November 2019 Chemo Club
Comments
-
Oh wow Margo. Where you coughing a lot?? I have a cough but I don’t cough all the time. Was it dry or wet cough you had.
0 -
Eigna.... oh yes I was coughing ALOT! It was very weird because it started as head congestion, post nasal drip, I know this is TMI....sorry, but if I don’t let my nose get to running that cuts down on the coughing.... also I noticed it was more coughing as I move around the house or walking from my car into or out of somewhere. At that point, I would cough for like 15 minutes straight! Exhausting! That much coughing leads me to big time nausea! Over the weekend, I noticed it had moved to my upper chest and I could hear it but couldn’t get it up.... he did listen to my lungs and said I was wheezing .... already coughing less, so will see what the chest X-ray shows tomorrow
0 -
Margo - don’t worry 😉 I need this info. I cough on and off. I can control it. It’s pretty dry. No post nasal drip. Tomorrow I have my radio oncologist appointment. Let’s see what he says and how many treatments I will need.
Margo - woo hoo! You did your last infusion! Good for you. I can’t wait to be in that spot too. Feb 18 is my last infusion.
0 -
ohhhh... and I forgot to mention NO NEULASTA! he said watch carefully for fever.
0 -
Margo - why not a Neulasta
0 -
Eigna: Since the Neulasta purpose is to keep your white cells with ina normal range, SO THAT you’ll be able to get your next treatment as planned.....and yesterday was my last one, it’s not as crucial for mine to be with in normal because I won’t be getting another treatment.... Hope that makes sense.
He did warn me that it would drop but just to watch for fever and no crowds
0 -
Margo - ok. I see. When will you see him again? When are you starting rads? Sorry I’m bombarding with questions.
0 -
I see the RO in a month, see MO in two months.
No problem with the questions
0 -
Margo congratulations on your last infusion... two more for me if my liver doesn’t get in the way. I am having such a hard time bouncing back this time. My blood counts are low, so I’m sure that’s why. I feel my muscles wasting away while I just sit around and read and watch TV! I haven’t put on makeup nor a wig in over a week. A nutritionist is meeting with me during my next infusion and I’m hoping she can give me advice that I’ll also be able to use after this is all over. Hang in there everyone
0 -
Hello everyone! Day 10 of cycle no 3 TC. Feeling great! I’m about to do some walking on my treadmill!
Met the radio oncologist yesterday. Will be doing a scan of my chest in March before I start rads and then I will begin rads. So it looks like end April I should be done with rads. Just have to get through my last infusion...one step at a time!
0 -
Round 2 Day 4 Taxol
This is my 3rd attempt in 3 days to write an update, but every time I went to submit it I hit the wrong button and lost everything lol! I have officially fallen off the steroid pony once again and crashed but it's easier to deal with when you know it's coming. Not sure how long I will be dragging my butt this time due to the cumulative effect, but hopefully just a few days. Without even asking about it, my oncologist lowered the Taxol dose this round to 80% as she is not happy with the numbness I have in my fingertips and sometimes my toes. She said the treatment is meant to improve our lives, not suffer with crappy side effects for who knows how long. I like her
She also directed me to only take half the Lapelga (Neulasta) shot this time. Hopefully that means the side effects from that are much improved as well. So, aside from the fatigue and muscle aches that accompany this treatment, I am still so grateful to not be dealing with the nausea, diarrhea, or that itchy rash that came with AC.Only 2 more rounds to go and it looks like my last one might fall on my birthday lol! Oh well, it's not a milestone birthday (48) and I will get to ring the bell so that's something to look forward to.
In other news, my Dad had his surgery to remove the 2 cancerous tumours in his bladder and all went well. He is now cancer-free and will not require chemo or radiation. He will be followed closely for the next few years but everything looks good for now. That was such a relief!
A couple inches of snow fell yesterday and we are expecting a little bit more today. There is something comforting about the snow outside that makes me feel less guilty for laying around and sleeping so much.
I have read your updates and am wishing you all well with what you're going through right now.
Margo- congrats on your last infusion. That is wonderful news!
Amyhey- I am sorry to hear your liver enzymes are so elevated but I am sure they will return to normal over time. The liver is quite a resilient organ and yours is working very hard to rid your body of all the poison it's getting right now. I hope you see improvement very soon!
