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Chemo in Sept 08

priz47
priz47 Member Posts: 161

Hi! I will be getting my port on Thursday 8/28 and my firsr day of chemo is 9/3. I will be getting AC ( I think). I need to look at the prep list again and go shopping. I am not scared-yet. I just want to get this over with and keep moving forward. Anyone else starting in September??

D

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Comments

  • curlieqs
    curlieqs Member Posts: 806
    edited August 2008

    Hi priz47,

    I am so glad you started this thread, I was looking for it everywhere in the last week..... and BAM, found it tonight :)

    I see my onc doc on September 11th and pretty sure chemo will start shortly thereafter. So, I will join you! I will not be getting a port for I have ropes as veins. Good luck tomorrow with the port. Don't forget to pick up some chocolate when you go shopping for your prep list Smile

  • Alicia
    Alicia Member Posts: 17
    edited August 2008

    Greetings, Priz. Hope you don't mind my stopping by. I had my first treatment almost two weeks ago (AC). So far I've had almost no side effects except for fatigue on days 4 and 5 after the Decadron wore off. Here's my prep list:

    Biotene mouthwash to prevent mouth sores

    Pure ginger tea for nausea, plus it tastes good

    Sea bands People wear them around their risks to prevent nausea from motion sickness. The nurses here said they can work for chemo too.

    A dental visit With the mouth sores you may get from chemo, and added susceptibility to infection, it may be difficult to do dental work during chemo.

    This scarf liner plus add-a-bangs from TLC (nice retail site from the American Cancer Society).

    A wig Insurance will often pay for it if your doc writes a prescription for a "cranial prosthesis" with the diagnostic code. Make sure the retailer takes insurance.

    One thing I stopped doing, which has really helped me feel better, is eating sweets (though I had a homemade brownie today, which was delish!)

    Good luck with your treatments!  

  • Emily2008
    Emily2008 Member Posts: 30
    edited August 2008

    Hi all.  I start AC x4 on 9/4.  I had my port put in when I had my mastectomy and recon, so I'm ready to go.  I printed out the shopping list and will hit Target today to pick up what I need.  My onc also advised me to put rolls of paper towels in all the bathrooms so when people wash their hands they can dry them on paper and toss them rather than having a germ-soaked cloth towel hanging in the bathroom.  Mind you, I'm married with 3 boys, so germ are everywhere! :)

    I have 4 scarves and will buy that same scarf liner Alicia mentioned.  I'm also eyeing a beautiful scarf on 4women.com, but they're pretty pricey...

     I'm going to buy a bunch of regular toothbrushes and discard them every couple of weeks, as well as my own toothpaste that NOBODY uses EXCEPT FOR ME!!!!!

    I'm just so ready to do this since the sooner we start the sooner we're finished, KWIM?

    I'm even ready to get on with the baldness b/c this anticipation and worry about it is killing me!

  • hood1980
    hood1980 Member Posts: 168
    edited August 2008

    Emily,  May I also suggest headcovers.com?  I've bought several from them that are more like a do-rag but come in pretty colors.  Today I am wearing the pretty pastel pink one with the bc ribbons on it.  That way when I get those looks from people that don't know I have bc, they see the scarf & don't have to ask me.  :) They are head shaped with easy to tie tie back strips of fabric.  They are a lot easier to put on & stay put without a liner vs scarves, at least in my experience.

  • Tanzie
    Tanzie Member Posts: 115
    edited August 2008

    Hey ya'll.   I posted a bit further down the page about Sept chemo, but thought I'd jump in here and add myself to this list.  I start dose dense A/C x 4 on 9/9.   I won't be getting a port, since I'm only getting the 4 treatments. My onco said he'd spare me the scar.  He recommended a pic-line instead.  I'll have this inserted the morning before my first chemo cocktail.

