Starting chemo February 2018
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I'm home after my first AC. I have low BP normally and it kinda crashed just a few mins into the adriamycin push. I started feeling all faint and woozy so they had to stop, recline me and wait for my BP to go back up again. We resumed and finished the whole rest of the protocol with no problems after. I think it was a combo of my low bp and stress turning me into a Victorian swooning lady....
Other than a stress headache, I'm feeling good so far. I had a snack on the drive home & an early lunch and everything was fine but now I'm having a tea and it tastes odd. So taste is starting to change, about 3h post start of infusion.
AnxietyGirl - how are you this morning?
Lolotte - hope the catheter insertion went well! And yes, get the passport photos done while we're looking & feeling ok'ish.
Debsmisto - hope you're feeling better today.hugs to everyone who needs them today
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Hello all,
I went for a second opinion onco consultation today and it is quite different from the first ocologist. First i might be stage 2 instead of stage 3 because tumour is part fluid. Then she told me that she does T before AC. It seems that it gives better results. Finally, she is in favour of fasting 24 hrs before and 24 hrs after like my sister recommended. I don't know where to go!
Older man with experience vs young lady with new ideas....both are very nice but the older man's center has an easier access.
I would be glad if you could share some of your thoughts with me.
May the force be with us!
Laurence
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Hey moth!
Almost 24 hours out now and still feeling totally normal. Maybe a bit tired, but it's been a long, stressful week, so I'm not surprised.
Slept great last night, despite warnings from the nurse that the steroids would keep me up all night, and no other issues. Eating normally (though being extra-careful to keep it light and healthy), staying so very well hydrated (and peeing all the time, hee), taking the meds as instructed and being generally lazy.
The anxiety is still the worst part, not knowing what's coming for me and when to expect it isn't helping with any of this. Here's hoping that the coming days stay smooth.
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Today has been a lot better. They gave me a mild (?) sleeping pill to take last night and I slept for 10 hours. Arm is still in a sling, however the swelling seems much better and the pain is more like a dull ache. After a good nights rest I am feeling so much better pain wise and emotionally.
Anxiety Girl you go girl sounds like you are doing very well so far. Don't cheat your self out a good day by worrying about a possible bad day.
Moth so happy in the end it all went ok now they know to watch for that and of course next time the anxiety will be much less so you may never have BP issues again. Let's hope so.
Cupcake thank you for all you insights how awful a punctured lung makes me feel like a bit of a wimp.
Lolotte 19 sounds like you have a hard choice best advice any one can give you is which one do you think listens and understands you the best? Remember whom ever you pick is going to be a very important partner in your battle. Which one do you feel will be the best partner for the battle? Which one do you feel the most comfortable talking to? Which one do the thinks gets you?
Debmisto hope we get some better news from you very soon.
To those we haven't heard from in a bit CBOK indahood and others hope all is going well I know indahood was going on a trip hope it went well.
To new ladies welcome. This is not a group anyone really wants to join, however you will find so much support here and a safe place like none other.
Thanks to everyone for the concern and understanding and care you ladies are truly the best!
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Hi girls, glad to see many of you doing well and checking in. I'm still battling diarrhea a full week of it now and I am so sore I can't even describe it, sorry again for the TMI. My Onc called today wants me to come in and get a new plan, my hope is to continue with everything but the Perjeta hoping that's what's causing the D. Antoine else get D from it? I haven't eaten and drank enough to sustain a fly in the last few days, barely got thru a shower today. Also did the Compazine make any of you feel like you were out of body, like I'm walking around on a cloud lol?
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Hi everyone. I've been feeling ok, just been herding cats.
The week before I was supposed to start chemo my daughter got the flu. Now my son has strep. The same day he got sick I had a fever that got up to 100.0 and they wanted me to go to urgent care and get tested for both flu and strep. (I called my doc office at 2 and they didn't call me back until 5!) I drove to an urgent care, checked in and then went back out to sit in my car. (because around here if you don't have flu when you go in to urgent care, you will when you leave) I sat in my car for an hour and my fever went back down to 99.5 so I decided screw this I'm going home. That was 2 days ago and I'm fine. Doc wasn't real happy with me but that's what they get for not calling me back for 3hrs, they said going forward to come straight to their office for tests. If I had felt even slightly bad I would have stuck it out. I've started to notice that regardless of what's going on my temp goes up around 3-5pm, then goes back down. Also I guess when either kid gets sick I get put on temporary quarantine from both of them and I HATE that. They get it though. It's just sad. You know "blowing kisses"? My son has came up with "teleport kisses" which is him just making a smooching face at me from across the room.
