Is there a July 2011 group?
Comments
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Jamie 30 I heard pineapple is good for the fuzzy in the mouth and good luck to everyone having chemo tomorrow dreading monday when I start my 1st treatment but love reading all your posts.
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Hi everyone! Had my second treatment yesterday (day 15). Went pretty well. I wanted to mention that I also had trouble with my injections after my first treatment. I have to have one a day for 5 days after treatment. The first two days I was given Neupogen and after about 45 minutes my blood pressure dropped alarmingly, down to 91/59. Thinking it was just the first day response, they tried it again the second day. After about 30 minutes my blood pressure dropped to 64/45. The third day they switched me to Neulasta (I'm hoping I have these names right). No side effects. I felt great. Think we have a winner there. Also I haven't had any hair loss yet, but I have been assured that it will probably fall out this week. I asked the RN about the cold caps. She explained to me how it works and has had patients that have tried it once, but it is so unpleasant nobody she knows has done it more than through one treatment. For anyone not familiar with it, this is how it was explained to me: you have to wet your hair and put a frozen ice pack-type cap on your head and wear it throughout your entire treatment (in my case would be about an hour and a half to two hours). As much as I would love to keep my hair, I couldn't do that. To me the only thing worse than being cold is being cold and wet.
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Sending good vibes and thoughts out to rabbit and everyone else going to chemo today!
Today is only my day 2 of second TC treatment. I have felt a little funny since yesterday. Nothing horrible just fuzzy mouth. I can drink anything pretty much orange. Mango gatorade, peach water, peach beach mystic, orange gatorade, and so on. IDK but everything else...yuck. I did not sleep well last night at all. I was up and down all night. My stomach is hurting this moring and I have heartburn like CRAZY. Day 2 last time was a great. I had a boost of energy and cleaned my whole house. I dont see that happening today. Maybe this means I will be getting the bad crap over with sooner and back to my normal self. IDK but we will see. I have been up since 5am this morning after waking up every hour last night. I think I may be having hotflash issues. I will be so glad to get this over with!
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Hi Jamie - I think your sleep is messed up by the steroids given to you. I had that Days 3-5 especially.
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Paintingmywaythru - So sorry you are still dealing with the mouth sores. I don't have any words of advice - just sympathy. That's not fun.
Jamie30 - thanks for the update on your treatment. I, too, am hoping for the steroid buzz on my next treatment. It actually was most intense the evening of my treatment - I did laundry and dishes and talked the ears off of a couple of people who phoned! Better to have my expectations set that it might not happen again next time, though. Really funny about drinking only orange beverages. I've found that I still have a taste for sweet things although some other stuff tastes strange to me. I thought gingerale would be great, but it tastes awful to me now!
About the stomach hurting - for me it seemed to be gas-related. I took a couple of gasX and that helped a lot.
ewa-swimmer - Glad you are out of the hospital - hope you are feeilng better!
My hair is definitely coming out, although not so much that I have to do anything about it yet. Just a lot more in the shower than usual, etc. Someone mentioned cold caps and I know some ladies swear by them. It just seemed like so much work and discomfort, from what I read, as well as cost. Was not worth it to me. But that's just me. I'm not all that upset about the hair loss. At least not yet. I might change my tune when it comes time to shave it all off!
As some others have said, I just don't want to lose my eyebrows. My onc said she thought that I wouldn't, but I'm not sure why she said that. Maybe because of only 4 treatment cycles? Maybe because it is TC and not a different combo?
Best wishes to you all having recent treatments.
Ann
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Hi J-Bug - I think eyebrows/eyelashes are more likely to fall out with T/C than with A/C. I've heard lots of people keeping their eyebrows/lashes on A/C. Maybe it's wishful thinking since I'm A/C dd too
I'm thinking about all of you and wishing you few SE's. -
Hi Everyone:
Day #2 after TC #1:
All is well but I definitely feel my mouth and eyes getting a bit dry. Felt tired this morning and so I slept until 11:30. Pushed myself to do 20-30 minutes aerobic exercise and feeling better. Having a little bit of bone pain but nothing intolerable. Does this bone pain continue or it just stays for a day or two. I am just wondering what to expect because I want to get back to work tomorrow or Friday.
