Starting Chemo in July 2017
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oh no, Teese... sorry to hear about the complication (hyponatremia?). Hope you're discharged soon and feeling better.
I'm pulling my bag together for my first infusion tomorrow... nuts and cheezits to snack on (salt!), a bottle of crushed ice (the center has cold water but no ice), water bottle, iPad, charger, lip balm,blanket.... I know I'm missing stuff!
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Jen- good luck tmrw! I just downloaded a game called word cookies! Keeping my brain working
Teese- hope they let you rest now! Maybe you should be drinking something like Gatorade? ( but it has so much sugar) for the electrolytes! Feel bette
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Jenruns,
We'll be thinking about you tomorrow!
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I couldn't post much lately. Just want to leave a sister hug for Teese. It's so unfair you're having such a nasty experience right at the beginning. I hope you feel better already. Try to tell your brain that this has been a single event and that there is NO CHANCE that this will ever happen again. Other than that, I unfortunately have no advice to share.
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Teese, hope you feel better! Let us know how things go! I love how positive you are!
Jenrens, hope you are doing ok! I was the same too, kept thinking I missed out something, but it all went fine!
Just want to quickly check in and see how you ladies are doing! Been a busy week at work, but I kinda love it. Never thought I will say this, I love work. Haha! Two more days to round 2
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What all are you packing for chemo ? What should I carry along on 17th for my first session ? Initial 4/5 hours will be all gone in port insertion and wearing off of GA ...what all to take care of during the session ?
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I get my first round of chemo tomorrow morning. Just asking for prayers and best wishes from everyone! Thanks a bunch!!
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Teese, hoping that things have gotten better for you... and that Benedict C. comes along soon!
Jenruns, hoping all is going well for you today!
Tomorrow I go for my chemo education session. I was amazed at the amount of meds I need to take prior and in the days following each infusion. I have 4 different kinds: Ondansetron (zofran), Dexamethasone (steroids?), Lorazepam (xanax) and Prochlorperazine. Did you all get similar meds? The pharmacist that reviewed these with me went so fast, my head was spinning by the last one. I had to look them up to see what the brand name was and it helped figure out which was which. I'm just glad they're all different colors so hopefully I can keep them straight...
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Thanks all for the well wishes. I'm halfway through my infusion right now and although I was anxious as heck coming in, knowing I had read up a ton on these boards helped!!
Sunnyjay, I didn't get any premeds. They gave me scripts for the emla cream (numb the port before chemo), and compazine and Ativan (nausea). When I got here, they started my IV with a steroid and two anti-nausea meds.
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HopeforthefutureTrish: Will be thinking of you tomorrow and sending prayers!
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theantz - you'll be having first infusion on the day of a GA? Jesus, you're getting it all, don't you? Bring some crackers and a book or Smart Phone/tablet to keep yourself busy. In my center there are no separate rooms. Thus, there's always someone to chat with. But that's different in the US as I could read around here. I assume, they provide water. If not, bring that too. You might want to add your treatment plan to your signature, so that we can see which regimen you're getting at this point. If it's taxol, I know, folks here know quite a few of cooling tricks. Personally, I get all the meds at the chemo center 1 hour ahead of infusion. If they haven't provided prescriptions in advance, you don't have to think of any meds to take at home before chemo. Since I'm living alone, I also take a mini-set (toothbrush, underwear, etc.) with me in case I get an immediate bad reaction and have to stay a day or two.
Hopefor - best wishes for you from Germany. I'll be having my second round tomorrow. BUT here "tomorrow" is already "today".
We are 6-9 hours ahead of you guys. I hardly experienced any SE after the first round. AND NEITHER WILL YOU! sunnyjay - I get 3 different meds (steroid, bladder protection, Neulasta shot) to take the 2 days after infusion. The pre-meds are given at the cancer center 1 hour before infusion. But I am on a different regimen.
Jenruns - you must be done by now. I hope everything went smoothly and you're doing well.
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Sunnyjay...Thanks!
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Enia...Thanks a lot for helpful info!!! I appreciate it! I have taken two pills, steroids today. They have me feeling weird and dizzy. Just wondering if you had to take the same and had any side effects?
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whew... 1/16th of the way done with chemo!!!
I had a reaction to the cytocxan... about halfway through I felt a headache, some tingling and a little lightheaded. Nurse came over, slowed it down, diluted it with saline and on we went. They took my blood pressure and it was sky high. Then, when she flushed the port and put heparin in, I got a little wonky again. So, I'm now at home with a Benadryl on board.
I had heard to chew ice chips. I decided to try that, and added a baggie of frozen grapes. Definitely enjoyed that part!
Oh, and I did pee red almost as soon as she was done. When she hung the cytoxan, I went to the bathroom (I'm well hydrated) and it was already affected!!
So there you have it. I definitely overpacked... didn't need anything besides my iPad, water bottle and a snack ... and lip balm, but that's in my purse.
