Anyone starting chemo August 2016?
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Hi, Ladies,
I'm visiting again because you're farther along in the process than me. I had port surgery Monday and was surprised when I awakened to discover the surgeon put my port on the left side where I had two lumpectomies, a sentinel node biopsy with three nodes removed and an infection that endured for 8 weeks. There was a small incision and minor bruising or the right side where I expected the port to be.
I called the port surgeon's office yesterday and again today trying to find out why. Today, he happened to be standing there so the employee asked about switching sides. He said he couldn't access the vein on my right side and it was nothing to worry about. I asked the employee if that was common and she said, "It happens." I don't recall reading about anyone else getting a port switched to the surgical side. This surgeon was a referral from my MO , who said she's never had a problem with one of his ports in more than 10 years.
Has this happened to any of you? It seems like there's been a bobble every step of the way with my treatment and I haven't even started the scary stuff yet. YIKES!
Lyn
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Hi all- I've been reading and enjoying all of your posts, sorry it's been a while. I'm hooked up right now to my chemo #3 of 6 as we speak, so finally get time to type up a message! LOL.
First I just love all the pictures!! Sensitive- the hats made me laugh! Mfalabella- thanks for coming back to us and giving us an update and posting your fabulous picture.
Caligirl- hope you're doing well, I agree- want to try and stay on this board if possible. I will be having surgery still, and you never know if more chemo/radiation will follow.
Those of you that are struggling, or having bad moments/days/life! This is your sounding board, never apologize...we get it. I think some people think sure- you're having a bad time but you're recover from this- no biggy. Not so much...this lingers while we're in it, and will always be a thought in our minds later.
I can't remember who it was that wasn't getting the invite out with friends...but I've realized I have had to reach out more to others. They may not want to bother you....I've said "hey want to go for a walk, etc" and they respond positively.
Cute side note- I just caught my girlfriend on my security camera....delivering me a bundt cake! So cute/fun/thoughtful.
Wishing you all well.....
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I am joining in on the eye issues. Just my left eye, but it is watering like crazy and is swollen. Dr. today said it was not uncommon and recommended Opcon-A. I'm going to try it and thought I'd share...
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Ok. I have been so good about not freaking out. I had a 'pity party' before chemo when I cut my waist length hair. Now I have watched it fall out. I have suffered through bouts of diarrhea, bad taste, exhaustion, and general malaise of my first 2 of 6 treatments all in realtively good humor. One innocent phone call the to MO this morning has freaked me out. I need a refill on my steroids for next Monday's infusion and while I was on the phone with the nurse, I casually asked about my blood work from last Thursday since no one called me back thinking "no news is good news". Well, the nurse mentioned that my liver stats didn't look good. What?! I went to my online portal, and yes, I have elevated enzymes for liver damage. Hadn't a clue what these things meant before, but you can see a steady progression from initial consult to now where the numbers are getting higher and higher and now above threshold. How this might effect my chemo? So, I get to wait until Monday when I see the MO with more blood work before round 3 to see what this all means. Plus my thumbs have neurapathy.. Great...
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jandj,
I also had elevated liver enzymes. It is scary. About 4-5x the normal value. My MO took me off all unnecessary medications and supplements to give my liver a break. No Tylenol. No alcohol (which I haven't had anyway.) Also they adjusted my Taxotere with my next treatment. What I've read is that this is not uncommon and usually resolves after chemo is done. That said, they need to be mindful of it and my MO adjusted my treatment accordingly. My levels have come down (not to normal yet). Hope to see them continue to head down. I hope you get the answers you need from your MO.
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Michelle, how are you doing?
Kechla & JandJmom, sorry to hear about the elevated liver numbers. :-(
Kelly, loved the story about the secret Bundt cake delivery!
