Starting Chemo April 2016
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good luck to all that have treatment today! We got this!
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NJR - At least we can laugh at our bird heads, eh? That's a plus.
Day 7 is my low point, too. I typically get my blood work done day 12 or 13. Hope you rebound quickly! Are you feeling okay or tired?Numb - glad the wig is working. It makes a difference if you feel confident. Sounds like this round is going better for you. That's great. I take my meds days 2, 3 and 4. (So, infusion Thursday - Days 2 is Friday, Day 3 Sat, Day 4 Sun).
TWaz - I'm with the April 2016 kissing my ass… Yeah. And that shirt is awesome.
Heathet - Welcome! Sorry you have to be here. Great group and I see you are getting a lot of good advise.
Bimsickle - I take Dexamethasone and Zofran. Glad it's working for you.
Katjadvm - I think the theory behind dense dosing is that it's supposed to help keep the cancer from coming back. We'll see. I get my Nuelasta shot 24 hours after my infusion.
Annie - looks like a lovely hike!! Glad you got out and away from thinking about things!
Agharta - Hope you're feeling better! I hate when I get to work and think, "uh oh, I should have stayed home".
Gracie - interesting - are you using the mouth wash? It could be something in your throat causing that.
Other than constipation, I'm doing okay. I was lucky yesterday in that my schedule was really easy, so I didn't have to think too much. Today I'm not so lucky.
I'm hoping to go in to the office today. I'm kind of going stir crazy, although I have had a lot of great visitors. I took a 2 mile walk yesterday and did some Barre 3. I find walking fairly easy, but weight work is humbling. I am looking forward to this being over, though.0 -
KATJADVM - I have read that the DD dose of AC is mostly given to people who have not had their operation yet, so because their cancer is not actually gone yet (but decreasing) there would be a longer time span to the next dose if you waited for 3 weeks and so there could be a chance that it could start expanding again.
Don't know whether you have had your operation yet. I have had mine so according to my Oncologist I am cancer free and only getting chemo to prevent a recurrence (hope it works). I am also older, aged 65, so I kind of feel that I would not be ready for another round every 2 weeks and I am better prepared every 3 weeks. The advantage of every 2 weeks though is that is finished quicker. You really have to go with what it prescribed for you because we all have different cancers and are at different stages too.
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Hi Numb - re: nauseau meds - I took zofran for the two days after infusion and that was it. I have compazine too, but did not need to take that at all in round 1. I did have a little heartburn for a few days beyond that and some Tums here and there did the trick. Good to see you're doing much better this round. I'm off for infusion#2 this morning. Hope it goes as well as round 1.
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PDRCHICK - Best of luck.
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Day 7 post my mom's first AC and she just had her port inserted this morning. The past couple of days have been very hard emotionally. I often question my own strength during this time for my mom. I know this a roller coaster ride of emotions and it's only just begun. I guess one day the fear won't be so heavy
Anyways, the surgeon was great and the nurses were very friendly. Here's to hoping the pain is mild and manageable
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just got back from the doctors and I got my last 2 drains out! Everything is healing up nicely. I did find out I am ER+\PR+. I meet with the Onocologist in 2 weeks and hopefully can start treatment soon afterwards. What initial tests do they do before they start you on chemo?
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Heathet - FYI - if you haven't found it yet, there is a "triple positive" group here that is very helpful and worth checking out. The tests I had before chemo began were were a bone scan and an echocardiogram. Best of luck to you!
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Heathnet: Congrats on getting those drains out; that was such a big point for me to start feeling better! Do you have the TE's in now? It can take a while to get used to their awkward feeling but you do--mostly. I am about a month ahead of you; had double BM March 17, and just started chemo last Fri Apr. 29. I'm Triple Positive , too, and the ladies in that group are a great source of information about specifics of chemo regimes for those in our position.
Right now, rest as much as possible, eat good protein to help heal your surgical wounds, rest more, take a little exercise (but don't overdo it as I did initially, setting myself back a bit), and get your body in the best condition you can right now pre-chemo. It's a crazy period for you right now, but once you get your treatment plans in order, everything will be good. They may do MRI, PET scan, bone density scan, or other. An echocardiogram is required with Herceptin, which you will defnitely be getting if you are HER2+.
The Triple Positive group has more on this. Welcome.
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My head itches too and then it gets sore and then the hair comes out. Mine is still too long to stand up so I don't know about that.
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On day 3 after neulasta I had long bone pain in the legs, kind of like lighting bolts. Day 5 was the worse for me absolute bone crushing pelvic pain for about 4-6 hours, then gone. I swore I'd never take it again. I have round 2 tomorrow and neulasta Thurs. I'm not looking forward to it. I hope I don't get the pain this time.
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thanks for the info - I checked out the triple positive group. Zoziana - I went direct to implants - my PS recommended this because I had pockets from my previous implants. Right now I am still so tired! I take numerous mini- naps through out the day and just don't have the energy todo a whole lot more. I'm looking forward to getting some stamina back so I can ease into working out. I just want to start out slow - walking.
