Chemo starting October 2017
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so go it all cut off for the start of chemo tomorrow. I've never not had hair that hit my shoulders or longer. The back is just so super short. Anyway. I think it will be easier to let it go by starting the process myself. I didn't cry (surprisingly) but my stylist got misty. Some journey we are all on. Wishing everyone starting chemo this month the best and hoping we continue to lift each other up in dark moments...0 -
Hello ladies, I'm from the July thread and am 19 days away from final infusion. You all sound strong and ready to get started.
Just one bit of advice, drink more water than you think you should and take your anti nausea meds around the clock the first infusion for the first 3days. Then infusion #2 you can play around with it if you think you won't need it. Oh, plus keep on top of any diarrhea or constipation, you won't know what you'll get till you get it. Plus each infusion can be different.
Lastly, the unknown is the worst part, truly. The SE are not as bad as wondering what the SE will be. After I began AC, the anxiety decreased and you get in the routine. Then you finish AC and start Taxol, all the anxiety starts up again. You'll handle the SE fine, but the worry and fears in the lead up to chemo are the worst part.
Pop into the other threads if you have questions, don't hesitate.
Hugs and prayers for you all,
Theresa
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Tesse- quick question; should I take the nausea meds before the infusion or right after? I was going to ask the nurse tomorrow but I'm chomping at the but with anticipation. Fhabks
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HI, ladies!
My oncology appointment & my chemo education are scheduled back-to-back this afternoon. I'm not going to lie... I am feeling 'weepy' today. I've handled everything really well until the last couple of days. I think I am overwhelmed with all the stuff I have to do to 'get ready' for treatment. Added to the stress of my treatment is the knowledge that a colleague who has metastatic brain cancer received not-good news. She and I have literally been holding one another up, and hers advanced so much that I am at a loss as to how to help her. Heck, I can't even help myself out of this mess! All I know to do is take it one step at a time. . . and some days I feel like I'm running in circles.
I'll post later when I know the next step.
Thanks for letting me vent. I'd be a mess if I didn't have you all to lean on.
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my prescriptions have been called into my pharmacy. Ill be asking him about flu shot. (I would never consider getting before cancer) picked up couple bamboo cancer hats to wear to town and bed. Gonna have to go to fabric store and pick up some material to make scarves for home.. Cant find anything in town lol the making scarves so different right now.. Tube style or giant sized. Lol. I also got to call my nurse today and ask about the late booking of the echo.
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I went to the American cancer society in my town and was able to get a free wig, free scarf and a sleeping cap. The wig isn't terrific but can't complain it was free.
I am thinking of buying a cap style hat and maybe another scarf. Trying to be careful with money due to all these medical bills now. I am thankful I insurance but it's not great coverage
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Eightoutof8 - Your hair cut is really cute. Thank you for posting it. I'm a long hair person, too. Going to take some getting used to it. Today is your first day, right? I hope it went well and that you are feeling alright. I'm up tomorrow.
Jennifer - That's cool about the items you got at the American Cancer Society. I feel better just having them in hand before I start.
I hope everyone is doing well today. I'll post tomorrow night after my first session.
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sisters,
Repeat after me "I will pay what I could when I am done with all breast cancer treatments" That was my line when I went thru treatments earlier this year.
Affer a few months, hospitals or bill collectors are eager to negotiate. Sisters here have advantages because year end is around corner. If you could remember and you have portion of your bill, call or answer them. Offer say 50cents on a dollar. They are likely to settle the bill.
Please take care.
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Hey Eight,
Love the new "do".
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Whew. Today's visits are over! Oncologist appointment went well. After, I had to have my port flushed. That part went ok, but my blood did not want to come back out. LOL! After 1 1/2 hours, and a syringe full of activase, the clot loosened (it felt like bubbly peroxide in my vein) and I was able to give the required amount of blood.
I see the RO on Monday (because I will have to have radiation after surgery), and I start TCHP chemo on Tuesday.
Hugs, my Pink Sisters! Have a great weekend!
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Anyone else getting the neulesta on pro? It's standard procedure at my oncologist and shockingly covered by insurance. You always wonder on those new, highly advertised items
My understanding is they will place on my arm at chemo and it will go off at a certain time. Not sure if I will get a warning or time frame. I think what if I am driving, showering or sleeping. How much am I going to notice? Will it feel like a shot in the arm?
