Starting chemo July 2014
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Slappy----u'r hats are adorable and I just want to wish all of u and keepon wishing u all little SE's and little worries.
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Thought I would join in. I started chemo Adriamycin/Cytoxan about two weeks ago. My next one is on Friday.
I didn't think it would kick me in the butt like it did but I don't think I have ever been so tired in my life! The good news
is that I felt much better a week later. I read lots of the *how to prepare* stuff so I felt pretty good about what to expect.
I am just keeping my chin up for now and even got in the gym today. My hair is shedding like crazy and it's hard to face the fact
that I will be bald soon. I guess that is what hats and wigs are for! Hope everyone else is doing well.
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MomtoIrishQ, my diarrhea hit about the 10th day or so, so you're right about the same time frame. And the INCREDIBLY PAINFUL GAS!! I'm such a baby with gut pain. Hit the Imodium, as often as necessary. Don't think it's going to pass like a 24 hour flu or something, because it's not. You've got to get it under control. I now keep Gas-X and Imodium next to me at all times. Everything I eat starts rumbling. I'm staying away from roughage but it doesn't seem to matter. MO called in a rx for a sublingual tab that's for abdominal cramping and pain. But mostly the Gas-X is working for that. Get it under control.
Shirley, I'm so glad you are enjoying the yarn, and so many of our July sisters will benefit as well. I'm relieved for you to have escaped this nightmare, but so glad you showed up and became part of the group. You will be an honorary July sister now. Or maybe we should call you our cap angel.
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Leaving in about half an hour for first round of AC. I will report back as soon as I can. Good luck to scared42, JoeysMommy, pinkninja9560 and Dancingdiva today!
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Hi, everyone-
I'm reading through the replies with interest!
I spoke with the oncologist's office yesterday, and we are GO for chemo this Friday, July 18. I'll be doing TAC (Taxotere, Adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide), every three weeks, six rounds.
Since my axillary dissection, I've managed to eat pretty healthily (though this has never been a real challenge for me) and get some exercise. I wanted to go into chemo "strong," and I hope it's been enough! I'm glad to have a start date, but still bewildered about what to expect. Everyone seems to have such different reactions...except, of course, feeling like you've been hit with a bag of hammers for a week or so...
I'm very glad to have this forum!
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Good luck to all of you starting chemo today, hope everything goes smoothly and you have minimal side effects!
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Magdalene,
Hope you are feeling better. I will stay with this group even though I'm not doing chemo. My nurse told me to expect chemo because of the tumor size, so I'm really happy not to have to do it. Of course I'm in the "grey" area so I'm still second, third, and fourth guessing myself. But my DH pointed out that I'm very chemical sensitive and the chemo could really hurt me because of that. I still have 2 more surgeries to get through and 5 years of the anti-hormonal drugs or maybe longer. In the meantime, crochet has helped me to save my sanity as I use it to help me with the hurry up and wait for tests, results, surgery, etc. that this roller coaster has me on. And I'm happy to share the hats with my BC sisters. If you've asked for a hat and haven't PM'ed your address, please do so. I'll get them in the mail soon.
Shirley
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Fayette, it seems we are on the same protocol, which of course does not mean we'll have the same side effects! But I do want to caution you, since you are starting on a Friday, don't let your side effects get the better of you just because it's a weekend. Remember your clinic will have someone on call to get prescriptions for side effects should you need them. Stock up on Claritin if you're getting a Neulasta shot (and when would you get it?) and don't forget Imodium and Gas-X. For me the diarrhea and gas cramps were much worse than the nausea, which was just an irritant. I had to switch from orange juice to apple juice and from coffee to tea, but I don't really have a metallic taste as much as just a strange odor when I breathe through my nose. Can't identify it but it is awful. And joints ache more than usual.
Other than that, chemo is a breeze, right, ladies? (Sorry I don't have a sarcasm font.
)However, being without estrogen might just do me in, or someone I live with.
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good luck to everyone today.
Special shout out to kpmacmil, my capping buddy!! My only advice? Take the pain killer :-)
I am still sleepy!! Ridiculous. And have experienced most of the other SEs by now (headache, bone aches, heartburn, lots of GI unrest) but thankfully all have been manageable. Not fun, but manageable.
