Starting Chemo in Nov. 2011...anyone else?
Comments
-
Hello Everyone,
Had my second chemo treatment yesterday, and felt ok up until now, starting to feel depressed and overwhelmed and not even looking froward to this coming week. Hard to keep up with everyone, but Terry, congratulations to you, you give us hope. Grandma V, I hope you are feeling better, and I can relate with the grandkids, I have three which I love dearly, but my oldest daughter has decided that I was a horrible mother and will not speak to me and I can;t se the babies either. Allagas, i can relate to the temper tantrums, one minute I feel like I have it all together, and then the next I feel like my life is falling apart.(mood swings like I have never had in my entire life). I had my hair buzzed before I started my first chemo, the onc said it would definitly fall out,my head is sore, but not falling out yet, my eyelashes are getting thinner. Food tastes horrible, but no mouth sores yet, so all you ladies who have them, i can only imagine- i usually get cold sores when im stressed, so i figured that it will happen but not yet. I have been rinsing my mouth out with peroxide tho, just a small amount. And yes had the itching and burning in the nether regions after 1st chemo, a & d ointment seems to help alot. Welcome Texas rose. I wish everyone a very special Thanksgiving. Love and prayers to all of you.
Connie
0 -
TexasRose--I had radiation 3 years ago. I have the same plastic surgeon and he said we will try the expanders but they may not work because of tissue damage. Right now, I have 25 cc injected every 2 weeks. He said he doesn't want to overwhelm me right now with bigger injections. I didn't know I would need chemo when I had my surgery. I have said I could deal with one or the other but now, I get both which may be good later. I guess I'll know when this is all over. It is too much to take in at once when we are hit with all these things at once.
To those of you not feeling well, take the time to take care of yourselves. Rest and drink lots of fluids. I normally cannot stand Gatorade but I found out I really like the orange. I am getting ready to hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more before my treatment on Tuesday. This is another of the tips I have gotten from this thread. It really helps.
0 -
Hi Ladies, Today is day 5 after first treatment. DH and I took our labs out for a run (I just stood and took pictures) We also went to a local cowboy craft fair. A quick walk around,a nd I was aware, this was too much. Now I am home resting. I do have a question for anyone that may know?
Once in a while my tummy burns, kinda like heartburn but not really. I attribute this to nausea??
0 -
Today is day 18 of my first treatment of TC. My hair was coming out even more today. I went to the wig shop. They shaved my head and I feel great. I am so glad I took the hair off before the clumps. I know so many have problems with this step. To me, it was nothing compared to the bilateral MX and the chemo. I just looked in the mirror and laughed- I look so different without hair. I look a lot like my brother. Thank goodness for those wigs and hats....
0 -
Bethu77- I am right there with you on having too many things thrown at us all at once. I am trying really really hard to only think of getting through chemo. I have time to decide on the TE exchange before or after rads. Keep thinking positive & have a wonderful week with minimal SE & fillled with lots of love.
Ladies- Anyone else out there losing their voice? I'm on day 5 after first AC chemo & beginning to be concerned about my voice. My toungue also seems to be coated with white.????
Love, {{{HUGS}}} & Prayers
Rose
0 -
Hi Rose, I have the "white' tounge as well.. I keep using my biotene, which is keeping it at bay, but it's still there.
To anyone else, I "assisted" DH in washing my lab.. he lifted her into the tub I scrubbed her.. well... now my arm near where the sentinal node was done is sore.. like muscle sore?? very strange. Hurts to lift it too high..any ideas?
0 -
Lory--Have you been given exercises to do? I haven't been doing mine every day and when I do repetitive movements, I am sore. I know these are especially important after mastectomies to keep heal and strengthen the muscles.
0 -
I hope everyone is doing ok, have not been on here in a few days. I freaked out cause my hair started coming out in clumps on day 14 exactly! I really thought I would be that one in a million that wouldn't lose my hair....NOT!! I went yesterday and had it shaved, I couldn't even touch my hair without it coming out. So I took control! The nurses and doctors were NOT lying about the hair loss! My next treatment is on Friday November 25th. Not looking forward to it, but at least one treatment less that I will have to do...I think my positive attitude is what is getting me through this!
