MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Anonymous

Mstrouble, that's the best compliment! You looking like nothing major happened, so the stress and all hasn't changed you. I think that's great, how about you?

Footballnut

round one of FEC. home and peeing red!! Lol. I was done in 90 minutes. The nurse told me that I might get a head rush or feel something in my sinuses. Well I do feel something in my head. It's weird. Feels a bit like pressure but not too bad

They gave me a med for nausea before they started treatment and I have to take pills tonight and for the next few days. Neulasta shot tomorrow. 

As far as the port area is concerned yup it is sore. They gave me percocets for the pain but It will knock me out and I want to watch the hockey game tonight. I just called my nurse about the head stuff. She said that I should take a perc. Lol

I'll try extra strength Tylenol first. If it doesn't work I'll take a perc before bed. Let the SEs begin!!  Lol

barsco1963

Football - your beautiful smile certainly hides any anxiety that you may be feeling. Glad that you have #1 under your belt. Hoping that any SEs are minimal and that the Tylenol does the trick for you.

Footballnut

started to feel nauseous at 4:30. I took a pill and ate some Melba toast. So scared of throwing up!!!!  I'm disappointed that I'm having this SE so early. Hopefully this isn't  a sign of things to come

Footballnut

feel like shit now

lovewins

fbn...did you take your anti nausea pill yet?  it is important to try and drink and eat a little something if you can....water will flush out your system.  if you can't take cold water try room temp water.  hang in there sweetie.

elimar86861

F-nut, Make sure to tell them all about the nausea tomorrow
when you go in for the Neulasta. They have tons of anti-nausea drugs,
and they don't seem to mind double- and triple-teaming you with them.
For example, before my infusion, they dosed me with Aloxi. (That worked
great, and I had the fluorouracil chemo component just like you are
getting, but I had two others not like yours also.) Then, I had Zofran
and Compazine for at home. Now I rarely took that, but it made me feel a
little more secure that I could take that if I did need it. Really,
with all the drugs out there, they should be able to get your upset
under control.

You probably threw up by now, didn't you?

I'm glad you shared your smile with us. Looks like you GOT GAME, girl!  You can do it!

Momine

Football, my doc had me on a rotation of nausea drugs throughout the day. I took them on a schedule, NOT when I felt something. 

linda505

ahhh -footballnut my friend - I hope today is much better for you!!  

Had my first treatment on Tuesday - have my shot today as I didn't finish treatment until after 5 pm and they want 24 hours before the shot.  

So far so good on SE - just some tingly fingers and toes - ever so slight - comes and goes - I did ice them during chemo but also diabetic so I have a double whammy on possible neuropathy.

Here I am at first infusion

elimar86861

l-505,  I went into chemo with pre-existing fibromyalgia so was also very wary about getting neuropthy.  Before each infusion, I listed (at langth) any and all neuropathic symptoms.  In a few instances they dialed my dose down a little bit, so keep the communication coming to your chemo team because neuropathy is one of those dread souvenirs you can be stuck with when it is all over.  (As you can tell by the various threads out there about it.)  I did not have your drugs; had another platinum one but no taxane.  Eight mos. later, I have persistent neuropathy; feet that are s.l.o.w.l.y. coming back to life.  Just hope they make it all the way back.  Glad your SEs are not bad and you are avoiding the nausea of our poor F-nut.  I like your "chemo alien" hat!

Those two pictures are giving me chemo flashback.  Never thought to have my pic taken!  My center had ginormous Lay-Z-Boy recliners in ALL the colors.

MameMe

Hang in there, FBN!! You do have the smarts and will to get the help you need and feel as well as possible thru this. I had more symptoms after my first infusion than the next three. Don,t overdo your activity, sleep lots and allow for this huge medicine to do its thing. Big hugs, Mame

Footballnut

thanks all!

I threw up twice last night. Fun! Couldn't even watch my hockey game!  I lay on the couch with a blanket over my head which had a compress on it. Cried and moaned!!  I took all of my anti nausea meds last night and again this morning. 

I the morning and night I have to take ondansetron or zofran and dexamethasone or decadron. I also have prochloperazine to take just in case. So I took that this morning too when I felt light headedness kicking in

Dry mouth is starting and I'm starting to feel tired

I will get my neulasta shot today so hoping for the best as I hate needles!!!!!

Argh!!!!  Lol

Thanks for your friendship!!

luvmygoats

Fooftballnut - I'm so glad you got advice from those having had chemo. You were in my thoughts. I was hoping you were in a quiet, dark room with soft music. Is it possible to catch the hockey game in replay, though not as exciting live? I know I saw replays listed for the Stars on my selected search guide but not sure what channels they were.

