Chemo Starting August 2018
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blue sky - glad to hear you evacuated safely! You didn’t need to be dealing with a hurricane on top of chemo side effects!
I have a hard time eating a lot of healthy foods I normally love - salads, vegetables, brown rice, whole grain pasta. That was especially true my first week after the first chemo round ( I’mjust one down so far). I just ate lots of bland, white rice, white pasta, crackers, ice cream. Anything I could choke down. My focus was on getting calories in and I let the nutrition part go. And drinking lots and lots of water, juice, Gatorade - just trying to get in all the liquids I could. But now at day 15, I find myself really hungry. I’m actually hoping to gain a little weight before my next round in the 21st. And I’m going to use the next week to eat as healthy a I can before my next week or so of carb-loading. :-)
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Hello All! I've really appreciated reading the posts this week, as I was pushing through the last days of bad SE's. Thank you for all of the kinship and advice. I'm on the beloved, wonderful, awesome DAY 10!!!! That has been my turning point day for both infusions. I'm still on the BRAT diet to ward off any lingering Big D, but feeling so much better today. I thought I read from someone that Taxotere exits the body via your bowels -- and it must be the case with me. On days 8-9 the bathroom is my second home (and it's not a comforting home) -- miserable. But I now know it is the Taxotere saying "Adios" until the next round.
HugHope -- my doctor has also set an automatic appointment with the IV bag when I go in to get my weekly blood check on Day 8. I might move it up to Day 7 for next time. I was pretty dehydrated. Carol
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I’ve been gone for a bit just due to feeling so horrible. My #3 AC was horrible again. So fatigued and sick. My body felt like it was being crushed (that was from the Neulasta.) I just wanted to quit. I just felt my body dying. I would have quit if I didn’t have my husband and daughter. I also started having heart arrhythmias just to keep things interesting. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance? I was sick for 11 days then had to do chemo on day 14? (Insert 4 letter word and no.)
The nurse begged me to come in chemo day just to talk to the dr. and I said I’m done. Prior to #4, my dr told me I had the worst SEs of all of her patients on this regime. She has me on every antiemetic possible, so no changes there. On paper, I look great. In person, I look horrible. She told me no more chemo and was going to send me to radiation. I freaked out. I had to be stronger than this. I had to finish this freaking AC.
So I did it. And it was he easiest chemo I had. I took big doses of delta8, CBD, CBG and it really helped. I didn’t dry heave or cry incessantly so it was a win for me.
Don’t give up. We’ve all been through so much already. You got this.
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cefinks- sorry, you going through terrible staff, don’t forget pedialite maybe to drink, please .hope you feel better soon!
Moongirljess-your story inspirational!! Are you done? What is delta 8? And other staff is cannabis oil- right? Congrats if you done !!! 🎊🎈🎉if not- less SE your way!!!
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cefinkc, I am becoming a firm believer in getting the oncologist on board with the hydration anywhere from three to seven days after chemo. My third round went well yesterday, I am up at 3:00 am, those damn steroids get me all turned around. But my oncologist already set me an appointment for Thur. for fluids. He has also added potassium pills to my list, I take one a day and my potassium and magnesium have come back up as well. I will write more later and see if things stay in line. I feel like taking a walk with my big lab.
Unfortunately I start my zaraxio shots today, and for a total of five days, these help bring my white blood cells back up, try to figure out what makes me feel the worst thru the first week. I want to know what causes which side effects. So I can maybe help someone else deal with these issues.
I will write more later. Hughope1
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Claritin addresses Neulasta side effects..... take one per day for seven days-- beginning 2 days before chemo day.
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It is one of the rare late summer days here. I’ve got my hammock out and am enjoying the breeze. SE’s are down to just fatigue today which I am working on with my outdoor nap. I’m still fighting the hungry’s today so I might need to do the healthy thing and eat a bag of chips
I’m wishing everyone here a most wonderful afternoon too!
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Boston— delta8 slays nausea and dyspepsia (delta8 is a cannabinoid) It doesn't buzz me at all it just soothes my upset stomach. I take tablets and sublinguals of the delta8 so I can eat. CBD and CBG are also to prevent neuropathy.
All done with my 4 ACs! Now I have 4 taxols. Fingers crossed that those are tolerable.
(I take Claritin daily)
J
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I take Zyrtec for allergies, my MO said it should addresses Neulasta side effects. Seemed to work although I did have one night I woke up with radiating back pain, took tramadol that night. No other issues though
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Tuesday starts another tough week, Tuesday I have my blood work and meeting with MO, Wednesday (my birthday) I have an MRI guided breast biopsy (was suppose to be last week but machine broke and they had to order parts), Thursday is my 2nd infusion, and Friday is the BS to get my results from the biopsy. The results might dictate my surgery options, if the newest spots turn out to be cancer they believe mastectomy is my only choice - they said that my cancer is multi-focal in addition to being triple positive so even with my current treatment with TCHP, chances of recurrence are higher. 😒. Trying to stay positive but I just need to get on with this and stop getting more bad news. Oh yeah, and my hair is starting to thin.
Just needed to vent a little.
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MACTAZ, that is a tough week you have coming up. I will be thinking of you and praying you get some good news.
