Starting Chemo July 2019
I think it’s time to start a July Chemo thread.. who’s on board?
I having my port put in on July 23rd and chemo on July 24th.
I will be having Taxotere, carboplatin AUC 6, Herceptin and Perjeta for 9 treatments every 3 weeks before surgery.
Good luck to all
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Hello Finana2!
Phewwww! I was thinking it would just be little ol' me getting chemo in July. I'm getting my port placed tomorrow. Chemo starts next Tuesday, July 9. I'm doing ACT with four infusions of AC every two weeks, followed by Taxotere weekly for 12 weeks, followed by 6 weeks of radiation. I had my bi-lat mastectomy on 5/24. I got my hair cut short yesterday. I forgot how nice short hair is in the heat.
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Just had my port put in on the 3rd. Starting my first of 8 treatments on Monday the 8th. Port being placed in wasn't bad at all. Lil sore today but nothing I can't deal with. Double mastectomy May 14th.
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Welcome britgirls and jjpope1. You gals will be leading the pack to chemo this month. Glad to hear the port insertion wasn’t too painful. Please let us know how your chemo goes. I too got a shorter haircut and am loving it in the heat. Hoping the wig thing won’t be too hot. Our daughter is being married in September so I pretty much have to go the wig route
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I’m starting 12 rounds of neoadjuvant chemo on Monday - Taxol, Herceptin and Perjeta. I posted for the first time in the June thread this morning as there wasn’t yet a July thread. These monthly groups are such a great idea!
I get super nasty tempered on steroids and have allergic reactions to a lot of medications, so I’m pretty nervous about Monday. I’m sure I’ll be in good hands with the oncology nurses, but I’m still scared. Ah well. I get my port put in on Thursday, so at least my arms won’t look like someone’s been beating on me. 😉
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Hi all, I'm starting 4 rounds of TC tomorrow. Started my steroids this morning and got my pre-chemo blood work done. I also had a Reiki session this morning to ground and help calm me down.
Glad to have others going through this at the same time. ❤️
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I'm starting 4 rounds on July 23rd. I can't believe I'm going to lose all of my hair..but I will be alive to grow it out again. The oncologist did not mention that I would get a port
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Hi dvhmouse, fairydragonfly, and kjchico!.
I have a question on the steroids. My MO didn't mention anything about them. Does everyone get steroids?
I'm so glad to have a group starting around the same time as I am. Kjchico, we start one day apart. Not sure why you won't have a port. Maybe because you are only getting 4 treatments? Just a guess
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dvhmouse - You will definitely be in good hands with the oncology nurses, but can completely understand your trepidation. How did it go getting the port in?
Flnana2 - Looks like I will be leading the pack instead. RAWR! I live in Canada, so not sure if that makes a difference regarding the use of steroids. Perhaps it's also depends on the chemotherapy drugs their using.
I specifically asked not to have a port or PICC. They didn't think it would be a problem in my case because my veins are good and I'm only having four cycles. I don't do well with needles and medical procedures. Taking care of the PICC or port made me queasy just thinking about it. I'm a bit of a wuss that way.
So far the steroids seem to be giving me energy, not much else. Hope it doesn't affect my sleep too much tonight. Going to take a sleeping pill just in case.
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I don’t get the port in until the Thursday after my first chemo tx. Wish that order was reversed
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Hello dvhmouse, Fairydragon, Kjchico, and jjpope1:
My port was placed today. I arrived at the hospital at 9:30 a.m. and was walking out by 2:30 p.m. Feeling fine. No pain right now. I took a Zofran at home just to ward off any nausea from the anesthesia 'cause I want to go out tonight. We have tickets to see Aziz Ansari. Stand up comedy is just what I need right now! I'm glad to have the port as my left arm is already beaten to death from all the needles.
Re: steroids. I haven't been told that I'll be getting steroids. I guess I will find out with the first chemo next Tuesday.
BTW, I am a nurse and I'm chemo certified if anyone has any questions. Seems like this forum has all the answers, though! I'm learning so much here.
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Hi britgirls,
Glad to hear the port surgery went well and you are able to go out tonight. Comedy is good for all of us at this stage of the game.
It’s great to know your background is in nursing and that you’re chemo certified...we all may be asking questions in the near future.
Fairydragonfly, how did your first chemo go?
Hope everyone enjoys their weekend
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So, I am very happy to let everyone know that my first round of chemo went extremely well. Though we arrived on time, they were running about an hour behind. They took my vitals which were great and then got the IV started. Unfortunately it wasn't until the third attempt that they were able to successfully get it in. We discussed the possibility of a port, but I would still prefer not to go that route. They did feel that if they keep to my right arm it shouldn't be an issue.
The first infusion was for Taxotere. Because of the potential for adverse reactions, they start it slow and closely monitored me. If I was doing okay, they sped up the infusion. Luckily I didn't experience any adverse reactions and they were able to get it up to full speed. It still took over two hours, which I had to wear those cold mittens and slippers to protect my nails and reduce the risk of neuropathy.
