Starting chemo February 2018
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And lolette you are of course more than welcome to hang out here with the February girls as we cross over into January and March threads also, Can't too much good tips on this website that's for sure
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Hello ladies. Been lurking on this thread for a few days now, I start chemo on Wednesday (Feb. 14 - happy V-Day to me, ugh), and I'm completely terrified. Had the info session a couple of days ago, along with a tour of the centre (aka, the World's Most Depressing Place), still waiting to find out if I'll be using Neulasta or Grastofil, doomed to baldness because the Cancer Agency here bans cold caps entirely (will be cutting off all of my long thick hair in the coming days *sigh*), and dreading my first treatment and being sick (my health has always been great, this is all new to me).
Glad this place is here, though, it helps to know I'm not alone.
Some of you are on the same regimen as me (dose-dense AC+T, 8 rounds in total), so it's great to get your insight.0 -
Welcome Anxietygirl, We have the same start date and the same types of chemo except I will be doing 12 weeks of taxol. Will be getting the pod for sure. The place may be depressing does not mean my little corner of it while I am there has to be. I will be bringing some of my coloring pages to work on. The first time two of my daughters will be with me after that they will take turns. We like to laugh. Have down loaded some of my favorite comedy movies to watch, and today in my mail got some temporary tattoos of a rabbit that is wearing a shawl and grandma type glasses underneath the rabbit is says Nice Hare from one of my very favorite cousins she is almost like my sister, you better believe I will wear it on my bald head when I lose my hair and I will take pictures of it send to her. I will get a kick out of wearing them to chemo and hope they make others smile when I do. My son today brought me two dozen little roses set up like a little broach we hope it is enough to give a rose to every other lady that will be going through chemo with me on that day. If it is not enough one of the girls will run to get some more they are only $5.00 a dozen and being sold by one of my grand daughters class for a fund raiser. That is one thing I refuse to let this illness take from me the joy of just being and the chance to make someone else smile or hopefully laugh.
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AMBurt, I love how you're approaching this!
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Well my fear of the unknown was way worse it went off without a hitch and the hardest thing about taking it off was how good my nurse taped it.. 🤣 No pain... Today's been pretty good, I suspect all the steroids I was given yesterday play a big part in this.. After much back and forth with myself I decided to BUZZ my hair. I am so emotional and have extreme anxiety if I waited and seen my hair fall out ugggg I would have lost it this was I had complete control on my terms CANCER sucks!! SO NOW I'm ANXIOUSLY awaiting whatever SE"s are headed my way... 😳😳💪💪🖕 I have noticed my sleep patterns totally off trouble falling asleep 😴 2 maybe 3 hours later I'm up 🤦♀️ Nothing seems to help another “new normal “ I suppose?? Hope all my fellow sistas are doing as well as can be expected you're in my thoughts and prayers and yeah biotine products are amazing I've been brushing afterI eat then rinsing with baking soda and water. Followed by biotione hopefully this Will help to PREVENT em
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Anxietygirl - welcome to the group. I start a couple days before you (Monday) but have the same chemo. You are not alone on how you are feeling. I think we are all anxious about starting chemo. I hope after my first infusion, it will get better as I’ll know what to expect for future ones. Also, I keep reminding myself that chemo, though so very harsh, is my ticket to a long life. It will reduce my recurrence risk dramatically. I can’t let the fear of it outweigh the importance of getting it done.
AMBurt - you’re awesome! I’m sure you will bring a lot of sunshine with you to the treatment center!
Worried me- way to go taking control and buzzing your hair. Hope the SEs are minimal for you.
To those who went through treatment 1 this week, I hope you are all doing well! Hope SEs are at minimum. Monday I’ll be joining you all.
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I feel less alone knowing that it's not just me, even if there's nobody here with me geographically to share in it. I'm having a very tough time staying positive, my doctor's numbers on the benefits of chemo for me don't seem all that impressive - a 30% chance of it coming back without chemo, or at the very best, a 20% chance with chemo, so either way, I feel quite doomed (I've already beaten far greater odds than that just by having this diagnosis, after all), and I have a lot of doubt that the suffering caused by the chemo will be worth it (especially after the doctor offered to just cancel it several times during my one and only consult with him - that's not really confidence-inspiring behaviour). I'm really struggling to see a long life after this, with those numbers hanging over my head. With that sort of assessment, truth be told, I only agreed to do this because I can't tell my mother that I refused treatment based on the numbers - at least this way, when it comes back, I can say that at least I tried, ya know??
