Has anyone started a Dec 2011 group?

Peacock

Hi. I'm hooked up and waiting for the AC to kick in. Port placement was fine. Hoping for a good weekend for all!!

markat

Good luck Peacock!



I saw my onc today and she mentioned that the Claritin might not work as well because I'm only 30. She went ahead and prescribed Vicodin as needed. I feel like I'm going to need drug rehab after all this is over!

Kelloggs

Markat - I know the feeling about drug rehab.  I've always been healthy and really had to be in bad shape to even take an Advil.  Welcome to the other side!

Good luck today Peacock!

FLislander

Hi everyone, took claritan for nuelasta shot and ended with the same result as first one without it, lots of pain for 1day...

Hair,hair,lots less hair. Starting on day 14 AC hair coming out heavy, looking forward to Christmas next year!

bc50

Peacock,

Good luck!  Let me know how it went today.

FLislander

Hi Peacock

Seems like we are on same program, AC then T, had first AC Nov 22. It's not as bad as I thought it would be just a few days down then back to normal for 8-9 days. I am DD every 2weeks. Good luck! Keep up with nausea meds.

Mardibra

isnt it crazy how this effects everyone so differently?  I didnt have port pain just some mild discomfort that Advil would take care of, have not had any real nausea but have a couple of drugs to pop if I do (the slightest bit queasy and I pop a pill...hate puking and will avoid it at all costs), didnt have any pain from the Nuelasta shot although they prescribed my oxy's (wow).  My biggest issue has been the fatigue....incredibly tired and overwhelmingly weak on day 5/6/7.  Oh, and in case i have not mentioned it recently, breast cancer sucks!

Mardibra

oh, I also am loving all the docs telling me how "young" I am (im 45).   I will never get tired of hearing that!

Terry71

markat LOL We are all gonna need rehab when this is done, 

mardibra- I know Im told often omg your just a baby at 40 LOL its nice to hear  LOL 

seacretgardn

Had the Nuelasta shot today. Took Claritan, so far so good. Maybe because I'm old! I was very pleasantly surprised to wake up feeling quite human after last night. Paying attention though, I know that could change anytime and I want to stay ahead of the nausea.



Peacock I here's hoping for minimal side effects for you!



Do most continue the steroids 2days after your tx?



I feel a long night comin on..



Laura

naan1004

FL, I'm in the same boat as u, losing my hair like crazy right now, couldn't get out of the shower yesterday, since the hair kept falling out everytime I rinsed off more fell out, eeek.

darlam

Hi everyone. It is so wonderful to come on here and see others who truly can relate to all the craziness! Interesting how so many of us are in the same age group. I'm 48.I also found the Herceptin only infusion to be no big deal. So 5 more "bad ones" and counting. Laura, my MO has me doing steriods the day before and day after, and of course during infusion. 

No hair loss yet. Only day 8. Too soon to tell if cold caps are gonna help. Still some of the diarrhea, get tired easily, and have a drippy nose. Took the Claritin, didn't get the bone or nerve pain. I am taking some supplements that are supposed to help with that.

For those who have had the nausea baaaad....I just found out that you can take Emend by mouth a couple of days prior to chemo to try and prevent this. MMMHMMM!!!! Guess what I will be discussing with my MO prior to next treatment?!? If we could just get that to be more tolerable, I think I could handle the rest of it.

Went back to work today....yaaaaaaaay! Felt so good to know something. This cancer world is so new and scary. Being in a world where I know how to operate was a mental boost.

Gator65

Hi Ladies!

I see some new girls. Hope everyone is well. Day 8 and I feel pretty good. No nausea, just tired as hell. Is anyone else have issues with like jaw pain or canker sores? That is my only complaint other than my skin feels tight. I just feel weird.

Nest treatment is next Thursday, Yeehaw!!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. To those who started this week, I pray the SE ease up for ya'll.

naan1004

Gator, I think I'm coming down with canker sore, my tongue hurts like heck since yesterday, oww oww

seacretgardn

Gator and Naan I'm sorry! have you been doing the baking soda gargle? I also bought the biotene products.



I'm sorry to bring this up but my latest worry is about the dosage of adriamycin and the potential heart complications. The higher the dose, the more risk. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be given to improve this. and more unfortunately, I have packed on more than a few lbs the last few years. (before my dx I had just begun going to a nutritionist and ex program).



My question to the onc was even though I am above average weight, my heart is the same size as any other 5' 5" woman. And that stuff is going right into my heart!



She said she would not underdose me but I'm wondering if that drug could be administered more slowly.



Thank you ladies, just venting some worries.

naan1004

Laura, no worries, i bought and tried the biotene mouthwash, guess i have to keep at it.  I'll try the baking soda next, thanks.  This is exactly where u can vent and post questions, cause we're all on the same boat here.

susangermany

Hi Naan, I have my first TAC chemo on 11.23 and my hair is starting to fall yesterday. I am a person who never care too much about hair. But when I saw my hair falling crazy in the shower, I was very sad and almost crying. I don't want to shave them. But no idea how long it will take to finish. It is also very messy in my house and my hair is everywhere. Is there any advise to avoid the mess or an easy way to clean up the mess?

naan1004

Susan, unfortunately the easiest way to deal with that is to shave the head, my onc recommended that i shave my head prior to chemo even starting, which i did and am glad i did since very short hair falls everywhere.  If u want to keep the hair long, wear a hear net or hat that can hold the hair that falls out making it easier to clean up, but would be best to shave it.  I almost cried too when I was showering and the hair just kept on coming out, but u know what it's only hair and after we're done with chemo it will grow back!  Hang in there, try to be brave and just shave it off.

susangermany

Julie, thank you for your advise and encouragement. I believe you are right about it. I will have to shave it. Now I know how much my hair means to me, until I lose it. 

