August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
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Hi Liz, my onc said that blood is taken on days 2, 8 and 15.
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Liz, for me, I have the chemo, 24 hours later is the neulasta shot, so you can't avoid that with bloodwork. It's too soon after the chemo. Plus the neulasta is a good thing for your immune system at this time; helps you avoid infection. They didn't used to give that to women and it's improved immune function during chemo.
Yes, SE"s are cumulative, I just hope the blood counts aren't! Yikes! For me, I have chemo Mondays, Shot tuesday and go back the following monday for bloodwork. At 7 days post chemo, you are at your lowest. My WBC is within a normal person's range and I'm pleased about that - but low platelets can lead to bleeding and I guess that is the danger for that. It's just a finger test and then they put it in a machine - very easy- and get the results instantly! Don't we wish ALL the tests could be that way!)
Anyway, I didn't bleed much when she stuck my finger and it certainly didn't continue to bleed. I know- I shouldn't choose this as my "next" thing to worry about but I tend to do that!
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Ann: thanks and good luck tomorrow. The big chemo dance day is here as you are inducted and become a chemo-sabi!!!!!
Calamtykel: I was not sure but I did not think there was anything to avoid the neulasta shot. I feel like my experience is like driving a car; I am not worried about myself but I am worried about others and, in this case, making me sick! I work in a building with over 300 people and all their kids are back in school in the next week, they have no sick time left by this point in the year and my employer is very strict about attendance therefore everyone comes in sick! Great! We used to have the palatial "cubes" to work from which were recently replaced with nothing between yourself and the person next to you! It is hardly conducive to someone with a depressed immune system already compliments of thyroid issues and now we add chemo and I will be ordering my bubble after my wig arrives!!!!!!!!!!!
Good times, good stuff! (if anyone of you wonder where that comes from, it is when Ben Stiller is in the bathroom with Alec Baldwin in "Along Came Polly!" It is a very funny scene for those of you not familiar!)
Liz
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I have a similar workplace---everyone comes in sick to save up their time to use as vacation as my employer changed the policy to PTO which combines sick and vacation. I am on short term leave until end of November and then my Doctor said that she would extend that further as she is not a supporter of people going to work on chemo, especially in a workplace like mine that is not very flexible and lots of sick people.
Question: Is anyone getting massages? I keep forgetting to ask my Oncologist about it, about whether OK or not?
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Yes, I know -- I worry about illness too. With four kids - yikes! BUT keep in mind that today when my wbc should be lowest, it's still within a normal person's range; and that's enough to fight infection!
And yours may well be too! I know it's easy to worry about what if's (as you can see from my message about the platelets but cross those bridges when you come to it!
Eat lots of leafy greens. I've been a big advocate of that every since when I was first married, I was constantly sick in the winter, all winter long. Then I got a job in an office that catered lunch each day. Every day I had a spinach and feta salad. The colds stopped. I was stunned when I realized it. I think if you keep on a really good diet of veggies and such (on days when you feel well) then it will go a long way for ya!
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Hi all,
I'm on day three after chemo and feeling relatively okay. Creaky, a bit sore, maybe a mouth issue or two...but overall good. So here's the updates-
The Birthday Party- went fine. 12 seven year olds and I held it together. This was one day after chemo round #2! So for those of you just starting or getting nervous about it, it's alllll doable. If you can manage that many kids, screaming, rain when it was supposed to have been a pool party! and all of their parents at the door asking "how ARE you???" then you'll be fine. Chemo is state of mind sometimes.
Neulasta shot yesterday. No fun. Starting to feel the effects of it today. Man it sucks. Feels like someone has taken your skeleton out back and beaten it with a brick.
Calmytel- totally buy into your leafy greens idea. I also swear by blueberries. They're like a wonderdrug.
Rachel- am dying for my own 5 cent wig from china, did you get it on ebay? Also, I am getting a massage next week. Forgot to ask my onco about it, but my massage therapist said there used to be (like 10 yrs ago) a line of thought that it wasn't a good idea. Nowadays that's seen as a debunked myth.
Liz- you and your committment rock. that's it.
Ann- you'll kick it tomorrow. The wait is worse than the actual chemo. I just hate anticipation.
Anyone else I've missed, and there's probably lots as I just popped my first Tylenol 3 and am feeling slightly Buzz Lightyeared- hope everyone is peaceful, comfortable and sleeps well. We all deserve it. XO
Sweeney
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Can we give the weekly superhero cape to Sweeney?? WOW! I'm TOTALLY amazed that you were able to do anything like a party right after chemo! Totally awesome - Way to go! You give me hopes for treatment #2.