My warmest wishes to all of my July sisters, esp those having a tough time emotionally as well as physically.
My best advice is to call the MO with any side effects ASAP, and don't be afraid to take the extra drugs (I made this mistake one day - like it would somehow be weak to take them, and I suffered).
I did ask them to increase Ativan to 1mg - makes me sleep like a baby at night (who knows maybe this is part of why I am sleepy all day too??).
Peace
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Hats off (literally!) to those sisters who start chemo today.
Mags - thanks so much for the tips on Immodium and GasX - I'll go pick them up. You are soooo right. I keep thinking every day that it will go away and it's not. The worst part is that it burns and that really knocks me out. And today the acid reflux thing has reared it's ugly little head, too. The gas doesn't bother me - just the burning other stuff (I guess that's the poison!) For those who don't get SEs - I'm convinced that they didn't get any poison darts. Seriously....how can one person feel so bad and the next feel fine? I don't get it.
On a positive note - I got my hair cut short today. I love it! (thank goodness). I wish I would have gotten it done sooner as I'm sure it'll be much easier to take care of. (I barely brushed it the last week - it looked so bad!). So if any of you are thinking about it - just do it! It's probably better to do it before your face gets bloated like mine. I was singing the blues last night - but feeling a bit brighter today. It could have something to do with the fact that I finally took a closer look at the oncatype numbers and I've decided not to continue with chemo. I think the difference is not that great (if my failing eyesight is reading the chart right - it's 5% vs. 7% reoccurance rate). I guess I started the race, dropped out and now going to collect the t-shirt early (my bald head). Sorry guys.....I'm so sorry for those that don't have a choice. I'm sure there are ways to mitigate the side effects but I know this is the right thing for me. I haven't talked to my doctor yet - but baring her telling me that to do one session is going to increase my risk - that's the end of the chemo road for me. I'll still be here to support all of you (along with Squirrel) as I know how hard this is. I'll be the one cheering you on with the water cups along the route with no hair, Squirrel's beautiful purple cap and a bright pink t-shirt on (and hopefully without an Immodium bottle in my other hand).
Deb/Irish Mom
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Rain,
Glad you are hanging in there.
Re: Ativan - my husband has a brain injury and takes Ativan when he feels a seizure coming on or when he has stress in order to pre-empt a seizure (he's had a lot of that lately with me and losing his job) - at any rate - when he take .5 mg it slows him down - he slurs his words - when he takes 1 mg he sleeps most of the day - so YES, the Ativan is what is making you drowsy - no doubt about it. But, I don't think that's a bad thing.....you are not missing any fun times! If I were to do it again, I'd take Ativan. A friend of mine said that she took it and slept through most of her chemo days.
Deb
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haha - thanks Momto,
I am also pretty much ok with sleeping through it. It's weird, but I am not suffering too much when asleep :-)
I am sorry to hear it's been so rough on you - but happy you have made a decision you are happy with. Let us know how it goes with your MO, very curious about response. Thinking of you!
One other thing for others suffering acid reflux - my MO wrote me a script for Nexium. It's magic.
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I tried the Imodium liquid but that was awful. I have the multi-symptom relief caplets and they do the trick. Same gas ingredient as Gas-X so it helps with that too.
I have taken omeprazole (generic Prilosec) nightly for ages, to counteract the effect of Celebrex on the stomach, so haven't had heartburn. (It's pretty cheap at Sam's.)
Deb, can you hear my enormous sigh of relief for you? I wish I had that option. Here's what my MO said about my statistical chances of being cancer free in ten years: with surgery alone 17%; with surgery, rads, and hormone suppression therapy, 44%; with all that plus chemo 59%. So chemo gives me an extra 15%, which is nothing to sneeze at.
Good luck today, scared, JoeysMommy, kpmacmill, pinkninja, and dancingdiva. Thinking about you today.
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That is so generous and nice of you to be giving these caps out.
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thanks! Let me know if you are doing chemo and want one.
Shirley
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Good luck to all who are starting Chemo today
the count down begins after #1 (((Hugs)))
Michelle
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My husband and I just got back from chemo school. It was emotionally harder than I would have predicted.
