Is There A September 2011 Chemo Group?

rjbaby69

Belleast:  I am on Taxotere and Cytoxin.  I get all the usual pre-meds in my IV before they start the chemo.  I do not take any steriods before or after treatment.  I do have the neulasta shot as well as what they call fluids (potassium and saline (I think) the day after chemo.  I have to take pills on Saturday and Sunday every 8 hours for nausea even if I don't have any.  So far my nails are holding fast and look okay.  Just the skin on my hands took a beating this time.  Past 2 treatments I have gotten hoarse on the Wednesday following the treatment.  Usually lasts until the weekend and then I get better.

HUGS!

Kimberly1961

RJ - Guess that barbecue pork is pretty good, huh, to make a nice girl like you break the rules.  I really can't complain about nausea or mouth sores through any of this so far.  A little bit of ice cream soothed any heartburn for me and I always made sure I had some with any pills I had to take. I'm so happy to hear your hands are starting to do better.  When you talked about handing back change to customers I thought, hmmmn, what is dirtier than money?  It reminds me of the swine flu a while back.  I really didn't want to touch a gasoline pump thinking about all the hands on the pump before me.  I really need to go to the store but I think I'll wait a couple more days with the low WBC. Actually I'm the one with the fever, runny nose and sneezing, so I'm doing the rest of the world a favor by staying in.

Belle - About patience..... I am pretty good about waiting, especially if I have a good book along, but it depends on the reason for the wait.  The times it irked me was when If I lose a couple hours out of my life and it throws off my schedule and the real reason for it was just someone being sloppy, well that gets under my skin in a different way. 

As a way to relax, like with that traveling bone zinger pain from Neulasta, I get in a comfortable chair and picture myself as a dolphin floating on the surface of the water, like in their sleeping mode, As the bone zingers interfere with that, I try to pat the little screechers on the back like soothing a baby, like talking to the different parts of the body that are complaining, I know, I know.  It's ok. I just find it strange how the pain pops from one point to another.  Here's a rib zing.  Here's a foot zing,  Here's a knee zing.  Here's a skull zing.  Here's a back zing.  It's like a pinball kind of pattern the way that bone pain moves around.  Babying yourself with a heating pad might help a little too for the muscle aches, along with some of your favorite music.  Get as much rest as you need.  The body does a lot of self-healing and repair during the sleep mode.  Stay hydrated.

nanadeb

Just dropping back in to say HI..

Sorry to hear so many of you are feeling bad.And a big YAY for all of you doing good...blessings for sure !

I had bad side effects ended back in the hospital for IV fluid the day after....11 days out still was throwing up ,BUT my Oncol.put me back on the steroids and it was so nice to feel human again. I was feeling good when I was hit with coughing up fluid. (water) To make a long story short...My PCP sent me to the ER...slight pneumonia...I ended up admitted

I was mad , as I felt great...Finally..and just wanted to go home...But good call on my PCP 's part...before it got worse.

I'm not on this as much as I'd like...it is real active and hard for me to keep up with posts....

Then I just feel bad for not commenting back

BUT I want you all to know I read a lot...and think of you and keep you all in my prayers

DebbiMy blog ~http://atoosassygal.blogspot.com/

belleeast

hey debbie, good to hear from you, sorry to hear about hospital,glad you are feeling better. prayers for you,too. don't feel bad about not commenting back, it's hard to keep up with everyone. it's just good to know others understand what we all are going thru and we're not alone.

today,not a good day ,getting ready to hunt down the immodium and take some compazine. going to rest today, kids coming over later to buzz my hair,don't know if i'll be able to handle any shots.

nanadeb

Awww hon...sorry you're feeling so bad

Sounds like you are haiving bad SE like me I am getting TC and I dread this Thursday

Take it easy today,,,

I may get my hair buzzed tomorrow. ...I'm not worried about being bald...just hate having been so sick..Blaaaa

Debbi    My blog ~http://atoosassygal.blogspot.com/

Kimberly1961

Good evening ladies!