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Jen, the neulasta is attached after your infusion, then it will deploy the catheter that delivers the med in about a min. It feels exactly like the snap of a rubberband. Then 27 hours later it will beep then begin to deliver. You don't feel anything at all during the infusion. So no worries.
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Hello ladies! I'm joining the October club too. I was diagnosed in Aug with DCIS/IDC, had surgery in early Sept, and final pathology showed a 5mm tumor in my sentinel lymph node which threw my stage 1 into stage 2, so here I am on day 5 of chemo. I had my TC infusion on Monday, a Neulasta shot on Tuesday, and I can honestly say I feel every bone in my body. I ache so much I can hardly believe it. I mean seriously even my ears ache.
The nausea hasn't been too bad but I'm pretty much taking something all day just to stay on top of it. Still I have no appetite to speak of so have to keep telling myself to eat something. Eighthoutof8, I took my first pill when I got home after my infusion. I wasn't taking any chances even though they had given me ativan via iv. I didn't sleep at all the night before so was just exhausted and wanted to sleep. I have 3 types, mild-Compazine, moderate-Zofran and severe-Ativan. So far I've been mixing it up. Mild in the am, moderate in the afternoon, and ativan to sleep.
I cut my hair short last weekend in preparation for losing it all. I have a bunch of caps but somehow can't bring myself to order a wig. Is that weird?
Emotionally it's been an odd week. I'm a pretty stoic person but have been weepy for no good reason. Well, good reason of course, but you know what I mean. Now that I am writing this, I think the overall body pain is wearing me down more than I thought. It aches to take a deep breath and this feeling just sucks. I can't imagine how much it's going to get worse with each treatment. Time for some pot I think. Anyone doing that?
Anyway, I hope you are all doing well with your treatments. I hate that we are all having to go through this. Take care ladies!!
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scaligirl, I was told taking Claritin helps with the bone pain from oncology nurse and several people on here. Pot is not legal where I live and I would have no idea where to get it. I have never smoked, so I don't even know how to.
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Hello, I just found this great site. I was diagnosed with BC on September 25th. What a whirlwind! After initial diagnosis (1.3cm TN Grade 3 IDC) and MRI which showed no evidence of other tumors, followed by port installation surgery, I was relieved to start first of 4 A/C treatments of chemo on 10/3. I've been drinking water like a fiend to try and flush out the chemicals and have tried to stay active. So far, no nausea and I'm sleeping okay (in between peeing and drinking trips) now that I'm over the anxiety of waiting on the MRI results and starting the first round of chemo.
The first week post-diagnosis was a blur to me, weepy and scared, and I made an immediate decision to take a 10 week LOA from my part-time job, which I quickly grew to regret. A whole week with way too much time to think + no sleep was wreaking havoc on my mental health. I rescinded the LOA and being back at work has really helped me. I have a ton of support from my co-workers and managers, but honestly the best part was talking about everything BUT my health. It's amazing how it went from something I rarely thought about (e.g. Oh, I need to schedule my "routine" mammogram) to something that takes over your psyche...even invading your sleep! I'd wake up in a sheer panic, hoping that it was just a bad dream!
So I'm slowly accepting the diagnosis and embracing treatment. Other than getting through this chemo without too many setbacks, my goal is to boost my immune system and to eat more healthy. I had put on 30 pounds in 3 years, on top of the 25 I was already over, so hearing the "c" word was the perfect motivation to get healthy. But how? I've given up soda and sweets cold turkey, which were my bane, and have switched to organic foods where I can. But I'm still very confused about what foods I should and shouldn't be eating. For instance, is it okay to drink black coffee which I need to relieve constipation? What is the best breakfast to eat -- oatmeal or an egg? Or, as my friend advises, should I just focus on eating what I need to eat to get through this 18 weeks?
Not looking forward to losing my hair, of course. But I've ordered some hats from a few sites, and will probably make do without a wig. We'll see how that goes. My nurse said that they are testing cold caps to see if hair loss can be avoided, but we're not a part of the trial. Ah well.
Here's to our health, ladies!
