always be a 'strong soldier' - how one of my sons describes me. Thank you, thank you all. Wishing all of you the best.
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Wow - kathleen103 - that sounds hard not to share your diagnosis with friends. Not everyone who knows me knows about my diagnosis, but most people do and I'm not trying to hide it from anyone. I even told my students (I teach at a university) because there are days when I'm getting others to teach for me and my hair situation is likely to become pretty obvious before it's over. Everyone has been super supportive, which I'm so thankful for.
I've got 6 more days before infusion #3, and I feel practically no SEs from #2 anymore. The only things are that I think I'm a bit anemic so I get out of breath a bit more easily if I run, and my taste remains somewhat off. I did manage to avoid getting the various colds that my family had last week, which was great.
My hair loss seems to be taking a break at the moment, too. I sortof expect to start really shedding again in the next few days, since that's when I started really shedding after infusion #1, but I guess I just don't know what will really happen. I've lost about half my hair already, if not more, so maybe the weakest hairs already fell out? I definitely see why a lot of people just shave their heads - I can imagine it's a bit easier that way since you aren't waiting to see what happens and trying to adjust to different levels of hair loss each week. That said, I'm not quite ready to shave it off yet!
sheilzinla - hope you are doing well after your infusion!
mandy23 - hope you are feeling good now!
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Thanks, all. I had my 1st infusion of TC on Tuesday, my Neulasta shot on Wednesday. Last night & today have been hard but I am managing. The bone pain, despite taking Claritin, is something else. Hoping I dont have too many crazy side effects but as we all know, gotta take it day by day.
I walked 2 miles yesterday but today I spent most of day in bed.
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Hi all-
I hope everyone is doing well and managing side effects.
sheilzinla - Congratulations on getting through infusion #1! At least now you know more what to expect and hopefully it will go well for you. For me, so far, the 1st one was the worst. The 2nd was better though I think more fatigue.
kathleen103 - Ugh. Sorry to hear you had issues with Infusion #2. I hope things are going better now. If you aren't telling people what's happening, are you getting a wig? I was and maybe still am, debating on whether or not to do a wig. I'm just afraid the Femara isn't going to be helpful in growing back the hair I"m losing....still in 'wait and see mode'.
lef - Thanks! Can't WAIT until I can say I am PFC!
devoinaz - Glad to hear you are doing well. My shedding seems to have 'slowed' a bit, but the true test will be Tuesday when I wash it again. It seems like that usually makes me end up with handfuls....Good luck with Infusion #3 this week!
I am doing pretty well. Tired always and a bit of tongue burn, but not horrible. I also seem to always have blood in my nose....not bleeding, but runny and always bloody. It might be related to the cold dry winter weather we can't seem to shake, but it is quite odd.
Healthy happy days to all!
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Hi all,
Had my third infusion 2 days ago, and Neulasta yesterday. It went smoothly - no problems. At my infusion center, I feel a bit like a crazy person with all the stuff I bring with me. I've got my Paxman cap, my hand and foot ice, and a big blanket to keep my body warm so I'm not shivering. I also try to keep ice in my mouth throughout the treatment (which makes it difficult to keep my right hand cold because I need to use it for the cup of ice). So many logistics! What's interesting is that I haven't seen any other patients who do this. Maybe they are getting treatments that don't cause these problems.
I guess my good news so far is that I think the ice is likely really helping. I have no neuropathy symptoms, and my tongue is much better after the icing infusions than it was the first time when I didn't ice during the T. I'm also feeling cautiously optimistic about my hair situation. I haven't had another big shed since right around my second infusion. I guess I'll see how these next few days go.
I do have a weird split that formed in my right thumbnail. It's like a crack across the nail, not too far down. I hope I don't get them in my other nails, too. I put nail polish on to try to seal it a bit.
I'm also doing this interesting thing I saw online called oil pulling, where you put some coconut oil in your mouth with a few drops of clove oil, swish it around for 20 minutes in the morning, and then spit it out in the garbage. I think it really helps with all the bad mouth stuff (sores, thrush, possibly burning tongue, and taste), but it takes a bit to get used to doing. The clove oil kindof numbs things and the coconut coats everything in a soothing way.
