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Starting chemo January 2018

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  • Amelia01
    Amelia01 Member Posts: 178
    edited February 2018

    I am thrilled to report that there is no activity in my ovaries! Hurray! BREATHE............ next gyn scan in 6 months.


    Okkate : stay in! What has MO suggested you do about the fever? You did Neuopgen, right? You should pull through this just fine!

  • okkate75
    okkate75 Member Posts: 75
    edited February 2018

    I'm just staying in and treating the symptoms. My counts are good--I'm just getting felled by the coldflu going around. I blame my students! Last night I found myself thinking I'd rather have cancer than the flu!

  • Olesya
    Olesya Member Posts: 109
    edited February 2018

    WorriedMe77 - finally things are starting moving for you! keeping all the fingers and toes crossed for that lung biopsy!\

    Amelia01 and Roxy13 - it's is really hard for me to learn to ask for help and be specific at what exactly i need at a given moment. but im working on it. thanks for the input:))

    Insideout2 - stay hydrated and rest as much as you can.

    Okkate75 - thinking of you, get better!


    i never thought about hair not coming back ever after completing chemo.....and i didn't iced my hands on feet during the treatment. just the thought of my hands and feet to be cold doesn't sound very appealing. hoping for no neuropathy an great hair afterwards:))


    Amelia, i don't know what colonic is but if it gave you the most needed relief - its awesome! glad you feel better:)))

    oh and just for the record: it is so amazing to finally poop a good poop without any aids! It just feels good!

    I hope you are right about acne and 2nd round. the hydrocorisone cream that has been prescribed to me is starting slowly to work. cant wait for this horror to go away. i had always had problem skin, and another problem i used to pick anything unwanted, and now it's like a torture:im not allowed to touch it,and its the worst that i ever had it!

    im using my mind power to think: the more and the uglier zits come out, the more of bad cell are being destroyed. im reading a really great book by Bernie S.Siegel, M.D. called Love, Medicine & Miracles. it helps me to change thinking in the right(healing) direction. Highly recommend to everyone, as it is about cancer patients and their stories written by a compassionate surgeon.



  • erob321
    erob321 Member Posts: 59
    edited February 2018

    okkate, I’m sick as well, but I’m in the hospital. Fever, chills, headache! I feel awful! Round 2 is not being nice to me :( hopefully my fever will break soon and my heart rate will slow so I will be able to go home tomorrow. I don’t have time for this

  • Olesya
    Olesya Member Posts: 109
    edited February 2018

    Erob321 - get better! this flu and cold season has to come to an end!


  • SarahSC
    SarahSC Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2018

    hi everyone!! It’s hard for me to do anything today but read the posts. I’m trying to find some feedback on everything I’m feeling and all your posts are helping so thank u 😘

    I finished my first treatment 4 days ago and I feel horrible. On day 2 I felt a little tired but I think that was just from cold capping for 10 hours. Then that night the Neulasta injection went in and it was horrible since. Yesterday was my third day and I pretty much stayed in bed all day except to go the bathroom. To me that was the worse until this morning. I woke up and felt like a truck hit me. I have severe xerostomia and my tongue feels like I might be getting sores, I have less energy than I did yesterday which I didn’t think could be possible. The metal taste in my mouth has gotten worse and my food has no taste. Also my whole body is aching and I have horrible headache. I don’t have a fever or nausea so that is good. I’m just trying to figure out if this is all normal or should I be concerned. The nurse called yesterday and said I shouldn’t feel this tired and that I should be able to do regular activities. That of course scared me because I’m wondering if something bad is happening.

    Does anyone know if we really have to have the Neulasta and if that might be causing me all this fatigue and muscle aches. Also my lips are so cracked and I feel like they are just going to peel off

  • insideout2
    insideout2 Member Posts: 108
    edited February 2018

    Oleysa- Thank you

    SarahSC- I finished my cycle today. I am to remove my Neulasta patch tomorrow. I wish you well.

    I feel achy and tired. Mouth sores not a concern. I have a mild headache. Maybe related to upcoming hair loss. I walked today and will keep hydrated.

    Take care everyone.



