Starting chemo January 2018
hi I am getting my. Port next week, echo and going to a chemo class then Wednesday January 3rd starting chemo 🙄happy freakin new year . I will be having 4 A/C every other week then 12 weekly Taxols
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I will also be starting chemo Jan 10th so I’m joining the club. Four rounds of Taxotere and Cyclophosphamide, three weeks apart. I’m getting fitted for a wig tomorrow. Ready to take on the beast!
Best of luck, @motherofall6!
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best of luck to u also, at least we can get through Christmas and New Years before all the real fun begins
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Hi! I am starting TCH January 12. Happy New Year to us! I’m planning on using a cold cap to try and keep my hair, but we’ll see if I can get through it, I’ve heard it’s uncomfortable to say the least. I’m getting more and more nervous the closer it gets, especially since I have 2 young kids, a 4 year old and a 3 month old. I know I’m going to have a lot of help and support from family and friends but my kids needs don’t stop because I’m sick. Best wishes to everyone! We can get through this!!
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Hi @Erob321. My first chemo session was rescheduled for Jan 12th we our timing is the same. The treatment seems similar (I'm TC but no H). You have probably seen that already, but there are a couple of threads on TC here with useful tips and coping mechanisms. One (Tiffany's terrific tips for TC I think it's called) has some tips for wearing the cold cap. It works well from what I heard. The wig is not fun either. I bought one yesterday and found it itchy, plus the idea of wearing someone else's hair grossed me out a bit. Plus - it looks like a wig. It is what it is. If you have any tips about eyelashes and eyebrows, please share.
My hospital has workshops on looking good through treatment and I'll attend. Maybe I'll learn a thing of two.Happy holidays, ladies! Yes we'll get through this!
R
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I hear coconut oil for eyebrows and lashes but I’m going to ask at chemo class tomorrow.
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Hi,
I just saw your post and had the exact same treatment plan w AC and then Taxol and wanted to offer some encouragement as I completed mine back in July and then finished radiation in Sept of this year. Chemo class is overwhelming because they go over every possible side effect. I was so nervous after that class, and I did not have nearly as many side effects as they reviewed. Also, the premeds they give you w the chemo helped me a lot! Yes, I felt "off" for the few days after chemo and definately by the end of it all was fatigued, etc. But, compared to what I have seen some of my family members deal w back before all these additional premeds was way worse. I never got sick, just felt nauseaus on occasion, but never enough to hinder. My counts did drop, so I had Nuepogen shots which where once a day for 5 days after chemo. The very first chemo was the hardest, not knowing what to expect. Once you get that done, you feel better because you know exactly what to expect and how you will feel. I hope that yours goes as well and you have a lot of support to help you get thru it all. I am here if you have any questions!! You will be amazed at how strong you can be!
Hugs,
Traci
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Thank you, @motherofall6. If you get any tips at chemo class, please share
My hospital doesn't offer these.Best of luck!
R
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Hi ladies,
I’m from July and August 2017 Chemo thread. I finished my chemo 11/10 with AC + T, I will share with you some of my experiences if you have time you can go back to visit the threads so you can see how our journeys.
AC, my major SE was fatigue, GI issues, mouth sores, lost all my hair and appetite. Other people had joints pains due to White Cell shots and nausea. Keep in mind, stay on top of nausea, take your meds before you feel uncomfortable. Also take Claritin before your shot so your pains will not be that bad, mouth sore, you want to use baking soda/salt as mouth wash for every meals. I use a soft toothbrush during chemo time. Your mouth will get very sensitive. My bad days for AC was day 4-6. Keep in mind more you move around less fatigue. So do your walking as much as you can, hopefully daily.
If you want to know about taxol SE, I can come back to let you know.
Believe me there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’m doing radiation now, and almost half way there. If you feel emotionally down, do take Ativan and vent in here, we all understand because we are going through the same path.
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I am starting chemo Jan 9 taxotere & cytoxan. Tried on wigs today, getting really short haircut on Fri. Has anyone heard of or tried Brian Josephs' Lash & Brow conditioning gel? They told me when I was trying on wigs that if you use it, you will not lose lashes and brows....I'm pretty skeptical but will definitely get it if someone can tell me they used it and it worked. Now for my big question...is anyone having to deal with an uncooperative spouse? On top of everything else....this is stressing me to the MAX. As if I don't have enough to deal with. Well ladies, I am truly thankful for this site.....here's to us and whatever 2018 brings. I am a tough old bird and a fighter.
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Hi @beckyt23. Looks like we have the same treatment (TC). I don’t know what to expect. It didn’t sound too bad when my oncologist presented, but I read some scary stories on the other threads. I think I’ll just stay away and stop lurking there.Everyone’s experience (and, to some extent, side effects) are different.
I have not heard of Brian Joseph’s conditioning gel. I bought a different brand of eyebrow gel a while ago, in my pre-cancer days.It did nothing for me, and was expensive, so I’m also skeptical. I’m going to pick up my wig today and I’ll ask them if they have any tips.
Yes, here’s to us and a better year! We’ll get through this!
Sending good vibes.
R
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definitely let us know what they recommend for brows and lashes! I’m afraid if I have to pencil in brows I’ll look like a clown! Lol!!
