Anyone starting chemo August 2016?
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Barbarau, welcome, but as we always say, sorry it has to be under these conditions. So sorry you've had such a time with nausea. We are a great group who really are there for each other. It sounds like you have your hands full, so please lean on all of us any time we can help! Where are you located? Under settings, you can fill out location etc., if you're so inclined. It's fun to see who is nearby as well as what's going on all over the country and continent. We have a number of sisters in Canada as well as the US. Cancer knows no boundaries! Glad you found us, and so hope the new nausea regimen works! Dara
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Oh, one other suggestion if you'd like. After Saturday, I've now updated a list of all meds including my chemo regimen pre and post meds, list of conditions, surgeries, vaccinations, etc into a table on my computer and have it printed out. Poor DH was a bit frazzled when 911 arrived and my DS logged onto my computer to print out a list but it wasn't really updated with my pre-meds etc. They took me to the closest ER and all kept asking about my meds. I could have answered, but kept passing out so they didn't even know about my left arm not having IVs or blood draws, and of course I had just taken off my med alert bracelet that morning! I've now put everything into tables with dosages, frequencies, etc. Luckily, my DH grabbed my "notebook" with all my info in it so he could access cards for my MO and all contact info at CoH. The med sheet is something you might want to have available just as a safety precaution. And I do recommend the medic alert bracelet, just in case you're not able to tell them yourself. Just a thought.
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Barbarau55, I'm glad that you found something to help with the nausea. Unless my genomic test changes my diagnosis, I'll be on the same chemo treatment for 20 weeks, but already had surgery. Do you know and are you comfortable sharing your hormone receptor and HER2 status?
I hope your stomach settles so you can enjoy your dinner.
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Seq24, I'm feeling pretty good right now. I had mild SEs after the first 2 infusions. I developed a cold sore and MO decided I needed to be treated for them. He put me on some high powered antiviral medication and it nearly killed me. I got so sick from it. As soon as I stopped taking it I felt better. I'm on another antiviral medication but at a lower dosage but I have to take it 5 times a day! No SEs from it so far.
Infusion #3 is tomorrow morning, and I'm on my own! My hubby has to work, if they fuss at me for not having I ride ill tell them it's their fault. I was ready for my infusion on 9/2. They screwed up my schedule! I'm hoping for no SEs this time, at least I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Welcome Barbaru55, we are on the same treatment plan. I'm glad you were able to find some relief for your nauseous episodes. That's the thing I worry about the most, but so far so good. Congratulations to your DD and SIL on 15 years! Please let us all know how dinner went :-)
VLH, there were 7 of us kids and who ever got it first was stuck playing with the rest so we'd all get it at the same time. I think my mom was crazy for doing that! Oh well, it was probably the easiest way for her to get through it all!
Ajbclan, if you haven't had the chickenpox yet you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles. It's the fluid that forms on the inside of the blisters that's the contagion. If you had chickenpox and you touch the fluid, you develope shingles. It's a tricky viral infection for sure!
Dara, what a trial you have been through with your infusions so far. I'm sending out NO SE PRAYERS to you right now for the rest of your treatments! You've been through enough!
Sorry if I missed anyone! Sending hugs, love and prayers to All!
Until next time!
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I'm new. 4 days since my first chemo treatment. thank you all for sharing.
I can feel the mouth sores coming- any advice? so far for SE I have had horrible leg muscle pain and exhaustion. I'm just sooo tired.
I'm 39- have 2 boys and school starts tomorrow – I can't wait because I don't want my boys to just watch me sleep every day I think it freaks them out. i'm really hoping that this only last for the first seven days… And then I can spend a couple weeks recovering before the next chemo – it seems like that's a lot of your experiences no?
I am triple a receptor positive – her 2 positive and I'm trying chemo before surgery – I have six sessions all together every three weeks so five to go. honestly I feel really grateful that there is medicine to heal this but goodness… It's a hard road to make yourself sick just to be better.
anyways just nice to read about people on the same path and able to share a little bit… Certainly a little discouraged today just on how very very tired I am.
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Hopefloats- You look amazing. No way I'd have guessed that's a wig.
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Juststace & Barbarau - Welcome to the group! Very sorry you have to be here too. Feel free to laugh and cry with us. This is a link to tips about managing the SE'S. It might have something to help
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/chemotherapy...
Lori - my husband has to work on the days of my treatments too. I have a BFF who takes me there and picks me up too. If I have any problems she would keep me at her place till my DH gets off work. Also here in Canada there is a rides program run by the cancer society and they take you to and from treatments.
YAY !! I'm sprung. My blood tests are up to pre-chemo levels. So if all goes well my 3rd session should take place on Friday as scheduled.
