Anyone starting chemo August 2016?
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I guess I will have no fear of crazy dreams on my steroids because it's almost 2:30 am & I am still awake. Not sure what this is about ...never had it before my chemo day before. Hopefully I can get a little rest.
Hope Dara & jandjmom are resting well and are comfortable.
Annie yes your amazing and I doknow worry just robs us of our joy 💕
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It is so good to see you guys continuing your treatments. I am still in the hospital. One of the cultures came back with a Gram Positive Bacilli. Happily the antibiotic they were giving me was treating for that too. So it seems I will be here for quite a while longer. So my 4th session of chemo that was supposed to be on Thursday will be postponed.
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Cali- maybe you'll be able to sleep during your treatment today! (trying to think positive). I can't seem to stay up late at all, but last 2 nights I'm away in the 4am hour and end up getting up.
Elizabeth- so happy to hear from you honestly! I know I'm not the only one that's been wondering how you're doing, I'm so sorry you're still in the hosp but sounds like you're getting the meds you need and this WILL be just a slight delay.
Tish- did you get prescription/dr stuff straightened out? I'm thinking we can just use our MO as our primary during this- why not!
JandJmom- I understand your concern....after my first infusion, I was chalking weird pings and pangs to neulesta. I'm realizing this is more neuropathy. It doesn't happen only in my hands- I'll get weird feelings in my legs, etc. I would absolutely talk to your MO about your concerns. When I met with mine after first infusion, she really seemed interested in all of my side effects, noting everything. My mom had BC twice, then colon cancer. She didn't have any neuropathy issues until colon cancer chemo. We're not on any of those drugs. She had numb feet, never any pain, and it would come and go. I'm refusing (LOL) to get neuropathy. I'll fight that too! Watch out! haha. By the way- I say that about the chemo drugs with colon cancer, as I was suppose to have a colonoscopy in Oct, then found out I'd be going through this. So I looked at the oncologist and said well, if anything is growing in the colon, this will kill it right???? Nope! Oh great, my body falls apart, but I could still having cancer growing in my colon? What the heck lol. So they squeezed me in. I still am worried about that....but I go in often.
Annie - on behalf of the group, I want to say thank you for carrying out baby! LOL- it's such a joy to hear about your experience through all of this! We can't wait for our little baby to be born!
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Glad things went smoothly jandjmom! I have similar little tingles and prickles in my feet. The nurse said it the effect s of the meds. Mine last only a minute or so and then go away, and she said that's OK and not to worry about it. My older sister had it but it never went away and was very debilitating. That's when they want to treat with something else.
My infusion was uneventful yesterday They gave me two bags of steroids and an infusion of benedryl, on top of my oral steroids and Claritin. Let's just say I was awake every hour last night and never fell asleep during the infusion yesterday even though I could barely keep my eyes open. BUT only one more left. Steroids really play havoc with me, not just with sleep, but also blood work. My glucose shot up to 422 last night which freaked me out a little. I took a pill and even though exhausted, got on my recumbent bike and pedaled it down to 388. Next two days should be OK until Neulasta kicks in.
Cali, hope your day goes smoothly today.
Hi to everyone else. Welcome back sense, and hope all else are doing well.
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And JandJmom, I thought I responded to the neuropathy question. I get piercing little pin pains in the bottom of my feet. My MO said so long as they do away it's OK, mention it to them and let them know just how long the stinging remains and how debilitating they are. There are medications they can use, and you certainly don't want it to get worse or become more permanent. Good luck. Dara
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Congratulations, Dara and Cali for getting close to the end! We all started together but I am only half way. Four more DD taxol for me. I had that pesky lymph node that added to my fun. Starting to take all my B vitamins and lining up my icing procedures to try and avoid neuropathy. Hope it helps
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I finished my second round this afternoon with Prejeta and 1 liter of saline as well as a direct Neulasta shot (instead of the onbody injector). My feet and and hand tingles are gone. Whew! I will mention it before the next treatment. I took long infusions by choice, 1 hour for the Taxatere as well as the others. Maybe recommend extending it.
Dara, have you tried Benedryl pills and Melatonin? I had horrible sleep issues with constant waking even before diagnosis, but my MO refused to prescribe anything. Instead, he recommended 5mg Melatonin and 50 mg (2 pills worth) of Benedryl, and I sleep through the night with this.
