Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013
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tobycc ... my nails are still fully intact after round 2 but are very sore underneath the nail. No discoloring or anything. A friend of mine said hers basically "lifted" away from the beds, mostly at the tips/sides,but never fell off. Maybe that's whats happening to you??
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My nails are still here. My fingernails have white arcs, similar to a tree growth ring, that correspond to each round of chemo. My nurse said this happens frequently.
I'm feeling stronger now, but that fourth round of CT REALLY took it's toll. I was left too weak to feed myself, which lead to other unpleasant side effects. I'm much better now, but I felt like I was dying. No other way to describe it.
I'm having problems with my vision. I can't see as well, and my eyes water all the time, resulting in blurry vision.
Also, it seems like my heart hurts. Can't think of another way to describe it.
Anyone else have anything like this?
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I took two days off from thinking about cancer (or at least tried to, which was wonderful) and read all the new posts tonight - so helpful! Chemo #1 tomorrow, so hydrating, organizing and preparing. Wig ordered. I went with the suggestion of using pot holders and ice bags for feet and toes to ice during taxotere, as well as the Hard as Nails and dark polish, so will let you all know how it goes.
Right now most concerned about the joint/bone pain after the Neulasta shot - I will use the claritin and aleve. any other ideas to deal with that pain?
Tomorrow, I will be thinking about all I've learned on this forum and your positive thoughts. My best to anyone else having chemo this week for an easy week.
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Poppyk: I don't know if it will help your eyes, but I use the CVS brand of single dose lubricant eye drops. I use them a few times a day (including first and last thing) and they seem helpful with blurred vision. Hope that helps.
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Ratherbecooking,
I also found that gentle movement such as yoga helps, and wearing compression hose. Also, feel free to nap a lot! And take hot showers. Good luck tomorrow! Will be sending good wishes your way!
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Ratherbecooking, You can do chemo...think positive!!! My pain from the Neulasta shot was mostly in my legs. I tried to keep moving, slowly, but I did keep moving. Stairs were the worst!!!! My Claritin and Aleve did help, but when I really hurt a warm blanket and a nap felt wonderful.
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Ratherbecooking, I'll be thinking of and praying for you tomorrow! I avoided the Neulasta shot, but it sounds like you are prepared... and the wonderful ladies here have given you great advice to manage the Neulasta.
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RatherbeCooking - be sure to take the Claritin the day before Neulasta and for a week after. And hydrate - drink, drink, drink. Good luck. The first one's always scary because as much as we prepare, it's a whole new experience.
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ratherbecooking...good luck and nurses are super attentive! I asked my doc if I could add another 1/2 Claritin to the one whole and he said I could...so after shot # 2 I took 1 1/2 Claritin after shot for a couple of days....took Claritin a few days before shot but just 1 a day....drink!! Soups, any fluid counts!! All the best to you and it is doable...I made those 6 months my "job"....took care of myself...but I have grown kids and was able to take a leave from work so I could just think about me! Not a lot of people are that fortunate....hang in there! Rosie
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ratherbecooking- Wishing you an easy time in the BGC aka Big Girl Chair today and minimal side effects!!!! Yes, the first round is quite an adventure since this is something you never have done before. However, you have many with you today and everyday. I know you may not feel like you are ready; but you are. Sending you many positive calming and healing thoughts and energy.
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Day 3 here, after TC #2.....this time having heartburn and "heart" issues....feels like it races with minimal exertion. Neulasta pain meant leaving work early but feel better just being back home.....was given Vicoprofen prescript this time. Was told that younger women mind the shot more....I'm 59, but they considered that young....beats me. My teeth actually ach too.....weird. Hoping for just one rough week, like the first time.....guess each trip to the chair probably brings new adventures though. Expecting my wig this week....the color is Tangelo.....I'll wait to post a pic then. Right now, I feel like I'm "all face"....hubs said I look like a minion...LOL! Keep checking in, ladies....I really appreciate being able to share what you/we are going through.
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Redhead01 Prilosec has done wonders for me as far as heartburn goes. I wish I'd taken it the first two rounds. Bone ache from Neulasta worse this time around. Ibuprofen not working as well as it did the last two times either. I'm dragging today. Holiday party at work today, I'll try to enjoy it as best I can
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redhead01 and sjacobs146 I hope you are both feeling better by today. everyone else thank you for all the support before TC #1.