AMBurt-I hope your port starts playing nice. What a pain in the butt. Or chest/arm as the case may be. Sorry
moth-I was overly proud of myself for renewing my driver's license in December - didn't expire until March. I was not so proud of myself for forgetting to renew my stinking passport which is up in May. So I can either take a pic right now with bleach blonde/purple hair on my passport or I may be getting a wig (wasn't planning to) to take a single stupid picture. doh
Lolotte-something else to consider about docs is that you'll be seeing your oncologist from now on. I have a cousin that is 20 yrs beyond cancer but still has to see her onco at least once a year. My doc is older and part of me wishes I had a younger doc because of that, just don't want her to retire on me after I build that relationship. I like having a doctor that is older than me however. I like that authoritarian figure to reassure me.
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its my eighth day and i wish only this bitter taste from my mouth just disappeared.. i think the insect bite i got on my mastectomy hand is not turning infection as its just same .. soo much relieved .. Iam feeling lil bit fatigue today than yesterday maybe my blood count is just dropping i dint have neulasta and my doc dint advice it either.. in two days i have my bloodtest and appointment for next schedule .. i hope nothing goes wrong
cbok -even i have a thing for older doctors like i think they r much more experienced.. even my doctor is almost in his 65s..
Debs- its hard to see you are still battling with diarrhoea.. hope everything goes fine with today’s appointment.
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Just about to head off to bed now, still feeling good aside from being more tired than usual. Tomorrow will be Day 3, and I was told to expect the next few days to be rough, so fingers crossed that it doesn't get too awful.
I do have another thing playing on my mind tonight, though. Got a call from the genetic counseling office today with my next appointment. I signed up for BRCA testing - I have no family history, but the doctor gave me a very strong impression that my cancer is caused by that particular mutation and said that I needed testing right away (he seemed quite enthusiastic about the prospect of me needing major surgery, I didn't know it was possible for someone to sound so perky telling a young woman that she'll need to plan for a double mastectomy and hysterectomy after chemo), so I signed up for a trial to get the results sooner. I've already spoken to a genetic counselor, as a preliminary sort of thing, and she did say that I would have another appointment with her no matter what the results were, just that the appointment would be sooner if I do have the mutation. I hadn't been thinking about it, the blood test was two weeks ago and the initial consult was a week ago, I figured it would be ages before I heard back, I was being optimistic, but the results were expected about two weeks after the blood was drawn, so they apparently called right away once they came in to set up another appointment, which freaks me out big time. It's not till March 7th (two weeks before my 33rd birthday), and it's another phone appointment (my first one was set up that way because I couldn't leave work, and they didn't ask me if I was able to come in this time), but I don't know if that qualifies as a quick follow-up (last time, it took about a week to get a consult), or if that means there's no rush because there's no mutation, or if there IS bad news and they want to wait until after I see the onc again to get the bad results before they talk to me, or... I just can't stop thinking about the possibility of more bad news right now. *sigh*
All of this not-knowing is killing me, I hate all of these cryptic phone calls and long waits with no information for appointments about scary things.
I keep thinking that surely, the worst is over, but with all of this swirling around, I'm afraid to get my hopes up anymore when they keep being dashed. It feels like my future gets taken away from me again every time the phone rings, and that feeling never gets easier to handle. I keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, but it keeps getting farther and farther away. I know I shouldn't overthink things, but it's so hard when every time the phone rings these days, it's more bad news. Hey CBOK, it's fun to know that I wasn't the only one renewing my license in December!! Mine was also set to expire in March, but I knew I'd be bald by then, so I went and did it over the Christmas break while I still had my long hair and looked like me. Didn't have to worry about the passport, though, it's a 10-year one, think it's good till I'm 41, if I'm even still around then.