Sending good vibes to everyone. Holding out for no or minimum side effects. Hugs & God Bless!!!
Ann
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Hi ladies; Allenan & Jamie, thanks for your updates and sorry for the SEs:-( hope they will get better soon. I am 14 days past my 1st TC treatment and this week I have been feeling like ME again:-) went to the look good, feel better session yday, quiet nice, got nice make-ups, good to meet other women going through the same journey. My next treatment is next thursday and I am already dreading it:-( uurrghhh my sister is coming over from Toronto to be with me, so that part i am looking forward to:-) Thank you all for the updates, i dont comment very often but i always read the comments & suggestions and its very encouraging to know that there is a place we can vent and talk to other women going through the same journey. I wish all of us minimal and tolerable SEs.
Thanks & hugs to you all.
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Sitting here getting first TCH chemo. Got the premeds...felt fine with benadryl, pepsid. Then they gave me the steroid.....wow I felt like I was climbing walls. Started on taxoter and ended up crashing and burning for the 2 hours it ran. DBF went to the coffe shop and got us sandwiches...ready for aother nap....more later
Tina -
Snoopy73 - We seem to be on the same schedule. I was diagnosed the day after you and am also having my next treatment next Thursday. Like you, I have been feeling like myself again and am looking forward to a good week. I'm at least relieved to know what to expect. The hardest part for me was feeling so tired and wondering if it would ever get better or if I would feel that way for the next three months. It did get better! :-)
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Hi Ana and Snoopy - we all have our 2nd round next Thursday, I wish it was tmrw! I want to get this over with! eyebrows have stopped growing, no plucking needed anymore.The heartburn came back now it sits in the middle of my chest, kind of like I ate too much butt nothing is there.
Jamie - next treatment try sucking on ice during, it will help with the fuzzy mouth, and remember rinse with baking soda, salt, and warm water 3 times a day.
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My biggest challenge this week has been working. As a graphic designer/freelancer, I have no legal rights in the workplace. The creative recruiting company who placed me in my current position with a very large corporation is based out of Chicago and they have no idea I am going through anything. I was asked to work this position from home which is just awesome and amazing, but I do go in every day or two and drop off files. I have worked for this corporation before for another freelance position with the same team, but onsite, for six months.
The struggle has been keeping up with the workload and then wearing the wig, trying to not divulge the breast cancer. If I do anything that scares them into thinking that they may not meet deadlines, they would just find another person. (That did happen with my last position as I went through diagnosis.) I have done three all-nighters trying to get the work done to meet deadlines in the last two weeks. I am so exhausted! I had my husband drive me in to Milwaukee to drop off files because I had only had a two hour nap. He is on 2nd shift and was giving up his sleep to do this. He has been working seven days a week and I felt like I had not seen him in forever, so we needed the time together, no matter how tired we both were.
I had told my boss (at the corporation, not the placement company) that I had some medical issues that I was handling. Today I gave in and told her that it was breast cancer. I told her that I was doing really well with treatment and about halfway done (really only 1/4). She took it quite well and thanked me for letting her know. I know that she is still worried about deadlines as she very quickly asked me to give her any advance warning that I could if there were any problems.
I wish there were an easier answer to all of this. I still have a double mastectomy, radiation, then reconstruction to go. My husband is so supportive, but we just cannot afford to not have me working with two special needs children and legal issues from a house fire going on. Some days I want to just give up and go hide in my bed, but there's just not time for that.
New SE last night: the metallic taste that I hear about kicked in. Awful!
Sorry everyone! I am a whiner today. I try to keep it to a minimum because it just doesn't help me move forward, but that's all I have in me right now! : )
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Hi ladies. Today has been a better day for me. I finally gave up on picking my hairs up all over the place. The saga could have continued on for days, but I had enough. So today my husband took out his clippers and we started cutting and clipping away. I'm "almost" bald. Call it the shortest buzz you can get! My head is a little sensitive, so we decided not to shave for now. I am now rocking it bald on Day 23 of my treatment. I must say I think I was causing myself extra anxiety anticipating the inevitable and now I'm actually feeling somewhat liberated. I have wigs in case I want to go out, but at home, I'll just go without. I feel much better and think I'll sleep better too now!