I did look up the Neulasta shot. Very tiny needle very short. The shot itself should not be a problem. Know many have bone aches from it. Check with your nurse/doc about taking Claritin (not the decongestant kind); comes generic Loratadine. Any pharm/grocery would have it. I read about many that take it anecdotally for aches. I take one every morning for allergies. I know you will talk to them about your nausea and see if they have any other tricks up their sleeves.

Bet someone will jump on about the Neulasta.

Footballnut

luvmygoats I've left a message with my pharmacist about Claritin and will also discuss with the nurse. I just want to have medical advice before taking it.  Seeing as I already have bone pain I suspect that it'll hit me if I don't take Claritin 

I did manage to see the rangers celebrate so hopefully I'll be okay to watch game 1 tomorrow with the pens!  Live king HENRY!!

luvmygoats

At least your team is still in the playoffs. The Stars went down in flames. Well, I'll guess I'll have to watch the Texas Rangers but they lost last night 12-1. Ugg. There's always NASCAR. Mavs doing OK but just not a basketball fan.

Hoping you have a better day today.

Footballnut

thanks!  NASCAR !!!  Jeff Gordon is my guy!!!!  

MinusTwo

Football - I understand you want to confirm meds w/someone, but lots of the wealth of info on this site consists of things that work for someone.  Ask the nurses at your infusion center or your MO.  I don't think that regular pharmacists are usually "up" on esoteric cancer things.  There's no proof of why the Claretin works  - but listen to your sisters here - it REALLY does.  I took it the day of chemo (the day before the neulasta) and for 6 days afterwards.  I learned that after TX # 1 when I only took it on the Neulasta day.

Hope you got a positive answer before you head to the shot tomorrow.

macatacmv

thinking of you both, footb and linda5!!! 

look all you really have to do is eat watermelon!!!

Did anyone else watch the National news tonight. There was a segment on about how women have such a hard time getting back to work and a regular life after tx. They were talking about early stagers. I know if I didn't own my business I wouldn't have a job. I had to hire someone else to do the work. Everybody who comes in my shop says how great it is that "I'm back", but really I am finding ways to rearrange my life. They were talking about how no one talks about how the se can last so long. They meant no one in the medical world, I'm sure. 

Anonymous

macatacmv, which network? Would be interesting what slant they put on it.

macatacmv

let's see, it was Brian Williams and Dr Nancy Synderman. so is that NBC? I think so.

Anonymous

thanks, that's it. Will look it up on the Internet 

Tomboy

Wow, now that is really news! Astounding!!! Maybe the word is finally getting out there! Sheeesh!

Anonymous

tried looking it up on the Internet with no success

elimar86861

Watermelon...My mom (terminal LC) really loved it thru' all her treatments.  I splurged during winter to get her some of the overpriced Chilean melons.  Who cares, right?  When I did my chemo, I loved the watermelon too.  Let me add #11 to the list:  Watermelon is one of the things that stays pretty true to taste during chemo.  There aren't too many things that fall into that category.

Busy this past week...making with the Garage Sale.

macatacmv

2TA and anyone else that might be interested: here is the link to the news segment 

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/breast-cancer-...

ha, I think it worked. let me know, my first time inserting link

eli, were you diagnosed with fibro before or after dx with bc? I am struggling with accepting the fact that I've been dx with fibro. I want to blame everything on the tami. Maybe we could PM about symptoms?

barsco1963

macatacmv - thanks for the link. It did work. A great segment to hopefully get the word out that tx for bc isn't as cut and dry as some believe. (including me before dx)

KLJ

I watched that segment on the news too. I hope it makes employers realize that they do need to be a little more forgiving with women who are going through treatment for BC. My daughter was fired immediately when her employer found out she had BC 2 years ago. Needless to say he didn't get away with it. The Civil Liberty Union helped her out, he was fined, closed his practice and moved away. These employers need to learn.

mstrouble16

2nd time around- while it was a great compliment, it also made me realize I have become a wonderful actress.  It's so much easier just telling everyone I feel fine rather than the truth.  No one really wants to know the truth some two and a half years later, to them I should be just fine I look it and to the outside world I am. 

Footballnut

Hi All,

I had my neulasta shot this past Thursday - no bone pain yet and it's Sunday.  No Clariton.  My pharmacist agreed that many women do take it but since we are all different, that there would be no issue with my waiting to see what might happen.  I hope that things continue this way!!!!

MakeLemonade

FBN - awesome that you don't have bone pain!  I did take th Claritan - I also have spondylolisthesis which gives me lower back pain a LOT. Decided that I didn't also want to deal with bone pain on top of it :-)  No bone pain, thank goodness and I am not prepared to find out whether I would have had any without the Claritin :-).