It's pretty quiet on the thread. I was getting down on myself that I was so negative that the rest of you ran away on me and won't play with me anymore (because it's all about me you know).  I know that most of you are probably just feeling like roadkill from the Mack truck treatment this week.  Good luck sisters.  Hope the worst few days are soon over for you.

I've got a cold that I can't shake because of the low counts I guess, but that's nothing like the other thing, so I can't complain too much.

RJ - Sorry to hear about your friend's nipple lump.  A lot of lumps pre-menopausally are benign cysts or something but affter menopause, not so likely to be the case, 85% chance of it being something serious until proven otherwise.  I still blame some post hysterectomy HRT for adding the kindling and starting up my cancer.  Oh well, water under the bridge at this point.  Hope the Arimidex chokes it off just like the HRT stoked it.

My aunt (my dead mom's baby sister) stopped in today unexpectedly after her doctor's appointment.  It was so good to get a hug from her, actually got a few.  She has not seen me since I started chemo. Well she caught me working and I was bald and no make-up and blowing my nose and really probably looking quite a bit worse than the last time she saw me a month and a half ago.  I admit I have been hiding a little.  We laughed and joked a lot, but that's how that side of my family is, joking on the outside and very emotional on the inside. I could tell she was going to need to have a few drinks and a good cry tonight over this.  She's the closest thing I have left to my mom.  I am probably the closest thing she has left to her sister.  I very much have my mom's face, which probably makes it harder for her.

Another friend called to check on me and asked whether I needed help with the pool.  Thank god.  The maples leaves are falling in and they are rather heavy to pull out, especially at the deep end.  My BMX breast scar region (no reconstruction) really did not heal up very quickly.  No infection but the drains were in for I think over 5 weeks.  I still have accumulation and don't want to push heavy lifting and make it worse.  I am 8 weeks out from surgery and still have fair amount of accumulation on both sides.  At my age and situation, I don't have enough young or strong people to help with the heavier work.  Hopefully I get my full strength back when this chemo is over. I always love when the holidays are over and January 1st comes because to me, it is the changeover and looking toward spring.  This year is going to be even more so, because chemo should be over and side effects should be over by then. C'mon, January 1st.

Well ladies, rest, hydrate, take your pills if you have them, call your doctor if it gets ugly and remember that it will pass eventually.  Hugs to all.

belleeast

kimberly, i am here for a little bit any way, buzzed my hair with the help of my daughter carrie and jose cuervo 10 plus and counting, i may never leave the house again. my son came by,showed him he said WOW! says it all, he said it was just the shock uh huh. he took a couple shots ,too. i know it will grow back still doesn't help. wish u had someone to help you with heavier work,wish i did,too.don't think kids think about that type of stuff. i'm amazed i can type,time for some more jose!

Kimberly1961

Belle - Hair shaving day is the worst because hair loss lasts so long.  Bone ache....passes.  Bald is just every morning in the mirror and doesn't go away so fast and that is why it is so tough.  Unlike other side effects, it's not potentially dangerous or terminal, but is so emotionally difficult.  Gosh I hope Jose doesn't take you to ermergency room over this.  It's weird, but the friend who is helping with the pool met me when I was bald to support my sister 6 years ago.  We met and became friends when I was bald the first time. Rocking the bald is tough, but it's not forever, and I can tell you from experience that hair comes back really healthy that has not been dyed and is coming back in its natural state, thick stuff, like spring grass with fertilizer.

With as many kids as you have, there is no excuse for them not helping with the heavy work.  Wish I could give them an earful.

nanadeb

 I'm here I can at least keep up with the board when its slower and I'm feeling good.All bets go out the window come next treatment Thurs tho. I had such a bad time..Hoping for better this time !!! I feel great on the steroids and the pneumonia is coming up coughing..so I am good....for now..lol

belleeast

I know what you're saying ...today or tomorrow will be my shave day too.It's falling out in GOBS this morning. Started yesterday with lots of shedding....But I cant take this gob thing...time to go.

