Starting Chemo in Nov. 2011...anyone else?
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Yaya ~ I sure hope the metallic taste does leave soon because it's been almost 2 weeks since my first chemo. I got lucky today though. Met one of my friends for lunch cause I decided everything tastes crummy at home so I might as well have some company trying to find something edible with a taste. Well, went to a family restaurant and they had vegetable soup that actually tasted like it always has to me. Hooray. My friend had French Fries and I had some of those and they were pretty decent, too. Guess I will worry about healthy after the taste comes back...LOL! And by the way, I would kill for Italian food to taste good right about now.
I sort of do know what you mean about everyone thinks things just go on as normal. I had a tiny bit of that between the surgery and chemo. You truly can't understand the whole nature of the disease unless you have or are experiencing it. Not that I would wish this on anyone. I am just so grateful to have all of you to commiserate with over the side effects. It is not that I honestly want to complain, it just feels good to have someone else acknowledge that they actually KNOW what I am talking about. I don't know about you, but at times I feel so alone with the SE's and that someone might think I am enjoying complaining or being a big baby. With all of you, I know you understand the anxiety and it helps to hear from everyone!
GrandmaV ~ My husband got out the humidifier before he left this morning and set it up. I think it actually helped even for the couple of hours before I got up. Thanks for the tip. I will keep you posted.
Bahamomom ~ So glad your first experience went pretty smoothly. I know that you feel like a ticking bomb waiting for the side effects to hit, but I am going to think positively for you that you are as SE free as possible. I hope you rest well tonight. I have found that when I can rest, it helps so much. Let us know how it goes, OK? Bonseye hope you are feeling OK and all goes well for you, too. Take care! Linda
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# 4 today of taxol and herceptin, one third of the way thru this round. 8 more to go. WAHOO. Metallic taste (but I am still eating - I think it has to do with the steroids I get pretreatment), some blood when I blow my nose and my hair has begun to fall out and napping a bit more, but I have always been a big napper. But I am getting thru my days in a pretty typical way. Wig store on Monday. I continue to be so grateful for the minimal SE.
For those that began today, day 1 was the worst, mostly the anticipation. The actual experience was tolerable.
Hope everyone gets thru with limited SE;s. This road is tough enough
Be well
Nel
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My daughter and husband shaved my head tonight. Not too bad looking. My wig fits better with no hair. I am wearing a hat in the house because my head is cold! My husband says I don't look too bad. I think I'll keep him!
I was hoping to not be hit with the oily mouth stuff and I will try the coconut oil. I am back to drinking the ginger ale which really helps my stomach a lot. I have been told to avoid my favorite foods during this time so I won't associate sickness with them. I crave pizza and a Subway sandwich but I don't want to take a chance.
I hope everyone can sleep well tonight!
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Hello everyone,
I hope everyone is ok and has made it through turkey day. Does anyone have any sugesstions for what to do about swollen bleeding nether regions? Thay finally gave me compazine which seems to help with my nausea, i still threw up this morning. Of course no dr so have to do the weekend with this i can barely walk i am airing it out and have been cleaning it everytime i go. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I know I shouldnt want sugar, but craving it like crazy- im sure its nto helping
Hugs and blessings to all
Connie
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Bahamamom3:
I just had my second TC on Wednesday. My first treatment was worse than this one. The s/e I had from the first one included constipation, slight bone pain, slight nausea and a lot of heartburn. It only lasted 7 days and I was back to no s/e. I did get a terrible chemo burn on my arm as the medicine leaked out of the vein and into the surrounding tissue (I don't have a port).
This time, I have constipation and that is it. No nausea, no heartburn, no bone pain. I can't believe it. The one thing I did different was to take prevacid. You take one every morning for 14 days. I believe it cured me from getting heartburn. You might want to try it if you have terrible heartburn. My heartburn was soooo bad the first time around.
Lastly, I am making myself drink lots of fluids and I am walking the neighborhood everyday- trying to keep my energy up with exercise- I think it helps.
I hope you have luck with TC. How many rounds will you have?
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boxcars, i used desitin when i had the problem you're having. i did the airing, too, and that helped. i hope you feel better soon. it's a miserable side effect of a side effect!0
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First of all a very grateful thanksgiving to all of you!
Lory, about the virgin coconut oil-- I just finished chemo #3 and my tongue is getting a weird sense of hmmmm thickness (?) and has a sore on the side. Difficult time talking. !/8 tsp of virgin coconut oil-- how many times per day?