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Almost in a similar situation. Started chemo July 17, 2016. Couldn't find a July group. Had 4 every other week treatments of AC and one so far of Taxol. AC had to be reduced by 20% for the second through fourth infusions. Taxol was given full strength but 9 days out i am still hurting a lot. Going to ask onco if he can reduce it for the next 3 treatments. If not, I may quit. Can barely get from the sofa to the bathroom. I don't have a port, and with only one arm to work with, we are running out of veins.
IDC Stage 3c. 3 cm tumor, 14 malignant lymph nodes.
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Marlenelin- welcome! We will take you! This has been a great group of ladies, everyone is supportive AND we even are lucky enough to have a baby on the way! I think it's definitely smart to talk through your pain and concerns with your MO...sounds like your body is not happy! Hang in there, please keep us posted on what the Dr says for you.
jandjmom- thanks for the info on the Benadryl and Melatonin.....Dara and Cali and JandJ let us know how you're doing when you're up for it.
Jiffrig- I still have 4 more rounds to go.....and some of us move from one drug to another, so we may be riding this together for a while. Then a few of us still move onto surgery and/radiation. Maybe we can still keep this group?! I love the support I get here, and would want everyone's feedback once I'm into the surgery process too!
I'm about 7 days post chemo #2. I have less chemo fog, but I guess I'm still surprised at the nausea and fatigue. I'm not a napper, and went out yesterday to take my daughter to the Dr, and hit a couple of errands, and I was DONE. So much for my thoughts on getting exercise in! I also get the random tingling. Oh and my tongue was burning last night when I drank sparkling water. I have one of those geographic tongues, so I think the chemo just tears it up.
Wishing everyone a nice day today.....Elizabeth thinking of you too....patiently waiting for your post that you're out of the hospital!
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Morning all. First Wecome Marlenelin! Sorry you didn't have a group from the beginning, but we'd love to have you join us. I believe there was a July group, but sometimes it's hard to find them. I think the most important thing is to have a place where we can go for questions, support, and sharing. The start dates really aren't as important.
Day 2 post #3 for me and doing fine. Yesterday also had to go back to center to see my BS for my 3 month incision check. It took all of about 5 minutes, she looked at it, said it looked awesome, the thin breast scar will fade during rads (she said), and she'll see me in 9 months for a 3D mammogram and US. That seems like such a long way away. I was thinking I had a momma after 6 months, but she said she wants to wait 6 months after rads as the breast tissue needs to settle down after rads or we could be chasing down little changes just caused by radiation. Looks like I"ll wait 3 weeks post #4 and then start 30 rad tx. I'm loading up on yogurt right now trying to avoid intestinal issues I had last time.
Elizabeth, how are you feeling? Still in hospital? Sure hope you're doing better and can get home quickly!
JandJ, I do take melatonin, and often take a 5mg ambient for sleep. Years ago I used to take benedryl to try to help me sleep, but now I find I don't respond that way. Even with the chemo, the nurses always say, you'll get sleepy or take a nap now, and I never sleep. I don't do too badly when I"m not taking the premed steroid or right after all the steroids during tx. Luckily, I am able to take a quick nap if needed so I just go with the flow right now.
Kelly, so long as this thread is still active, we can keep this group together. I see some where people stay together and post years after. I know we all hope to move on to a more normal life, but I feel like so many of you are friends, and hope to stay in touch even when all the chaos begins to fade! I know I want to see lots more pictures of Annie and her little girl as she grows up! :-)
Cali, hope all went well yesterday.
Going to go get some breakfast. I usually lose my tastebuds tomorrow so will eat while I still know what I"m eating! lol Hi to everyone else, especially those we haven't heard from for a while. Dara
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Sorry I have been MIA. Haven't had a chance to catch up. But just wanted to let you all know I'm doing pretty well and waiting for my last TC infusion now! I was really good about taking probiotics and eating a lot from that cook book I posted earlier and found my gastro issues much reduced. Still got a rash on my face but no worse than last time. Hope you all are coping well. I will try to take a look back at your posts this week. Last week was a bit rough emotionally. School has started up without me and have too much time to focus on worrying about the next steps of simple mastectomy with reconstruction and some form of hormone repression as yet to be determined.