Eigna- glad to hear your treatment is going along so well
Take care,
Charlie
0 -
Charlie, I have had that problem too, lol. If you highlight everything and hit control C before you submit it will save it and you can cut and paste again using control V. Please let me know how the reduced Neulasta affects you. I want a reduced dose too, going on Monday. Glad your dad is doing well! I agree, I actually get summer depression, because I feel I have to be doing something all the time, but in winter it feels good to stay inside. Although I hate to say I miss the snow a little. We have not had sled worthy snow in NJ this year or last, and my kids are 12 and 14, so not much time left. My son joined the ski club, so sledding is probably too babyish for him and no family ski trip this year. We went to Poconoes 2 years ago and got stuck in the car for 13 hours in the middle of a bad noreaster storm, lol.
0 -
Thanks JRNJ! I will definitely copy and paste from now on since clearly I have no control over my fingers or brain lol!
It's day 5 today and I noticed some pains during the night with my hips and pelvis and a little bit with my one knee but so far that's it! Hopefully that's the only side effect from Neulasta this time
Stuck in a car for 13 hours in a storm? No thanks! I like watching the snow fall from inside a warm house - I don't actually enjoy being out in it lol! Sorry you didn't get a lot of snow (so far) this year, but at least you're not being slammed like some eastern provinces in Canada are. They even had to call in the military to clear the snow and get them out of their houses!
0 -
We have snow here in Quebec! We got hit with 25 Cmof snow!!!
0 -
Charliebug: I've never heard of houses being snowed in! But when we were stuck in PA, the SWAT team came through and literally picked up cars and moved them to the side so they could get through to an emergency, it was crazy, and a vacation we'll remember forever for sure. Hotel was out of power. Only skied one day, but stuck there for 5 because tow truck broke my brake line. Went to indoor waterpark instead lol.
Eigna: In America that is 10 inches, lol, wish we had that. But my son is skiing in PA tomorrow, so they will have snow there.
0 -
Guys, this chemo really kicked my butt. I've barely gotten out of bed since Tuesday night. I've been nauseous, no appetite, my back hurts... I threw up a couple of times yesterday because I thought I'd be OK without taking the nausea meds, but five days later I was still nauseous. I'm in bed right now, but I'm hoping to get up and shower, walk around a little bit. I'm kind of scared to try because all week I just couldn't. OMG how is this chemo so different from the other?
0 -
Dixie- I am so sorry you're going through such a horrible time. Is this is the adriamycin you're on now? It is a bugger! They don't call it the Red Devil for nothing. I guess you know not to skip any of the anti-nausea medications now. You need to really stay on top of those. Based on my experience, you should be coming out of the worst of it very soon and the second week is so much easier to deal with. Definitely ask your oncologist if there's anything you can take or do to make this easier on yourself.
Hang in there- you can do this!!
0 -
Adriamycin and Cisplatin. Cisplatin isn't on the list of chemo meds to choose from in MyProfile. Today is easier, other than my lower back still acting up. Still not much of an appetite. I had my son get some smoothies for us, and I drank all of that.
Thanks for the pep talk, it does help. This was a rough week.
0 -
Dixie02 - so sorry you are going through this. Do you take the Neulasta too with this chemo or not ? Hope you feel better soon. Hang in there
0 -
No Neulasta, and no steroid pills (I do get an IV steroid). It's making the first 4 infusions feel like a cake walk. Hopefully my body will be semi-used to it for the second round.
0 -
Today was better, but I'm still worn down. I threw up again because I thought I'd be fine without a nausea pill. How long am I supposed to take them?
Husband picked up some Pho for us, and that helped a lot. I can probably list on one hand everything I've eaten for the week, so I know that I need to eat. I just didn't want to.
I hope you all are doing well, and enjoying your weekend.
0 -
Dixie- I would definitely take the anti-nausea pills regularly (every 4-6 hours, even through the night) for the first week and then take them as needed at the first hint of nausea going forward. They say it is easier to keep the nausea at bay by taking your meds regularly whether you feel nauseous or not than it is to try and control the nausea once you have it. By the time I got really good at this, this treatment was done lol. I am glad you were able to eat your Pho. I hope you can find other things you're able to tolerate. I found homemade soup was a life saver for me but everybody is different.
0 -
Hi everyone....so sorry to be absent for the whole week....the last treatment week went ok...no appetite, no taste buds....finally yesterday things started to taste a little better.
