Starting chemo February 2018
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today I spent 2 hours at the pediatricians office, surrounded by sick kids (hope they feel better soon) to find out my son has pinworms. So now I'm hoping I don’t get the flu or pinworms. Not sure what's worst. Note to self: next time send husband with kid to doctors office.
I'll have to call my MO In the morning to see if I can take the pinworm medicine as a preventative measure. 😫
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indahood- round 2 Friday for me too! Will be 2 down, 6 more to go after that. As my MO says, just get it over with! Are you getting the Neulasta shot? If yes, make sure you get some claritin to have for a couple of days to help with the bone pain. Will be thinking of you!
Coleen- I think your round 2 is tomorrow? Hope it's easy and uneventful.
Ladies, waiting for my wig and will be going to check out the chemo beanies in Amazon next. For those of you who are past 2 rounds of AC- how soon after the second round did you start losing hair and how fast or slow was the hair loss? Just need to know when to plan buzzing it completely if it gets out of control.
Hugs to every one of you beautiful ladies!
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Hi All,
I see more relief and humor in the last several posts. I hope that means brighter days for you.Congrats to those of you with clean scans!
Today is 2 weeks post surgery and I feel good. I went back to work and enjoyed thinking about something other than cancer. Not sure how long I can stay working, but for now it is energizing since I love my work.
I met my oncologist today and was told my chemo will be Taxol and Herceptin once a week for 3 months, then just Herceptin for another 9 months, then radiation for 4 - 6 weeks, then hormone blockers for 5 - 10 years. Seems many of you do chemo every 3 weeks. I need to understand more about my plan and will ask more questions. When am I supposed to recover if it is every week? My doc said that side effects are minimal on those 2 drugs, and that many people work on them, but that sure is not what I have been reading on drug sites and blogs. One of you said you were in a vat of molasses- that doesn't sound fund, and seems very common for many of you right now. How the heck does one work swimming in molasses? Friday I do the MUGA heart test, and then the chemo class, then begin in 1.5 weeks. Yuck, but I just want to get it done. Side effect lists are scaring the heck out of me.
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hey guys a quick update,
I had my 3 shots of neupogen yet i dont have immense increase on my blood count
so i had one more shot today hoping my blood count goes up for tomorrows blood test .. so tensed 0 -
Hey All,
Thinking about each of you and praying for you today. Getting ready to leave for my second AC treatment. Last time it took ten days for me to feel fully “normal.” So not looking forward to going through that whole cycle again, but glad to be fighting the cancer. And, at least nothing has been unbearable.
My hair is starting to really thin. Hubby already cut it very short but he may have to give me a closer cut so I don’t look crazy. Too bad it can’t all just come out at once.
Hope everyone had a good day and can find some joy in it
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Morning,
This is day 8 post AC 1 and I actually feel sort of ok! Yay! I'm planning to go see a movie tonight.Colleen - hope AC 2 goes well for you! May your SEs be short and manageable!
Aanoliver - come on neutrophils, you can can do it little cells! Keep growing and protecting Aanoliver!
Downdoggie - great that your sx recovery is going well! I hear you on the side effect lists! Worst thing is that everyone is so different. I couldn't have worked this past week. I literally struggled with motivation and organization to put netflix on. I'd just be stuck on a bad tv channel, too limp to change it
I was also too wooly-headed to drive safely. Slow reaction times, too stiff to shoulder check properly etc. I heard Taxol has less of the fatigue/stomach side effects though & more of the neuropathy...
Pbello - oh, eeeew, poor you. Seriously, that's the last thing you need! & ITA that someone else should be on doctor duty for a while.
I too am constantly checking my hair to see if it's falling out yet. Good tip about finding a barber indahood! I wonder if it might be less weepy too if I do it in a quick man dominated spot. Otoh, some men are the biggest criers so you never know I guess...
Oh & my first mouth sore has appeared. Darn.0 -
Thanks for the warm welcome ladies. It does help me not feel so alone on this journey. Only my close friends and family know what I’m going through, and thankfully none of them has had to experience this. I’m so sorry we are all here, but so glad I found all of you.
Cathybook, we seem to be walking the same path! I wanted to mention that at first my bs also thought my tumor was a necrotic lymph node (occult tumor). She mentioned that prognosis in this case is very good! But this also led to many scans and two more biopsies in my breast on that side to search for the “original” tumor (one atypical, one b9). They left no stone unturned! After rereading the pathology report (which stated there was scant lymphoid tissue found in the biopsy sample, but breast tissue was found), I pushed to discover what was really going on. After an MRI and another ultrasound the radiologist confirmed that the tumor is indeed located in the AMPLE tail of my breast, which reaches quite high in the axilla. Just a path to explore in case your bs is gung-ho on finding an original site.
