Come join others currently navigating treatment in our weekly Zoom Meetup! Register here: Tuesdays, 1pm ET.

Chemo starting October 2017

1262729313260

Comments

  • MrsWinnie
    MrsWinnie Member Posts: 119
    edited December 2017

    @tri lady. Bum cream for diapper rash worth the money.. Helps the burn gp away so much faster. I have had to use ur couple times just because my dry skin is an issue for me. And *downstairs is the worse*

  • tri-lady7
    tri-lady7 Member Posts: 95
    edited December 2017

    Thank you so much Mrs Winnie! I will definitely go and get that. I can't stand the burning!

  • Jennifer522
    Jennifer522 Member Posts: 194
    edited December 2017

    Tri-Lady, do you have hemorrhoids? That has been and on and off issue for me towards the end of AC. Miralax for 5 days, 2 days before chemo till 2 days after chemo for constipation. And using prep H on the hemorrhoids. Otherwise I feel like I am pooping rocks. Never ever had this issue before chemo, not even when pregnant.

    I have also heard good things about butt paste (baby diaper cream) for the dryness. I keep some on hand but haven't broken it out yet.

  • LisaCincy
    LisaCincy Member Posts: 316
    edited December 2017

    Agatha, I've read that many people don't lose their eyebrows until after chemotherapy ends. But not everyone does lose them, so I'm also holding out a bit of hope. Nonetheless, I've been filling in my eyebrows with WunderBrow Gel every 3 days. It is a semi-permanent gel, and will stay on for a good 2-3 days unless you actively remove it. That way, if I wake up one morning and wash my face only to find myself eyebrow-less, as is what my friends have reported actually happens, I'll still have the rough shape of my brow. I've also stocked up on pencils and stencils so that I didn't find myself flat-footed.

    For those with sore bums, Charmin, among others, sells a wet wipe, which I'd use these over dry toilet paper.

    For those who recommended Ocean Mist saline spray, thank you. It seems to be helping my bloody, crusty nose. I've been running a humidifier for a few days as well.

    I'm going to take an Ativan and hope that I can get some sleep after the steroid today. I slept very little last night due to night sweats. I couldn't find a cold spot on my pillow!

    My left index finger is really sore. I iced my hands again today, but I'm still getting some neuropathy. Boo!



  • petey111
    petey111 Member Posts: 157
    edited December 2017

    Big hugs Sara. Hope you are feeling better.

    Agatha - I'm all about strong flavors right now. Chinese, mexican, pizza with peppers and onions..... I need strong flavors.

    Jennifer - Immediately before my lumpectomy, in order to prep for my sentinel node biopsy, I had to go down to nuclear medicine to get radioactive dye injected near the nipple. This dye tracks to the sentinel node. I'm not sure how that would work prior to surgery since my happened immediately prior to my lumpectomy. But I imagine your appointment will have something to do with the nodes and/or prepping you for the nodes.

    Tri-lady - I have had issues too. Part of it is my fault. I had a good routine going. Stool softener in the morning and at bed, and a senekot-s at bed. I backed off those things and lived to regret it. Tearing, hemorrhoids... :-( Things are not pleasant! I hope that eases up on taxol, but they've warned me that it could go either way!

    Oh Mrs. Winnie - What an unpleasant, stressful day! I hope you are feeling better!

    I forgot to tell you guys that my port acted up a bit. It actually acted up a bit last time too. Wouldn't give a blood return. The traveling nurse last time gave my heparin and things started to work right away. The regular nurse this time had me turning over, played with the needle in the port a bit, etc. When I told her that Rosanne gave me heparin, she said Rosanne probably gave me something else - TPA - because they aren't supposed to do heparin in the middle of things. I was positive about Rosanne giving me heparin. So, the regular nurse (Paula) gave me TPA to clear up whatever was blocking my port, but we had to wait an HOUR for it to work. So frustrating. But thank goodness it started to work! Paula said this should break up the blockage for quite a while now and we won't have the problem anymore. AND that Rosanne did give me heparin according to my chart. Stinkin' Rosanne. If she had given me TPA last time, this wouldn't have been a big wait this time. Oh well. Just in case anyone else has that issue, ask about TPA!