My chest X-ray last week was negative, but I continue to cough. I’ve had a week of high dose steroids( 20 mg/day)....cough syrup, didn’t help much..... as long as I am still, I don’t cough but when I move around I cough. ...MO says it’s from the Taxotere irritating my lungs.... last week he cut my dose by25%.... I just wonder if my lungs are damaged permanently and if that would even show on a chest X-ray? Should I push for a scan? I fear I won’t be able to hold my breath during rads without coughing! I’m probably getting irrational here.
Y’all I’m so sorry if I have already mentioned all of this previously. I hope everyone is feeling better, looks like several of you had a very rough week last week.
Anyone having a treatment this week? Love to all0 -
Hi Margo, I’m sorry to hear the cough is not getting better. I don’t think you are being irrational to request further testing. Our bodies have failed us and if we are worried about something, our doctors should do whatever puts our minds at ease, within reason. I’m having an ultrasound done of my abdomen on Thursday because I’m worried about my liver enzymes. My doctor doesn’t expect to see anything, but knows it will help me to stop worrying.
I have just not been able to bounce back after my last treatment. So fatigued, and yesterday(11days out) I had to take Zofran, which I usually only need for the first couple of days.I’m meeting with a nutritionist also on Thursday. If she gives me any great advice, I’ll share with everyone.
My next treatment is the 19th. ❤️😊
0 -
I definitely will be making some brothy soup for the next cycle. That's a good idea.
I'm going to try a different nausea pill tomorrow. I was prescribed two at the beginning of my first chemo cycles, but I've only needed to take one (zofran) and not even that often. This time, while on zofran, I still feel nauseous but I don't throw up. Which is good, but I wonder if the other one will work better. We'll see.
Margo, how do your lungs feel when you inflate them with a deep breath? When does rads start for you?
0 -
Dixie, so sorry. How long will you be on Adriamycin? Hope it short. What nausea meds did the give you? What are they putting in the iv? You should ask for a list. They can put a lot of anti nausea in iv. I was over medicated
Margo and Amy, sorry for your pains hope they get better
Me, had treatment yesterday. Very frustrated with inadequate medical care. I realize I'm pretty healthy and grateful for that. Liver enzymes a little high. I asked head nurse not my nurse why they weren't being tested every treatment and she said they would be now. I realized today they are sending it to the drs own out of network lab Instead of my required lab which Is why obnoxious nurse said insurance didn't cover it. Regarding Neulasta it turned into a major big deal just to get someone to give me options. They told me there is no such thing as reduced dose,Charlie I wish I had my own syringe. They would not tell me about NEUPOGEN until I asked. They said switching plans is a fight With insurance. I am skipping it this week and they will test me next week. I am calling insurance today I don't believe them.
0 -
JRNJ- that's good you are looking into this with your insurer. That is so frustrating when you aren't given any information unless you ask for it and you have to know the specific questions before you get an answer which might be wrong! Arggh! Of COURSE there is such a thing as a reduced dose of Neulasta- it's called not giving the whole shot. Good grief....
Let us know how the talk with your insurer goes. Is there anyone else you can discuss this with aside from that nurse?
0 -
I have four cycles of adriamycin and Cisplatin. The first one knocked me down, but I do notice it working already. I wish they had started me on this first. I'm not sure what they're putting in the IV this time for nausea and steroids, I'll check my paperwork.
0 -
Hey ladies, going to the hospital tom for blood test and MO appointment. Chemo on Tuesday. Last one! Can't wait.
Dixie, Charliebug, Margo - how are you ladies doing?
0 -
Greetings all, go tomorrow for Taxol # 7 only 5 more after tomorrow. I try to tell everyone to drink as much water as possible on the day you are infused have been drinking at least 2LT of water before the infusion and 8 ounces every hour after I get home for that day. I think that is what has helped me the most. I did the AC for 4 cycles and had no nausea, numbness or any of the bad SE. No pains just the nose bleeds from the dry nose. But I usually get those during the winter anyway from the dry air. My MO did not give me the Neulasta and I haven't missed it. My WBC are doing good not dropping too low and always rebounding. I always take the nausea meds they gave me the first and second day, not that I have needed it I just believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The steroids do hop me up some but the nausea meds help me sleep so it balances it's self out For the Taxol they give me a steroid and benadry and pepcid before the chemo and it has worked for me I also ice my hands and feet during the infusion so no numbness yet.
Just ready to get this over with.
Keep the faith ladies,
0
