Calling all TNs
Comments
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Hi, I tried Melatonin a couple of months ago and had the worst night with vivid dreams and nightmares. Apparently a small percentage of people who take Melatonin experience this side effect. I recall trying it about four years ago and having a similar night. Unfortunately it doesn't work for me!
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Try a smaller dose.
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Love this thread, with so many people popping in. Hope you are all enjoying this late August weekend - fantastic weather here in Toronto! Just said good-bye to eldest son who is back to university. Younger son will be off to Whistler for a gap year in 3 weeks. House will seem too quiet then.
Dh takes melatonin routinely and swears by it. I have tried it on a few occasions, but find it makes me feel heavy-headed the next day (if that makes any sense).
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Titan - huge football fan! Shall be fun this season!! GO PACK!
MBJ - Glad to hear your surgery went well. I will be with my PS in Oct. to dicuss the transfer!! ;-) Any suggestions or thoughts would be well appreciated.
Heidi - Love your Boston Terriers
Well I worked in the school full time during chemo last school yr. and will be finishing up chemo during the beginning of this school yr. I was just very diligent about washing my hands! I did fine.
The hair thing really gets me! I can't wait for it to start growing back! How long does it usually take for a full head of hair - generally speaking of course?
Have a great week everyone - it is my first full week back to school - not counting Monday PM when I will have my 9th Taxol treatment!!! After tomorrow only 3 left!!
Kelli
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kad22 - glad to hear that you did fine working in the schools during chemo. I am a teachers aide and have to go back Wed (day after my 2nd Taxol treatment). I was lucky (?) enough that my AC chemo all happened during the summer. I was starting to worry about going back to all those kids and their germs! I'll be very careful.
Anyone know if I can have a glass of wine while on chemo?? haven't had any alcohol since April and am going out tonight. Would love to have one glass but not sure if its OK.
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One won't hurt you, but it might taste awful. So sorry...
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I don't know how true this is, but a doctor once told me years and years ago when I was having sleep trouble that if and when a person that hasn't slept in a long time finally goes into that deep (REM cycle) they have nightmares until their body adjusts accordingly. Not sure how true it is, but wanted to put it out there. With that said - I tried Ambien once - had terrible weird nightmares (I felt awake, talked and motioned to my kids), but I was really sleeping. When I woke up had a vague memory of it, but it wasn't until my kids told me more that it started coming back - No Ambien for me!!! So.....Sugar I get what you're saying about Melatonin.
workmother - My onc didn't put restrictions on me, he basically said "be smart" and one or two glasses of wine shouldn't hurt. If your taste buds are out of whack the wine may taste weird..
kad - I starting getting sprouts in late Nov, early Dec towards the end of my Taxol treatment - by June l I had a head full of short shirley temple curls (which is when the avatar picture I have was taken) - still too short to style at that point. Fast forward to August and I've had one haircut to thin it out and teach me how to work curls and thinking I may need to thin it again - my hair is super super thick - still short, but starting to finally grow and give me more hair on my forehead and the back of my neck and is very thick. I am starting to get tons of compliments from strangers, co-workers, etc on my hair so....I'm guessing it has more of an "on purpose" style to it now.
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I really miss among other things,SPICY foods. Not able to eat any of that while having my chemo. Ready for round 3 tues,down for the count for a few days then I get back to myself.First time I wore a scarf out,too damn hot for a wig. Felt like everyone was staring at me,then I saw another lady with a scarf on too. Hey united in forces.
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Sugar: Melatonin is something you gradually have to work up to in doseage. From what I understand you start with 1, see how it works, then gradually work up to how much it takes until you can sleep the night through. The weird dreams usually subside within a short time after your body adjusts, and for me, it is so worth it! I will see if I can find the article that I read about it in my Oncs office. It also comes in anywhere from a 1 mg to a 5 mg pill and there are some that are better then others.
kad22: If you havent been to Breast Implant Sizing 101, or the Exchange City threads, I urge you to get help with your implants so that you are satisfied with and are prepared for the exchange. Revisions are common with implants just because we aren't given enough information and our dr's end up deciding for us and it may not be ultimately what we want. Also, implants are sized and look different then real breasts, so you may have to go up a size or two in order to look and fit in your clothes the same. Check it out and you will be amazed by all of the wonderful help and support on these sites. I was able to get a beautiful result and avoided being dissappointed, too, just from getting advice from these threads
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Heidi! Oops! sorry Brady and Giselle!