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Sounds awful Debmisto, so sorry. I'm glad you're seeing the dr and they will come up with a new plan. I had a very rough start too. The good news is 4 treatments later it's leveled out and it's manageable for the most part. I hope they have the answers you need today.
Anxiety girl, hang in there, it's hard not knowing. So glad you're SE are not acting up, fingers crossed it stays that way!
Lolotte, My original Dr was a woman because I thought I wanted a female dr. She was not a warm fuzzy person but supposed to be an excellent dr in her early forties or so. I never felt comfortable so I saw another dr. He's so positive and makes me feel very hopeful. I'm so glad I switched, it's been hard and I needed his cheerful bedside manner. Go with your gut! Trust yourself and who you are most comfortable with, I'd say.
Aanoliver, glad your spider bite is healing. Everything that happens during chemo makes us feel so fragile. I too have a funny taste.
I'm new CBOK, my dr is older than me (I'm mid 50's) too. I like that he's comforting like a good dad
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AnxietyGirl - everyone was very enthusiastic (for want of a better word) about sending me off for genetic tests too. Even though I only had one distant cousin who ever had BC. Actually hardly any cancer at all in my family. I had the 9 panel gene test. Nothing. They've given me the option to do even more extensive testing where they look at genes that are linked, but not as strongly for cancers in general not just breast. I think it's standard for them to recommend testing for anyone under 40 because it's still a really bad lottery hit for us and they want to be able to explain (at least partially) why we got it. Obviously not rare since there are way too many of us here. A few times I've stumbled on the stats for getting BC under 40 and it just makes me even more mad. I'm even more mad that you have it at your age. It's shit.
I feel like I'm going to have an angry day. Anyone else have those? My emotions are so all over the place right now that last night I had to actually look at a calendar and see if I'm due for PMS or if I was actually sad.
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I had a big crash soon after I posted. Just started feeling sick, sick, sick like every cell in my body was super miserable.
I slept a bit, got up thinking the worst had passed but it continued to get worse.
I was taking all my prescription meds on time but still having serious waves of nausea which were making me break out in sweat. Finally we worked down the list of meds from my chemo nurse and gravol was at the bottom, so I loaded up on gravol which let me get some more merciful sleep (after I had a cry and people had to take turns rubbing my back & massaging my neck because I still had that stupid stress headache; old whiplash injury causes it to flare up whenever I get stressed or sleep deprived).
When I woke up from that about 5 hours later I felt much better, was even hungry, didn't feel like puking, just felt weak. Managed to stay up for 1.5 h before I was tired and went back to bed.
I'm feeling better this morning. I hope day 1 was the worst of it. They're making me drive in to do the injection teach later today (even though my oldest is in nursing school and can do it them if I chicken out) but they need to see the meds go in at least once. I'll be doing the injection for 7 days in each of the first 4 cycles.
Anxiety Girl - I'm seeing the genetic counsellor next week (but they're not that excited to see me as they are with you; I'm older so I think they figure the odds are less that I have it). It's tough not knowing but I keep going back to the fact that it won't change what we do right now & we'll just worry about the next steps later. So glad you've been feeling well & I hope it continues for you!
Debsmisto - I hope your doctors get a proper treatment for you. That's way too long to be so miserable. Poor you.
Lolotte - hard choice! I like doctors to give me concrete reasons (evidence based guidelines) for what they're doing and why, and to demonstrate a commitment to ongoing continuing ed. Age doesn't really bother me one way or the other but I want doctors that listen to me, who don't dismiss information that I researched and want to talk to them about, and that I feel I could discuss anything with. Afaik, the sequencing of chemo is still something they're learning about though there have been some studies suggesting better outcomes with T+AC I think it's not become an accepted practice yet. Cochrane Reviews announced in Nov 2017 that they would undertake a lit review meta-analysis and try sort this out but of course that won't be ready for some time and not help you right now. The location of the doc is something I would consider if you have issues with transportation or if you suffer from car sickness or if you will have big problems taking additional time off work. Otherwise, I would go do the doc you feel most confident with regardless of commute. hth a bit!0 -
Hey Ladies,
Nausea came back to get me yesterday. My stomach has not been normal since all this started. Fought it all day yesterday, then tried to drink some ginger tea but that’s what did me in. As soon as I lay down to try to go to bed I threw up. Then again this morning. Now I’ve also got bad heartburn which I never get. YUCK. I’ve at least been keeping down lemon Italian ice which has tasted like a godsend today.
