Chemo starting March 2019
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Ghcp - wow - who knew about the peaches. I just had my husband purchase the 'high end' canned peaches in a jar. I wonder if they need to litteraly be in a can, or if being in a jar is OK. Also, they are a 'p' fruit, what Gerber told me, when I had babies, were the fruits you wanted if constipated. Prunes, pears and peaches, they said.
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hello girls! My mom started on the 11th on ACand is heading into her second infusion today.. she hasn’t lost her hair and the SEs have just been headache, fatigue and a little loss of appetite. Should i be worried about the no hair loss yet? Is this something i should contact the doctor for?
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I started FEC on Wednesday (20th) and it's been a real struggle. I really didn't expect it to hit so hard and so strong. First 24 hours were terrible non-stop vomiting followed by feeling extremely nauseous for another couple of days. Hospital brought me in on Friday and put me on a drip for a couple of hours to get some fluids in, and gave me a white blood cell booster injection. They also gave me some different nausea meds in case it started up again. I have lost 4kg so far and am trying to keep up the fluids.
I'm utterly drained and the chemo fog is really bad. Finding it difficult to concentrate on anything. Today was the first day I managed to actually get up and do a little housework. Luckily my son (13) just got Spring break so has been surviving on instant noodles and pasta while I'm out of action.
Very furry tongue and mouth but I'm starting to get used to it. Will try peaches!!
Tomorrow I have to go back to the hospital for my Thyroid pathology results after the lobectomy 2 weeks ago. Amazingly it seems to be healing up well, so at least I have that to be thankful for. Hoping some of the fatigue is down to the thyroid as it's really hit me for six.
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My wife had her first chemo on Mar19. she had a long day of it. HER2+ ER+. She is still lagging pretty hard. the Day after was rough and we went in for fluids and nausea meds.
I kind of thought she would have bounced back a little better by now but maybe there just isn't a bouncing back towards any normalcy between treatments.
Do you recover? she is at work today but i know she's still tired. I hate to see her just sit because that can't be good for her either.
Thoughts?
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pokyspider So sorry, call the doctor about furry tongue, that can be thrush and need meds. What anti nausea meds did you have to begin with? What did they give you next?
JAG19 I did Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin and Perjetta for my ER+, PR+, Her2+ breast cancer. I was back to normal that last weekend before my next chemo. Just sitting isn't good, but if she is drinking enough water, she isn't just sitting she is getting up to pee constantly. Many women did THCP on Wed, and would return to work the following Monday, but as time went on their bosses normally would give them work from home stuff. Make sure she is peeing clear or almost, not running a fever, is having bowl movements, and isn't short of breath. Peeing, drink more, fever, call doctor, no bm's call doctor, shortness of breath call doctor. Although these next few months will feel like an eternity, when you look back, it actually isn't that long an amount of time. About the same amount of time as a semester of high school.
What can you do for her, when you have some time, think about what she does around the house that you do't think of, and do them for her before she asks, as asking is very hard. Pick up things that fall on the floor, empty waste paper / recyceling / trash cans. Constantly wipe down the island counters and top of stove. For some reason, when we are ill, we see and feel every last salt crystal, bread crumb or single splatter of grease. Run the dishwasher and empty it before she can see, this way she won't tell you that you aren't doing it right. Same thing for the laundry. Look for cobwebs on the ceiling and walls and 'get them', wipe down finger prints from walls and door jams, clorox wipe all handles, knobs and toilet flushers, germs are BAD, clean the toilets and sinks if you see anything, or even if you don't. This way, at home, she can truly rest, and not see things to do. OK, she will still find things, but there will be less for her to find. She has a good one in you, that you are here asking.
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Hey ladies! Welcome to all the new ones - our group is sure growing and busy!
Saturday was the 1st day I felt human again - Sunday was good too ---- today back to YUCK but not horrible. I am absoutly dreading AC #2 this Thursday....but hopeful maybe better then 1st round - fingers crossed. I am going to ask to space #2 and #3 out another week so that I can enjoy my birthday and some volleyball out of town that weekend. I hope she agrees.Hope everyone is having a good start to their week!!! XOXO ~Sophie
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how do you get more fluids down when you don't feel like drinking...she's trying but we both don't think its enough but its so hard for her to force down drinks.