Hugs to everyone :-)
0 -
Day 16 after 1st tx. I'm feeling great. I get a day off from shots to boost wbc, but still taking antibiotic. My hair is starting to come out. I get about 10 strands every time I run my hand through my hair. It's colder here today, so won't be as hard to stay home away from everyone. My husband's getting better at grocery shopping. He actually comes home with what I ask for. I hope everyone has a good day. Btw, I have the herceptin gas again after herceptin Friday. My dog seems to be getting used to it.
0 -
Trinity, I hope all is well with you.0
-
grandmaV, i'm relieved that you're hanging in there. good news that you're still feeling great!0
-
Any good tips for heartburn? I have tried the OTC stuff, but still feel like my windpipe burns the whole way down. I don't remember if we are allowed zantac or prilosec or whatever. Something has to work, otherwise AC will end up being an excellent diet plan.
0 -
Malox chewables work for me for all the Wonderful heartburn issues, they are fruit flavored.... Im on day 3 of LAST treatment and OMG in so much pain, Celebrex is NOT working, I just wanna cry
and bury my head in the sand..... Slept like crap lastnight.... No one will take me out and shoot me though, Ive asked and they all say NOPE not today grrrrrrr 0 -
gamergirl, I haven't tried it, but my instructions say prilosec. Tums do me a lot of good.
My hair was falling out like rain today and was driving me crazy, so I buzzed it. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I've been trying on all my head gear. It's not so bad.
0 -
you buzzed, grandmaV? i'm sure it was hard, but for me, i felt better once i was buzzed. i didn't have to wait any longer for those clumps to come out in the shower. one more step done on your journey!
gamegirl, i take zantac for heartburn and tums as well.
0 -
My husband will be surprised. When he left for work this morning I had hair.
0 -
GrandmaV - Pictures or it didn't happen :-))
Terry, I wish I could just give you the biggest hugs. I know you will survive, but it's just so darn hard. I'll just send you a virtual Long Island Ice Tea. I find that helps with all sorts of pain.
0 -
Hang in there everyone, we'll get through this together! I am starting on my hydration routine. I get my second treatment on Tuesday. Today, I feel okay about it, tomorrow, I'll freak out with worry.
I have stocked up on ginger ale again. It really helps my stomach. Gamergirl, have you tried it? I don't add ice unless my throat is sore. I also make some smoothies with cold water, ice and strawberry chiller from tastefully simple. I drank a lot of these after my first treatment.
Talking with each of you has helped me so much! I am so thankful to find such wonderful people to get through this time. Each of you understand and encourage me so much!
0 -
Hi All, I haven't been on this board for a while and have been reading all the posts. I think when I last posted I was doing TCH but at the 11th hour, my doc switched-- literally the night before and now I am doing Taxol plus Herceptin --about to have my third chemo Tuesday. I think doc is concerned about my body's response to having received chemo (CHOP) a long time ago. Good doc. Taxol/Herceptin easy-- cake walk compared to CHOP. I think this will not be continued for long. I think iam ready to move to the harder TCH. I feel like my life is on hold in a way--like I am circling the prey or something like that...LOL funny image actually. I am eating very poorly especailly in the afternoon and by evening I feel rotten both physically and emotionally. What will it take me to stop? The only SEs are fatigue and some dizziness. Any one else go to bed with the sun? Hope all of you are looking forward to giving thanks this coming week. I have lots to be grateful for and man that sure keeps those demons at bay! stream of consciousness -- maybe I better add disorganized thinking to the SEs!!!LOl
0 -
oh... and I went down to my hairdresser and asked her to buzz my head last sunday. Still have what's left of my hair. Maybe I did it too soon but I realized that everything I have been doing is about keeping one step ahead of the crap that comes down. There are things we cannot control (like se's) and I let them fall as they do but the things I have a say over-like freaking out with handfuls of hair--NOT for me. I dont' mind being bald- wear a hat a scarve whatever. That is the least of all this. Plus woman are beautiful with or without their hair-- just look at all the women who post their pictures-- Kudos to all of you!