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J-Bug - you are a very brave and strong lady and pushing yourself amidst the issues you have. Many hugs to you! Please do take care of yourself especially when you are feeling weak and rest so that your body can recover.
Just would like to share my experience with cold caps. First the onco nurse will wet my head and then put on a cloth cap over the wet head. Thereafter, the cold cap (which is like a swimming cap but thicker and has liquid within circular pockets) is tightly put on. The starting temperature is 22 deg c and over a half hour period this drops to 5 deg c gradually. It feels cold initially but I got used to it very quickly. All I felt was swirling cold water running round my head eveytime temperature drops. Its nothing like brain freezing. Just felt like stucking my head into the freezer for a short while. I am from the tropics with temperature here not lower than 28 deg c throughout and I do not feel that it is uncomfortable. I am on dose dense and its been day 11 post TC - so far no shedding of hair at all, just the usual few strands daily (still early?).
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Thank you Frances. I wasn't feeling very strong today, but with some good sleep tonight - I will be back in rare form tomorrow!
Another thing that I read about the cold caps: One important reason people do it is that there are some drug regimens that can bring on a permanent hair loss. If we were told that your hair may never come back, I think a lot of us would jump into finding out more about cold caps.
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J-Bug - I am sorry you have to go through all that amidst the BC; please do take it easy and listen to your body, when its time to rest just rest. Hugs to you.
Frances - didnt know you are using the cold caps, which ones are you using? the dignicaps or penguin cold caps? I am also using the cold caps, the penguin cold caps. there is a thread here specifically for cold caps users, you should visit it, very educative. I am day 14 post my 1st TC treatment and have started to shed alittle, am told that its to be expected but hair will jsut thin not come out completely.
Take care all and hugs to you.
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Hi all, haven't posted in awhile, I'm barely in the July chemo group as my 1st A/C treatment is 7/29. Got my port placed yesterday and had a long wait and appt at the MO office today, allready for my 1st chemo now just the countdown til the 29th. This board has been so helpful to me reading about SE, chemo bags, hair, nails etc. I'll be doing 4 DD A/C X 4, then DD Taxol X 4 then Neulasta 24 hr after treatment. Thaks for being there, its been so helpful...
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H Snoopy73 - I am using dignicaps.
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Jamie, for some reason I thought you were on the same plan as me. Either way, I am now 2 under the belt as well! Woohoo, 6 to go!
It was a bit different for me this time than the first. After several hours of getting home, I just lost energy and got real fluish, tad of nausea, took a zofran. Slept for 2.5 hours, woke up with a real bad headache, took a hydrocodone 5mg. it worked for the most part, now almost 11pm, getting a bit sick to my stomach again, took a phenegran shot this time, it's working great!
The first FEC I had a horrible pain in my gut and heartburn on top of much worse fluish like symptoms, I took a prilosec before chemo and I'm guessing that helped with that.
Jbug, people are understanding and you made the first step in telling your boss...I sure hope things work out for you.
kk11, I felt so much better after doing a close shave yesterday, I too had my hair buzzed as short as you could without being baldie....and it was falling out like crazy and those tiny little coarse hairs were sticking through my turbins, when it's falling out like that, it's so sensitive, it does hurt, now it's awesome! So much more comfortable.
Hope we all have few SE when we wake up!!!
xoxo to everyone
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Valbee - Sucks that the Neulasta shot knocked you down. I hope you're feeling better today. I was told Claritin could help, so I take it for a few days starting the day of my shot.
Blessomel - I hope you get to keep your hair!
Tresjure - Hope you're still doing well today! I hope you can breeze through all of your treatments!
Tina - Welcome! As for steroids, yeah, they help but they suck at the same time.
