Starting Chemo April 2009

DUTCHinAtlanta

AmylsStrong - My wife has very tiny veins also; and had the same problems with their finding and sticking a vein for her first infusion.  Her Onc suggested that the next time she has to come in, she should obtain one of those heating pads that gets warmed up in the microwave.  She should then wrap her arm in it on the way to the appointment.  The heat will cause the veins to expand and be easier to find and stick.

They come in several sizes and brands.  The one we got at Target is called "ThermiPaq" by Thermionics Corporation.  Hope this helps.

BetsyBuzz

DutchinAtlanta - I am responding to your earlier post about your wife's constipation problems. The drugs can affect the lining of the bowel.  My onc had me attend a chemo class and they stated to do one of the following two things: Take 2 Senna S tablets day 1-3 of TX or  6 oz. of warm (has to be warm) prune juice. I take the Senna S the first three days and then switch to the warm prune juice,  I add a tsp of Benefiber to the cocktail. I've replaced my morning cup of coffee with this and it seems to work for me. Actually, when water tastes bad the warm prune juice tastes ok.  Hope this helps her. They also said...lots of fluids. I add a slice of lemon to my water and it seems to help with the metallic taste.

connette

Hello, everyone.  I received a call from my onc's office this morning saying that my white count is down and needed to have a low dose shot of Neulastin (or something that begins with an N).  Does this happen to most women?  I have had 2 IV's of AC and will have my third IV (hopefully), tomorrow.  I need another blood test before they will continue my treatment.  You know, I read so many of discussions and think I understand what everyone is talking about and then when a side effect happens to me, I go blank and can't remember anything.  Everybody always seems so brave to me and I can't tell you all how much I admire your courage and knowledge.  Connette

shannon56

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!

It looks like I'm having a repeat of post trt #1.  I basically slept all day yesterday (real close to 24 hrs) but woke at 4 AM today but still feeling up and at-em.  Have the hand tremors today, right hand not to bad but can hardly do anything with the left.  Thanks to all the good advice here I got out this morning and did some power washing on the patio, got the table umbrella out, took one of the dogs for a short walk, and am getting ready to just chill outside for a bit.

Amy -- thanks for the sex info, at least if I don't feel like receiving I can give to my DH although I will double check with my onc tomorrow.

DUTCHinAtlanta -- my aunt had the same problem as your wife back in the 80s.  I remembered how bad her arms were and asked for a port.  I am not having any problems with mine but I do know some have had issues here.  Since I'll be getting the herceptin for a year I just didn't want to have my own arm poked forever.

hrf

I  have problems with my veins .. went through chemo 4 years ago with first dx.....so tomorrow they will be putting in a port that will be used on Thursday. I'm on my way to hospital for blood work now so hope they can find a vein. Good luck everyone with treatments this week. I'm very nervous about second round of TC after the first week of SE.

joanmac52

Please add me to your April chemo.....

joanmac52

Started April 9th 2009 Cytoxan and Taxotere 4 treatments 3 weeks apart. Had another April 30th 2009.... Neulasta was worst than chemo.....will check in later ,very tired.

HelenNC

joanne, sorry to hear you're not feeling well. It's like that right after the shot. 

jeezy

Hey all...

Sorry I've been absent for a while.  Doing a lot of things while I'm feeling good.  Going for treatment #2 TCH on Thursday so I'm preparing for bad days Sunday to Wednesday at least.  I hope everyone here is doing better.  

Welcome Joan, you will find that you can get a wealth of information from some really great women on this site.   I agree the Neulasta is worse than the chemo and I hope I don't have one this time, but if I need one I guess I will moan through it.  Good luck with your too Connette maybe it won't be too bad

I hope everyone has pain and side effect free days...hugs!!.  

DUTCHinAtlanta

We're on day six after the first TC and day five after the Neulasta.  The general bone ache from the Neulasta seems to have passed, but my wife has been experiencing extreme lower back pain - enough so that it woke her during last night; and she could hardly get up to use the restroom.