0 -
Quatsi ~ Go to bed with the sun? Heck some days this past week I stayed in bed most of the day with the sun! Starting to feel like I should be able to get past the fatigue, but when I am up for an hour or two...boom...it hits and I go lie down. Hoping it gets better this second week. Am going to e-mail my doctor about the GI issues...heartburn not so bad, but I can't get past the bathroom door with cramping, etc. I know GrandmaV had the big D, but this isn't so much like that...anyone else? GrandmaV you are very brave to buzz your hair while your husband was at work. But, maybe doing it privately was easier for you? I sure hope so. I know my day is coming. Lucky for me my wig is ready for pick up on Wednesday. BethU I so agree with the support here...don't think I would be upright at all if not for all the brave women who post. :-)
0 -
gamergirl, sorry no pics. I'm not photogenic with hair, let alone without.
linnyhopp, I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with cramping. Someone in one of the other forums mentioned a prescription drug called Bentyl. It helps with symptoms of stomach and intestinal cramping. I'm going to ask my doctor about it Wednesday when I see him. If you can e-mail your doctor and ask about it sooner, please do. I don't know if it works for chemo patients, it is usual prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome. Here's a link to it on WebMD if you want to read up on it:
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-5245-Bentyl.aspx?drugid=5245&drugname=Bentyl
Don't get it on my say so, because I really don't know anything about it. I'm just grasping at straws at this point, trying to find something to deal with the cramping and Big D next tx. It may not be anything we can take, but it's worth asking about.
0 -
GI issues and heartburn..constipation, sore bottom.. finally the meds are keeping me regular.. burping and fluffing are my evenings these days.. how romantic..
My head seems to have that too tight ponytail feel already!! I put a hot pack on my neck ( I have degerative disc disease) to ease some stiffness.. and whoa, it felt like little slivers of metal on my skin.. weird 0 -
Bahamamom3-can't believe we are starting the same day! I am starting to freak out. My doctor says it won't be as bad as I think......the whole idea of poison in my veins.....but if it gives me many years of life then I am just trying to focus on that. Still freaked out though. Got the biotene special toothpaste....meds...think I am ready for this ride..... I will think of you Friday and we will have to compare notes and things to help us through these months ahead
. 0 -
Bullwinkl4-your second treatments was suppose to be mine but I wound up in the hospital so it is my first...very scared and just want to get through the first 4 AC treatments. Holding on tight for this ride....will prepare to shave my head...thinking of everyone this holiday season
0 -
Survived my second round of chemo on Friday- taking neupegen shots to prevent another round of neutrepenia. Today I am having some joint pain, but not too bad. Hoping to get at least a half day in at work.
Hair started falling out in huge clumps on day 14 after first round, now it is all buzzed off and i look very funny!
Feeling a little off this morning - hoping that it will change to a more normal feeling soon!
Hope you are all doing well!
0 -
Bone pain today is far worse than any other day.. chest beetween my breasts and my hips..Just took another claritin..
0 -
Hi everyone,
I got my 3rd shot today for neutrepena. They aren't going to take a blood draw until Wednesday, so at least I'm not in the hospital. I go in again tomorrow for another shot and then we'll know Wednesday if they're doing the job or not. I felt like I went incognito to the cancer center. First day out with head gear on. I wore my hair halo with one of my crocheted hats and I had to wear a face mask to shield myself from germs. I didn't look like me at all. This could be a lot of fun, wearing a different wig and hat each time. Who do I feel like being today? Kind of looking forward to tomorrow's shot now, so I can wear something else on my head.
0 -
waiting to hear from grandmaV. how are your blood counts today?0
-
Well we made it to Monday thanks to all the support from each other. GrandmaV ~ I did e-mail my doctor and his nurse called this morning, asked me a lot of questions and said she would be calling me back later today to try and get some of my issues (mouth, GI) to be a little more tolerable. She was very nice about everything and said that it was a good idea to try and get things a little more fine tuned before the next infusion, so that did make me feel more at ease. She mentioned Ativan for sleep and I know many have mentioned using that, so I am hopeful it wil work for me. I will be so happy if I can get things even a bit more under control. Hope your blood counts are better today. As YaYa said, please do keep us posted. I forgot to ask about the shot(s) that many mention getting so maybe I will do that when I get the call back.
Bonseye & Bahamamom ~ Hoping all goes smoothly with your treatments when you start. I am sure they will. Hope you can sleep when they give you the Benadryl! As many of us have said, the actual infusion isn't too dramatic and I think you will just be glad to have it started and on the way to being done with it all.
Lory & el-jay ~ Hoping your bone pain is very tolerable as the day goes on. I mentioned that to the nurse when she called and hopefully, the doctor will come up with something for that, too. Oh my, I just realized I am actually turning into a walking pharmacy! Oh well, whatever it takes, right?
To everyone else...wishing you a symptom free day and will check in later.
0