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Dear LisaRXCincinnati,
Welcome to the BCO community and thanks for sharing your story. We are sorry that your diagnosis brought you here but so glad that you reached out. We hope that you will stay connected and benefit from the support and information shared by our members. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help you best navigate the site. The MOds
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Today was my first AC treatment. All went well. I really liked the chemo nurse who thoroughly told me what she was going to do before she did it, told me what was coming next, why she was doing things a certain way, etc. I'm glad that I am going to get chemo delivered thru a vein in the back of my hand instead of a port. I was a little scared of that. Also it was really convenient to have the pharmacy right on the same floor as the chemo suites - I could just pick up my Rx's when I'm there (I had been wondering why I wasn't getting Rx's ahead of time to fill.) The only mildly unpleasant part of the infusion was burning in my nose and eyes after the C had been in a few minutes. It was like getting chlorine up your nose in a pool. It went away in about 1/2 hour. I'm home now and feel fine. I am very hopeful the nausea isn't too bad.
I have to go to an infusion center in the morning to get my Neulasta shot. Because me skin is super sensitive to latex-based adhesives I can't use the Neulast Onpro system and my insurance company won't approve the at-home injection.
The best part of chemo today was a guided meditation session with someone from the Integrative Medicine department while the infusion was dripping. It was very relaxing. The funny part was that my 2 stuffy older brothers were there with me and they did it with us, too. They liked it!
Scaligirl - it's the Carboplatin part of the TC that causes the bone pain, right? my oncologist hasn't decided yet if I'll be getting Taxol alone or in combo with Carbo. I'm worried about the bone pain. I hope yours eases up, or you find a way to cope successfully. I asked the chemo nurse about taking Claritin but she said that my hospital isn't recommending that anymore. But if it could work for you I hope it helps!!
LisaRxCincinnati - you're moving fast! way to get fighting :-) I have even more weight to lose than you do. I can tell you about what I've been told to eat/drink. My oncologist says losing my excess weight should be my #1 priority to help with treatment efficacy and to reduce chance of recurrence. She has me on a really strict no sugar, no starch eating plan. Most importantly she believes that starving the cancer cells of glucose is a good way to fight them. Also, it will help me lose weight. Luckily I'm a vegan so I'm used to eating a ton of veggies, but I'm feeling the lack of sweets. I can tell the cravings are really psychological, though. I don't crave sugar in the same intense way that I did when I was actually eating it. I can drink water, coffee, tea - no alcohol, no juice. My oncologist is a little more "hardcore" than the general eating guidelines that Sloan Kettering's nutritionist gave me, but if what I eat (or NOT eat) can help in this battle, I'm glad there's something I can do myself to chip in.
I hope everyone on Team Oktoberfest is doing well!
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hey Agatha, I'm taking Taxotere and Cytoxan. I had both mine delivered thru an IV at my wrist so loooks like we're similar there. The Tax has side effects of bone and joint and muscle pain so bonus there. The neulasta also has bone and arm/leg pain as side effects so that can't help. My nurses mentioned Claritin too but said it doesn't help everyone. I tried that with no luck so for now it's mostly Advil for me. Hang in there!!
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Hi, scaligirl. On - I assumed the "TC" stood for Taxol and Carboplatin, the combo that I'll start in a month or so.
Sorry Claritin didn't work for you. Hope your care team can find something to give you some relief. I'll let you know how Neulasta treats me. Tomorrow is my first shot.
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Hi ladies - jyst popped into your forum to see if could offer any help. I just had my second treatment yesterday. My MO said IV nausea meds they gave "typically stay in the system 48 hours" I was VERY nauseated after round 1. I am taking compazine and Ativan around the clock this time until day 3 when I can use the Zofran (have to wait for that one until day 3 as it is the same type of nausea med they gave during the treatment.) Anyway then hopefully I can back off the Ativan. As far as that bone pain YES it's awful I'm trying Claritin again because although it was severe I feel like it was short lived. You can also rotate Tylenol and Advil. My PT told me the fatigue we feel is awful but try to force yourself to get up go on a, little walk it will actually help improve those feelings-I did two 10 minute walks. Mentally helped clear my mind. Also, make sure you are swishing with baking soda and salt to keep away mouth sores away you can also use biotene.