Despite all my reading here (I read every word of the April chemo group, most of May and all of June and July), I was totally overwhelmed by chemo school. I kept saying, and trying to think, "I can do this, I am basically healthy, I am in great physical condition, I have a positive mind set." But it was still a lot to carry. FWIW, there were no surprises, just an accumulation of SE and cautions.
After an hour with my MO's practice nurse, we went in to see the infusion room. Very nice, lots of windows and space, TVs in each bay. The infusion nurse looked at my veins and recommended a port. Damn! In addition to having been so very sure I wouldn't need a port, I simply don't like the idea of this thing in me for 16+ weeks. Being totally blindsided left a hollow feeling.
I am still waiting to hear from the scheduler. I am hoping to have the port placed on Wednesday and start chemo Wednesday or Thursday. I want to get started ASAP in order to get finished!
Thinking of all my chemo sisters who have already gone through so much and wishing them peace, strength and a good night's sleep.
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Hi, gals.
Got my melon buzzed today. #1 -- right down to the wood. It feels very liberating and I feel totally empowered.
GI Jane, eat your heart out!
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Rose, I think you will be happy to have a port when all's said and done. I know how you feel though, I felt totally violated by having that THING in me! And it was a few weeks before I could reach across my chest with that arm, or sleep on that side. But I don't even feel it now. And since the surgical nurse blew out a vein trying to place the IV for the port placement procedure, and had to call in a phlebotomist to do it, the decision to have a port was justified right there. First chemo, they used a freezing spray to numb it to take the other half of the port, but I asked for and got a rx for Emla, the lidocaine cream. Apply a couple hours before chemo, cover with plastic wrap, and it should be good and numb when I get poked. I'm happy my veins won't be subjected to the chemo, as they are really getting old. I used to give blood when I was younger, that won't happen again.
Mumford - rockin the bald!
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Mags, thanks for the reminder about getting a script for Emla. I read about this weeks ago, but didn't retain it, that's how sure I was of not needing a port.
I am very sorry you have had such a tough time. I remember reading you early in the month and thinking we had a similar positive outlook and that you would do just fine. And, therefore, so would I. I wanted, badly, for this to be mind over matter and I feel pissed that it isn't.
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Oh Rose, honey, please don't use my experience as a yardstick. You will do just fine. Remember, I started out with a lot of physical challenges before BC, which hopefully you don't have. And I LET myself get down in the pit. No one pushed me. (Well, DH a bit.) And I forgot the two really important things: stay ahead of the SEs, and find things to make you laugh.
It really IS mind over matter. I'm the one who failed. You don't have to.
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Mags- just so you know, I broke down and cried several times during the first 2 days after treatment and didnt think I could keep going with more treatments. I also had thoughts of quitting my job but thats where my insurance comes from so that was a hopeless avenue. I just felt desolate. Now Im ready to try to be more prepared and get ahead of the side effects next time.
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Also, I forgot to say...at chemo school, I received prescriptions for the prevention of nausea and vomiting:
Omeprazole, to take every day while on chemo
Compazine, on a schedule, for three days after both the A/C and the Taxol. And, as needed after the first three days.
Decadron, on a schedule, for three days after the A/C.
Ativan, if needed.
Zofran, if all else fails.
And, apparently, I get Emend and a steroid, in the infusion the day of each treatment.
Echocardiogram is Tuesday, port placement is Wednesday, and the first chemo is either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday.
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Hello all. I am the newest member, I suppose. Just had a lumpectomy w/ 1 positive lymph node on June 20th. 1st round of AC chemo was on July 11th. 2nd round coming up on July 24th. Med Onc hitting me w/ Dose Dense Chemo treatment. I am trying to work half days 8-12p, then come home to rest...however days 3-5 are the worst! Very nauseous, tired, weak, have heartburn...and the Zofran makes me dizzy. I pray for strength. It has to get better! I am thankful to have this forum to vent.
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And remember, everyone reacts to chemo differently.
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Shirley
I would Love the dark cotton green cap . Do you still have it?
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BTW I'm feeling ok for now just a headache and very tired !
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So glad to hear that good report, Mommymel!
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Mommymel, That's one gone already. How about this dark green/blue one or this green one?
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Here's the other green one. I also have a green on posted on page one you might like. Tell me which one you want and PM me your address and I'll get one in the mail to you soon!
Shirley
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