Allenan - Wish I could exercise on the first day of treatments! I find myself nauseous before I even get home! As for bone pain, I haven't experienced much in my first two treatments. I feel like my neck and head hurt to the touch a bit, but that's it. I was told by my onc to take Claritin for a few days starting the day of the shot because for some reason that seems to work for a lot of people.
Ana - Gotcha on the treatments every 3 weeks. How many do you get total? Mine is dose dense every other week for 8 cycles, so I feel awful for one week and then start feeling better the next. I finally feel just good enough to go in my next round. Hopefully you get 2 good weeks in between. As for the hair, see my previous post. It's gone now and I'm glad I finally did it.
Misswim - I have done the working thing through chemo before. I got infusions on a Friday and would work half days the following Monday and Tuesday.Then back full time until my next infusion. I decided not to do it this time because this treatment is going to take longer and I want it to be as stress free as possible. Good that you have your FMLA all set up to go if you need it. Don't feel bad if you do. Your health comes first. But if you don't then more power to you!
Paintingmywaythru - I had a partial molar pregnancy too. Mine turned into persistent gestational trophoblastic disease and my hcg just wouldn't budge around the 500s and then went up. They only give chemo if your hcg stops falling or goes up. I take it your hormones just went down to zero as they should, which happens most of the time. I'm just a doubly unlucky duck.
Jamie - Ouch! I hope your hand recovers quickly. How are you feeling today? That makes sense to not go for the port if you're only have 4 treatments and no Adriamycin. The Adriamycin is the reason I went for the port.
rabbit - Yay for a good massage! I bought myself one from Groupon a few months ago, but then I got diagnosed and haven't gotten around to using it yet. I will save it for after I'm done with treatments and try to sneak in a few freebies at the cancer center in the meantime! As for the electric razor, that will be next for me too if my little buzz gets bothersome...but we used #1 clippers so they're already pretty darn short!
Snoopy - I've had more than my fair share of headaches since starting chemo. Actually, they're migraines and they SUCK! I just try to drink a LOT of water and stay in darkness as much as possible. Definitely mention it to your doctor though because some of the meds can cause migraines and it could be fixed with a simple switch in meds.
Kat - Welcome. 8cm is pretty big. Hopefully the chemo shrinks the tumor down considerably. Is there an option for a lumpectomy if that happens? Also, do they suspect it to be in the lymph nodes? They normally don't do radiation with mastectomies unless there's lymph node, chest wall, or skin involvement. Hope these treatments fly by for you.
Ewaswimmer - I hope you feel better soon! I am surprised how quickly your hair started falling out. Hopefully that means it will grow back really fast when the chemo's done.
J-Bug - I have heard and read that eyebrows tend to come out last and that a lot of people on ACX4, TX4 treatments start to lose them during Taxol and at the same time start growing back their head hair. It's crazy how the sequencing seems to work, though I know everyone is different. Hopefully we WON'T lose our eyebrows! As for working through all of this, I'm so sorry you have so much pressure on you. Are you planning on working through the mastectomy as well? I realize you don't have the luxury of not working, but do try to be kind to yourself and take time for yourself whenever you can. You need to be strong and well rested so that your body can fight this thing!
Kimpossible - Wow! The first bp # sounded like my low normal but 64/45 is downright scary! I'm glad they switched up your meds to Neulasta! How are you feeling now?
Frances - I also have had sleep issues starting Day 3, but it lasted until about Day 7 for me this time. I agree, it's probably the steroids.
Debb - I'm glad you got your port placed in advance of the treatment. I had mine placed the morning of my first treatment day and because I was told not to drink anything after midnight and the port was placed late morning and then chemo in the afternoon, I went in dehydrated and I think I fared worse. So the best thing you can do before your first treatment is to hydrate yourself really well and then keep at it during and after treatment.
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wow! Kristien! Thanks for your support
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Yes, thank you so much for your support! All of you!
