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More Tips (and a Shopping List) for Getting Through Chemo

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Comments

  • dp1
    dp1 Posts: 7
    edited January 2017

    Hi everyone,

    This is my second time with this dreaded disease. Since its been 15 years, things are a little different. For one thing I am having chemo this time. I start Thursday and I am very nervous. I'm glad I checked here for all the valuable information. I have to remember about bringing my vitamins and supplements with me. I never thought about it, but they might go against the chemo. Another tip I picked up from this site. I hope everyone is getting thru it all as best they could. This journey is never easy with a road you don't want to travel on again



  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited January 2017

    dp1 - sorry your back and hope everything goes well. I do hope you joined the January Chemo thread. Going through it with others at the same place was a very positive thing for me.

  • Wiegp22
    Wiegp22 Posts: 167
    edited January 2017

    awesome, thanks ladies

  • dp1
    dp1 Posts: 7
    edited January 2017

    Minus Two- thank you for your kind words. Yesterday was my 1st chemo, 7 long hours. But I did it, it's done. Feeling tired, headache and a little nauseous. Time to recover for the next one on Thursday! I know a lot of brave women here have pushed through this, so I use that as my motivation



  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited January 2017

    Thank You, Minus Two, for bumping this most valuable thread !

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited January 2017

    Oh Nico - it's obviously time for some activity again. I'm glad you remember in a timely fashion. I'll be happy to chime in.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited February 2017

    Bumping in honor of MinusTwo who keeps this most valuable information up in the front where it belongs :)


  • fightingthefight1
    fightingthefight1 Posts: 2
    edited March 2017

    any one with major skin issues on hands and feet?  discoloration,pain and sensitivity like I had been  burned, started  3rd round of A-C, now 8 wks later(on Abraxane, starting cycle 2)   major peeling.  lots of coconut oil and  Aquaphor

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited March 2017

    Fighting the fight - yes I had hand & foot syndrome with AC. I don't remember doing any specific treatment and it eventually went away.

    You should check out one of the current chemo threads - Chemo February 2017 or March 2017 chemo. There might still be an AC chemo thread too. That way you can compare with other women experiencing side effects at the same time & possibly find out what their docs say. Look in the 'search' bar or check out active threads.

    When you get a chance, you might also go to My Profile and enter your diagnosis and treatment information so members can better answer your questions.

  • tara17
    tara17 Posts: 150
    edited March 2017

    thank you for this wonderful detailed list. Just started chemotherapy at MSKCC

  • tara17
    tara17 Posts: 150
    edited March 2017

    another tip I would offer ladies starting chemo is to go to your dentist and get your teeth cleaned BEFORE starting chemo , make sure no dental source of infection

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited March 2017

    Tara - glad you found this thread. When you get a moment, go to My Profile and post your diagnosis and treatment. Good luck with chemo.

  • tara17
    tara17 Posts: 150
    edited March 2017

    thanks minus two, I updated my profile, I keep coming back to this thread to read all the tips.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited April 2017

    The only treatment that helped me with hand and foot syndrome was an over the counter cream called Udder Cream. The packaging looks like a cow! It has urea in it and worked miracles.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited April 2017

    Bumping for the newbies . . .

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited April 2017

    Bumping again. Lots of good tips.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited April 2017

    Thanks for the BUMP, MinusTwo ~ It's so important to keep this information easily accessible . . .

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited May 2017

    bumping for the newbies ~

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 10,330
    edited June 2017

    Bumping this thread again,

    Great tips here!

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited June 2017

    Thanks Mods. I frequently put a link to this threads in answers to questions from new members, but if it shows up enough in the 'active' posts, everyone will find it.

  • barbls
    barbls Posts: 2
    edited June 2017

    Really helpful, thank you. Just a note - it states Tylenol is a problem for kidneys and Ibuprofen, the liver. It's the other way around.


  • rubyslipperz24
    rubyslipperz24 Posts: 1
    edited June 2017

    Thank you very much for your post! I had my first chemo/HER2 treatment 2 1/2 weeks ago and I was fine for three days after, but then I got extremely nauseous and sick (vomiting/diarrhea) to the point where I couldn't drink or eat anything. They gave me anti-nausea medicine, but since it was the first time I was experimenting to see which one/both worked and ended up having to go in for fluids. Outside of trying to drink as much water as possible, is there anything else you recommend that I do to prevent it from getting that bad?

    I also ended up in the hospital for 4 days due to a .9 white blood cell count. Thankfully I will get the Neulasta shot for the upcoming treatments, but I'm young and healthy so they don't know why I had such a severe reaction. Look forward to any help/advice. I thank you so much for the help.

    Jen

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited July 2017

    rubyslipper24 ~

    Be sure to take the anti-nausea med a few hours before chemo. Another thing that helped me was a candy called Gin-Gins, found at health food stores. Ginger is a natural anti- emetic.

  • JuliaJazz
    JuliaJazz Posts: 175
    edited July 2017

    LINBAD2 --The port is wonderful.  So glad I got mine.  The procedure was simple and I am sure it will be just as simple to remove it when I'm done and I hate having a line in my arm.  Consider getting a port.  An as someone else said join the August Chemo group or whatever month you are starting for day to day support.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited September 2017

    Bumping for Conceta ~

  • Neanie44
    Neanie44 Posts: 8
    edited September 2017

    Thanks to all for the tips, which I find myself now needing. I had my 1st chemo treatment almost a week ago. Plenty of nausea meds kept my stomach in tact, but morning after Neulasta, I started to feel yuck and now mouth is sore. I will try the Benadryl and Maalox - thanks for the tip.

  • Nico1012
    Nico1012 Posts: 1,152
    edited October 2017

    Thank you, NewNormal44, please stop by often and share your journey.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited October 2017

    This thread was so helpful. Hoping to keep it active for others.

  • scaligirl
    scaligirl Posts: 37
    edited November 2017

    I would like to add something for those of you going through chemotherapy... many of the chemo meds will make you lose your hair. A lot of us chose to buzz and/or shave our heads at some point. Since a lot of you will also be looking at getting wigs, save some of your hair. It's good to get a few samples of your hair for color comparison purposes. All you need to do is save around an inch-wide section of your hair. Cut it off at it's longest place, and if your hair is ombre, keep the color section you want matched. Then just tape it onto a blank white piece of paper. Most places that you can order wigs from online have consultants that will help you find the right color if you mail in your hair sample. They look at the wigs you are considering purchasing, and find the right color match to that manufacturer.

    I didn't do this myself but read about it on a few wig websites. I wish I knew beforehand as those online color pictures are very hard to tell what they will actually look like, and each manufacturer calls them something different. Anyway, I hope this helps!

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,925
    edited November 2017

    Good idea. Thanks for posting.

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