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Marlenelin....Welcome .. I love our group and I hope those that want to .... we can remain here to support each other. I haven't found any other support like this. Went to one group where a bitter, unhappy women took over the whole meeting even yelling at the sweet psychologist that tried to answer questions. I wanted to stand up and run out.
Dara ...sounds like your doing well so far, I can't use Benadryl either it reacts the opposit for me. I think Melatonin only helps me on a normal work night but since the whole BC took over my life I just don't sleep well. Ambien is my sleep angel but I try to save it for once a week.
Yesterday #3 went well they went slow to make sure I didn't react to the Taxotere this time and gave me more steroids to help ... So I came home exhausted with my mind racing till about midnight ... Then woke up ever other hour to go potty since I drank so much water .... But all is good. I keep rinsing my mouth and drinking as much water as I can stand.
Y'all have a good day
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My son Andrew came by to see me in the infusion room.
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Great picture, Cali, my kids have taken turns coming to help my DH with cold capping and it just makes my day! My children in law are coming for the last four. They came up with this on their own. Funny story...my four year old grandson is evidently telling all his buddies in pre-school that his Grandma is going to get cut up with a knife and sewn back up with a big needle! Thrilling stuff for four year old boys! Glad I can help make him BMOC! Hope I'm not scheduled for "show and tell"! 😳😳. And I was worried this would traumatize them!
Cali, sleep is the worst! I feel like a drug addict at night trying to get a full nights sleep. And then I do get to sleep and guess what...my bladder speaks up! First thing my husband asks every morning is whether I sleep thru night. Exciting stuff
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Cali. -- What a handsome son. So glad you have all that support.
Marlene -- Welcome to the group.
I am still in the hospital . Still running an intermittent low grade fever. Today we accessed that port for the first time and they pulled blood for cultures. They just want to make sure it is not contaminated with anything. It Sure works well and I recommend it to anyone doing an 8 dose or more Chemo followed by Herceptin for a year.
One of my first cultures came back with a Gram Positive Bacilli, but they have not localized which one yet. So more antibiotics and I may get to go home on the weekend
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rocking my egg and new port finally accessed
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Round 3 completed! Only 1 left to go
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Love the pictures ...
Elizabeth you have had such a rough time of it so good to see you smiling & still so positive.
Sensitivehr.... Yay for 3 down and one to go ... As always still smiling.
Jiffrig.... Isn't it heck try to sleep, finally sleep, wake up to potty .... Whatever it takes to win this battle.
Dara ...hope your doing ok
Rest well ladies.... Love & hugs 😘
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Good Morning Beauties
Been slacking on posting. Had my 3 of 4 dose dense A/C yesterday. Thankful that my white blood cell count went back up. Guess it will be the norm to drop and then work it's way back up. It stinks that it's keeping me from working and stuck at home. One more to go and then on to Taxol. I have reading alot of the weekly taxol group thread to see what to expect next and preparing for that.
I see lots of up and downs in our group but I see so much strength and determination. What brave women we are. How exciting that we have a baby to look forward to! That is so exciting Annie and wish you the best!
Have a great day!
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hello all!
I had TC infusion # 2 yesterday. We are doing it through IV and I have a small track or scar from infusion 1, used a different vein lower on the arm for infusion 2 and by the end it really burned. Any tips for infusion 3? I'm thinking of asking them to use the back of my hand have any of you done this?
Also- chemo or maybe steroids are making me moody and cranky. What's been helpful to you all with moods?
Thanks
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Thanks for the welcome everyone. I have had 5 infusions and they used the back of my hand for 4 of them. They only have one arm to work with as all my lymph nodes were removed from the right arm This last infusion, first of taxol, they had to go up to the middle of my arm. They tell me they can go up the arm but can't go down. I'm hoping I have enough veins left from mid arm up for 3 more treatments. Was ready to quit taxol completely. First treatment hit me very hard but I spoke to onco yesterday and he is willing to reduce the taxol and the steroids on my next infusion Tuesday and see if that helps. This last infusion has been debilitating. Hope the next one is better. So glad to hear most of you are doing well.
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Morning all. Neulasta pain hit in pretty hard last night and is still there this morning. hips, knees, shoulder are really miserable. Doing ok with everything else though. Will most likely lay low today and just wait it out.