    Thanks for the links on scarves, ect!  This is the first morning I've actually gone looking for anything in that dept.  My instinct is to ver away from wigs.  I immediately think hot and itchy, although I'm sure that in the cold winter months the hot part might not be so bad. ;)

    Wishing you all the best and God bless,

    Lei

  • 2z54
    2z54 Member Posts: 29
    edited August 2008

    Well.... this looks like my club!   Like Priz47, I get the port on 8/28 (tomorrow) and start chemo 9/3.  Tomorrow I'll also get sentinel node biopsies on each side because I'm having chemo first.  I actually have a big lump in left and tiny one in right.  Left is agressive, triple negative and right one is mild er, pr positive.  (Chemo first because I was a smoker and quitting longer helps surgery results).  

    I wish this were over too.   I just found out yesterday I need some simple follow-ups from the bone scans (they even found a lower jaw hot spot from root canal six weeks ago and want it xrayed), and also learned that I'll need to wait about 6 weeks at end of chemo (if no radiation needed) to do bilat masectomy (mine's probably genetic - will find the results of that test next week).   So far it's the anticipation of the test results that scare me the most. I know that the bc is beatable! 

    Anyway, I'm sure I'll be reporting back into this thread since we'll all be going thru this together!  Nice to read your posts and meet you all.  I just printed the list and will buy what I don't already have (Biotene mouthwash for sure!).  Thanks!!

    2z

  • priz47
    priz47 Member Posts: 161
    edited August 2008

    Glad to meet everyone! Too bad it had to be bcs of chemo! i also went to headcover.com and bought 3 pretty headcovers. One is pink and tery cloth and I tried it ona nd it feels comfy. The other is a tan with liitle blue flowers, its cotton and also looks OK. I did buy one silk scarf, but I need to figure out how to tie it first! The prices were the best i have found while out "shoping". I did go to a local store yesterday and their head covers started at $18. I am planning on only doing head covers, no wig. The lady at the store yesterday  was appalled when I said that. She said " You must not work then". I do work (not sure when I get to go back), but so what?!? If i choose no wig, that's a personal decision. And I also think too hot and itchy!

    Can you get biotene mouthwash anywhere? Do you need a script for it?

    I found a liquid called Digestive -Ease at Whole Foods. It's made by Wish Garden and has ginger and peppermint in it. The lady at Whole Foods recomended it for nausea. You can put 2-3 drops under your tongue or put it in a drink. The ginger there was either capsule or gummy chewables. I was worried that if I was nauseaus I wouldn't want to swallow a capsule. I did not think abt tea though. Good suggestion and I will look for some.

    I have been off chocolate, coffee since the beginning of July. Caffeine is supposed to be bad for a flap, decreases blood supply. Now with chemo, what else will I be off of???

    I am hoping we can all sahre side effects, good useful products and what has been helpful or not helpful. I probably will start to get scared as it gets closer.

    Emily2008- Good idea abt paper towels. I also have 3 boys , plus their many friends around. I was thinking of designating one bathroom to them that they have to keep clean ( mine are teenagers)

    D

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited August 2008

    Hi Ladies,

     I thought I posted on the other Sept. 08 thread, but I can't find my post.  Anyway, I am starting chemo on Sept. 15, 4 rounds of TC, 3 weeks inbetween.  This site has been a huge help in knowing what to expect.  Wishing everyone the best...

    Susan

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited August 2008

    I just finished reading everyone's posts above.  I, too, don't think I'm a 'wig' person.  Isn't that funny that several people have mentioned that?  I've bought 3 hats - one that is tan/black and reversable, a northface flash fleece beanie, and something called a 'denim crusher' that I saw recommended on another thread.  I haven't gotten any scarves yet - I might just do the hats I've bought and baseball caps - we'll see.

    Also, someone mentioned Biotene.  You don't have to have a script - I saw some at Walgreen's yesterday, but ended up buying Prevention instead - they have an 'oncology' formula.  Hope it works!