Lyn
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I've had the watering eyes and periodic twitching. The NP recommended any kind of lubricant as the watering she said was dry eyes. For the twitching she wanted me to drink more electrolytes, so adding that to my fluid intake. Poor night of sleep- up at 3am- errr..... on steroids, so I took 1/2 a sleeping pill as i've done, but not too helpful this time.
Hope everyone has a good day.
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Hi all! Just checking in.
It is hard to watch all of you struggle with Taxol and side effects and know that it is next in the pipeline for me. I am not looking forward to weekly chemo for three months with a newborn. But I am so thankful so many of you have been through it and can help me when the time is here.
I am feeling pretty crappy. Cold, then bronchitis, and it is lingering. I am taking antibiotics although I really wanted a drug-free last few months of my pregnancy. But I am scared to chance pneumonia. Having a bit of a crap week at work, too. I feel like I am not on top of my game.
I hope you all have a good day - I'll be back soon. Thanks for the moans and laighter!
xoxo
Annie
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Hello ladies!
Lyn...that doesn't sound right at all to put your port on that side. Sometimes i just want to scratch my bawled head. I hope you have no more bobbles ,,,let me know how if you figure it out?
Kechla.... Good to know about the eyes I will have to get some Opcon-A instead of self medicating with conjunctivitis meds that belong to my granddaughter 😬
Kelly... You got some good eye information too thanks! Love the bundt cake sneak too. My friend left a birthday treat on my porch since she will be gone next week on my b-day! Nice surprise full of fun Fall treats and some gift cards for yummy food places. Some nights no matter what I take I can't sleep.
Annie...so sorry you have been so sick. I think you have been through enough and this needs to go away. You do deserve a break. I sure hope you have some good family support and help after the baby is born. Wish I could be of help to you. Moan on sista!
Hope y'all rest well ... Hugs 😘
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It is so surprising the many different things that happen to us all. I applaude your courage in facing these challenges.
Canadian Thanksgiving is on Monday, so I am offering Happy Thanksgiving wishes to all my Canadian counterparts.
Tuesday is my blood test and Wednesday will be the first of 4 sessions of Taxtol. Not sure what I am getting into, but hopefully it can't be any worse than the AC I was doing.
Hugs to you all.
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Annie, so sorry you've been sick. Isn't it unfair that after all the chemo, THEN your body gives in to bronchitis. Good thing it didn't happen during though or you'd probably have been put in the hospital!
Kelly, I'm going to try the electrolytes for the twitching. I've been using eye drops (Systane) for dryness and Natural Tears frequently. My MO said to use the tears up to 16 times a day. By last night I also had such a migraine, I finally took a Norco and went to bed. Still have it a bit this morning so hope I can keep it under control.
Kechla and JandJ, what are the liver enzymes listed as on the blood work? I know several elements are affected by the chemo and steroids. I know my calcium levels have been elevated since I started chemo and I'm sure it's the steroids. My sodium levels are also low (but not dramatically).
Just staying glued to the TV with the hurricane. My brother is 6 miles north of Daytona and did not evacuate. Hope everyone along the path stays safe. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving (prep) to all our northern sisters!
Hope those of us starting rads soon can stay active on this site to support each other through that next stage.
Hang in there all.
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Hi All-
Annie- hoping you're feeling better, but wishing you didn't have to work through all of this! Momma's gotta take care of herself.
JandJmom- please keep us posted on what the MO says Monday. We are on the same drugs- I just had 3 of 6 on Wed. I get the tingling, and I know it's nueropathy- the MO and my NP really are watching that. NP mentioned a B vitamin, but since I'm not numb, etc she doesn't want to add another pill just yet. I'll get tingling in arms, legs, hands and a little feet- but it's not prohibiting me from doing things.
Dara- I had the same questions on where to find that on the liver enzymes. I get a quick print out during chemo, but then more pop up online on my records so was wondering if I'd see it there. My eye started twitching when I read your message lol.
