Anyone starting chemo August 2016?
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JandJ -- I'm so sorry your SE's are so severe. I hope they get better very soon.
Karey.... Since I started Taxol, my SE's have been different for each treatment. This last one gave me numb fingertips and toes. So I will probably ice them next time.
That is such a cute picture Dara
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hi Elizabeth. I hope your se's get easier i know each treatment seems different. I had taxotere not Taxol which is supposed to be the milder of the two if that is any comfort. We both have herceptan so we will still be in the chemo room for a while. jandjmom and ablclan. Just finished TCH # 6 at home resting after being up all night feeling like a nutcase. Will report se's for this last round. Have a good weekend to all on this thread, all of your posts have been such a blessing to me.
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Well, you can see I don't go to this site too often because of how late I am in answering your question. Sometimes I find it depressing, also scary. Anyway, the doctor said that some drugs in chemo can affect the heart and he wanted to see how strong my heart was. I woke up from a nightmare just a short time ago and really wondered if I was having a heart attack as my chest was hurting so bad. I'm hoping that all it was was heart burn. I have to say, it was one really hell of a nightmare. Hope I don't have anymore any time soon.
I am going to have my second mix of Doxorubicin and Cytoxan, plus the steroids, and Nuelasta this Thursday with two more to go, two weeks apart, then on to radiation. I find I am getting more tired, and short tempered (unfortunately for my husband) lately. I developed a kidney infection the day before Thanksgiving. God bless whoever discovered Cipro.
God bless all of you. May we all survive to a ripe old age.
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Sweet -- Panic attacks can also feel like a heart attack. I have had them and am being treated for them. It is true some of the drugs can affect the heart. My MO did an echocardiogram before I started the drug with that side effect.
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SweetRain...how scary hope you don't have any more nightmares. But since we are living in one it's no surprise. I found I had heart problems the same day I went for my mammogram in June those two appointments changed my life forever.
Kelly...I would love to go to hear the waves and smell the beach smells ... How fun!
Dara....that is the cutest picture.
Karey..hope your doing well.
I had a wonderful time the last few days with all my kids here for Thanksgiving and then a get together Friday at my house. Loved seeing all the grandkids together. Every day is a gift.
Hope everyone is feeling well.
Hugs
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Hi everyone. I had # 6 TCH on friday was waiting a few days to see how i felt. Glad to report i feel the same as the other 5 (no worse) the only thing is th big D hit a few days early this morning. I usually have a few more days before this starts but no mercy this time. I also think my stomach hurts more. I had the usual pains after nuelesta shot but there gone. The RO office called and wanted me to come in tomorrow. Holy cow i need at least a week to recover from chemo before th next step. I hope everyone is doing ok, i will report any new se's as they occur, but God willing, we might all get through this.
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Karey, crossing fingers that SEs don't get any worse and now you can focus on feeling better. They usually wait at least 3-4 weeks before starting radiation.
Cali, so glad you had a great few days.
Kelly, hope you're doing ok. Is it next week that is your last one?
Elizabeth, how about you?
I hit #15 already with radiation! My skin is starting to react. I have a yucky raised rash that really itches. Just started on Saturday. My RO aid, "Yup that's from the radiation (really??? don't all rashes appear in a perfect square?? :-) )
Hope your week is going smoothly.
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Karey.. Hoping SE are no worse and you can begin to heal from this phase. Big D just seems to be part of the whole thing. I got it off and on fore weeks after my last treatment.
Dara ...sorry about your itchy rash ....I have heard it can be miserable.
I am anxious to get to my radiation but my incisions are more tender now than the past two weeks.
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I am hanging in there.
Had an eventful weekend (Cycle 5, Days 6 & 7). The nausea had been nonstop until Monday. No throwing up since day 4, but boy did I want to. I am on Zofron (Generic), Compazine (Generic), Sancuso Patch, and Zyprexa (Generic) at this point. I haven't eaten solid food since I threw up it on Day 2. Living on jello and Ensure Shakes. I am sleeping constantly, weak and miserable. Helping string lights around the tree makes me light headed. In fact, I had another episode of Double Vision on Sunday.
