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More Tips (and a Shopping List) for Getting Through Chemo

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Comments

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited December 2016

    Nico - thanks for bumping. If I could remember, I would bump every day. Such good information.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited December 2016

    Bumping for Positive 2 Strong

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited January 2017

    Bumping again for the new members. If you'll read through the header on page 1, there is much good info and many questions posed & answered by a compilation of many women.

  • positive2strong
    positive2strong Member Posts: 209
    edited January 2017

    I feel so stupid to ask what is bump.

    I know I have to call to tell my doc I am doing chemo but just can't make that call.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited January 2017

    Positive - it is just a term that someone is accessing the thread to "bump" it up on the list of active threads so it's easier to find. Good luck with your decision.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited January 2017

    Bumping forward for the newbies. Great stuff on the header!!!

  • dp1
    dp1 Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2017

    Hi everyone,

    This is my second time with this dreaded disease. Since its been 15 years, things are a little different. For one thing I am having chemo this time. I start Thursday and I am very nervous. I'm glad I checked here for all the valuable information. I have to remember about bringing my vitamins and supplements with me. I never thought about it, but they might go against the chemo. Another tip I picked up from this site. I hope everyone is getting thru it all as best they could. This journey is never easy with a road you don't want to travel on again



  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited January 2017

    dp1 - sorry your back and hope everything goes well. I do hope you joined the January Chemo thread. Going through it with others at the same place was a very positive thing for me.

  • Wiegp22
    Wiegp22 Member Posts: 167
    edited January 2017

    awesome, thanks ladies

  • dp1
    dp1 Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2017

    Minus Two- thank you for your kind words. Yesterday was my 1st chemo, 7 long hours. But I did it, it's done. Feeling tired, headache and a little nauseous. Time to recover for the next one on Thursday! I know a lot of brave women here have pushed through this, so I use that as my motivation



  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Member Posts: 1,152
    edited January 2017

    Thank You, Minus Two, for bumping this most valuable thread !

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited January 2017

    Oh Nico - it's obviously time for some activity again. I'm glad you remember in a timely fashion. I'll be happy to chime in.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Member Posts: 1,152
    edited February 2017

    Bumping in honor of MinusTwo who keeps this most valuable information up in the front where it belongs :)


  • fightingthefight1
    fightingthefight1 Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2017

    any one with major skin issues on hands and feet?  discoloration,pain and sensitivity like I had been  burned, started  3rd round of A-C, now 8 wks later(on Abraxane, starting cycle 2)   major peeling.  lots of coconut oil and  Aquaphor

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited March 2017

    Fighting the fight - yes I had hand & foot syndrome with AC. I don't remember doing any specific treatment and it eventually went away.

    You should check out one of the current chemo threads - Chemo February 2017 or March 2017 chemo. There might still be an AC chemo thread too. That way you can compare with other women experiencing side effects at the same time & possibly find out what their docs say. Look in the 'search' bar or check out active threads.

    When you get a chance, you might also go to My Profile and enter your diagnosis and treatment information so members can better answer your questions.

  • tara17
    tara17 Member Posts: 150
    edited March 2017

    thank you for this wonderful detailed list. Just started chemotherapy at MSKCC

  • tara17
    tara17 Member Posts: 150
    edited March 2017

    another tip I would offer ladies starting chemo is to go to your dentist and get your teeth cleaned BEFORE starting chemo , make sure no dental source of infection

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited March 2017

    Tara - glad you found this thread. When you get a moment, go to My Profile and post your diagnosis and treatment. Good luck with chemo.

  • tara17
    tara17 Member Posts: 150
    edited March 2017

    thanks minus two, I updated my profile, I keep coming back to this thread to read all the tips.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Member Posts: 1,152
    edited April 2017

    The only treatment that helped me with hand and foot syndrome was an over the counter cream called Udder Cream. The packaging looks like a cow! It has urea in it and worked miracles.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Member Posts: 1,152
    edited April 2017

    Bumping for the newbies . . .

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited April 2017

    Bumping again. Lots of good tips.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Member Posts: 1,152
    edited April 2017

    Thanks for the BUMP, MinusTwo ~ It's so important to keep this information easily accessible . . .

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Member Posts: 1,152
    edited May 2017

    bumping for the newbies ~

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,637
    edited June 2017

    Bumping this thread again,

    Great tips here!

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,354
    edited June 2017

    Thanks Mods. I frequently put a link to this threads in answers to questions from new members, but if it shows up enough in the 'active' posts, everyone will find it.

  • barbls
    barbls Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2017

    Really helpful, thank you. Just a note - it states Tylenol is a problem for kidneys and Ibuprofen, the liver. It's the other way around.


  • rubyslipperz24
    rubyslipperz24 Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2017

    Thank you very much for your post! I had my first chemo/HER2 treatment 2 1/2 weeks ago and I was fine for three days after, but then I got extremely nauseous and sick (vomiting/diarrhea) to the point where I couldn't drink or eat anything. They gave me anti-nausea medicine, but since it was the first time I was experimenting to see which one/both worked and ended up having to go in for fluids. Outside of trying to drink as much water as possible, is there anything else you recommend that I do to prevent it from getting that bad?

    I also ended up in the hospital for 4 days due to a .9 white blood cell count. Thankfully I will get the Neulasta shot for the upcoming treatments, but I'm young and healthy so they don't know why I had such a severe reaction. Look forward to any help/advice. I thank you so much for the help.

    Jen

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Member Posts: 1,152
    edited July 2017

    rubyslipper24 ~

    Be sure to take the anti-nausea med a few hours before chemo. Another thing that helped me was a candy called Gin-Gins, found at health food stores. Ginger is a natural anti- emetic.

  • JuliaJazz
    JuliaJazz Member Posts: 175
    edited July 2017

    LINBAD2 --The port is wonderful.  So glad I got mine.  The procedure was simple and I am sure it will be just as simple to remove it when I'm done and I hate having a line in my arm.  Consider getting a port.  An as someone else said join the August Chemo group or whatever month you are starting for day to day support.