Starting Chemo April 2024 Support Thread
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I am so sorry you’re feeling so crappy! ❤️🥺 I hope it gets better for you soon. Very here for the venting and TMI, as I’m sure I’ll be there more each time myself. It’s going to be a long summer for us all.
I heard about enterade searching on FB breast cancer groups. Kept seeing it mentioned, so I Googled. It originally had to do with space travel, but was designed for oncology patients. It’s an easy-absorb medical food to help manage side effects of chemo and radiation, for GI symptoms like diarrhea, dehydration, nausea, belly pain, etc. Looks like it’s a blend of amino acids and electrolytes. But the reviews on Amazon are kind of mixed, so we shall see. All I know is my gut is a hot mess. If I can just work through this, I can start to feel more like me longer before my next round. I feel like the longer bounce-back time I can get to work with, the more I can prepare my body for round 2.0 -
Hope everyone had a good weekend! I'm just now catching up on the posts. Pray that everyone is feeling better! I had a bad Friday, but it was self inflicted :( I wasn't careful with what I ate at lunch with a friend and had big time D that afternoon. I thought I was past the chances of it by the way tummy felt and wasn't precautious. So mental note, take immodium no matter what days 6,7 and 8 post treatment. Took immodium before eating on Saturday and all was well. And yesterday I wanted to eat everything in the house LOL.
How'd everyone else do? Keep sharing tips and tricks please!! Hugs!!!!
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Ughhhh. Had appt with my oncologist. My stage is now 3A. No longer early stage, now “later stage.” That’s tough to digest. But, it’s not in my body elsewhere, and it doesn’t change my treatment plan. So, on with the treatment plan ✊
They’re setting me up for more fluids tomorrow along with something to help with the diarrhea. I will let you all know what it’s called and if it helps. I didn’t write it down, and now I can’t remember.
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@bailey.boo so sorry to hear about the updated stage. My oncologist hasn't put a lot of emphasis on staging and I honestly don't know much about the differences by stage. I hear you about not liking the label "later stage". It sounds like good news that it's not in your body elsewhere and your treatment plan is still the same. Sending hugs and positive thoughts!!
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Ugh, sorry to hear about the updated staging, @bailey.boo. It's definitely not what you want to hear, but this is still manageable. That it hasn't spread is good news and we're with you! On with the treatment plan! We're here to root for you. ❤️
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Thanks. I know it’s going to be ok. I took a bubble bath, ate a yogurt bar, and I have my babies snuggling in hard, taking good care of me. My namesake, Bailey:
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@bailey.boo what a cutie!!!
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@bailey.boo So cute!!
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@bailey.boo sorry to hear about the stage change. Grateful that your treatment plan hasn’t changed! Try not to focus on the label, and instead about how you’re feeling. I hope you’re feeling well these days and have minimal side effects! ❤️
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Happy Friday! Checking in. Feeling overall pretty good! How’s everyone doing?
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Feeling ok! Still kind of fatigued, it's day 8. My vision is messed up again, blurry and just weird but I'm not nauseous and eating well so that's a plus! Suddenly got very tired though just now, kind of freaking me out. Happy Friday!
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I’m sorry you feel so crappy and tired. It’s day 9, so I hope it starts getting better for you now! 💕
Today is Busch Gardens day. My older son and his girlfriend, my younger son, and me and my husband. I’m going, but I’m going to take it very slowly and drink lots.
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Hope everyone had a good (long) weekend. I didn't do anything exciting really, but enjoyed the extra day off.
I'm preparing for #3 Thursday. Trying to eat plenty of red meat and legumes to hopefully help build my hemoglobin, platelets and mag. Praying platelets are way up by Thursday!
How's everyone feeling? Anyone with watery eyes that just pour for no reason? I first thought allergies, but a friend who went through breast cancer treatment said that is a SE. Ugh.
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@grammie2 interesting that your eyes are watery! Mine are twitching and more on the dry side. Hope it gets better soon!