Re blueberries - Trader Joe's sells frozen wild Boreal blueberries from canada. They aren't "certified' organic, but they are wild and no pesticides are used. These are tiny berries - much smaller than a real blueberry but they are AMAZING in yogurt or in smoothies! I even put coconut milk over them once, let it freeze and it made sort of a blueberries and cream. And they are very affordable, at least at our TJ's - they are much less than the "certified" organic ones!
Whenever I hit Trader's, I stock up on many bags of these and each morning I blend them in milk or yogurt. They are pretty low acidic too.Speaking of which, I weakened tonight and ate a TON of heirloom tomatos that I bought at the farmer's market today. They were so amazingly good and reminded me of when I used to put in 24 tomato plants....and now I think I have the beginnings of mouth sores. YEOW!!
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Good Luck to the ladies starting chemo tomorrow and the rest of the week. I am on day 4 and feeling a little wishy washy but not bad. Best of luck to each !!!
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Just had my first infusion today. A woman in the center was on her last treatment but before she left she gave me great advice; one, to contact this site and join a 'just starting chemo' discussion. So here I am.
Can't quite believe I'm going through a full six sessions of chemo as I thought I was just going to take Hercepton... Apparently the Hercepton works much better with additional drugs....I'm in a comprehensive cancer center with great people - nurses and doctors - who I trust to take good care of me.
I look forward to joining the discussion as I go through this challenge.
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Calamtykel: Perhaps we should have a weekly cape and this week's CHEMO-SABI SUPER CAPE GOES TO.....drum roll........SWEENEY!!!!!!!!
Rachel and Sweeney: your friends in China are, no doubt, yanking hair out of other's heads at theaters, in crowds, on trains, pulling fur from (crass) people wearing fur coats so this is a laborious process!!!!!! Your wigs are being put together from an amalgamation of animal fur! Surely they will be here by Halloween...just in time!!!!
IowaSue: I hope you are soon feeling better. Wishy washy, however, is not too shabby! So said the woman who has yet to begin!! I know...it is just not right!!!!!!
Alright, jokers, I am going to be at my new home, the hospital tomorrow for some nuclear action, blood draws and some bedraggled scan!!!!!! If you were not a drinker before this all started....!
Lash update!!!! my fake diamond studded lashes that I accidentally ordered arrived today and they are about 2" long and those fake diamonds are just luscious! I just don't know what else to say!!!!
Your FEARLESS Leader is going to bed!!!!!!!
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Clairedenver: WELCOME! WELCOME! I will add you to our list and as I tell all my new crew members, I am so sorry you meet the criteria to belong to this group but I sure am happy to have you! By and large this is a very supportive group and we hold nothing back! Feel free quite free to talk about anything you are going through. In fact, the beauty of this entire site is having a place to go where everyone is, at some point, sharing the exact same part of the journey, emotional highs and lows and joys that you are.
Looking forward to hearing how things go for you and, once again, welcome-
Liz
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All the ladies out there starting chemo this week...give 'em hell! Good things, one treatment will be finished, and the second, you'll be on the road to feeling better. Hang in there. I am thinking of you and praying for you all. You will be so happy to have the quest ions of the first one done!
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Thanks mommichelle, I am heading out in an hour or so. -Omaz
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Welcome ClaireDenver - that woman you met at the treatment center gave you great advice! This is a really fun group of ladies and very helpful.
Go get 'em today Omaz, Ann97, and Thisishowilive!
I am getting increasingly anxious as my AC start date nears (Friday). I'm worried about having another allergic reaction - anyone know if AC is less prone to reactions than Taxotere? Perhaps Dr. Google can tell me. Also my Ambien seems to not be working as well anymore, had a devil of a time getting to sleep last night.
I hope everyone has a fantastic day!
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So Liz what flavor was your barium you dirinking gal you. I just have the plain in the fridge for Friday for a yummy breakfast. Glow gal Glow.
Blaze the trail for us Omaz, Ann97 and Thisishowilive! Drink lots of water and try to work up a sweat to move that chemo through to the tips of your toes.
JSW19 perhaps it was just the full moon keeping us awake...I felt like going out and howling.