Other SEs I started now are a slight bloody nose, extreme acid reflux and what in chinese medicine would be termed food stagnation-- as if the food just sits in my esophagus. I wake up choking several time per night.
any suggestions? Quaatsi
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Quaatsi, I was doing this twice a day. Now that it is pink again.. just once.. Food stagnation?? I have to look that up..I have that feeling as well..
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Boxcars, I too have had that problem - the oncologist suggested that I use some canestin cream - that seemed to have worked for me last time. Hope you are feeling better soon!!!!
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Happy Post Thanksgiving Everyone,
I have been reading the posts and have to thank all of you for sharing your feelings and thoughts. I am doing well almost two weeks out from my second chemo session, though this time around, I have felt much more depressed than the first time. I believe that is because I now have a shaved head thanks to my significant other and he did a real good job. But......it is a constant reminder of what I am dealing with so I have been a little more blue. Still....I am focussed on the end result.
I read with interest the comments on acid reflux as I seem to burp all the time now even when I drink water. It doesn't feel acidy (sp?) coming back up in my throat but like simple burping. Something to report next time around. Both times after chemo I developed thick mucous from the nose with some bloody nose but nothing major. We got out our humidifiers too. We heat with wood so need to keep moisture in the air. My taste buds are just now getting back to normal and the only thing I could really taste on Thanksgiving Day was my mashed turnip. However, yesterday, just one day after I could taste leftovers and this morning it is even better. At least I will have one week of tasting food again before it starts all over on December 5th.
GrandmaV - I am sorry you had to postpone your treatment. I think that is something we all fear when having our blood tests done. My blood tests were normal on the second visit and my platelets were at the high end of normal. But.....it is something I think about when I go in. I did visit my regular health care provider last week just to bring her up to speed on what has transpired and to have other things checked out as well. I had blood work to check my thyroid. I do take thyroid meds now for hypothyrodism and she thought it should be checked again because she said chemo can make either hypo or hyper. I will probably get those results next week.
Lory48-I assume you can buy the virgin organic coconut oil in a health food store somewhere.
I have gained about 8 lbs which concerns me but they say not to stress out over it and that is common with chemo and steriods.
You are all right about sharing this with people who have not gone through it. I know my family and friends are trying to help saying "stay positive - a positive attitude helps" and I know they are right but.......reading Dr. Susan Love's breast book, she says that though people think they are helping and being motivating when they say that, what it often does is make the patient feel like if they are not being positive on any given day, they are at fault for their disease. Like all of you, I have my up days and my down days. Today feels like an up day and that is because I have read your posts and know that some of my feelings are normal and I am not alone. Thanks so much to all of you.
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Bahamamom3- I too did well with my chemo. I keep waiting for a side effect but so far just a foggy head while they were running the AC...I slept a lot last night-my family put on a movie and I didn't even see the opening credits-LOL. I read the material and gathered all the info that all these wonderful people before us have shared...sipped ginger ale...lots of water....and snacked on small things. My nurse said to keep small amounts in your stomach to avoid the nausea. I feel tired today but am going to my sons basketball game this morning. I was able to use my PICC line for my chemo. I had an infection/surgery and had to do IV antibiotics for two weeks so I am happy to have this. I have no veins....I am guarding my PICC line with my life! I wasn't going to get a wig but my oncologist really thinks I should....guess after my Neulasta shot I will go check them out. I will otherwise live in scarfs at home...I hate itchy things. One step at a time....I have my next treatment 12/9.....and hope to go to a Christmas party the next night...even for an hour or so.....hope you are feeling well and our journeys have few bumps....
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Maggie, the coconut oil I buy is Nutiva. I started buying it at a health food store, but now get it from an online health food store through amazon.. And the burping, OMG I do that too.
I totally agree with you about the positive thoughts comments; EVERYONE of my family and friends say that. But the worse part of it is when I am feeling sad, or mad and have a teary day, I am not consoled..instead all is said is you have to keep a positive attitide..WTH, I am entitled to my feelings about this disease, I am entitled to cry because my life as been turned upside down.
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Beth- We have the same chemo treatment plan- 4 AC & 4 Taxol. Are your dose dense (every 2 weeks), because mine are. I had my 1st round & am going to have the 2nd round next week. I am also wondering if the side effects get worse with each treatment. I was relatively fortunate, constipation & the related cure was the pits!