    Susan

  • bettysgirl
    bettysgirl Member Posts: 645
    edited August 2008

    I am supposed to start mine in September also (date not confirmed yet) My cocktail will be FEC+T. Need to do the shopping for the list also. I need to look for head covers as well so I appreciate the site info..haven't decided on a wig yet but my hairdresser is helping me. I have never been a hat person and had a friend that wore beautiful scarves when she had BC and i need to check those out too. Good luck to all of us Sept's.

  • curlieqs
    curlieqs Member Posts: 806
    edited August 2008

    priz47 and 2z54, good wishes your way for tomorrow with the port insertion. Will you be asleep for this? Sweet dreams! Alicia, hope you are feeling well today. Hood, did you already start chemo? Sue, your avatar cracks me up, I love it!

    Have a good day everyone!

    K

  • hood1980
    hood1980 Member Posts: 168
    edited August 2008

    Hi K,  Yes, I started chemo Aug 6th and had my 2nd tx today.  I post mainly on the Aug board and the Taxotere- Cytoxan Board. but I like to read most of the boards when I have time.  There is so much valuable info & you"meet" such wonderful people.  I thought I could help out with the headcovers so I posted my 2 cents worth.   There is also another web site that was mentioned on one of the boards softhats.com (?) I believe it was, but I haven't bought anything from there.

  • priz47
    priz47 Member Posts: 161
    edited August 2008

    Hood 1980- Thanks on the heads up of what to expect. I know many of us have the "fear of the unknown" going, and hearing from experience sure helps alot. Keep us up to date on what to expect.

    2z54-Hoping your SNB come back negative and all goes well tomorrow. Both sides, huh. That wil certainly limit your activities. To me the SNB bugged me more than the lumpectomy itself. I hated the "I have an itch" feeling under the arm.

    curlieqs- I am glad to be asleep tomorrow since I have insomnia. Too bad I need surgery to get decent sleep! I see my PS first thing and need to ask abt the 'hard' areas on my boob. I know he will tell me to have patience. It is getting better and I think the swelling in my stomach is less too. Hard to be patient!

    D

  • Emily2008
    Emily2008 Member Posts: 30
    edited August 2008

    Okay, Hood "convinced" me to spend more money at headcovers.com to buy 3 more headcovers plus a scarf liner so no windgusts will create an awkward moment for me at my kids' soccer games this fall! Foot in mouth

    I got my hair cut short on Saturday, which was a bit emotional for me.  I felt that would be better for me and my family than having longer clumps of hair coming out.  I just got to thinking, what if we're out somewhere (grocery store, church, errands, work) and the hair just starts to fall out?  OM gosh, what do we do then?

  • jacquelyn32
    jacquelyn32 Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2008

    Hi Everybody,

    I like to join the group. I start my chemo Tuesday, September 2nd. I am a little nervous because I don't know what to expect. I will be apart of a clinical trial where one arm starts with taxotere, cytoxan, and adrianmycin and the other arm takes taxotere and cytoxan. I don't know which one I get yet but the oncologist said I would know if it was the T/C OR TAC. I hope everyone gets through the first cycle and I appreciate your information you have given me.

  • yuyueno
    yuyueno Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2008

    Hi, Everyone!

    I would like to join the group.  I  am puting my arm port placed this Friday 08/29/08 and will start chemo (TC) next Friday 09/05/08.  I am very scared but at the same time so ready to do this and get it over with.  I will be doing 6 rounds, every three weeks.  I have not had a surgery yet.  I will have a mastectomy after chemotherapy. I plan to work full-time (I can't afford not to...!), hopefully I will be able to.  Nice to meet you all!

    Yuyu

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited August 2008

    Curlieqs - re my avatar - thanks!  It's a combination of me on coffee AND how I feel about upcoming chemo!

    SusanSmile

  • curlieqs
    curlieqs Member Posts: 806
    edited August 2008

    Perfect Sue! I literally crack up every time, and more so now because I know the reason behind it! Laughter, next to chocolate and coffee, is the best medicine for me.

    YuYu, good wishes sent your way for tomorrow! priz and 2z54, how are you feeling?