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Enia - my Doc is hell bent to insert port under GA only - as per him he wants to make sure patient do not move while he is playing around with some major veins! At this stage changing doc isnt an option - and who the hell wants another GA after just a month of operation. But well, dont have any other options...
And since it would be both GA/Port + Chemo, I did opted for a proper room rather than a day care. So I would have almost the whole day with me.
Also, I did enabled the signature - hopefully they would appear now !
I dont remember the name, but one tablet of steroid and one antacid/acid reflux tablet were prescribed to be taken the night before GA/Port Insertion/Chemo - 16th Night to be precise.
So, coming back to my question - pls share some tips and tricks for the duration/after first session ?
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theantz - best wishes on your first one!! Definitely wear comfy clothes, bring something to occupy your time (I had my iPad, so I did a crossword puzzle, checked out FB, checked in here, etc.), a bottle of water/ice (my center has cold water but no ice) and something to snack on. Given Teese's experience, I brought salty snacks (cashews and cheezits).
I had a reaction to the cytoxan, so took a Benadryl when I got home. That made me crash around 10, then I was wide awake at midnight, with a rolling tummy. Nothing awful (not a "I'm going to puke" feeling), but lying in bed unable to sleep with that going on was irritating. I took a compazine at midnight (for "mild nausea") and when that didn't really help, got some saltines around 1. Finally at 2 I took an Ativan (for "severe nausea", nut the nurse said it'll help you sleep.) that did the trick. From now on, if it's at night, I'll take the Ativan straightaway.
This morning is fine (so far). Made my usual breakfast (hard boiled egg and toast) and will have a cup of coffee. No plans, so I'll chill and watch some of my movies/shows on my list.
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Had a hiccup and was admitted Monday nite. Had an unusual reaction to Cytoxan. Lovely!
Still here and should be here another day. The talk is If I continue Cytoxan it'll be while admitted. Ugh, however I am determined to do this.
When feeling better will get caught up in all your progress, you are my thoughts and prayers.
Theres
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Teese- sending you prayers and well wishes that your medical staff will figure this out so you can proceed with a chemo plan.
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teese, hope you're feeling better... what was the reaction? (I had a BP spike and they had to slow it doen
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Made it through first round of chemo today with no problems!!! YAY!!!
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congrats hope, first one is worst but now you and doc know you can do it
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Hi Everyone,
I'm so glad to have found this group. I'm starting chemo on July 18th. I had a bilateral mastectomy and (axillary nodes removed on the left side) on June 6th and now I'll be having 4 DD treatments of AC, followed by 4 DD rounds of T. Then I get a month off, followed by a month of radiation.
I got my port last week and it is still sore, but I assume I'll get used to it. Very nervous about the first chemo treatment, but I'm also ready to get started so it will be finished that much sooner!
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yay for a treatment down, hope!!
Hi Gardenhatgirl, and welcome! I also had surgery 6/6 and started my DD A/C yesterday. I follow with 12 weeks of Taxol though, not DD.
JEN
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I feel like I'm ticking off a list... steroid-induced indigestion? Check. Neulasta pod just deployed, so now I'm preparing for bone pain and flu-like symptoms. Claritin on board...
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Jen - evidently in rare circumstances your sodium can drop from Cytoxan, called inappropriate ADH response, which is apparently a fairly bad thing. It made me feel sick as a dog and they've been trying to get it stabilized. Hoping to go home tomorrow, but I keep peeing up a storm so they keep pumping in the fluids. Ugh, I just want out of here!
No Benedict here however my nurse today was a lovely Sayid look a like (but a little less wild looking), like from "Lost" with a Scottish accent. He was nice!
All the best to you just starting this week or just joining our group.
Theresa
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PS thanks for the well wishes and prayers, you all remain in mine.
Theres
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holy moly. Hope it's stable soon ... recovering at home is much nicer than the hospital.
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Hello ladies! Had round #2 today and feeling pretty doped up. Haha! Had quite a bit of flushing on my face during the chemo, and they gave me another dose of Benadryl on top of the dose already given during premeds, to prevent allergy.
And I realise that it's what makes me buzzed. One dose is lightheaded, two doses and I am a high like a kite. It's now almost 8 hours after? And I am still gigglish.
Gonna try to sleep now. Will try to give more coherent updates when I can. Managed to find out the premeds and dosage of chemo too! But the whole task of unzipping my bag, taking out thefolder, taking out the piece of paper and typing it here, just feels teeheehee!
Have a good day, hope you all meet Ben C lookalikes or even Ben C himself! =D
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hi ladies! Happy to hear we are all going thru some bumps on the road to recovery but Moving forward. Some times is hard but we will get there!
Monday is my 2nd infusion!!!
Not looking forward to it, but will keepGoing
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mari, i just cleared my second infusion, i can say it went easier than round 1 so good luck
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