November 2019 Chemo Club
Comments
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Ok, Dixie was brave enough to share, so I will too, though I am neither as young nor as beautiful as she is. (Though with a wig and some makeup I hold my own for a 52 year old fluffy girl!). My shave was as close as my Supercuts chick could go. Mine feels like soft stubble, probably because my hair is fairly fine. Don't know if my DIY cold capping will cause some of it to stay or not. Guess I won't really know for awhile. I'm planning on wearing a wig to work tomorrow, but I'm also bringing a scarf and a hat in case I can't hack the wig all day. Gonna have to get up early to do at least some basic makeup to pull it off. An experiment in terror!0 -
Also, Maggie from the September club - thanks for the response about the sore scalp!
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Oh, I knew that heartburn wasn't heart related, but one night it was so bad that I got paranoid. My husband used to always have zantac in the house, but now he's got tums which isn't much. I'll give Pepsid a try. Thanks for the advice.
While looking into nausea meds, and how they work, I learned that they block the vomiting center in your brain. I had no idea.
Karen, I'm not normally much of a jewelry wearer, but earrings that dangle help make a chemo hat look a little more put together.
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I thought I would join the shaved head picture club 
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Looking good, Ladies!
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hey y’all! Day 8 has been me feeling like my old self again...I did chores around the house and took no naps.Got my hair cut really short, not shaved but I’ll do that at first sign of shedding.
Was Day 8 and beyond good for my fellow TC folks?i so hope to have good days for the next two weeks!
I hope everyone has had a good day!
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Great pics everyone. Hope everyone has a great week. Next week will be my turn to sit on the chemo chair. Feeling anxious.
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TC day 20
I love everyone's pics! Thanks for sharing! (Charlie, I love that you have a cat calendar in the background. Note that my photo has one too!)
So yesterday was my first day at work after shaving my head. I went all out with a wig, makeup, a new top, everything I could to make myself feel good...and it worked! I was actually comfortable all day in the wig and putting on a little eyeliner, mascara, and powder was easier than I thought it would be now that I don't have to take the time to do my hair in the morning! I have also been having really good physical days (except for afternoon fatigue) the last few days, so that helped a ton too. Margo, I think you should probably have good days until your next infusion! The only reason I did not was because my cold hit me so hard. Now that that is over, I feel much more like myself.
Dixie, I guess the nausea meds thing makes sense. I'd read that most of them are psychoactive drugs (which I swear I need more of!), so turning off the nausea from the brain instead of the stomach is logical. So interesting!
Tomorrow I go back for my second infusion and will be doing that sans wig since I'm cold capping. It will be interesting to see how I feel out in public without the wig, even if it's just at the cancer center. I've noticed that there are not too many bald women in the chemo room, but I haven't seen anyone else cold capping yet, so there are probably a lot of women in wigs.
Eigna, we are all behind you for your turn in the chemo chair next week. Remind me again what type of treatment you are getting.
Hope everyone has a "feel good" day today. I'm making the most out of what may be my last for the next four or five, and looking forward to hopefully feeling back to fairly normal by next week some time.
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Karen....your wig is soooo cute! It looks great, glad you felt comfortable with it. Are you cold capping with a company or DIY? Hoping all goes well tomorrow with your treatment. Are you doing hands and feet also?
Last night my feet felt like they were on fire. Hope it isn’t neuropathy starting.
Who else has a treatment Christmas week
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Karen- LOVE the cat calendar (high five). You look fabulous!
I have had a pretty rough week since my last infusion (Dec 2nd) with stomach cramps and diarrhea and just feeling crappy. I feel better today and managed to sleep through the night with only one trip to the bathroom which is amazing. I still feel a little tired but the cramping seems to have stopped and no nausea today. My hair stubble doesn't appear to be shedding yet, nor any other hair anywhere else. I have felt the tightening and sensitivity on my scalp but it doesn't last long. I would like for it to all just fall out and be done with lol. This round has also led to some depression which usually doesn't affect me or keep me down long. This is due to not feeling well mostly but also some family stuff and the news from another site that one of our breast cancer soldiers lost her battle. That hit me hard. Even though my outlook is so good and I have been tolerating everything pretty well for the most part, it just reminded me of my own mortality and that led to some dark moments. Sorry if this is a downer of an update!
My next treatment is Dec 16th so I am hoping the cumulative effect doesn't make the SEs last through Christmas. It is my favourite holiday and I would hate to be dragging my butt but all I can do is keep on top of my meds, eat well, stay hydrated and get some exercise and hope that does the trick.
Stay strong and positive! I am doing my best to take that advice
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Thanks ladies! Yes, I'm DIY cold capping, along with cold mittens and cold socks. Hoping to avoid neuropathy especially since I am already clutzy and also live alone in a two story house with three evil kittens who already try to trip me down the stairs daily as it is! My doctor says that even if you get a little neuropathy during treatment, it generally subsides after finishing, so I'm sure you'll be fine in a few months Margo. Feet on fire is no fun.
