June 2011 A/C & T Groupies Unite!

ssmith37

My head itches!

716bobbiejo

Stephanie,  yep & yep!  I'm 39 & getting the hot flashes, mostly at night.  I'm also waking up between 3:00 - 4:00 every morning.  The farther out I am from a treatment, the better the sleeping gets.  I did get a script for Ambien, which I take the night of an infusion & for the next 3-4 nights.  I don't take it more than that because it is habit forming.

Good luck! 

LuvRVing

I think most of the pre-menopausal women going through chemo suffer with hot flashes.  I know when I went through normal menopause, I had had flashes and they lasted almost until I was diagnosed with BC.  Talk to your oncologist or gyno...there are acceptabledrugs that may help.

As for the sleeping problem, well that is why I take restoril each and every night!  I am in bed usually around 10:30 or so, and if I am lucky I usually sleep well until 4:30, then snooze until 5:45 or so.  I' trying to learn to appreciate the early morning peace of the lake. But it's usually a little cool and damp to sit outside, drink coffee and read the paper.

By the way, I am feeling pretty good after yesterday's treatment.  I woke up at 12:45 with a very acidy stomach (even though I am taking Prilosec daily), so I came downstairs with my pillows, took an ativan, promptly fell back to sleep and didn't wake up until DH came down at 6:30.  I might have to give the ativan another try tonight to see if it works better than the restoril.  I also have diabetes and sleep is essential, as if it's not for everyone

Hugs and healing,

Michelle

kyroheal

Hey Stephanie,

I am having alot of hot flashes especially at night...I go from being cold to being hot in 2 minutes. I am also taking monthly lupron injections (to suppress my ovaries and maintain some sort of fertility since I'm 27 and have no kids yet) so it might be a combo of that too. I do think it's common in other women too. We are technically in menopause

Goodluck

LuvRVing

Kyroheal - I am curious...why would they suppress your ovaries if you are triple negative?  I guess I wonder why that would help. 

Michelle

Beaglesgirl

I am in chemopause and for the most part the hot flashes where the worst during the throes of my AC hell so I lumped that into everything else that was happening. Now, I am significantly hotter in the evenings... Harder to keep a head covering on my head.



My kids don't understand why I don't just go commando all the time. The older two (son and daughter) both shaved their head in support of my starting chemo. Thankfully they are like just chia pets so they have full heads hair now



I love not having to deal with my period the two I had during AC nearly pushed me over the edge. I too have to get sleep because of my fibromyalgia. It's sacred. The 430 am wake ups have been recent for me, trying to figure out how to manage that better.

kyroheal

Hey Michelle,

It has nothing to do with my cancer. It's to suppress my ovaries so they are less susceptible to the effects of chemo. Since chemo attacks anything that is active (hair follicles, gut cells, ovaries, etc), the fertility centre suggested I try that since I didn't want to wait and do the saving eggs/embryo (it was a tough decision to not wait, but I had to plan for my health and not my unborn children). I get injections monthly with chemo, basically to shield/hide my ovaries from chemo. I read a couple studies on it (I'm a science geek, did my master in pharmacology so did alot of reading!!!), and although relatively new concept, I've seen some positive outcomes, where women get their periods back faster and more eggs are preserved vs not having the injections. It was worth a shot (no pun intended) and was the least I could do for my unborn children .

LuvRVing

Ah, I learn something new every day!  Thanks, Kyroheal, and I certainly hope it's effective for you!

Michelle

Southamptonmom

Hey all AC #3 done! Funny, I hydrated yesterday and I was dehydrated today! My WBCs dropped, too, so neu-nasty injection tomorrow Other than beind tired, I'm good! I had a hysterectomy last year, and stopped the flashes until chemo started. They've come back with a vengence! Hope a;; are SE free!

cider8

I've been taking melatonin to help me get to sleep.  I'm a light sleeper anyway but I feel hungover if I take anything.  Though I take ativan as directed!  Ativan the night of chemo and with round 3 I took it for 2 more nights.  I'm really struggling to drink fluids.  My mouth just tastes bad and drinking doesn't help.  Eating, however, makes me feel better...

LuvRVing

Paula - it's funny how we are all different.  Drinking has been my godsend.  I always have an ice cold glass of something flavored at my fingertips.  Eating does keep the "angry stomach" at bay. 

I did 3 loads of laundry and painted my fingernails today.  Then this afternoon I took a desperately needed nap.  I was asleep in 2 minutes, thanks to the British Open golf announcers.  They are so soothing...lol!

Hubby is making dinner tonight.  I'm letting him!