    I've hit that phase where water tastes like slime. I hate that phase. What do all of you drink when it gets hard to drink?

  • tri-lady7
    tri-lady7 Member Posts: 95
    edited December 2017

    Jennifer- unfortunately yes it is the hemorrhoids that are really acting up. Thank you so much for the advice! I have been taking colace and sennokot but I think I need to add the Miralax. Ugh the things we have to go through

  • voilalia
    voilalia Member Posts: 37
    edited December 2017

    Sara - Me too with the cheese! One of the few foods that seems appealing and usually tastes good. Brie and smoked gouda have kept me snacking when I don't really feel like eating much else. The other standby I want every day - raspberries or strawberries (and sometimes pomegranates). And I wish I could have one of your cookies with you and all of our sisters here. I also just saw you mention feeling terrified. I've been going through a wider range of emotions this time around (after my 4th - and last - DD with AC). STEROIDITY! More than just being awake all night or vibrating with alien energy. It seems to also include fiendish emotions. I was raging angry on Sunday. No reason. I ended up taking an Ativan to spare my sister (my new housemate) from my craziness - was bursting into tears as well. Depression followed briefly. Do you feel you've passed through the terrified feeling?

    Mama - chemo brain has me staying away from the oven! Thank you for showing us your cookies. I love you for it! I've left the frying pan to heat up on the stove and... wait.... what was I writing? Yeah, I just shrug and tell people "nope, I don't remember that" frequently. If I don't write it down (or stand in front of it until it beeps), I wander all over the place. Me and the grocery store? Hah! Go in for strawberries and wonder why I'm holding a bottle of shampoo when I don't even have any hair! Okay, maybe I didn't really do that last one (I don't remember, though).

    LisaRx - sorry to hear that your Taxol experience started off so rough. You seemed like you were blazing trails with the AC and I had felt like I was dragging so far behind you. One does hope that the nurses and oncologist have it statistically right that Taxol "should be easier" than AC. Sending you prayers for strength and energy.

    Tri-lady - I had one rough bout with constipation and I finally knew what my oncologist had described to me as "feel like passing shards of glass". (Why he chose to share that with me as I was just about to start chemo, I have no idea and I don't recommend it.) It wasn't quite that bad, but it hurt and burned. I have felt burning through my stomach in through my intestines usually in the last days before my next round of chemo. I've decided to be more religious about taking Sennekot-S. I also take Natural Calm 2x a day, which can soften stools in addition to providing other benefits (magnesium citrate).

  • MamaFelice
    MamaFelice Member Posts: 165
    edited December 2017

    Ha ha ha voilalia!! Wandering the grocer with Shampoo bottle in hand cracks me up! I can't remember a darn thing anymore! The crazy thing about my burnt 🍪cookies that you all don't know about me is that I am a caterer, and the first thing my son said when he saw my cookies--and has said again several other times-- "good thing no one gets married in the winter mom or you would make a mess of their wedding dinner! ". Boy speaks the truth!

    I'm going to try to get some cooking in before #4 strikes on Tuesday, but I am at the point post infusion when blood counts plummet and I am soooo tired and have terrible headaches. I'm eating my clams as well as molasses toast ....but today I'm going to hit my system hard with good old liver and onions-- Lord have mercy! Happy to share a pic of that 70s masterpiece once it's finished! Packed with iron, and apparently great for cleansing the liver too -- taxanes tend to raise liver enzymes a lot so watch those too while receiving Taxol.

    Hang in there ladies and listen to your bodies best you can and rest, rest, rest!

  • dkk
    dkk Member Posts: 47
    edited December 2017

    MamaFelice,

    Your burnt cookies gave me a good laugh!!!! Chemo brain, I went to double the recipe for oats the other day and did the math all wrong!

    It was so watery I had to through it out and start over.