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I echo Appyfan, you will be in my prayers, MACTAZ — what a week. I hope you have something to brighten your Birthday
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MACTAZ, i hope everything turns out in your favour...alot of prayers for you
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Hughope- atavan will help you to sleep st nite, even 0.5 mg should relax you. Take for 2-3 nites after chemo- my docs told me to do so.
Mactaz-🙏🙏🙏🙏hoping for the best for you!!!
Moongirl - thsnk you for explanation !!! Hoping you eill go throug taxol, I m sure cannabis will ease S E !!
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Do I need doctor to order it or is it over the counter? I have never really taken much for sleep?
Good luck gril, I made it through round number 3 Friday, and se have been way down. Don't even want to talk about it, scared I will jinx myself. LOL! Have they done a PET Scan on you. I have not had one either, just 3d mammogram. Biopsy, MRI. But I sure don't want to go through all of this and maybe have other issues we should of been addressing. Probably my chemo brain getting the best of me.
I have two of my friends over the years that have both been cancer free for 10 years now, both had mastectomy. One a singe and the other a double, used the DIEP. muscle.
I hope all are well and just hate to see all the flooding in my neighbor states. Be safe and stay strong. Hughope1
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thanks everyone for your support, I'm keeping my fingers crossed but I guess we just have to deal with what is thrown at us. I'm feeling better this morning, guess last night I was just down a bit
Hughope1, Ativan is prescribed by your doctor, I take it also and it really works. It also is suppose to help with anxiety and nausea, but I use it to help me sleep. No petscan as they said I’m early stage and insurance won’t cover it. Makes you wonder when they keep finding it though, although they said nodes were clear. I just hope so. Good luck and I hope you have good days ahead
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Re sleep: Melatonin is not only very effective, it is also cancer protective. I understand most people need to work up from a small dose to larger dose... but I am now taking 20mg per night. Have not opened my ativan. For some reason I am not that anxious.
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Good Morning All — I might be really late to the party on this, as I’m not a frequent You Tuber, but I discovered Christina last night, and I’m addicted. She is SO very relatable to me. Please visit her channel. It is very moving and helpful with all stages of her journey. One of the coolest parts for me is that she started chemo the same month as us, August, but in 2016. It is great to see what her hair length is 6-9 months down the road. Anyway, thought I’d share. Hugs to All. Carolhttps://youtu.be/j0N_SOw3CcE
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hughope - atavan only by prescription, it helped me after mastectomy to sleep not moving at all just relaxed my chest muscles!
Melatonin is good too.
Cefinks thsnk ypu for link !!!
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mactaz...hang in there! I forgot how similiar we are with diagnosis and treatment. I had the mri guided biopsy too mine ended up being clear. My birthday wish for you is that yours is too. Let us know how the week goes. I will be thinking about you and sending prayers.
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santabarbarian—my naturopath has me on Melatonin 20 mg nightly but did I read that you take Metformin? I need to read up on that with regard to breast CA. At this point my oncologist will probably buck it but I will certainly try.
Thanks!
Jess
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Yes I take 1000 mg (2 x 500) Metformin too. My Onc prescribed it when i asked him.
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santabarbsrian, what is metformin, maybe I need it too?
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Thanks SarahNola, I’m hoping for the same result as you.
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@bostoniangal25 yep! I had my first baby April 25th and went back once a week for 5 weeks complaining of breast pain and a lump. My doctors kept telling me it was mastitis and a clogged duct. For 5 weeks post delivery they had me on antibiotics and I finally said there’s something wrong and went to another obgyn practice, they immediately felt the lump and had it ultrasound, at the ultrasound they immediately biopsy it and it was triple negative. It was supposed to be the best time of my life and turned out to be the worst ;(
@hughope1 I feel the same way, I can’t drink anymore water. It’s making me feel more sick. I’m barely drinking 30 oz a day I don’t know what else to do
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Friday was my last treatment of AC and I start 12 rounds of taxol in two weeks, yesterday I have never been in so much pain before. I think it was from the nuelasta. I was in unbearable pain and I already had a double mastectomy. I don’t know if I can handle anymore.
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smansmom, if the pain was from nuelasta did your doctor tell you to take Claritin to help with the pain. I know others have taken it and seem to get relief. I take Zyrtec for allergies and only had one episode, while painful didn't last that long. I'm on a different treatment than you so can not speak to taxol, but just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you and hoping this gets better for you. We all have a long journey and need the support of each other. Take care, I wish you all the best.
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smansmom- so not fair !!!!... I hope you have a big support group like your family and friends ... so sorry...
any symptoms you have please call your doc or nurse - they have to help with any pain !
Your body actually helped you to diagnose yourself , I m glad you listened to your inner voice and changed practice for good!! May you feel better and less s e your way!!!❤️❤️❤️
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bostoniangal25 I still can’t believe it and luckily I do have a great support system and husband. I feel guilty sometimes saying this but sometimes their to much, I don’t know if anyone else feels like that. Between the baby and cancer everyday is hectic and some days I just wanna be alone and process everything that’s going on. I’m feeling much better with the pain today but yesterday I saw my breast surgeon and she found a large lymph node where my cancer was ( I had a double mastectomy first), she wants to get it ultrasound and I’m panicking it’s a recurrence so soon. Feeling really down and nervous
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