Starting Chemotherapy March 2018
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wow good for you! I can’t even begin to explain how horrible I felt. Today was worst day by far. D all night. Nausea, dehydration- went In for 2 liters fluids , zofran -more meds for home and labs. Unfortunately WBC/ neutrophils dangerou Low. Suggested I spend night but went home. Taking temp, etc. Obviously no work today.
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May07 wow we really are chemo twins..lol. Yeah hopefully the Biotene will help I’ve just been using the salt/baking soda rinse up til now.
Loki hang in there...not sure what day you’re on now but I had D pretty bad on day 6 into day 7 and it was pretty discouraging. Once that was under control it was an upward swing. Glad you got the fluids I’m sure that will help a lot.
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My second round is on April 18th...
I made it through work today but now my back just got worse and worse.. and it's like someone's chiseling out my bone marrow. It's awful!
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bec-ky your second round is one day before Steph74 and I so it will be interesting to see how we all react to round 2. I had crazy back pains yesterday morning...felt like I was going to just drop....I took 2 Tylenol and a Claritin and they went away....really strange that they disappeared like that ...they were very intense...probably the worst I ever felt but they only lasted about an hour. I also took a Claritin again today and haven’t had any back pain...I will probably take it for another day or 2.
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I can not even begin to explain how horrible my back was last night. I described above like someone was chiseling my bone marrow out of my lower back..... Well how about chiseling my bone marrow..... with a raging fired hot poker stick... as fast as possible... I also described it to my husband as worse than my back labor when I had my first daughter! 😡
It was like spasm after spasm after spasm and I could barely stand. The spasms were so bad they took me down over and over.
Finally I was bawling after I realized they were not going away.... (11pm), and I'm not a crier...
Then I realized that there was something I hadn't tried. My ice machine. So I hobbled to the kitchen and dumped all the ice into it and dragged it back.... Wrapped It around my back and layed as still as I could.. And eventually I fell asleep. I was up every hour, but still.. I was at least falling asleep.
Now I'm awake at 5am....with a headache. And the only thing that usually works for my headaches, is excedrine migraine. And that has caffeine... So now I am pretty much not going back to sleep.
I'm trying to stay positive... But as I wiggle around this morning the spasms are letting me know they are just around the corner.
I have taken Claritin 4 days already... The only difference between most of you, is that I didn't take it the chemo day. I didn't Buy the Claritin until the next day when I went for my shot. That can't matter this much can it?
Anyways... Thanks ladies for listening to me...
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Hi Everyone today is my first day of chemo I throw up already 3 times plasil is not working I hope I won't have diarrhea.
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Yang,
Do you have any anti-nausea medications?
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Bec-Ky can you call your doctor for some pain medicine? You shouldn't have to suffer through that and they seem well-aware of how painful the bone marrow stimulants can be. My doctor offered pain killers before my first round and I declined, but I gratefully accepted the prescription for my upcoming round 2! Mayo Clinic tends to treat a lot of older patients and my doctor said they are sometimes surprised by how dramatically our younger bodies respond to these medications.
Loki were you able to avoid going back to the hospital?
Yang call your doctor and ask for a different nausea medicine, they have several they can give you. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need. You don't want to let it get worse!
I hope today is a much better day for all of you and you get some rest!
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I took oxycodone (from my lumpectomy surgery) 2 single pills 6 hours apart....(1pm and 7pm) they did nothing. I couldn't believe it.
I'll just hope today isn't a repeat. So far so good. But it's lurking in there... I can feel it.
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Bec-Ky I am so sorry for the spasms! I had the same reaction as May07 - the spasms cleared up after I started the Claritin up again during my first round, with a Motrin. This time I took it 10 straight days starting on the chemo day and did not have the spasms this time. I plan to do the same 10 days straight for the next 2 rounds, figure it can't hurt. It's worth trying anyway - my MO said it's not as common a reaction but for those of us who get them - they are excruciating.
Loki, hope you are doing better today.
Yang - like Sidalee said, definitely ask your doctor for a different medicine to help you stop throwing up. They should have something else for you to take.
Steph glad you are doing well now.
Everyone hang in there!
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Becky- I’m so sorry you have been in so much pain! I was in the same boat Saturday and Sunday. My narcotics didn’t touch it either. Strange as it sounds, i started taking Benadryl every four hours and that seemed to help. I never took the Claritin as I can’t take it. I can say that was the worse pain I’ve ever had and certainly not looking forward to it again. No one should have to do endure that kind of pain.
I hope everyone finds some relief today. I feel better just headache and tired. I hope I’m on the feeling better road.
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Quiltingnut - I will try benadryl tonight if it gets worse.
I have to work at noon. And I'm not done until the last patient leaves from outpatient surgery. So we never know when that is.
But of course if I start having spasms... Im just going to tell them I'm leaving. Then I'll use fmla hours.
I noticed just now after what 5 days 6 days from chemo.. That the vein that they went through is turning red and like spreading through the vein?I
have a missed IV attempt bruise, and then the redness is where the iv was and the redness was NOT THERE 2 DAYS AGO...
I'll post a pic.
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The redness follows a diagnal-ish vein and a vertical vein from the pic. The iv was placed at the top of the thicker red area...
The darker bruise is just a missed IV attempt.
Does anyone have redness showing up after almost a week out from chemo?
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YangSainst - if you're throwing up, you need better medicines. Call your doctor.
