Starting chemo July 2014
Comments
-
Yay!! Today was my last chemo tx #4. I am done!! Glad to get this all behind me. Its been 5 months from start Mammogram on 4/21 (four days after my 40th birthday) to finish last chemo 9/23.I've had so many issues with nausea that today they added Aloxi and Emend to my pre-chemo IV drugs. Has anyone had experience with either or both and do they help with the nausea??
I noticed my little hair that was growing back on my head fell out. I guess the flip side of being finished with chemo is I can now anticipate full hair recovery. I'm going to try my best to stay on top of the SE this week and next and cant wait until my Naturopath appoint for the detox protocol. This will help with long term SE's, hopefully prevent re-occurrence, get my hair to start growing quicker and general good health.
Have a great day everyone. I'm going to go rest.
0 -
redheeledwomen - Congratulations! What a relief, I'm sure. Tomorrow is #4 for me, but unfortunately, I'm signed up for 6 sessions, so I'll only be 2/3 of the way there. I'm jealous!
0 -
hey everyone I just finished my last A/C today. I am so glad that part is over. In 3 weeks I start weekly taxol. MO said weekly taxol will be easier. I sure hope so. Hugs to you all
Nancy
0 -
Congrats to everyone finishing up! Happy dance! Let's hurry up and get on with the rest of our lives! : )
0 -
red heel, I take Emend for the first three days of chemo and i don't usually feel nausea. It should do the trick.
0 -
redheeled: I've had aloxi and emend as premeds with all 4 of my chemo's, have had no nausea the entire time. Congrats to you and Nancy for finishing.
0 -
Pinkninja I feel your pain, I had a horrible day last week where I looked in the mirror and just burst out crying... which made my eyes poofy and did nothing for my appearance that I was already crying over.
Congrats to all of you that finished your treatment! :-)
I've been having neuropathy so bad that I haven't had barely any sleep the past two nights. Waiting for Dr to open for the day because I can't take another night of this!
0 -
redheeledwoman and Nancy -- Congrats on finishing chemo!
ChaosRains -- I'm barely maintaining some semblance of my appearance. I also have puffy eyes, but my eyelashes and eyebrows are getting sparse. I still paint the few lashes I have left, and I've been drawing in my eyebrows. But, they are looking phonier and phonier. Sorry to hear about your neuropathy; insomnia sucks no matter what causes it. Hope MO has some good ideas and that you'll be sleeping like a lamb soon.
0 -
redheeled - After my first infusion, I was so nauseated I cried for the first 3 days in misery but also because I knew I would have to give up the fight because I PERSONALLY CANNOT DEAL WITH NAUSEA. All the other s/e's I can tolerate...Fast forward to finding this website and the TCH discussion board where I learned all about Aloxi and Emend...My next infusion, I went in with a list of drugs that the other ladies on the discussion board were getting and asked if I was getting them also. Apparently, I was getting all but Emend. The onco added it that day and I haven't been nauseated since. I am so sorry you did not get it from the very beginning but happy you are at the end of this road.
0 -
I hope all who are finished got to ring a bell. For the others, home stretch is nearing...
We're doing this. We're getting it done!
0 -
Good morning Team July. Congratulations to all who have kept up the fight and rung the bell! So proud of all of you! I am down to the final count and pleased and relieved to report minimal SEs so far, and a full night's sleep in spite of the load of steroids. Some nausea last night but none this morning and was able to eat breakfast.
So sorry that some of you have had such a tough one. Pinkninja, I read your blog and it is so inspiring. I am right there with you. Redheeledwoman, I'm hoping the addition of emend has relieved the nausea.glad you got it added. Blownaway, I know what you mean about the one See you can't handle; for me it was the abdominal pain. Sitting on the toilet screaming from the pain (when no one was home, if they were I'd just bite my lip and bear it) but adding Bentyl to the mix and taking it regularly throughout has completely eliminated that and as a bonus it seems to minimize the D as well.
Praying for each one of you daily. Jennliza, please check in. Want to know how you've handled getting back to work and how you are doing with the pain.
Wishing everyone a SE-free fall day.
0 -
yes emend is good stuff. I told my MO that it should come in a 4 pack though. On day 4 when I don't have it I stick with Ativan and compazine. It helps. Last time on day 4 I went in for fluids that made a word of difference as they gave me more anti nausea meds which really helped a lot. I felt so much better after. So ladies think about fluids they can really help. I am going back on Friday for more fluids
Hope everyone is doing well. I too look very pale. I actually scared myself when I looked into the mirror yesterday. I usually have such nice color not anymore so I keep pinching my cheeks lol.
Nancy
0 -
Today was purging day. I've accumulated a stack of brochures and pamphlets and booklets from my cancer center and from the American Cancer Society. I looked through each one today, keeping the ones dealing with radiation and tossing the ones dealing with chemo IN THE GARBAGE. Did that ever feel good! It's time to read something else, like maybe a GoodHousekeeping or a Readers Digest, or an actual book, if I could just get my eyes to focus.
0 -
Puffin2014- Purging sounds like a great idea! I don't need the stuff about chemo anymore and may really help things sink in.KiLin- Hang in there you can do the last two and then be done with it.