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Hello ladies, just got the DH off to work on metrolink, he will be taking me to my first of four TC treatments tomorrow. I'm drinking water as directed, but mainly it's to flush out the gallons of pinot grigio I drank last night as my last supper of mexican food was probably the end of spicy train for awhile. Getting my hair cut pixi style today to get ready for the ultimate hair cut about 2 weeks from now. Ordered three caps from headcovers.com and plan on getting a couple of wigs. I realized that when I got my port last Thurs. that I needed a port to get my port, horrible veins, I have huge vein envy and people continue to flaunt their good ones to make me mad. Well I'm off to drink water and am trying not to be nervous, good luck with that one. Reading all your posts is very helpful to me and being here saves my poor family from hearing about BC non-stop. Good luck to us all.
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Hi girls! I'm getting nervous, 3 more days until my first chemo treatment. I can't believe this is my life! I've been trying to get things done this week. I had my teeth cleaned yesterday and am going tomorrow for an eye exam. Today I went to the breast care center and got fitted for a bra/prosthesis. I had a nice chat in the elevator with a lovely women going through chemo.
I don't know if this has been discussed yet but are any other T/C girls icing their fingernails during Taxotere? Apparently it's not something they do where I'm getting my infusion but they said I can bring my own ice/frozen peas if I want. I figure if it won't hurt and might potentially help, why not?
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Good luck to Omaz, Ann97 and Thisishowilive today! I hope everything goes well!
JSW: here I sit at the hospital, waiting on nuclear stuff to get into my system for yet another scan and then the port. As I get closer I, too, am getting a little more nervous! Here we go!
Rose: I wish it was margarita flavor! It was some disgusting berry flavor...like berries dragged through chalk! The departure made the master cleanse seem like child's play!!!!!
Katherine: yes, I have heard of icing fingers and toes to keep them alert during taxotere. Much like Claritin before Neulasta, I don't think there are clinical findings that corroborate our findings but WE say it works so we shall use these little tricks!
WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBER: Milnertm. As I tell all of our new members, I am sorry you meet the criteria to be a part of this group but we are sure happy to have you!
I hope everyone is having a good day and not letting anything get you down
Your FEARLESS Leader!
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Hi Ladies, I got my start date today and I will be staying with the August group, just barely. My first treatment is next Tuesday, August 31. After I saw it in writing, I got really scared and had to sit and cry a minute when I got back to the car. It's all too real now. I'll be doing 3 treatments of FEC, and since I told my doctor I had some misgivings about Taxotere, he said he was fine to changing my last 3 treatments to Taxol. If I'm counting my weeks right, I should be done with treatments by the end of the year.
Welcome ClaireDenver. This site is a lifesaver with all the info and support you get here. And the August ladies are awesome.
If any of you who have started recently have any advice about things to get done before you start, let me know. I've got the shopping list and I'm caught up on doctor/dentist appts. What else?
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Lady: it can all be very overwhelming and I don't blame you for having a good cry for yourself today! We all do. I don't know if you saw my post where I went from tears of sadness to laughing while watching George Lopez one morning on the View?! I felt like I had lost it! My only reminder is Tilex if you have a glass door shower or pick up 5+ shower curtain liners and change them every few weeks. There is something about the bacteria and heating up, going airborne etc... during showers so it is a good idea that you do that. I wish you the best. My port goes in tomorrow and I am only pretty sure I will be starting next Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
I know it is a lot to deal with and it is not until you are done that you realize what you have been though and how far you have come.
I hope your day gets a little better.
Liz
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Onemonga: good stuff on the pinot consumption!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good for you, woman! I am glad you are finding the thread supportive. I will be joining all of you chemo-sabis (or soon to be) next week!
Correction: using ice on finger and toenails is not to abate neuropathy but rather to save your nails from falling off. That is the prevailing wisdom. Not medically definitive, again, I think this is one of our little tricks!
Liz
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Lady--I have finished my first FEC treatment and I had terrible nausea/vomiting the first day but I seem to be not the norm (lucky me) and they are changing my anti-nausea meds. That being said, by the 3rd day--I had some slight nausea but that was it. Now, I actually feel pretty good--really good---no side effects. I have been religious about washing my mouth with club soda (I leave a can in the bathroom and everytime I go pee--I rinse my mouth) and I bought Biotene Toothpast and Mouthwash and brush and rinse after every meal. I hope it continues to work. I also drank A LOT of water after the treatment--seriously, I had a glass of water all the time in my hand---I think that helped (or I like to convince myself it did). Other than that, rest, get some exercise or walk and try to eat as much as feels comfortable--small meals instead of large meals seems to work better. The "E" in the FEC feels strange going in--as they have to IV push that and another but that "E", I did feel---not hurting but more like you can feel it. Strange. Good luck on your first treatment---I am sure it will go fine---can't be worse than my first night praying to the toilet gods......hopefully that doesn't happen again
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Rachel: it is ironic that you bring up praying to the porcelain gods as last night I was watching the Seinfeld episode where he and Elaine are talking about how long it has been since they had vomitted and how Jerry could remember the date etc... All I could think was I can't remember the last time I did and soon that will no longer be the case!
