Chemo Starting August 2018
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I got my bone and CT scan results back. They show something on my T9 vertebrae. It’s either Rheumatoid Arthritis (which I have), or Bone Mets cause the cancer spread. Bone mets would skip me from stage 2 to stage 4. They are trying to schedule an MRI next week to get a better look, but in the meantime I wait...
Round 3 chemo was yesterday. I’m so tired from chemo and worry I don’t know what to do with myself. At least I don’t feel nauseous this time.
Hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for leaving your posts it really helps to connect with others.
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Kelly-Anne im thinking of you and send you all my thoughts and best wishes. Stay 💪
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Kelly-Anne sending you some good vibes! Stay strong! We are all here for you! ❤️
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KellyAnne, hoping for the best for you.
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Kelly Anne, praying for you ... stay strong and stay positive :
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I had my 3rd infusion yesterday. I've been using all the great advice beforehand that I learned from the beautiful women on this site to help combat or at least minimize the SE's. I hope it'll help.
I had no idea that the denser the breasts, the higher likelihood of BC. That would've been great info to get from doctors beforehand.
Kellyanne- I am praying for you. You've gone through so much, and each step of this makes you stronger.
Quick question- anyone's sense of smell change since chemo started? Everything just smells terrible to me. Even my own house doesn't smell good like it used to. My husband smells bad to me, too 😔. But nothing has changed except I'm getting chemo now. Whenever I do enter my house, I always tell my husband that it smells like cancer in here 🧐🧐
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Kelly-Anne - You are in my thoughts and I'm hoping it's the RA they are seeing.I know this is a scary time for you and we're all here wishing you the best.
Nisha - I've only had changes in smell selectively - some things smell bad to me some things don't. What I have had is a change in taste for the first full week after chemo. It taste like something died in my mouth and started rotting. Most foods taste putrid to me. But eventually that goes away and I get a fairly decent week and then a good week before my next round. Does yours get better between rounds or is it constant?
Here's my quick question for the group, since I started at the very end of August and you are all ahead of me: I'm on TC, and my hair started falling out Day 17 of the first round. But it's stabilized and although I'm bald-ish (especially on top) not a lot is falling out now. I have it buzzed. I am wondering if I'll see a second big shedding around day 15-17 this round and go completely bald then? Anyone know if that's how it works? Also, I have not shaved my legs since chemo started and they are still completely smooth. I guess chemo makes hair not grow in addition to making it fall out.
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wanderweg, you and I must be close to the same schedule, my first infusion was Aug 31 and the second on Sept 20. My first round of hair loss happened about day 15, then the 2nd big shed came right afer the 2nd infusion. I’m now on day 9 of 2nd infusion and I finally buzz cut it, I still have some hair in most places but really thin. I also wonder what is next. Take care
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You'd think it would take out nose hair... but NO.
I have leg hair but not underarm hair. I have thin all-over "baby" hair w a male type bald spot (Hi, Dad!). I did cold caps for chemos 2 and 3 and so far no second die off has happened. I did not do cold caps for #1 because there was too much for me to digest. I bought some migraine-use cold caps (also foot and hand stuff) from Amazon and they seem to be working to hold the line. No nail hand or foot probs so far. I am on Taxotere / Carboplatin.
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hi santabarbarian,
What did you get from amazon for your hands and feet? My nose hair is falling off! Some of my arm hair has fallen but not too many. I did cold caps for the first three rounds. Because there is still fall out and I have some small bald spots that are covered up by the remaining hair, I still ordered a prosthetic wig which should arrive in a couple weeks because I don't like the uncertainty of knowing what will or won't happen to my remaining hair for the rest of the chemos. I had a lot of fall out after the second chemo even after doing cold cap.
Wanderwag-
From my experience even with cold cap and from what people are saying including my infusion nurse, the most hair fall out occurs after the second chemo. Everyone is different, so your situation may be different. As far as leg hair, that's probably the only good thing from all this. It not growing out. However, it will grow back finely after the last chemo.
I have bad taste also for about 2.5 weeks. Then a few better days before the next chemo. My chemo is supposed to be on a 21 day cycle, however, I asked my MO if I can do it on a 25 day cycle so I can have a few more good days, and he said it’s fine so that’s what I’m doing now. It helps a lot! As far as the smell goes, it lasts about 2 weeks and gets better the 3rd week. But it’s just so weird that everything and everyone smells so bad when they never smelled bad before. I don’t even let anyone cook in my kitchen..
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sunshine89 I’m glad to hear you’re handling it well, you’re such a champ and try pepcid! That’s what my oncologist told me and it worked.
Santabarbarian try taking colace everyday from now on, that’s what I did from the beginning and I go every day except the two days following treatment. And it’s completely safe to take everyda
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Feeling a little different after 3rd infusion. My veins all feel bruised inside and outside especially around my port and the tumor on the other side. I am Ok it’s just different. My husband has been feeding me like a Christmas goose. I have gained 3 pounds. I don’t think I lost a hair except for the first chemo which took all head hair
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Nisha,
I threw away the packaging but the caps and mittens are "elasto-gel', and they will pop up in links on Amazon if you find any one of them... "otherr people who bought this item also bought..." The socks are "natra cure."
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You are in my prayers tonight KellyAnne.