TC #1 was Monday. It went generally ok except nurse was not experienced enough, messed up lower vein and then and went for too high a vein for #1.Concerned about this for future rounds and really want to avoid a port. will discuss with MO next week. btw I have great veins and was very hydrated.
neulasta shot tuesday. Tuesday and Wednesday just felt mild nausea and took zofran. taking aleve and claritin. lots of fluids and followed all the advise on this forum. thought I was doing pretty well.
Today is day 4 and feeling significantly worse. much more tired, achey, emotional. anyone else feel very emotional chemo week ? does the tiredness and achey usually get worse before it gets better?
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Ratherbecooking. All I can say is Day 4 sucks. Be sure to check you temp to make sure that the achyness is from Neulasta and not fever. I am always emotional the week following chemo becaus I feel so crappy and sorry for myself. It eventually gets better. By mid-next week, I'll be almost back to normal
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I spiked a fever yesterday and spent most of the night in the ER. Nothing serious turned up so far except for a possible UTI. They gave me Cipro and sent me home, thank God. In the ER from 11 pm to 4 am. They did a million tests including a chest X-ray, flu swab, blood cultures, urine test, blah blah blah. I feel like crap.
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sjacobs146 I am so sorry you ended up in the ER. what an awful night. rest today and hopefully you will feel better in a few days. thank you for offering support even when you aren't feeling well. did check temp. ok there.
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ratherbecooking, after my first tc, the worst day - felt flulike - was day 5 after infusion, 4 after neulasta. each of the 2 rounds since then, the worst day has moved up 24 hours. So last time worst day was 2 days post neulasta. After that crummy day, I start to feel quite a bit better. If trends continue my worst day after the last (love the sound of that!) infusion will be Christmas Day, but it's ok, I'll be so happy to be done.
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sjacobs, hope you are feeling much better!
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sjacobs, Hope the Cipro takes care of the problem. I got sick and had to go to the doctor, too. After a bunch of tests, she decided it is only a sinus infection and sent me home with antibiotics. I'm really hoping I (and you, too) don't end up with a yeast infection from these antibiotics.
Rather, My worst days were days 3-5 after infusion. BTW, I thought I would mention that the side effect that got worse with each infusion was the fatigue.
Wishing everyone the best!
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sjacobs - how are you doing today? poppyk hope you are feeling better today also
nottoday and poppyk - thank you so much for the information. day 5 after TC #1 today (day 4 after neulasta) and feel like yesterday. totally achey, completely exhausted. not much sleep. despite that is is tremendously helpful to hear that others experienced this pattern. gives me confidence that things will turn around before I go back to work next week. trying to wrap my head around doing this 3 more times, but for now focusing on getting through round 1. hearing from women on this forum is so helpful.
in case this helps others, I moved out of bedroom and am sitting in a sunny room looking outside. really helps me to remember there is a world outside of chemo and we will get back to it.
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Ratherbecooking- Yes.... it is good to remind oneself that there is a world out there beyond chemoland. It is these quiet glimpses of things to come for each after they are on the other side of chemo. You definitely have the pattern down about one may feel after having a round of this chemo regimen. I had my chemo on Tuesdays.... felt very energetic and fine Wednesday and Thursday (thank you Decadron aka steroid)... downhill slide on Friday.... bed rest on Saturday and Sunday and ready to go on Monday. Listen to your body.... if you are tired, take a little rest. Be easy on youself. Do try to get a little walk in everyday (helps the red blood cells). The taste buds usually went on vacation a few days after chemo but always returned the week before the next round. Keep drinking the fluids. As for the not sleeping..... it is what it is. I used to stay up really late because I couldn't sleep and watch mindless hours of Law and Order. The other thing I finally started doing was taking a Benedryl at night to help me get to sleep.
Wishing each of you in chemoland minimal side effects and a peaceful and calm weekend......
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Melrose, as always, has fantastic advice.
Rather, If Benedryl doesn't help you sleep, you might want to contact your MO to get something stronger. I did, and it made a world of difference for me. You will feel so much better with sleep and your body will recover so much faster.