I developed a cold over the weekend and am worrying about whether I'll be better in time for my third treatment on Friday. Trying for lots of rest and fluids. So frustrating to feel sick when it's supposed to be the week of the cycle when I feel the best!! I have a lot I need to get done…
I think a bunch of us all have treatment this week. Hope everyone is doing well!
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hi all! I hope you are staying to feel much better now, @chickenlovva, and I hope you feel better soon, @lbn2222!
My eyes do start randomly watering and sometimes feel super dry, @grammie2.
Busch Gardens went well! I took it very easy, but then the bottoms of my feet started feeling raw, and it was time to hang out with the flamingoes and parrots at the bird aviary. The next night, we went out to see a cover band in St Pete Beach, as my husbands friends were in town and he refused to go without me. Lots of icy unsweetened tea for me. There was no way I felt like putting alcohol in the mix, finally feeling like myself again. I had a lot of fun and even got out on the dance floor a bit. The rest of the weekend I slept well! Turns out, it was my hair’s last hurrah— it’s shedding. On my head and lower! I worry I’m one wash away from bald. I am verrrrry gently brushing it, trying to stretch it out 😁2 -
@bailey.boo I am so glad you had a good time with your family!! I read on the eye thing that the watering may be coming from the eyes overcompensating for the dryness and become super watery. I'm trying to use eye lubricant to see if that helps. I have normally dry eyes anyway.
I have lots of fuzz left and one strip of hair about 1/2 inch wide and 4 inches long that is refusing to fall out LOL. It looks like a small mohawk left side on the top of my head LOL. I'm doing the wig thing for work, but generally just some kind of beanie the rest of the time. My brows and lashes are thinning too. Everything from the neck down is still hanging on for now. A little thinner maybe. Ugh.
If you are a praying person, please say a prayer for my bloodwork to be good for treatment tomorrow. Thanks!!
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Well, I just learned I'm an idiot LOL. I refilled the steroid (Dexmethasone) and realized I only took half of what I should the first two treatments. The way the instructions were written was very misleading. I should have taken two twice a day the day before, the day of and the day after chemo. I only took one twice a day for those days. I believe this pill is to keep severe allergic reactions, right? Boy. I feel pretty silly right about now.
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How is everyone? Been quite on here! I hope everyone is feeling good and things are going well!
Prayers worked! My platelets went from 98 to 233 in a week!!! All other bloodwork was good as well! So number 3 done! They started me on oral mag. so will see how I handle that. D could be an issue. But I usually start out with constipation the first 4 days, followed by 3 days of having to take immodium before eating. If it's a big issue those 3 days, I'll just skip those days.
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oh, that all sounds very positive! I’m so glad everything is going as well as can be for you and hope it stays on the up, @grammie2 💕 It gives me hope with my upcoming round.
I’ve been feeling like myself this week, working and doing all the normal things, trying to get all of my protein and produce in to get ready for round 2 this coming Thursday.
My hair was coming out in handfuls and I looked like a patchy, scraggily mess with random strands hanging on. I had to return something at the mall, and I felt so self-conscious. So I bought clippers, went home, and shaved myself bald just now. I look like Dopey Dwarf in a baseball cap, but I HATE the beanies and scarves I have, and the free hospital wig is horrendous. I have no clue what I’ll do with myself yet, but I feel much better. I hope my eyebrows and eyelashes hold out for a while!
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@grammie2 thats awesome news! Wow number 3 done that’s amazing you’re almost there!
@bailey.boo glad you had an okay week and are eating well. Have your taste buds been affected by chemo? Mines changed almost immediately, things either taste bitter or like nothing at all. I’ve lost about 8 pounds already, but I also just had a baby before this so i don’t mind lol. Sorry you felt self conscious at the mall, I hate that feeling! If it’s any consolation you really do look super cute with a shaved head. Your features are so pretty you pull it off well! 🩷
My kids brought home a nasty flu from school, and we all got it. Sore throat, fevers, body aches. I had to postpone treatment a week so number 3 for me is Thursday when it should have been 2 days ago. I’m annoyed but whatever. It’s been such a rough few weeks, up all night with the kids managing their fevers and vomiting through the night while sick myself. To make matters worse my husband got into an accident on his dirt bike and broke his leg and had emergency surgery. So now he can barely walk, which means he can’t help with our 4 kids who are all little. I’m hating this season right now and hoping things get better from here!2 -
Ughhh! That sounds horrible. I’m so sorry you’re going through everything you are at once right now. No more bad stuff! I’ll be thinking of you and praying enough already. Hopefully round 3 will go easy for you!