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KellyAnne- praying for you!!! Hope you will have good news!!! We are here for you!!!!❤️❤️❤️
Sunshine , happy you doing well! Heard many people doing well with Ac . There is over the counter meds for heartburn- omeprazol, pills. But maybe some other over the counter against heartburn will help!
Smansmom- I want to tell you about your intimate problem- 1. Lack of libido - is norm after having a baby ... during the first year
2. Physical changes could be after birth, pkease do Kegel exercise to strengthen cervical walls
3. Hormonal changes down there- maybe dryness you experience? It is probably starred with chemo
Using non water lubricants MAy help , there is also a procedure to help with vaginal dryness but it is out of pocket..
If you want to chat just pm me, there is no embarrassing question - it’s all about our health and sanity!!
All other girls - I m here with you!!! Stay strong!!! Kick cancer in the butt!!!
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Nisha, if you have ordered a wig I would suggest a headband from amazon too. They are around $20 and make the wig feel so much more natural. I couldn’t really wear mine without. (I have no idea why my fancy wig shop didn’t offer them but Amazon does!). https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FCH9T6H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks for all the support on my waiting here. I’m just so overwhelmed. I’m praying for a quick MRI booking and just some more RA rather than Mets.
This morning here is cool so I’m kicking cancer’s butt in my hot tub while texting you. Hope you all find someplace zen today too.
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Kelly-Anne, I'm glad you are taking time to relax. A hot tub sounds great. I'm on my laptop on the deck in the shade, listening to the birds and, in the distance, church bells.
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bostoniangal25 well I’m glad to hear this is all normal then haha with everything going on it’s like one thing on top of the other. It’s so overwhelming to try and figure out what’s from chemo, what’s from post baby and what else something’s could be lol it’s exhausting
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Sooo, everybody is kicking cancer in s butt😅😅😅!
I did pick up apples from the local orchard , then grocery shopping, now dinner...
I bet, smansmom you doing a great job figuring everything out! 😬😉
Birds singing and hot tub never felt so much needed than now after diagnosis....
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bostoniangal25 oh my goodness I’m so jealous !!! Sounds fabulous, enjoy
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Thsnks smansmom!!!!
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Day 8 and I have officially turned the corner. Good energy today, hungry w/ appetite. I hope everyone else feels back to themselves soon.
:-)
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good morning, 2 weeks after chemo and now I have heartburn and hives. Hives probably after eating raw buckwheat honey, it’s 3-4 days now and I m trying to control with allergy meds and lotion
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Off to this surgeon this morning and a muga scan on my heart, chemo on Friday. Talk to you all soon.
Hope everyone is doing okay!
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It’s 5 days out from chemo for me. I seem to be most tired after the steroids wear off. Hopefully I perk up as the day goes on. My daughter is home from school today. Too much stress for her to manage. Tests and assignments and a mom who isn’t quite herself. I found a good psychologist for her. 15 and high school is hard enough without all this too.
hope everyone is doing ok today
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So happy for you Santabarbarian! Is Day 8 usually your turn around day? I’m on Day 7 after round 3, and I seem to be improving faster than the previous rounds — it usually takes 10 days. Maybe I’m finally figuring out how to beat the Big C which enabled the Taxotere to pass through quicker? I still have a date with the IV serum bag today. I’ll take it
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Hi All, glad to see most are doing well this round. It is day 12 for me (2nd infusion) and I'm finally feeling better, still tired but forcing myself to walk and do my core and stretch exercises. I have been feeling pretty blue the last couple of days, not sure if it could be medication related, but seems to be lasting longer than I would expect. I do have an under-active thyroid that I take medication for so I have asked my Dr. if we should check it to make sure all these other drugs haven't thrown it out of whack. Any suggestions on how to get my "mojo" back?
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santabarbarian glad to hear you’re on the up! Keep it up girl
bostoniangal25 how are your hives ? I’m sorry you’re going through that, the body is changing so much could you have a new allergy possibly? I hate the taste of chocolate on chemo so I’m assuming new allergies can start?
Kelly Anne I’m sorry you’re daughter is enduring extra stress. It’s tough being a girl In high school you’re right, I hope she finds ways to cope better with everything going on. Maybe some special girl time of just you two like a weekly date would help, wish I could give more assis
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hi All,
I wanted to thank you all for the great advice I received from this forum. My husband and I tackled the side effects days before my third chemo, and so far, it seems to be working (knock on wood). Yes, I’m still very tired, eyes are blurry, feel weak, having hair issues, mouth issues, feel nauseous sometimes when I’m sleeping, constipated, but it’s all tolerable compared to the first two rounds. So I just wanted to come on here and thank you guys immensely. I hope the next 3 rounds will go the saway, and I truly wish the best for all of you!!!
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Went and seen the surgeon yesterday, tumor does appear to be shrinking on the ultra sound. She scheduled me another 3d imagine on the 19th of this month, wants to know where we stand and if lumpectomy is back on the table or not. Off to chemo #4 Friday. Surgeon will not back off the other three chemo's says I need them.
Does anyone in this group have any info they would like to share as far as the lumpectomy vs. the mastectomy? And if so did you do the expanders? Any feed back would be welcomed, it is a lot to try and take in. Hughope1
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