One of the oncologists on the floor told me my port placement looks like it is scheduled for the 13th. That will give it a little more than a week to heal before it has to be used.
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Dara and Elizabeth - sorry you hear you've each had hospital visits. Neither the ER or an inpatient visit sound like fun.
Welcome Barbara and Juststace. Wish you did not have you join our August club, but you will find this a safe place to share. Juststace I am also triple positive but have already had my BMX. What chemo regimen are you using?
Lori - I understand that you feel badly about placing your mom somewhere for her care. Just keep reminding yourself that it's the best thing for both of you right now.
No Labor Day picnic here, but the weather is lovely, so an evening walk is on store after I cut DH's hair. I have been doing that for 22 years. Never dreamed I'd be using the same shears on my head.
Wishing you all a restful remainder of the day.
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fireheart438 I'm on Docetaxel/Carboplatin/Herceptin
you?
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Elizabeth - glad you're sprung!
Dara- brilliant idea re Meds, treatments, etc.
Someone asked about massages and acupuncture..my insurance (US) covers 20 acupuncture visits. I found a cranial sacral acupuncturist who specializes in oncology and she is amazing. One session I complained of hip pain, and she found the hairline fracture in my right hip with a tuning fork and sent me to my MO, and I then had it radiated. I recently had lymph massage rather than muscle massage as the stage IV cancer has eaten its way through many, many spots in my ribcage, spine, sternum, sacrum, pelvis hips and neck, and it's just too scary to have massage. This from someone who used to have Rolfing once a month....
My nausea is easing....Got my energy up to get showered, dressed, and to the store and buy some more fresh ginger and will slice it into hot water and drink. I consider that 3 things accomplished today!
The boy kitty just came up for some chow and pets, so as his staff, I must attend to him.
Love to you all no matter what is going on.
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Hi barbaru55,
I am getting TC for 4 cycles 21 days apart, next round on Thursday. My husband also wanted to shave his head to support I asked him to please not too. I try so hard to avoid looking at myself so depressed about the hair loss. Tomorrow I go to work and have been agonizing all day what to wear, wig or hat or scarf. Looking for earrings. Never wore much make up, but was told by a well meaning friend I have such pretty eyes I should wear eyeshadow to make them pop....who cares if my eyes pop I still have no hair> Guess I am just grumpy not looking forward to Thursday, praying i don't get as sick as last time. Good luck ladies and thanks for the support xoxo
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major migraine happening and can't take much due to liver not functioning properly. :
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kechla- ibuprofen is processed through the kidney unlike acetaminophen that's is processed via liver... Can you try that? (Advil for example). Poor thing!
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http://www.scarves.net/blog/knots-for-hope/ all,
I found this web site that shows how to tie some really cute scarves.
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When I had my lumpectomy, i coded in the recovery room. I bounced back after a minute or so of CPR. This left me with a sore chest for several weeks. I decided to go see my Chiropractor and Masseuse after I sneezed and it froze midway due to the extreme pain. The Alignment was wonderful. My guy is very young and extremely up to date. Then there was 15 minutes of Tens massage with a hot towel draped over my upper back.
The next day I went to the masseuse. 30 minutes of deep tissue massage then she did lymphatic drainage on my chest and shoulders. After this you have to drink a ton of water and sometimes you hurt more the next day, but boy did that help my situation.
Our problem is the pain from this drug is in the bone, so while a massage may help relax the muscles, I'm not sure how it would help with the bone pain. But a massage may make the rest of you feel much better about things.
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Thanks Ladies. A dear friend who has traveled this road before us put me on to this forum. She has been a wonderful resource for me and I can tell this is going to be another good one.
I am fortunate that my markers were all good: hormones positive, HER2, negative. I have gone to my "Settings" and was able to add City/State so thank you for that. I would like to add my diagnosis/treatment information but there is no "Edit" button. Can someone clarify how that is done?
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Hi Barbarau55-
Welcome if I haven't "welcomed" you yet. I think we're all on the same page that we give everyone grace trying to keep up with our thread- but it's been great. So sorry about your nausea! They prescribed Zofran and another med (can't remember) to alternate if I have issues. Someone also helpfully commented that the Zofran can constipate, and so I confirmed that with the NP and she said start with the other- gee thanks lol. I have the same road, but different meds- chemo first, surgery, then possible radiation (meet next week with the RO).
Regarding your profile- if you go the top right of the page, you'll click on "my profile". You'll see 4 tabs, and one is diagnosis and the other is treatment. It's weird though- it says "potential treatment" so I had added surgery, but when it pops up here- it looks like I already had it, so I went back and deleted! Hope that helps....
Off to my follow up with the NP today and then right over to genetic counseling appt. Wishing you all well.....