Next was the Cytoxan. This one was quick (30 minutes), but if I started to get sinus pain or headache they would have to slow it down. It also meant the slippers and mitts came off, Yay! Again, I didn't experience any adverse reactions.
I have one more day of steroids and then I will likely start to feel the side effects from the chemotherapy. I'm hoping that they will be minimal and easily manageable. I will let you know how things progress in the days to come.0 -
Fairydragonfly Did you purchase your own mittens and slippers or did they have them for you to use? I can't find a answer about gel nails. I see it says no acrylic but don't see anything about the gel. Do you happen to know the answer? I'm starting to get worried, I feel like Monday will be here in 5 mins 😩😩 I'm sooo not ready for this at all.
I'm glad your 1st treatment went well and it continues that way. 💕💕
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Britgirls. I'm glad your port placement went well. Mine did as well, I wanted to go to work after 😂😂 I had mine placed in Weds. Had no problems at all, it's sore now but I know it will benefit me more than being stuck all the time
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Jjpope1 - the mitts and slippers were provided by the hospital. I live in Ontario, Canada so not sure if that makes a difference. I have no idea about gel nails, I'm sorry. I do know that Taxotere can do a number on your nails so anything that might damage them should probably be avoided. Hopefully someone else can answer that for you.
You got this. I promise, the waiting and worrying leading up to it is far worse than the actual chemotherapy. Sending big hugs!
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Jj Pope, I don’t know specifically about gel nails but I did read that all fake nails should be removed because of chemicals in them Also, if you continue that means you are probably going to a salon which opens you up to infection. I just had my SNS nails removed for that reason. I’ve had them for years so getting used to natural will take some time.
On another note, my CT scans came back yesterday and all was good except showed my left ovary was way enlarged. News to me. The radiologist suggested an ultrasound. The hospital called at 6:30 last night to say to call because your Dr. had ordered another out patient test. Of course they were closed so now I have to wait til Monday to find out what it is..ugggh.
Fairydragonfly, So happy your first chemo went well!
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Fairydragonfly - so glad to hear your first round went well with very few SEs!
Finana2 - hopefully the enlarged ovary is just a cyst that will resolve itself, rather than something else to worry about. When I was going through menopause, I had a recurring cyst in my left ovary that was benign and we ended up leaving it alone.
I had my hair cut short today, but not short enough, I think. I’ve decided to stick with hats and caps rather than getting a wig. How have others chosen to deal with the hair loss?
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dvhmouse - I cut my hair short two weeks before chemo and have a date with two good friends to buzz my hair in two weeks. I purchased two wigs and a few scarves/hats, but plan on rocking a bald head if at all possible.
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Hi All, I'll be starting 4 rounds of A/C on 7/24. --then 12 weeks of Taxol. I was stressed about work /ie keeping my job but they have been supportive and I have a plan in place so knock on wood I'll be able to balance my health and work about 1/2 time. Next week I have CT scans/Bone Scans and an Echo for baseline before beginning chemo. Those freaking tests officially scare me more than the chemo. I hate worrying about test results!
hugs all!
Victoria
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Hello 2019whatayear (Victoria), it looks like I'm on almost the same chemo treatment plan as you. We will be chemo twinsies! I start AC on Tuesday. I had the CT & bone scan recently, too. The worst thing about the CT scan with contrast was drinking the barium drink. I just suggest cooling it in the fridge and then chugging it as quickly as you can.
Fairydragon, are you still feeling okay after your first round of chemo?
Dvhmouse: Re: hair loss. I've bought a bunch of scarves. This is a very glam one that makes me feel like an old time Hollywood movie star!:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07BCGHYVZ/?coliid=I37...
Then I have some basic beanies for the fall. And some very soft ones caps for at home/sleeping. Got them all from Amazon. I just can't bear the thought of wearing a wig in the summer heat and humidity here in PA. I may just go full bald.
Finana2: Ovaries acting up on top of everything else? I had the exact same thing a few months ago. Ovarian cyst ... had a couple ultrasounds and it eventually resolved. Recently my oncologist just threw out there "Oh, after all your treatment we should probably take out those ovaries, too."
I also have a large fibroid (Freddy Fibroid), so probably should just do a hysterectomy and get rid of all the lady parts. Just ... gaaaah! When will it end?
What are you all planning on doing during chemo to keep busy? I know I'll be really antsy and will hate sitting around all day. I joined Ancestry and was planning on digging into that. I have some new books. Any ideas?
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Last minute panic - what to wear for my first round of chemo? I’m getting my port put in Thursday, but my first round (6 hrs, Taxol, Herceptin, Perjeta) is tomorrow. I’m taking hand and foot chillers, but don’t know what’s best to wear on top. Help! Any other recommendations greatly appreciated!!