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I got Round 2 on Monday, and so far so good. I solved the mystery of my hair standing on end - it was waving goodbye! I have started shedding big time, and have my wig appointment this morning. My chemo was only warning of partial hair loss, but my Onc says if I'm losing this much this early, I may lose the lot.
Does anyone else have issues with falling eyelashes/eyebrow hairs going in their eyes? I don't wear make up so I'm not used to this sort of thing. I think wearing glasses may be making it worse, by redirecting any lashes back into my eye.
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the shedding is driving me crazy! I am cold capping, so I still have hair, but it seems to me like Im loosing so much, I really don't know if the caps are working or not, its depressing, I know its mostly vanity and everyone keeps saying don't worry the hair will grow back, but still its such a traumatic experience, I think only people who have been thru it can understand, and i know everyone means well, but i don't want to hear how it will grow back, i just don't want it to fall off, its almost like a little girl tantrum... oh well, having a blah day...
on the upside i was finally able to get some toppik, which is like a fiber dust you can use to cover bald spots or thinning hair, and it seems to work. I still look like a homeless dog, but with a bit fuller hair.
How are the other cold cappers doing?
to everyone on treatment this week, may the force be with you
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Sue the hair waving goodbye made me laugh so much!
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WERWARRIORS - Your Mom is most likely over the worst part of the days after chemo so from now on she will improve. She has one chemo under her belt, so she is on her way. When the port settles she will be glad she got it. She is very lucky to have such a caring daughter like you. I am sure you are making all of this much easier for her, but at the same time she will not want you to worry about her so best not to look too worried around her. She will get through this and you can both look forward to the future.
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VSB2015 - Sorry to hear you had pain after your Neulasta shot. I got mine last Sat. and took the Claritin each day since and have had no pain yet. I think though if this keeps your white cells in check it will be worth it. I ended up in hospital with white cell fever last round so don't want that to happen again.
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Cody_mx-I'm not cold-capping, but I came to the conclusion that hair, like blood and motor oil, looks like a LOT more than it really is when it is out of place (i.e., not on my head). I know that I filled several hotel trash cans with out-of-place hair before it really looked like I had lost any hair on my head. My advice is to focus on what is left in place, rather than what has left....
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Hi, Cody,
I am cold capping but I am only on day 6 so no shedding yet. There is a board for cold capping. I will look for the link.
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HI Heathet,
I'm in central Florida, Our diagnosis is similar but I wasHER2 negative. I've been through first chemo and it was easy until third day then flu like symptoms. Keep in touch , it seems like we will be going on similar paths. Next session is next week , I go every 2 weeks. I also had implants, saline and was told they will get hard as a rock during radiation ( after the chemo sessions) . Do you know about this? Does anyone know if they leave in the implant ( saline, submuscular) after the mastectomy how to deal with the implant hardening?
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Hi everyone,
I had a great meeting with my MO. I'm so glad that I hung in with him and worked on my change in my attitude. We are going to challenge the insurance company on denying Perjeeta, this means some time on the phone for him, and I really like his thinking on it. He is also going to order 3 white blood cell shots for me the week after my TC+H to keep my WBC up. He helped me with timing when to take all the meds for SEs too. It went really well, he even hugged me afterwards. YAY!
Agharta – Glad that you were free of the heartburn and cramps, gives me hope for my next round. I'm glad that you are feeling better. I went to work dragging the Monday after my first round (on a Thursday) and it actually helped me to put in a half day and get concentrated on something else. The next day, I took a nap on my couch in my office and then the following day, I was fine.
Numb – You are right about adjusting with round 2…I've got a new plan! My MO said to start the Pepcid tomorrow and keep taking it until my stomach feels fine or just stay on it the entire term of the chemo. He said to start the other two anti-nausea drugs after the chemo and keep them up until its better. So he's thinking 3 days, maybe 4. It was day 4 that went bad for me but he thinks it will be different this time. I know that body drugged feeling, it was weird for me, I tend to not use anything except Tylenol. I just felt "weird." I'm so glad that you are doing okay.
Gracietoo – I hope it gets better. I wonder about gargling with the baking soda/salt mix. Are you taking Claritan? It'll pass…I had some strange sinus blood and it passed.
Bimsickle – I'm glad that your tests came back clear. That is crazy about the surgeon. My team seems to work well with each other, but they are not a "team", just three doctors in that share patients. I felt like my biopsy was overly invasive but it turns out that the data was so good it helped my surgeon be able to do a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy. So what do I know?! I see you are HER2+…are you getting Herceptin?
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Hi everyone. How do I post my information so that it shows up at the bottom of my messages each time.
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Wellshot , I too have needle phobia , so bad I start shaking ! I just put on my eyeshades and my headphones and the staff knows to go ahead and "just do it" . Before I know it , the blood draw or the IV for chemo is done. I just try to go to my "zone" and not think about the needle
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Suem - I was thinking about you today because I noticed some short hairs on the top of my head standing up. I'm starting to shed a bit more but not bad. I'm having more faith in the cold capping but time will tell. You sound accepting of the hair loss as you were kinda expecting it. I hope your wig fitting goes well. I'd put you in something sassy with purple tips.