0 -
Puffin - love it! I just did that, too. So freeing and really feels like you're moving on.
RedHeeledWoman - I also had both drugs the entire time and thankfully nausea was a distant enemy. I felt queasy at times but took the compazine and was okay.
ElaineTherese - my eyebrows are getting thinner and thinner. I think that's when I'll really look abnormal. Not looking forward to it either.
Chaos - I hope they're able to treat the neuropathy. I didn't get that SE but I can't imagine the pain. Fingers crossed that your doc steps up for you.
I love writing on these boards and hope that other people coming behind us learn about what to do, good ideas, etc. A way of giving back. I know when I was first diagnosed and found these boards it was a God send. I could see how real people handled things, not how the doctors say you're going to do.
Finished my fourth and last treatment today! Everyone else is excited but I'm really not. Yes, happy it's over, but as a TN chemo was my only weapon to fight the disease. I feel like now I just sit and wait. Plus I've still got a hysterectomy and reconstruction looming. Not as happy as I thought I'd be. Anyhow, I don't see my oncologist now for about a month! Another new normal...
0 -
Woohoo wallegator!
Onco prescribed lortabs for the pain, also neurontin but neurontin requires pre approval through insurance so it will take 4-5 days until I receive that... hopefully the lortabs keep things manageable until then! Just picked up the rx so will see how things go...
I took hotEpsom salt baths every few hours last night because it was the only thing I could think of that might help, have continued them through the day as well, I swear I must be the cleanest person in Texas!
When I spoke to the onco he said we may have to stop chemo before permanent nerve damage occurs. Not sure what that will mean for prognosis as I was supposed to finish out the red devil (2more) then go on to my 4 dense dose taxol before surgery and radiation.
Fighting this cancer with everything I have but it keeps fighting back! I have to look for the positives daily, sometimes more than once a day... to keep going. Thought that maybe it might be something we should start here too, as another way to motivate ourselves and each other.
My positives for the day:
1. My husband, he has been so worried about me he's been losing sleep as well but he gets up at the crack of dawn every morning and goes to work... he calls me from work just to see how my day is going. (Our 1 yr anniversary is October 4th so he got hit with the in sickness and health fairly early into our marriage)
2. My children and I are closer than ever since my diagnosis. They are children of divorce and had angst and anger for awhile but we have worked through all that and have an open honest loving relationship now.
3. There is a slight chill in the air in the mornings so my favorite season, fall, is coming along with my favorite holiday- Halloween!
0 -
hi everyone,
I went MIA for a few days and so much has happened!!
Chaos - love the list of things to be thankful for :-)
Here's mine:
1. My husband too. We've been together a long time, but this hits hard...the kind of thing which strains marriages or really brings home what is important. For us the latter, and I honestly don't think I could have done this without his tremendous support
2. My furbaby. We adopted a puppy a few weeks ago. Might be a silly time with me in chemo and all, but we fell in love with him and I am so excited to have him in the family
3. My home. We also bought a house just before my diagnosis. One upside of working from home a lot (when I am too sick to pull myself into the office) is that I have got to enjoy my new home :-) (and puppy!)
4. All of you. while we don't know each other in person, it's been amazing to have this group to support me through this (frankly pretty awful) time.
5. Light at the end of the tunnel - I am scheduled for final chemo on Friday. So fingers crossed bloods are good...
0 -
Hi ladies just want to pop up to see how everyone is doing..,
Chaos glad that you are keeping strong and looking for the good things ... I will try to do the same.
Coyote glad you feel better
Dancingdiva I feel awfull I have gain 12 pounds. Here is the problem I need to do my final reconstruction until the end of the year if I don't want to pay a new deductible , so I need to loose 20pounds until end of November if I don't want my boobs looseafter surgery . I'm so anxious that I'm eating more ... Have to do something about ..: I know is stupid that fighting cancer is what meters but I can't let it go is just dumb... I feel like an idiot doing everything wrong ...
On top of everything I feel so drain andmy patience is gone I cryed today because I saw myself yelling my little girl and I saw that she was afraid of me ... That is not fare ..,
Well girls I'm sorry for the complains, there are some of you going throught so much I feel like an idiot since my SEs are not that bad .. Every day I'm certain that you guys are so strong !
God bless this group
XO
0 -
Hello Ladies...sorry I haven't checked in a few days I hope everyone is doing okay.. Haven't had the chance to read all the updates but I will.. I had my third treatment of taxol today and everything went fine. I am a little anemic but I'm working on it.. other than that my labs are doing great so far.. I don't want to jinx myself but for me the Taxol is so much easier than the AC.. I do get a little bit of restless leg syndrome during infusion but other than that I'm fine.. although as you can se it's 12:40 a.m. And I'm wide awake and have to be at work at 9:00 tomorrow morning. I was prescribed ativan but I'm truly not interested in taking any kind of medication like that...have to make sure I can wake up in a few hours to check my sons blood Sugar.. on another note last week I went to the look good feel good program with the American Cancer Society.. I highly recommend it.... not sure if anyone has gone or wishes to go but it's really a great program and they give you so many beautiful gifts. But more importantly you can speak to other women who are going to the same thing... I found it to be very uplifting and beautiful.. okay I'm going to try to get some rest before I have to work tomorrow .. I wish you will health and happy side effects are minimal sweet dreams ~
0 -
chemo the drug that keeps on giving. I just spent more time in urgent care, actually went to pcp, told nothing wrong, t,hen off to fight oncology, no more chemo until big D is gone, 6 weeks is more than i can take. She told me to go down to urgent care, well 7 hours later, i am told i have blood clots in my lungs, se of chemo no one told me about. Well at least we can move onto rads, there will be no more chemo they said.