Tylenol/acetaminophen  seems to get rid of it.  Is this one more SE from the chemo?

hrf

Hi DUTCHinAtlanta

I had the same extreme lower back pain and couldn't get up .... ended up taking codeine. That was on day 5 following Neulasta. That was the last day of pain for that cycle. I'm also on TC and had the same general bone ache that you describe.

comingtoterms

Ikat,

You are my inspiration!!! I had my second round of A/C on May 4th and am experiencing sudden extreme dog shedding - that's the only way I can describe it!!!!  I had refused to cut my shoulder length hair, so for the last two days I have been wearing a black turban (not very youthful or pretty) and have asked my DD to cut off my longest layer today.  But when I saw your picture, I thought, "wow, she looks terrific!!!! "You really do.  I had hoped to hang on to my hair until the weekend (DD #2 graduates from college) but I don't think it is going to work.  Now, when I am ready to give in all the way, I will think of your beautiful picture!  Tammy

Lesleyanne67

Well I have not posted much since my first chemo but I READ every day.  I guess I have a lot less to say once this all "started".  My anxiety level was high when I was wondering what will chemo infusion feel like, what will the port feel like, what will Neulasta feel like, will the SE be manageable?????

I had my instant reaction to all of this, my age, my first mammogram caught this, and I am late stage, but I think there was a bit of shock involved not to mention I was so busy with my job and ALL the different DR appts...mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsy, mugascan, bloodwork, pet scan, oncologist, surgeon.....I really had no time to process feelings I was on auto-pilot

I was EXTREMELY fortunate and was able to manage Neulasta pain with Norco, Nausea with Emend, Zofran, and Compazine.  I did have general flu feelings - all manageable.  Really the worst was bloody noses.  Chemo dries you out and I live in Northern Nevada (near Lake Tahoe) so it is dry but I got the Ayr saline gel that helps A LOT and some constipation due to the Norco and anti-nausea meds....even though I had boosted my fiber intake 50% but overall pretty good.

I now find myself losing all of my hair.  I have the cut scheduled for Fri AM right aftger chemo 2 Thurs afternoon and it is barely holding on and I feel like such a big BABY that this is the hardest part.  Went wig shopping yesterda and they are not as natural as everyone tried to convince me.

I work in sales and sell to CEOs and CFO's and I am just not able to do the scarf or hat thing.  I can work through this, my company is superior in accomadating me. I am only 41, not married, and really could not survive without working - economically. 

All of it is so OK so far and funny tastes in mouth, exhaustion, pain, losing my breasts, all of it I can take but 6 months without hair nd trying to not hate the face that looks back at me is wrneching emotionally.  I really never realized i card about my hair that much and really took it for granted but now that is will be gone I am just overwhelmed with emotion.  Even once it is cut I am not sure I can leave the house or even look at myself in the mirror...

I guess it is just a bad day and I am trying REALLY hard to shake it off

Thanks for listening

Lesley 

jlp

Lesley, I had long hair and I cried when it was cut short - you are not being a baby, this is a tough thing to go through. Now my hair is mostly gone and I miss my hair just like you - I'm lucky that I deal with most of my work over the phone / email so the 'gypsy' look with a bright scarf and big ear-rings has become the 'new me' - I am having fun finding just the right scarf or hat to match my outfit and enjoying the compliements I get.

Know that we are all pulling for you!

Alaina

Paula ~ I want the full boob job with the tummy tuck as well!  I also want a BLM even though the cancer is only in my left breast.  I have a check-in with my surgeon this Friday, so hopefully I'll get more information.  Right now, we're looking at September for surgery.

Alaina

InTheMoment ~ Yes supportive friends are absolutely amazing and I don't know how people take this journey without them!  I am so completely overwhelmed with gratitude, and I feel guilty because I haven't been able to say Thank You as much as I want/need to.  Everyone says they understand, but I feel bad.  I feel like I need to send a thank-you- card for every card, gift, act of kindness...and I know I don't.,..not just yet anyway, but still.

One lady from my church sends me 2 cards a day!

