Starting Chemo February 2009?

KerryMac

OK, my very smart husband has told me what i did wrong with the photos - trying again! Let me know if you can see this....

 

KerryMac

And another....

KerryMac

Oh, and here i am on page 40!!!!

susan13

Jancie-I feel your pain on the insomnia.  I was taking an Ativan EVERY NIGHT for the longest time, it would zonk me out but then I would only sleep for a few hours.   Onc. gave me Ambien a while ago, but I would still wake up.  He just gave me a script for Ambien CR, I haven't gotten that filled yet, he says the CR part will help me go back to sleep and keep me there.  We shall see.  And so happy to hear your tumor is shrinking... the AC is kicking it's butt!

KerryMac-My first Taxotere was a breeze.  I actually felt great!  The 2-3-4th I was just completely exhausted and I think that was my main SE.  No nausea. I did still take the Emend and Zofran for 3 days after each treatment.  Taste buds were shot after 3rd treatment.  And of course the ever-so lovely dry sinus issue was a problem too but I think that is finally resolving itself.  Major chemofog after the last tx.  Gosh I hope that doesn't sound too bad... cause I still stand by the fact that the AC was tougher then the Taxotere.  Keep up the drinking and good eating... I had no appetite on AC, but on the Taxotere I want to eat everything in sight... and sometimes I do!  I'm assuming the tylenol 3's are for bone/muscle pain that the Taxotere can "possibly" cause.  That was one SE that I DID NOT have, thankfully.   Good luck and let us know how you do tomorrow!

Sue

apple

Here's to your dear aunt Artemis.  May she rest in peace and help you from above.

Yesterday i woke up about 6 AM and i thought  OMG - i feel great!  I am on a Taxol Avastin regime wherein i go for chemo weekly for 3 weeks and then have a week off.  i had my 3rd treatment of this cycle this last Thursday and i felt the accumulative effects.. egads.. i felt like carp... at least till yesterday.  i walked down to church for the 6,30 AM Mass and was amazed to see almost 300 people there.  300!  Imagine all those people gathering to pray so early in the morning.. every day.

I am not so good at prayers myself unless I'm praying for other people, so it was quite heartwarming to talk to the many who told me they always prayed for me everyday.

I figured out how to juggle my chemo schedule so i can be off for EASTER week in which i play like every day once or twice.  it's really quite difficult to be the music when you feel like carp.  Now i have to convince my onc. to let me be flexible.  I suppose i'll have to pay later by having 4 treatments in a row.  it might reduce me to bed rest.

I talked with my mom yesterday and she asked me if i was still bald and told me she sent me a couple dollars in the mail.  made me laugh.

Jancie -  my sister suffers from Crohn's disease and has had quite a rough time over the years.  She got caught in a nonsleeping cycle..she had to totally quit taking all sleep aids because they were making her stay awake waiting to take more.. something like that.  I always used to have a beer at nite to make me drowsy.. now i drink chocolate milk.  it's like my body waits for that doze of milk and sugar to be able to sleep.  why it works i don't know, but it sure is delicious and fairly natural.  I hope you have an easier time upcoming.

oddly, i super buzzed my head expecting all my hair to totally fall out and it hasn't - in fact it seems to be growing back in.  why i cut it so darn short i don't know.. i'm such an idiot.

pic of the day for me is a drawing that my 9 year old made for me.  I just love it.  It's odd that she called me Mary rather than Mom.

jancie

I finally got some sleep - slept for 7 hours last night.  I feel groggy this morning and have a total lack of energy.  I didn't take my steroids when I took my other pills but I guess I need to.

I am drinking water - not really fast but getting some down me to ward off the nausea and get rid of the A/C that is in my body.  My taste buds are off this morning - just have a general bad taste in my mouth.

I just feel ick this morning.

KerryMac

Oh, I don't know what I am doing wrong with the photos, I can't even see them anymore....

apple - sorry you have been feeling icky.  But I am glad that you are feeling good today! Enjoy it. I find that I don't get progressively better - I feel crap,.then one day I wake up and feel totally fine. Love the drawing by your daughter - she is really good.  I unfortunately, am due for chemo Easter weekend. Also means the inlaws will be down helping out. Joy. I already have the kids baskets all done, I am being super organised in case I am not up to it between then and now.

jancie - feel better soon! They don't say this stuff is culmuative for nothing....

Sue - thanks for the Taxatore advice, I will let you know how I go. I will be glad not to be throwing up tomorrow, as I have for the FEC.....you watch, I will be the one that still throws up! 

Well, I have just cooked up a storm to get us through the weekend. Hoping I am not bed ridden....!  Well, I gotta go change my sons poohy diaper....he's 3 1/2 and still not toilet trained! He is starting Kindergarten in September, and I keep telling him he can't go until he goes on the toilet, but he is not convinced.

kat4pink

Artemis - I am very sorry to hear about your Aunt, but glad she didn't suffer long.