Yesterday I realized I have over a month of feeling like crap. I usually have a good 10 days of yuk, before it mellows and the next round. I have 3 more rounds. poo. I'm hoping those of you shifting to another regimen have better luck with the side effects! I'm not doing the AC, but seems like they call the A the red devil for a reason?!
Elizabeth-Fun to learn about Canadian Thanksgiving....Happy Happy! Dara- keep us posted on your brother...also if there's any updates on your grandson.
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Here are the Liver/Kidney tests my MO runs on every blood draw in addition to CBC (Treatment day and Day 10).
In my case, the AST and ALT have risen progressively each blood draw, and both are now above the threshold indicating liver damage according to WebMd. Also, my Billirium is at the boderline low end which Mayo Clinic website indicates isn't a concern. My other numbers are within the range.
I will learn the impacts of these results at my appointment on Monday.
ETA - Test names (too small in pic) and range
(BUN/Creatinine ratio) 6.0 || 25.0
Bilirubin, total measurement (Bilirubin, total) 0.2 || 1.0
Aspartate aminotransferase measurement(AST/SGOT) 15.0 || 37.0
Albumin/Globulin ratio (A/G ratio) 0.8 || 2.0
Alanine aminotransferase measurement(ALT/SGPT) 12.0 || 78.0
Globulin measurement (Globulin) 2.2 || 4.2
Glomerular filtration rate, calculated (GFR estimate) none listed
(Cell morphology comments) none listed
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Happy Saturday and.... Happy Thanksgiving in Canada!
kelly ... I am feeling worse much longer and seem to get some lovely bonus each time, rash, head infection ...I guess it's part of the process but it gets so discouraging.
Dara ...hope your brother is fine. Our Florida family was well, our Cocoa Beach family was in Louisiana so they hopefully have no damage to their place. My sister in Talahassy (sp ?) has a small BnB she said people were calling and one family of five with a baby asked for floor space to sleep. She said you can't turn them away with a baby.
jandjmom... I have never even been shown my results ..they just say I'm good. I feel so out of the loop.
Hope Dara we stay on this site for support as you move on to rads and I have my surgery then radiation. The whole process helps when we can ask each other these crazy questions or rant to each other. Who else understands
Hope y'all have a great day! I plan to go to my granddaughters soccer game & out to lunch with work friends. We have to do things on our few good days! 😘
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Morning Ladies-
This round has hit me a little harder and earlier. I take the nausea meds, but they don't seem to do much, but it's do-able. Throat sore and closed feeling this am. Head buzzing lol....I will sit and wait for the day to pass I guess!
Cali- so you and Dara are done with chemo, correct? Trying to stay up. JandJ I think I'll have my report online early next week so I will see if I have the same items.
Glad folks are ok in FL.....
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Kelly, so sorry this one hit you harder. My 3rd was worse also and hit me earlier too. Cali and I still have one more -- mine is Monday and Cali's is Tuesday. Then I go one to rads, and Cali a lumpectomy. We both sure hope this last one doesn't hit harder than the 3rd! We both want to stay with this site though, so we'll be here cheering you on to the finish line! Still hope to get together with you some time when all settles down. Hope you bounce back quickly, but fyi, it took me an extra week to feel halfway human again. Feel better and rest!
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Is it just me that gets annoyed with cancer commercials where the women all have their hair? I see the print and TV ads everywhere for Nuelasta now that I have breast cancer, but it annoys me to no end that she had her hair that is pulled back into a pony tail so it's obvious its not a wig. Granted she looks almost depressed, but she still has her hair. Cancer isn't pretty, folks!! *rant off*
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That's so true JandJmom! I never thought about that woman just looking tired on the Nuelasta commercial. Rant away! My husband was watching football this am...a lot of the players wearing pink. I commented on it, but he said the NFL held onto a lot of the $ made a couple of years ago instead of donating? Haven't googled it but geez.
Another day of counting down the time. Mouth in full fledge white film war, but I think I've eaten better today.
Hope all is well out there....