  • dkk
    dkk Member Posts: 47
    edited December 2017

    Had my 3rd weekly Taxol and it went well 😊I am beginning to think my first one was so bad because I may have had an intestinal virus going around. My Mo adjusted the dose a little lower and it has been a breeze. A little back ache on day 3 but Tylenol took care of it. I do have the tiredness/lack of energy and need my rest. But the Tazol is so much better than my AC. My taste buds are getting back to normal, I had pizza and it was sooooo good and I can drink coffee again. It is so nice to feel like I am getting back to normal.

    Some of you were talking about eyebrows/eyelashes. Mine have thinned but not completely gone. Mine were thin to start with and I didn't think they would have stuck around this long. I went to the ''Look Good Feel Better'' class at my hospital and the gave everyone a large bag of makeup which included a nice eyebrow filler.

    My two sons and their girlfriends came over last weekend and put up my Christmas tree. I was so sick the past few weeksI didn't think I could even get out of bed to have Christmas. The decorations cheered me up ;)
    Things have done a turn for the better. I offered to bake cookies this week for our family Xmas party. Hope I have the energy to do it. You guys have motivated me!! And I will try not to get distracted like MaMa LOL



  • KimCee
    KimCee Member Posts: 170
    edited December 2017

    MamaFelice, I had the raised liver enzymes after Taxol #5. I just can't do liver and onions but, I have been drinking lemon water and hopefully that does the trick.

    I hate to even report how "fine" i feel during chemo. I had Adriamycin and Taxotere 18 years ago and besides from being bald, you'd never know I was doing chemo. Same this time around with Taxol and Herceptin, however I have a huge huge stupid problem and even hate to bring it up when people are nauseated and fatigued. Itchy, Itchy, can't deal with it, itchy scalp with red bumps. Not pustule looking red bumps, just prickly heat type but larger. My head has been through coconut oil, jojoba oil, apple cider vinegar, aloa from a plant in my yard. What oh what can I use to stop the itching. I am going to scratch my head open soon.

    Now my friend is doing Taxol and Herceptin and had round 5 this week...no hair loss! Isn't that bizarre?

    DKK - feel better (((hugs))) Be careful with the Tylenol. I had elevated liver enzymes, first time in my life, two weeks ago. I had taken two extra strength Tylenol the night before chemo because I had a headache. Not sure if it was Taxol or Tylenol but freaked me the "f" out. Also, please send your son and girlfriend to my house. No Christmas spirit here, but put up the fake tree weeks ago and have yet to put anything on it. So silly of me but just keep putting it off.

  • Jennifer522
    Jennifer522 Member Posts: 194
    edited December 2017

    Petey- I am wondering if my surgery is going to be scheduled right after that nuclear medicine injection. The appt is not until 2:45 pm and I am getting a double mastectomy (longer surgery), so that just seemed late in the day for that. I always thought scheduled surgeries would be earlier, have to show up at the hospital at 6am kind of thing. But we will see. I have never had a surgery before and here I go with a big one!

    Unfortunately my chemo brain has scared me twice in the past week. I put myself in drive instead of reverse. Luckily there was a curb and I didn't plumpet down the hill into someone's home. I don't trust myself driving at night or too long/unfamiliar distance these days.

    Finally got to see my after AC lump update. My lump went from 2.6 x 2.3 x 1.9 cm to 1 x .6 x 1 cm with AC. And a volume measurement (which I don't understand) went from 5.9 to 0.3 cc. Praying Taxol keeps shrinking it more!

    Really hoping I don't lose my eyebrows and lashes. Because I have no idea how to draw on eyebrows. I haven't really been wearing makeup much, not that I ever wore it much in the first place. I went to mail some packages yesterday and I was wearing my beanie, as I usually do during the week. The ladies that work their know me (and my daughter) from coming in frequently when I use to sell on ebay (before all this!). As they turned their backs to label my packages, I could hear one whisper to the other "she has cancer". Well yeah..

  • KimCee
    KimCee Member Posts: 170
    edited December 2017

    Jennifer, praying for you for your upcoming surgery. What day is it scheduled for? You are doing DIEP flap?