I shaved my head down to a very short pixie- hair started shedding literally on day 14. That was hard but learning daily to embrace the little bit offcontrol i had👊😃 I found a couple wigs but thinking the hats, and such will be much cuter/ easier and kinda fun through the winter.
Sleep...sleep is so healthy make sure you are getting enough our bodies heel and regenerate at night. My psychologist recommended Melatonin to try first for a week or so.
A book if you enjoy reading is called "Crazy, Sexy Cancer- very helpful you can order it on Amazon.
Any food changes we can make are awesome!, Something I'm trying to live by is "if it lasts more than 2 weeks in the house (meaning still fresh) its nor a good choice." I have a sweet tooth but also working on no chewy candy my downfall🤤 I LOVE coffee but have lost the taste for it or maybe it's because my morning routine is scrambled since I'm not working. I started drinking bone broth tons of great benefits - check it out!!
I hope and pray for you ALL of you as you travel down this path - look at it as just being a season!!
have an amazing weekend!!
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Hii Agatha-
Thursday was my first infusion. I was pretty tired all day but able to get around. I had my port put in the same day-- earlier in the morning and the pain from that currently is bothering me the most. My nurse was really professional and funny and he loved the same music as me so that distracted me from feeling like my nose was setting on fire from the inside out like when I have bad sinuses except this lasted for at least 30 mins of my infusion. The second day was okay. Tired but I felt fine enough to go to a work meeting. I started to fade by the luncheon portion and bailed out after the work portion of the meeting. My workmates were great and supportive. I said that I do I felt good enough I would attend-- and since I had the energy to attend the meeting I did. I worry that high energy days will be few.
I had a little appetite come Friday night but I made myself eat. Drink plenty of water ... I think it really helps in keeping nausea at bay. I have the neulesta shot that you give yourself... my insurance wouldn't pay for the on pro. My sister gave me the needle since I was too chicken to but I will learn to do it myself. I can't travel back and forth to my hospital for it the day after treatment. My hospital isn't too far away but far enough that the travel for a two minute injection is a waste of time. Anyway, I'm sleepless on an early Saturday morning. Could be an SE or simply the anxiety that goes with having to deal with this.
I cut my hair down already as my pic shows but I'm feeling all the sudden that it will still hurt pretty badly when it finally goes.
Oh, I did meet a lovely older woman who was starting Taxol. She heard me talking to my doc about my AC fears and she and her DIL stopped by my chair to say I could get through it. If she could do it I could do it. That really touched me and my sister who he my cancer buddy (she goes to all of my appnts with me).
Well that's all for now. Hope everyone else who started this week or will start this week coming the best. I guess I will go pop a Claritin now. Nothing new there since I take them daily due to allergies..
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Hi Everyone,
The breast MRI has been a nightmare this week. Wednesday - six minutes into the procedure I had to press the call button - went in with no fear or anxity but surely wasn't expecting any pain. My first experience with a breast MRI.
Agonizing cramping and breastbone pain - simply couldn't handle it. Onc rescheduled for yesterday and prescribed a muscle relaxer to get through it. However, my Breastbone pain increased from Wed to Friday and there was no way I could support my body weight on that machine's configuration. Onc has agreed to forego this MRI. Chemo starts Monday.
Thank you all for being here. You have answered so many of my questions already. I will keep following each and every one of you.
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Eight - sleep is important to get well and deal with SE, ask your MO for Ativan which really help you to calm down and sleep better. Buzzed my hair was a shock, but that was a good decision I made.
I have finished AC and on my taxol 2/12, this journey was the toughest path for me, I was an optimistic woman with BC I cried almost daily. So this journey is not just hit us physical it is also mentally. You can find me at July and August threads, if you have question I will answer what I known.