Getting mentally prepared for my bad few days coming up, but then only one more time for me!!! Being on the other side of infusion #3 feels very good!
I hope everyone else is doing well!!!
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@devoninaz Congrats on getting thru your 3rd infusion!! Almost in the home stretch!!
@mandy23 glad to hear you are doing well, too. You are almost done, too, soon? I hope it all is easy from here on out.
I am doing well on Day 12 past TC #1. Just anxiously awaiting how my hair is gonna do after cold capping & how much shedding there will be. My frostbite from 1st session is flaking off so now I have black flakes in my head that look like dandruff. Its so much fun. Lololol
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Hey devoinaz! Too bad we aren't at the same clinic! I am the CRAZY person at mine too! I don't bring a blanket as the nurses will provde me with nice heated ones whenever I want. I had a pile of 4 of them during my first infusion! Between my husband and I, we are carrying a cooler (with icing supplies and a couple beverages), a backpack with my kindle and his reading material along with other miscellaneous stuff, my Paxman bag and my purse. The first time we were there, the area around the chair was so cramped that he started also bringing an empty duffle bag to put our heavy winter jackets in just to get them out of the way. (My clinic is over-full now and they are moving into a new building sometime this year for more space.) I also have that challenge keeping ice in my mouth and keeping my hand in a mitt. I have been using the mitt more like an oven mitt, so I can easily slide it in and out. Yep, you are right. 18 chairs in my cliic and NEVER have I seen anyone else icing hands and feet or doing Paxman. I think the doctors and nurses just don't mention it much to people, which is kind of sad as especially icing hands and feet seems like something they could encourage and maybe even provide just to make it easier. Unfortunately, our health care system isn't as designed to prevent things as it is to try and treat things....
Since I don't like coconut....don't think I'll be trying your oil pulling. However, so far (knock wood), the sucking ice chips seems to be helping me prevent mouth sores. I do also swish with Biotin every evening.
Fatigue still seems to be my biggest issue and that kind of comes and goes. I did develop one new weird symptom, which is eye twitching. Both my eyes have been twitching a lot this week and finally I thought....hm....wonder if this is chemo-related. Sure enough, I went and searched BCO and found a thread where people talked about eye twitching with chemo...especially Taxotere! It's not horrible, mostly just annoying at this point. Your thumbnail issue is also a common thing. I haven't had that.....Yet.
CONGRATULATIONS on getting through #3! I hope you are feeling ok now that you are in the rougher days period. I can't wait until I can say ONE MORE! For me, that will be after Wednesday when I have my #3.
Hope everyone is having tolerable symptoms and hanging in there!
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Hi all,
I have been reading this thread for about 2 weeks and decided to officially join the convo. I'm 36 and just coming around to day 8 post first (of 4) TC session. I am doing the Paxman cold cap and had a really awful first session (the cap hurt so bad the entire time and it took 3 tries to get my iv in). Luckily, I have felt pretty good after removing the cap! Little tired, but have been exercising and working (WFH) as normal. Feel really grateful to feel good, but also unsure if I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop? Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself!
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Hi Midwestgal!
Welcome to the group noone wants to be a part of, but we are glad you are here as we all help each other through this journey.
Congratulations on being through treatment #1! I think the anticipation of the first one is the hardest. If you are on day 8 and feeling good that's great! I think for most people days 4-10 are the worst, so you are almost there!
Sorry to hear your 1st session with the Paxman cold cap didn't go welll. I am doing that also. I have found that taking a couple of Ibuprofen just shortly before the cold capping helps me. Also, if you can find something to do...reading...watching something on your phone..etc for a distraction, maybe that is helpful?
Sorry about the iv issue too. I have not great veins so they often have a hard time finding a vein for me also, but that has been true for so long, that I am just used to it. I also have found that different nurses have different skill levels so maybe next time you will get one who is better at it?
I am also a "Midwestgal" --- LOL....
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thanks for the kind note mandy23
I did take some tylenol before the cap but it was so so bad- i couldn't read or watch tv. The only thing that helped was turning the lights off and putting my eye mask on over my eyes. Hopefully I keep some hair as a reward for the suffering! I'm going to ask for some anxiety meds in my iv so maybe that will help. The third iv attempt they brought an ultrasound machine in to find the vein (the second try the nurse got a valve?!). That being said, worst is hopefully over!