I hope everyone is feeling ok today. I’ve got another 19 weeks of chemo and the thought is so overwhelming! However after another six weeks I’m switching to Taxol and herceptin/perjeta for 12 weeks. Hopefully it won’t be so rough. I know I can make it, it’s just overwhelming sometimes to think about feeling yucky for so many more weeks ahead. I know you guys understand.
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Hi February Beauties,
I just got on this site last night and spent hours reading all of your posts. The support and caring of this community is evident. I feel for all of you, and wish I wasn't joining you, while being grateful that you are here. I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago, had a lumpectomy 9 days ago. I will meet my oncologist next week to find out the dirty details of my chemo and radiation treatments and start dates I hear how different all of your journeys are. One thing I wonder is if you are still working. I teach nights and am wondering if I might manage by choosing the toughest days over the weekend, or if a leave is the best thing. As a single woman, income kinda matters.
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ColleenS80- sorry to hear the nausea is back. Nausea is a showstopper. Hopefully you have some meds that can get it back under control. To control and prevent heartburn, my MO has me taking extra strength Pepcid AC daily for the entire chemo treatment. Might be a way to prevent some stomach distress if your MO approves. My stomach is not normal yet either. PA has me taking probiotics and Lactaid before I attempt milk products. I’m a big dairy eater and never had an issue but I guess chemo can give you temporary lactose intolerance. Who knew? I’m back to chicken soup. Salty tastes good. Other things taste gross.
Downdoggie-I’m sorry you need to be here but welcome. We have a bunch of amazing, caring ladies that are here for you. You may want to take a look at the January chemo thread also. You can get a lot of helpful info from them also as they are a bit further into chemo treatment. While I am a Feb girl, I do also follow what’s going on with the women a few treatments ahead. I wish you a speedy recovery from your lumpectomy
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Hello everyone,
Thank you for your suggestions. I messaged my "older" onco yesterday and he wouldn't mind starting with T then AC. I feel confidant with both oncologists, that is why the choice is difficult (I have noticed that doctors are very nice here compare to Belgium). But I might go with the older one because he should have more experience with things that can go wrong (seen more cases) and because of commute. Also I really liked his concern about my commute on the first day I saw him. Which doctor would ask you how long it took you to reach his office then google map your place to check if there is another center closer to your house?
AMBurt how do you feel after your port placement? I had my catheter put in place yesterday and it is painful. I am wondering how I will deal with the pain after surgery if I already feel quite some pain with a little thing as catheter placement! I am such a wuss!!!
For all the ladies who are feeling bad at this moment I send you big hugs and even kisses even if I don't know you but we Europeans are quite the kissers....
Anxiety Girl I am guessing that an appointment far in the future could only be good for you otherwise they might have seen you earlier like you mention. I am 41 and I was supposed to have BRCA test last week but the center ran out of kit... So I am waiting my next onco appointment to talk about it. The test was ordered by the surgeon; I don't know what the onco thinks about it. I am not that young anymore so maybe there is less chance that I am positive. I would not even consider it but my sister and my daughter are anxious about the result so I'll see. In my family there is no breast cancer case, I am the first one! However, both my maternal grand-parents died of lung cancer but they were both smoking and I don't. If I were a believer, I would pray for you and negative results but I am not so I will just cross my fingers. Either way, if you are too stressed about it, I think that you could call them back and letting them now your mental state about the results and ask if they can give you the result quickly over the phone. After all, they told me I had breast cancer over the phone while I was in the middle of my work cafeteria!
Hello Downdoggie, welcome to our group even though we all have preferred not to be a member of it! I am also teaching and several others in this group are as well. I am teaching adults and I am planning on continuing to do just that. I am not yet a single mom but my husband has expressed some months ago his desire to leave me. It is important that I keep this job. For now, I am waiting for the contracts with the clients to be renewed but I am guessing that by March it will be done. I take the train then walk to go to work so I sure hope I will feel well. I am planning on doing the chemo on Thursdays, then should be OK on Fridays and have the weekend to rest to start back on Mondays. My sister and one onco told me that fasting could reduce some side effects so I will try that. My sister was for a full 5 days of fasting but the onco says 24hrs before chemo, a small meal just after chemo then 12 more hrs fasting and eating normally after the 12hrs. If I choose the 12 weeks T instead of the dense 4 doses every 2 weeks interval, then I won't do the full 5 days because it would mean eating only 2 days a week!!!
