Starting Chemo June 2014
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getting ready to start chemo today! Fear of the unknown, going to get through this. I keep telling myself this will all be a bad memory soon enough.
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Good luck Cammy!
Here's an interesting one... though I don't have actual mouth sores, I do have these painful taste buds that turn white. I've had them before for a day or two when I've been constipated in the past, but these are hanging around. I don't feel constipated. If anything, I've had quite the opposite problem!
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Well I have a completely random new SE. I noticed when showering tonight that the inside inner top of my thighs, closest to my lady parts, is bruised. Honest to goodness, there are spots on both sides that look like my 94 year old grandmother's arms. It's got the look of super thin, bruised skin. WTF? Not like that area has gotten any action in the last few weeks, not exactly feeling sexy lately, and this new look definitely isn't helping.
In other news, still feel fine, but stayed cooped up in the house today to avoid potential germs. I'm going to go stir crazy if this becomes a new thing. My chemo scarves arrived today. I cried when I got the package, then laughed like a mad woman trying them on. I'm really not sure I can rock the look. Think I'll head out wig shopping next week.
Radical, sorry about the mouth issues. I've been a toothbrushing, mouthwash gargling nazi. I also use a tongue scraper once a day. No mouth issues and my taste buds haven't abandoned or flipped on me, yet.
Cammy, hope your first infusion went well! It's honestly, in my experience, a pretty boring non-event. I go back Thursday for #2 of 8. I'll be 1/4 of the way done this time next week!
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Radical, that sounds like thrush. Easiest solution is mouth rinse with baking soda and salt, but if you do a search for home remedies for thrush, you'll find a bunch more. My cousin made me use food-grade H2O2 as a rinse when I had it and it went away, though the funny taste lingered a while. But I didn't get mine from chemo, just antibiotics. Oh, also, yogurt every day to maintain the balance of bacteria. Thrush happens when the natural balance of bacteria is off.
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Mag, just what I always wanted...a yeast infection in my mouth! I did start eating my yogurt again yesterday and I've been dabbling hydrogen peroxide on the effected area twice a day before brushing and rinsing. It's better today, but not gone. I think I'll up my normal mouth routine to 3x a day too. I think you guys are right...it's gotta be a susceptibility to bacteria thing!
Along the same lines, I noticed yesterday that my shoulders, upper back and chest are breaking out with acne. In college I was on antibiotics for the acne on my face...might need to take 3 showers a day too! Boy, I'm going to be one sexy sight by the time this is over!
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talk to your dr about the mouth sores. My dr gave me a mouthwash that made it all disappear within hours! It's Muguard or something like that. My insurance doesn't cover it, so they gave me a sample bottle. It's like $2,000 for the bottle! But it works, maybe your dr has samples.
Feeling very nauseous, stomach very nervous. I didn't get this witth TCH.
Anyone hear about our Ph being off and having too acidic of an environment? Started to read about it and it makes sense. We are on vacation, but I will be shopping for supplies we in town later to try and see if small changes will make a difference in my overall feeling.
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Radical,
I had the same thing. The Greek yogurt plus trying to limit sugar (yeast loves sugar) for a few days worked for me. it was better the next day and totally gone the following day. Yogurt is my new best friend for the next couple of months!
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Thanks gals! I'll tell my doc, but the yogurt seems to be key! Started clearing up quickly once I started having a yogurt breakfast and snack.
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This is my first post to the boards. I'm a 35 yr old mother to 3 that felt a lump and was diagnosed in April. I chose to have a double mastectomy With SNB May 29th. 21 lymph nodes taken and only 1 positive- but triple negative which if I am honest scares the heck out of me. I started chemo June 25th- 4 treatments of ac and then another 4 (I have to go back and look up what it is called.)
Unfortunately, chemo and I don't get along. I was immediately nauseated after leaving, even though I was premeditated with all "the good stuff" because of a history with nausea. I spent the next 2 days in bed swearing I wouldn't do it again. I also got crippling headache, double vision from nausea medication and seem to be getting some type of sore throat /mouth lesions. I was incredibly healthy before this bump in the road and I'm not use to be ing affected by side effects so I feel like my world is spinning out of control..
I'm hoping being active on this board will help .