I have read that the fatigue is cumulative but I can't seem to find anything about the other SE's.
Hoping there are some ladies in this group that have some info to share on that question.
Wishing you all a restful & SE free wekend!
{{{Hugs}}}
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TexasRose - my treatment plan is the same as yours. Although I don't start until Thursday, my MO did tell me that for the AC the effects are cumulative so I should expect and plan for that. Oh boy, can't wait. I'm going to ask some more questions next week and will post anything worth sharing.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.0 -
Good morning ladies!! I had my second treatment yesterday. Went well and all my counts were up thank gosh! Smells again bothered me a little this morning, and a little constipation last night, so I took a stool softner and that helped this morning! That's all the update that I have so far..I have been trying to keep up with everyone, but since I was back at work last week it was very hard!
Hope everyone is feeling well
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TexasRose and Mardibra--It seems as if we are on the same treatment plan. My second time has been a lot of nausea and so very tired. I have a lot of heartburn also. My stomach is growling like I am starved and then I get the burning in the back of my throat. I am going to look into getting some Pepcid or something to help that. Since it is Saturday, I guess I will ask the pharmacist about what to use.
Everyone--What helps with the burning in the back of your throats with stomach acid? I eat a little but feel starved then sick. Any suggestions?
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Hello everyone. I had a lumpectomy 10/24/11 followed by radiation-2 a day for 1 week. I thought I was finished until I got the OncotypeDX report back. I am having my port put in on Dec 5, my echo on Dec 7, PET Scan and chemo class on the 8th and first chemo the next week. I have been looking all over for information and so thankful I found this site. Ya'll are exactly what I need! Thank you all for your thoughts and words of wisdom. Thanks again and God Bless!
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texasrose, i found that the s/e that was most cumulative was the tiredness. by tx #6, i was really exhausted. the other side effects i was able to prevent with all the suggestions from here. biotene and chewing on ice during taxotere basically prevented the mouth sores; claritin worked great for pain after the neulasta shot, icing fingernails and toenails during taxotere prevented nail problems, keeping ahead of nausea with prescription meds from my MO prevented nausea, taking zantac and chewing on tums helped with heartburn. i hope you continue to have minimal se's.0
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bonseye-I am glad that your first chemo went well also. I am sure you feel like me, very glad to know that you could get through one, and if we can do one, we can do them all. I have not been tired yet, but the oncologist called to check on me today and said that I would probably have some flu like symptoms by Monday or Tuesday. I slept good last night also, and went on a hike through the wooded path near our home this morning with my husband and our lab. I am feeling so stuffed. First of all, I had been gaining weigh anyway because of all the tests, surgery, etc. and continuing work, just grabbing quick meals, my children and sister sending food that I would not have normally been eating. Then after a big Thanksgiving meal that just has been staying with me. I can't really say if I am constipated and I am not wanting to take too much and get diarhea either, but I do feel heavy in the middle, like I would be better if I had a big movement. I am trying to stay hydrated. From what this first round is turning out to be for me, at least, I would say your party would be a go since it is the very next day. I went shopping with my daughter this morning for a while. We picked up my wig. It looks pretty much like my own hair, a good thing for a middle school teacher, who is trying to be incognito as much as possible at school. My students rarely miss a thing, so I didn't want to be too different for them. I try to stay up, but I never know when I may get a little teary eyed, and I don't want to experience that while at work. Then we went Christmas shopping again and got some bargains. That always lifts my spirits. I think I am going to talk my husband into going out to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. We still have a gift card that one of our daughters had given us, and I am not wanting to cook tonight. I figure since I am going back to work Monday and will have to rest up tomorrow and the other side effects will be setting in shortly, it may be my last chance for a while to have some fun. I am glad that your PICC line worked. I was really happy with my port yesterday and wasn't even planning to take a pain pill for it today or anymore, but I tried to put on a sports bra (my good one that hooks and has no wire and is soft was dirty), but somehow I had to move my arm in a way that made me hurt the area where the port is placed. That made me want to jump to heaven, and I had to immediately get it back off and take a pain pill. I will have to remember that at least for a while. My dirty bra is in the washer now, needless to say.