Speaking of Taxol, what is the difference in SE between 4 doses every 2 weeks and 1 dose every week for 12 weeks?
I should go back to working on my paper. I am taking 2 online classes to renew my teaching license and I am procrastinating...
Hope you have all a wonderful weekend free of SE and special thought to Deb.
BTW I hope you are all able to understand my English as I am a French native speaker who hated English as a teenager but now is amazed about her progress LOL
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Hi downdoggie, I haven’t started chemo yet so Idon’t know for sure how I’ll feel but my MO knows I want to go back to work soon (on leave now from surgery) so she put me on Thursdays as she said I’ll feel the worst on the weekends. I just found out that my chemo will start a week later on 3/1 instead of 2/22 but I am finding this group of ladies so helpful and so supportive that it gives me strength.
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Hi, I'm new here. My first chemo appointment was today. It's been a few hours and I'm feeling really tired. I made the mistake of eating a little chocolate and now my stomach is feeling a little sick.
Thank you for the information on mouth sores and the reminders to hydrate. It sounds like I need to get a chemo care package ready or maybe my husband can, I'm attached to the sofa and a bit spacey.
My CAT scan this week was clear. PET scan is on Monday. I'm very hopeful for it to be clear, but can't say I don't worry.
It sounds like I will be losing my hair after my next appointment in 2 weeks, so I need to look into wigs or headcovers sooner than I realized.
I am a home school mom of a 3, 8 & 10 yr old and still haven't figured out care for them. I have a couple of part time schools to look at next week, but now I'm worrying about infection. They have never been to school so I imagine they could bring back quite a bit of germs. My parents have offered to help and my husband can work from home. It is just so hard to know what this is going to be like.
Thank you for listening
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Hello Everyone,
New port in although to make it work the way they want for the Adriamycin push they had to lay me completely flat turned on my right side and my left hand raised up over my head. They have to be able to have a blood return before they can give the Adriamycin they feel it is because there is still so much swelling of the area. I don't care if that is what has to be done every time it is after all only for about 10 minutes as this is the only one that they have to get a blood return for don't know why that is so perhaps someone with more knowledge could tell us why. So I officially get to join the one done group yeah!
This new port is actually less painful than the old one was after five days. I am extremely tired but I think a large part of that is because of the sleepy medicine to do the surgery plus I am back on pain meds and have been ordered to take them for the next five days every six hours for today and tomorrow and then every twelve for three. Got to thinking that may mean much less bone pain from the neulasta shot. I also started claritin today
Got the nifty little pod put on my arm as one of my daughters and her oldest daughter are spending the weekend with me. Took the Compazine for nausea as soon as I got home and am to take it every six hours for four days. My daughter brought supper from my favorite Asian food restaurant enough to feed an army but their was a method to her seeming madness. She divide things up into mini frozen meals for me. Mini chicken egg rolls, veggie fried rice and egg drop soup. Two mini egg rolls, 1/4 cup fried rice, and 1/4 cup soup in each meal. I will also eat some cottage cheese with each meal even if it just a couple bites.
All the best to everyone and welcome to new ladies. Will talk more when I am not feeling so foggy.
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Hello LoveCanada, I will probably start my chemo on 3/1 too and I feel this group very supportive.
Welcome Magnolia-mom, welcome to the group! I understand your fear of viruses. I have found in my life that there is almost always a solution to any issue we have to face. You are lucky that you can rely on your parents and you should not hesitate to accept their offer. From what I have read, the average down time is about 4-5 days after chemo. You should be able to teach your kids after that time. I hope that you feel better very soon and glad that your CAT scan was clear.
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Hi Magnolia-mom! Just wanted to say HI! from another homeshool mom - but mine are all done & in college now. So much harder with younger ones. I hope you sort something out.
If you can have help in the home could you just pare down the curriculum, use something like weekly folders or the drawer system, sign up for some extra curriculars and maybe just keep hs'ing them? Sometimes the less upheaval with everything the better....