I had outpatient surgery to place the port this morning, and I’m home resting now. It was a little more involved than I was expecting, even though I read the detailed post that describes what happens! Maybe I’m just saving my worries for chemo! Lol.
Aanoliver I hope your counts climb.
Pbello I hope your kiddos feel better soon, and that they don’t share too much with you.
Moth enjoy your movie tonight!
Good luck to those ladies starting round 2. For those of you dealing with hair loss remember this too shall pass, and more importantly- you are all beautiful!!!
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I don't know much about other treatments. I guess they wanted me to start the 3 week cycle chemo asap because 2 axillary armpit nodes had cancer. Seems like a few have done lumpectomy or mastectomy first. I will be on Herceptin for a year, then hormone blockers for years.
I am 4 days after and still feel hungover. I wake up vibrating almost and things are slower to process. You know Garden State when he is standing still and the world is moving? I took my babe to an open gym to get some wiggles out and luckily he crashed out for 2 hours and I took a nap also. I don't feel very spry, but no pain or true nausea, so I'll take it. Going up North tomorrow to visit family while my husband is away for work. Looking forward to napping on my mom's couch! Lol
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Hello everyone,
I will start chemo March 2nd AC then T for 12 weeks. My scans were good. Got my chemo 101 class today.
CBOK I have a question for you. I know you mentioned that you fasted for your 1st round of chemo. Did you do it for the second round? if no, have you experienced different SE? Thanks for your response.
Welcome to the new ladies!
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yay! I get to take the anti-worm medicine. My MO approved it.
Moth - I'm so happy for you! Enjoy your movie today! I love to go to the movies too. One of my favorite things to do (that and a good restaurant).
Downdoggie- I heard that the weekly treatments are not as intense. Therefore the SEs could be more mild. I think you should talk to your MO again to get all your questions answered so you can understand what to expect.
Colleen - good luck today!
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22fightfor - I got my port put in on Friday - it was a little sore for a couple of days, but seems fine now. I've had mri, ultrasound etc in the hunt for a primary tumor in the breast, but nothing yet. Since they want me to go through chemo first, I figure there's time to figure it out before I have to have surgery.
With everybody talking about kid sickness, etc, it's making me rethink going to the gym once I get started! I definitely don't want to pick up germs. I do want to TRY to exercise (at least walking) regularly to help with side effects, but maybe I'll stick to home, or walking outside - we'll see.
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Cathy I’ve been taking 30-45 minute walks every day and I really think it helps, along with the sunshine and drinking a ton of water. If the weathers nasty check out Leslie sansone walking videos. They’ll make you feel silly but it is a great indoor walking workout.
Chemo went well today guys but I have a question. At the end of treatment my nurse took more blood. I asked her what it was for and she said my onc just wanted to test the cancer antigens in my blood, probably so she’d have them for my next apt. Why would she want that? I thought it was only for advanced stages? Made me a little nervous.
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Aanoliver- Round 1 and 2 were different. Taking medicine and icing hands and feet ahead of SE makes a big difference. I finished day 4 of round 2 today. I have the Neulasta patch that will release tomorrow. I feel I handled better than my first round, but hearing the chemo release over three days is annoying. Round ,3 is March 12th for me. When is your next round?
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Aanoliver- Round 1 and 2 were different. Taking medicine and icing hands and feet ahead of SE makes a big difference. I finished day 4 of round 2 today. I have the Neulasta patch that will release tomorrow. I feel I handled better than my first round, but hearing the chemo release over three days is annoying. Round ,3 is March 12th for me. When is your next round?
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First sign of hair loss last night. Looking for Humor to it!
I'm blessed to have a very supportive, retired husband! Helps as I also have multiple complex chronic health issues that make chemo higher risk for me, including extreme sensitivities to hand sanitizer, fragrances, cleaners and so much more with serious asthma and migraines as two reactions, plus CVID (genetic immune deficiency) and ME/CFS and more that already have me mostly housebound.
Managed a closed room for first chemo, 2/6 which worked well, despite a migraine to step-up of Herceptin. 2nd chemo 2/27 scheduled to start at 7 am with hope of again getting closed room. Chemo floor has their rules and my medical situation doesn't fit priority for closed room, unless I'm there first, hence the earliest possible appointment.
Discussing with Oncology NP Monday.
Interested if others have related experiences?
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I had BMX abd SNB in 1/29. 2/16/18 Round 1 TCHP every 3 weeks then H&P every 3 wks for a year. Tomorrow I will be one week into my first chemo treatment. Fatigue was my number one side effect. No nausea, vomiting or muscle pain. I listened to those who've been through it before and I take Claritin every night for bone and muscle pain. My stomach has been rumbling today but no D. My diet has always been high fiber. I'm going to add some bland Foods into my diet. I have prescription meds for nausea and steroids but havent used them YET. But with chemo we never know what's around the corner. You are right about the dexamesathone. My butt was on fire for approx. 1 minute. Good luck to all of you. Here's hoping no more side effects from chemo.
