Chemo starting January 2019
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Hello all!
Second infusion was this past Thursday. I get my chemo in an IV and make sure to hydrate a lot the day before and day of. My WBC count was 32 K this time so no Neulasta again. Has anyone else had this?
I noticed being tired more days this time. I slept most of the weekend and Monday. I also got really constipated this round. I drank tons of water and used Colace and magnesium. Very uncomfortable
Anyone have recommendations? Praying for all—stay warm and safe to those in this polar vortex. Will be -50 below here in Chicagoland tomorrow
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Got my port today. Am so glad 8 have it now, since it took them 5 sticks before they finally got an IV working! Ouch!! Now on to chemo Tomorrow
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Rdhjoy - I am having the same issue. I haven't tried magnesium though. Just drinking a ton of water and taking Senokot and eating activa.
Mncteach - Sorry for all the poking. That isn't fun. Good Luck tomorrow.
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Try Phillips Milk of Magnesia...they have a cherry flavor that is very good
When I was going in for my first round of chemo, I was so prepared, and had been taking Phillip’s Milk of Magnesia Cherry flavored almost daily.
Everything was good so I backed off after the first round and was not taking any by my second round.
That was a HUGE MISTAKE!! I have always had issues with constipation, so didn’t think it was out of the ordinary that I had a little bit of constipation until I woke up 4 days after my second chemo treatment.
I woke up about 5:30am and was in SO much pain could not do anything to help myself. I told my husband that i thought I needed to go to ER. I couldn’t even sit because of the pain. Sorry to be so graphic but I have learned that this could be a real, painful problem and to not ignore it.
I will NEVER neglect to take my Phillips Milk of Mag again.
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Mncteach - I feel your pain. When they placed my port both hands were terribly bruised with all the poking they had to do to find a vein. You will be very happy to have the port so you don't have to go through that with every infusion.
Second (full) chemo round today. Minimal to report. Still having some trouble 'getting a return' when accessing my port. Have had to lie down the previous two times and this time that wasn't working so they moved my arm around also until the vein decided to cooperate. There was also some leakage after disconnecting which did not happen before.
I am trying the Onpro for the Neulasta instead of going back for the shot like last time. I am a bit worried about knocking it off. I spoke with my oncologist about the bone pain and she said to add Tylenol to the ibuprofen and Claritin I took before. I hope that helps. It was unbearable the first round.
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Well done with first treatment. Started with tears as they were hooking me up to saline but got better from there. They all were very caring and compassionate and my mom and DH were here with me. I am getting the Neulasta onpro so DH has added Claritin to the shopping list. I also am anemic already so adding another vitamin. Flintstone chewable with iron were recommended since they are easier on tummy than the straight iron ones and have added vitamins to help! Now to wait and see what SE I might have.
Question: when did you start taking anti nausea meds?
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imagine 923–so you do the milk of magnesia before chemo? How long? That sounds like a great idea. I was in pain as well—so uncomfortable!
Mncteach—I started the anti nausea pills the night of my chemo. I used the zofran as the other didn’t work for me. I took it every 12 hours for the first couple days. Try and eat something small— crackers or half a Pb and j even if you’re not hungry. It helped calm my stomach and the nausea.
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cannabis is decent for mild nausea without the constipation...
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Ok everybody I’m going to try this again because I do not know what happened to my post.
I had my second AC chemo this morning and felt ok until the evening when I started having a really hard heart beat. It felt like it was going to beat out of my chest or neck. I usually have a low 60’s heart rate and this freaked me out as I am also trying to recover from a port infected incision that won’t heal yet. I immediately assumed the worse (which looking back prob made things worse but I’m a natural worrier) like massive infection so I called the after hours line and after waiting 2 hours for a call back she said it was up to me. Ggggggrrrrr! I could go to er for peace of mind to make sure it wasn’t something urgent or wait til office hours in the morning. I have decided to wait but have been quite emotional over this. It scares me. Have any of you had rapid heart beat as a side effect
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Oh my nanomom! That is horrible. I get the natural worrier part, that’s me! That would definitely freak me out, I have a high heart rate normally, and haven’t had anything like that so far as my first treatment. Your body is definitely stressed which doesn’t help. Hoping all is well and easily resolved
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Nanomom, so sorry for the additional stress! We have a blood pressure / heartrate monitor at home so I monitor my stats daily. My husband was concerned when my heartrate was getting in the upper 90s and even low 100s. I called the after hours nurse, and they were less concerned. She said it was likely low hydration and I needed to drink more fluids. (I had been drinking less) She said I should be concerned if I wasn’t able to stay hydrated due to nausea and my heartrate was high.
I’m still in the hospital now dealing with my gall bladder, and it’s the same. When my pulse was getting high, they push me to drink more fluids. I hope yours is minor and you get answers soon, I know the added stress doesnt help right now!
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Rdhjoy my issue was after my last chemo so I will definitely start the Phillips Milk of Magnesia the morning of my next chemo 2/7/19.
I plan on talking with the cancer center about this issue, and ask their advice on how/when to start MOM
I can tell you that in a desperate situation I will take the 60ml dose at night before bed and feel much better the next morning. But, you might react differently.
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Good morning everyone! I’m one week out from my second chemo and my hands have become incredibly painful and sore. Anyone else? It’s difficult to tell if it’s from the chemo or the MN cold temperatures we’ve been having
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Nanomom11 - I had an increased heart rate a few days after my first round and chalked it up to the steroids. Then again I have high blood pressure so having a increased heart rate does happen but I have a blood pressure monitor at home to check.
mssotamom74 - Sorry to hear about the painful and sore hands. Did they ice your hands during treatment?
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Went to work today, made it halfway through and had to go home. Peanut butter crackers are what have tasted best to me so far, some nausea, but nothing too bad.