Just waiting on spring to come! Over the snow we keep getting!
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Welcome, midwestgal! So sorry to hear your first infusion was so tough, but it sounds like your post infusion SEs were really manageable! I'll second the recommendation for taking ibuprofen or Tylenol before the cold capping. I do that as well, and it really takes the edge off for me. I lost a HUGE amount of hair around the time of my second infusion, but I'm now 5 days past my third, and I haven't lost much more.
For the IV issue, you should ask if they can do an ultrasound IV. That's the only way they can get an IV into my arm, but when they do that, it has worked on the first try every time. It's also pretty cool to see the blood moving through your veins on the ultrasound. They end up going a little bit deeper and connecting to a vein that isn't visible through the skin, but it doesn't hurt any more than a regular IV and I actually think the bruising is also slightly less. After the first IV failure for me, they brought in that machine (and a nurse who was trained to use it)!
My update is that I hope I'm through the worst of the SEs from infusion #3. I still feel fatigued and have a bad taste in my mouth, but am otherwise feeling ok. I know my immune system is about to be seriously compromised (for the next three days or so), so I just hope I don't end up with a fever. Fingers crossed that I don't, and that I'll be feeling mostly fine by Saturday!
Best to all!
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midwestgal989 - Welcome, hope your recent days have been uneventful.
devoinaz - Glad you escaped colds and are over the worst from infusion #3.
mandy23 - How are you doing after infusion #3?
sheilzinia - Glad the weather didn't interfere with infusion #1. Hope you have better weather for infusion #2, coming up soon.
I think I've had fewer SEs the second time around. No bone and muscle pain - the change in Neuprogen biosimilar must have worked. I've had more fatigue but less everything else. I've worked two 40-hour weeks in a row (WFH). It's harder to stay hydrated when working - I get so busy with work that I forget to drink even with the water right beside me. I used oil pulling a lot before BC - I use sesame oil more often than coconut oil. Now, I find it harder to fit oil pulling into my schedule since it is best done first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. I have been getting more sleep than before BC. During round 2, except for Day 1, I have been getting 8 or 9 hours of sleep. I cannot sleep on Day 1 - up until 4:00 am or so. I have blood work on Tuesday and infusion #3 on Thursday. Hope I get a phlebotomist with the special touch. The easy to access veins are in the arm affected by my mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy. The available arm is hard unless you have that special touch that is why I chose to have a mediport implant for chemo. I do feel a little like a cyborg/android when they connect to it but it is easy to make the connection. I have a second scar but it's nothing compared to the mastectomy.
Each day we are getting closer to PFC.
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Hi All:
I check in once in a while, but I too only did Cytoxin and Taxotare. In 2009. I had six rounds of hours on end of that unhappiness over the course of 18 weeks. Followed by 7 weeks of daily radiation five days a week. After a lumpectomy and the removal of 14 lymph nodes. I lost four lymph nodes and the sentinel node, so I was Stage IIB. Yes, I was unhappy about losing my hair after the second round of chemo, but I was prepared. I'd already cut and donated my long hair to Locks of Love beforehand. My Dad's cousin knitted me night caps to keep me warm during treatment. My sisters sent me the most lovely gourmet frozen meals for my low energy days. I had a stack of books to read. I was set up to work from home if need be. I had days off when I needed them. So I just focused on getting well. And I did. Most times I had company for that chemo that took 6-8 hours a time. My protocol was so long, they gave me a private room with two chairs and a TV, and waters and snacks, right across from a rest room.
I want you to know that I am here and well and cancer free in 2023. I had TNBC, so it rankles me when people say I'm "in remission." NO. I killed that bastard well and truly. TNBC will kill you, or you will kill it. Kill it. The window is narrow to do that, so understand you need to look after you first. Maybe this will be the only time in your life you need to demand to put yourself first. Do it. Then you can go back to life as you knew it before. There is no other way with this monster. Good luck to all of you!
