Starting Chemo September 2019
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Welcome AngieB. As Tracy said, we will get through this together!
So sorry to hear you're having a bad time with constipation, Snaffle. Someone on this board mentioned Milk of Magnesia and Prune Juice together to clear things out. Never tried it myself, though. Just keep trying stuff and definitely follow up with the doctors. I hope you get relief very, very soon!
I am on schedule for TC #1 tomorrow morning. I took my steroid pills today and had my cold cap fitting in the afternoon. I got a tour of the treatment room and saw where I'll be sitting. Hubby is going with me to keep me company this time! We've got a heated blanket, backpack full of entertainment and snacks, and a small cooler for the ice packs for my hands and feet. I'm going to a flippin' popsicle tomorrow! But, I only have to do it 4 times. I will get through it! I am getting Neulasta OnPro, too, so I'll take my Claritin tomorrow to prep for Friday's injection and then keep taking it. I really want to avoid bone pain. I also ate very lightly today and will do the same tomorrow and Friday. I hope it helps.
Well, off to bed. I'll try to check in tomorrow and let you know how it went.
EDITED TO ADD: It's after midnight, so technically my infusion is today! ACK!
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LMS
I'm glad to hear you treatment is continuing as scheduled. You'll do great! I sucked on ice chips during the Taxotere in hopes of warding off mouth sores - I'll post updates each day and share side effects, etc.
I did add colace,miralax, ginger capsules, and Prevacid to my prescription regimen tonight in an attempt at a preemptive strike against side effects (all with permission from my MO. We'll see if it helps or not).
Thinking of you later today
Tracy
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today is 9/5 and I will be starting Doxil. This will be my third drug, taxol and Taxotere didn't work. I found out I had breast cancer in 2009 and had a lumpectomy. Soon after had radiation and during this time found out it had spread to my bones. Fast forward 2019 Cancer invaded my spine and I had 2 - 8 hour surgeries. Now it is my liver. The first two chemo didn't work so now I am trying Doxil. the cancer is also in my right hip, which has been radiated before. I am so so upset about this. Has someone else experience this type of cancer and how did you treat it. I'm a desperatly looking for answers
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Forever55
Welcome! Have you visited the stage IV forum? I think they would be a wonderful resource for you as they have experience with what you are going through and are a fountain of knowledge and support. I've posted the link below.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8
((Hugs))
Traacy
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Day 2 of TC
Woke up with a slight headache, which they warned me I could get from the Zofran. Other than that no real side effects yet. I've been keeping small, low calorie foods in my stomach and taking ginger. I also pre-dosed with Colace and miralax last night to hopefully head off constipation.
So I did have one embarrassing issue. I've been drinking water like crazy (with flavoring). Last night I was so hoped up from the extra steroids they gave me during chemo that I couldn't sleep. To solve this I just doubled my anxiety meds and I was out.
I woke up this morning to what I originally thought was a bad night sweat only to realize that, no, i had slept so good I had a bed wetting incident. Guess I'll go get some overnight depends garments
LMS - hope your treatment goes well today.
Snaffle - I hope you get major relief from your constipation SOON.
Tracy
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I'm still sitting in the treatment chair, but my infusion is done. I just have to wear the cold cap for 2 hours afterwards. Timer says only 25 more minutes to go. So, just relaxing and hydrating.
I had no reactions to the Taxotere or Cytoxan. My tummy feels a little upset, maybe from lunch. My head feels a little weird, but that could be from the cold. Who knows? But, overall I feel quite normal. I'm going to enjoy the rest of the day and then settle in for 4 days (or more) of major resting and fighting off side effects. I'll check in to let you know how that's going!
Wow, Tracy, that's crazy that happened! If I can't sleep tonight and take my Xanax, I'll throw on a maxi pad as a precaution. (Heaven knows, I won't need the super size pack I got from Costco for much longer). Thanks for sharing the good, bad and ugly of this. It helps to know what can happen and not be shocked. Makes this crazy experience a bit easier.
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FTM
Thinking of you with your first treatment tomorrow, I hope it goes well. Check in tomorrow if you can and let us know how you’re doing.
((Hugs))
Tracy
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Ditto what Tracy said. Good luck FTM!
