Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Hello dear ladies, thank you all for the nice words.
Southerncharm in 3-4 days you will come too on the board amazed at how your tumor is melting, you better believe that.
Time to go to bed, tomorrow is a full work day, hugs and more hugs for all
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Hey SouthernCharm! How's that port doing? Suppose to get mine Tuesday while you start chemo. I was suppose to start Tuesday also but that fell through.
Question to everyone--I was wondering about the steroid thing. My MO didn't mention me taking any before chemo. Is that standard protocol? I hope I didn't miss something.
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Just dropping in to report my first Neulasta injection yesterday went ok. Gave it to myself with no difficulty although it does sting a bit. I gave it around 12:30pm and slept ok through the night and am keeping fingers crossed that this continues. Took Claritin as advised so the worst I'm feeling is hot flushes and sunburn like redness on chest. Cold cloth takes care of that. I had slight pain in hip and back but thats not anything new so I took some tylenol and am doing fine. I am tired but had a few bouts of energy earlier today, probably from the last of the steroids. Let's see what tomorrow brings. Hoping for good things for all you gals this week.
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Charm, good luck this week. I'm hoping you get the same results as Flower!
I'm at the end of day three. Eyes/nose/mouth still dry. I'm feeling a little out of sorts but that could be from all the other meds. I'm also having some tingling in my hands and feet which is concerning me.
Teacher and Annie I seriously hope you two start feeling better soon!
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fidget, it seems to be, you have time to ask them before you start. I also got steroids in my iv premeds so I was pretty jittery but I think it helped overall.
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Thanks mom2boo. That's what I was wondering. Hugs everyone!
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Hey warrior sisters! Re your first chemo, I packed an old tote with too much stuff but what I found helpful was my big water bottle, own blanket, ipad, journal and a turkey sand on sandwich thins. I was glad i brought lunch as I knew it was important to eat and didn't really feel like it after. I decided to do this alone, my hubby brought me, as I am very low maintenance and kind of enjoyed the time alone to go through the process. at my chemo center we are 6 recliners to a pod with two nurses. very busy place. I was in a pod with 5 older men which was odd but OK. The sweetest volunteer took good care of all of us.
Has anyone experienced worse feelings aftr the second infusion?
Hang in there lovelies!
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Greetings! New to the group and happy to have found some comrades in this difficult battle. I just completed day 4 following my first treatment last Thursday. Doing fine. Had Neulasta shot on Friday. Took claritin and Aleve. Had body aches on Sat but better on Sun. Meds are helping. Restless legs/body has been a struggle. Must be steroids received with chemo. Like many of you am scared to lose hair. Loving the tips and encouragement offered here.0
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I shaved the hair today and here is how I did it:
I asked over several friends and they brought some electric shavers. There were about 8 of us in all, jolly and having a good time. We put my hair in a pony tail and cut it off with scissors (sending it to donate since it was very long, healthy, and thick). It was a cute look for about 2 minutes. Then we trimmed it down further with scissors. Next we used a #5 shaver and shaved it short. Then it was time for a Mohawk with #1 razor!. Finally, we shaved it all down to #1 and cleaned up the edges with the electric razor without attachment. After laughs and hugs from friends, I went to the bedroom for a quick shower and sobbed in DH's arms. Onward.
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teacher hikermom - big long hug to you
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I'm surprised it came back at the biopsy site since you had mastectomy. I had BMX and I thought the biopsy site was gone.
Wishing you the best on your decision, good job advocating for yourself to get treatment for the recurrence
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had my first chemo last Thurs and Neulasta Friday evening. Yesterday (Sunday) Saturday's brain fog and legs-giving-out-from-under-me feeling was mostly gone, but temp rose a touch (only 37.3C so no need to phone in), sore throat, and tons of joint pains --- not bones. But what has been an increasing misery is the steady headache I've had since before chemo; the pain meds only dull it a bit, and I've beenhaving to sleep half sitting (hank god for motor bed). I'm thinking about phoning in about that today, just to make sure it's just SE stuff. I have several other old reasons for headaches, but this feels different :
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Had a comforting phonecall from my cancer nurse (whom I texted this morning).
Joint pains are from Taxotere (!); she said take as much pain med as I need to feel better (oh but I so hate to take stuff that makes me feel "drunk"...). Also comfirmed what you ladies said --- bones themselves do not need to hurt to show that Neulasta is working.
She is not worried about the headaches, as there are no other bad symptoms (no fever, neck not stiff, vision ok, body "works" normally), and I have had many many headaches in the past ---- so maybe I'll stop worrying, too
This group gives me strength
Thank you all for being so brave to share your experiences --- I no longer feel alone. Wish we all lived close enough to get together for tea someday 0 -
I agree. It's reassuring to have all of you in my back pocket. All of us, sharing our experiences, good and bad, can only help us in determining if we are having common or odd side effects. No one knows better than we do what we are experiencing and how scary it is. I'll have my morning coffee with you all now.
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Shelly52, welcome to our group and I will add you to our list...
I am having a bit of a tough am, partly because food (which I love) is now all starting to taste bad...but mostly because I am having trouble reading (and thus reading the comforting posts from all of you and responding). Here where I am in the Great Central Valley of California air quality is very poor from all of the awful, awful, fires in California. We aren't at any direct risk where I am but are getting the smoke and it is tough on my eyes, throat, sinuses; I have a particular sensitivity to wood smoke. Artificial tears help a bit but not enough, and I am sure the chemo drugs don't help either, plus I have vision issues to begin with. :-( So...if you don't hear from me for a bit, I am still around, just not in the mood for looking at a computer screen!