I have a lot of fear right now - fear of being sick (I've never, ever been unwell, hospitals terrify me), fear of missing too much work and losing my insurance and my income and everything I've worked so hard for, fear that none of this will even work for me. I'm sure some of that uncertainty and fear will subside once things get rolling and I have a better idea of what I'll have to deal with (the anticipation is usually the worst part of anything), but right now, I'm very anxiety-ridden and it's hard to get a handle on it.
Reading everyone else's experiences so far has been so very helpful, though - knowing that you incredible ladies are out there going through this with far fewer complaints than I have, and coming through it with cheerfulness like total rockstars, makes me feel less pessimistic about this whole big mess. I hope I can be even half as brave as you on Wednesday.
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AnxietyGirl YOU ARE NOT ALONE we are all sisters in this fight against Cancer!!!! Fear of the unknown and the what if’s is something I have to fight everyday....But just know this is OUR battle together and we will win!!! Claimed believe it and it will be yours!!!!! Sending a hug 🤗 your way!!! I’ve had a hard journey so far but every hurdle that came my way I panicked and you know what I also conquered!!! We are so much stronger than we think my friend... It’s normal I believe to get overwhelmed with some the stats and percentages the drs throw out there but I think 🤔 any percentage that helps lower the chance of the ugly beast coming back is worth it (my personal opinion) I want to do whatever it takes to lower chance of recurring... Truest me I know right now sucks I REALLY REALLY KNOW I find that I cry a lot these days and sometimes I can’t even say exactly why so... I wasn’t gonna post a pic of my “buzzed head” because I feel like a ugly old lady that had aged 20 years in the last three months but for you anxiety girl I will post a pic of me to show you that WE will Ben okay no matter how’s harsh it seems now you are not alone.... xoxoxoxo😉😉💪💪#Fuckcance
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hi all,
Im feeling much better its my 3rd day after chemo my doc dint advice me for neulasta yet he said will check blood count on 10th day.. today my vomiting has subsized and yet nothing tastes good i am struggling to eat like small meals even if Ill vomit so i stay fit enough to kick in cancers butt..
anxiety girl, dont overthink stay positive if its gonna be 20% chances of reccurance why dont you see it as 80% of non recurrence.. 😃 stay positive dont stress .. stress can induce much more pain than chemo .. and whatever shall happen will happen it may not be chemo that can cause it .. we can have things worser than chemo in this world ..i will pray lord to for you to be in the 80% ..
Worriedme , you look simply cute ❤️❤️
Amburt, same here even my doc told me eat whatever I can but you know anxiety coz of this vomiting 🙈
Hope you guys r all doing great maybe to have a more better life ahead god might want us through a small pain and maybe thats y we r here ..
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Good Morning 😀
Just wanted to jump in and say hello.
Taking it one day at a time and staying positive. I start chemo on Thursday and have been reading on what to expect. Getting my bag together and making lists lol.
This community has been wonderful!
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Good morning! I started chemo last Thursday the 8th and they immediately brought me ice packs for the Taxotere. With a blanket over my feet, it was not bad at all. To me the trade off of neuropathy is worth an hour's worth of cold feet... And I just stuck my hands in the bags of ice, sort of like wearing mittens. Drew Carey didn't care!
I am a little unnerved by the potential side effects; I am not sure if my queasy stomach is from fear or the drugs..
My diagnosis was a combination of my retirement and Christmas gifts. I went from "gosh I feel great" to meeting with the surgeon in less than three weeks.
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you might want to ask your dentist for a special toothpaste. As soon as mine heard I was starting chemo, he prescribed it. Tastes bad but is supposed to protect your teeth and gums from decay.
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worriedme: you look adorable!
AnxietyGirl: I agree with aanoliver. Stress is worse than chemo! Be positive! Positive attitude is real! It's amazing how much stress we people can create that does nothing just gets in the way. Focus on the things you can control right now. This will be over before you know it!
As for me, I'm 1 AC tx down 3 more to go then 4 taxol. Had the neulasta shot last nite. So far effects from the chemo or neulasta have been minimal, happy to report. Just fatigue and mild nausea. My onc prescribed me zophran so I have taken only 2 so far but frankly I haven't been really nauseous. Just waiting to see what other se will show up. Hope none, as I'm going to work tomorrow.
Anxietygirl, amburt - my first chemo session wasn't bad at all. Staff were super friendly, I was snacking the whole time and chatting. No pain either. You'll be fine.
Colleen, how are you doing?
Hugs to all!
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Good morning ladies,
My first chemo was last Thursday and this morning I feel a bit more normal for the first time! I think yesterday was the worst. Still manageable though. Beware the steroid mood, I was pretty hateful to my whole family last night. They are so good to me though, blew me off when I apologized and said, “You get a free pass for awhile!”