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I'm probably not doing the entries right--sorry! But as I read I find another question or remark I feel I need to answer.
The dinner with DD and SIL went very well. We live in very rural area and we drove 30 miles to the old-fashioned diner, The facility is quite new but the decor is from the 50's/60/s--a silver bullet kind--open 24/7/365 for guys who are trainmen. Anyway, dinner went down great and it was fun to be family. Five miles from home, however, and severe stomach pains hit. Made it home and had a good "cleansing." It didn't come back so it was okay. This is very humbling.
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Elizabeth, part of my problem on Saturday was that I had elevated levels of lactic acidosis in my muscles from the drugs. I've done some research and it seems sung the foam rollers to break that up can help. I figure it really can't hurt. Thanks for the scarf site. Did you ever check out Wrapunzel.com for even videos on how to tie scarves? I had a terrible time the first time I tried to tie one and thought I looked more like the Taliban! Scary! LOL and then add a face mask to it and I'm really in trouble!
Yesterday afternoon felt so much better. At least now I know that the afternoon of the 7th day, I seem to turn a corner and feel more like myself. Kechla, today I woke up with a bad headache. I was told NOT to take any Advil or NSAIDs as they are hard on the kidneys. And Advil is the only thing that really works for me for headaches. I get to a point where I finally will just take 2 Advil and then drink tons of extra water. It's finding the lesser of two evils! I have norco, but just Advil works the best.
Hope all aches, pains, and SEs are few and mild today for everyone.
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My NP had said take pain meds, I think it was anything but aspirin- but I may re-ask today!
juststace- haven't had a chance to welcome you as well (now I'm feeling bad- I'm forgetting someone I know it!). I had sucked on ice chips during my first treatment (thanks to these wonderful ladies suggestion!)- only issue I had for about a week was probably thrush, but mouth was white and gross. NP said to just keep swishing. I did some baking soda/water, tried salt/water, but the Biotene was the thing I could tolerate the best. I was pretty good about swishing something after I ate or drank anything but water until it went away. I have a 13 yr old daughter, and totally understand trying to keep their life normal as possible. Whole thing stinks! Hope you're starting to feel better. It took me over a week to feel more normal again.
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was back to school day here... Wow I felt so under prepared! I didn't have bread for sandwiches or juice boxes! Luckily my kids prefer leftovers in a thermos, and I had some reusable Rubbermaid juice boxes I filled with juice! Crisis everted! My kids also haven't figured out that I shaved my head on Friday.... They knew my hair was coming out in clumps- but haven't realized I'm now sporting a wig.... But let me tell you - rushing to get it on before making breakfast and packing their lunch today near killed me!
It felt good having a few days with no doctors appointments last week- but they restart today in preparation for my infusion Friday. Boo
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Thanks Hope and Dara. Yes, I was allowed Advil in moderation, but I had already taken 2 that day and they didn't want me to take any more. They suggested I could go to ER for a shot (I don't remember of what) that was for migraine, but not too taxing on the liver. Did not want to go to ER and catch anything, so I toughed it out and finally got some sleep and woke up much better. I fear that it may be some of my digestive issues returning (as bloating and migraines were my main symptoms then.) (Or perhaps the neulasta shot finally kicking in...) I didn't take my antibiotic today and I have labs again tomorrow. Hoping everything has bounced back to where it should be.
I have had a hard time keeping up the last week (my brain is already very foggy after just 1 treatment.) Nurse thinks with my side effects and elevated liver levels that they may need to reduce my dosage of Taxotere next time. I hope that does not change the number of times I need to do it.
Today is a good day. I feel almost normal. Looking forward to possibly another week and a half of good days!
Welcome to all the new ladies. Sorry you have to be here, but it is a wealth of knowledge and a great place to talk openly.
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It is official.... Port will be installed on Tuesday Sept. 13.
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Hi everyone!
We went camping this weekend. We bought a new camper at the beginning of the summer and with everything going on we never got a chance to use it - it was great. We even canoed for a couple of hours on Sunday. I shaved Thursday, so it was kind of nice to have my first "bald" weekend in a place completely populated with strangers. I'm learning quick about what I like to wear on my head when and where. I'm in a full wig at work today and it has been okay. A little embarrassing, but not too bad. A friend said that in a weird way, she was jealous that I get to try new hairstyles. And I totally get it! When I was little I wanted a room full of wigs and wear a different one everyday. It was one of those things that seems like the wrong thing to say, but ended up being exactly the right thing to say. So I am trying to find some joy in wearing a wig.
Welcome to Elizabeth - glad you are out of the hospital! and MyCatSpot - so sorry about your Power Port!