Apple - Thanks for sharing that picture.. it is priceless!

Jancie - So glad you go some sleep and hope you feel better soon!

Michelle - Hope your tx is going good today!

Got a question for you all - After my tx, my take home nausea meds are Emend for 2 mornings and then compazine as needed, but since I was having a hard time with nausea, I called and asked for Zofran after about 3 days, and I am not sure if that was better or not, because I was starting to come out of the funk I was in about a day after that.  Which as needed nausea meds do you all use and if you have used both Compazine and Zofran, which one worked better.. I know the Compazine makes you tired and the Zofran doesn't.. at least that how it was for me.

Thanks!

XO

jancie

Kat4Pink - I used both and had allergic reactions to both.  I can't say that either one of them made me sleep but the Ativan they tell you to take every 4 - 6 will make you sleepy. Ativan is in the same family drugs as valium hence it tends to make you sleepy.

webwriter

Hey Ya'll! I get to EAT today! However, the stupid thrush is still there and I'm calling my Onco to get something better than that HORRIBLE so called Miracle Mouthwash. Auntie A is bringing me Mexican take out. (Beans for me, of course!) I SO can't wait! Guess that means I'm gonna live through #4! 

Artemis, I can't imagine the depth of your loss at a time like this. What is going ON anyway? We've had so many utterly insufferable losses on this thread already! My heart continues to go out to all of you. It's just not fair.

Kerry, I dunno about the pics either. Can't see them here. Drop me a pm if you want me to take a look at your source for you.

Apple, your daughter is a Luv through and through. It's so cute she used your "formal" name! Little Monkey is learning that my name isn't really Mommy. It's fascinating to her, haha! Sounds like yours may have grown up to just plain be proud of that. Beautiful regardless of her reasons! 

Michelle, that goes for me too! Praying for a stay at home week!

Kathie, I haven't had Compazine, but I have had Zofran. I was on Phenegren and had quite a lot of nausea, so the next round I got Zofran. Less nausea, but I puked without warning. Went back to Phenegren! I don't know if it makes me tired or not, but hell, I'm tired! Could be the Taxotere, groggies from Lunesta, or just plain sick and tired of chemo, haha! 

Jancie! OMG! Shrunkeness AND more than three hours sleep?! You rock ON, Lady. Hang in there, the rest of this nastiness will pass.

Susan13, welcome back to the land of the living!

Now where are the rest of the 39ers? tee hee!

kat4pink

The only take home drugs I have been given are for nausea.. My onco doesn't give the oral steroids, or anything else.. I get everything I need in the IV bags he told me. I did have several days (like 3-4) of feeling like I was crawling out of my skin.. like I couldn't get comfortable.. back and forth from couch to bed and felt like I was going crazy cause I was tired but couldn't relax.. I am going to act the onco this next go around if I can take some of the Xanax that my surgical onco gave me when I was freakin out about having bc.. maybe that will help with that feeling???? I am trying to look back on those 4-5 days that were bad and see what I can do the next round to make those s/e better.

Had my bloodwork done today and will know tomorrow (leave in a small town and 3 hours away from treatment center, so gotta wait overnight) how my wbc and rbc are doing.. said a quick prayer over the vials of blood after the nurse took them from me!

XO

KerryMac

Kathie - Can't remember what Chemo you are on - are you having a taxane? (taxol or taxatere?) I think a steroid is fairly standard to take the day before your infusion, the day of and the day after. It is to prevent an allergic reaction. That may be why you are feeling a bit antsy...? I also have loads of anti-nausea stuff in addition to what the hospital gives me. This time I also have been given pain killers in case of Muscle/Bone aches, and laxatives. I am my own walking pharmacy! If you feel you need more stuff, you should ask for it, especially as you live so far away.

Hope my WBC is OK for tomorrow too, it was pretty borderline last time, and i don't want this taking any longer than it needs to....

MicheleS

Kathie! I've been on all of the antinausea meds out there (with the exception on a few).  Emmend in the best (for me) hands down.  The last 2 cycles I added in a kytril patch~ you put it on 24 hrs before chemo and leave it on for a week.  Then.... things get tricky.  The combo of the drugs listed above seems to get a handle on that 1st oh-so-violent... my-God-I've-been-poisoned experience I had for AC1  Much better... however, then we have delayed nausea and breakthrough nausea.  For delayed, for whatever day that is your last emend... that afternoon, start taking somethin around the clock: anzemet, kytril (if you don't have the patvh, or zofran).  Breakthrough nausea occured during that 1st 48-72 hrs or so.  A the smallest hint of unease in your tummy, TAKE SOMETHING: zofran, kytril (if no patch is on), anzemet.  All of this won't stop the wretching but it will stop random puking.  Now for nausea:Itake ativan anound the clock for the 1st few days.  This round I've added marinol...