Charlie, I am soooo sorry for your issues this week. I can totally sympathize with everything except losing your friend. Depressed, uncomfortable, just generally miserable. Losing your friend just magnifies everything times ten. But your outlook on everything is always so positive, I know you will bounce back soon. And until then, lean on us. We got you!0 -
Thank you so much for your very kind words Karen. I do try to keep positive for sure. So on a positive note, I went out grocery shopping today and bought all the ingredients to make hamburger soup. Then I came home and I made it! The soup will simmer for hours and the house will smell amazing and I will have enough soup to get me through the next rough patch. I am pretty tired after all that activity but looking forward to my man coming over after work and having some soup and watching a movie.
Omg do I know about evil kitties trying to trip you. I swear, the little old "cat ladies" don't die naturally...their cats take them out eventually lol.
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Karen - you look great with or without your wig ! Just beautiful. I’m doing four cycles of TC. Just nervous if I’ll be able to take care of my kids and my family. This weekend I need to prepare some meals for next week and will be doing the Christmas cookies with the kids. Everything ahead of time so I don’t need to worry anything else. Hopefully I will feel good on Christmas Day to enjoy the day with Family.
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Hello Everyone:
Just offering my best wishes to all of you during chemotherapy.
My wife started on November 15th, after having a lumpectomy in September and a thyroidectomy (she has breast and thyroid cancer). It is Stage 2 breast cancer, Grade 3. She is ER/PR positive, Her2 negative. We are facing additional surgery after the chemo (axillary dissection). 2 out of 2 lymph nodes were removed during her lumpectomy. She is on the FEC-D regimen. She is 43 years old.
She decided to cut her hair last week as her hair was coming out. We got our 2 daughters involved (ages 7 and 5).
She had her 2nd infusion last Friday, and is feeling pretty rotten and scared this week.
I understand it gets worse as you go along.After the first infusion, I must say I was amazed after Day 4 or 5 how she came back with lots of energy. She is so resilient and strong and frankly braver than I am. I am sure she will come back again. We are at almost at Day 5 now since the last infusion.
Four more to go for her.
Again, offering my encouragement to all of you.
Breast Cancer husband.
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Hi Vidal1993. Thanks for posting. I had to look up FEC-D to determine what that was and it sounds a lot like the AC + T a few of us are on. I am sorry your wife is feeling so awful and scared. That is completely understandable- it is awful and scary! You sound like a very supportive husband. I hope your wife reads the forum and finds some comfort from those of us going through it as well.
Take care and thank you for your encouragement
Charlie
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Hoo boy, the muscle (bone) pain from Lapelga (Neulasta) hit me yesterday late afternoon. I now know what that feels like. I can say that Claritin works like a charm though. Once i figured out what was going on and took one of those the pain disappeared
So my 2nd round of chemo has been a bit tougher than the first but it's all a learning experience. One more thing to add to my list when I talk to the oncologist on Friday. I am really not loving the change in my taste buds right now either. Even guilty pleasures like KD (Kraft Dinner for those outside of Canada) don't taste like anything to me. I am adding salt to everything it seems and that just makes it taste like....salt. At least coffee still tastes the same (yay!). My sense of smell is greatly heightened and now I have to throw out my slippers because they stink even after washing lol! Oh well, it's time for new ones anyway.
Other than that I feel pretty good today and plan on taking a walk in the park in the little bit of snow we got last night. I hope my cat doesn't follow me. Sam is indoor/outdoor but the park is a dog park and I prefer he stay in his own yard. No controlling that boy though- he will go where he wants, when he wants.
I hope everyone is having a comfortable day today
Charlie
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Hi Charlie... so sorry you experienced the bone pain too.... mine was brutal last week , even Claritin didn’t help. The nurse told me I could take Claritin twice a day and that didn’t help either. So glad yours was relieved by taking Claritin..... I have really bad arthritis, I mean really really bad.....and I wonder if that made mine worse.
My taste buds were terrible last week and are a little better each day. Nothing tastes right, I agree coffee is still good! Thankful for that!!
Day 10 almost in the books!
What day did the TC folks hair start to go? I’m thinking mine will be falling by next week.
We can do this
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Hi Margo,
I'm in the October Chemo Club but still soldiering through. My last round of TC will be 12/27 :-)
My hair started coming out in clumps on exactly day 14 after my first treatment. That was preceded by some scalp pain and tenderness on days 12-13 after treatment so I knew it was coming and I had already prepared for losing it by going with a pixie cut before I started chemo. It made it a little easier, but it was still a bit traumatic. Shaving my head brought me some needed relief from the scalp pain so at least there's that! As far as bone pain from the Neulasta, mine has been excruciating. I was given some super concentrated CBD for pain relief from the Neulasta after my last round of chemo on Friday (12/06) and that helped tremendously! I was still a little achy, but the pain was manageable and at least I was functional. Taking Claritin didn't provide any bone pain relief so I'm happy I found something that allowed me to get out of bed and walk on days 3-4 after the Neulasta.