Michelle

FGCUfan

Hello all, I'm finally back in the land of the living!  My 2nd A/C on 07/07 was a nightmare.  It started like a Laurel & Hardy "Who's on First" skit & ended much worse.  My normal 2.5 hour treatment lasted with me in the chemo chair for 9 hours.  My nausea started before the treatment was over & continued for days.  I had yogurt before the chemo & was drinking lots of water with no problems & suddenly with all the problems that occurred, it was about 86 hours before anything could pass my lips other than muttered groans.  I had IV's 3 days, lost 10# & wasn't sure how it would turn out.  Then I had a popsicicle, a nap & woke up very hungry.  I had a 6" salami & pepperoni sub that was heavenly, then one of my lovely neighbors brought spagetti & meatballs & I was well on the way to recovery.  On 07/11 my wbc was 27,000 then on 07/14 it was 700.  Just follow the bouncing ball!!  Unlike some of you, my food has to be spicy or I just can't eat it.  The 10# are back.

My little neighbor had a knee replacement so today I made him a Blackberry Cobbler & seriously thought about eating it myself.  Instead tonight it's another Sicilian feast for me.  Catching up on the ironing & planning a neighborhood thank you dinner.  They have all been great & will certainly need them to continue.

Love, luck, laughter, peace, prayers, & little SE's to all.

Suzanne 

LuvRVing

Suzanne - yikes!!!  Glad you are back on your feet, what a horrible experience!  Do you get anti-nausea pre-meds?  If not, you need to request them.  I get aloxi, emend, a little decadron and a full bag of saline before the first drop of chemo is administered.  I also apply a scopolamine patch in the morning, before we leave for the oncologist office. 

I do think it's funny that once you bounced out of it, you wanted a salami and pepperoni sub.  I think that in itself would do me in...lol.

Michelle

3bells

Stephanie, so glad it went well for you. This is late. I had a lot of nausea post treatment so just checked in quickly.

Peggy

716bobbiejo

Ok, someone asked me about icing my fingers while on Taxol, but I cannot remember, nor find the post, of who was asking!  So my apologizes for not addressing you personally!  

I did not ice my nails & have had zero trouble with them.  I try to keep them painted, but right now they are bare, & I have no discoloration, nor do I have any lifting or peeling.  I also have natural, long nails.

I'm done with Taxol!  I'm 1/2 way through my treatments!  Yeah!  Now onto A/C in 2 weeks...trying not to get too nervous about it.  I'm holding onto the good reports posted by some of you & praying that I will react the same way. 

Wishing you all a SE free weekend! 

716bobbiejo

Suzanne - OMGsh!  I can't believe what you went through!  I'm glad you are on the mend now, though.  It is certainly interesting that you prefer the spicy foods.  A salami & pepperoni sub sounds horrible to me on a normal day...couldn't imagine it after a bout with nausea, but I'm glad it was just what you needed!  Prayers for a better infusion next time!

FGCUfan

Thanks all & yes I had Zofran, Emend,Aloxi, Decadron, Ativan, & Compazine before, during, & after the treatment and for the next 2 days.  Oh well, I'm half way through the A/C.  I've always loved spicy food & it seems if not spicy now, it has no flavor.

Love, luck, laughter, peace, prayers, & little SE's

 Suzanne  

LuvRVing

Suzanne - it sounds like you got the full "complement" of anti-nausea meds, I don't know what else to suggest except for the Scopolamine Patch.  That's the one other thing I use that you didn't mention. 

I can't eat any food that is spicy "hot" but I do like foods that are highly seasoned.  Otherwise, food tends to be a bit bland.

Bobbie Jo - congrats on being halfway done!  I may have asked about icing - I had heard that it might help with the discoloration and lifting.  I also heard that it would help if you wore dark nail polish.  Not sure why that matters, I might need to look back and see if I can find the rationale.

So far, my worst SE from AC #3 is a need to nap.  Yep, I'm getting really good at it, too!  Yesterday's siesta was at least 2 hours!  And then we drove to Boston to see some sand sculptures and go to dinner, and I slept all the way home, then went to bed and slept until 6:15 this morning. 

Anyone else still have hair?  We buzzed mine right after AC #2, and I still have a lot of stubble and some soft white hair where my normal hair did fall out.  A bit weird, I think!  I expected to be completely bald by now. 

Hope everyone has a nice weekend with minimal side effects.

Hugs,

Michelle

kyroheal

Michelle,

I had my second AC. I shaved it on day 17. I'm on day 22 now and it's still there-kinda wish I left it longer. Oh well, the wig is comfier with no hair.

