Starting Chemo April 2024 Support Thread
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@bailey.boo glad to hear your first treament went okay!
As for tv recommendations, my husband and I loved Peaky Blinders on Netflix!
I have a few of those cotton head wraps from Amazon I’ve been wearing around the house. They’re nice and soft.
My stomach has been weird just like the rest of you. Kind of split between constipated and diarrhea. Just trying to stay hydrated. Muscle pain from the Neulasta is still going strong but manageable with Tylenol. The dizziness has been the most annoying symptom this round.
I put on makeup and actually left the house today and got coffee with a friend, I feel so much better! Sometimes listening to your favorite songs, getting dressed up, and going somewhere is better than therapy lol. Hope you all found some joy today 💕
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@halyy2024 That's awesome! I do my second tomorrow and I'm terrified! I don't want to be so tired again. Just feeling better a week ago!
Thank you all for the tv recommendations! I'll check them out!
My hair is very thin, we cut it to shoulder length but my scalp HURTS! I may shave it at the infusion appointment tomorrow. Too anxious to do it at home!
I hope everyone is doing well!
Hugs to you all my brave sisters!
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@chickenlovva aw I felt the same way going in for my second treatment. Like nooo I’m finally feeling normal lol. But the sooner we do them the sooner we’re done with all this! Praying for an easier time for you this round!
The scalp burning/itchiness was terrible for me too! It has subsided some in the last week.
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My son cut my hair for me this morning. He doesn't really know what's happening but I wanted to involve it. I talked about cutting my hair and he was so opposed to the idea saying he LOVED my long hair, so I thought if he could have the fun of doing it he wouldn't be as upset about it all being gone. He actually did a fairly decent job! AND saved me at least 100 Euro 😍
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@sarahjunefox that is the sweetest picture! I'm 58 and cannot imagine going through this with young children as many of you are. You are some strong ladies!!! I have two grandbabies (3 and almost 6) and haven't saw them since Jan. We had a trip planned at the end of June for the air show, but that's not gonna happen. Both of my boys and their families are coming home mid July though. (both sons and DIL are Air Force). I did facetime with the grands only wearing a cotton beanie and neither batted an eye. Kids are so resilient.
Hugs and prayers for you all this day!!!
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Question for all. Anyone ever get a hoarse voice? I did exactly a week after my first treatment. Pollen was really bad so I chalked it up to allergies. But started getting hoarse last night (day 6 after the 2nd round). It's like my mouth gets really dry day 3 and I'm thinking that is what's causing the hoarseness. I go for bloodwork today and see the NP onc so going to talk with her about it too.
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That is the most beautiful picture! {{{BIG HUGS}}} to you both. I hate that anyone is going through this, but those of you with little ones are balancing a lot. 💕
I’ve been working to give my adult children so much reassurance this week, and this is a great reminder to me that it’s okay to just be present and be real.3 -
Hope all goes well this round ❤️ Thinking of you today.
I didn’t really consider the fatigue. It is day 3 of round one, and the fatigue is real. It’s preferable to any painful side effects, and knowing I’m fighting cancer is an amazing thing. But it is a clear reality check!
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@sarahjunefox that is the sweetest thing ever! Made me cry!
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Here's me looking all pathetic and scared at my second round. Hope youall feel better today!
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@sarahjunefox you look so beautiful!! My kids are also a little suspicious why my hair is falling out but I’m trying to act like it’s not a big deal hoping they follow suit
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@chickenlovva that’s awesome! Glad you’re feeling good, hoping you get some energy back soon!
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@chickenlovva you look so good! I second the cute head comment
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@chickenlovva I third it! You look Fab!!
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Thanks so much ladies!! It's still so weird to look in the mirror but yet somehow it lifted my spirits a bit. Or it could be the steroids and lack of sleep but I'll take it over crying!
Except my temp has been low... I didn't realize how much heat you lose through your head. Put my beanie on and it goes up a bit. So weird.
Blessings to you all!
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Happy Friday everyone!!! Hope everyone is feeling good and can enjoy the weekend!!! I'm post 2nd treatment 8th day and received fluids, nausea meds and mag at the treatment center yesterday. Woke feeling a lot better. Day 6 and 7 were not horrible, but def. not great.