    Emily, I plan on doing the same thing to "lessen the blow" I guess you can say. I am emotional too just thinking about it............I have the same worries as you. Hood, any advice?

    ~~Good day to all~~

  • kmg1015
    kmg1015 Member Posts: 8
    edited August 2008

    I would also like to join the group.  My name is Kelly and I had a bilateral mastectomy in July and am starting chemo 9/2.  I am BRCA2 positive and will also have to have my ovaries out with my reconstruction in late spring.   I am starting TC for 6 cycles and then radiation due to positive margins at surgery.  Seems like a long haul and I would love to have some support to get through it!  Thanks to all for the suggestions.  Is everyone cutting their hair to lessen the blow?  I have rather long hair ( was growing it out for locks of love oddly enough) and am wondering about the "fallout". 

    Good luck to everyone starting this week.  Keep the good vibes flowing!

  • jacquelyn32
    jacquelyn32 Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2008

    Hi Kelly,

    It's nice to have you in the group, My name is Jackie. I will be starting TC on 9/2 also. I am part of a clinical trial to see if adrianmycin is still necessary for treatment in breast cancer. I have long hair also but I did not cut it because I did want to spend the money and my wigs are long also. I having to keep it short. I have to take my daughter to soccer practice.

  • pixma
    pixma Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2008

    Hi Ladies,

    I was a member of the Sept. 06 chemo ladies. I am writing to wish everyone Good Luck with their chemo. I was also very nervous to start my chemo, but once you get going it will be so much less frightening. I did 4 AC, 12 taxol/herceptin and then 9 more months of herceptin.

    On the night before I started chemo, I wanted chinese takeout for my last supper (I know a little dramatic). When I opened my fortune cookie it was as if it was written just for me....it read...ANYTHING WORTH DOING CAN BE DONE. I carried that little piece of paper to all 29 of my infusion treatments, and it is now taped to my mirror so I can see it daily.

    Please don't worry too much about the hair. It grows back fairly quick (I have already had 3 haircuts.) I went short before my surgery and then shaved my head 20 days after my first infusion. I guess I just needed to feel I had some control in this whole process. I wore my wig only 3 times, I prefered to wear baseball caps. I have about 10 of them and they all have the breast cancer ribbon on them. I guess I felt the need to let my baldness be my badge of courage.

    If you have any questions that I can answer...ask away ( food, meds, side effects, ect.) I think I pretty much been through it all and my biggest weapon of defense was a sense of humor.

    As`Christopher Robin said to Winnie the Pooh..."You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." Best of Luck to you all.

    Hugs,

    Cheryl (Pixma)

  • curlieqs
    curlieqs Member Posts: 806
    edited August 2008

    Cheryl, that is so nice of you to come and share your experience, thank you. I am sure I will have alot of questions, but now I am just waiting to see the doc to get this rolling.

     Jackie and Kelly, good wishes sent your way for 9/2.

    I hope everyone is feeling well, and have a nice holiday!  Take care of you.

  • 2z54
    2z54 Member Posts: 29
    edited August 2008

    Thanks Priz!   The SNB on both sides wasn't as bad as I expected. Hope I can say that about the chemo as well! 

    The port insertion, is a bit more of a pain in the 'neck".  While I thought they were going to put it on my chest, under my collar bone, the majority of it is crawling up my neck, because the doc said I had good neck veins?

    Anyway, I'm contemplating my first shower since the SNB in a few hours.  It will be nice to get rid of this "uniboob" bra!  (a.ka. the surgical/velcro bra that I woke up with... all stuffed with gauze).

    Also, those who may be apprehensive, with just Tylenols I was able to sleep on both sides one night after the double SNBs.  (I am a very serious side sleeper. May have to rent a hospital bed for the bilateral down the road. Something to think about!).

    All in all, I'm pleased that the first big step wasn't as bad as I expected.  I'll know the results of the SNBs next week (I actually find test results to be the hardest part of this whole experience) and if they are cancerous, nodes will be removed later with the masectomies.   But chemo first!