Leah
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Thanks guys. The worst is leaving my baby for the day but his Dad did a really good job on the day of my surgery so I feel less worried about that. I’ll let you know how it’s goes. Hope you are all doing well and staying positive
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My saga continues. I’m basically doing a colonoscopy prep now as nothing else has worked.
Enemas were not possible due to my very low white blood count. I’m sure to be up all night trying to resolve this.
Labs tomorrow afternoon. I’m exhausted
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oh snaffle, I’m sorry. I find it interesting that an enema is ok but not a suppository.
I’m praying you get relief soon
Tracy
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Snaffle, I’m so sorry!! Hope the colonoscopy prep does the trick
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I hope you get some relief today, Snaffle!
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I’m almost done with the first chemo! Feeling a bit tired and have a metallic taste in my mouth but everything went smoothly.
Snaffle, hoping the pipes are working better today. My chemo apparently causes diarrhea so we will see what happens.
Hoping LMS and TMH are still doing good after and wishing all the ladies starting on Monday best of luck. I’ve been thinking of the chemo killing off the cancer which helps my anxiety about all the side effects
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Thank you all for the support. I feel badly that I am unable to encourage the rest of you at least for now. Colonoscopy prep definitely worked. Up until 2am in the bathroom. Got through the night. Then major disaster in bed and on the way to bathroom as I got up. My husband is a saint. So much mess everywhere.
He’s out now buying me incontinence briefs. I hope I can get to the infusion center for labs unscathed. Still very little warning an event is near. This too shall pass.
Thank you all so much for your good thoughts
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Day 3 of TC
So far so good....
Yesterday I had a persistent mild headache, I was tired (not terribly), and the constipation started. I took 3 100mg collace and 2 Senacot-s last night and had a BM this morning.
Today I still have a persistent mild headache and I'm still tired (not terribly). No nausea yet, and no bone aches from the Neulasta yet. I've been taking ibuprofen regularly for the headache so maybe that and the Claritin are keeping bone aches away.
I am going to attempt to chaperone my son's marching bang tonight at the football game, we'll see how the day goes.
FTM - glad your first treatment is done, check in with us and let us know how it's going.
Snaffle, i’m glad you made progress with the constipation
Hoping for the best for all of us, we've got this!
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snaffle
As undignified as resolution is to some of these issues, I am so glad you are getting relief! we are all here to lean on each other.
Tracy
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Snaffle fasting or fasting-mimicking might be a big help to you... I am not sure why many people resist the idea, as when you are sick AFTER chemo, there will be a few days of not eating then.... I decided I'd rather front load my non-eating, and have low SEs.
A problem is the meds they give you to reduce nausea do cause constipation. I found the easiest way through to be very, very light eating pre chemo, thru chemo, and a day or two beyond. You enter the chemo with very little in your GI tract. Look up Dr Valter Longo, USC. It appears to make chemo more effective, as well as to protect healthy cells and systems from chemo damage. My constipation was the worse SE during chemo #1. Very painful -- felt like gravel in my stomach. I fasted for #2-#6 and did not experience any further GI problems. Did not take any nausea meds for last 3 chemos either.
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interesting, I haven’t had nausea or needed the meds. I HAVE been taking ginger capsules (1000mg morning and evening) since the day before chemo so that may be helping
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Snaffle, I’m glad your problem has resolved!! You are right - this is temporary!!
TMH - Thanks for the suggestion on the ginger tablets. I’m interested in using ginger as an alternative to the anti-nausea meds that might make me sleepy. I was unsure of the dosing. I don’t want to be a PollyAnna about nausea but would like to try and make it through the day on ginger and leave the big guns to the night.
I may try fasting mimicking as well.
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Snaffle, so glad you got things moving! It sucks that it was such a mess, but better that than having it seriously impacted. This is temporary and you'll get through it!
FTM, I am glad #1 went okay for you!
Good luck on Monday, Turkeypoult and Juniebird!
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Day 2 of TC #1
Last night was mostly uneventful. I went to my son's soccer practice, then had some chicken noodle soup for dinner and tried to hydrate a lot. By bedtime, I noticed I was hardly peeing and my feet were swollen. I propped them up while I slept and they are much better today. And, even with all the steroids in me, I got about 7 hours of sleep.