WorriedMe love your cut! You truly look so cute. I’m getting ready to change my profile pic to my new buzzed head as well lol. I kept a bit in the front but plan to lop it off as well as soon as it starts to come out.
AMBurt I love your ideas about the center, how fun! I’ve tried really hard to be positive as well.
Anxiety girl I totally get it, it just sucks. And it’s ok to sit with the suck for awhile. When I waked into my center Thursday I was surrounded by people mostly 30+ yrs older than me and I really had to fight not to let their looks of pity get to me. But the way I see it, we have cancer whether we like it or not...we can stay with the suck and allow it to control every aspect of our day, or we can fight to contain and much joy and control as possible. You can do this!
Ladies, I hope you all have the best day possible. Personally, I like to control everything. This has been a HUGE lesson so far in letting go, and truly living from one moment to the next. I hope we can all find joy in moments today.
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Anxiety girl so glad you are here with us you have every right to be feeling what you feel right now but watching us go through this journey with you should really help hang in there kiddo. Worried me you look adorable I only hope I can look half that good with no hair which I figure will be in about 12 days for me. Colleen glad you're feeling better today I'd say yesterday so far was my worst day also though my bone pain is a little worse today mostly just the thigh bones and remember I'm 60 years old and had some pretty major arthritis anyway so this just feels like my arthritis tanked up. I just had the one bout of diarrhea yesterday and think I overdid anti-diarrhea medicine yesterday did it as instructed may have been too much for my situation cuz now of course I'm constipated I know TMI haha told my husband I feel like my 90 year old mom talking about my symptoms constantly hoping the next two and a half weeks until my next chemo won't be all about this
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AnxietyGirl - I'm just a day behind you but I'm at FVCC.
I am trying to grab every single percent, every single advantage. I have big plans for the next 30-40 years! And the odds are in our favour - the vast majority don't recur and we know many things to increase those odds. I had no risk factors for bc and shouldn't be here either. But it seems to me that though we don't know as much about why it occurs in the first place, we've learned lots about how to treat it & prevent recurrence. Between all the medical treatments and the lifestyle changes that reduce risk of occurrence (things like proper duration & intensity exercise can reduce risk of recurrence by 40%!) we really have the odds in our favour.Worriedme - you're beautiful.
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Worried me I think you look adorable younger not older. debsmisto we are close to the same age I am 62 almost 63 so joint pain like your self is nothing new. Colleen so glad you are having a good day. I have already warned my entire family about the steriods and perhaps being a bit of a b***h I have to take them sometimes for sciatica but these are a bit stronger. To everyone who has started chemo thanks for keeping us ladies in waiting updated! Welcome to oilermama I have to ask if you have family that works in the oil fields with the name oilermama or perhaps you do yourself ? Anxietygirl you got this you are so much stronger than you even know we all are! I promise when I start using the tempory tattoos my cousin sent me I will post pictures. Be warned one is a bit naughty and I more than likely will not show it it is the pink ribbon and says F**k Cancer in the ribbon both the rabbit and the cancer ribbon are 3 inches by 3 inches so good sized.She called me today and has told me to expect others as i go through chemo. She knows I dislike hats and would never wear a wig so she thought these may be a good option for me she also knows I have a weird sense of humor at times. I am still a bit tender from the port implant but stopped taking pain meds after 24 hours don't like feeling dizzy and out of it.
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I wish this message board had like buttons and emojis we could use to let you all know that we're all reading your comments.
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Hello everyone,
Thanks for all the messages of concern, I live alone so it is really nice to see you all thinking about me. I did have to go to ER that night as my fever got up to 101F. I felt a bit silly as of course in real life I would have just taken a couple of tylenol. But this isn't real life is it, or it is but it's all new. They did what I thought were overkill checks on me. I thought they would just do my blood work and monitor me but as it turned out I have EKG, Chest XRAY, blood work, urine analysis and an IV bag of saline. I cried. I think finally my denial is breaking. So far I have thought about this Cancer SHIT as a big adventure, but there in the ER it really dawned on me how serious this all is. After all the tests etc, they sent me home saying all looked good. Interested, I asked for my blood test results and they gave them to me. The next day I felt so drained, no fever but I walked the dogs and it was like I had to physically will my legs to take the next step. So when I got home I read my blood tests. It might be interesting to you all that my White Blood Count read higher than the norm, probably the Neulasta doing it's work but my Red Blood Count was low. My thinking? it might have been good of those ER doctors to show me that and ask about my diet. Anyway, I'm anaemic and it didn't surprise me. I've been eating a lot of fruits and vegs and only really getting protein from Greek Yogurt and peanut butter. So I ate a steak last night and I started to feel better. This is all learning. I'm not much of a meat eater normally so I have to be more mindful of a balanced diet while doing chemo. Again thanks for all your messages, sorry I didn't write last night, just feeling so wiped out.
