Chemo May 2011

Cyborg

Steff66

I know there is a lot of info on the boards and on the Internet. After awhile I noticed I could read a lot with out being overwhelmed. I have ILC too. I think over all, the chemo will help me. Just finished round 2 out of 4. The boards have alot of info ( as you can see) and the info is shared here seems to be easily absorbed. We are here for you.

Anonymous

Steff, My good friend had lobular....note, I said had....she had a bilateral mast, chemo and rads and is having her final step with her reconstruction next week (exchanging the expanders for implants)  She is currently on tamoxifen and doing very well on that with few SEs. 

neecee

laureen - advil didn't touch the sinus headache.  Got the OK from my MO to take my usual sinus med, and that did the trick.  Glad your SE's are at bay.  I got my Neulasta shot yesterday afternoon, then went to work.  Had to use two doses of nausea med to get through the shift.  Have a raging headache, nausea, and a low-grade fever this morning.  I am supposed to work this evening, and am at this moment debating if that is a good idea. 

bak94

Neecee, I vote for the day off for you!

Beaglesgirl

Neecee I'm sorry to hear your dealing with SE and have to work I think with the fever you might do better at home too. . About your headache, my cytoxan headache was brutal and the only thing that helped was vicodin.

neecee

Thanks beaglesgirl!  The headache, fever, and nausea are all retreating.  I'm going to try to go in.  No promises I'll make it through the whole shift!

Cyborg

I am telling you, those steroids kept me up and woke me up through Ambien. I feel kind of sweaty and icky but I know what to do. Rest up, drink fluids. Hugs to all. No nausea.

mccrimmon324

Cyborg, just wanted to say I think your new pic is adorable.

rondajean

How do you guys deal with this anxiety that, i would assume, we all have?  It wakes me up early in the am and keeps me up late.  It's the fear of the unknown.  I start my treatment plan AC next tuesday and it seems like a forever wait.  Nerves are shot!

Cyborg

I felt a lot better once I my chemo was started. Pet my dog. Talked to people who love me. Educated myself. Let myself hang with my feelinngs. Took myself shopping for food I would like or thought I would like. I prayed. I watched a lot of TV. I took psych meds!!!!!forgot about that!!! Hahaha! I am taking Buspar!for anxiety, cause in my particular case, Ativan is scary for me. The best thing that helped is at the beginning of this list: hot the chemo started!!!!! One more thing, I took the time off work. That helped a lot.

Winning!!!
Diagnosis: 2/23/2011, ILC, 2cm, Stage IIa, Grade 2, 2/5 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-

mccrimmon324

Rondajean - my dr prescribed some xanax for me, I try not to take it all the time but it definitely helps me.  I thought I would be in the May 2011 group but thanks to a lovely infection at my lumpectomy site I will be in the June 2011 - the xanax has been a huge help, I did not work at all last week, spent the week "resting" by myself and my mind raced all week.  My hubby even went to our dr and got himself a script for it too, his is a lighter dose, but it helps him to remain my rock when I have my meltdowns.   Good luck on your treatment.  I've been told the waiting is the worse part.

DebRox

Rhondajean:  I'm taking klonopin as needed for anxiety.  It helps take the edge off. I had my first chemo infusion yesterday.  It wasnt that bad, but I broke down when I got home.  Emotionally it all hit me what I have to go through.  As if surgery isnt enough - scars and all.  The gift that keeps giving. 

I look forward to putting this treatment all behind me, but now as many ladies say, take one day at a time and breathe. 

I just got home from a 45 minute walk in the canyon near my home.  Great for meditating, listening to the birds and taking my mind of things - albeit temporarily.  Hang in there!

Beaglesgirl

Rhondajean, you and I are having the same treatment and will be exactly one treatment off from each other as I go in for #2 a/c next Tuesday.



Which means I was right where you are two weeks ago, and Xanax was prescribed which was ok but really didn't help all of the time because it made me sleepy. The only thing that helped was starting my treatment. It sounds odd, almost wrong but it was like jumping into the rapids and it was swim or drown... my focus now is getting through the chemo. I was consumed with the loss of my 'future' and now it really is just surviving this fight. I am sure that there will be a fall out when I have to deal with the future again. But for now, everyone that said when tx starts my anxiety at least would be better.




I'm with you all the way!

MamaV

Include me on the Xanax list!  I still get super anxious the day before every treatment (which would be today). Plus the President at my work is being an ass.  I am the HR/Office Manager and used to be a salaried employee.  He switched me to hourly back in March when I started chemo (he said so I can have the flexibility to be off when I need it) but is now scrutinizing my hours like crazy.  Because I really need that added stress thanks!  I think he's just sick of me being gone - he thinks he's sick of all of this - HA!  How does he think I feel?  Wait until I have radiation and have to leave early every day for six weeks!  That'll be fun too!

I'll be in the Taxol chair for #6 tomorrow - Lord help me get through this again.

Vicky

Cyborg

Found out I under dosed myself by half on the steroids both infusions so far. Waiting to see how that's going to affect me? I hope it doesn't hurt the efficacy of the chemo. Can't imagine how I would feel on twice the dose of steroids... Like a crazy woman.

MamaV

Cyborg,

My OC reduced my steroids after I didn't react to the Taxol.  He said they are just to help to not have a reaction to the chemo drugs.  Doesn't change the efficacy.  You might tell your OC you accidentally underdosed and see if you can stick with the lower dosage. 

bak94

Rondajean, Ihad to start taking effexor for my anxiety plus the more than occasional ativan. Like others have said, for some reason once you have your first chemo under your belt the anxiety subsides a bit, although I do get a little nervous before each treatment, but not like with the first time.