Hope - you look gorgeous with and without the wig. I love that no one can tell - not even your kids. That's awesome. I can relate to the "bikini wax." It's weird.
Candy - I'm sorry you've had some rough patches lately. Big hugs.
Dara - That sounds really awful! I am so sorry that happened to you! The indignities - exactly. I hate that part.
JandJmom - Day 7 has been a doozy for me, too. I totally didn't expect it. But I have some of my most painful (as in D) side effects that day.
Much love to all of you! Keeping you all in my thoughts.
Annie
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Hi everyone! Welcome to our newbies! I've read thru all the new posts and I will reread and take notes in the morning so I don't miss anyone!
What a day! I had infusion #3 today, so far so good! Before heading out the door for my infusion I decided to go to my mom's basement apartment to check on her. Boy, am I glad I did! I found her laying on her bathroom floor! The last time I checked on her was around 9pm to make sure she didn't need to go potty or want a snack. She's not sure what time she got up to go potty by herself instead of buzzing me but we figure she'd been there most of the night. My hubby called 911 and then took the day off to help me take care of everything. Ambulance took mom to ER, hubby took me to chemo. He waited for my blood tests to be drawn, took me to breakfast, waited for me to get settled then he headed to the ER to take care of my mom. What a man I have taking care of all of us!
After my infusion we picked mom up from the ER. Mom didn't get hurt thank goodness, she is now resting comfortably at the nursing home. I let the director know that it may be permanent, but I didn't tell my mom that. Hubby then took me to dinner and then home to rest. Did I already say what a day?! Needless to say I love, love, love my man! We're both beat!
BBITM... Be back in the morning
Hugs, love and well wishes to All!
One very worn out Lori 😜
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Lori- Wow! What a day is right, and love hearing how your husband stepped right up and in!! Glad you're doing ok, and so is your mom....have a good night!
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barbarau55.... Welcome and I have learned with this never be far from a restroom after eating 😬
DaraB....thank you for the tip. I have written out all I take before, after, during treatment just in case
WenchLori ... Wooh... What a day ...not much time to dwell on yourself for sure, glad mom is well..I loved the ole lint roller in the end of my shedding hair days.
The hair issue seems to be harder for some than others ... Yesterday in all my baldness I was shacking out the bathroom rug when some of my longer hair I use to have landed on my forehead and it just made me laugh as I removed it from my face.
Love & hugs
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Hi ladies...just doing a quick check in on everyone.
Fireheart-I'd do a Mohawk if I had enough hair left. Still haven't lost it all, and kinda feeling like fuzzy wuzzy bear.
Seq-So sorry you had a bad experience with chemo class. Made me angry as well to read that. Please remember you may not experience all SE and everyone is different. Wishing you minimal SE.
Welcom-Elizabeth, Mycat and juststace and anyone I may have missed.
Hope-your hair looks gret. Lol at bikini wax.....I told my sister and a few close friends "free brazillian"
Dara-So very sorry you had a bad experience and ended up in ER. Glad you had family close by to take care of you and that you or ok now.
Wenchie (or do you prefer Lori?)-how are you feeling. Sorry to hear about your mom. Wishing you minimal SE after your 3rd infusion today. Hope the med continues to work, and keeps the shingles at bay and does not give you any SE.
I'm on day 6 of 2nd infusion. Minimal SE's so far, more tired and feel like I'm stuck in a rut. MO wouldn't let me work, so I try to do stuff around the house, but then end up being too lazy. Day 7 was the start of the worse for me last time, so hoping for the best tomorrow.
Have a good week all and sleep well.
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Juststace- I am on a 12 week regimen of taxol and herceptin. Then the herceptin alone every 3 weeks for a year. After that it will be tamoxifen or something comparable. Basically looking at a lifetime of keeping this NC at bay.
Sensitive- I won't be rocking the Mohawk much longer. I'm shedding faster than our 10 animals do.
Check up with the BC's PA this afternoon. Have a good day, all.
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Good Morning Ladies
Today, if my white cell is back up, will be 2 of 4 for a/c treatment. Starting taking Claritan a few days earlier and see if that helps with the pain from the Neulesta shot.
Did notice some hair shedding on Monday, which would have been day 12. I will admit I cried as I blow dried my hair. You know it's coming, you think you are prepared but when it happens, you're not. I quickly recovered from it though. It's temporary, it's not the end of the world. I can also feel that my scalp is tender.
Call me crazy but I ordered velcro bangs lol. I have always had bangs and I think if I have atleast that, I'll be okay and feel better about myself. Nothing to lose for sure lol
Is anyone taking Glutamine during treatment?
Reading through the pages, some have had some really difficult times but your strength is amazing.
Have a great day ladies. You are all awesome!
Kathie
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