Nico1012

DutchinAtlanta ~ hrf~ I too had extreme lower back pain along with bone pain that seemed to change location with each treatment. Sometimes legs, sometimes hips, then shoulders and neck. DH brought home a tube of topical glucosamine creme called "Jointflex" that he picked up at Walgreen's on the advice of the pharmacist and after rubbing it on the painful areas I had the first good nights sleep in weeks! This won't work the same for everyone, but just like Claritin or Aleve, it will work for some. It's amazing to me how sometimes the most simple remedies work better than the big gun meds with all of their side effects. Hang in there everyone, you are about half-way done and you CAN do this!

Nico

giglgrl

Hi All,

I have not posted since my second treatment. It went pretty well.....had my week off and am now back at work. The posts go by so fast when you are away from the boards.

I was wondering......are a lot of you having trouble sleeping? I thought at first it was the stress of finding out I had cancer.....but now still after second treatment. I am always waking up thru the night. I think that is adding to my fatigue through out the day. Also, still fighting the constipation.I have been taking the colace and drinking the smooth move tea.....does not seem to be doing too much....I mave have to drink some more of that Magnesium Citrate. Oh well...

My next tx is may 13th......two down, two to go....then surgery. Is anyone else doing chemo before and after surgery?

So many questions!!

Alaina

Giglgrl ~ the trouble sleeping could be from the steroids and/or the anti-nausea meds you may be taking.  If you are taking the steroids the day before, the day of, and 3 days after treatment, it may be a few days/nights before they are out of your system and your sleep patterns return to normal.

My onc nurse recommended Tylenol PM or Benadryl before bed in order to get some sleep.  That (the Tyelenol PM) worked for me for the one night I needed to take it post Chemo #1.  I never had to take it again because the steroids were pretty much flushed after that.

As to the constipation, the anti-nausea meds can cause that.  I was told to use Senokot, but have never had to.  I've only experienced mild diahrhea.  Maybe because I'm getting a full 2 liters of water per day, as instructed by the doctor.  I know staying hydrated will make a HUGE difference in how you feel, and maybe increasing your water intake will ease the constipation?

I'm doing chemo before surgery also.  I've got 6 Txs, 2 down, 4 to go!

Hope this helps!

Alaina

AmyIsStrong

Hi everyone.  Big day for me today  - thought I'd update you.  Had a blood draw to check levels for chemo tomorrow, and they were fine! Yay. The draw hurt as they are running out of good places to stick me, but I made it through. Then a consult with an alternative doctor to get some ideas for supplements to help through chemo. VERY helpful meeting and got some good ideas. Anyone who wants to discuss can PM me.

THEN - when we got home, there was a little box for me in the mail. It was the free head wrap from franceluxe.com that I posted about a few days ago. It came so fast (just in time for me to lose my hair!). It is SO pretty and soft - it was the FIRST time my DH said "That looks nice" when I tried a scarf on. He hasn't liked any of the ones people have lent me.  And it was beautifully presented and had a card signed to me personally by each person on their entire staff. It was a huge pick me up and really made my day! I cannot encourage each of you enough to go to their site and request one. What a treat!  www.franceluxe.com - good wishes program.

So I'm all ready for chemo #2 tomorrow. I know a number of you are on for tomorrow as well. Good luck to all of us! Together we can do this!!

Amy

ikat

Tammy,

I hope you make it till your daughter graduation. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. After you have your DH cut one of the layers, don't play with it. That might make it stay longer.  Did you get a wig yet? If not the American Cancer Society has some wigs that might get you through. 

I was surprised at  how I ended up looking after the buzz cut. My hair dresser could be my son,(don't we look so much alike). He was a real sport about everything. He even took the pictures. 

MY only advice is put make-up on eye make-up, makes your eyes stand out,  lipstick and blush is a must too.(I never really put make up on before, I went to the look good feel better from the ACS with Geri--Great fun and lots of information...free makeup too!). The other thing is Big earrings.  

I did my 2nd  TC today. So I am a little tired. 