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Re: increased heart rate. I am long time Fitbit user, and have noted in both cycles so far, my resting heart rate goes up to a peak 10 days after TCH infusion, then starts to fall, which coincides with me feeling better. My normal resting heart rate is in the 60s, this morning it was 81!
Constipation. Feels to me 2nd week of cycle my GI tract is on strike, nothing moving. After getting anal fissure first cycle, very uncomfortable, this cycle I am using Miralax daily with good results.
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mnsotamom - I iced my hands during infusion first round but forgot second round. (I had family visiting during the critical time and it just slipped my mind to send DH out to the car for the kit.) So today I noticed tingling in my fingertips and a bin of stuff just slipped through my fingertips at work. I can't say for sure it is neuropathy but I told DH tonight that we can't forget again.
Today is day one after Neulasta and it does seem slightly better than last time. My oncologist thought it would be easier on subsequent rounds. Early yet...we will see what days 2-4 feel like.
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Hi-
Just found this group. Started chemo Jan 3rd. In a trial where I am getting Taxol weekly for three months. Every third week I get Taxol plus Herceptin and Perjeta. This will continue for three months. So far, things are OK-tired, nothing tastes great, nose sores and some hair falling out even though I am using the ColdCap. Would love to hear others experiences
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good morning to you-wanted to send encouragement to you- I am a Vermont girl--get all my care at DHMC. I went thru 4 rounds TC last year -actually feel I pretty much breezed thru chemo-kept expecting to feel badly but never did=never had nausea-did have fatigue and would be constipated first few days then have 1 day of diarrhea about day 8 post..I got minor canker like sores-just a couple in my mouth-each time - no big deal. I always super hydrated myself for few days before and after and had a neulasta patch each time to keep white blood count up-worked great and I took Claritin twice day few days before and after- never got the bone pain-
I capped with Penguin- kept 80% of my hair and lost another 5% shedding for 5 months post--no one could tell and made all the difference for me emotionally,,there is an awesome cold capping thread here-was a life line for me at the time -check it out=
I went into chemo with an --"ok this sucks but is what I have to do to get past this" so put my head down and got thru thru it--you will too -day by day and you will get your life back to pretty normal--just will be a little crazy for a few months-remember -this too will pass-- it will and your life will go on--there is tons of support here-- Welcome!, Kaylie
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hey ladies! Thank you for the information on icing my hands. My oncologist has never mentioned doing this to me which is disappointing. What exactly does everyone do for icing the hands? Ice packs? Thank you in advance :
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Nice to see some other VT girls here even thought it sucks we are here! I got my surgeries at DHMC but getting chemo in Bennington. I wish I could say I’m sailing through chemo but I’m not. It’s hitting me much harder than I expected! I’m trying to keep positive but it’s really hard today
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Mncteach, have you tried a fast or fasting mimicking prior to chemo? That worked well to blunt SEs for me...
(PS I have a MA from Bennington!)
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mnsotamom74–I ordered mine off amazon. Natruacure cold therapy socks for my feet and cryomax cold packs for my hands. I also take a vitamin B6 per my podiatrist as he recommends it for his patients to prevent neuropathy. I’ve had two cycles and knock on wood no issues yet. Good luck
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hi I had 4 rounds of TC and was so focused on the rigors of cold capping- never gave a thought to icing my hands or feet and never developed neuropathy-go figure- each of us reacts individually
Was so prepared to feel nauseous,have vomiting ,flu like symptoms ---and never happened at all- think staying well hydrated and on meds 24 hours for several days really helped against side effects--
I did not have any Adriamycin -The A part of ACT--expect my hair would not have done as well and I would have had more systemic side effects--however was over 65 and with a hx of mild hypertension for past 15 years-put me at increased risk of serious cardiac effects-so opted for the TC-, plus was 4 infusions instead of 6--has about a 3 percent less effectiveness in recurrence protection- a risk I was willing to take and looking back -was the right choice for me--had I been 20 years younger might have chosen differently, but am at peace with my decision- am 19 months out and doing great--moving on with life and grateful every day-Kaylie
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santabarbarian— I have read a lot of your posts about fasting and thought I wouldn’t be able to do it (love food way too much) but after these side effects, may try it next go round
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I have fasted through my first two rounds of AC. It certainly isn’t a panacea, I have still felt nauseous, exhausted, toxic, not myself, depressed etc. But reading other posts on here, I realise I’ve had no real GI issues - absolutely no constipation, diarrhoea or mouth sores (touch wood). I don’t even dare try it without fasting
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Fingertips are still tingling so most likely neuropathy. (Damn.) Bone pain came back stronger today, alternating Advil and Tylenol is still not enough to dispel the ache. Distracted myself at the gym this morning and at a work party this evening. In between, I sat under a heated blanket and watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which never fails to make me laugh.
As for fasting, I specifically asked the dietitian at the clinic about it and she did not recommend it. So I eat smaller than normal meals the day before and day of infusion and use the anti-nausea meds to be safe. Two rounds, no issues yet.
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Urge you to add in over the counter Claritin pre and post next infusion--twice a day starting 3 days before and for 4/5 days post - it is not a pain reliever- is an antihistamine but can be quite effective in helping cut down on bone aching-- along with the Advil and Tylenol. My doc highly recommends and I never had any bone pain from the Neulasta---hope it helps,Kaylie
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B74- I was thinking of you and wondering how you’ve were doing.
MLanne - Sorry to hear the bone pain is causing to be a pain in the butt. I started Clarirtin two days before to see if it makes a difference this time. If not going to take the narcotic.
I didn’t ask the dietitian about fasting. She encouraged healthy eating especially protein and to not lose weight. Even though I mentioned I could lose weight. No to Keto or any diet fad going on.
Round two tomorrow.
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