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I am only having 4 rounds of TC. It was a choice of that or 8 rounds of something (not sure if that was the same drug or some other one), but it was linked with a clinical trial that I was eligible for because I am technically HER-. She said something about me being a +1, and that, that is still considered by some as being -. But in the last tests, they didn't distinguish between the +1, +2, or +3, and that they thought maybe the +1's did as well with the herceptin as the +2 and +3. Anyway, if I had done that, it would have meant a whole year of the herceptin, even after the 8 rounds and then since it was a trial, I may have only been getting a placebo after all. And with my fear of this whole thing, I just couldn't see much of an advantage it that. I do worry that 4 rounds will be enough, but I am still having radiation after the chemo (it goes with the lumpectomy) and I am having 5 years of hormone therapy after all that. There was nothing visibile in my bone or CT scans, so anything in there still would be very small, microscopic anyway.
Thanks for sharing about your second round being better than the first and using the prevacid for 14 days first. I am having some heartburn and bloated feelings, but I am not sure how much may be from overstuffing on Thanksgiving day. I will definitely think about that, though. I am glad for you and hope things continue as well.
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Mirdibra- Thanks for sharing yur AC SE. My AC #2 is Wednesday, NOV 30th. I was really anxious, my imagination running wild, anticipating horrible additonal SE. I will be sending {{{HUGS}}} your way on Thursday, DEC 1st treatment. Hope your SE are minimal.
Bethu77- Can't help you with the buring in your throat, I have not experienced the SE (yet). I just started heartburn yesterday after I foolishly ate eggplant with tomato sauce. What was I thinking! I am still chewing on Tums as we speak. I am considering a bland diet to minimize or eliminate the heartburn. It's going to be tough since I love to eat!
Tskaiser75- Welcome. I, much like you, received unexpected pathology results after my BMX OCT 14th. Well here we are- both going on this unexpected journey together. I already had my 1st chemo treatment & I can honestly say that the reality of chemo & SE was not nearly as bad as I imagined.
Yaya5- Thanks for the SE management info. It is encouraging that you were able to keep your SE to a minimum. I was just what the doc ordered
. I'm sure it will really come in handy over the next 4 months. Did I say 4 months? Ugh!!! OK OK, -- enough of worrying about tomorrow! positive thoughts coming your way.0 -
I started my chemo a week and a half ago. Everything seemed fine, but 5 days later I started having to go into the infusion center for IV fluids. I wasn't taking my medications for nausea and pain seriously enough, and 2 days after that I was in the hospital with uncontrollable vomiting. NOT fun! I got out on Thanksgiving day and have been painstakingly careful with my care. No dairy, rare cup of coffee, pain and nausea meds on time.
My oncologist is excellent, and her staff is extremely responsive and supportive, and I consider myself very, very lucky to have them have my back. I understand, from what they've said, that my chemo reactions are unusually strong, and that most chemo patients, when they follow regimens, don't need as much meds as I do and are just mostly tired.
I don't want to paint any pictures on this forum. I want to be frank about what's happening to me. It's the only way I can really help anybody else out.
I hope that on Monday I'll be well enough to go for a wig, because that's been recommended. I'm going to follow all advice from my crew. ALL of it!!
Meanwhile, words of advice: Laugh out loud, and often!
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Wrkn - oh my! Glad you have a team you can trust. Hoping your SE's calm down for you.
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I guess that there is nothing to be done about the blah tastes of everything. It looks like that is pretty much one side effect that everyone has. I can't taste anything except just barely chocolate milk. I can taste the sweet in it. But I certainly can't taste the other seasonings in anything. I thought about getting Mexican or pizza, but if it would just taste the same as everything else, then why bother? Any ideas, anyone? I feel bad complaining about this because some of you have had so much worse side effects, but it just seems like that if you can treat yourself to some special foods when you are feeling bad, then the rest of whatever is making you ill doesn't seem as bad. Remember, popsycles when we were little? They were great after that bowl of special chicken noodle soup and crackers my mama would make for me.
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Wrkn ~ Wow, you have really had a rough time. Hope it all resolves and you feel better every day. I am going to take my meds for more this next cycle (my 2nd as well) to try and avoid some issues as well.
Bahamamom ~ I seriously understand about the taste of everything, except I can not get rid of the metallic taste. Yuck! There are very few things that have a normal taste for me and it's hard to eat when everything tastes that way. I was told that no matter what your starting weight for chemo, they didn't want a patient to lose weight during the process. May be tricky if this taste issue doesn't get better. I read somewhere that icing your mouth during the chemo may ease the metallic taste later...gonna try that out next time. You are right, there are lots of worse SEs other people have, so I guess we just have to do our best to overcome this. And, oh, how I wish my Mom were still here to entice me with all the great stuff she used to make when we didn't feel well!