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Hi everyone -
I am on Day #9 after Infusion #3. This one REALLY kicked me in the butt! It was a really rough weekend -- fatigue, low grade temps (fortunately not up to the magic 100.5), headaches, nauseau, etc etc. I am finally starting to feel somewhat better, but still soooo very tired. I got a little fooled because I believe Infustion #2 went so much better than #1. I was more fatigued, but less of everything else with that one. Hopefully I will recover enough to join my family for Easter. I'm really glad to only have ONE MORE infusion left, but for the first time, I am going to be really aprehensive to have to go through all the after math again. Sigh.
I also had a bunch of vein issues and had some vein/skin reactions to #1 and #2. They also had a hard time finding veins for both bloodwork and the IV with #3. So, this time, they ran it with more saline to try and thin it out a bit so my veins would be happier. So far, it looks like just a bruise and no skin reaction. That's really good, because otherwise they were talking about having to put in a PICC line, which is a pain to do just for one more treatment!
devoinaz - You must be getting close to your FINAL infusion #4? Best of luck to you on that and I hope the side effects are mild and you can move on from this treatment!
midwestgal989 and sheilzinia - Are you both getting close to your Infusion #2? I am so glad I am retired. (I'm 66.) I would have a really hard time working during this. Good thing some of you have WFH as an option for those of you that are able to work. Hope #2 goes well!
kathleen103 - If I read your post correctly, is today your Infusion #3 day? Hopefully it went well and has minimal side effects!
yellowdoglady - Thanks for stopping in and giving us encouragement! I really need that after this #3 one which has been the hardest so far. I am really afraid of what #4 will bring in a couple of weeks.
Happy Easter / Passover / Ramadan to everyone!
Hope everyone flies through their infusions and has pleasant days after it with few side effects!
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Hi all,
mandy23 - so sorry to hear you had a tough time with infusion#3! It is weird how the SEs are a a little different each time...
My update is that I'm feeling mostly great 2.5 weeks after infusion #3, and have my last infusion in one week. I'm going on a trip this week, so I postponed it by a few days (next Monday instead of this Thursday). My heart rate is still high and I get winded much faster than usual with any exercise, but even my taste is mostly normal this week! Not excited to need another one, but so glad it will be the last!
I'm going to try to really hydrate well beforehand to avoid any issues with getting the IV in. Last time, even with the ultrasound IV, the nurse seemed to wish she had better vein options (but she still got it the first try, thankfully). I wasn't as hydrated as I should have been, so I think that might be why.
All the best to everyone!
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Hello all, I have the infusion #3 blues also. Round #3 hit me on Day 1 - ultra fatigue. Add in foot neuropathy, bad taste, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, brain fog, nearly losing my balance again and again, nausea, fingernail discoloration, headache, and chills - then you know why I spent Days 3 and 4 in bed. Today is Day 5. After round #1 I worked a half-day on Day 5 (WFH). I worked a full 8-hr day after Round #2. Today I emailed in sick. Everyone at work has been extremely supportive and understanding. I've worked from home since my diagnosis. I had a video visit with my MO this morning and a decision was made to postpone my fourth and final TC treatment by a full week, the dosage of Taxotere will also be lowered a little. My MO wants to avoid permanent neuropathy damage, I feel good with this decision.
Dx: 11/23/2022, IDC, left, 1.2 cm, Stage 1B, Grade 3, 0/2 nodes, Triple negative.
Surgery: 12/22/2022, Mastectomy (Left); Sentinel node removal (Left): 2
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hi everyone, my second round of chemo is tomorrow. I’m reading that every round is different so I suppose I won’t expect the same SEs as my first round which was tough. I’m going to try ice chips to minimize mouth sores this time . I’ll continue the cold cap even though I started losing some hair today.
Kathleen103, sorry to hear round 3 was so hard for you. I’m amazed you’re managing to continue working. I hope you start feeling better and that round 4 is much easier on you.
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Devoninaz - enjoy your trip! My husband and I are planning a large one in the fall once I've had some time to recover from radiation (post chemo). Need something to look forward to and to celebrate getting through this huge hurdle in life.
Kathleen103 - hand in there! You are soooo close to the finish life!! Glad your work is supportive (as they should be), that's the last thing you should be worrying about.