Welcome to all the newbies, again I'm terrible at remembering names. Wish this forum was a bit more like facebook where we could respond directly to everyone but super grateful for the forum in any form it is.
Moth, I also have to self inject (it's probably a Canadian thing) but I decided I didn't want to. Day 3 after chemo, my hands are shaky etc. You can go into your doctor and they will do it at no charge to you. Or set up a nurse to do it at a Cancer Centre.
Debmisto, my oncologist recommends going out as much as you need and just handwashing a lot. He figures having as good a life as possible while doing chemo is medicine in itself and helps reduce side effects. I may have taken him a bit too literally with the snowboarding lol but I believe it's best to do what makes you happy despite our weakened state. Wish I could give you some of my constipation if you gave me some diarrhea. Oh god that was gross, just delete that from your mind. lol.
Guess what you guys, I'm going to Palm Springs tomorrow for some RnR for my birthday coming up. I'm super stoked because I have been feeling so cold since the chemo. I will probably not be online as much so I wish you all low SE's and loads of support all around.
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indahood, glad to hear you got checked out & you're feeling better! Lucky you going for a little trip!
I'll be fine self injecting and even if I can't do it, one of my kids lives here & is in 3rd year of nursing school
I've got my own private nurse LOL 0 -
Hi all! Happy Sunday. I had a pretty rough few days after my first chemo and the neulasta that followed. I had a hard time keeping ahead of the bone pain with Advil/Tylenol. I was wondering how you all are feeling and what meds or other things you did to keep that awful pain/crampy feeling under control.
Hang in there
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Annie,
I’ve been drinking tons of water and going for small walks. The nurse told me both would help. I don’t feel like walking but I feel better when I’m done. Just be careful not to push too hard.
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indahood - nothing slows you down. Amazing. Have a great birthday vacation.
Worried me - you look so cute. I don’t think you could look bad
AnnieG - I’m trying to get small walks in to feel better. Also eating a little bit every few hours. I used Claritin for Neulasta. Bone pain wasn’t too bad. I’m hoping to be past the pain now.
Hoping all of us who just had round one can feel great next week. Good luck to this week’s ladies. Thinking of you
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rockcity, I second that! Good luck to us first timers this week! Round 1 of AC + neulasta is done. Nausea barely there. Some fatigue. I did get the bone pain today from the neulasta. I'm trying to manage it with Advil. Hope it's better tomorrow.
Thinking if you all. We'll get thru this! Remember to stay hydrated.
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I had some bone pain today too I have been using the Claritin and that does seem to help I suppose you were all directed to do this to if not try it it seems to help first thing in the morning I was told
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Hi all. I’ll be starting four rounds of TC in about a month. I had my DMX with reconstruction on 1/5 and am hoping to complete my fills prior to my first round. Not excited about wig shopping. Think I’m going to try to get into a little better shape before my start date, thinking it will go better if I do.
I’m 33, married with two dogs, no kids. I had bilateral invasive cancer tumors with dcis throughout as well. No genetic markers. Hoping this all goes smoothly. I’m almost more scared of the suppression therapy that comes afterwards.
Hope you are all tolerating treatments well.
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Hi Annie, I'm not doing claritin for Nulasta but Naproxin which works pretty much instantly. Maybe you can ask for some, it's a narcotic level advil basically. So you'll have to get it prescription.
Hope that helps
Laurie indahood
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Welcome Brenbren I'm on TC too. I've finished my first week. NOt sure what suspension therapy is.welcome in.
laurie indahood
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Good morning, All - Just joined.
First cycle TCx4 was 1 Feb. Day of and next were ok - a little fatigue. Next 7 days were like a fog, multiple SE however so far, knock wood, no mouth sores. Gargling 2x per day with OraJel - Mouth Sores, after starting with H2O+1tsp baking soda, 0.5tsp Salt.
A welcome lifting of the fog, no more diarrhea, and adequate energy came of Saturday/Sunday.
Then Sunday night, pain in my eye, redness, swelling and tearing... of course on a Sunday night. Applied ice pack for some relief. Anyone else have anything similar? Also, facial breakout I haven't had for YEARS... (that's a nuisance all things considered)
Best to all as we go through this
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