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Today marks one week since my first TC treatment. Today is also the first day that I feel like myself again. I have to believe that some of the issues I've had are related to the massive heat wave we're having. Not all, obviously, but there's no way it can't be affecting the way I've been feeling in some manner. Seems like whenever we shut off the air conditioning (we have a wall unit and the noise drives me insane ) for a bit, I start running a low grade fever. I haven't made it through a full day of work yet, but I'm feeling pretty confident about today! Of course, it's also going to be the hottest day of the week, so maybe I'm just talking myself into staying at the office to be safe. We had a "brownout" last night for several hours, and didn't even have enough electricity to power a fan--let alone the AC!
The worst part has been the Neulasta, for sure. KK11, I did the Claritin as well. Next time, I think I'll be a little more proactive about staying on top of the pain. I'm one of those who doesn't like to take anything if I don't need to. I think that's where I made my mistake this time.
I wish I could know that this would be the worst of it and that subsequent rounds would be tolerable based on what I know from this time. Unfortunately, I don't think it works that way. But I'll cross my fingers!
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Valbee, where do you live? I'm in Kentucky and it's been a heat index of 110+ at times lately, a friend my fiance grew up with fell over of what they think was heat stroke, he was outside cleaning up pine needles in long sleeves, long pants, hat and gloves and fell over dead with his wife next to him, 59 years old, that heat is a killer!
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Ooops, have to make a correction on my injections. I didn't have the names right. I started with Leukine and that dropped my blood pressure. Mine is usually fairly low anyway. Now I am taking Neupogen and I am doing much better. Today is day 16 for me and I think my hair is starting to fall out. I am finding a few more strands than usual. :-(
I am also having sleep issues. I am soooo exhausted but just cannot sleep. I've been getting about 4 or 5 hours of sleep and that is so not me. Getting up throughout the night to use the bathroom, heartburn, etc. Whatever wakes me up, I just can't get back to sleep after. Been up since 4:30 this morning. I admire all of you who are able to work through this. There is just no way I could do it. I am trying to save my energy for my 5-year-old daughter. I hate telling her "Not now, I need to rest".
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Rabbit, that's terrible about your fiance's friend!
I'm in Toledo, Ohio. Last night at 10 p.m., it was still 96 degrees. That is NOT normal for northwest Ohio. I just checked and our current temperature is 91 with a heat index of 102. And it's just barely noon. Hopefully, after today we'll see at least a little relief. I don't think I've seen heat like this in my lifetime--unless I've blocked it out.
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Hi! I have been nautious since yesterday. I only have compazine because my insurance won't cover zofran until I try others first. Now the nurses are working to get the over ride so that I can have zofran. Are there any suggestions on howi can get rid of this nausea?
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Bless0Mel,
I don't know if it will work, but try acupressure as explained here: http://adam.about.net/encyclopedia/Nausea-acupressure.htm I've had some success with this for travel sickness. I hope you get the drugs you need to feel better quickly.
Cheers to all and best wishes for feeling good. I'm off for my first treatment...
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I am in AZ and today is only supposed to be 106, but it's dry so a little easier to tolerate than those locations with humitity.
Well day 13 post DD AC and I started losing the hair on my head. Coming out in strands, not clumps so not noticiable at all. Guess in a few days I will shave it off.
Had blood drawn today through port, didn't use the lidocaine and didn't hurt at all. Tomorrow is treatment #2 and then only 6 to go.
Feel Good Vibes being sent to you all.
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Bless: You can try buying the Sea-Band wrist bands for about $10 at any CVS drug store. Even though I have a prescription for Zofran and compazine, I want to use medication as little as possible. It is 2 days since my first chemo (I did it! I wasn't sure that I could and it wasn't bad). I have been using the Sea-Bands since this morning and I feel ok except for the fatigue and some bone pain (not too bad - just a new feeling) from the Neulasta injection. I did take claritin and tylenol to prevent it from getting worse.
To Everyone: If you don't have insurance or if your insurance won't cover something, or if you can't afford your co-pays, there ARE programs out there for financial help. Try calling Pat Spicer. She is with CancerCare.Org 800-813-4673 If her organization can't help you, she will put you in touch with someone who can. They want to help. That's what they are there for.
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