    Regarding the eyebrows...I hope you don't lose them but you may. You don't have to wear make-up but if you want to draw or powder apply eyebrows, I recommend a youtube video from DenitslavaMakeup. She's a cutie pie young girl and has tons of you tube videos. She shows you easy methods for a fool proof look. At 54, who knew I needed to learn but I did. I actually have gotten compliments, people love my eyebrows....fake fake fake, they are.

  • Trees100
    Trees100 Member Posts: 17
    edited December 2017

    Good morning! Jennifer522: I'm (hopefully! I know that sounds crazy) getting a root canal next week. Last AC I saw a NP and she thought I would have to wait until post treatments but this week I saw my MO and she was fine with it, she was sure they would give me antibiotics and with that she just asked that I wait until after my second dose of Taxol, to get that under my belt. I saw the dentist last week for x-rays and he said I had a good amount of plaque build-up which has never been the case as I'm a regular every six months, he said it was the drugs which probably won't surprise any of you. So many drugs!

    Root canal, just my luck!

    1st Taxol done and I was also told they will knock down the steroids over the next couple if I tolerate it, to me that means a better night's sleep! Day 4 is constant sniffles and watery eyes but I’ve not had a day down yet, which was typical with the AC; I won’t miss it.

    Love the pictures!

  • Joyseeker
    Joyseeker Member Posts: 247
    edited December 2017

    I am feeling better thank you. The steroids leave me feeling pretty hopeless day five and six. But say seven comes and I feel better.

    Regarding surgery time. They booked an hour and a half for my uni mastectomy. My surgeon said that the actual surgery is 30 mins. And. Nuclear medicine is likely to inject your mass and track your nodes. Not the most fun thing in the world but he injection is short.

    I start Doxetel on the 28th. Less steroids I hear which I’m thankful for. I had 12mg day one of FEC then 8mg for the following 3 days. Big steroid crash. Tragic. I just stayed in my bed with my eyes closed listening to music and it eventually passed.

    It’s hard to believe that by the end of the year I’ll be done 4 treatments with only two to go. And then I’ll be thinking about rads. Crazy. Running on a fast moving treadmill that’s for sure.

  • LisaCincy
    LisaCincy Member Posts: 316
    edited December 2017

    Well, it's 9:30am and I haven't napped yet today! I'm trying to bolster up the energy to go on a small walk but it's really cold out there and it's going to be a hard sell.

    I'm happy to report that I was able to get several hours of good sleep last night after taking an Ativan. I hate taking more drugs, but I had only gotten 2 hours of sleep the night before and didn't want to repeat that as I need my rest! I did wake up once drenched in sweat, but was able to go back to sleep, thanks to a really cold bedroom. I sleep so much better in a cold room. (My poor husband.) I also woke up twice to pee and drink, but that's okay. I'm determined to drink more water this round because last round I dropped the ball and suffered as a result. Sleep, pee, drink, sleep, pee, drink.

    We're scheduled to play couples Euchre tonight at our club, so I'm hoping to get a short nap in this afternoon. It'll feel good to get out of the house and frankly, it'll force me to get out of my sweats and put on some makeup and nicer clothes. I need to that for me and my husband!

    61 more days til my last chemo!

  • AgathaNYC
    AgathaNYC Member Posts: 317
    edited December 2017

    Tri-lady7 - I'm sorry you're dealing with the side effect that bothered me the most. I'd recommend Preparation H moist wipes. Or Tucks pads. They really are soothing and I swore by them when I had issues.

    LisaRxCincinnati - thanks for the recommendation of the Wunderbrow gel. I think I'll get some. Sorry about the sore fingertips. Mine are feeling funky, too. My oncology RN told me that I really shouldn't worry unless I can't pick a penny up off a table or button a button. Hopefully none of us get to that point. How is the skin on your hands and feet doing? I'm just starting to peel a little bit.

    petey111 - sorry to hear you had port issues. don't you hate it when the nurses or doctors contradict each other? I really wish I had the same chemo nurse all the time. I LOVED the nurse that I had for my first 2 infusions but I never got her again. I trusted her advice. I think they may assign her for newbies to get them comfortable with the process. I hope you always get Paula!!!

    voilalia - l love your description of Chemo Brain. Perfect!

