Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Yay halfway through --- 3rd dose of Taxotere/Herceptin yesterday, in three weeks switch to FEC for 3 doses. Was at the Cancer Clinic from 9AM until almost 6PM zzzzzzz.... Regular oncologist out sick,,hour delay for the substitute. She was competent and didn't freak out when I insisted everybody there be honest with me, I KNOW how my dismal path behaves despite treatme, and feel insulted when the docs try to paint a rosey future. I'm in health care, read med journals, and am capable of understanding what's up.She said she'll spread the word).
The nurse (new again) blew my largest best vein (WTF!!!) so I refused to let her try again, insisted on the iv magician from last time ("It's not allowed to choose favorites" --- "OK, I'm leaving now!" --- so they asked her, and she came over after a half hoir delay, and slipped it in first shot into a vein I didn't know I had
Love that lady !Took my pain pill at the start of the Taxotere so the headache there was not so bad, needed repeat dose before bed though. Tried the cold cap --- and it didn't cause migraines --- wish I had started with the first dose despite the first oncologist's warning. Used cold gloves on both hands this time --- they really lessened the neuropathy advance in my ritgh hand last time (iv was then too low for me t use one one my left).
Got significant nausea for th first time in the evening, but meds plus you ladies's advice to avoid an empty stomach helped -- got up and made dry toast at 1 AM after which it eased enough I could sleep till morning
Thank you Because I can't wrap during chemo, my right hand and arm blew up to record proportions, but if my brain remains clear and my steroid water weight starts to leave when I weigh this afternoon, I plan to carfully try to wrap for a few hours. LE sucks, but I refuse to let it steal my life!!
This is the first time I've gotten a positive emotional boost off the high dose dexamethasone --- all the other sessions I've just felt blah or worse. I think starting the visualization techniques from the book I posted about earlier are starting to help (pacman chemo nomnomnom on the BC!). Also, I am maybe finally starting to accept my bleak diagnosis, why NOT me, and I WILL die soon, but NOT TODAY so I WILL PLAY!!!
Thanking everybody here for your support and info posts. Wishing wverybody an easier time with their SE today and over the weekend.
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Hi Tfoxy20
Back pain definately neulasta. I got it about six days after shot 1st time but hit me a lot sooner 2nd time. Just had 3rd today. For my mouth every time i eat i rinse my mouth with warm water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. My taste buds have been good through three rounds of fec maybe just lucky.
Each round of fec i get cold and cough. Just be weary of temperature/infections.
My poor husband hasnt had sex, I think, since July. I don't feel sexy at all and I am exhausted. He understands as Im sure your husband does too.
When I come of the steriods I have really low days I recognize its a symptom of the medication I allow myself a couple of days of sulking and then thank goodness the sadness lifts.
Take care.
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New side effect to report...apocalyptic bleeding from a period 15 days late. I'm calling in this morning the second they open. I will spare you the details but it was a long long long night. My poor husband might never recover.
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feel better ladies. I think we've all hit the 1/2 way wall hard. Lindy my 4th was a doozy. It gets better after the weekend. But the supersized fatigue lasted. Still feel like I could get permanently sucked into my couch. Take care gals.
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TFoxy20 - They recommended I take Claritin the night before the morning of and that night. I haven't had any bone pain or side effects from the nuelasta (yet).
Clinque - I wish the US had it set up where we didn't have to wait for tests to be approved I think it would have saved so much time before surgery/chemo for everyone.
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Tessu: way to take charge! One thing that I like about my MO's office is that they treat me like a person with a brain. Sorry about the blown vein. IVs seem so basic that I'm amazed how many nurses and doctors seem to have no expertise. I'm lucky in that my LE is very mild thus far, so my treatment is more about getting it under control and learning to manage it before radiation. It's more of an inconvenience. I hadn't planned on 90 minutes a day, five days a week for the next few weeks or the huge arm wrap that can't get wet or fit in any of my work clothes.
TFoxxy20: I had some major lower back spasms a few days after my first chemo, but they haven't returned. I'm blaming Neulasta.