Sandy

singlemom1

Suzanne -  I am so sorry you had such a horrible experience! It sounds like you are feeling better. I hope the next one goes easier for you! Good luck!

cider8

I buzzed my hair very short about 2 days after AC #2.  I'm 11 days out from AC#3 and I'd say 80% of my hair is gone.  So, yes, I still have some hair!  I think it would be pretty outrageous looking if I hadn't buzzed it so close.  No chin hairs (yay!) and my leg hair is much more fine, but still growing.  My arm hair did not fall out.  Lashes and brows are still the same.  

I took a nice walk this morning.  I have not had energy to do my usual walking but my PT is encouraging me to do what I can but not to get fatigued.   

justme1

i saved mine all off now my daughter sees some blond looking fuzz LOL probly grey lol wish i left a little up there too.

kyroheal

Are we supposed to lose our eyebrows/lashes?

LuvRVing

Kyro - I think the eyebrow/eyelash thing is a mystery.  Some people lose them, some don't, some lose them weeks or months after finishing chemo.  A crapshoot, really!

Michelle

Southamptonmom

Day 3 and feeling pretty crappy. (

Beaglesgirl

Kryoheal,

My eyebrows have thinned my lashes have too but not evenly... Looks like I have pulled small chunks of them out. Finished 4rounds DD AC and the first taxol of 12 weekly was last Tuesday.



It's sux, but they'll grow back.

LuvRVing

Rose - sorry you are feeling crappy.  Hoping tomorrow is better for you.

Michelle

Ralsper

Use Latesse every night for your eyelashes and eyebrowns.I am starting my 1st AC treatment on Tuesday 19th. So far the best advise I’ve read is from Cheyenna, who finished her AC x4 and Taxol x12 on Nov 1, 2010 and didn’t experience any side effects.


1.Please stay on top of your meds!!, you want to take them before you feel any pain or nausea because it is tougher to catch up after the symptoms appear. You may be very blessed and you will not have any side effects thru 16 treatments. Take what you need to take to get you through this and let the chemo do its job, don't fight it, go with it..! Remember, you are doing this to kick cancer cell ass. It really does get better....



2.Water,water,water… You want to keep your kidneys and liver flushed. Drink a lot of water while being infused. You will pee red and you want the red gone before you go home, AC is hard core ONC's call it the (Red Devil), been around for 30 years. Flush twice with the lid down. I am not sure but I think the half life on the Adriamycin is about 28 hours and the Cytoxin is about 17 hours, and its out, but lots of fluids.





3.You would also have the famous Chemo Fatigue, third chemo is the worst! It really helps to get up and take a walk and a shower. If you r so fatigued that you can’t, pop an Ativan and sleep through it, don’t fight it. Listen to your body.



4.Take Aleve before the neulasta shot and 24 hours later. Although, if you get sick it will come out in a fever, you won’t get sick like a non chemo person cause you do not have a lot of cells to fight it off. Keep an eye on you temp, if you think something is going on, and if you r not good, don’t take a Aleve or Tylenol, it can mask the fever. No fresh fruit or veggies, they are touched all the time, you never know...



5.Taxol is a piece of cake compared to AC, Taxol does not hit your white cells or red like AC, you will have much more energy, but it is also are very famous for bone, joint pain and the dreaded neuropathy. Take glutaminein powder form,1 tablespoon 3 times a day in about 4 inches of water the day after infusion for four days and B6 and B12



6.Never get mouth sores. Gargled w/ the salt water and baking soda 3 time a day. Do it all thru chemo everyday. For very drying nails used nail oil, not hardener, you want them moist.



7.Use Latesse every night for your eyelashes and eyebrowns.

singlemom1

Southhamptonmom- I am sorry your are not feeling well - thinking of you.

I am a little confused on when to take something after the shot. I take the nuelasta shot the day after my infusion but my white cell count does not drop for a week later and that is when I feel the joint pain. so is the recommendation to take claritan at the time of the shot, or a week later when you get the joint pain?

I get my #3 AC on Monday. Trying to stay pos. Will be taking potassium pills throughout and will be staying with a friend for the first 5 days. My daughter will be there also.  I think just not being alone will be helpful and I am hopeful that the potassium pills might also help. Onco warned that this time may be even worse...............ugh. Trying to stay positive. wishing all minimal SEs

FGCUfan

Singlemom1, I take the Claritin the evening of the chemo (night before Neulasta), then Claritin again the night of the Neulasta & again the next night.  3 doses in all.  I've only had 2 Neulasta shots so far but absolutely no bone pain from them.  So glad to hear you won't be alone this time & I'm sure your daughter's presence will be helpful too.

Good luck tomorrow, my 3rd on Thurs. & please God make it easier than last time.  I'm not sure how many more 9hr. treatments I can stand!  At least after this one, we're on the downhill side of the A/C.

Love, luck, laughter, peace, prayers, & littles SE's to all