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Jen78
So sorry you're experiencing these side effects
My wife just had her second cycle and has severe neck pain and headache as well
It really stinks .... but as each treatment goes by you begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel
As everyone is told us we go day to day and we look forward to getting this over with
We wish you minimal side effects and encourage you to be strong and fight this beast with all you have
Even my wife, did this morning "it's so difficult not being able to be who I was three months ago"
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Jenvan, I was also immediately nauseated after my first round of A/C, it was awful. Talked with the chemo pharmacist and we tried Olanzapine for round 2 and it worked like a charm. It's an anti-psychotic recently added to the protocol - I take it the night before and for two nights after and for round 3 I did not need any of my anti-nausea home prescriptions of Zofran or Compazine. Are you getting the Nuelasta shot? That is causing headaches/extreme body aches for me a day later and I am still working on a solution for that debilitating side effect, including acupuncture. Some have success taking Claritin for the bone pain starting the day of chemo and continuing daily for 5-7 days after, and although this has not been helpful for me but it's worth a try! I'm pretty heathy overall as well, so it is definitely a severe change to feel like shit!
Homehelp is right...each treatment gets us closer to being done - there is light at the end.
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Hey Everyone,
I have not had a Neulasta shot. Is that something I am supposed to get or only if counts are low? I haven't even been spoken to about it....seems like maybe I am supposed to get it?
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my wife had the Neulasta shot after each cycle so far
It does cause bone pain headache and neck pain
Because she doesn't weigh very much she only had one half of the dose
She does take Claritin and I suppose with half the dose and the Claritin the pain is somewhat better than it might've been with a full dose
We were not given a choice and followed the oncologist order
We did not want to delay our cycles if we could and try our best to make sure that the white blood cell count would not get too low
What really thinks about this whole processes just when you start feeling better you get hit and knocked down again
But going one day at a time and believe me I watch the calendar counting the days until that last treatment
And when we get a good day we are very appreciative for that good day
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CanuckMom, it depends on what chemo you are taking I believe. I am on dose dense AC currently, every two weeks. The Neulasta stimulates bone marrow to grow white blood cells and I will continue with the shot after each dose dense Taxol treatment as well.
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Jen, I'm sorry you are having such a hard time with it. Yesterday was a bad day for me, too. I'm so depressed and worn out by nausea and headache all the time. The meds make it mild nausea and headache, but it never really goes away, plus I'm bored from being stuck home all the time because I don't have enough energy/stamina to leave the house for more than an hour or two at a time. I've gotten to the point where I don't know if I can do this for another 11 weeks. Yesterday I decided I'm going to tell myself that I'm done, and I don't really have to decide if I'll go back until the day before my next treatment. If I don't feel trapped in this maybe I can manage the next 13 days well enough that I'll have the courage to take another treatment.
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Jenvan, so sorry your first treatment was so rough. I hope your doc can make some adjustments so you can get thru this treatment, especially since you are triple negative.
Nola, I hope next week is better for you. I definitely felt better this week than I did the first week after my treatment. Am hoping I feel totally normal this week so I can go into round 2 feeling like myself. Hang in there!
I was wondering about the neulasta shot too. I am on TC and my onc didn't mention anything about it. A friend who had the same regimen said where she was treated it depended on your white blood cell count as to whether or not it was administered. Guessing its the same at my hospital. I think the steroids I take the day before, the day of and day after are supposed to help with the white blood cell counts.
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I hope your first treatment goes well with min SE's cammychris!
Thanks for your replies about Neulasta! I have AC every 3 weeks, not 2, so maybe that's why I haven't had the shot...
I was thinking I would post the things that I found help me through this, in case anyone is interested. I have had extremely painful heartburn. For this I take Zantac and I eat a lot of ginger (ginger tea, ginger cookies but especially pickled ginger seems to really help). I have a case of Gatorade to stay hydrated. I also have nestle pure life flavoured water since reg water tastes gross to me right now. If I can't sleep due to nausea/heartburn I take an Ativan (anti-anxiety prescription). I really recommend having this on hand in case you need it...I only take if necessary because I know it is addictive but it does help get u through the initial days post chemo and also seems to help get rid of nausea. I have biotene mouthwash and have no mouth sores so far (also sucked on Ice during first infusion). Keep a tube on monistat on hand in case you feel a yeast infection coming on (catch it early, we are prone to this too, due to a shot immune system).
Anyone else have any tips I'd love to hear them...I think I'll be getting some yogurt too based on other posts. Love to all..we will get through this!!!!
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I had my first round of TC on 6/18/14. It was very tolerable. The worst thing was i did get a fever on day 4 but it was not high enough to have to go to the hospital. Can anyone share if they found they had different effects with each treatment or were they all pretty much the same?