I crashed hard within about 3h of the infusion. Keep taking all your nausea meds! As I said above, at the end it was Gravol that saved me because it makes me so drowsy that I just slept through the worst of it. Today I'm pretty much totally fine.
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Lolotte-Your English is just fine. I wish we put more of an emphasis on learning other languages here in the USA. I know a little Spanish but definitely not fluent. I'd probably sound like a precocious 3yr old.
downdoggie-I'm still working and I'm getting treatment on Monday mornings. Monday afternoon was ok, started getting naseated because I didn't take the zofran early enough. Next time I'll know. Tuesday was tired, but ok. Wednesday completely unfunctional brain. Thursday ok and then pretty much ok the whole next week. This is my reaction to AC. Obviously the whole mess varies by person and treatment.
AMBurt-glad your new port is working out better. I'm sure that's a relief. I've read several stories about people have to move around in odd positions if they can't get a blood return. So it's annoying but certainly not unheard of.
Magnolia-when my kids were first in daycare I was shocked at how often I got sick, let alone them. Now that they're older they've already had nearly every cold and stomach bug known to man and only occasionally bring anything home. Unfortunately due to cosmically cruel timing they've brought home some really bad bugs in the last three weeks (flu and strep) Since you have three kids could it be cost effective to hire a tutor temporarily/part-time instead of putting them all in school? Just a thought. I'm sorry you're having to make those choices.
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AMBurt: you are a TROOPER. Glad you're feeling better.
AnxietyGirl, you're on same chemo regimen as I am and I also did the genetic test you're doing and worrying over now. Here's my 2 cents: i too had the genetic counselor call and speak with me. The process seems to be pretty well organized. So don't let their expediency scare you
. MIne came back negative for BRCA, so I get to keep my ovaries. I believe even if you're BRCA positive, that doesn;t mean they have to remove everything right away. It can take time. Don't stress too much. On chemo: I started Feb 9, Friday. Felt eh! thru Monday with the most unpleasant part being the moderate but bearable bone pain from the neulasta and the fatigue. I've felt pretty normal since Tuesday, knock on wood it stays that way. By the way, I worked all day this week and that helped get my mind someplace else. Hugs to everyone. Remember as much as we dislike chemo, it was indicated for us to help us and reduce our chances of recurrence.
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Hi. My name is Melanie. I am doing the TAC chemo and it has been terrible. I had my first treatment on Feb 9th. There are moments when things are good but mostly things have been really uncomfortable. I currently have diarrhea and can't seem to shake it. I am also really weak.
Is there anybody also doing TAC? It seems like everybody is doing something else.
Do these symptoms get better or is it something I am going to be managing for the next 5 months?
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Hi Melanie - sorry you're feeling so badly. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't TAC just AC + T backwards? Are you getting Taxol or Taxotere right now?
I don't know if anyone is doing this protocol on this group but you can always pop into one of the older (say Oct 2017) groups and ask because most people take the T at the end so they're getting it now or just finishing up.Has your oncologist prescribed diarrhea meds or are you just using the over the counter stuff? They should be able to find something for you. My MO & all my oncology nurses said their goal is to make all side effects manageable and to tell them if symptoms like diarrhea persisted for 24h and they would figure out what to do next.
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Hey guys, I learned how to do the injection yesterday at the clinic. Today in the afternoon I'll do it at home. I hope it will be as easy as it was there. I haven't had any bone pain yet.
I do have a lot of flushing. Which of the chemo drugs is making me look like a tomato?! I have rosacea anyway so I'm always struggling with redness but this has taken it to the next level lol.
But overall I'm feeling better every hour. Last night I even popped into the mall and did some shopping for an hour.
No nausea, no mouth sores, no pain, no digestive probsyes hot flashes, yes sleep disturbance, yes a bit of fatigue & feeling run down.
hugs to everyone having sucky days & high 5s to those who are ok ---- either way, we've got this!
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Hi All- thanks for the welcome and the suggestions, as well as sharing your intentions to keep working. It is interesting to read the January group as well. Thanks for that idea.