    MamaFelice - the fact that you are a caterer makes me love you and your burnt cookies that much more. what is this stuff doing to us?

    Jennifer522 - I hadn't even thought about what driving must be like with Chemo Brain since I use public transit or cabs. Please be careful of yourself!! :-) I'm happy to hear that your tumor has gone down - hopefully Taxol finishes it off! I won't know for sure what's going on with mine until I have a mammogram and MRI on Jan 30, ten days after my last Taxol infusion.

    Trees100 - Good luck with the root canal! I had to have one right after my first A/C and it was fine. Hopefully there will be no infection and no other complications.

    Joyseeker - when is your surgery scheduled for? We're on a similar schedule. My surgeon is thinking mid-Feb for me, but no set date yet.

    LisaRxCincinnati - Yes - go out! I did last night to meet up with old friends and was so glad I did. I couldn't believe it was 11pm when I got home. I think I get more exhausted in my house than when I'm out laughing and having fun.

    Stay warm everyone, and soak in that holiday spirit!

  • Joyseeker
    Joyseeker Member Posts: 247
    edited December 2017

    Agatha - I had my mastectomy Sept. 20th. So I’m all done. I may opt to have the other side done in the spring.

  • LisaCincy
    LisaCincy Member Posts: 316
    edited December 2017

    Agatha, no peeling issues on my feet or hands yet. I've only been showering every other day, and slathering with Nivea in-shower moisturizing gel. Then in the morning and evening, I'm slathering my feet with Udderly Smooth moisturizer, then immediately putting socks on. For my hands, I keep a bottle of moisturizing cream in each bathroom, and after I wash my hands, I dry them and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I make a point to rub the cream into my nails, too. Can't hurt.

    My fingernails are slightly worse today but I've been exercising them and was able to get my bra on. I've quit taking my B-100 complex because they tasted so awful, so maybe I'll just go back to the B-6 pill as it wasn't a horse pill.

    I just dolled myself up to go out. My eyelashes are getting sparser and sparser but I put some mascara on those that remained. I had a festive top all picked out but after I put it on, I couldn't get warm. So I changed into a more sensible shell and thick sweater. Egads this cancer sucks all the vanity out of a person.

  • voilalia
    voilalia Member Posts: 37
    edited December 2017

    Argghhh! I had every intention of going to work today, but sometime in the wee hours, waves of nausea started rolling in. I got up this morning, tried to get ready and felt like I was going to hurl. So I got back in bed. I'm so frustrated that I'm missing work still and had a little breakdown on my sister's shoulder. I had to look at my notes from my last visit with the MO 2 weeks ago. How could I have forgotten that I'm right on schedule for Day 7? Why do I expect myself to be feeling better than last time? She had told me to take ALL of the recommended meds, in a particular order. I thought I was being good by taking only the Zofran periodically while the steroids wore off. Compazine is an anti-psychotic med with a sedative effect - no driving and not conducive to working, so I stayed away. And the past few days I was doing fairly well with only minor alien lava-lamp feeling in my cells. But no... here I am, waiting for the Compazine to take over and feeling guilty about work, even though they've been so understanding. I put so much pressure on myself. Why? Looking back at the doctor's notes, my calendar and health log, and even though overall I feel stronger than I did after Rounds 2 & 3 of AC, I still have to deal with getting the DD AC from Round 4 out of my system.

    Thanks for letting me vent. I'm so sick of this!!! I am not excited about 12 weeks of Taxol. I can only hope that it doesn't feel as bad as AC. I will end on an upbeat - I know that I have some good energetic days coming my way very soon! ... oh yeah, I was going to celebrate every day that I am done with AC. Chemo brain. I forgot.

    This was all about me, but I'm thinking about all of you. We're all just dealing. One day at a time. Heart

  • littlebee72
    littlebee72 Member Posts: 19
    edited December 2017

    I had my first round of Taxol last Thursday and after everyone in my oncologist's office telling me it would be easier than AC, I was disappointed when it was not. I had severe bone pain and muscle spasms starting on day 3 that lasted until day 7. I also was dizzy, lightheaded and shaky on day 3 as well. I missed 3 days of work (which I NEVER did on AC) and now I am terrified to have my next round. I only have 3 rounds of Taxol left, but dear God, I dont know if I am going to be able to do 3 more of those. I am definitely going to talk to my oncologist about all of this before the next dose. I am also getting heart palpatations now. Anyone else have these issues? TIA!