Comazine and phenergan are "little guns" in the cancr worlds.  They might have a place for breakthrough neasea but if you are on "A", you need a "bigger gun" in your gun collection.

So far, so good right now but as you all know, this could turn as any minute.

{{hugs}}

Michele

webwriter

GREAT point Michelle. I'm on TC, not AC, so the phenergan is okay for me. And if AnYBODY knows nausea around here, it's YOU!

The biggest difference I'm reading about-- and seeing with all of you, between the two regimens is nausea on AC and fatigue on TC. 

By the way "Tongue Burnters" pedialyte popcicles are just the shiznit!

KerryMac

I have my fingers crossed for you Michelle!

I also got a Kytril IV for vomitting, as well as pills for 3 days. They cost about $100 a pill!  Also had Stemitil and Dexasone. And i still threw up1

MicheleS

I think that fatigue is a "T" thing.  Por Kathie is getting TAC, bless her. She will have both nausea and exhaustion...

webwriter

Last observation of the day...gotta go get Monk up from nap, but I think, as rumored, that #3 TC was the worst. I got sicker this time, but I think it might have more to do with the low WBC than the stage of chemo. I feel better today than I did on ANY day of #3. In fact, #4 is going a lot like #2. Take heart fellow TC'ers, once you're over the #3 hump, it starts getting easier. (Or else I'm too screwy to notice anymore, haha!)

webwriter

(Oops. REFRESH before posting, Webbie!)

Yup, Michelle, studies show a distinct upswing in fatigue vs. nausea with the T's. Dang Kathie, all three at once seems undoable to me. I really should review before I post. Sorry. Bless you. I pray you have an ultra easy time of it. Like the others have said, don't give your Onco any slack, ESPECIALLY since you're so far away. Whatever is bugging you, they've got an RX for that!

Hang in there all!

webwriter

Oh (stupid chemobrain!) One more thing. I don't get steroid pills either. I get Decadron and Aloxi in my IV and that's it. My Onco too says that it lasts 2-3 days. Yup, exhausted but can't relax is a great way to describe it. For me it also takes the form of "I'm talking and I can't shut up." Then I'm sort of jumpy and skittish as well. I hate steroids. But when they don't work, I hate that worse!

webwriter

Oh Geez! But I can't resist! Auntie A just handed me this pic from the beach this morning!

This is the TRUE Little Monkey. 

MicheleS

It sounds like latey there will be competition for my vomit-queen crown.  I'l have to look back and see who's in the running (or easier still you can nominate others AND yourselves!)

Judging will be based on:

1. # of times in a 24 hr period. Unproductive wretching counts if is bad enough for your DH to ask if you are OK.  Wreching in public counts triple especially if pepple stop and stare.

2. # of drugs attempted (legal or illegal) to alleviate the misersy of nausea/hyperemesis... pls don't list the illegal ones. A count will suffice.  You can list the legal ones.

3. How long it lasts2,3,4, *8* days.

extra points are up for grabbs if you puke in the aisle of home depot or the grocery store.

extra points is you've ever called the triage nurse in hysterics over puking/nausea/wretching

I really need to get rid of this before my Taxol treatments start... So ladies if you think you have what it takes... please run!!!  Ill send you a crown!!

KerryMac

Well, Michelle, you have just given me a great afternoon chuckle.

I just do one puke, about 5:00pm the day of my infusion. It is like clockwork. Luckily I am usually in bed!! I do not think you have any threat from me for your crown...! It is almost as though I need it to feel better. I usually go to sleep afterwards. Then I am OK. I am hoping tomorrow will be a whole new deal. Fingers crossed I don't get the aches - she said about 50% do.

I have been having Chemo "flashbacks" all day, nausea, funny taste in my mouth....it is all in my head of course! We were out for lunch last weekend, I got iced water, the ice reminded me of the ice in the Chemo Clinic, and i couldn't drink any more!

Well, I am making Tacos as my nice "last meal' before tomorrow so should get cracking. They are the kids favourite dinner I think! 

Webbie - looove the photos of your monkey - you will all be happy to know we have had snow flurries here all afternoon! Spring, my eye....

kat4pink

lol I am thinking Michelle has been popping the pilgrim pot pills!

I am pretty good now, but I just am trying to figure out a way to not go through that hell of the first 4-5 days again.. Guess there really isn't any getting around it is there? If Compazine is a whimpy drugs, then why the heck did they send me home with it? Shesh!... so Zofran is stronger? What about just taking them both dang it! lol

I have TAC then a 21 day break... so I go every 3 weeks not 2.. I am thinking that will help me out in the long run since I will have an extra week then most of you for my body to recover.. am I thinking right about that?