Hope you are all having a great Sunday!
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Good Afternoon Ladies
Today is day two after my second treatment and so far so good. I got the neulasta shot this time. Last treatment doctor said I didn't need it then I needed booster shots. So far no bone pain.Nothing tastes good at all. Hopefully that will go away.
Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend and healing along.
Denise
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I forgot to mention the daily nupagen regimen they have me on, which is causing me severel spinal pain. Evidently my levels should have been at 1,500, but were at 0.013 when I went into the hospital and were up to 330 by the time I left.
Meanwhile, I'm just keeping on, keeping on. Had a blue moment just now and the first thing I thought, after thinking yeah, I'm getting tired of having bad things happen to me, was I should come over here and see what the rest of you are up to.
I hope your Sunday is a decent day - or better.
BTW, right now I'm only able to enjoy turkey. I don't know if that's an amazingly lucky coincidence or it has something to do with the holiday and comfort food, but all this protein and tryptophan is definitely helping in a LOT of ways. I can't recommend mashed potatoes and gravy enough, also.
Stay safe, everyone.
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WRKN - I too am on a daily regiem of neupegen. One shot a day for ten days after each round of chemo. So far it has kept me out of the hospital this time! I also take Gabapentin for joint and bone pain so I think that may have kept me out of the pain realm this time.
I hope food starts tasting better for you soon too! I approach each meal optimitically, hoping that I will love the meal. Some I just can not eat! The best thing I had this week were smoothies. I had on yesterday that was orange, pinapple, mango, banana and yogurt. It tasted awesome. However the lovely dinner my daughter made of salmon, rice, asparagus, zuchinni and dill sauce fell short of the mark and I ate very little.
Oh well - next week food should taste better!!!
Hope everyone is having a great weekend and getting lots of rest!!
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Yesterday was sooo bad for me. I cried all day. This happened to me a couple of days after my last treatment. I did sleep off and on all night and napped today. Today I asked my husband to take me out of the house for a while. We went to the store to get some snacks that I thought I could eat.. It seems I have a lot of depression this time. Is anyone else experiencing depression issues and how are you handling it?
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Hi all,
I am sorry, I know m last post seem "all anout me" but I ws ready to literally pull out what little hair I had left ( which aint much, ha ha.) I have tiny blisters now, and washing and drinking more water and trying to avoid sugar is a crazy notion. The ony thing that tastes good to me and that I can seem to kep down i whipping cram and fruity pebbles ceral and It acturlly tastes good. I know, not good. I actually put a ice bag 'down there" and have been diligently washing and drinking what water i can keep dwown, I am going to crawl into my onc office tommorrow and scream until I no longr feel like I have sandpaper and blisters betwen my legs. I hear some of the things you other ladis are going through and it makes me fee like I am whining.
Bethu- ((((hugs)))), it seems I have a worse time dealing with the outside things while I am feeling worse. It is ok to cry my co dependant book says so. so cry. I have depression issues but had them before I was diagnosed, my 1st husband passed away on Dec 5th. I deal with it usually by crying, and I dont care who sees- thy arent me and if it makes you feel better, then do this- you still have a wonderful heart and soul. I l also feel the burning in my thoat, when the food is going downwel and back up if it happens that way.another thing to tak to dr about? Gonna make a note of it.Every time i tried to eat turkey the last couple days, right back up it came. didnt taste great either. I am one of those people who hurt, i dont eat, or if im upset i dont eat. The cereal and sweet tooth has helped tho.
TsKaiser, welcome,wish you didnt have to be here, but now that you are i am gad to meet you.
I am so glad, or I should e, it counds ike so many of you have issues ten times worse than mine. I have no mouth sores yet, but gargle with a little peroxide ery day and brush religiously.
And all you wonderful ladies that are working, I am amazed, i dont know how i would work, I can barely walk. thats is fantastic.
ElJaye, Thank you or the tip on te canistan cream- over the counter? or dr? I know I am mising people I dont ean to miss, Grandma v- hope your counts are up up up.
Mostly I apprciate all of you ladies on this site, I can talk about stuff like this with very many of my friends, I am sur alot wont get it anyway. I hope I havent offened anyone, by missing you.
I will write tommorrow and let evryone nows what dr. says if I can get ahold of her/
(((((((((((((((((((((Connie))))))))))))))))))))))))
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