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basically chemo class talked about every single possible side affect you can get , but the nurse who gave the class sad over and over some won’t get any se, and some will get only a little. She also said in this day and age no one should be throwing up and if you do call chemo dr immediately as they will get you so,etching to stop it. And they also emphasized call right away if fever at 100.4 or higher , do not take Tylenol or anything for fever till you speak to dr, and if they don’t call back within 20mins call back and head to er. I’m going to alternate with my fingernails , weekly as follows , week 1 have black nail polish on 24/7. Week 2 use nailtiques #2 nail protein ( target and sally beauty supply or ulta has this) and so on through my entire chemo time and see how that works
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they didn’t mention this but I’m gonna try coconut oil , but I also read a product to grow lashes called latisse,(amazon) can be applied to brows and lashes and I’m still thinking if I want to order that too, also everyone check with your chemo center as the American Cancer Society has a beauty class at most chemo centers called look good and it’s a 2 hour class given at each location every other month and they teach you beauty tricks like pencil eyebrows and they give you make up for free like nice expensive stuff too!!
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@motherofall6 thanks so much for the tips! My chemo class isn’t until 3 days before I start because the nurse was sick last week. I’m glad to hear vomiting isn’t the norm anymore!
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I met with my medical oncologist today and found out that yep, I get to do chemo too. My surgeon said that was extremely unlikely, so I'm feeling a bit shaken. But here we go! I hopefully start next Friday, but if not, the following one. We can do this!
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port went in yesterday 🙄 I was so nervous about that but the procedure was actually ok, they twighlighted me , I was awake talking The entire time and they lidocaine the area and it was in, today just sore and I have not needed to take Tylenol so this was not nearly as bad as I thought , well so far
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I am having the same regimen starting 1/8. I was suppose to start last month. I developed a seroma leaking out of my incisions and a blood clot on the port side. A small delay but now seem ready for the fight!!!
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Hi
Waiting on a call to get port, Should be starting chemo 1/17.AC every 3 weeks as long as heart scan is ok. Had a PET/CT scan today So worried about what the results will be.As of now I am dx as a working stage 2 ancillary node positive (based on biopsy), Also ER+,PR and Her +.
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Hello, I'm getting chemo in January too. The port goes in Jan 3 and I'll get the first Taxotete/Cytoxin on Jan 4 (less than a week now, yikes) There will be 4 treatments 3 weeks apart. Also found out I'm getting the neulasta onpro unit applied to my arm. Is everyone else getting Neulasta too?
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Looks like we got quite a group now. We'll get through this!
@garifalia - I'm also doing four rounds of TC three weeks apart and will also get Neulasta, but injections (in my belly, I think).
Best,
R
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Motherofall, I start chemo therapy on 1/3 also. I will be having AC-T, the same regimen as you, but because I am HER2 positive I will continue treatment with herceptin infusions for the year.
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oh I forgot that part yes I’m getting nuelasta on my arm also, and was told over the counter Claritin can help with possible bone pain for that .regular Claritin not the d one
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I start 4xEC followed by 12 weeks Taxol on January 2nd. I'm wanting to sleep until Sept 2018 if that is possible. My port was put in on December 19th and I still have PAIN , something is off and my dr is on vacation so no one will touch me until the 2nd and half of them might still be nursing hangovers.
No chemo classes for me here in the 3rd world. They shrug off the patients are if we are all to stupid to understand.
No Neulasta either.
I am going to try the Dignicap (with weights on my head) but have already picked out a wig. I'd love to try something for brows and lashes. How about castor oil?
I am also going to try Valter Longo's 48 hour fast before and 24 hours after. Many articles out there on efficacy. I'll be fun at the holiday tables for NYE. Cheap date, I guess.
I guess I'm first of this group. I wish someone could come and hold my hand (and hold me down, I DO NOT WANT TO DO CHEMO!). They said after surgery that I was "cured", so why this too?
Sorry to vent --- I'm just besides myself in anxiety and fear.
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Amelia your sense of humor is going to help you get through the chemo. Reading your post made me laugh out loud (particularly the part about "nursing hangovers"). My port bothered me quite a bit at first but now I hardly notice it (placed 11/16). I have had it accessed a couple times already and it beats the heck out of them digging around for veins. I pray your pain subsides so you don't have to bring in the new year miserable. Sending you hugs!
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thanks Gigi,
I should probably proofread my posts otherwise I’ll for sure pass as “to” stupid (tooooooooo).
My 9 year old keeps asking why I cry at any given moment. I’m guessing we all do.
I wish I had fun people around me for some giggles.
XX to all
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Amelia your post made me smile! That is a perfect post and nothing about it was stupid.
This is diagnosis is hard on all of us. Just stay close to BCO. You have support here.
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Hello Gigi and Amelia!
And good luck on the 3rd, Amelia! Please let us know how it went. You are our brave pioneer!
I asked the ladies at my wig salon about eyebrows and lashes. They didn’t have much insight to offer, other than: wear bangs (my wig has them), the lashes/brows are usually the last ones to go, and they referred me to the “look good feel better” workshop, where they show you how to pencil them in. I’d already signed up for that.With strong, thick eyebrows being so fashionable, there is no shortage of products on the market. Rodin + Fields is another product I’ve heard about. They have a serum that’s supposed to be good.
What’s everybody doing for nutrition? I was so good right before and after surgery, juicing, fruits and veggies etc. But things have gone somewhat downhill around the holidays. I even broke my no-alcohol rule (temporarily).
Hugs!
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Just wanted to let you know that you can do this! I had four rounds of TC and it was not bad at all! I worked through treatment, only taking a few days off around treatment days. I was never sick to my stomach. I didn't cold cap but I still didn't lose all of my hair. I know it's scary but once you get through the first treatment you'll know what to expect. You got this
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