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Hello Everyone! My first post. Starting Chemo next Tues.(10/10/17) I appreciate everyone posting their fears, concerns, because I have them too and it is nice to share this journey with others. I am trying to take it a day at a time (moment at a time). My port was put in on Tues of last week, still tender, but am glad I got it. My dad had colon cancer and had a port, so I knew what to expect. I ran yesterday and it did not bother me at all when running. I am 61, single, LOVE hiking and running and I was so looking forward to getting back in the mountains to hike this fall (I live near the AT). I will do what I can, when I am able, but I am expecting the "low energy" thing. I have experienced a reduction in energy just from the cancer alone. Thank you everyone for posting your experiences and I will post after my first treatment. I, like others, am having a VERY hard time dealing with the hair issue. My hair is long, mid back and I have had it cut short in the past, but I look awful with short hair. I have been to a wig shop that specializes in helping cancer patients. I picked out 3 that I liked, but did not order. They work with insurance, I called mine and they cover up to $400, which is wonderful! I am one of those people that feel like I would have a huge sign on my face "cancer" if I wore a wig, although no one would probably know, but will feel very self conscious. Guess I will need to just get OVER it, but something I have to work on. I have not had my hair-cut yet.. but the Doc said hair usually starts going after about 10 days of first treatment, so.... it will be going soon. Thanks again for your posts, and I will stay in tough. Good luck to everyone this weekend, hope it is a good one.
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Hello October Chemo Ladies! Mamo Aug. 9th, biopsy Sept., diagnosed Sept. 14th, mastectomy Sept. 20th. Chemo to start last week of October. I get my port installed next week and have chosen to compliment my therapy with high dose vitamin C infusions. I also broke my ankle requiring surgery Sept. 8th. Overachiever 😳😳 Recovering from a total mastectomy and a non weight bearing ankle fracture has been hard. A LOT of time in the recliner to think.
I'm grateful for this group of you that have "gone before" to offer support and encouragement 💜
Sara
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Got about 10 nches chopped off my hair. Never been this short since I was a kid and had the Dorothy Hamill haircut.
I find being a new cancer patient in October especially hard. The hair salon was covered in pink, everyone wearing pink and it's all over the news. My hair stylist gave me a gift bag with a bracelet, shirt and card from the entire salon. They even took a picture of me. Not sure I am ready to be the face of breast cancer. Even with all the kindness shown towards me
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Jennifer- your haircut is super cute! Hope your firsttreatment goes okay.
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I need wig advice. I live in Canada. Do most order online or go to a store?? I want to be prepared.
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Hi Joyseeker! I'm looking into this as well. I wrote down one website that I really wanted to check out, but I'm not at home right now. I'll let you know what that is when I get home. In the meantime, check this thread out for website links and suggestions for when we lose our hair:
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Simbobby - I'm sorry that the MRI was so painful and that you had to go through it twice. I haven't been poked and prodded as much as I have in the last in the last 6 weeks. The mammograms are still the worst for me. I let out an very unexpected scream at my last one (and that was on my "good" breast.)
Joyseeker - Oh no! not your ankle, too! You are an overachiever :-) I hope you have a lot of people fanning you and peeling you grapes while you relax in that recliner. I'm interested about the Vitamin C infusions - I haven't heard about that.
Jennifer - your bob looks so cute! I get you about seeing all the pink ribbons around right as we're starting chemo. It brings up mixed emotions whenever I see them.
Joyseeker - About wig advice I can only tell you what I did. I wanted something that looked as close as possible to my real hair (length, style, color.) I went in person to a wig salon that my regular hair salon recommended. I appreciated the expert advice when selecting a color. They took measurements and took reference photos. In about a week I went back and they tweaked the hairline and spent a lot of time teaching me how to put it one and take it off, how to care for it, etc. Oh, that's not all, freak that I am. I am taking it with me to my hairstylist on Friday when I go to get my short haircut. She said she'd style it to for me. It probably seems vain or over the top from the outside, but I'm projecting a lot of my overall cancer fear onto the chemo hair loss aspect. I spent a lot of money (for my budget) but it is worth it to me, maybe because it's something I can control to make me more comfortable emotionally. There's a good book (I got it as an ebook) that I read that has good advice on wigs and other beauty advice. It's called "Pretty Sick: The Beauty Guide for Women with Cancer" by Caitlin Kiernan.
I'm curious what anti-nausea pills you guys are using at home? I'm taking Zyprexa for 4 nights starting on chemo day, Decadron in the two mornings following the chemo day, and Compazine as needed during the day. I had to pop a Compazine yesterday when I got a little queasy riding the bus home from my Neulasta shot. It helped. I'm thinking that I'm going to be OK to go to work tomorrow. I hope these anti-nausea meds keep working.
Hope you all are having a good weekend.
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