  • LisaCincy
    LisaCincy Member Posts: 316
    edited December 2017

    Well, I hate to do it but I'm going to chime in with the "I hate Taxol" ladies. I had treatment #3 on Wednesday. On Thursday, I felt tired but okay most of the day. We were scheduled to play couples Euchre at our club, which I've done the entire time through chemo. It's a "safe" place for me as I know everyone, and they treat me like normal, and everyone is good about keeping their germs away from me. It's always been the highlight of my week, to be honest.

    Anyway, it started on a bad note when I walked in and the room was freezing. I'd changed into a sweater but I was still cold the entire night. Anyone who knows me knows that this is not my normal state; if anything I'm always peeling off layers because I'm so hot. Not with Taxol!

    Anyway, I couldn't eat my dinner, which was a pork chop entree I've eaten a half dozen times before. It just tasted awful to me. So my dinner ended up being salad and water, which I proceeded to burp up the rest of the evening. By the time Euchre started at 7pm, I was already pining for my bed I was so tired. Were it not a couple-mandatory game, I'd have gone home sick, but I didn't want to ruin the evening for the other 23 people, so made it through somehow. But on the way home, we had to pull over so I could vomit my guts up on the side of the road. First time that has happened in this whole ordeal. I wasn't even close to being nauseated on A/C.

    Now I'm back to feeling weak and miserable.

    My body hates Taxol. I'm also going to have to a conversation with my MO in a few weeks when he returns from vacation. I cannot tolerate another 9 weeks of this. He's going to have to convince me that this "insurance policy" chemo is not doing me more harm than good. Even though I dreaded A/C, I figured I could make it through 4 treatments. But 12 every week? That sound more like torture to me.

    I hate cancer.

    P.S. I'm being honest here, but I really hate scaring everyone else on Taxol. My experience on this chemo has always been the opposite of what normal people experience. Most people do prefer Taxol to A/C.

  • littlebee72
    littlebee72 Member Posts: 19
    edited December 2017

    LisaRxCincinnati I am right there with you! I also was FREEZING on day 3. Went to bed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants and STILL had to use an heated blanket on top of my 2 comforters! I agree....I would rather have to AC than this. At least I tolerated AC much better, even though it was miserable. I only have 3 more rounds so I am hoping I can last! Good luck to you!

  • HikerVA1956
    HikerVA1956 Member Posts: 53
    edited December 2017

    Hello LittleBee: Sorry it has been tough. I too was told by nurses and OC that Taxol was so much easier. I am on the DD Taxol every other week for 4 treatments like you. I was on Cloud 9 day of Chemo and day two... day three started the tiredness/could not make it across the room without being winded and tired...on day 4 the muscle/bone pain started which included my knees aching and my lower back went out... (now not only was I winded, but hunched over like a little old lady, only thing missing was the cane)but the back finally eased up and the knee aches ended on day 7-8 and day 9, I feel like I am coming out of it, had good energy yesterday and feel great today... this should last until my treatment next Tues. and start all over again. The palpitations I had as well, more often during the bad periods day 4-7.

    As it was discussed on this thread previously, some of these side effects could be from anemia as well...so discuss this with your doctor too. I did not have the nausea that I had with the A/C, so that is a plus with Taxol. I did have to take an anti-nausea a couple of mornings but the nauseated feeling was very mild and I took it as a precaution. I am going to be asking my doctor a lot of questions at this next appointment as well, but will be continuing my treatment. Although there are side effects, they are very different from A/C, not necessarily easier, just different and seem to be as debilitating. One positive for me, was at the end of A/C my bad days were 1-11 with only 3 good energy days. This time it is 1-8 with 6 good days until next appointment, so I guess that is better???maybe what they were talking about, and maybe some of the A/C is still lingering and causing some of the adverse effects who knows.

