Starting Chemo September 2019
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welcome db4ll. I'm looking forward to the holidays, too, because I'm supposed to be done by then. Something extra to celebrate!
Definitely take something to sleep, Snaffle. Lots of rest will help you get through this. You will power through and we are here to cheer you on as you do. You are not alone.
Edited to add: CT scans were clear! I just read the results on the portal. Now just waiting on bone scan results. At least I can sleep better tonight knowing lungs, liver, etc. are okay.
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What a relief LMS, so glad to hear
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Welcome, db4ll! We're glad you've joined our community, and hope this can be a place of support and encouragement for you as you begin treatment!
The Mods
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good luck today Snaffle, I hope it goes well
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Thinking of you today, Snaffle. I hope your first infusion was easy peasy and you're resting now.
Still no call from my doctor, but bone scan results on the portal look awesome - no areas of concern. So, on to my first infusion one week from tomorrow!
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Port placement went well. Really not bad. But now that lidocaine is wearing off, I feel like a horse has stepped on my neck.
Chemo went well. No reactions to drugs going in. Zonked from IV Ativan. Well, on top of the sedation this morning.
I’m just wiped out. But actually doing better than I thought I might
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snaffle
I’m glad to hear things went well today. I hope your side effects are minimal and easily managed. Hopefully you get a good nights rest tonight.
Tracy
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How are you feeling today snaffle?
I hope your side effects are minimal.
Tracy
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My neck very sore from port placement. Tylenol helps. Biggest effects from chemo seem to be headache and gastric reflux. No nausea or vomiting. Though, as part of pre-meds yesterday I got something for nausea that should last three days.
Get my Fulphila shot this afternoon. All in all I don’t feel great. But it could be a lot worse. So, I am thankful
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Sept Chemo people: If nobody has mentioned FASTING it is soooooo helpful to addressing bad GI side effects (nausea, constipation, etc).
You can fast briefly (3 days/chemo day is middle day) or you can semi-fast longer (5 days low cal (~800 cal), low protein, mostly-veggie eating/ w/ chemo day also middle day). I did it for my chemos, and found it really really helpful. I did the 5 day mimicking version and it wasn't hard... three 250-300 calorie mini-meals (like a poached egg w/ avocado & salsa, a veggie salad w/ small piece of salmon, a small veggie soup or bone broth, a handful of almonds...)
The GI tract is thus pretty clear and less stressed when it goes wonky from the chemo. But also the fasting itself tells your healthy cells to hunker down and go quiescent while the malignant cells get very stressed and hungry. Thus it is protective to healthy cells and there is less uptake of chemo where it is not wanted.
Maybe I was lucky too but I have had no serious SEs (other than anemia by the end) and no lasting problems. No fingernail or skin problems, no neuropathy, no other long term SEs. The last three chemos, I did not bother with the zofran. I felt mostly super tired and foggy mentally but that's not bad if you lie down and rest. I felt very weird/food averse/pooped on days 4 & 5 after chemo day, but not exactly "sick" and definitely not in distress.
If you fast, it is VERY important to "re-feed" at the end of the fast with nutrient dense foods including healthy carbs. The re-feed causes a surge in the immune system as everything ramps back up.
You can google "Dr Valter Longo, USC fasting mimicking diet." In mice, it boosted response to chemo as well They are testing it in humans now to confirm whether people get better chemo results in a clinical trial.
ALSO Keep MOVING. Walk, run, swim whatever. It will be counter intuitive but it will help you process the medicine out and it will keep your body in "live!" mode. Even on a rotten day you can walk around the block a time or two. I had two exercise friends who made me show up and do our normal routines together (with a lot more resting). I am so grateful to them for that. I was able to sustain most of my normal ex until the very end (the last 2 chemos). I had a consult from an Integrative MO in Chicago who prescribed interval training. It's important.
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Glad to hear you're doing okay, Snaffle. I was very sore from the port placement, too. It got a lot better on day 4.
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SantaBarbarian - Thanks for the info, I had read about this several places. I've stocked up on items that meet the criteria for the semi-fasting and will eat multiple small "meals a day" and keep caloric intake low.
Snaffle - Glad to hear that your Side Effects are manageable thus far. Hopefully you get relief from the reflux, did your MO say you could take anything for that like Prevacid?
LMS - hopefully your area is spared most of the effects of the Hurricane and your first chemo proceeds as scheduled.
I'm getting my flu shot this week (along with my kids and husband), then my first infusion is next Wednesday.