  • TeriAnne
    TeriAnne Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2018

    Saranc have you read about Claratin it wards off the SE of the Neulasta shot? Take it the day of chemo and 3 days after for some freaky reason it works. Although my worst SE reaction was to the Neulasta shot it made me really fatigued and I went to bed early then slept till noon the next day. This is my 2nd chemo and that’s the only reaction I have had this round. I feel fortunate I did have a slight headache too. I’m only on day 4 so we will see.

    The worst SE is losing your hair and the hairdresser is coming my house after work to give me my buzz. I’ve been shedding so much I think I’m ready for it but it will be emotional no matter what. Onward and upward ladies hang in there everyone

  • Olesya
    Olesya Member Posts: 109
    edited February 2018

    SarahSC - everything you are experiencing sounds pretty normal . i was like that on day 4 - couldn't get out of bed. make sure you hydrate: drink and drink and drink some more. even if you don't feel like drinking anymore drink more. it will flash your system faster. also soda/salt mixture (1tsp of each in 4 cups of water) to rinse you mouth as often as you can to help with mouth sores.

    i put lanolin on my lips - they are very dry too. the achiness is from chemo. if you had your premeds(steroids, and antinausia) by day four they wore off and now you are starting to feel all the joys of post chemo fatigue, achiness, and feeling dry.

    Rest when you need to, do your activities when you can. I had good am and pm, but hours between 11am and 4pm i was curled up in bed.

    Good luck.

  • TeriAnne
    TeriAnne Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2018

    2nd round TCH is done! Fatigue reaction to Neulasta shot. Took Claratin for other SE from Neulasta shot and it helped. Had slight headache and slept til noon. My hair is being buzzed in about an hour. Onward and upward!

    4 more to go, next one is Feb19th. Best of everything ladies

  • Roxy13
    Roxy13 Member Posts: 116
    edited February 2018

    Good luck with your buzz cut, TerriAnne! Trust me, you don’t want to keep shedding like I do. It’s not as noticeable with a pixie, but it’s there and it’s a nuisance. Big time! I actually am at the point where I can’t wait for all of it to fall off.

    I also had very dry lips. Just thought I’d throw that in there.

    Have a great weekend, ladies

  • Shlomit
    Shlomit Member Posts: 68
    edited February 2018

    SarahSC, you and I have the same chemo cocktail; mine is 4 treatments, 21 days apart. The first was last Friday (hence why I'm following the January 2018 class). Days 1-2 (Saturday/Sunday) were ok, which I was told today (post-treatment appointment w/the nurse practitioner) was in part because of the dexamethasone steroid (2x/day for the day before, day of, and day after). Sunday night into Monday, I didn't know if it was the flu (and yes, I had a shot), food poisoning or what I ultimately chalked up to chemo crud. I finally made it back to my office for a few hours on Wednesday (day 5). I also had the Neulasta device for the next day; the Claritan helped, and I just worked through the discomfort (this, the person with two knee replacements).

    As for your tongue, it may be "thrush" which is what the nurse practitioner immediately diagnosed today. It's one of the common chemo side effects.  I picked up a prescription for liquid nystatin tonight and am supposed to swish/gargle with it 4x/day.  My tongue got nice and pink after the first swish. 

  • peachyjeanne
    peachyjeanne Member Posts: 155
    edited February 2018

    Roxy the wig looks great. If you don't use a wig cap when you still have hair, it can slide on your hair. Once my hair was all out it was better but I still felt nervous that it was going to slide around. What made a huge difference was wearing a wig grip. It's a velvet headband. It provides friction so the wig doesn't slide back. Just Google wig grip and you'll see plenty of options. Once I started wearing one, I was much more confident wearing the wig.

    I'm sorry for all that are feeling sick. This time of year, it's hard to know what is a regular bug or if it's chemo side effects. No matter, feeling like crap feels like crap. I hope you can rest this weekend. My struggle lately has been trying to find a balance between constipation and diarrhea. It's one or the other with me these days. Happy, happy, joy, joy.


  • BBoop_2017
    BBoop_2017 Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2018

    Greetings!


    I'm new. I was diagnosed in December 2017. (I don't have my official diagnoses information in front of me, but I am Stage 3-C, it is in my right breast only. I took my first chemo January 19th. I am taking the TAC protocol. I will take my second chemo this Friday, February 9th. I am every 3 weeks for a total of 6 rounds.