Cody - I'm cold capping, day 20 today and shedding a bit. I was told that you can loose up to 30% in the shedding. But also, cold capping success varies with the regime. I'm sorry that this is happening to you and I really hope that it stops. It is traumatic and you are right that people saying that stupid comment should be quiet. Did you get a back up wig? I went and tried on wigs to see what looked like my natural hair and the style that worked on my head. I had my hairdresser measure my head too. Then I went on www.wigs.com and picked one out, I spent like $300 and it is great. I felt better, like I could do that for a time if it goes bad on the cold capping for me. You'll get through and adjust, we have to.
VSB - Are you taking Claritan? Did you talk to your MO? He has me on Granix shots 2 - 3 times a week because he feels his patients do better on it. Maybe they could try another WBC booster.
PDRchick - how is it going? I'm up for round 2 on Friday.
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Katjadvm: At the top of the page, go to My Profile section, and go to My Diagnosis and My Treatment. You can fill in details there. Then, you can select if you want the information to be public or not (there are little symbols to the right of the information.) Hope that helps.
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I got my port today and boy am I sore tonight. I suppose it's to be expected but ouch! I almost want to faint when I think of them accessing it tomorrow for my second round.
My first week went really well. So well that today (day 6) I had no symptoms! Unfortunately the joy from that is being overshadowed by the port pain.
I am feeling very positive that at least the first 12 weeks will be doable!
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Suems and limnogal! 😂😂😂 thank you for the chuckles. I'll try to stay alert for falling lashes whilst wearing my glasses. And I too now have hair waving goodby. The little chunk I left longer at the front after shaving. But just the grey is left. Standing. Waving. The blond said goodby over the weekend. Curious.
I'm feeling good. Last cycle I was in the hospital around this time. Sounds like most of us are in a good spot-ish. Drain tubes out Heathnet yay! 'm having my 4 years olds bday this weekend. Thank goodness it fell perfectly in the chemo cycle.
SusanBP I'd be the same. Just the thought of ports make me woozy. Here's to a speedy recovery!
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Hi everybody,
4th May already. Time is marching on for this group and I have to say that I think we are all bloody amazing! Im halfway through my AC now and Im doing well. I hit a wall yesterday though, where I just felt so down. I know that CJ mentioned she was feeling the same on the FB group. I think we are more than entitled to be grumpy if we need to be. Sometimes its hard to put a brave face on through all this and yesterday I just didnt feel like being a warrior. I just felt so ugly and sick. Not sick in the physical sense but just having no hair is hard to adjust to. As I mentioned before, it's actually looking like a cancer patient that shocks me. There's no hiding it now. Every time I see myself in the mirror it shocks me. I dont want to obsess about it, but it's a hard corner to turn - for me anyway. With another month of AC ahead and then 12 weeks of Taxol after that, Im sure I will eventually get used to it.
Im trying so hard to be positive around family members and friends who are being so incredibly supportive. I dont want to be a miserable cow and so I say Im great - and they think Im amazing. Im so strong and brave and arent I getting through this so well?! To be fair, I really am doing well but I do find this week I've been struggling with the emotional side of Cancer. Having this group of amazing women sharing this journey helps me so much. You all experience the same stuff. You get it. You understand. That's invaluable. So thank you all for that. I do think I will be more honest with my family going forward. Like I said. We're entitled to have a down day and Im sure they actually expect me to every now and again.
Rant over. Today is a new day and I feel better for getting that off my chest. I have an appointment to have my PICC line dressed this afternoon and will talk to my Onc nurse about my throat. A walk on the beach and a some lunch at a nice little coffee bar afterwards will sort me out.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy day.
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I think I was all enthusiastic about the treatment before it started, then I was happy to get started and now that I am into it I am fed up of it. The novelty of it has worn off and the hard side of things is now presenting itself. It is not like I just have a month more to go, but I have the next 7 months to go with all of this. Not a pleasant thought. We have all nearly learnt how to cope with our side effects so it leaves little to discuss now so that sort of leaves this forum a bit flat at this stage. However, it was great when we were all starting out and it was great to have people who were in the same boat as us, even though that boat is not a nice place to be in. I still appreciate all the advice and effort everyone makes to sort out one another's problems, but I am getting fed up of this cancer thing. That's my rant for the day.
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numb- I agree with your sentiments. The time after diagnosis and starting chemo treatment is really a whirlwind and the adrenaline associated with just thinking survival takes over. Once the first treatment is done and you settle into a routine- I have started to begin thinking - what now. Because I am HER+ I will be getting infusions for a full year. I have a countdown calendar on my refrigerator. I have a long way to go. The mental thing is worrisome. I lost my hair- done. Tolerable wig for work and cute scarves for everywhere else. But I do wonder how long I can keep a happy face on for everyone. All the time. My prognosis is excellent but it will be a long year. But I have no choice. It is what it is and I just keep moving forward. But I hate having cancer. I just wonder who I will be when it's over?
That's my rant for the day. I took today and tomorrow off work just so I can deal with potential side effects. Fun times!
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