    Hey, thanks for being there everyone!  We'll get through!

    2z   

    (by the way, my name is "sue" too. My neice used to call me aunt 2z when she was little.   Has anyone else noticed that a possible cure for bc may be to change one's name from Susan/Sue to something else?  There seems to be a lot of "Susan and Sue's" around!)

  • Sue508
    Sue508 Member Posts: 81
    edited August 2008

    LOL 2z/Sue about so many 'Susans' - I will definitely change my name if that will make all of this go away!

    Pixma - thank you so much for posting.  It's good to know that 'this too shall pass'.  I am constantly thinking of questions, but when I sit down at the computer, I can't think of them!  Seems like there are always 'cancer-related' thoughts swirling through my mind these days.  Is anyone else like that?  I told my sister the other day that I'm so tired of thinking about myself!

    I am afraid on my first day of chemo that I am going to be emotional/teary.  Just seems like when I am sitting there having those drugs enter my body that all of this will seem much more 'real'.

    Anyway....someone asked about cutting their hair.  Mine is relatively short (above my shoulders).  I have a hair appt. this coming week.  I guess I'll get my usual trim and tell my hairdresser to be on 'standby' (lol) at the end of Sept. for my 'buzzing' appointment.

    Hope you ladies have a great labor day weekend.  Good luck to those starting Tuesday - please give us a 'play by play' if you feel like it!

    Susan (soon to be Olivia or something else ;)

  • jacquelyn32
    jacquelyn32 Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2008

    Hi Cheryl,

    Thank you for the encouraging words before we all start chemotherapy. I am sure we will all questions to ask as we get started. I just want this cancer to be gone and never come back. I feel great now and I plan to keep a  positive attitude to fight breast cancer.

  • jacquelyn32
    jacquelyn32 Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2008

    Curliegs, I will be thinking of you on Sept 11th and I hope all things goes well. I'll keep you posted on how my treatment goes on the 2nd. I know we will all respond differently but I be sure to tell how it will affect me.

  • yuyueno
    yuyueno Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2008

    Hi, Everyone!

    I am really scared of my first chemo, too,Sue!  I worry, what if I have allergic reaction or something...  I think my mind is going everywhere with "what if"s. 

     I had my arm port placed in yesterday.  It was not that bad.  A little sore, but it was not painful.  I'ts still kind of weird to think there is this thing in my arm. They gave me a "medical port ID card" to show to others since the port will ignite an alarm at security check point at aiports, courts, etc. Didn't think of that!  I hope it won't ignite alarm at the stores....  would it?

     I also went for a wig shopping today.  I got a really cute short hair cut wig!  I am kind of excited to wear it soon.  I am also going to get a short hair cut tomorrow (I have a long hair right now).

    I hope everyone in Sept group having a good labor day weekend!

    Yuyu

  • kmg1015
    kmg1015 Member Posts: 8
    edited August 2008

    Hello to everyone!

    I had to write everyone's name down and when they start their chemo to keep track of our expanding group.  Sad we had to meet this way, but thankful that we have each other for the coming months. 

    For those of us starting this week, a chemo nurse friend of mine suggested that you try to eat a fair amount before your first chemo.  I thought maybe the opposite if I was going to have nausea, but she said it helped.

    Hope those starting this week are having a great "last" weekend. (that's kind of how I feel, the last time I know I will feel good for a while)  Everyone enjoy the holiday!

    Kelly

  • yuyueno
    yuyueno Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2008

    Hi, Kelly, Thanks for the tip!  For you infor, I am starting this Friday!

    Yuyu

  • Wink
    Wink Member Posts: 476
    edited August 2008

    Hey Curlieqs,

    I'm in the same boat as you, waiting to see what going to happen. I see my oc on the 2nd and hopefully will have an idea of what's to come.  I had bilat mast on the 18th and I didn't know it they waited for you to be completely healed before starting chemo.  I'll just have to wait and seeUndecided