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Colleen your MO may be wanting to check if those numbers are dropping. As the chemo wins and the cancer loses if I understand correctly those numbers change letting the MO know that the chemo is doing it's thing. Best of luck with round two. Are you doing 4 dose dense AC? Some MOs watch us dose dense folks a bit closer.
I don't have a metal taste almost wish I did everything tastes horribly salty to me and I don't like salt much at all. It makes me very nauseated to even try to eat or drink something. The only thing I have found so far that does not taste salty is whole wheat bread dipped in milk like you dip cookies in milk. Weird but at least it will stay on my tummy and not taste so nasty I can't make myself eat it. I don't know how it is even possible but water taste like pure salt and turns my stomach.
Better days ahead and soon for all of us we just got to hang in there for now.
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Hi all- finally got some relief from stress. I had a bone and CT scan right before chemo round one. Found a 4cm tumor on my liver. I got a follow up MRI on my liver a few days ago. Report came back benign. Thank you God. I have been so stressed since the CT scan worried that I could be stage 4 right from the beginning. I know imaging can't 100% guarantee an all clear, but I'll take it. Now I can focus on these next five rounds of chemo with hope.
Colleen- hope you have minimal side effects this round.
Nem7az- I started chemo also on 2/6 and today my body hair also started to fall out. I’m also on the same drugs as you.
Indahood- glad you had a great vacation. Good luck tomorrow.
Deb- I am HER2+ and am not on Perjeta. I already had a lumpectomy but it looks like it can be used after surgery. I’m node positive so I was a bit surprised I’m not on it. The Dr wasn’t convinced it was not much of a benefit for me, but the side effects can be rough. She told me that almost all of her patients on it have problems with diarrhea. I thought of you. Not sure if I want to ask for it
Hope we hear from worriedme77 soon!
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For those of you taking Claritin, do you take before or after treatments, or both? I forgot to ask about it at my pre-chemo appt and she didn't mention it. Thanks!
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Lovecanada -I took it on chemo day and for 5 days after. Very little bone pain.
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lovecanada-I took one Clairton the morning before chemo and the morning ofchemo and every night since chemo. I take it at night because it knocks me out. I cannot take it in the morning because it will make me too sleepy to go to work. I haven't had any muscle or bone pain so I'm hopeful it's because the Claritin is working.
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Thanks Jo!
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lovecanada - use claritin not claritin
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rock city-thank you! So glad the tumor was benign, that must have been terrifying!
AMBurt-thanks for the reassurance. That totally makes sense. I freak out over anything I don’t understand lol. Always bring a big list of questions to my apt. Yes, I am doing the four doses as well.
Love-I think everyone is a bit different but I start my Claritin (and I also take a generic heartburn pill that’s supposed to help the bone pain somehow) the morning of chemo. Then I continue it through about four days after my neulasta goes off. This is what I did last time and I did have bone pain but it was minimal and not debilitating. Felt like the body aches you get with the flu, just without the shakiness and fever
I did much better tonight than last time on the first night-listened to my body. Took nausea meds at 5:30 and crashed on the couch for two hours. Got up to read my kids a bedtime story and I feel pretty ok! Gonna get back in bed. Love to all!!
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lovecanada- make sure you use Claritin not claritinD
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Thanks Colleen, and Rockcity!! I missed your response before
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They recommended Claritin for day 1 of chemo through day 7.
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omg my entire long post gone after submitting.
Ok not good. Forget it
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Jo congrats on having a good first week, and I can’t thank you enough for sharing that. Like many in the Feb. group I’ll be on the same treatment and you’re post was so so encouraging.
CathyBook thanks for the info on the port, I’m hoping for less pain in the next day or so. Weirdly enough it’s the side of my neck that is painful, not either of the incisions, I think the nurse mentioned that could happen because of the way they have to manipulate your head and neck during the surgery. Ouch. Back to icing.
Rockcity hooray for some good news!
Colleen I’m glad you are feeling pretty ok and were able to read to your kids tonight. I’m sure that was a comfort for all of you.
Nem7 fingers crossed for a closed room at your next infusion.
Like Lolotte, I’m interested if anyone (cbok) did the fasting or fasting mimicking 2 days before treatment and one day after? I’ve heard it *may* help reduce side effects and can also help expose cancer cells to the chemo. I like to eat, but this seems like a small sacrifice to make in exchange for easier SE’s.
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22-I had my PT evaluation today and she asked about neck pain and was surprised when she checked it out that I had no discomfort at all because she said that is so common.
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