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Kelly, hope your mouth improves soon. I get it every single time also. And it really distorts my taste buds. I've taken my last first day of premeds! Yay! Today is one of my grandson's 7th birthday. Felt badly because I couldn't go down to Carlsbad... my DD had a sore throat and sniffles and I just couldn't take a chance on having to delay anything or getting sick on this last round.
And Jand J, I absolutely agree. I've heard of so many charities where very little of the proceeds of to the actual charity. And all with everything going on in Pinktober, how much does BC research actually get?
Will check in again tomorrow. Hope everyone is hanging in.
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Kelly...hope you are feeling better today, I get the white film and yucky taster but no sores. I do get sores seems like everywhere else. I have heard that about many organizations not giving them much of what's collected. So sad.
jandjmom... Rant on that's what we're here for ..each other ...good & bad. I guess they don't want a real life bald women in their commercial ... As if any of us want to have to use Nuelasta ?
Praying for you Dara ... I have to remember my meds tomorrow.
My friend stopped by yesterday and she walks past me as I open the front door and says ... I won't hug you because I have a sore throat ... I'm like well thanks for stopping by! Makes me just shake my head.
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Thank you for your comment VLM. My doctor went from 4 four tiny steroid pills to two. The dreams disappeared. YAY! That said, I get my infusion on Thursday, but by Saturday, I am experiencing aggravation and tenseness. It is like when I used to have really bad PMS. I have been having to remind myself every Thursday that I might be feeling this aggravation again on Saturday and that I have to watch for it and not take it out on anyone else. It is kind of scary. I haven't had nausea, but my sugar has gone from 145 to 180 to, at times, 250. My cancer doctor said that I should have a sliding sale insulin and I have been trying to get this from my primary physician for three weeks. I've never had sugar that high. I'm not looking forward to going on insulin, but today, I felt miserable and I think it is because of my sugar. Oh, I did get a UTI which has been a bear to get rid of. I'm finally on Cipro, but it has not cleared up. I'm kind of worried about that as now I have an itchy rash from it. So frustrating.
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so sorry SweetRain...these side effects make life miserable. I have something different each time and getting response from the doctor for something to help takes forever. I hope you can get something soon to help with the UTI & itching. I get a yeast infection each time so for that they gave me a one pill Rx for the first 3 infusions so I hope to get a refill just in case for my next one Tuesday.
I forgot to add my little rant about how many people don't even recognize me now ... I guess it's the caps or scarfs ....some of these people are just casual relationships ... People around my neighborhood or town & it's funny to me that hair makes such a difference I guess.
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Hello, fellow sojourners on this horrible path. I have been absent for a while. With good reason. I have a number of SEs, one being hand-foot syndrome. Blisters on feet and hands, especially fingertips. Fingers swollen double in size. Very painful and keeps me away from the computer.
Still suffering badly with mouth sores. I took acyclovir for a week but it didn't seem to help much and the rebound when I finished has been horrible. Even drinking water is too painful, let alone eating. I finally went to see my sweet-little-girl doctor aka SLGD (local/not in with cancer center 3 hours away) and she was appalled at all the SEs I'm fighting. She is looking into a yeast connection because I have never kicked the sinus infection that delayed my first chemo 2 months ago. I cough at night so badly (even with Bromfed Cough Syrup) that I can't sleep. You know THAT doesn't help.
My SLGD also gave me two "paste" prescriptions, both the same basic med just in different forms: one for mouth sores and one for hand-foot areas. The mouth one helps but you have to stay on top of using it--it wears off. She also started me on Vit B6. Says she can't promise anything but said it couldn't hurt to try since I'm already so miserable. I too fight the watery eyes. Nothing seems to help.
So depressed. Fatigue adds a whole new level to SEs. I had tinnitus before this began but it's changed. I hear my heartbeat LOUDLY, all the time.