She gets bloodwork tomorrow and will ask for fluids while she's there.
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Keep trying different things... Plain water tasted horrid to me so I tried a lot of stuff. I liked the strong flavors that overwhelmed the metallic taste in my mouth.
-Bone broth is super healthy - I warmed it with ginger slices and greens like bok choy in it... ratatouille is another good strong-flavored soup
-Iced green or black tea? Can spike w juice or lemonade to sweeten.
-Smoothies? (I did berries, plus coconut yoghurt, plus nut milk kefir, plus my supplements.)
Water spiked with ginger kombucha was a favorite drink for me.... or use a splash of juice, or cucumber, or mint leaves or lemon to flavor it. There are minty chlorophyll drops that are healthy and tasty.
Watermelon & cucumber are loaded w water... you can eat some water :-)
Good luck and don't be surprised if what she likes to eat/drink on Monday she may not like on Wednesday! It's hard to pin down. Also if she has a passing whim of appetite for anything, get it ASAP!!!!!! Once you can finally crave a food you want it immediately!!
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Hi all. I'm new to this site as well. Diagnosed 2/7/2019. I start chemo April 8th. TCx4. Was wondering if anyone chose not to have a port? I chose to try it without one.
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I had them remove my port half way. It was never comfortable and I hated it with a passion. IVs were fine. They can always do a PICC line if they have trouble accessing your vein w IV
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Jag- what a supportive husband. Each chemo is different and each round is different. Definitely share with the doc how your wife feels and she may be able to adjust meds to help.
Ufcknights— don’t worry about hair yet! It was after my second treatment that I started noticing it going.
Poky— I’m sorry you are so drained and have had to get fluids. Hope they are able to get nausea and vomiting under control for next treatment
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At last some good news today. My thyroid pathology report came back all clear! No cancer cells... I was fully expecting thyroid cancer and another operation after chemo. Can't quite believe it I'm also feeling like I may have turned the corner on feeling like crap.
Today was a good day.
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so happy to hear that , pokey! The best news!
Jean
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Thanks!! I still can’t quite believe it. Really gave me the boost I needed after a rough start to chemo.
Hope you all have a great day!
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Hi all,
Poky - so great about the clear thyroid report. I know that is a relief!
Santabarbarian - thank you for your great ideas for getting fluids and other nutrition!
I had my first AC chemo Thursday and worked Friday. But Saturday night I started feeling achy and yucky and it lasted through yesterday. I have all day nauseausness. Never actually throw up so I guess that is good. I took yesterday and today off work but hope to go back tomorrow. I was planning to be one of the perky happy feel good chemo patients! That doesn't seem to be the case 😳 Instead I am annoyed and still slightly depressed about the whole thing. Normally I am the positive one in mygroup of friends.
Thanks for letting me whine a little 🤗
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Sparkle- Yes, it is sometimes hard to stay positive especially when everyone means well and says how strong I/you're being.
I had chemo last Monday and finally felt better Friday afternoon. I luckily have been able to work from home. WE all have our weak moments.... don't sweat it.
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Sparklegirl— I know exactly how you feel, I was going to be perky, have no SE, and still do everything I wanted to while getting chemo! Ok so most of those things did not happen and I am finding peace in taking help when I need it.
Poky— Congrats!!
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I'm the husband. we both had hoped that at day 7 after chemo, it'd be rough, but she'd be more functional and be working fairly regular even if not full days.
She just can't bring herself to get the fluids she needs. IV again today. I'm not angry, or blaming her or saying her reasons for not drinking more aren't valid, I just want her to get what her body needs into her.
the treatment nurses just keep saying "come in if you feel bad" "let us fix you up" but its very temporary if she can't get the fluids/nutrition she needs on her own.
Maybe this will get better. I sure hope so. she's looking pretty down and exhausted.