I do have friends in the path of several of the fires. They are evacuated and safe, but it is very tough to worry about one's home from far away. please keep our firefighters and responders in your thoughts.
Tessu, wish we could have that cup of tea right now! Teacherhikermom: I really need to get out of denial about my hair, and thanks, your post was very helpful. Flower: yay for the results! And to all of you having problems with SEs...in your pockets and sending hugs!!! and especially, Good Luck to all starting this week: we are here with you! xoxox HUGS!
Octogirl
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Hi All, and thanks to those who have already posted!
We would really like to put together a slide show showing all your faces to show the amazing diversity of our community, reaching around the world. Please share with us here https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/135/topic..., or PM us. We may also present this at our annual fundraiser in October.
Photo (best quality possible)
Where you live
Diagnosis
Your Age
Quote about how the community/BCO has helped you.
Thanks for being a part of our community!
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DAY 6. I feel like a castaway lost at sea writing a daily log. Anyway, the bone pain is just an ache now and livable. No mouth sores but my tongue is wrinkly and a weird color. The constipation has morphed into diarrhea. I'm debating taking immodium because I do not not not want the constipation back. I'm going to put off cutting my hair any shorter until after wednesday. I have an appointment with my surgeon and I don't want to look sick. Vanity is a testy bitch!For everyone who has SEs that are horrible *hugs. For everyone feeling better *thumbs up. For everyone with noticeable shrinking tumors *big high fives!
Grey hang in there. No matter how busy life is or isn't cancer is in the way. Better to take care of yourself now then wake up one day and it's too late. I almost didn't get treatment because I just have no time for this. I have 2 autistic boys in diapers and a wounded veteran husband with TBI and PTSD. I understand about no time, but there won't be any time later either so I jumped in. You can do this because you are precious and you are valuable and you deserve your whole measure of life!
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Fidget. I'm supposed to take decadron (steroid) the day before day of and day after infusion. It's supposed to keep your legs from swelling up. It made my stomach blow up like a balloon. Next time I am supposed to take half the dose preceded by nexium for 3 days and followed by nexium for 3 days after. I'm not sure if it's normal protocol but some of us are on it. I'm considering skipping it on the sly. The stomach bloat was painful.
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Add me to the September Chemo list. I start TC on September 29th.
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Hugs to you teacherhikermom. What a beautiful person you are to donate your hair. It's tough to be brave when our armor is down. Sending you positive vibes.
For all of us that go for our first or next treatment this week good luck and be well.
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Oh Annie, I am so sorry you are having a difficult time with these crazy drugs. I really hope your next round eases up. I'm having a hard time with the hair thing too. I keep putting off my appointment to get it cut. I'll probably just end up shaving at the last possible minute. I guess I'll call my MO and make sure that there aren't any drugs I need to pick up before my first chemo. My pcm is at an air force base and they assigned me a case worker. She's pretty much my babysitter for the next year or however long this takes. I'm gonna call her too I think. She will take care of all my Tricare needs so that is one burden off my shoulders.
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I'm not sure how to handle the hair thing too. I'd love to do it with friends and have a good laugh over it but I just know I'll be crying like a baby and I don't want to do it in front of them. I may just have my hubby chop it off and clip it and then have a private pity party. Ugh..why is the vain side of me taking over when the health part is most important?
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I normally try to be really upbeat and positive and only post the good things but I am having a difficult time with the chemo SE so...WARNING RANT coming:
You know that feeling you get when you are taking meds to treat side effects from the drugs you take for the side effects from the chemo drugs... Yeah that's where I am at today... And totally drained of all energy... I just want to be able to get back to work this week. And to go to the bathroom normally, that would be super exciting too!
End of rant.
Sorry just had to get that out, tired of being the super positive person that all my friends and family needs me to be to be the strong one.
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SoccerChick...I hear ya..it gets so tiresome to hear "how are you feeling" when you don't really want to talk about it and don't have the energy to put any positive spin on it. They all mean well and dont know what else to say but still, it's exhausting. Feeling crappy doesn't help any either
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Got steroid pills and a bag of steroids at infusion. I haven't swelled at all or had nausea.
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SouthernCharm--I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am! Oh, my word. I just lost my MIL very unexpectedly and very suddenly late last spring, and I'm just to the point where I don't randomly sob over something. I adored her, and reading about where you are right now just broke me for you. I am so desperately sorry.
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Southern Charm- my heart is breaking for you also. Such hard timing for you. I know hospice will take good care of all of you. I'm taking hospice classes right now and I know their mission includes the needs of the patient AND their loved ones. (((SC)))
Wishing you peace....
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CarolinaAmy- please accept my most sincere condolences on your loss. I am very sorry.
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SouthernCharm--I am so sorry you have so much going on at once. These situations are terrible on their own much less happening at the same time. I'll be thinking of you and your family.
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Southerncharm you just broke my heart but i also know that tomorrow you will start a big fight and you need to take care of you, you need your rest for tomorrow and you need to focus on yourself. Just know that although we are miles apart our thoughts and prayers are close to you
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