Also, is the first the worse or the easiest? I guess that it probably different with everyone also huh?

Webbie - gorgeous daugther!!!!

KerryMac

Oh, and three drugs - Kytril IV and pill, Stematil and Dexasone...that may even count as 4...??

KerryMac

Kathie - my first was the easiest, but others find it the hardest, so you won't know until next time. Hopefully it was the hardest and it is all plain sailing from now on.   Tell your Onc about the SE's though, they will always have something in their arsenal to help. Mine is really strict about me telling her if things are bad, and also about taking the medication if needed, and not trying to "tough it out" as I am inclined to do.

I think my 2nd was the hardest, but then I might just have known what to expect after #2. But, I have said to my husband that Chemo is about the least fun I think I have ever had...

MicheleS

Kathie~ The 1st was the worst for me because I had dinky anti-emetics.  I puked ALL NIGHT LONG that night, no sleeping bewteen... more like sobbing on the bathroom floor.  I got better drugs for 2 and it went well.  Lots of nausea, but no vomiting in lagre quantities or in quick succesion.  I did still wretch still.

#3 was a living hell.  But still better than #1.

I just had #4 today puke count so far: 1 puke, 5 wretches, and several gags.

Come on people I need a challenger,,, come on, you know you are doing it,,, just fess up! secret wretching doen't need to be so secret anymore.  We won't trash you, we love you! Your secret will be safe with us.

And yes Kathie, I has 2 marinols and 2 ativans.  That's in addition to the shitload if IV meds I have been given!

gcpommom

Artemis:  I am sorry to hear about your aunt.  This is such a hard time to lose someone you love, I still "talk" to my mom, and like to think she is helping me get through all of this and is watching over me.

I went back to the local ER last night, my breathing got so bad, I was so scared.  They took me by ambulance to my hospital.  But, I do have some good news:  the blood clot in my lung is gone, it has dissolved.  The breathing problem is because of the pneumonia, which I guess I do have after all.  So I am just laying around for the next few days, and getting some rest. 

These blood thinners have caused my period to come back even though I just had it a few weeks ago.  Ugh.  So my week off from AC seems to be plagued by other SE's from the pneumonia and coumadin.  It still beats the nausea, though.

I found out that coumadin is actually made from rat poison.  Nice, huh?  One more nasty thing to go into my body.  I find that really disgusting, actually. 

Webbie:  those are really nice pictures, the shadows and the colors around your beautiful little girl are so artistic; I would frame those!

You know, for some reason the compazine worked really good for my nausea; now I never actually threw up, but am usually nauseous for most of the 2 weeks on AC, and it helped.  But I couldn't take it because of the racing heart, so now I'm on Tigan, which doesn't do quite as well for me.

Has anyone started Taxol yet, after their AC?  I am wondering if it will be better than the AC for SE's.  I sure hope so.

Judy

kat4pink

lol Michelle..you are cracking me up!

Judy I am so glad your blood clot is gone.. I have been thinking about you! I have to wonder who thought about trying rat poison on a person in the first place... kinda weird to think about someone thinkiing..hmm what if we gave him rat poison!

gcpommom

Kathie:  that's so funny, I had typed the same exact thing about who ever thought of ingesting rat poison, but then deleted it!!!    I totally agree....rat poison....yuck!  Plus the side effects include body aches and hair loss!  Just can't win!

TwillNW

I am not able to enter Michelle's nausea contest because blessedly, I haven't had any.  However, before my first AC, I did get scripts for Zofran, Ativan, and Compazine which I dutifully filled and haven't opened.  The onc nurse (love her) explained that they all work in slightly different ways (some block the brain's perception of nausea) - others in other ways - whic probably explains why they don't all work for everybody or in every situation.  I take Emend an hour or so before treatment (and for two days after), get a compazine at the time of infusion, and zofran in the infusion. 

I had AC #4 yesterday - the nurse commented that I must have a terrible problem with nausea because of all the meds.  I told her that I haven't had any problem at all and want to keep it that way!  Seriously, onc nurse said today that there has been very little research done into why some people are hit had with side effects and others sail on.  I can say that I have never been very prone to nausea (honestly can't remember the last time I threw up for any reason) so I'm sure whatever it is in me that makes that so helps with my tolerating AC chemo. 

Yesterday was my LAST AC - Yahoo!  And onc and I did agree on trying dose dense bi-weekly Taxol rather than weekly which will hopefully have me finishing a month sooner with fewer trips to the treatment center.  Of course, I get to spend the next two weeks being scared that Taxol will lay me low in a way that AC didn't - after all, I must be due!!

Condolences Artemis on the lost of your beloved aunt. 

Judy, glad your clot is gone - now you gotta get over that pneumonia.  You deserve some good news!    

Tricia