*worried husband*
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Hi everyone. Just joined this group a few days ago, and appreciate all the info and tips. I am starting my TC x 4 tomorrow, the 27th. My husband came down with an awful cold over the weekend, so I am now terrified I will get it. Guess I will take it one day at a time. My best to everyone, I have no clue what my SE will be, but we can get thru it!
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welcome, gratefulgrandma. Good luck tomorrow. I just had #2 of TC yesterday. Mainly nausea. And bone pain tomorrow, because my neulasta just went off.
Don’t forget to take your Claritin.
Jean
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Thank you Jean!
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Hi JAG19,
I'm so sorry your wife is struggling with fluids. I was really sick for the first 4 days last week and had to get iv fluids for a couple of hours in the hospital, so I can totally understand how she is feeling. Half of the battle is the complete exhaustion too.
Is she nauseous or just finding it hard to eat and drink enough? I have started adding a little juice into the water which helps with the taste. I really find straight water very difficult to stomach. Jelly, grapes and watermelon have been good too. Any food with water content.I also drank some rehydrating electrolyte powdered drinks. I know it's difficult but sounds like you are doing an awesome job in caring for her.
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hi!
I am having my first AC on the 28th. I've done too much googling and research, and think I overdid it: it was good to get tips and lay in supplies but also relentless reading about chemo was probably too much! I feel nauseous and have a headache; can you have anticipatory nausea before you've even gotten the first treatment??!! I had terrible nausea with both pregnancies, so am worried, and also worried about the side effects of the drugs given to deal with side effects!! It is a comfort to hear other people going through this. Has anyone had treatment at MSKCC? Do you know if you are in one big room, or private room?
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HI
I am on the TC protocol and had to shave my head today. My hair was falling out, so i just had my daughter buzz the remainder off. I have continued to work this week. But next week on Monday, I will have my second infusion, so I will only work on Tuesday. My days 3-5 were not good the first time around.
I did have lots of mouth tenderness so I used warm salt water rinses. I also use a toothpaste from Young Living (Thieves) and I feel like it has helped with my sores.
Stay rested and good luck with all the SE's.
Sheila
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Thanks to all for your help on the mouth sores. I am rinsing with baking soda and salt and so far so good. :-)
Knmtwins - my TC is Taxotere and Cytoxan.
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Hi everyone,
I had my first chemo infusion today - Taxol and Herceptin. Despite all my fears about it, it went very smoothly. No hypersensitivity (I have food and drug allergies/sensitivities) or other problems. I made a mistake and forgot to spread the lidocaine cream on my port prior to arriving for my lab work so that hurt. My port is still very bruised and tender. Now I'm just tired (Benadryl during infusion + no sleep last night because of pre-med steroids), and my tummy is trying to decide if it's unhappy and how it would like to express that unhappiness.
Still, a positive beginning!
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hi everyone,
Well I’m happy to say that the past few days I have been back to “normal” and especially today I ate proper meals and exercised and am so glad to feel like my old self!! I cannot believe I need to knock myself back down again so soon for AC round 2 on Friday....
First round I was basically sick and could barely eat for until day 8. A full week and threw up 2 nights I think because of not having eaten enough... this time around I am planning to have some help at home to try to get me to eat and drink and keep my stomach full, and also will be more on top of the nausea meds and stomach meds and the cannabis... hoping for the best.
I chopped off my long ponytail yesterday and got a short cut, first time ever... it’s not so bad, figure it won’t last much past round 2 on Friday but will soften the blow.
Hope those who are still suffering are coming out of it. Figuring out how to stay fed and hydrated seems to be the key. And time to get it out of system...
getting strength from all your updates.
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Mouth sores, keep a 1qt bottle with 1/4tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt, near each sink you pass, your kitchen, your bathroom etc. Swish and gargle each time you pass the sink. Start your 1st day.
If your nose isn't dripping, as in you don't know it until clear snot hits your boobs, it is coming. Be your grandmother and tuck a tissue in your sleeve, you will need it. Once the nose hairs go, there is nothing to slow it down, or to give you the sensation it is coming.