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Britgirls - Overall I am doing okay, but fatigue definitely hit me last night. Either as a side effect from the chemo or from stopping the steroids. I slept hard last night. I was feeling a bit shaky yesterday too, again not sure what the cause was. Regardless I took it very easy.
As to your question about during chemo, I guess it depends on what you like to do and whether anyone will be with you. Since my bff was with me, we were giggling and laughing the whole time. She kept me distracted.
And I bought two of those scarves from Amazon too!
Dvhmouse - Dress comfortable would be my recommendation. I was in a bed near a window so it was quite warm. The icy mitts and slippers helped with that, lol. I also had my friend feed me ice chips during the Taxotere infusion. Good luck today! I'm keeping you in my thoughts.
Jjpope1 - Best of luck today! I hope it goes smoothly with no/minimal side effects!
2019whatayear - welcome to our Li'l party.
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good luck today dvhmouse...dress comfortably would be my only suggestion also. Where did you get your hand and foot chillers? I heard the ice chips really help with mouth sores. Let us know how it goes.
Stay strong!
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Good luck dvhmouse!
Britgirls thanks for the heads up on the CT scan drink. It's chilling in my fridge. ugh.
I'm going wig shopping with my BFF on Saturday, I'm in the suburbs of Chicago so we have a ton of wig stores. I want to try some on and find on that looks basically like my current hair so I can wear that to work and when I'm out in the world so people leave me alone. :-) At home I plan to wear lots of caps. I like a good cap. :-)
Since I have braca2 as soon as I'm done with treatments I'm going to be scheduling to say Au Revior to my Ovaries and my tubes. -
To stay busy, I like to listen to podcasts and I have a huge pile of books electronic and physical ready to read. If I get a good signal at the hospital I might try to catch up on some netflix shows. --
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Podcasts! Can you recommend any? I listened to one called Dirty John and it's based on a true story. I was listening to it shaking my head at the crazy choices these people were making. Would definitely recommend if you like true crime stories, and it has a very satisfying conclusion that will have you cheering.
dvhmouse: Wishing you all the best today. Hope it all goes smoothly for you. What hand and foot chillers are you using?
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Britgirls, I loved Dirty John podcast! That woman definitely didn't make good decisions but it sure was fascinating to listen to. I like most true crime podcasts. We should all share movies, tv shows and podcasts to listen to during chemo. My MO said each session of my chemo is 6 hours so I'll definitely be looking for things to watch and listen to.
2019, I have a feeling I'm saying good bye to my female parts also after chemo is over...At my age I say thanks for the usage of them when I needed them and good bye!
Hugs to you dvhmouse...stay strong!
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hello ladies, I am from the starting chemo in May forum. My last T/C will be on Wednesday. Then on to surgery to remove remaining DCIS, then to 3 weeks of radiation. Anyway, after going through chemo 3 times I have some suggestions to possibly mitigate se's. I had a horrible time with chemos 1 and 2. The headache , body aches, fatigue and nausea were terrible. Told my hubby, can't do this anymore. One of the other ladies suggested I ask for extra iv fluids and lower dose of chemo, as well as 3 extra days of steroid along with daily Claritin. You can check with your MO about these suggestions. My MO agreed and lowered my chemo dose by 10% without compromising efficacy. Let me tell you, it made a WORLD of difference. I still had some fatigue, but no aches or nausea. I will most likely have lower dosage as well on Wednesday. Hope this helps someone. Best wishes to all for getting through chemo with minimal issues.
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Dirty John was so good! Here are some podcasts that I subscribe to: Cabinet of Curiosities (very short 10 min. stories) American History Tellers (they do like mini series length history of various events ) American Innovations (example the history of coco-cola - very interesting!) American Scandal (example they did Iran Contra) Bear Brook (true crime) Behind the Bastards (the stories of terrible people) Deadly Manners ( it's a fictional story like a podcast play), Dr. Death (from people who brought you Dirty John) Fatal Voyage- podcast about the death of Natalie Wood, Hit Parade- music history, In the Dark (true crime injustice) Man in the Window (about the Golden State Killer) Murderville, GA (true crime) Over my dead body (true crime) Pod Save the World (global politics) Running from Cops (it's about the TV show cops) Sandra (funny fictional story) Spooked ( stories of 'true' hauntings) The Dream (about the world of MLMs) The Dropout (about the scam of Theranos) The shrink next door (super interesting!) This Podcast will Kill You (all about bacteria, viruses, etc )
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Thanks for sharing that info Updstater!
Fiana, yes that's me thanks for your work over the years lady parts and now you must go!
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2019, thank you so much for that list of podcasts...that should last me a while!
UpstateNYer, thank you for chiming in to give us such great suggestions for chemo relief...I had heard that staying hydrated was super important. I hate the thought of steroids but they seemed to really help you and I know my MO has ordered them for me also. I’ll ask him about the Claritin also. Where are you in NY? We lived in Vermont for 30 years before retiring to Florida.
Wig shopping on Wednesday and then off to Santa Barbara to meet my new grandson before chemo starts on the 24th
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