Starting chemo August 2014
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in the chair... Had premeds. Almost done with the first bag. Nurse stopped the drip and called my doctor in because of the terrible heartburn I'm having. Anybody else have heartburn during chemo? Doc said most likely steroids causing it. Good luck everyone!
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Just got home from first day of chemo and feeling a little tingly all over. I go back tomorrow for my first Neulasta shot. Hope all is well with all my August chemo buddies.
I want all you ladies to know that this board has gotten me through to today and I can't begin to thank you enough for all the advise, answers, tips and sharing of your experiences. I have learned more from you ladies than I have from any doctor or nurse I have seen so far on my journey. You ladies are amazing!!!!!! Just simply the best.
Keep positive thoughts!!! WE can do this and we WILL do this together!!!
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Hi ladies, I'm new to the board. Hoping to get and share info as we go through this together. I'm on day 5 after my first round of AC. Days 3-4.5 were the worst for me. I found it difficult to get around normally, experienced extreme tiredness, constipation and dizziness. On the morning of day 4 I pushed myself to go outside for a walk and that, together with other relievers I tried, did help to get things moving. Then I started to feel better.
Thankfully I am not experiencing nausea because in stopped taking those meds (Zofran, Decadon) the morning of day 3. Have to say, those two were particularly troublesome for me. I experienced heartburn, hiccups, sore throat, change in voice. Taking Rolaids and sleeping sitting (or propped) up seemed to help.
Round two starts next week. Very apprehensive about going through those same after-effects.
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Hi, remember feeling the tingly and numb too. Face also felt puffy. For the heartburn rolaids helped me. Also try sleeping in an incline - I found it to be not too bad actually. Also took 5mg of melatonin before going to sleep. Otherwise doc suggested Pepcid as a option. Other options I plan to try next time are DGL licorice, aloe vera juice, and alka-seltzer fruit chews.
Good luck to you!
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thanks all for well wishes and prayers. Sitting in the waiting room now. Will get vitals done soon . Think my BP will be high ? Waiting for RN, then starting with the cold caps . I do get an Ativan thank gosh . Will post later.
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thinking about everyone who started today.
I went in today to check blood counts. They said I have NO white cells. Got neupogen shot in stomach and get another tomorrow with strong antibiotics.
I was having a great day also. Food still tastes like cardboard but doing better. Just got to watch for any infections.
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red devil done. Cyclophosphamide on board, cold caps add an extra element of stress for sure but we r getting through. Husband is a trooper, my col capping buddy.
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Hi,
I started chemo on 8/19. I will do 6 treatments of Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin and Pejerta every 3 weeks. After this, I will continue Herceptin until next August.
I do not feel well. I am not happy. I feel emotionally low. I hurt and the doctor says that the cancer cells are likely inflaming as they die. It sounds good, but it does not feel good.
I also had a 2nd biopsy this morning on the same breast, but new spot revealed by the MRI.
I want to be positive, but I feel like I'm a whiner.
edited: changing my typo on my meds
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HI LLizz--I'm so sorry you're having such a tough go of it. You are not a whiner-you are going through a HUGE ordeal, it's ok to vent...it's healthy to do so. From what I've read these first few days post infusion can be really tough. Just hang on! Take your meds and get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day and I hope a lot better. Please let us know how your doing.
(((((HUGS))))))
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gatomol, I have the same cocktail as you. I will have four of the red devil and Cytoxan over 8 weeks and then taxol for 12 over 12 weeks. How many did you have? And was it as mine will be?
Liz, feel better. I haven't started yet, easy for me to say, I know! But, feel better.
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Liz, I feel for you girl. Do not think you are complaining or whining here. This is where you come to vent. We are in this together. I also just began treatment. Today is day 5 after chemo (AC). Feeling much better. Please post often so we know how you are doing.
Big hug,
Toots
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hey gals, all my hair is afallin out, so i shall be shaving it this weekend. Here at the house, hubby buzzcuts his military style all the time, and will do the honors. Day 13. Right on schedule! Whatevah, i am tired of dreading it. I actually used to wear it sort of buzzcutt myself, but 20 years ago. Sighs. What is old is new again! I have a wig and a cute hat, but it is literally hot as hell here in fla now and so...baldy mccueball shall be born with pride! And sunscen. Off to onco tomorrow, everyone stay well and recover!