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Hi everyone. I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this....
I finished chemo with C/T in June. And ever since then my allergies and reflux have both been going nuts. I have constant congestion in my ears, and a hoarse voice from congestion dripping down and acid coming up. So I'm bouncing back and forth between the ENT, GI doc, and allergist--each one suggesting I go see the other two!
I think we may finally have the reflux under control. But I'm on six different allergy meds, and it's not controlling it.
Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions? All words of wisdom appreciated....
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Susan456- I have yet to get my allergies under control. I take a Zyrtec at night when I feel like I can't stand the runny nose and allergy cough. I know it's my allergies since there are brief periods of no runny nose and no allergy cough. I do take Robitussin DM when the cough is driving me crazy. Other times, I may put a Ricola Lemon Mint cough drop or peppermint in my mouth to help settle the cough. I also use saline solution (Ocean Saline Spray). I change the a/c filters more often than i used to and always try to take a shower before going to bed to make sure that I have washed out the pollen from my hair. You may also want to change your pillowcase too since it can also be a pollen collector. The other thing I noticed is that the pollen counts where I live have gotten progressively worse which doesn't help either.
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I use many of the things that Melrose recommended. My saline solution is NeilMed Sinus Rinse kit - the spray bottle instead of the netti pot. I used to have a bunch of eye drops but I'm down to an occasional squirt of Visine with the itching gets too bad. Also keep your head elevated in bed, either with a wedge or a couple of pillows. That keeps the sinus drainage moving.
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Susan456....I can't believe you asked this question!! That has been ongoing for me as well since October 6!
I finished TAC June 2nd....radiation august 13 and returned to my classroom (kindergarten) august 25, so,I talk...A LOT! Each October I usually had a sinus/laryngitis issue...this time it was pretty bad and no antibiotic given...I also have silent reflux/allergies. Long story short, voice quality was not returning...October 21 MO visit and not much concern about stuffy, throat issue...day before thanksgiving went to my ENT who originally diagnosed me with silent reflux/allergies. He told me to get off of all my allergy meds, Flonase and to only use saline spray...he also increased my 40mg daily Prilosec to 60 mg BUT said reflux happens during the day so I should take 40mg in a.m. And 20 before last meal and of course follow guidelines for reflux and diet. He didn't think radiation to clavical area would have affected my throat, as I was concerned.
I have always had a bad cough stemming from reflux I think. I researched it and learned that silent reflux causes all sorts of congestion issues....following diet and guidelines for eating helps. I also think my ENT is the go to doc for this problem. Right now, 3 weeks after Prilosec increase, voice is back and coughing is not as bad ( hubby still thinks I cough a lot though!). It's super annoying to me and frustrating!! I alsowonder if chemo made it worse....
Soooo, getting off the drying up meds for " allergy" and using saline nose spray only and increase of reflux meds has helped ! Good luck! Rosie
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Thanks everyone--It feels good to know it's not just me.
Rosie, I am also a teacher, and croaked my way through the end of fall semester!
I get allergy shots, and had repeat allergy testing last Monday. My allergist is going to increase the dose of dust mites in my shot. We'll see if that helps. But we can't start that til after the holidays, because it involves going every week for six or seven weeks.
Hard to know if it's a coincidence that my allergies got so so much worse just then or if chemo caused it. But the timing seems pretty suspicious for me! It could be the chemo itself, the steroids, the hormonal changes.... But I guess in the end none of that is very helpful because it doesn't give any new insights into how to manage it.
Appreciate the support.
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I wish that I had good news to report, but this UTI still has me laid low. One of the SEs of Cipro is diarrhea, that started last night. More joy. I am resolving to drink more water today, I confess that I don't think that I've been drinking enough. Hard to drink when you're laying down. Today I will set myself up in a recliner and drink, drink, drink
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Sjacobs, Sorry to hear the UTI and now diarrhea are still haunting you. Are you taking something like Imodium?
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I am cautiously optimistic that I am getting better. I drank a lot today, urine is looking better and when it was time for ibuprofen, I didn't even feel it. I am taking Imodium as well, so hopefully that will tame the diarrhea. Feeling more cheerful too. Went to a friends house for dinner and we watched Miracle on 34th Street.
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