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JenVan78,
I'm a Jen too. I assume 78 is your birth year. Mine is too, but I'm January so I'm 36. I am also triple negative. Now that I got all that twin stuff out of the way...
My oncologist told me to call about any side effects. He said there is literally a pill for any se I experience. Call. Tell them everything. Things can be adjusted to make round 2 more bearable.
Your first 4 rounds are ac, I'm guessing your last 4 are taxol like most of us young triple negative gals. No promises, but everyone I know said taxol has far fewer side effects. I'm not there yet so I'm just passing on the info. Look at it this way...only 3 more rounds of the nasty ac!
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jenvan, I have the same history of nausea and was a complete wreck about the chemo for that reason. They armed me with the big guns but I was nauseated by the time I got in the car. The second one I asked if they can give me the patch (scolpomine ) behind my ear to help with the nausea and it was like night and day. I'm not going to say I was perfectly fine, but 90% better for sure. I've also heard that extra fluids help, I have them double the fluids because I get headaches. and I think this time I'm going to go back for more fluids and see if it helps with the fatigue.
Ddkath
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Radical2Squared, I had the same acne breakout after my first chemo cycle of TC with Herceptin and Perjeta and my dr. called it 'folliculitis'.....acne. She said it likely came from the steroid I was on during the three days at treatment time. It has cleared up.....I washed with mild soap and water and within a few days it improved on its on. I've just had treatment #2 out of 6 and so far, so good this time!
On the other hand, I'm struggling with burning when urinating! Last cycle I had 2 urinalyses and the second one showed an infection. The antibiotics were finished about the same time as my 2nd treatment came around and a day later I was burning again. I think the chemo is burning me in that area, no much how much water I'm pushing. Anyone else experiencing this?
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I finished my first AC last Friday. I am getting the A split in 2 doses in 2 days with the C on Friday. I took Emend, dex and Zofran and I didn't get nausea. But oh the fatigue. My scalp is tingling now.
I had varicose veins why I was pregnant and they thought I had a DVT twice. Well, I got phlebitis in my leg after chemo. Seriously, my leg has been the worst part. It's hot and I'm wearing compression stockings up to my thighs
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Fiona, I heard to use a squeeze bottle of water to rinse yourself after. Don't know, myself.
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Fiona, I have heard other ladies say to use a spray bottle with water to rinse. I've also read to use wet wipes instead of toilet paper.
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Canuck - call your onc and ask for an RX for heartburn/acid reflux. I could've peeled wallpaper with the heat in my throat, and I called my doc. They called in an RX for Prilosec (Omnepraezol) prescription strength, and it works like a champ. I had been using the Pepcid AC Max, but that was not cutting it. Seriously, don't suffer with that. Call your doc!
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been reading about being too acidic and having ph balance off. This plays into all the heartburn and indigesgetion I've been having. The acupuncturist described all this as internal heat. Makes sense, my breath is really really hot . Anyway, husband comes home the other day asking me if I've read anything about the acid/alkalinity being off. Surprisingly I have. So tried an experiment on myself.. My onc. Doesn't wasn't me taking any supplements. So doing this the natural way. I've been drinking lemon eater all day instead of anything else and the first glass in the am has 1/4 tsp of baking soda in it....can you believe my intestinal tract feels so much better after just 3 days? From what I read this "cleanse" should be done thru out treatment. It's natural and can't hurt, figured I would share.
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Thanks KimmyD78 & Basia - I will talk to the oncologist about a prescription and try the lemon water thing.... That heartburn has been an ongoing problem and so painful! Lol, Basia, at first I thought you meant lemon eater as in gin, haha but then I realized you meant water...too funny!
Does anyone else have swollen ankles...hurts for me to walk after a while ( reminds me of when I was pregnant).
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please someone tell me it's going to get better??? It is day 4 (nuelesta day also) Day 2 night to today pretty bad nausea . I am hoping someone can give me ideas how long they were nauseas for maybe just for a light at the end of this tunnel.
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Cammy call your MO. They should be able to give you something to control the nausea. It took me about a week after my first infusion to feel somewhat better.
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it takes me about a week after treatment to start feeling normal. If you are nauseous, call your MO, there are Meds for it.
Canuck...too funny. Damn auto correct changed water to eater. I have to say it's only been a couple days and my heartburn it's so much better, could also be the timing, treatment was last Monday so I usually start feeling better by the following Sunday.
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