And this time I had no "good days." Tomorrow I do my first Taxol (1 of 12 weekly) and dread what I have to look forward to. No recuperation time between them (my ACs were every two weeks). And since I never got to feel even sort of normal after AC #4.
DH is not well either. His platelets are constantly too low. Now he is scheduled for bone marrow/bone biopsy in two weeks. He's always been the "sick one" in our family and I've always been the caregiver. Trying to switch roles is as painful as anything. Tomorrow is our 51st anniversary. Whoo hoo!
Well, I'm headed to the hospital lab for weekly bloodwork.
Take care, ladies.
barbarau55
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Hi everyone,
Had my 3rd AC so far and this time round feel a little short of breath on the 7th day. So far the SE seem to be getting lesser. I noticed the chemo actually got rid of calluses on my soles and toes. Even those old keloid scars seemed to flatten. Any idea why is this so?
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Sweetrain, so sorry about your sugars. If it's any consolation, after my 3rd infusion that night my blood sugars jumped to 425. I've not even been on oral meds for about 5 years. I did have some metformin, however, so I took one and got on my recumbent bike and got it down to 387. My MO said if it ever got to 400 I needed to go to urgent care, so since I got it down, I stayed home. She said I just react strongly to the steroids.
Barbara, so very very sorry about all your SEs. My sister had the blisters on her feet so I saw first hand how really painful that was. It doesn't seem fair that you've had such a hard time with this. My 3rd infusion was tough but nothing like yours. I really hope the taxol is easier. I've seen a few people say it was, but also know everyone is different. And I hope your DH is able to get some relief.
Cali, I was just telling my son about a dream I had the night before... I went back to where I worked and no one recognized me, even people I was very close to. And finally the secretary (who was a friend) came in and told me I had to leave because I was a liability. I've had neighbors up the street not recognize me as well. And the wigs just bug me to death, and I actually feel more self-conscious in them over the scarves. Also, don't forget to take your meds! Tomorrow's the day.
Well I'm off. Blood draws at 10:30, MO and 11:30, then LAST chemo at 12:30. YAY!
Hope all else have a good day.
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Hooray for last chemo, Dara! I hope this one is smoother than the last.
Cali - No one recognizes me at first at work either, although my wig isn't completely unlike my previous hair.
Barbara - Please keep us updated on your low dose Taxol. I start the same treatment in December and I am hoping that it isn't as bad as AC because it is low dose. But I am still nervous, too!
JandJ - I stare longingly at ponytails. I know it will be a long time - maybe a couple years? - before I'll get a chance to pull my hair up again. That commercial is going to annoy me even more now. I'll keep my fingers crossed your liver issues clear up.
Thinking of all of you!
xoxox
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Dara and Cali...so happy for you both to be finishing up chemo. We started together but you beat me. I have 2 more DD taxol after this Wednesday. What an achievement. This taxol is wicked. First time in hospital this past week
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Jiffring --- Please don't say that, I have my first session Wednesday.... I notice many of the Americans are having weekly treatments. Mine are supposed to be every 2 weeks. I'm going to talk to my MO and see if I can get it changed, cause I seem to get LWBC and wind up in the hospital on day 7 after a treatment.
Any other suggestions?
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Dara and Cali- celebration time for you both!! So excited for you and I know the rest of us can't wait to join you!
Barbara & Sweetrain- my gosh, I can't complain at all! I'm so sorry- and why we can't just have an easy "fix" is beyond me.
Oasis- no answer for you, but yea! Shh....don't tell the side effect devils you're doing better
I'm day 6 post chemo....fatigued, but noticed on my labs all the highlighted "low" areas...seems to be my red blood cells and my NP said this is why I'm more tired. So can't do much be take it easy. Oh- tried the magic mouthwash....I know everyone is a little different, so the taste was ok, but the consistency good lord! Chunky and thick...yuk!
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Sorry, Elizabeth, you know how everyone is different. You could do great. I just get so dehydrated and anemic. Got through A/C pretty well, expected this yo be easier.
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