Elizabeth and Sensi, great photos! Annie - B-7-14, I'm getting everything through my hand veins as well. Makes for some pretty ugly "old lady" veins :-) but so far I'm glad I don't need the port. Since I only need the 4 TC, it's not as bad as those who have all the extra infusions.
Sorry, will check back later... off to my heating pad! Dara
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I've only had one infusion, and they used the back of my hand - close to the knuckles. They can go up the arm, but not lower.
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I was sprung... Now I am sitting on my couch for the 1st time in a week... Yeah me.
Tomorrow I will call my MO and firm up my session for next week. It will be #4 and last of the AC...
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Yay Elizabeth glad your home.
Annie-B-7-1...I had my first 2 IV's on top of my hand .. Tuesday they did inside a few inches down from my wrist area. I have had so many ups and downs. My second treatment seemed to hit my emotions so hard. I feel like we go through so much & I have tons of support but it's those moments alone that hit me hard. I find this group so very helpful with encouragement & who else but us can know what we feel?
Hope y'all rest well ... I hope to finally
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Congrats Elizabeth! So glad you're home where you can rest and relax.
I got hit so very hard again with the bone pain yesterday. Just stayed in bed most os the day and took norco. The pain bounced around from knees to shoulder to elbow. Just keep telling myself.... Just 1 more! At east no thrush this time, and (knock on wood) so far my taste buds are still in tact. So I just keep stretching out on my bio-mat on the couch. The heat does seem to help some.
Cali, so sorry about the emotional hit this time. It's kind of crazy that each infusion seems to bring a little bit different set of SEs.
Smile, all of my tx have been through IV in the back of my hand. Since I only need 4, my MO wanted to try without port. So far, so good.
I wonder how some of our early chemo sisters are doing? I imagine it gets tough with all that's going on and then life tends to get in the way as well. Hope all are hanging in!
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Not looking forward to infusion #6 on Tuesday. This will be my second Taxol. First one was very rough for 11 days. Asked onco to reduce the Taxol and the steroids as well and he agreed. Hope this next one is better. Glad to hear you are all hanging in there. Maybe it's my age (65), but I'm finding chemo rough. Can't bail though, as I had 14 malignant lymph nodes.
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Annie - LOL about the moods. My 2nd infusion was Monday and I started my period on Wednesday. Talk about being a witch! Everything set me off, lol. I was seriously hoping that a good effect of chemo would be menapause as I've been working on it for years. Flow is very light, but the PMS, cramps, etc, is alive and well.
Today I went in just for a liter of fluids. We will see if they help with side effects. I believe I had minor ones the 1st round (daily big D, 1 day of bone pain with Nuelasta, taste and lack of appetite), but if I can prevent or alleviate even those, I'll all for it. My nurse recommended saline as often as I want and scheduled two this week -one with the 2nd day Prejeta delay and today. So far, I just wanted to sleep/rest yesterday away, but today, I have normal energy and mood. Big D has only visited 2x. Even if it a placebo, I'll take it
Thankfully, I only live 20 minutes from my center.I have a port and love it. I have had three infusions just this week and it works brilliantly. Blood draws and pressure checks are more painful. Then again, I have 18 Herceptin treatments and bad viens - a port was a no brainer for me.
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Oh geezz...jandjmom ...nothing like adding PMS in the mix. Fluids would be great ... I can't seem to drink enough water even though I go all night.
Last night the pain hit in my bones. I took a Norco and I didn't have pain but I was awake most of the night with loopy thoughts. It was weird. I wish I could just take ibuprofen.
Dara ... I need to try a heating pad maybe?
Hope you all have a good, comfortable day
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Love all the pictures!! Cali, Elizabeth, Sensitive..... Everyone looks great! They all put a smile on my face! Sorry the bone pain is hitting some of you....I had double checked with my MO on pain pills, I got the go ahead so that must have helped. Someone told me that they sat in a jacuzzi, maybe warm bath or the heating pad might help.
Elizabeth so happy to see you sprung and on your couch.
jandjmom- i got my cycle during the 1st infusion....was a joke- I agree- give us the one side effect we want lol.
Marlene- good luck this week, I hope the adjustment works for you!
Erdie- keep us posted on your journey- I'll be doing double mastectomy beginning of next year.
Annie B-7 wish I had an answer for you on moods lol. Good question.
I'm 12 days post 2nd infusion, so feeling pretty good finally.
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