Mandy23- Sorry you are feeling so rough, but aren't you so excited you are almost done?! I am working through this chemo but honestly I have a pretty cushy job (work in finance/ remote) so can be available on my cell if I need a break/nap.
Cpalacios- welcome! I just had my second round yesterday and am also doing the Paxman cold cap. I had a larger shed and lost a good amount of hair, but it's really only noticeable to me (and the top is thinning). Hang in there and keep with it!
My update: had #2 TC round yesterday. Using the ultrasound machine, they got the iv in on first try which was a game changer, especially to my mental state. Chemo went ok, had a slight reaction to one of the drugs which extended my cap time by 30m. That was unpleasant but not the worst. I also asked for Ativan this time and it made the cold cap a little more bearable. Was able to watch some tv this time. Woke up today and feel pretty good so did a light workout and some house cleaning. Trying to exercise when I feel good since who knows how long it will last?
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Hello everyone! I am checking in about 10 days after TC #2. Overall, it has gone well. Same Neulasta bone pain on Days 3-6 after infusion, and slightly more fatigued. The worst part is that I have lost so much hair (about 40%) even after cold capping. It was like 10 days of shedding starting around Day 18 or so from 1st chemo.
I have been hydrating well, and walking 10K steps+ per day (4-5 miles) to keep myself moving. I think it's been helpful because my body aches would subside while I did exercise.
Like @mandy23, I have also had issues with my veins this time around. Though the IV went in ok in my hand, they used the same vein as TC#1 as TC#2. It held up during the infusion, but now I have a bruise above my wrist, about 2 inches from where the IV went in. Hopefully it heals ok. With two more rounds to go, I pray that the infusion nurses can find other veins to use on my non-surgery side for the remainder of treatment!
Hang in there! We'll all be done with this treatment soon enough!
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devoinaz - How are you doing? Hope your trip went well. Sending you positive energy to get through round 4 of TC. Do you have a chemo recovery plan? I'm working on mine.
yellowdoglady - Yes, own it. You killed it and we are all trying to do the same thing. I really needed your post since round 3 of TC was my worst experience to date.
mandy23 - Hope you are doing much better.
cpalacios - Welcome and thank you for your support. I find that work actually keeps my mind off of some of the stresses of BC.
sheilzinia - Glad that exercise helps with your body aches. Keep up the hydration!
midwestgal989 - Thank you for your words of encouragement.
Well, I'm feeling so much better. I was able to work four 8-hour days last week. I went outside today and did some yardwork. My feet are still bothering me, but there has been some improvement. It seems that the more I move the better I feel. The dizziness and heart palpitations are gone. I feel like my RBC is definitely down and I'm glad that my fourth and final infusion has been postponed to May 4th - more time to bounce back. I kind of fell off of the hydration bandwagon for a couple of days but I'm back to close to 3 liters a day.
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Just had my 4th round today and got to ring the chemo victory bell! My veins have gotten pretty bad on the one arm they can use, so even with the ultrasound IV, they missed on the first try (but got it on the second). Anyway, I'm starting to feel the effects tonight (slight nausea - will be taking Zofran before bed, general tiredness, and beginning of bad taste in my mouth).
@kathleen103 So glad to hear you are feeling better! I'm curious what you mean about a chemo recovery plan. My plan is to do all the things I've been doing for the other rounds and hope that they work! But it seems like everyone is different in terms of the side effects they feel, and it can be different each round, too. I was much more anemic today than before other rounds, so that might make this one worse in ways that I don't know about yet. The Dr. I saw today said I should expect to feel mostly back to normal 4-6 weeks from now. I hope she's right. I was feeling pretty good 3.5 weeks after round 3 (earlier today).
The trip I took before this round was fantastic. I visited an old friend and then participated in a work event. I wore my wide headband and nobody could tell I was in the middle of chemo, so that was great. The weather was incredible, too, so I got to spend a lot of time outside - with lots of sunscreen. For me, anyway, the sun sensitivity side effect of chemo is really strong.
Everyone hang in there - I'm trying hard - and good luck wherever you are in this treatment!
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devoinaz- congrats on being done!!!! must feel amazing!!!!!!