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I hope all went well today for the ladies having first infusion today. You are awesome! We are going to kick this cancer to the curb....
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Hi ladies
I hope everybody that had their first chemo treatment with me today is doing ok... I still have horrible heartburn. Took pepcid and eating saltines. I'm too scared to eat anything else I don't want to make it worse. My nose feels sensitive too. Food doesn't smell very good. I thought I had a couple days before se's hit....
Gatomol, , lizzz , Hope50 ,im sorry.... Hang in there. We got this.
Holding hands
Diane
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Hi everyone, sorry I was gone so long. It took a while, but I had some time to catch up on all the posts the last couple days, as you can see below...
So here is my update for days 4-9. The weekend wilderness & remote first aid training event was pretty good, until we were packing up Sunday afternoon and I had to just go sit in the truck. Back pain, achey, headache for days 5 & 6, so I worked from bed Monday, then dragged myself out to get blood drawn for my toxicity check/follow up appt on Tuesday. Monday night I was wiped out, could barely move and had a slight temp. Hubby warmed up some chicken & rice soup for me, which actually tasted pretty good. It's a crap shoot whether stuff is going to taste like anything. I've found like 4 things I can eat & 2 drinks that taste normal or good. But on the plus side, no puking or nausea to speak of since I stopped the 3-day post chemo cocktail.
Extra strength Tylenol seems to do the trick for headache and lessens the back pain a bit. Oh, and I think I smell funny, but my husband won't admit it. 
So then this happened:
I took Tuesday (day 7) off b/c I felt like I'd been run over by a train. A long one. Hubby loaded me into the car & took me to my toxicity check, where we were told, very calmly, that my WBC was very low and my temp was 101 & I would need to go directly to the hospital. So this is neutropenia. Don't try it, it's no fun. Now it's day 9 for me and I'm home & starting to feel human again. I got fluids, 2 kinds of antibiotics, and neupogen in the hospital, along with little to no sleep. So next time, they are giving me a bigger dose of Neulasta after chemo, and I also have to get some gum graft surgery I was putting off before my next Tx. They say that the receding gum is the most likely source of my unidentified infection, although I also have some stitches abscessing out of both my axillary and breast incisions. Very disconcerting, but apparently not unusual. Not sure if that's aggravated by the chemo or just a lovely coincidence.
As for other SE, I have the itchy head, too, but no hair loss yet. Also constipation, gassy/ indigestion, fuzzy mouth, metallic or cardboard tasting, not much appetite most of the time. I'm hoping these go away before my next tx; it would be nice to have a few days of normal in between. Oh, and speaking of normal, I need to take exception to the notion of our "new normal." Yes, this is an adjustment, but I prefer the idea of a "temporary normal." I intend to get out the other side of this with everything I had before, except my right nipple, of course!
A couple of other things, for the record: I'm a cat lady, too, there are 3, but my Mooch and I are bonding now, b/c he has just gone into remission from diabetes. So we are getting better together.
Also, I noticed a few of you are from Missouri. I moved to AZ 2 years ago from Columbia, where I lived all my life until then. (Well, since I was 4, so as long as I can remember anyway.) Kinda wishing I were back there for this, to be near family, friends, and world class cancer care, but so far I have no complaints here. I have to think this is one of those things where I'm where I need to be, instead of where I want to be. I do love the weather here!Sending warm fuzzies to everyone starting today, and special hugs to the twin babies along for the ride! Hope everyone is doing well & feeling good!
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well infusion itself went well except w the combo of Ativan aloxi and struggling to get the cold caps on, I started to feel sick, like I was going to pass out and then like an anxiety attack as the caps were just so cold. I wanted to rip it off my head. A few minutes and deep breaths and felt better , still cold. All done now and downstairs continuing the cap changing . Felt fine with the A, the C is giving me a brain fog so hard to type,but it could be the cold I don't know?
Ladyb1234 I am doing the exact same regimen, but we may have to interrupt our weekly taxols for delivery.
Kellya we are on the same but my AC are every three weeks for four.