Good luck!

kathy 

DUTCHinAtlanta

A SE question, if we may.  Annabelle asked me to ask you all if you're always hungry, but have a hard time eating much?  This is day 6 after TC 1.  She is always hungry; but after a couple of mouthfuls, she can't eat any more.

Also, she asks when the metallic taste in her mouth will go away.

 She got fitted for the wig today.  Hair cutting and final fit & style of the wig is set for next Wednesday, 5/13.  I think that's going to be an emotional day.

 TIA for the great suppport here!

AmyIsStrong

I heard that eating with plastic utensils helps with the metallic taste.

I wasn't hungry but I would eat if someone put a plate in front of me. Definitely small portions, and the smell of cooking made me uncomfortable. But it got better around the 1 week mark. So hopefully she will turn the corner tomorrow!

aris

I had my third AC dense dose today. I can't believe it's the third already. I am doing okay. My mom took my kids for me after school until 7pm. What a gift! It was so easy getting them at 7pm, right in time for bedtime! 

I'm tired, and have a headache. Other than that the anti nausea meds seem to be working, thank goodness.

 I go for my neulasta shot tomorrow. I'm hoping to get through the next few days quietly!

Oh and I got a terrible rash on my scalp. I saw the dermatologist yesterday who said it was a folliculitis. She gave me some anti bacterial meds for it and swabbed it for something. My onc. nurse said it can be quite common. So not only am I bald, but I have a terrible rash on my head. 

Pam

Nadine54

On the sleeping topic, Tylenol PM didn't do anything for me.  We bought over the counter sleeping pills with the ONC blessing.  He told DH to give me one or two Ativan (0.5mg each) along with two of the sleeping pills.  We tried two sleeping pills nothing worked, no sleep.  So we tried and it worked for about a week two sleeping pills and one Ativan.  Boy the sleep was great, even getting up 3-4 times a night for the bathroom.  Then after two nights of 2/1 of pills I was back to no sleep.  So DH gave me two of the Ativan.  Like I told DH, it seems I am trying to get some sleep...its been a fight just to get sleep.  After treatment one I went for over a week on minimal cat naps....I looked terrible and felt just as bad.  So before treatment two I told the doc I needed sleep and this is what we came up with.  I didn't want any more prescriptions since I already have a ton for near everything now.  So on the sleep topic, round 3 is coming up May 13th and I am going to discuss this with him again.  My problem is I max out on drugs fast so that is becoming a problem.

Onc told me to take Senokot...once again it takes days for it to even start working.  I drunk so much every day I should be sinking a ship by now.  So today I remembered a previous posting and am going to switch to the cocktail prune juice.  HOPE it works.  During round one all I did was hit the bathroom, and often that was pretty close to just hitting it.

On the rash on the head...my scalp broke out with only 4, but painful pimple looking things.  I had been using my regular shampoo because I like the smell of the variety I have.  I bought baby shampoo today and am going to try that and forget my fofo shampoos for when I have hair.  I was putting lotion on my scalp...ended that also.  I also bought baby lotion that is intended for the scalp of babies...and is supposed to help prevent rash and cradle cap. 

Steroids I take starting during chemo and follow with 7 days of pills.  They mess me up hard because I already have an allergy to all steroids.  But Onc says its a must to work hand in hand with my chemo.  As long as something works for the sleep during that time I am able to sleep.

The shot from hell as I often call it is the one thing I would love to do without but know its a must.  Since my body is all over the place on SE's he told me to take a pain pill before we left to get the shot.  It worked great and I slept most of the hour drive back home.  Did have to take an additional pain pill a couple of times for leg and knee pain from hell. 

My memory seems to continue to be very poor.  I continue to have nose bleeds and then my nose is so sore from bleeding so much.  And of course allergies are kicking my tail hard.  My energy continues to be low...low as I know it used to be good before all of these treatments started.

Food hasn't been a problem this time, I eat smaller portions and always take a pill for the stomach every day. 