I'll share with you the anti nausea protocol in my area. On page 2 are all the possible medications. On page 5 there is a flow chart that guides clinicians in increasing treatment if it's not working. You don't need to suffer like this! http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/chemotherapy-protocols-s...Bec-ky - are you on neulasta or neupogen? That level of pain is just crazy. Poor you. I'd contact your doctor and see what they say. Are you sure you're up for work today, hun? I feel like I want to tuck you into bed with netflix and either ice packs or heating pads for your back....
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Bec-ky - I'm pretty sure there was someone on the Jan-Mar threads (I read all of 3) who had vein redness appear days later. Let me see if I can find it....
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Bec-Ky: I found more than one. Bottom of this page for ex has picture https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics...
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Moth-yep. That must be the same thing!!! Wow. Crazy! Glad to hear it was nothing to really be concerned about...
And also, I am on nulasta. I had the 1 injection the day after.
Netflix... YES!!!
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The last 24 hours has been tough. The Senekot finally kicked in followed by the most awful D and vomiting. So I spentthe day with a heating pad on my belly. Still having awful cramps and sipping tea. How were any of you to avoid this? Did you start miralax or Metamucil on day one. I just know it was a very painful experience and I will do anything to avoid it round 2.
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Bec-ky...yup!! Soreness at the infusion area showed up for me 2 days ago with slight inflimation and I had chemo last Monday..also bruising from attempted infusion sites also just showed up 2 days ago....
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Jstarling - sounds like perhaps some of the anti nausea meds in your protocol are constipating for you. Maybe next round you start with senna or whatever softener you prefer right on the day of the infusion & keep taking it daily until you feel normal. Fluids, high fiber foods, and exercise also help but not once things get stuck. If it gets bad again, check with your oncology nurses if you can do an enema. You don't want to overstretch or tear your gut at all while it's vulnerable and an enema while messy will take care of the pain & blockage faster. But you need your doctor's permission to do them while on chemo so check first....
I'm sorry to hear you're vomiting too - that shouldn't be happening. Sounds like your poor gi tract is very upset. I hope you can get things settled. Have you called your oncology team? Maybe they can call some additional meds to your pharmacy?
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jstarling- i took miralax on day 3 and 5. I was able to go day 4 but had terrible cramping and vomiting in toilet basket during the ordeal. I immediately took a zofran for the nausea which I didn’t want to do as that medication is probably what did it. Like we need this problem on top of everything else, right? I can’t see where it would hurt to start it on day one. Maybe talk to your doc before next round.
Becky glad to know the redness could be normal. So far my injection site is ok.
I have a scheduled appointment for my pain doc next week so I plan on talking to them about the excruciating pain I had for those three days. Right now it’s so fresh in my mind I can’t imagine doing that all over again without some kind of relief. I’ll also talk to my oncologist before next round about it. It seems that there would surely be something that will help.
On a positive note, I’m going to cook a roast, Tators and carrots for dinner this evening. First cooked meal since my 1st round! I’m sure my hubby will be happy too.Lol.
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Hello ladies,
It's been awhile since my last post. I'm day 6 of my second AC infusion. Yay, 2 down, 2 more to go! My low energy days seems to be day 4 and 5. I am still able to work from home and continue to get out a walk 2-3 miles each day. So I am thankful that I am able to continue with my daily routine.
My hair did start falling out on day 14. I was more traumatized by the clumps of hair falling out than getting my hair buzzed. I was so relieved to have it short, so I would no longer see clumps of long hair all over the place. I did purchase a wig and wear it with a baseball hat, when I go out of the house. Thank goodness it's baseball season. :-)
Whoever suggested nexum for acid reflux, THANK YOU! It has made a world of difference.
All the best! Renee
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Omg! And here I thought I was getting better. Excruciating lower back pain just hit me. I have the ice pack on it but not helping much.
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Those of you with the bad back spasms. Have you noticed relief from the pain if you were standing or walking? Was wondering if it was just me.
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Bec-Ky The red veins would freak me out, glad it seems to be a normal thing though. Did you have the option to get a port? It's strange to me how some people have them and some don't when we're on the same treatment plan. I have bad veins anyway so I would have a very hard time without my port.
Now I'm worried that the Lortab I have on-hand for the chest pain won't help this round, ugh.
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sidalee- i believe getting a port depends on what chemo medication is being used and how many treatments are in the plan. I’m having TCx4 and they just do an iv each time i go in for a total of four. I’m sorry you suffered with chest pain. Today when my back started having spasms I would also have them in my chest too. Terrible for sure. Maybe you won’t get that in the next round.
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Bec-ky
Yes they give me plasil and also benadryl to make me sleep but none work.. I couldn't eat I throw up everything.
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Quilting - my back spasms basically just required a back LOL my back didn't care what I was doing... Ugh
I hope you feel better I know exactly what you're going through to meet with worse than labor
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Hi,
First time here- I start my chemo next Thursday April 12, I have chemo class this Thurs, echo and port placement next week for stage 1 grade 3 IDC left breast. ER+, PR- HER2- negative nodes. Is this where I would ask questions/post?
Thanks:))
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Hi ElizB-
Welcome! You're welcome to post anywhere you like here. But we do also have a chemo thread for members starting in April that will pick up as the month gets underway: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics...
Let us know if we can be of any assistance!
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