  • Olesya
    Olesya Member Posts: 109
    edited February 2018

    Welcome, BBoop_2017 :)))


  • Amelia01
    Amelia01 Member Posts: 178
    edited February 2018

    Sarah - my dose for infusion 2 was lowered by 25% because of my horrid first night side effects (it may have also been a stomach migraine from the anxiety). Looking back on 1 vs 2, other than the first two days the remainder were very similar and the SE of brain fog was worse after infusion 2. To give my opinion on Neulasta or not, as I have written in a few past posts, I do not take it because my clinic does not do it. I did have a fever and neutropenia and spent an overnight in the hospital but it also coincided with a massive tooth ache (did the tooth ache happen because my immune system didn't ward it off?) or because of it did my counts drop even more because they were in overdrive? Who knows. But in any case the problem occurred at 14 days out of 1st tx when the body has the normal drop (the nadir). I had two baby shots of something similar to Nuelasta (but molecularly lighter i.e. without the propylene glycol) and my counts shot up to beyond normal and I did feel a twinge of hip pain but nothing significant. My doctor is not having me do it for round 2 or beyond unless there is a clear need. Then again my clinic and maybe the whole European mentality is to use the least amount of drugs necessary which meant that after my mastectomy the only pain relief offered with 1000 mg of tylenol - no opiates no self-controlled pain management nothing really stronger than an aspirin and frankly, and just to sleep I asked for something stronger. Port placement was only a local. Now, I travel with my own xanax and take it liberally when I know I might need it. I'm against taking drugs to combat side effects of other drugs then to take another drug to lessen those symptoms which is why I will probably opt to have my ovaries removed instead of doing the chemical menopause.

    These are my iffy days of immune coverage so I just stay put at home. I'm not working at this time and there is nothing that Amazon or the grocery store can't delivery, so I will ride out the nadir days with Netflix. Fingers crossed! I have a 9 year old who is bringing home every microbe from school. I just make him disinfect before touching anything in the house.

    Welcome BBoop - stage 3c here too -

  • insideout2
    insideout2 Member Posts: 108
    edited February 2018

    Yesterday had high and lows. I felt weak that evening. I believe my kidneys were in overdrive with all the fluids I was taking in. The problem I created was not fueling my body with food. I ate fruit and felt okay for an hour. I managed to scramble an egg with turkey around 8pm and it helped. The problem was I didn't think to do until late. I had energy from 9pm -12pm. I ate a few grilled chicken pieces at 12pm and slept to 4am. I will eat a few more and some fruit soon. Both of my teenagers have to at school by 6am for different school competitions. I always drive them to school and go those competitions I can. I can't drive or attend either today , but I will be ready to help them prepare and available on the phone.

    I want to give my body what it needs, it is hard to figure this out.

  • Roxy13
    Roxy13 Member Posts: 116
    edited February 2018

    Thank you for the wig tips, PeachyJeanne! I did have one of those wig hairbands and an wearing it now. It does help. Turns out I was also wearing my wig too tight, which made it slip up (duh). So it’s much better now. I just have to remember it when I take my hat off!

    Take care, ladies and have an amazing weekend!


  • okkate75
    okkate75 Member Posts: 75
    edited February 2018

    My helpful round 2 tip: don't catch the flu! This is just the worst. That said, I'm less focused on chemo side effects than last time...

    Have a healthy weekend, all. We'll get through it.

  • erob321
    erob321 Member Posts: 59
    edited February 2018

    oh no okkate! My flu was negative, but I’m still in the hospital, waiting on the on call dr to come by and hopefully release me. The dr yesterday said it was probably a reaction to the chemo. Don’t forget to get lots of rest and fluids!! We can get through this!!!

  • Deaelle
    Deaelle Member Posts: 43
    edited February 2018

    Hi there

    My heart sure goes out to everyone here who is sick with cold/flu on top of managing chemo, AND to those who have kids who need them during this stressful and demanding time! Wow. Kudos to you all - you have a lot on your plates.

    I have just had a couple of really tough days that I hope are finally behind me. I have been having persistent abdominal pain ever since my first chemo on Jan 26. In the last couple of days this terrible gut pain escalated and referred/flared up on old lumbar spine issue, which in turn referred down my legs. Because of all this, I wasn't able to eat and experienced the most shocking weakness and fatigue ever in my life in the last couple of days. I could hardly lift my head; I thought I might pass out getting from the ensuite bathroom to my bed. Nausea turned up here and there as well.