But I know it will be hard....Now it will show that I AM a cancer patient. Something I dont really want shouted to the world.Even tho I still cant wear anything other then a sports bra after my BMX, as it's still too tender in my chest area. And since its getting cold here when I go out I put on a jacket and and you can see I'm flat chested...but not as bad with a jacket on. Hope no one ever calls me sir...lol

Kimberly I wish you had more help.... I had a lot of problems once they took the drains out with fluid. Hopefully some others will stop by to help you.  (((hugs))) I hope you're feeling some better this morning

DebbiMy blog ~http://atoosassygal.blogspot.com/

SCPMadi

Good Morning! Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I had terrible sleep last night woke up several times with severe leg cramps. Has anyone else experienced this symptom? I ended up walking laps in the hallway to help the pain. This morning my whole lower body aches right down to my toes. I am at least feeling better otherwise. I really grateful for the two week recovery time before #3.

nanadeb

Madi I haven't had leg cramps yet real. Some in the balls of my feet.

BUT my hands do this Charlie horse type thing out of no where...no warning...And it hurts so bad...curls my hands /fingers like claws I try to straighter them out but its so hard. And that's just after one treatment ...Ughhh I sure hope and pray it dont get worse.

It took me 2 weeks out of the first treatment to feel better (with steroids and a hospital stay for pneumonia) to just start feeling better...thank goodness we do have the 3 weeks in between.

Rest...keep your legs up some and rest and feel better

Hugs

Debbi

belleeast

kimberly, all i can say is you are the best sister ever to go bald voluntarily! this just sucks, how long does it take for the stubbies to completely fall out?

i tried on my hats and turbins,scarf, oooohhh hello lucy!  i am definately going to get some more long scarves from walmart or wherever. turbins ok for around house except i get too HOT,can't stand it. right now have a buff on,but it cost $20 and doesn't look very good to wear out. i never thought i was a vain person but i sure feel like it,now.

debbie, it's like you said when i go out,everyone will know i am a cancer patient, i don't like calling attention to myself! it'll  be like wearing a huge red flag !

my wig feels like it is going to pop off my head,it's hot and heavy. i need to take it to get styled but part of me says why ?

people say everything happens for a reason,we're supposed to learn from our experiences.well,what's my lesson that i'm supposed to go out and flaunt i am a cancer patient? man,this is worse than all the side effects! sorry for the pity party,this is so hard maybe i should have just let it fall out naturally,more time to adjust and by then i would have been glad it was finally gone. something to think about for those who are still shedding!

belleeast

madi, hope the leg cramps go away soon for you,hang in there!

Kimberly1961

Sarah (SCPMadi) - I haven't had cramps, per se, yet.  I have had aching like really bad arthritis and bone zingers from chemo or Neulasta, but no spontaneous cramps like the kind where you have to pull your toe to get it to release.  The only times in my life when I have had those kind of cramps is after really bad diarrhea.  I figured it was because my electrolytes were off and that was causing it.

Belle - You know men go bald all the time and deal with it.  It must hurt them quite a bit at first also, but they don't go through it almost overnight like chemo patients.  They get to adjust over a longer period.  So what's with the "Lucy" comment.  Is that about a red wig or am I misunderstanding?  Well, now that I have paid off on the majority of my current medical bills, I feel like I can go wig shopping and also get a pair of the more lifelike breast prosthesis.  Wish we could go shopping together!  I would block the entrance to the john for you so you puke in private if you needed to!!!

Well, I had another taste of what chemobrain is going to be like.  I was at the bank this morning changing money from savings to checking.  There were 4 times I could not come up with the word I wanted and the 25-year-old clerk had to complete the sentence for me.  I found that kind of worrisome.  I remember the same thing happening to my sister, where she would be telling a story, get stuck searching for the word and my niece would step in and give her the word.  After 3 or 4 times of this, my sister gave my niece such a look, and my poor niece was like "What?  I was trying to help." (I could see her mumbling grumbling in her mind...Don't blame me, I didn't give you the damn chemobrain.)

mags20487

scpmadi--I have been waking with leg cramps and thought nothing of it til i saw your post.  HMMM?? Makes me wonder if it is  a SE?  Went to visit my BIL at the hospital today. He had lung biopsy for cancer and his lung collapsed so he had to stay a bit to heal.  Hope to get his results soon--hope its not cancer!