But, what took the cake was the blue lips that night. I have pulse O2 meter from my son's asthma days and my O2 sat was 84! should be in the mid to high 90s. I could talk fine, so wasn't an asthma episode but still! I also took what I knew was a warm/hot bath that usually makes me sweat a little. My head was dry when I got out. Another bad sign. I slept that night with my husband watching me to make sure I was okay.
Called the office in the morning and they took me in, ran my blood work and both my red and white blood cells were shot. Pumped me up with fluids, magnesium, steriods, and old and a new nausea med - Ativan. BTW they want to scheudle an EEG for the double vision thing.
I felt like a new woman by that night (I was at the office for 4 hours). The steriods have worn off by today, but I was not as tired as I was. I can school my kids. The Ativian does knock me out, but i can eat (though just tiny amounts - my stomach has shrunk along with the 7 pounds I lost in the one week) solid food and DRINK instead of sip fluids. Hopefully this will help me through round 6 becuase I was ready to quit before. All isn't butterflies and rainbows though as with the solid food, the Big D made a return, but I can handle that. And, most food and beverage tastes vile.
This cancer better be f**ing gone when this is done, because no way in hell am I doing this again! No offense to my stage 4 friends for whom this is their reality. I am not that strong.
Thanks for reading to the few of us left in Chemoland
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JandJ, boy you are so right that it needs to be f'ing gone! I think those etra two infusions are just so difficult for people. So sorry you have to go through this! Do you get your Perjeta and Herceptin at the same time as the other two drugs? I can't imagine trying to home school my children at the same time as going through this. Hang in there, and I really hope things ease up soon!
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Jandjmom Oh my god, so sorry you are going through this. I am with you i dont no how i could go through this again either. Do you get the nuelesta shot. I think that your counts were down that is why your so sick? I wanted to quit too but now i feel like i'm ready to throw everything at this because i dont think i can do this again. There is a portal for my blood work i had 0 esonophils but everything else was in range. They went ahead and did the chemo. Hoping and praying your better soon!
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Thanks for reading my rant, guys.
Dara - yes, I have prejeta and herceptin all along at the same time as carbon and tax. An average session is about 6 hours with lab and nurse/doctor visit every 3 weeks.
Karey- I have had the nuelasta every time (on body except one in office). My numbers until now were always good for the white and platelets. My red dips lower every time.
What cycle are you on since your sig says you started almost a month ahead of me?
I think my body is done. I hate to think what "worse" feels like.
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Hip! Hip! Hooray!! CHEMO is now finally over... Last session was at 10:30 this morning.. Tomorrow is a meeting with RO to plan what comes next.
JandJ -- Hang in there... I know what it is like with the Blood out of whack... Put me in the hospital twice... Came really close to having a blood transfusion.
Food still sucks... I find everything tastes like soap last time around, food and water. The time before that everything was too sweet.. Wondering what I will get this time...
Kary59 -- Here Radiation is not started until after you have finished your Chemo.. I also have a paper from my RO that states they do not start until you are healed from Chemo, approximately 4 - 5 weeks. But as I have found out, many doctors do things differently.
Dara -- I sure hope you find something to help with that rash soon.
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Jandjmom. I got 1 chemo delayed 1 week when 2 teeth abcessed and i had to get them pulled.I also had to have a hysterectomy right before starting chemo because they found a mass on my ovary on pet scan. Mass was benign thank God but i don't know if i had recovered enough because this chemo hit me really hard too. I just finished #6 and final last friday. I could not do one more. This last one i am doing ok . maybe your MO could lower your dose or try to finish. I am her+ also and i know these are agressive tumors so we dont have much choice , just trust our drs and hopefully they dont kill us with the chemo. Ive been eating a lot of steak and spinach throughout this and red count seemed good until last one little low. Let us know how your doing
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Elizabeth congrats on completing the chemo!