    I have irritable bowel syndrome, which was always very minor, not a big thing in my life, but in the last several days it has just gone absolutely crazy - but it took me til Thursday to understand that this was what was the cause of my pain. With this being my first chemo so much is new and I didn't put it together. Turns out the SennaS I was diligently taking each night works by irritating the bowel. And the Docetaxal is also an irritant. This irritation is exactly NOT what I need, given the IBS. I was finally able to talk to my MO yesterday afternoon, and he's given me a drug for a few days that will calm the ongoing spasming that was happening all along the intestinal tract. I've known of these drugs for decades and that some people use them to manage IBS, but I've never wanted or needed them. That's sure changed!

    Hopefully, using this drug for a few days in each post-chemo week will keep this at bay. God, I sure hope so.

    Thanks to whoever suggested the pixie cut! I'm going to do that on Monday.


  • TeriAnne
    TeriAnne Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2018

    Here to report the buzz cut went really well! Not emotional at all really. I prepared myself mentally while I was leaving hair everywhere! It even got on my toothbrush yuk! It helped that I did it at home with my longtime hair stylist and the fact that it revealed that I have a nice shaped head! A plus in otherwise dire circumstances. We had a wig ready and she shaped it around my face. I feel lucky that I even felt good enough to have it done since it’s 4 days after TCH treatment! It’s day 5 and I still feel pretty good. Very grateful

  • Olesya
    Olesya Member Posts: 109
    edited February 2018

    i had 5 good days when i was full of energy. today was not one of them. was pattering along with my 2y.o. and when we finally went for a nap we all slept for 2,5 hours. woke up really groggy, took me awhile to gather my brain together. needless to say my little miss just fell alseep(at 11:30pm)....

    my hair starts to fall out.... ill give it a few more days, and then will buzz it:))


    Here is to Sunday!:)

  • murfy
    murfy Member Posts: 259
    edited February 2018

    Greetings dear ladies! I'm readying for Round #2 on Monday. Thank you for sharing your experiences, good and bad, as it prepares me (and all of us!) for possible side effects. I buzz cut the day before my first chemo and it has thinned a little but also grown out quite a bit. Guess the 'great fall out' will occur after #2. Otherwise feel A-ok and ready to get this over with already!


  • insideout2
    insideout2 Member Posts: 108
    edited February 2018

    Lmurphy- We are with you. You got this.

  • faith323
    faith323 Member Posts: 5
    edited February 2018

    I had my 2nd round of TCHP on Wednesday 1/31. My hair is now shedding quite a bit ,still not coming out in chunks but finding it everywhere. Definitely need to at least cut it much shorter (I was going to let it fall out on its own but too messy now) . Roxy you were right about it sticking everywhere in the shower (not only to shower but all over me) Maybe I will buzz it short but all I can picture is finding short hair everywhere! Worried shaving will irritate my scalp.

    On a good note right now side effects are not as bad as 1st TCHP. Hoping the diarrhea this time is not as severe as last time. THat was by far my worst side effect.

  • Olesya
    Olesya Member Posts: 109
    edited February 2018

    today is World Cancer Day and i decided to share my story on social media. mostly because i live in a small town and want bring awareness and reach out. feels good to finally get this burden of secrecy off my shoulders:)

    Stay strong ladies! Healing thoughts to those of you who are readying for or already done your second round!

  • princessbuttercup
    princessbuttercup Member Posts: 161
    edited February 2018

    Good morning all, I woke up today (day 14 of chemo #1) with my hair falling out in handfuls. Thinking of doing the buzz cut soon, and I think my husband will do it for me.

  • Gigicommon
    Gigicommon Member Posts: 58
    edited February 2018

    I'm on day 5 of AC #3. I didn't have a neulasta shot this time due to extremely high WBC count and the feeling of unwellness was much less severe. I also felt adding Prilosec helped me significantly. I guess I didn't know what heart burn felt like before.

    I am praying for all of you sisters who are struggling. We will get through this. Stay strong!

  • murfy
    murfy Member Posts: 259
    edited February 2018

    Princess, my DH wanted to and buzzed my hair for me. Now when he looks at me with my buzzed hair, I think he feels like part of the process. Tomorrow he will be feeding me ice chips and taking care of icing my hands and feet. He's a keeper....