Hugs and prayers!!!
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@chickenlovva, you look beautiful! And much more comfortable. I will miss my hair and likely cling onto it until the last possible moment, but it is an unruly, aging beast on my head as a short ‘do.
Glad you’re emerging out of chemo #2, @grammie2! I craved toast today and ate toast. This is progress. I think getting that fluid yesterday did wonders. My BP was strangely low there, and I usually carry high blood pressure. The nurse said that happens when you get dehydrated but, I swear, all I’ve been doing is drinking. getting the fluid did reactivate my stomach issues, but nothing Imodium doesn’t get ahead of. So, one down, five more to go!💥 Not going to lie, this last week thoroughly kicked my butt.
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My lovey friend who has been through all of this a few years ago sent me this amazing list of things to think about, thought I'd share because it REALLY helped me:
— It will go faster than you think.— Remember you’re having treatment preventatively not because you’re sick.
— You’ll feel like yourself a lot of the time.
— I found the hardest part was the waiting for diagnosis at the very beginning, you’ve already done that. Once you start chemo you have a job to do, much easier than waiting!
— There are hard days but there are also good days.
— When you know to expect the hard moments they don’t surprise you and you’re ready for them.
— The first few days after treatment were hard mentally for me so it helped me to see people those days.
— I couldn’t get enough of fruit. Mango and melon were amazing when the tastebuds went weird.
— Your taste buds might go haywire, don’t eat your favourite foods on treatment days.
— Phone the nurses any time you’re not sure about something!
and my FAVORITE!!
— Anyone who makes you feel like this is your identity now is an idiot, you’re still you, you’re just experiencing something for a while.3 -
I love that list! Thank you so much!! 💕
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@bailey.boo same here on the BP. Mine is usually on the high side of normal to a little over. The week after treatment, mine has been lower both times. And even though I drink tons of water starting two days before chemo through the 5th or 6th day after, I still get dehydrated. That stuff sucks all the water out of your body for sure!
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Yup. I need to drink a lot more! Felt good yesterday day of infusion but today....I feel dehydrated. Faster heart, headache 😫 I struggle because I'm addicted to Pepsi unfortunately.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day! We got this!
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I gave up soda a few yrs back, but I’m normally a coffee fiend. I was concerned about caffeine being a diuretic, but no worries since coffee turned my stomach this week. I’m also a tea fiend, but my favorite hot herbal tea with a little honey tasted like ***. I didn’t enjoy drinking anything this week. I need to experiment more.
@grammie2, it always sounds like we have so many similarities, barring the opposing tummy woes! I feel better knowing the lower BP is an expected side effect. I guess better lower than spiking. I will hydrate more ahead of time next round and pre-schedule my fluids appt.I hope everyone is feeling okay today and getting lots of cancer-kicking, healing rest! 🧡
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@bailey.boo everything including water tastes awful to me right now! Adding lemon seems to be helping.
Hope everyone has a good weekend!
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These hot flashes are soooo annoying! Every time I get comfortable I get another one! Sweaty, hot.....then freezing! I'm on day 3 post second treatment, hopefully they settle down to a few times a day again. This is one time I'm thankful for a bald head! Didn't sleep much at all so I'm kinda goofy 🙃 Hope you all have a great Saturday! Hugs!
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Hope you got Some good sleep, @chickenlovva !
I thought I was in the clear and on the path back, but oh was I wrong! The G.I. issues are real. Nothing intolerable, just on-and-off spikey uncomfortable, from throat to belly. I ordered some enterade, and that’s coming tomorrow. Anyone tried this, and did it help you?
Thankful for the weekend, where all I need to focus on is me, and my very concerned kitty entourage surrounding me today 💕1 -
@bailey.boo no good sleep yet despite being sooo fatigued. I feel horrible this time around. Haven't had any real nausea so Haven't taken anything for that so that's a plus but my head feels full and my throat hurts his time and these hot flashes are terrible! I'm sorry to be complaining! I just feel so icky! May be the Neulesta I'm thinking. I haven't tried enterade before, what is that? I might need to.... i hope your tummy troubles resolve soon! I'm still waiting to go number 2... TMI
Here's to side effects going away fast for all of us!
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