Dara- hope your rash is getting better??
JandJ- boy- I can't complain. Fingers crossed my white have stayed high- red has slowly dipped, but not too bad at this point to delay or do transfusion as some have had. I can't believe what a week-10 days makes- now I'm back to watery eyes (all day long)- some heartburn, taste is still off (but I sure still eat), some fatigue but I'm trying to exercise a bit. During the week after, I can't eat much- cottage cheese, avo, hummus, baked potato with butter/salt. Seems to be the go to's. My mouth and throat are so messed up I can't talk much either.
Karey- you're giving me hope that I can survive next week's #6. I know I can survive, but hoping it's no worse. I'm with all of you- have no need or desire to do this again..praying that this is doing a number on the masses and my oncologist says I'm done.
I meet with both the oncologist and surgeon tomorrow- may end up with an actual surgery date.
Hang in there everyone!! You'll get my whining next week lol.
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congrats Elizabeth!!!
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elizabeth congratulations on last chemo! Ablican and jandjmom. I will be praying for you for your last chemos. I will let you know if i have any new side effects for week #2. Holding steady right now 😂
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Elizabeth...Congrats .... Hope your SE aren't too bad....YAY for last chemo!!
JandJ....rant on ...you have earned the right to ...we all know why there is a F##k Cancer group!!
Kelly... Will be here for you next week ...whine on....
Karey59....hope things stay calm.
As each one of us finishes this nightmare part of our cancer battle my heart feels joy because no one can understand like we do.
Hugs 😘
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Vicki, you are so right! I think back to the very beginning, getting that phone call from my PCP, and it eels like years, yet each step all seems to be a blink of an eye. Hearing even that I needed 36 radiation treatments sounded like an eternity, but tomorrow I'm already half way done!
And no matter how far out from tx I get, I am always so very thankful that I had you all to cry to, compare notes, and get suggestions. I know you are all sisters in the true sense of the word! Love you all.
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Hi ladies, I've been following the thread even though I started chemo in September. Congratulations to those wrapping up chemo, I know how you feel. Sorry about side effects. I'm 2 weeks PFC and I still feel drained, still have to deal with D and neuropathy and whatever few hair on my head and brows are falling.
Need your advice, if you are done with exchange surgery. I'm planning my surgery date and would like to know how many days should I expect to be "out of commission"? I'm exchanging the TE for a silicon implant (smooth round). When I had the UMX I couldn't drive for 15 days due to the drains and soreness (seatbelt was uncomfortable) and limited range of motion. I wonder, what your experience has been). I have two kids -one in preschool, one in 4th grade, that need to be driven to school and activities. I feel i have the surgery before February so vacation, then they will be at home, no driving. Would in be able to do chores around the house, cook, even sit and have dinner with family? My mom stayed with us after UMX and during chemo. So I was blessed with tremendous help. I just want to know if my husband and I can pull it off by ourselves. Thanks!
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Smilethru..... Welcome....I only had a lumpectomy 3 weeks ago so I would not be able to help you with your type of surgery. With 2 young children I would think you might need some help for a bit. I'm sorry that that darn chemo just seems to take a bit longer after each treatment.
Dara ... I am excited you are moving along and it does seem you just started radiation. I'm anxious to find out when I will start.
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Well, I am heading back to the chair today on Cycle 5 Day 12. I went to my usual mid cycle blood check yesterday despite just being checked and medicated on Monday. My numbers are still down (blood, potassium, magnesium, and God knows what else) and my liver enzymes are high. yeah. So, they need to pump me up again with FOUR hours of infusions this morning. I was actually feeling better. But this isn't to make me feel better per se, but to shore me up so I can withstand the onslaught of round 6 on Dec 14. Have to admit, I am a little scared of #6 seeing what #5 has done to me...
Congrats to those who have moved on from Chemo. Can't wait to be in your shoes!
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Hi Everyone!