Thanks for the baldy support 💕 My taste buds are still a little off but improving by the day. I definitely can’t handle anything with a lot of salt or too much tart lately. I lost about 10lbs or so but my scale needs a power cord, and I haven’t weighed myself this past week. I bet I’ve gained a couple back.
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@bailey.boo you look amazing!! You have a beautiful face and a super cute head!! It's so weird being bald isn't it?? I hope your taste comes back soon!
@grammie2 I'm so glad your platelet count went up!! Yay!! Hopefully your bowels will be good to you!
@halyy2024 I'm so very sorry to hear about the sickness and then your poor husband! Oh my goodness honey! You truly are Superwoman!
Just to let you all know, I also have melanoma IN my eye. Monday I will go under for a plaque placement behind and on top of my eyeball to deliver radiation over 4 days. I get to come home after but my eye will be sewn mostly shut and il wear a lead eye patch. I am so very scared and don't know how to control my anxiety. I've had a few surgeries but this one takes the cake on being scared. Please pray for minimal pain and anxiety 🙏 I should be happy that this will shrink and kill the tumor but oh boy.
My 3rd chemo is postponed until June 11 so I can heal a bit.
God bless you all and prayers coming for you guys!
Yes, my good eye is dry, bad one waters too much sometimes and is dry other times. Makes seeing kind of difficult 😕
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@chickenlovva - Oh my!!! I will def say a prayer for your eye procedure! I totally understand your anxiety!!
@halyy2024 you have so much going on!! Prayers for your husband to heal quickly and that the flu sickness is gone!!! My taste is off, but not horrible. I taste things, but unless it is something super strong, it is kinda bland. I do better with sweeter things as far as taste.
@bailey.boo you look adorable!!! I still have lashes, they've thinned a little. The outside part of my brows are the thinnest part so I just use a pencil for now. And take the wig to your hairdresser. Maybe they can thin it or shape it for you to where you will like it.
Hope everyone has a good weekend!!!
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@chickenlovva sending lots of positive thoughts for Monday. Hope all goes as smoothly as possible with an easy recovery and not too much anxiety.
And @halyy2024 I hope you and your kids feel better soon and your husband heals quickly as well.
This is just too much for everyone!
I had treatment number three on Friday. They put me in isolation due to my cold. It was a long day, but I made it! The medical assistant who does the cold cap seemed surprised by the bald patch where my part used to be and how thin my hair has gotten. Seems like the cap might not have been tight enough on the last round which is kind of discouraging. Focusing on regrowth at this stage…
Hope everyone is hanging in there! It is amazing to see how strong you all are - so inspiring to me!
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Thank you so much @lbn2222! I pray it goes smoothly too 😬 I feel like I can't do it. So much stress already ya know? I'm glad your treatment went well! Sorry for the isolation! So glad you made it through! And I'm so sorry about your hair...
And yes, everyone is sooo inspiring indeed! Lol, I've been watching Bridgerton
Hugs to you honey!
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You ladies are all so wonderful and I'm really glad to have you 💛
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Ditto! My husband tries to be really helpful with the stress and concerns I have, but I need people who really understand and can relate. I'm so thankful I found this group!!!
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@chickenlovva im so sorry to hear that update. I too would be scared and anxious. Praying for you and just remember you can do hard things! Can’t wait for this to be over for you!!
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@lbn2222 thank you! And I also have the bald/thinning patches. I hired a professional capper to do my cold cap so I don’t think it’s because of any error, I think it’s just that my hair thinned out a lot. I’m hoping to have enough hair after this to get microextensions put in once I’m past the 3 month mark
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