I do wonder what round #3 is going to bring.  At this rate I don't know how many more medicines we are going to need.  If I would just stop maxing out on each of the drugs that would be wonderful.  For me the "normal" hasn't worked.  Like I told the doc,  So with next visit coming up my list of questions are added.  Good thing the Onc is used to tons of questions because I come loaded with a list.  All I know for sure is I want to sleep, poop and no more pimples on the scalp and private area.

Had a weird thing the other morning while in the shower, washed my scalp and for some reason flipped my hair and wiped my face to get the hair out of the way...darn the hair has been gone completely for over a month.  I just stood there and laughed...old habit I guess.

Other than that I am doing pretty darn good.  Just keeping positive thoughts and praying tons.

Nadine 

jeezy

Amy...thanks for the website.  I'm going to call them as soon as I have a chance it sounds great.  I wanted to wish you luck tomorrow and I will be there with you in spirit as I have my #2 tomorrow too! Good luck and minimal SE's.

Nadine...so sorry about the sleep.  I'm not a good sleeper.  The none of the over-the-counter PM's work for me because they give me restless leg issues.  I've tried Lunesta which I didn't work and Ambien CR which works sometimes and sometimes not.  The best sleep I get is when I take the two Adivan.  I'm also on Effexor for anxiety which I think helps a little too.  I still wake up during the night at least once to go to the bathroom, but this didn't start since treatment I think it is mostly hormonal and the chemo just adds too it.  Good luck with it because you need your rest.

Leslie...hang in there.  I had my 18 year old son buzz my head Sunday and today I shaved it smooth.  It feels funny, but good.  I look absolutely terrible bald, but it is part of the process and it lets you know that your treatment is working because it is killing those fast going cells so find the good in the bad.  My hair was shoulder length.  I got it cut short the week of my first treatment and I've taken gradual steps to where I am now.  Just remember it will grow back and be beautiful again soon.

Hang in there everyone...we are all on our way to the finish line.  Those with recent Neulasta shots...bless you and the pain will subside soon.   Remember God tells us to be Brave and be Strong  over and over again in the Bible...

Hugs and good wishes to all!!

Jeezy 

stephanie1

HI ladies

Had my 3rd AC yesterday. I feel this one so far has been the easiest on SE's although my fatigue is starting to catch up with me. I am excited because this round I started the Claritin as many  suggested. I had severe bone pain with the neulasta shot the previous rounds. If I can keep that SE away I can do this round with a smile on face the entire time. I am so happy to have only one more AC to go and then start on Taxol and tackle the SE's from it. I am glad to see we are all hanging tough!

HelenNC

Dutch, I am the same way with the metalic taste & not eating alot.

Please buy the Biotene mouthwash. (& toothpaste too) Believe me, If she gargles with it, it will cut down on the metalic taste. I can't seem to find any beverage including water, that doesn't have metal taste...except diet pepsi. I know I can't drink that all the time, but for a few days I wasn't drinking anything.

HelenNC

Amy:

I also received my hat scarf from fransluxe. I asked for a solid color & they sent me a deep champaign color. Tell me, what do you do with the 2 pieces hanging? Do you tie them? 

hrf

Good luck to everyone having chemo tomorrow. I had my port put in today. I was very, very nervous but the doctor was amazing and it went exceedingly well - minimal discomfort. They left the needles in so that when I go for my second dose of TC tomorrow, they won't have to poke me. My onc has also prescribed new meds to help with the heartburn and I will have to start injecting Fragmin every day to prevent clots forming around the port. I bought Claritin as well as a saline nose spray that the pharmacist recommended.....so I hope they will help. My hair is coming out at a steady pace and will be gone within the next few days. I contacted the folks at franceluxe and they are sending me a wrap. I'm very excited about it and love the idea of the big earrings. Thanks for all the support and the posts. Just reading about what tricks you have learned to cope are very helpful. Like many of you I still cry a lot. I miss having breasts. I hate feeling that I have lost control of my life. Unfortunately, this is my second primary bc and it's harder to fight it a second time. ......