Gator65

Julie, you nailed it. My tongue hurts and it is kinda hard to swallow. The side effects are crazy aren't they? I have not had any hair fall out yet, but it is super dry and my scalp feels tight. I will buy the biotene and see what happens. The thought of gargling with baking soda makes me gag.

Susan, I know just how you feel. The thought of losing my hair makes me very sad, but once it starts falling, I will shave it. 

Seacret, I understand about the potential for heart problems with this stuff. My MO made me get an ultrasound of my heart before we started to have a baseline. Heart disease is the big problem in my geneology. I am the first to get BC as far as I know.

I hope everyone has a wonderful SE free day! 

markat

Laura I have to take steroids the day before, day of tx, and day after.



This is day 6 after TCH for me. I'm feeling pretty normal today. Just slightly queasy. I do have a horrible headache which could be sinus issues.

bc50

Seacret and Gator,

I know exactly how you feel.  I've also been concerned about the damage after each treatment.  My tests show my heart is strong, but it's still scary.  No bc in my family either but lots of heart problems.

seacretgardn

Hi ladies, day 3 and lthough the nausea isn't bad, I feel extremely drugged, fatigued and achey.



Haven't taken any meds other than claritan and the prescribed steroids. Still waiting for who knows what else?



Anyone else have ringing ears?



Gator I think you described feeling "weird". I def do. And in think that's what's surprising, I expected to have purely physical symptoms.



Hope others are having better and better days.



Laura

rachelvk

Okay..... $140 worth of pre-chemo shopping (well, okay, not everything was specifically for that). There were some good deals on Gatorade, ginger ale, fruit drinks, and I picked up some pasta, rice, chap stick and a bunch of other things to fill out my list. Thanks for all the tips and the heads up. I really don't know what to expect for SEs exactly but hopefully I'm prepared for most of them.

seacretgardn - That's an interesting point about Adriamycin and dosage. I'm 4'6 but weigh 118 pounds - I'd like to think they'd give me a large child's dose.... I'm not too sure about cardio history in my family - my mom's father died of a heart attack, and my Mom has COPD, but I'm not sure if that necessarily related. I'm hoping my muga came back fine - I assume it did, as it's been over a week since the test and my onc didn't call to tell me otherwise.

I'm sending everyone good thoughts, hoping the SEs ease up a bit. I'm not sure if I'll bring my laptop to my tx, but I'll definitely try to check in soon after getting home. 

dlm217

Hi,

I met with the MO on Friday.  I will be starting chemo on 12/28.  Waiting to hear when my port placement, scan and test to check my heart are scheduled for. Not looking forward to any of this.  I am scheduled to go back to work 1/9/11 but will see how it goes after the first treatment. I am 39 and am also constantly being told how young I am.  So weird, I have a 2 year old and just a couple of years ago when I went to the ob it was marked as advanced maternal age and now I'm so young.

Peacock

Hi. Secret, yes to the ringing ears and I'm on day 3. It's weird for sure. Anyway, I hope you're all coping this morning. I am sleeping and popping pills like there's no tomorrow. And jello has never tasted better! Marcia

naan1004

dlm, isn't it ironic, we are the same age, i guess BC is not so common for our age group, but seeing u and others around our age here, i guess not too uncommon.  Hang in there we're gonna beat this.  The worse irony out of all this is the fact that since I'm not yet 40 they wouldn't let me have a free mammo, although I felt a lump, thus a later diagnosis.  They need to change the law to allow mammos for us younger folks, especially if we feel a lump or have other symptoms.

Gator65

Since we are talking ages here, I am an old bat at 46. lol.

Today is Day 11, feel pretty good other than the tongue still hurts and it is hard to swallow, much less open my mouth to talk. If any of you are familiar with the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, I seem to be talking like Taylor Armstrong, the one with the exaggerated botox lips. It is definitely weird. My DH is like why are you talking like that? I am like chemo side effect?  I don;t know, not doing it on purpose for laughs. lol My other complaint is that my body aches and I am tired, oh well.

Feel better ladies! My good friend is taking me to see the Transiberian (sp?) Ochestra today. I hope I don't sleep through it. LOL.

rachelvk

I have a really silly question to ask - I'll be using a port, so I'm wondering what to wear for my txs. Should I just wear a shirt with a low enough neckline that I can leave it on? Or will I need to wear a hospital gown?

Mardibra

I wore a tank top underneath a front opening sweater.  Just pulled it down and to the side when they were prepping the port.  They then put some sort of sticky plastic wrap over it and the tubing hung outside and they connected everything to that.