I got my hats in the mail today, my favorite is a sleep cap with clouds, mooons and stars on it. It is a long dangly type fleece cap the is absoulutely snuggly. Might get too warm for summer, but for now it is perfect for around the house, although a bit silly! Hubby shaved my hair down to about a half inch and finally my scalp is not as sensitive.

4 days post 2nd ac and feel a bit tired and weak, but not to bad. Just being lazy. Should feel pretty good to work a bit on Saturday, my first day to work since diagnoses.

Beaglesgirl

Bkj66, was the second a/c less difficult as far as side effects? I'm hoping that it goes smoother next week...

bak94

Beaglesgirl, it did seem to be a bit easier. I made sure I stayed hydrated better this time. The nurse suggested gatoraid, which I have been diluting with water. I don't really like all the artificial stuff in gatoraide, but I do feel it has made a difference in how I feel, and it is easier to get down than plain water. I had even added lemon to the water but it still tasted strange. I go in for my wbc's tomorrow, so I am hoping they didn't tank as much as they did last time. I did already have a neulasta shot, but I think it takes my body a bit of time to respond to it.

bwhite22

One down, feel fine now.  Went for a walk and have been drinking lots.  My port worked great, no side effects during treatment, so far no nausea.  I have been taking adivan to sleep for a about a week.  I haven't been sleeping through the night for a while, since I had to stop HRT and I wanted to be physically stronger to begin chemo.  I'll figure out how to get off of it after I get past chemo!! 

Neecee...did you make through your shift?

Cyborg

Hi! Found out from the onc that everything will be fine but may notice reduced SEs . Next time I will fake what I am supposed to. Boy am I tired without sleep. Took a nap!

40-years-old-now

bkj66- That sleep hat sounds really cute. I like the sky things for sleep wear.

Anonymous

Cyborg, Since I did not have nausea or extreme fatigue, I got them to slowly reduce the steroids and was eventually off of them.  At lst I thought I liked them cuz I got so much done, but then I think I was suffering from sleep deprivation and thought things were hysterical so knew I needed sleep. I do them this time in the IV along with aloxi for nausea, but they don't seem to keep me on high gear the way they used to.  This time I do get fatigue, at least I think that is what it is.....it is like this big cloud comes over me and all of a sudden I can barely hold my eyes open...yesterday it happened at work, but I was able to take a nap at lunch and that helped.  Today I got treatment #3 and all went well....hair is coming out, but slowly,not in clumps,  Next week I will be prepared with the claritin before the neulasta shot and I am taking several vitamins and supplements to help with neuropathy.   I did not like effexor or celexa....I went to talk to someone because I was feeling overwhlemed and just did not feel like was coping with things well, could not concentrate and get things done like paying bills....so we tired one and then the other, but I found that while on them they really made me feel like I didn't care about anything...things were not upsetting me, but I also found I was not laughing at things that should have been funny and did not like that feeling of "not feeling"....but maybe that was just my reaction.  And on this chemo I am not feeling depressed or overwhelmed and am actually hopeful that it will work since I again sat today in the treatment room with a woman who had been on it since Jan with excellent results and only real SE is neuropathy and her hair is actually growing back while she is still on the chemo.  I think that many of you doing the AC followed with Taxol or taxotere will find you hair starting to come back while still on the treatments.  MamaV.....your boss had better watch it....I am sure there is some sort of rule that you cannot be discriminated against in the workplace for cancer....had a booklet somewhere that I will look for called your rights as a cancer patient in the workplace. 

Cyborg

Yes to Marybe. I think since it's only for a couple if days. I know what u mean by the need for sleep above all.

---

Everyone,

This is my late check-in for today.  3rd day after #A/C brought me down the whole day with fatigue, nausea, and lightheadedness when up.  Still in bed now, just thought I'd check-in with you guys.  Constipation hits me again big time.

Laureen 

Anonymous

Laureen, I think that is about normal,....chemo on Wed. would usually wipe me out for the weekend, but I still think they need to adjust your premeds so it won't hit you so hard.  I am really sorry this is so rough on you.  How many more...and then on to taxol? You need to take those laxatives and stool softeners all the time, can't wait until you get constipated and it builds up.  If Senna or none of those work, take miralax.

The only reason I am up is because I got that lovely premix with the steroids in it and am going to have to tell them that they need to reduce the amount....I need my sleep. 

Merilee

Hi May ladies

Just popping in from the April chemo thread to wish everyone good luck. If you look at the April thread there is a list of things to have on hand during your treatment.

Hugs to all.

Merilee

MargieC

Rondajean  ---  my Dr put me on xanax after we got the news I had three tumors in my left breast.  The two weeks between the call the biospy is postive to getting into the surgeon and making our plan for treatment about drove me over the deep end.  The xanax helped alot.  I would be stressing out and upset and within 30 min of taking one the edge was gone and I could function.  Once you start down the treatment path and know what is a head of you, you probably will not need it as much.  In my case we are doing chemo prior to sugery once I knew that and began chemo 2 weeks ago I haven't need a pill.  But I do keep them on heads for those days I can't deal.

good luck...   we are here.. 

---

Question to Everybody - 

Who is on Decadron and for how long?  My oncologist and I agreed to put me on Decadron for 2 extra days after my infusion date and I think it's keeping me up in wee hours.  Thus, I'm up typing this message on the forum, haha!

I just wanted to make a census as to how many days of Decadron  is generally given to chemo pts and what is effective.

Thank you,

Laureen 

---

bkj66,

how are you holding up after your #2A/C?  i was down the whole day yesterday but now up this early hour due to the Decadron.  hope to hear good things from you.

Laureen