Maggie

belleeast

kimberly, the lucy comment was in regards to the turbins, i remember watching i love lucy and sometimes she wore turbins. as soon as i put it on that's who i thought of!

you are a true friend to offer to guard the john door lol! i wish we could go shopping,together,too. hope you find a good wig, i might have to go wig shopping,too. if i can't get the one i have to work.

i've had a couple chemo brain moments,too.

Sheypres

Belle- I am so with you with the wig thing.  I got a really cute one, insurance paid for it. But I don't really want to wear it.  It is heavy and feels like an accessory.  I am more comfortable with scarves which is weird because I thought I would wear the wig all the time.  I have a few scarves and a cancer survivor just gave a whole bag full to my aunt to give  to me with the requirement that I dontate them to somebody that needs them when I'm done.  I thought that was nice.

rjbaby69

Hello Ladies!  Just stopping by for a few.  Have the grandson today and I know he will keep me busy until tonight.  LOL!  At least I FEEL like having him around today.  Next week will be a different story I'm sure!

Kimberly:  You know, I've wonderred the same thing about the HRT.  I went on HRT in 2005.  Been on them since until I was diagnosed with cancer.  First thing my OBGYN did was to call me and tell me to quit taking them immediately.  Now I really understand why.  And I just couldn't help myself about the BBQ.  I've been such a good little girl, doing all the things my doctor tells me....and I just fell off the wagon!  I felt like I was entitled and damn it was good!  So far, no problems.  So I promised myself that when I made chili, I would have just ONE BIG bowl and that's all!  LOL!  I know I won't be able to resist that either.  I'm glad your aunt stopped by to see you.  My Mom and all of my Aunts have gone home.  Glad your friend called and lended you a helping hand with the pool.  I was so glad my kids came and helped me deal with mine.  Made things so much easier!  Chemobrain?  Yes I think that is what I have at times.  At least I'm blaming all my boo boos on chemo brain!

Madi:  Haven't had the leg cramps, but did feel achy and stiff all over about 7 days after chemo and my neulasta shot.  Hope you feel better soon!

Mags:  Hope things turn out okay with your BIL.

Wishing everyone well and a great weekend.

HUGS!

Kimberly1961

Good morning ladies!

RJ - Hope you had a good evening with your grandson.  Hmmmn, chili sounds good too.  I had pepperoni pizza with the works this weekend.  Oh it's good to have some tastebuds back.  I think the week plus that the tastebuds are gone just makes me extra extra grumpy because I enjoy my food too much and I get frustrated.

NanaDeb - I stopped by your blog.  I loved the pictures of you on the bike and out with the animals.  My gosh you are very slender.  It's really hard to believe that you had the pre-surgical testing that you had, and now you hear about all these new findings afterward.  Sigh.  Keep fighting girl.

PinkShirt - I joined your bloody nose club.  I have sinus problems and allergies and blow my nose pretty much constantly, and now it's bloody.  Yuck.

Sheypres - Nice score on the scarves.  I think they probably are the most comfortable option.

Belle - Whatever did happen with the guy thing?

SCPMadi - I was googling your leg cramps at night, wondering if it was SE from chemo.  I found that it could be from dehydration or posture while sleeping, sometimes could be relieved by stretches before bed.  If you only get cramps with chemo I would guess it's some reaction tothe chemo or dehydration. The other thing I saw is that we have to pay attention that we aren't developing blood clots, which apparently while the chemo is killing off cancer cells we are more prone to getting, that and the chemo does some damage to the vascular system while it is circulating I guess.  Clots are dangerous but they said signs of that are pain, redness, warmth, and discoloration of skin.  Your cramps sound like something different from that.

I hope those on treatment last week start to feel a little better by tomorrow and those of you on your "bye week" get a chance to get out and enjoy it. 