Smile- I pop on the Sept thread too, so welcome here!! I'll be following you on that journey, but I'm way behind. I know there are TE threads on the site though- I don't recall anyone here at that stage that I know of. Let me know if/what you find! I'm probably having a BMX in January- so that's been my main question too- how long am I laid up!? Sounds like no driving for 10-14 days...surgeon told me last week a good 4-6 weeks laying low. I'm also going to look into getting more info on Lymphodema education for myself.
Karey thanks for your continued support....I feel a little more at ease knowing this is #6 of 6. Oncologist said she didn't think I'd need more after surgery, but it's a possibility. Otherwise she's always so positive and uplifting and makes me feel like I can/will get through all of this lol.
JandJ- I will keep you posted next weekend on how I'm feeling...hoping it stays the same "bad" lol.
Dara- so nice to hear it's going quickly for you! Cali- soon you'll be in the same "spot" as Dara!
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jandjmom & Kelly hope you both can have a comfortable weekend.
After the miserable chemo portion of this journey it's like I am just waiting for something bad to happen again. Don't get me wrong I am celebrating these good days but I am cautious and I keep the rest of you in my prayers for comfort...and to get past this part.
Hugs
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Hi everyone.
Just wanted to check in and see how everybody is. Has anyone's hair started growing back? Ready for the holidays/
I'm back to work full time (it's kicking my butt), but feels good to be productive. Started my tamoxifen on December 1st. Wishing life would get back to "normal", but not sure that will every really happen.
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Sensitive, glad to hear you're doing ok. I think we'll all have a "new" normal.It takes time for the experience to blur, and also for us to get our energy back. My MO said to expect a full year before even energy returns to normal.
Kelly, thinking of you this week. Hope you had a nice weekend. Just keep the finish line in sight!
JandJ, sure hope the infusions worked and your counts are coming up. That's a long time so soon after your other tx. Feel better.
My sister came yesterday from San Francisco, and we had the nicest time going to see the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn in Riverside. It's a pretty spectacular display. Today going to do a little Christmas shopping. Thought you'd like to see just a taste of the lights.
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Hello ladies! I'm wondering if you can provide some advice. I'm on an ac+taxol 5-month dose-dense regimen, about halfway through the ac part. For those of you on a similar regimen in this group, you must be nearly finished with the whole thing. Did you find the taxol easier than the ac? Or just different? Or worse. Many thanks for your advice, from a newbie.
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To ajbclan: My experience in recovering from BMX is that the mastectomy part is easy, but the lymph node dissection is really difficult. Three months after surgery, I've recovered complete range of motion in that arm (finally), but certain positions are still uncomfortable. Also, I think the recovery time depends on how long your drain(s) will have to stay in. I had 1 in for 4 miserable weeks, and that was long enough for an infection to enter through the drain, which delayed recovery even further. But 'recovery' depends on your goals. I was back at work part-time after 2.5 weeks in spite of everything, and I felt good about working. (I really enjoy my work.)
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Chemist- there are definitely some ladies that should be able to help you with your question- a lot of them actually have finished some/all of their regimen so there's not as much activity on here as when we started in August. From what I remember reading some did better on just the Taxol, while others had uncomfortable side effects. It really was a variety, but hopefully some of them will see your question and give you a better idea of their experience. Thanks so much for the feedback on the BMX! I really appreciate it!! Trying to be a sponge right now!
Dara- I just had read about the lights out in Riverside, though about a train ride out to see it, but doubt that will happen now before xmas. Trying to get organized, cleaned up house, decorated, etc before chemo tomorrow.
Hope everyone is doing well. I'm still having fatigue now and either some neuropathy or achiness, so wild with chemo again tomorrow. I will keep you all posted on my weekend lol.
Looking forward to "hair talk" with you all. Oh- another question actually.... I forgot to ask my MO, but wonder when the immunity is back after your last chemo? Anyone get any feedback on that? Thanks!!
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Good luck tomorrow Kelly! We're all pulling for you. Huge hugs!
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