Tell me more about this Melatonin...
Agree with you Kittycat..I didn't eat my favorite foods during chemo because I wanted to enjoy them after....MY DH used to bring me a Subway club with spinach and a vinageratte dressing on it for lunch during my chemos...If I would have one put in front of me now I think I would puke.
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Melatonin - I checked with my onc before taking and she said it wouldn't hurt me...
she didn't seem to have much faith in it but I'm sleeping now - i'm taking 3 mg
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I found that almost all food tasted like cardboard during chemo. Meat tasted best which is odd as i don't eat much meat. However I just ate to stay healthy but did not really enjoy any food. I lost quite a bit a weight and have put some back on, but have managed to stay a better weight. I really struggled to drink water - it tasted awful!
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Wow, one of the best sails today! I just got back from Applebee's with my hubby and son. One Rumrunner and I am *toast*! So... excuse any spelling errors... I think the drink hit me harder than usual due to being out in the sun all day, floating on the water and not having eaten in ten hours, but YIKES! Had two yesterday and was *fine*.
After my seizure I had *TERRIBLE* nightmares. They were beyond nightmares. They were REAL, and terrifying. I couldn't wake from them and experienced terrifying scenes of my children's death, my having another seizure (didn't) and other terrifying things. Came to understand that they were tied into PTSD and were called "crossover" "dreams". Once I understood what they were I was (so far) able to avoid them, but the unconscious is a fascinating area. Melatonin has me curious, and I may ask my GP about it when I see her next. For now though, I'm trying to get a good night's rest without using my Ambien. Some nights are better than others. I have stopped taking all other pills/supplements except my statin (runs in family) for the time being. Just tired of the arsenal of pills (Vit. D, glucosamine/chondroiton, garlic, multi vitamin, biotin yada yada yada..)
As far as chemo... I found a lot of stuff tasted pretty bland also. Mouth was dry a lot and metallic taste was prevalent. I ate what I wanted and, like many, enjoyed the fruit popsicles a lot.
"Ratty" is beaucoup tired right now. Bedtime.
MSK for mammo and follow-up with surgeon on Wednesday.
I'll post a cute photo of the Bostons from today soon.
Gillyone- ditto!
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MELATONIN: Some articles with great information for women with BC:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/melatonin-000315.htm
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20030714/hormone-melatonin-slows-breast-cancer
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/generalsideeffects/p/melatonin.htm
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I could not drink water for 3-5 days after chemo (AC) without gagging!!! I found some flavored drinks that tasted better and I could sty hydrated - Gatorade's G2, Sobe Lean, Diet Sierra Mist and some vitamin drinks (that weren't high in vitamins, but tasted good). I also drank juice and made smoothies (still make smoothies).
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I drink the alkaline water and find that I can't drink anything else since I had chemo. I'm still doing the smoothies, too.
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Smoothies are fun. I get really creative with them and love to change up the taste. I really would love a Vitamix blender. My blender is so cheap, but it blends (barely). We had a nice Kitchenaid one we got for our wedding, but it died a couple years ago. I got this cheap blender from Costco to make margaritas for a party and haven't bothered to buy a better one. Maybe next time they have the Vitamix road show at Costco, I'll splurge???
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Hi Girls, well i said I'd inform you when I knew what those Red Bumps on my legs were,. My chemo doc sent me directly to the dermatologist who verified the original diagnosis from my Onc.