SCPMadi

Good Morning,

Kimberly Thanks for the info re the cramps. It is possible I did not drink enough I am less diligent when I am feeling better.

I had a great late Thanks Giving Dinner last night with my family. I have some difficulty with certain foods. Not so much a taste bud issue but I seem to have dry mouth and sensitive gums which is worse when I try anything remotely spicy or acidic. Plus it seems my digestive system has slowed down to a snails crawl and on top of everything else I have terrible gas on every third day. Don't I love it, bald head, chronic cough,hot flashes, extreme fatigue and gas. Thank-God my husband is so understanding. (lol) AT the very least it could have made my leg hair stop growing but no I still have to shave. ugh

My sister-in-law was talking about booking there family Disney trip for next August. She was bugging us to come along. I have real mixed emotions about planning that far ahead. It seems I can't even plan Halloween. It is hard to imagine potentally being back to normal. (Although what will normal be from now on?) It certainly would be nice to have something to look forward too. On the other hand I was feeling a little resentful that they could plan and I couldn't, not at all her fault I know. She was just trying to have a conversation that did not revolve around my BC.

On a positive note I slept fabulously last night. No cramps,no hot flashes (which seem to be very prevalent this week), no kids in my bed. I thought a miracle had happened when I rolled over at 8:30 and discovered my kids were still in bed. I hope everyone can have a relaxing, lazy Sunday. 

Take Care

Sarah

Kimberly1961

I ran into this one on a post from Lindasa and had to share because it hit my funny bone.

"And, as Ann Landers once said, 50% of all practicing physicians graduated in the bottom half of their class." 

Wow, never thought of it that way.  LOL.  Makes you think of Frank Burns from MASH.

Rockym

I want my taste buds back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Even my favorite bubblegum tastes like shoelaces... don't ask me how I know what shoelaces taste like ;-)

khegidio

I want mine back too!  Everything tastes so bland to me its unreal.  Everytime I eat something I ask whoever I am eating with... "Is this bland?" The answer is always no.... but to me it tastes like sandpaper.  Ugh... I hate it.  So tonight I went to my parents house and she made lasagna with chorizo.  She warned me that it was spicy and I just wanted to taste something.  BIG MISTAKE!! I am paying for it already with heartburn out of this world.  I should have known because after last chemo I ate my husbands chili about a week out and I payed for that dearly too.  Aside from the lack of taste... i am friggin eating everything in site.  NOT GOOD!! If I have to have cancer, I was hoping to at least drop a few pounds for crying out loud.  Of course, it's my luck to live up to the full reputation of the decadron. 

I am back up and at 'em.  I was better this time rounds than last... just tired but not even really nauseaous.  So happy that it wasn't as bad as last time.  Last time was really manageable too, but I guess I was expecting this time to be worse for some reason.  I've hardly even taken any of my nausea meds.  I really am shocked - but I am not complaining.

So tomorrow I have my new member orientation for some local support group they have here in Atlanta.  I am pretty excited about it and hope that I can get somewhat active with some BC sisters here!  They have classes all day long every day of the week - from nutrition to yoga to tai chi, to support groups for specific types of breast cancer.  Not sure how involved I will get but I will at least meet some friends and get some nutrition and exercise classes down.  I could stand to lose about 20 lbs. 

Hope everyone is getting back up to their regular selves. 

Appt for tumor re-measure and surgery discussions on Tuesday.  I'll let you all know how it goes.

Anyone know a good place to get some affordable scarves? I have 4 and find that I wear them much more than my wig.  I need a couple more to get me through the next 6 months.

mags20487

If you have a charming charlies nearby they have some for any where from $9.99 to 14.99.  I went to the local fabric store and bought a bunch of the $1.99 fabric quarter yrds from the quiliting section and made some for myself.  I do have a smaller head so the 18x21 works for me.  I finished off the ends and then use a hair scrunchie or an elastic bracelet to gather up the back and voila.  Some of them I added a custom done band from an old black knit skirt I do not use anymore and they came out really cute and super comfortable.  My husband and daughter said I should market them because the cost to make is so low.  HMM???