0 -
JoeysMommy, thanks for checking in! Been keeping you in prayer.
Giles, so sorry to hear about your horrid new SEs. Hopefully they can get a handle on them quickly. But good that you're now done with chemo, praying for you too.
Day 3 for me, shaky still from the steroids and had some major night sweats. Meeting with RO this afternoon, DH has taken off to take me.
0 -
While going through my pile of pamphlets yesterday I came across this free scarf offer, thought it was local but turns out it's national. I called the 888 number and the lady was so nice and gave me their web site, and my scarf is on its way.
0 -
Its chemo No. 5 for me today, still waiting to get in to see the onco for his assessment after my blood draw, dexa bone scan and echocardiogram this morning. You never know if you're getting an infusion or not till then, more later on that. Congrats to all who are finished, I feel like our group should be wearing mortar board hats with tassels.....
0 -
I'm OK, but still having visual issues so the computer is tough. I will check back in a day or two, when hopefully I can look at the screen easier. Stay tough my friends!
0 -
JoeysMommy -- I'm also happier on Taxol than on AC. Much easier on the brain, and I have more energy.
Giles -- my husband has recently had blood clots in his lungs -- what a pain. Oh well, at least there will be no more chemo for you, so that's a relief.
Blownaway -- hope you got #5!
kmntwins -- hope your eye situation improves soon!
I had a pretty good day but am happy the work week is over. It was a stressful week, and now I have to deal with some issues RE: 15 yo daughter. Sad to say, but sometimes the autistic twins are my easy kids.
0 -
Hello July Ladies. Sorry that I have been awol for a bit. It's a combination of things. Nothing terrible-terrible.I've been catching up with posts for the last 30 minutes. I really fell behind. It's so nice to see so many posts from those of you I haven't seen lately. I'm so pleased that so many have completed the hard-core chemo series. The rest of us will be there soon. Do you get to have your hair back when taking taxol?
I think purging chemo information is a wonderful idea.
Mommymel - I wish you peace in your heart. These things happen, but we learn from it.
Gilesmt - Take a deep breathe... chemo is over. It's been a tough one for/on you.
kmntwins - I understand the eyes issue. It's still a big issue for me this time.
My thoughts are there with all of you.
0 -
Puffin2014- Thank you for the scarf link. I checked out the site and ordered. Its been really raining where I'm located and getting real cold...burr! Thanks again.Blownaway- I hope you were able to get chemo #5 out of the way and are relaxing.
0 -
Good morning, Team July. It's day 4 for me, of chemo round 5. Yesterday was the pits, I could barely drag myself around, and had to be presentable for my appointment with the RO. Once we got there, we waited for her for over an hour. But she was very nice, and thorough. I learned a few things, like there's a lymph node right behind my sternum that they think may be cancerous but they could not get to it during BMX because of its location, and that's where they're going to bed focused.they'll also go up into the neck. And I'm restaged, now IIIC not IIIA like I thought. She said she thinks I may be a good candidate for a proton therapy trial, they are just starting to do proton therapy on BC here though Harvard has been doing it successfully. Since my tumor was on the left side, it would be easier on my heart. She is going to present my case to the board but she thinks there's a good chance of acceptance. So I'll probably start rads first week of November or so.
Coyote, good to see you poke your head up. Knmtwins, I hear you on the eyes. Leaky, crusty, annoying.
Praying for all of you, and hoping your weekend is easy.
0 -
Hi July Ladies, first I am so excited to hear how many are finishing chemo ore going into their last rounds!
I have a quick question: does anyone have a pic-line? Any concerns with it or what experiences?
I have been hospitalized with an infected port and they are removing it and will replace with a pic-line as I have 13 more treatment and very bad viens. Initially they were going to insert another port on the other side. However during ultrasound they found a blood clot and changed course of action. I ask for your prayers as I go through the procedures today of removing port and getting pic line. I will also be on blood thinners for 3 months and have weekly follow-ups. I am in awe of my medical team. I have been a priority since I was told by the nurse to go to ER. And the specialist that have been in And out and then boards that met on my case. I just thank God for the coverage I have. But am saddened for those that my not have medical coverage or a good medical team that puts their needs first.
Thanks all for your thoughts and prayers.
-
0 -
Ladyb, praying for you. Our Jennliza had a port removed due to infection, 13 days in hospital. You are fortunate for your team. We haven't heard from Jennliza this week, she was intending to go back to work on Monday.
0