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I’m on Protonix twice a day anyway. She recommended sublingual klonopin to help. It has seemed to. I wish I didn’t keep getting hiccups. They are wearing me out.
But even with all this, I feel I’m doing better than expected. I even did 35 minutes on my recumbent bike. That’s down from my usual 45 minutes. But, I’ll take it
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Hello everyone, I am a little over 6 weeks past my 4 T/C infusions. Did not need a port. Infusions went quite smoothly and I was treated very well by the hospital staff. Zofran worked better than Compazine for me. Although, nausea was not a huge issue for me. I tried to eat smaller meals. One good piece of advice I would have for everyone is if se's unbearable, ask MO to decrease dosage. I swear that they "overdo" the initial dosages. My first 2 cycles with full dose gave me horrendous se's. I could not even get up to use the bathroom. Horrible flu like symptoms with a migraine that did not subside even with the heavy drugs. I felt like a gnome was chipping away at my insides. I don't mean to scare anyone. I asked MO to decrease my dose and she did by 10% for the final 2 txts. Efficacy was not compromised either. I don't think I would have taken last 2 txts if she refused to lower dose. Also , ask for the larger bag of fluids during infusion. That also made a HUGE difference in se's, I believe. I still did not feel great, but had much less fatigue and no unbearable flu like condition. Hair is starting to grow back. Love my 2 wigs and scarves/snoods. I have not had an easy journey so far (3 surgeries, chemo, starting rads Sept), but am keeping my spirits high as I feel the end is in sight for txts. needed. I wish everyone here a smooth journey. Best of luck to all. Praying for all of you. 🔆 Pat
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Thank you, Pat! Good luck with rads. You are almost done!
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Well, the nausea has hit. Took Zofran. Just trying to nurse fluids today.
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Thanks LMS458412, good luck to you too in dealing with C/T. Hope your se's are minimal. Keep in touch, God Bless. Pat
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sorry to hear you are dealing with Nausea snaffle. I hope the Zoltan provides relief.
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Snaffle I too am TNBC. There's a pretty active "Calling all TNs" thread in the TNBC forum for any questions specific to TNBC. I had a great outcome from chemo. Hang in there and throw everything at it!!
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Hi everyone!! I'm starting AC-T on Sept 10th. Oncologist offered DD taxol which I am considering because then I would be done before the end of the year if all goes well. I am worried about the side effects though. I don't have to decide yet so if anyone has an opinion I would love to hear it. Glad to have everyone to share this with
Snaffle--hope you are feeling better. I think its good to keep track of each cycle so that you can stay ahead of the side effects with the meds.
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The Adriamycin and Cytoxan are kicking my butt. Not nauseous today. But still finding it hard to eat much. My Oncologist said these four cycles would be nasty. She wasn’t kidding
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Snaffle
Hopefully you start bouncing back soon. I’ve heard days 3-5 are the worst. Thinking of you.
Tracy
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Welcome Eveldon!
We’ll get though this together, we can do it.
Tracy
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My chemo start date is up in the air now since my area of Florida is in the "cone of uncertainty" from Hurricane Dorian. It may be pushed back to next week. I'll keep y'all updated for the schedule. Fingers crossed we don't get too much damage and the power stays on in the area. It would be nice to stay on schedule!
I hope you're using the weekend to rest, Snaffle, and that you feel better soon.
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I’m improving except for one pesky problem. Constipation has hit me hard. Taking Miralax and Senakot for three days now. Minimal results today. And I mean minimal. Gosh, it’s always something.
In all other ways I am feeling better
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Snaffle-Thanks for the update. I woke up thinking of you. Hope the constipation resolves.
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Magnesium citrate at bedtime is a beg help on constipation 400mg capsules take 2-3.
Also, heat or hot water bottle on abdomen is helpful.
Maybe give fasting a try next time. I hated being constipated and of course the zofran etc are constipating... the whole problem is lessened with a pre chemo water & bone broth fast if you are able to do it.
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I start chemo on 9/9, TCH+P for 6 cycles then only H+P for the remainder of a year.
Port-wise, I was 'happy' that I had port placement along with UMX and TE (one anesthesia, 2 surgeons).
I've consulted, read, bought, organized, planned and prayed about all I can to prepare.
The best of outcomes to us all
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Welcome Turkeypoult
I too have researched, read, bought, organized, and planned as much as possible. All that’s left to do is power through.
We’ve all got this
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LMS
I hope the hurricane stays well off shore and everything goes well.
We vacation in Jekyll Island GA (just north of Jacksonville, and I’m hoping the hurricane misses it too. The island just finished beach replenishment needed from Matthew
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