Maggie

RaeBob

Hey girls been missing you but felt so bad round number 3. Is it just me or does anyone else feel like they are having an out of body experience after infusions. I turn into a she witch I am not selective I hate everyone equally, but especially myself. I even told my best friend today" you need to leave" because I was so wretched miserable. No one knows what to do with me or for me. I swear I could get the part in any horror movie without even half trying. I used to be a nice reasonable person.

Taste buds are non existent like khegidio if I eat anything with flavor I pay for it big time with heartburn. My son said today mom you are really losing weight. I look in the mirror and look like a bag all the air has been let out of. My fingers and toes are all tingly and non feeling and I used to love sex and now I hate it and that is what I am most ticked off about. Plus chemo brain makes me too truthful and I hope I haven't offended anyone on here since I seemed to have peeved off everyone else within a hundred mile radius of my house. If I have I will edit tomorrow when I feel halfway normal again and stop foaming at the mouth.

Kimberly1961

Rae - Well, that was a good honest rant.  I doubt you could offend any of us with that stuff.

belleeast

hi all, quiet weekend here, ventured out to the local gas station in my scarf! taking baby steps lol.

kimberly, what is happening with the guy thing mmm heck if i know. i spoke to him on the phone because he is still going around sick people arrrrh, about one of his issues i don't like. going to the dentist before and after my diagnosis i have tactfully brought up the issue he needs to go to the dentist ie bad breath he admitted he has couple teeth broken off in back and they keep getting reinfected because he hasn't taken any antibiotics or gone to the dentist. finally told him last weekend if he wanted to continue this relationship he needed to take care of his health and go to the dentist,said he would make an appt.

ok, when he called tues eving asked him if he made an appt,said yes, dentist appt for fri. on fri eve,when he called asked if he went to dentist.uh no he talked to them on thurs found out they charged $40 just to see him, $70 to clean, he decided he was going to check out his old dentist from yrs ago,the one that freaked him out, and see what they charged! uh huh!

so, my relationship with him right now consists of 5 or 10 min calls in the evening to see how i am feeling because he still doesn't get the immunity thing that he can't be around sick people with the possibility that he could pass it on to me!

so at this point in time i am seriously thinking about telling him during our next call, that i no longer want to date the sad thing is he will probably say i don't know what i did wrong! to me this is not the type of support i need, am i wrong or being unrealistic?

RaeBob

Belle: I really admire your honesty that is a great character trait. You could just put him on hold until you get through this and he gets the teeth fixed. Seems like he really likes you he is sticking around even after you have already told him what he needs to change and that he has bad breath to boot a lot of guys would have already skedaddled by now. He is either really dense or really persistent however you look at it he seems to really like you what's important how much do you like him? Good luck!

PinkShirtNow

Cheno #7 scheduled for today.  That means I am over halfway finished with my 12 weekly taxol treatments.  I like to celebrate the little milestones.  

 Kimberly - sorry about the nosebleeds.  They are a pain.  Who would have thought I would miss my nose hair so much?

Rockym, Raebob, khegidio (and anyone else dealing with no tastebuds)- I am also getting tired of not tasting much.  KInd friends keep making me their best recipes and it all tastes the same.  Sort of like my mouth is covered in wax.  I seriously ate a tangerine and tasted absolutely nothing - just texture.  That was the weirdest.  Altoids are no longer "curiously strong."

 Raebob -  Do you get steroids with your infusions? You may be experiencing "roid rage" when you feel super cranky.  I know they affect me that way and I get manically irritable.  I guess it is pretty common.  I feel like a werewolf!  I just want to jump out of my skin for about 48 hours until they wear off.  Lack of sleep does not help the problem at all.  My blood feels carbonated and I just want to scream.  After 48 hours, I am much calmer.

 Take care, everyone!

mags20487

I hate not being able to taste too.  When pizza tastes like cardboard I get just a little upset--esp since i still get the heartburn--not fair! 

Maggie