Liz
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Hi Lizzie---Hopefully you won't have to....I couldn't remember how to spell porcelain therefore put toilet......I would blame it on chemo brain but since I have only had one--will blame it instead on bad spelling.....
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Hi everyone, I survived the first treatment and am feeling okay so far. I feel worn out but I think part of that has to do with stress and not sleeping well lately. I go tomorrow morning for the Neulasta and the doctor said that is when I'll start feeling poorly and that I should take ibuprofen. I feel like I'm waiting for the shoe to drop to see what SEs I'll end up having. I'm drinking a lot of water, but then I always do. They called in my prescriptions while I was there but when I went to pick them up the pharmacy had no record of any meds for me. So I'm waiting now to find out what is going on with that.
Thank you for all of the good wishes. Time to get my daughter to ballet class.
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Just got back from my salon. My hair is really short now but kind of cute, if I do say so myself. This was a premptive strike to give me some control and the benefit is that the cut is a preview of my style after chemo. My son called and wanted to know if I he could bring me something from In-n-Out and I said no thank you, am I nuts, I quickly called him back and said bring it on. I still have butterflies but no more than before needle biopsy, MRI, tumor board[think Saturday Night Live skit],lumpectomy and port-a-cath. Next, chemo tomorrow. Step by step.
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Onemonga: Good point about the butterflies. The other day when I got my last drain out and it gushed all over the place, the nurse looked at me while she was holding my side and said "you look like you are going to cry". I laughed and said "after all I've been through, I'm not crying over a stupid drain!" I don't know why I can't yet look at chemo as the next step in this whole process, it's just like all the other things tests, biopsies, surgeries, something to get through on the road to cure.
Rachel: Thanks for the info. Hope you continue to do good. Maybe next time they'll have your meds right and you won't have the sickness. When did your hair start coming out? Or did you pre-emptly shave it?
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Hi Ladies,
I haven't posted in awhile...I have been keeping up though! My daughter was in the hospital for 3 days. They ended up having to put a stent in her Ureter (the tube that drains the kidney into the bladder) the baby was pinching it off. Between that and working I haven't had much energy.
My hair started falling out by the handful on day 14 post chemo. Right on schedule. My step daughter shaved it for me and now I have been taking a lint brush and getting off the stuble. Think dog with Mange. At least its cooler and its been over 100 degrees in the Houston area for the past couple of weeks so that is a plus.
Round 2 Friday. Hoping it goes as well as the last. I ended up only getting nausea from day 15 until now.....go figure...They called me in some phenergan and that is helping but, does make me a little sleepy...zzzzzzzzzz
To all who started this week I hope it went well!
{{{hugs}}}
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Hi Lady--My hair wasn't falling out--but it was feeling as though someone was pulling on my hair--Nurse said that is the sign that the hair will start to fall out. Therefore, I shaved it---other than it feeling super itchy--it doesn't seem to be falling out just yet.
Lizzie--My china wig came today and it is UGLLLLLYYYYYY. I will take a picture of it --- try to position it on my head in some sort of decent look and take a picture. Good thing that I actually bought a proper wig.......I think that the China wig must have taken some time to get here as it is all squashed on one side and you cannot use heat on it to flat iron etc. Hmmmm...I shall see what I can do.
Today, I feel a little achy---strange as yesterday, I felt OK. I guess take each day as it comes. Tomorrow, I am heading to Look Good, Feel Better with a friend--should be fun. (Get lots of SWAG at least).
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LadyinBama: You asked about other things to get done before your start date, and I can think of one (maybe more later). Find out what support meds you will be prescribed (anti-nausea, pain, Neulasta, etc.) from your onc or his/her nurse, and make sure your insurance will cover them. Actually, hoping that you have good insurance (and don't I hope we all did!), it may not be a question of whether they will cover it, but what they require beforehand. On the day of my first Tx, I went to fill my meds, and my insurance wouldn't cover Emend without pre-approval from my onc. Of course, by the time I got to my pharmacy, it was late in the day, so it took another day until I could get it settled. My insurance has very good drug coverage, and despite all the meds I'm always on for various things, this had never happened to me before. So it might be worthwhile to check it out.
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