Go get Saline Spray, if you belong to costco, go get the 2 pack. Use it fairly reguarly, to 're-hydrate' your nose. This will reduce the 'blood' in your drips.
JAG - see how this goes. If she needs fluids daily or even more than one infusion, ask if she can get it at home. Last time we had one lady who did. They left her port 'open' and she could then do it herself (in her case her mom did). A visiting nurse will come to your house to train you on it.
As to food, my BC support group, almost every lady says they can do a few bites of French Toast. No idea why, my child had a bad egg allergy, so we didn't have eggs in our house, so I never did it.
Also - food/liquid my oncologist said he didn't care what I ate as long as it had salt so I would want to drink. Some say Gatorade, but I hate it, so he said potato chips, Doritos, oodles of noodles, what ever, and then drink and drink non carbonated things. I found the 'taste thing' made drinking hard, but I knew I needed to do it. Someone suggested I make a 1/2 gallon batch of Green Iced Tea, while steeping add tons of ginger. I'd use a mortar and pestal with thinly sliced ginger and sugar. I do between 2 and 6 Tbs of Ginger. Then once steeped add juice of 2 lemons and 1/2 can of frozen cranberry juice concentrate. If you can't find that then just add cranberry juice. Something about all this takes the icky taste in your mouth away some. On this group or another is a pharmacist. She says this 'metal taste' occurs with other medicines and they tell patients to eat some canned peaches first. I haven't tried it, so I don't know, but I went out and bought some. Also, odd foods, if she craves something, get it. This is like pregnancy in a way so it might be odd. I haven't eaten liverwurst since I was a kid, but I wanted it during chemo, another friend didn't eat balogna, but wanted it during chemo. Today I went and bought bagels, garden cream cheese, trisucts, stoned ground wheat thins, garlic hummus and roasted red pepper hummus, bacon and horseradish dip, french bread, brie, we have oodles of noodles and a big pack of jello cups. Oh, we also have cheap boxed mac and cheese. Last chemo I found if I didn't smell it cooking, I actually could do some rather crazy flavors in salty food.
As to water, I would put rubber bands around my water bottle, enough to represent each bottle I had to drink to get to my oncologist's desired amount of liquid. When I would refill the bottle I'd take one off and put on the drawer pull next to my fridge (filtered water in the freezer door). This let me know I was doing what I needed to. I also kept water bottles in both of the bathrooms I use the most, in ziplock bags, to stay germ free. If I had diarrhea or threw up, I would drink one extra.
I start tomorrow, so who knows if I will eat all that 'crap' or if I will have a super happy teenage boy.
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Farfalla6- yes it is possible to have anticipatory nausea. Google is good, but limit it. Make sure you have a good contact at your center so if the anti nausea stuff isn’t working they can help. I was very nauseous my first round, never did get sick, and they ended up adding a steroid to my anti nausea meds. It helped tremendously! Also, share how nervous you are, they can help.
Chickywicky- glad it went well! I’m worried about sensitivity when I start Taxol tomorrow as I have chronic hives(although I haven’t had a flare up in a couple years now).
Lizzie- welcome back to land of the living! Glad you are feeling better and hope you stay on top of the nausea this round!
Knmtwins- funny you mention uncarbonated things. I have been living on chocolate milk and soda for my liquids and the doc wasn’t concerned as long as I was drinking. I actually want to try seltzer since it seems like the carbonation is what is helping settle my stomach, if my soda goes flat, I dump it and start a new one
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Hi Lizzie I'm sorry your 1st treatment was so miserable and I know everyone is different but my 2nd was much better than my 1st. I attribute it to drinking a ton of water. I drank 4 ltrs in the 3 hrs of my infusion. I don't know if that made the difference but I only experienced fatigue the 2nd round. The 1st I was nauseas, aches and pains and just plain miserable for 3 days. I have my 3rd round Friday and I am trying mimic fasting this time hoping it will be even better.
Good luck to you!
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