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This is something I posted to friends and family on Facebook today. I thought I would share with you
One thing I have always done throughout my life is try to find humour and/or a positive side where I can in any situation. The past 3.5 weeks have taxed my ability to do that but I figure it's worth a try. What's so funny or positive about chemo side effects? Let's explore:
1) Fatigue- I have an excuse to take the naps I would have taken anyway but would never have told anyone for fear of being thought of as lazy or unproductive. Guess what? I can sometimes be lazy and unproductive. Naps rule!
2) Nausea- I totally get how Melania Trump feels every day. Empathy is a good trait to have.
3) Muscle aches and pain- Now I know why they call each infusion a "round" of chemo. I am Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed is kicking the crap outta me. I go the distance though!
4) Taste buds stop functioning properly- now would be a good time to incorporate liver into my diet since I can't taste shit anyhow
5) Diarrhea- The cramping and rigorous abdominal convulsions must be like Kegels for my sphincter, no?
6) Tingling and numbness in feet and hands- If I "accidentally" slap or kick stupid people while trying to shake feeling back into my extremities, that's a good thing, right?
7) Constipation- There is literally nothing that is positive or funny about this. NOTHING!0 -
Charlie - love what you wrote but I love number 6 especially!!!!
We haven’t heard from Lisa lately. Hope she is alright. Lisa - give us an update when you can.
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Hey ladies- you are scaring me with the bone pain from the Neulasta injection. I am wondering if taking the Neupogen will be better than Neulasta. They the bone pain with Neupogen is less. Any thoughts on that?
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LOL #6 made me laugh out loud. And, #7 is the truth. I never knew constipation until chemo constipation.
Margo, my hair started falling out at two weeks. I didn't cold cap. I think the cold cappers lasted a little longer, and may not have experienced the sore scalp like I did.
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Eigna- believe me, you can handle any aches or pains you get- I'm sure of it. For me, I just wasn't expecting it and didn't really know what was going on at the time. It's not a constant pain or ache- it seems to come in waves or at least it did for me. You have time between these waves to self-medicate. Please talk to your onco nurse or doctor about this. They will reassure you and give you recommendations on how to handle it. My joke about being Rocky Balboa was an exaggeration for effect.
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I am asking for a replacement for the Neulasta...it was that bad, but I think I am the exception to the rule.
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Charlie is right, but consult your doctor if you have concerns. I don't know enough about either one of them to compare, perhaps someone else here can. I'd love to learn. We're here for you. It wasn't that long ago that we were anticipating our first infusion. What day do you start again? And, did you ever tell us how old your kids are? I don't remember.
I started watching "Cheers" on Netflix. I love it all over again. And, now, I can't get over how hot Ted Danson was. I've always loved the guy, but I was too young in the 80's to be attracted to him.
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Dixie02 - I will ask the doctor and let you know. But it will be just before my second cycle. I will see what the nurse will tell me next week. I start on Tuesday December 17th. Last weekend before chemo. My kids are 7 and 9 yo. I might tell them this weekend what s going on or on Tuesday after the infusion. I’ll see.
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Greetings ladies, I'm from the Oct chemo group I just finished my 4 rounds of AC on the 2nd of Dec. So this is day 10 post last AC. I can say I have truly been blessed. I have had none of the truly bad SE that most of you have experienced. I had asked my MO about Neulasta when we first started as I saw most chemo patents were taking it. His answer to me was that he found it caused more problems than it helped, and he only prescribes it if it is a absolute necessity . As my WBC and Lymphocytes have been good only dropping in the 3rd week but bouncing back up the next week he felt it was not necessary for me to take it. I prey that this will keep up with the Taxol infusions that will be every week.
I know having all your hair fall out and having to cut it is traumatic. Last time my hair was short was when I was 5. I cut it short before I started chemo and by day 19 as it started to come out my brush was filled every day. I kept it till day 3 post 2nd treatment, ( Just to prove to the nurse that I would not lose it all with the 1st treatment. Like she said I would. HA!) then just could not take it any more and had my husbands barber clip it all off. I had ordered all kinds of caps and head coverings from WISH ( way less expensive than Amazon just takes longer to get to you) so I had some thing to put on my head. My scalp still gets tender sometimes but it doesn't last long.
My MO is great he has let me start start my Taxol in Jan. if we were to keep the current schedule I would have to start it the week of Christmas and do it New years week also. I am glad he has let me start it the following Monday. This lets my body and blood counts recover and I can go see family that I was not able to do over Thanksgiving as I had caught a head cold. He has said that the Taxol is not as strong as the AC so I should have no problems with it. We will see.
I hope every one will have a blessed Christmas and New Year, will keep checking in and praying for everyone.
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Thank you RadQueen for your input. I will see what I will do. Still waiting to get an answer from the insurance for the Neulasta.
Got the rest of my medication. I have my steroids which I need to start one day before and I have my anti nausea and my anti diarrhea drugs. Do you take the anti nausea drugs on a regular schedule or if needed? Just wondering. Cuz I freaked at the amount they gave me 😐
Went to my Zumba class for the last time before treatments start. Who knows when I will go again. Sigh 😔
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I take the nausea meds as needed.
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Hello ladies. Just wishing you all a nice weekend.
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