    LisaRX: so sorry you had such a rough night, I was excited with you for your evening out... hopefully you and your OC can work thing out to make this easier for you... like some suggested in earlier posts about decreasing the dosage made a huge difference...

    Sure hope everyone feels better soon, We Can Do This Together!! Prayers to Everyone

  • petey111
    petey111 Member Posts: 157
    edited December 2017

    What is everyone drinking right now? I know what is the best, but it's slimy to me right now. I've been going with Schweppe's Orange a lot, but it's not really quenching my thirst. I like iced tea, but I had large one yesterday and was up all night long. :-( So I need decaf stuff. What's your go to drink?

  • scaligirl
    scaligirl Member Posts: 37
    edited December 2017

    Simbobby, that sounded scary. I wasn't home alone thank goodness, and unfortunately my bleeding episode in Oct had me very familiar with how it felt to faint so it was lucky I sat down so quick. I hope you're feeling better though and that you don't have that happen again.

    Mama, omg those cookies! I needed that laugh. I have been such a scatterbrain in the kitchen too I have to stand there and watch everything so I don't forget stuff I am doing too.

    Petey, I still have most of my eyebrows and eyelashes so hopefully those won't go bye bye for you too. Fingers crossed!

    KimCee, ask your doc for a triamcinolone cream prescription. I have really bad allergic reactions to bug bites and this cream is a lifesaver for itchiness. I had to use that and some aspercream (it has lidocane in it) together for a while because my scalp was driving me crazy and I was scratching myself to bleeding in a couple of places.

    I'm trying to wean myself off my nausea medications. I've been using the various pills mostly to help me sleep since I started chemo and I think I've become dependent on it so much so that I was feeling like I can't sleep without it. I was telling my Onc at my visit on Tuesday that my "nausea" has mostly become indigestion, so Pepcid is my new best friend. So, no more nausea meds for the last 2 days, and while I am able to fall asleep ok I am still part of the 3:30am club where I wake up for no apparent reason and can't get back to sleep until 6a. Hopefully this won't last too long.

    And on the plus side, I have a plan to start radiation on 12/26 so looking forward to starting that hopefully-last part of my treatment journey.

    Hope everyone has a good weekend!

  • Joyseeker
    Joyseeker Member Posts: 247
    edited December 2017

    petey111 Starbucks passion tea lemonade.

    As well, those of you ending, what’s the process for starting radiation? Tests, consults etc? Just looking forward but not too forward

  • seemaryrock
    seemaryrock Member Posts: 12
    edited December 2017

    Hi everyone, I had my last AC infusion on Nov. 27, but I find that I can get sudden headaches easily, like when bending over to pick something up, or running around for 3 minutes chasing (lightly) my 3-year-old around the house, or even leaning in toward the bathroom mirror to put makeup on. It seems to come from the base of my skull, but can truly hurt anywhere on my head.. sometimes it's deep within. Anyone experience this? It's been 2.5 weeks since my last infusion, so that's not a ton of time to heal, but you know.. head hurts and you get worried. It's every day, but not all day. Basically wondering if AC causes headaches.. my chemo education nurse basically told me no, and that it was probably related to sinuses. I started taking Claritin and will continue in order to see if she's right. I did have headaches during the two months of AC chemo, but I think I attributed it to the hair loss, since that left my scalp very tender and sensitive. Hmmm.

  • LisaCincy
    LisaCincy Member Posts: 316
    edited December 2017

    seemaryrock, I'm so happy to see you. Congrats on ending chemo. I get pains shooting through my head all the time. I actually brought it up with my NP, among all my other SEs, as there was one spot that radiated from the back of my neck up to the left back of my cranium that was persistent for days. It ended up going away on its own.

    Agatha, I've been water mainly, then warm green tea and/or ginger ale. Today I had an Ensure because I was feeling anemic again and wanted to stay hydrated as well.

    60 more days of chemo! Lord help me!


  • petey111
    petey111 Member Posts: 157
    edited December 2017

    Another random question - Anyone else developed a dry cough?