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I had my port put in today. The he
Procedure was pretty uneventful. Except they told me to be there at 7am which want I needed to leave my house around 6 with traffic and find a place for t 2 year old because his daycare doesn't Open until 6:30. Got everything all set and walked in at 6:59. Turned out someone messed up confirming my appointment and I. Thursdays they don't start procedures until 9am. So in reality I didn't need to be there until 8. I was annoyed and my husband was even more annoyed. Anyhow, I am pretty sore in the neck but tolerable. I star chemo tomorrow. I am pretty nervous and anxious. My husband is going with me and a friend is coming in the afternoon too.
I hope everyone is doing good and side effects are minimal for all.
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Hi Ladies!
I have been off the grid so to speak for the past few days. Wanted to give an update on the progress since the treatment....
Days 3-5 were the toughest for me. Slight bone pain, fatigue and I slept a lot. I completely hate the fact that something so minor as running an errand or two around town makes me feel so exhausted that I come home and take a nap for a few hours. My taste buds are definitely not up to par because water tastes weird to me now.
Oh and this one side effect I am having - Acne!!!! I hate it! I have always had nice skin. My skin was one thing I always took care of and prided myself of so this acne is driving me crazy! Is anyone else dealing with acne?
Started to feel better Monday which would be day 6 - so much so I put in over 10 hours at work and than went to the gym for 1.5 hours that night. Well, that did not sit well on Tuesday half way through the day when I went to the nurse's office at work to lay down. Took a 30 min nap and than got "scolded" by the nurse to not push myself so quickly after treatment. She said that she definitely agrees with me keeping up on the exercising but don't go so hard or so long until maybe day 10. I am starting to agree with that idea! At least my vital signs were good!
I also came to the conclusion that I need to stop feeling guilty for having to leave work early or not working at all. My company has an acute treatment program and if approved you will have your hours reduced (mine were reduced to a minimum of 24 hours a week). I put in 22 hours within 2.5 days of work...yes,I am crazy. So realizing that in many many many years down the line I will not get a gold star or badge from my job that says good work I decided to start and take advantage of my reduced hours! I guess I just wanted to prove to myself and others that I will not let cancer beat me but honestly, I am not good to even myself if I don't feel good. So today I left work at 2:00 and tomorrow I am taking the day off! My family and my health are what is important...the major company I work for...well they will do just fine without me...lol.
I am going to get a few more inches cut off of my hair this weekend. I cannot bring myself to go super short so I am just going to deal with it. I have a semi expensive wig that I will be wearing to work and out and about but I bought a less expensive wig to go to the gym. I put it on last night over my hair and neither my two daughters or my husband knew I had it on. So I am really glad that at least they thought it was my real hair. Still not happy with this hair loss event but somehow I will find the strength to get through it.
Has anyone had experience with UTI? I have never had one, but I swear I am borderline having one after what I had going on the past few days....I was spending so much time in the bathroom to simply urinate a small amount I brought a pillow in with me to lay my head against the wall....Sorry if TMI but I figured I could ask this on here!
I still have my moments of weakness, sadness and angry. But I think of all you ladies and how I need to stay positive and I get through it. Gearing up for the girls to go back to school on Monday and I am hopefully to get to the gym this weekend as well. It did feel good to go Monday night.
Sending positive vibes to all of you! For those dealing with side effects, I hope they start to ease up for you or that they are minimal. For those gearing up for treatment...know you will get through it and you are strong enough! For the rest of us - I truly believe we will all come out of this storm better than we were going into it!
To Do List for each one of us - Kick Cancer's Ass!
Hugs,
Karina
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I'm getting my port in tomorrow at 9:00, have to be there at 7:00 so will leave about 6:30 i guess. At least I don't have to get up and think about it all morning. Unless I don't sleep. Lol.
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Chemo # 1 - got it done! They gave me some Aloxi, Emend, and Decadron first. That took about an hour. Then they started the Taxotere at a slow drip, and would speed it up in intervals. The whole bag took 3 hours. The Cytoxen only took an hour. Had Subway for lunch - turkey on wheat. No nausea at all.
didi, I started to have heartburn just a little about two hours after my chemo ended. I took 3 rolaids and seemed to help. Other than that, I don't feel anything strange or noticeable at this time.
Hope everybody had a good day today! Sending hugs and pleasant thoughts of few to no SEs!
One love,
tp4ever
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Hey, tonight I was running my fingers through my hair. It's starting to fall out! I am hoping I can get thru wknd and buzz it early next wk. Heading to Cape May tmrw to spend time with my family. Very rare that we are all together in the same place.
Sounds like first treatments went well from posts.