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Thanks, midwestgal! Yes, I'm really happy to be PFC, even though I'm still feeling the side effects.
Today's been my bad day, but hoping to turn a corner over the weekend. How's everyone else doing?
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Devoinaz,
Congratulations! Hope you feel yourself soon.
You give me hope that there is an end in sight. I'm heading into my second of four in Friday. Trying to remember I will be halfway done after that!
Take care.
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devoinaz - Congratulations and thanks for leading the way. Hope you feel back to normal quickly. Thank you for every single word that you have posted.
mandy23 - I believe you are up next. Hope all is well and that you will get satisfaction from knowing that after round 4 you can just continue to feel better after the initial side effects. Thanks again for letting me know that this topic was active.
Hoping that everyone is moving forward positively and finding a way to deal with the ups and down of chemotherapy. I'm not bouncing back from infusion #3 the way I improved after the first two. I am so happy that my infusion #4 has been postponed for a week. I feel like my RBC is improving quite slowly. I feel like my overall fitness has severely declined since I started my BC treatment. The surgeon who performed my mastectomy told me that it would probably take until the end of 2023 for me to start feeling really normal again. The biopsy, mastectomy, and mediport implant all came with activity restrictions that have caused me to lose some of my strength - especially arm strength. The chemo has limited my activities. I prefer to handle all of my own yard work: cutting grass, trimming hedges, pruning, raking, weed whacking, organic fertilizing, and sawing branches by hand. I use power tools as little as possible. The chemo has my nose and throat so sensitive that I only lasted 10 minutes outside yesterday with the oak tree pollen. I didn't even try working outside today. I really want to save the Zyrtec for Neuprogen biosimilar injection days. I have adult children who would do the work until I feel better. But I need to do it myself. I am 69 years old and intend to work full-time and take care of my yard well into my 70s.
While on chemo I have really paid attention to the doctor's advice on avoiding supplements, antioxidants, vitamins, and things that could conflict with the chemotherapy. It makes sense to avoid things that would slow down the activity of any cancerous cells in my body because chemo goes after cells that are dividing/growing quickly. I've had to cut back on whole grains, fresh fruit, and raw vegetables because my digestive system can't handle much of these things while doing this TC regimen. My chemo recovery plan will include exercise, supplements, antioxidants, vitamins, meditation, acupuncture, and hugs. I plan to start about 30 days PFC. I'm also going to see the dentist, eye doctor, and my PCP - appointments already made.
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Hi all, I missed everyone while the discussions were being migrated to this new platform. I attended the virtual "In Treatment" group today. It was a wonderful experience. I hope everyone finds their way back here. I'm still slowly recovering from round #3. I still find myself getting out of breath - three weeks later. I did not have that feeling of close to normal on Day15 through Day 21 post infusion. I really need this extra week before infusion #4.
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"exercise, supplements, antioxidants, vitamins, meditation, acupuncture, and hugs."
Nice chemo recovery plan, kathleen103! I guess mine is walking/jogging, yoga, and a fun vacation with my family in 3 weeks. I'm also going to have a double mastectomy right after I get back, so I'm preparing for that (mostly mentally). I've wondered about supplements/vitamins, but I don't generally take them and doctors say that just eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is a better way to get the nutrients you need. Which ones do you take/recommend, kathleen103?
As my update, I'm feeling mostly normal nearly 2 weeks after #4. My mouth still tastes a bit off, and I'd get out of breath if I tried running, but I'm basically feeling fine other than those things. I used the cold cap for all treatments, and my hair situation has been stable since I lost so much after #2. My new style is the wide headband or sometimes a big sun hat. I'm still thinking that I'll get a pixie cut once my bald spots fill in enough so it won't look patchy. That probably won't be until a few months from now. My fingernails have minor issues with peeling oddly, but they'll grow out soon enough - and at least they didn't fall off!
I don't know how you all feel about it, but for me, chemo had been a really strange (and also unpleasant) experience. There are a lot of medical treatments that cause pain and medications with other side effects, but chemo messes with our bodies in so many different ways that the side effects feel like they are all over the place and some are just weird. I'm still kindof marveling at the whole thing.
Anyhow, hope everyone is doing well and kathleen103, good luck with #4 coming up soon!
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