Day 2 of reduced steroids is going well. I slept until 5:30 instead of 4:30, and wasn't ravenous. Except for being a bit tired, I feel almost human. I started crashing around 5:00 last night and stayed on the couch until bed, but not too bad two days after chemo. Especially since the anti-nausea drugs come with the drowsiness warnings.
I hope everyone had a peaceful, uneventful night. To all of you who haven't checked in lately, I hope you're doing well
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Tessu - Good job sticking up for the IV pro you wanted! And excellent attitude in the face of all this. Hoping your symptoms are subsiding already.
I'm stealing "pacman chemo nomnomnom on the BC!" - LOVE THIS. You are amazing. <<<HUGS XOXO>>>
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After a rough night following #4 AC, I'm feeling human this morning. Yay!!
I was given a new prescription to help with the nausea, metoclopromide HCL. It seemed to do the trick last night to settle my stomach. Along with Tylenol #3 for the crazy ass headache and I'm feeling refreshed this morning, altho the steroids have something to do with that as well.
My eyes and nose keep pouring like rain so hoping the Claritin I've been taking pre-Neulasta will also help with that. I will just continue taking it every day if it helps. Don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. It is the same as anyone with allergies would take...duh..not my brightest at the moment.
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edwsmom: it's a good thing they gave you a mask, what place has more germs than a hospital.
My oncologist says a fever during chemo is to be treated as an emergency. I have had fevers but low grade where he did not send me to the ER but saw me the next day. He's very laid back about a lot of things, but was adamant that a fever during chemo is to be treated as you would an emergency
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Lindy-I have been on Metclopromadine hcl for my naseau from day one. I take 2 the day of my chemo and then 4X/day for 3 more days. I literally have not had any naseau at all. I also take Ranitidine(Zantac) for heartburn 3X/day for a week for heartburn and this has worked awesome. My side effects have been minimal. I finished my last chemo yesterday and hope my side effects are good this time as well. I ended up in the hospital for 4 days with febrile neutropenia my last round. Hoping that this can be avoided this time. I hope your headaches go away. I struggled with them my first 2 rounds as well. I found that Dilauted really worked if I couldn't hack the pain anymore. I also use peppermint essential oil on my forehead and temples and this seems to help a bit.
Now let's hope our Blue Jays come out strong today. We need this win!!!0 -
DeeRatz...sounds promising with the Metclopromide. I have been prescribed 1 tab every 4 hours as needed...so I will follow that. I've been taking Ranitidine 150mg daily and upped it to 2x day. I'm throwing everything at it this time before it happens as its been my experience that it will happen..lol
Need to be ready for tonights big game. GO JAYS..but win or lose, I will remember how they rallied back from a big setback...sound famiiar?
((hugs to all))
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Lindy- I take the Metclo and Ranitidine wether I feel like I need it or not. The pharmacists at the cancer clinic said just to take it. It is easier to prevent the side effects if you take the meds. Than to not take the meds and have the side effects hit you hard. It is harder to get you back to normal after that happens. Good luck keeping your SE to a minimum. I am so glad to be dealing with my last set of meds and drugs. Next stop will be Tamoxifen..a whole new can of worms...
I feel like all of us have been rallying back from setbacks. Surely the Jays can too! Fingers and toes crossed!0 -
For those that have/had AC, how did you feel right after your first infusion? My friend's sister's memorial is on the day of my infusion and I'm wondering if I'll feel able to go.
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So sorry you all are feeling so bad. Hugs to all! Hope it improves soon!
I was wondering if anyone knows of a good cook book or a nutrition book for people with cancer? Trying to eat better , and cook better.
I too was never told of any foods to avoid.
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Ariista I felt tired right after my first AC. I am now done with my AC. The first infusion day was longer since I had the mo before, then had a newbie tour of the infusion floor, then 1/2 hr premeds, 1/2 hr adriamycin push of 2 tubes, then 1/2 hr cytoxin. Then they had to place my neulesta on body injector. It made for a long day with all the wait time factored in. The nervousness of the day and apprehension made me tired alone. Plus I got all aloxi and zofran in the premeds of which zofran made me tired. The steroids kicked in the next day. I had to take another zofran 5 hrs after infusion ended, so more tiredness.