I have what they call Erythema Nodosum--- its a direct symtom of something in my body that has an infection..where it really comes from no one knows. The dermatologist said if they send me to Clinic where they spesialize in Skin desease..they would completly turn my body inside out to find out what it is that I have. It could be a direct after effect of my tumors, it could also be a bad stomach virus or diverse other things. It usually goes away by itself after 3-6 weeks. Im putting a cortison creaam on the affected areas at night and getting alot of bed rest ( dr. orders ). This is not known as a normal reaction to Chemo.. but hey.... Maybe im the first ! so if any of you get this symtom.... your not alone. Its hurts and its annyoing and ugly but I'll get thru this too and so will you,
Have a nice week ladies !!
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At least you have some information about what it is. Knowledge can sure make us feel like we have some control.
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I have a question. My onc has me giving my self shots for 8 days starting the 2nd day after I get chemo. They are to make my bone marrow make more red blood cells. Anyone else have this annoying task?
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Barbbasile- I know a lot of us took Neulesta shots the day after chemo to build up red blood cells. Honestly they were painful and caused bone pain. I've not heard of the self injection for 8 days, but it sounds similar. What is the drug called?
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Barbbasile: It sounds like you may be getting neupogen shots (like neulasta only smaller doses more frequently). It is a man-made form of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which stimulates the growth of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection. Because chemo depresses our immune system, Neupogen and neulasta are helpful in restoring the white blood count so you can maintain your chemo schedule. It is often given to patients on a dose dense cycle (chemo every 2 weeks instead of 3), because usually neutrophils can't naturally return to normal in such a short time frame.
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Luah : Yes it is neupogen and you are right on target. I am getting chemo every 2 weeks and it was called "dose dense". Nice to hear from you all, and be reassured that I am getting a normal treatment - if there is anything that is normal! I'm back at work today, and honestly, the only thing I feel like doing is crawling up into a corner and taking a nap. {{{Hugs to you all}}}
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monish: I hope that it all clears up quickly! Hugs!
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Feeling fabulous. Only 10 more Taxol to go. All of you ladies out there that said Taxol was easier were right on target. I haven't felt this good since I was diagnosed in May. Acupuncturist has helped signifigantly with the kidney pain and everything else. I wish I had started with her during the AC.
HHFHEIDI- What caused your seizure?
MBJ- Thank-you for the suggestion I have tried the Melatonin the last two nights and really seems to help. I sleep soundly for about 4 hrs wake up but then fall right back to sleep. I am taking 5MG. I didn't realize it came in different dosages. I'll let everyone know how it works after my next Taxol. I have been up for 48 hrs both times without it.
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Hey all,
I am rather new to the post, but I am interested in nutrition for TNs, I did find a thread or post somewhere on here and now I can't remember where it was. I am looking for foods that will help me fight before, during & after. I definitely want to fight recurrence & fit it all into my "Extreme Makover" for my life. I want to fight this wholeheartedly body, mind, soul, & diet/nutrition. Thanks for all the advice.
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AntiCancer A new Way of Life by David Servan-Schrieber would be a good place to start. I am doing the Perricone diet, free and downloadable from his site. Also, some people say the Alkaline or Budwig diets are good. The Perricone is high antioxidants and will help you lose and/or maintain your weight.
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Laurajane: So great to hear! Did you read the thread that I posted earlier on Melatonin?
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laurajane- quick answer... they don't know.
Everything came back normal but the damn doctors still wanted to put me on seizure meds and it cost me my license for 90 days. Excuse me, but F*CK that! Medicine today is all about doctors CTA.
The med was worse than chemo, and that is NOT an exaggeration! I have taken myself off of it (could not function on it) and have had no further problems (meds do not guarantee prevention).
My GP said that many people have one unexplained seizure in their lives and have no more. Seizure thresholds are lowered by fatigue and dehydration. I had done Relay for Life the day before and was experiencing both.
Simply put, my body was d*mn tired from what I'd been through and sent me a very clear message: SLOW DOWN.
I got the message...
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Heidi - I always love your posts and the selective use of the *** key! Nice to hear from you again.
MBJ - I have the Anti Cancer book and try to follow it to some degree. I think it's a sensible way to go.
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