Strong enough - glad you called Dr and they took care of you. My worst days were 3-5 also. You are right, it is a temporary normal.
Didi - heartburn is a bummer. I finally took Beeno before eating and it seemed to help me.
Wishing everyone a comfortable evening.
Cathie
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In preparation for starting chemo tomorrow, and since I can't seem to settle down to sleep, I went back and read through all the posts on this thread. WOW, what a group of ladies we have here! Intelligence, insight,compassion, humor and above all, a deep sense of resolve that this stinking disease will NOT get the best of us! Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here. Wishing everyone a peaceful evening.
Robyn
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Came home today and went to sleep for a few hours. I felt so weak...I have never felt that way before...like I couldn't even get the energy to move. I have terrible GI issues since the infusion today. I have gone to the bathroom 10+ times since 3 o'clock. I've taken too much immodium already and pray it gets better soon. Also nausea and headache and no appetite. I thought I had a few days until I started this stuff. I'm so glad I have a wonderful hubby and awesome kids to help me through this.
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New person here. I have my first chemo treatment Monday. Finishing my last day teaching for several months tomorrow. Port area is sore, more than yesterday when Doc put it in. I will get taxotere and two targeted therapies- herceptin and pertuzamab. Trying cold caps too, so no resting. Surgery and radiation follow the 6 treatments. Appreciate any suggestions. Love sharing stories and support. Thank you, wonderful women!
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jeniferE - 8/25
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Hello warrior women! I'm not starting chemo (AC/TH) until September 15th, but since there's no thread for Sept yet I've been lurking here and thought I should say hi and tell you how incredibly helpful it's been to read all you're sharing - and most importantly - I wanted to send all of you positive energy and hugs.
I've actually been a member of this site for 9 1/2 years (shortly after my original breast cancer dx) but this is my first time posting...I didn't have chemo my first time around, and I can't believe how much more nervous I am having to go through it this time. I'm a single mom of an amazing special needs boy (he's 8 and has autism & ADHD) and the thought that there will be many days when I can't be everything he needs is hard to deal with. I feel blessed to have wonderful friends and family to help, though, and am so thankful that forums like this exist.
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justamy, I'm with you. My mo told me I would have enough energy to paint my house. Should last 2-3 days... Where is it? I can't lift a paint brush, never mind paint the house! I too have bad nausea. I haven't been to the bathroom yet, you need to watch that... Seems like you're going too much. I have no appetite either. I forced myself to eat a piece of dry toast this morning. Food smells make me nauseous. My DH is shopping for boost, etc. I'm thinking of you and I hope you feel better soon.
Welcome Ella & Jennifer.
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thank you ella.....
Welcome tootsetoe, Jennifer & llizz.
Llizz... Don't feel bad at all. This is the best place to vent.
Hope&terri so sorry with your hair, I'm having itchy head too. I cut mine so short so I don't even have to brush them. Waiting for my wig .
Today is day 3 post chemo, break time at work. It feels like having bad morning sickness. Thanks God I could still taste the banana. It's my last hope. Had a good vegetable soup with many fresh tomatoes for breakfast .
Woot woot Kellogg for the new port!!!
Hope you feel better today justamy, strongenough.
Ocean breeze, my MO told me to drink a lot of water and don't keep your bladder full , chemo will burn your bladder&urinary tract. Hang on girl . Talk to your mO
Gatomal hope u have minimal SE.
Good luck for the first chemo day ladies today.....
Ladyb can u add me, first chemo 8/19.
Stay strong ladies.. Keep your chins up. We can do it.
Sending hugs to you all August ladies..
Shirley
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Didi: Hope you feel better today (hugs)
I have other health issues that contribute to the the GI problems. I had weight loss surgery about 8 years ago and I now have to be careful what I eat. Basically I have to not eat refined carbs or I am in the bathroom. But yesterday it was waaaayyy worse after Chemo. I feel a bit better so far today but I haven't eaten. Anything light is carbs and I don't want to be where I was yesterday. I'm not hungry at all anyway...maybe I can find some food that will work w I go to town today.
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hi all, thought I'd let you know the port placement went well.
Had to be there at 7, and surgery was at 9, I was in recovery 1 at 10:15 and recovery 2 at 11. Left the hospital at 11:40. Home now on the sofa. Took two Norco and feel pretty good.
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