I'd advise to play it by ear and see how you feel. Everyone's experiences are different.
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Artista - I felt tired and had a headache but after a nap I was better. Same as Shopgal2 I'd play it by ear. I had the full dose and extra hydration the first time took 3 hrs total.
I also felt weird and "buzzed" from the zofran IV
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Aga - I am LOvING this cookbook!
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Aristia, my first AC took about 4 hours total. I felt weird/drugged but functional for about three hours, then I crashed hard. Really hard. If you decide to go, make sure you have a designated driver who is willing to leave when you need to. There's really no way to predict how your body is going to react to this. I don't seem to get the steroid high that some do, although it does mess with my sleep. It seems like some are ready to conquer the world after an infusion. Is anyone recording/streaming the service? That would give you a plan B if your body doesn't cooperate.
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Artista - I felt normal. My infusion was dripped in over 3 hours (including steroids). I felt hungry. I left the center, went out for lunch with Mom, ate normally, and then carried on. Of course, I didn't have to drive myself. Just have somebody drive you everywhere with the caveat of, "I may need you to take me home early." Sleep in the car if you need to.
In follow-on infusions, I noticed that I was rather fatigued about 1-2 hours after the infusion, but I could still drive my own car back home from the meet-up spot.
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Hi, I am new here. Feeling a little like an intruder, I am still having a hard time believing this is real! Recovering from my surgery, feeling sore and stiff, but OK. The port is bothering me the most! Hope this will pass! I have a meeting with oncologist November 3, to talk about chemo and get started. I am an ED/labor and delivery nurse, I feel like I should be able to handle this, but I am not sure that is what is happening. Only a few people know about my diagnosis, I want to keep on working as much as I can.
The comments that I am reading here are great, but scaring me even more. Planning on taking it one day at a time, and I know that this next year will pass!
Wishing everybody here strength , thanks for giving me the info that I do not want to hear, but need
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Belgie welcome and feel free to hang around. There is also an October group if you are starting at the beginning of November you may feel comfy there also. Like you I started to read ahead before I got chemo and it scared me also. I then decided not to read too far ahead to the end of the book so to speak. I did want all the info I could get my hands on but the best thing I read was to go into this thinking I would have minimal SE's and that helped. Best advice I can give is to read the info from the mods about important links for chemo. They are at the top of the chemo main page.
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Aggiemegs I read about that one. It looks good. I have this one I got from my hospitals nutritionist.
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Thank you ladies I will check those out! 😊
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Belgie, we are all new here at some point. You are absolutely welcome, and are not an intruder. We are all here, and understand how you feel!
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artists-I felt ok on the day of my first and second AC. I agree with others, if you have someone to drive you, and you can leave if you need to, you can see how you feel that day. I would have been able to do something like that.
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Shopgal - I have that one too, but the first time I flipped through it and found a recipe for mini pizzas using canned biscuits? Ummmmm.....nope
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aggiemegs I agree. No to canned biscuits for pizza. I need real dough. I was actually looking for a new cookbook and am going to buy the cancer fighting kitchen this weekend.
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Belgie - Welcome! I have found this a very valued place for sharing experiences, advice, love and support. I'm glad you're here.
Artista - I had a bad day one from first AC round. Agree with everyone else: it's random how your body will react. Do have a driver in case you feel okay enough to go because you may need an "out." Good luck. Like several others who have shared their experiences, each of my three AC rounds so far have been frustratingly, unpredictably different. : /
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Happy Friday everyone! Well I've lost half of my eyebrows. Just one more round...it's what I keep telling myself. But, am really worried how I'll react with Tamoxifen. Five years! Maybe 10. Feels like a jail sentence.
Hoping for minimal SEs for all of us over the weekend.
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