I had a 2 hour nap this morning. Besides feeling tired and a little swollen, I am okay. I did a few light chores, but mostly just resting. I'm trying to eat light, but I'm actually quite hungry, so trying to find balance. I still haven't pooped today. I've had some prunes. I will start the Senokot-s tonight if nothing happens this evening.
My Neulasta OnPro injector turned on an hour and a half sooner than the nurse told us, so I had to rush and get my second Claritin in (took one yesterday, too). I'm on the sofa resting now as it injects and praying the bone pain will be mild. I have nothing planned the next 4 days. I'm ready to rest more, hydrate, moisturize, and all that jazz!
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I started chemo today. I’ll have 4 rounds of AC (one every two weeks) and then 12 weekly Taxol treatments. I started at 10 am and was done by 12. I don’t feel awful, but my head feels “heavy” almost like my sinuses are clogged and I am very tired. Taking a Claritin as I am getting a Neulasta shot tomorrow morning and I really don’t want to have horrible bone pain.
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Cat029, you and I are on the same treatment. I’m a little over a week ahead of you. I had a 3 day headache after the first AC cycle. It was not fun. Hope yours doesn’t last as long. I took Allegra for my Fulphila shot since I already take it every day. Bone pain was not bad. Just general body aches.
Congratulations on getting through your first AC cycle
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welcome Cat029!
Glad your first infusion went well, I hope the next few days are smooth.
Tracy
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Good Afternoon everyone
TC day 4
Well, my mild persistent headache has turned into a raging migraine thanks to Neulasta. I’ve taken some excedrin and plan on sleeping it off. I’m still tired, and my stomach is a little upset but no nausea and not enough to take meds.
So today will be a lazy day, I’m just going to rest.
Hope everyone is doing well
Tracy
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Hope your headache is better, Tracy, and that you have been able to rest.
Low key day for me too. Just eating blandly and hydrating. My Oncologist called last night that my white blood cell count was coming back up. A good sign. I should be a go come Tuesday am labs for Wednesday 2nd cycle of AC.
The trick will be to get on any sign of constipation quickly. I know better what to eat now. I made some errors of judgment last time. My goal is to stay on the chemo schedule no matter what I have to do. This last week has not been fun. My system still all out of sorts because of the laxatives I took even before the colonoscopy prep. I feel like someone ran Draino through me. I’m just worn out. Messing the bed yesterday and all the subsequent laundries and getting the bed back together did not help my energy level. Though I have to say my husband has been great! I would be lost without him. He even drove 35 miles out of the way to Whole Foods today to buy me soups that I can tolerate. He’ A gem.
.i hope everyone has a fairly restful rest of the weekend
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Welcome Cat029. I hope you're doing okay after your first treatment.
I hope the Excedrin and nap made you feel better, Tracy.
Sorry you're still out of sorts, Snaffle. I'm glad your blood test was good. I think we all want to stay on schedule so we can be done as soon as possible!
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Day 3 of TC #1
I felt okay this morning. I had a light breakfast and a shower. Since then, I've been feeling a bit more tired and achy. Not horrible, but not great. I managed to wash the dishes and do a load of laundry. I also had a long nap.
I still haven't pooped. More Senakot and prunes have been consumed. I'm not hurting yet because I've been eating lightly, but that will change if I don't go by tomorrow!
Otherwise, just spending the rest of the evening relaxing. I haven't felt nauseous, no rashes or mouth sores yet. I expect something will pop up this week, but hoping it's tolerable.
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Hi all
I’ve slept a good bit of the day and feel much better. Headache is gone, aches are very mild, so rest is what I needed.
I’m stopping the laxatives, I think I’ve made it through the constipation, and now they’re just causing issues. My mouth is a little sore, so I’m sucking on ACT dry mouth lozenges which helps. So far, I haven’t needed any of the prescriptions they gave me for nausea so I’m counting myself lucky so far.
Tomorrow is day 5, the worse days are supposed to be days 3-5, so hopefully i’ll be headed for the upswing in feeling better in time for work Monday.
Hope everyone is having a restful day
Tracy
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