Magnolia, it is typical for kids who have not been in school to get sick often in the first year. I hope you find a solution that works well for your family
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Thank you for the welcomes. Your input about schools and illness does have me questioning my decisions again. Last week's focus was trying to line up schools to interview, but perhaps I need to be looking into a nanny for the little and a tutor for the older kids. It could help bring us through the summer too. I'm not even sure where to start with this hunt.
After some major nausea last night (no more chocolate for me!), I'm feeling mostly just sleepy after my first injection. I had a frozen waffle with cashew butter and blueberries for breakfast and it seeming to sit okay. I find myself afraid to eat, not knowing how things will react. I had IBS prior and it seems like chemo is going to amplify it.
Anyone else with young children? How are you coping with chemo and littles? Right now, I'm tucked inside a dark room, drinking water, and letting my husband take over.
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TAC treatment is taxotere, adriamycin, and cytoxin at each visit. 6 visits with 3 weeks between visits.
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Hello all, I had a treatment Tuesday, I'm doing 12 weeks of Taxol with Herceptin & Perjeta every third week. This week was my long day with All three infusions. Yesterday was a very sore all over tired day. I'm hoping it passes soon. To answer Debmisto, yes, the weeks I have Perjeta, I have more intestinal issues.
Colleen, ginger tea (which I was a regular drinker before this) makes my stomach hurt badly. My tummy has been very touchy so they have me take Pepcid every 12 hours. I never had heartburn before chemo either. It's tough. If I forget to take the Pepcid I feel it. Do you take something? If you have all those weeks to go I hope you are. It's awful to be suffering.
I hope we hear from Deb soon.....
AMburt, so glad you made it through your port issues. I can't stand my port, I think I'll know its better when that thing is finally out!!!
Magnolia mom,I am a Nana now but home schooled 4 children and have a daughter who does now. The germ thing is a concern, do you belong to a home school group? My daughter does and they help each other a lot. I didn't back in the day so I'm not sure how common that is these days. I'm so sorry any of us have to go through this but with little ones it must be tougher. Prayers for all
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Hi everyone!
I had my first treatment yesterday afternoon, doing well so far, food just tastes funny. I'm doing 4 rounds of adriamycin and cytoxan, every other week. Then 4 rounds of dense dose taxol every other week. I had a bilateral mastectomy with TE placement in January, technically "cancer-free" after the surgery, however because my cancer was triple negative and I'm BRCA1+, I need the chemo to decrease my chances of reoccurrance. I'm only 28 so this has been quite a lot to handle these past few months, everything was a whirlwind. Between the mastectomy and chemo I underwent 2 rounds of IVF to freeze embryos for later use (I just got married last year and we don't have children yet). Unfortunately we only got 2 embryo's out of it, praying that at least one of them is BRCA negative... my insurance won't cover the cost of testing it, so it's 3.5K out of pocket. Seems like a lot, but if i can prevent my child from going through this, no price tag would be too high. But I'm such a hormonal monster from essentially 4 weeks of injections and pills, can't wait for them to get out of my system!! I also buzzed my head last night after my treatment, kept about an inch, OF COURSE i totally forgot my driver's license expires in March and I wanted a new picture, gah! I'll either just keep the old one or do it with my wig... not quite sure yet. I look like a teenage boy without hair, quite funny, definitely need to always keep some earrings in to avoid confusion!
During my infusion yesterday they premedicated me with dexamethasone (makes your butt burn omg!), emend for nausea, and 1 L of fluid. Got the Neulasta pod placed on my abdomen, told to take a claritin, ativan, zofran and colace once I got home that night. This morning I took more dexamethasone, zofran, pepcid. Trying to stay ahead of the game and prevent symptoms, seems to be working! My dentist prescribed my rx fluoride toothpaste to use twice a day to prevent cavities/breakdown from the chemo. I'm using a soft toothbrush, and i'm rinsing with biotene after every meal. I had a port placed the day before chemo, definitely think I'm going to ask for EMLA cream for the next time, didn't hurt too bad, but if I can reduce the discomfort, why not?
Otherwise just have been taking it easy today on the couch. I've been out of work since the mastectomy (1/10) and my MO said I'm not cleared to return until after chemo (mid-June). I'm an ER nurse, so there's way too many germs/flu going around that she's concerned about, not to mention the stress and fast paced environment. I miss working so much already though, I need a hobby!
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