March 2012 chemo

Sissydi

Treatment number 2 tomorrow! Been hydrating all day...blech! I'll be thinking about all of you in the chair tomorrow......galena, did they use Heparin in your port? Hopefully tomorrow, they won't have to unplug mine!

Lisaj......my hair started shedding on day 14, then almost completely fell out day 15. I have a skinny skunk stripe down the middle still hanging on , and interestingly enough, it was all my gray hair that came out first!

Shera........lol, a skullet! Hysterical!

Myleftboob.....yes, I like the ignorance is bliss too!

fedfan

Treatment # 2 tomorrow for me too. Still have all my hair, but Day # 14 will be tomorrow, so I'm expcting some changes to start showing up. So far I haven't done anything to my hair other than pampering it more. After my first chemo, I stopped blow drying my hair and stopped using the straightening iron. Just let it air dry. Looks pretty good...just wavy, not straight. I have a LOT of hair. Does that mean it will take longer for it to fall out, or will it happen just as quickly as someone with thin hair? I'm not looking forward to being foggy again. This past week it was great feeling normal again.Good luck to everyone else getting treatments tomorrow. 

munnybunni

shera...the sent me to a genetic dr they do not feel with information provided to them on my family history that the test would be beneficial.  ...as most of in the family were found with bc when they were in there late 60's or 70's..

KCB

Thinking of all you ladies in or starting round 2. wishing you all the best.

I'm going to call about the throat tomorrow, it's gotten me down. I guess I wanted to see an improvement every day, and today was not that day. See what tomorrow brings. Hugs all. Welcome new ladies!

Myleftboob

Galena

 Jeez, the port is supposed to make treatements easier not more difficult. Address it with the MO before the next TX to see if mabey its not in the correct position?  If you remember from the Feb thread, firstcall had an issue where it somehow flipped out of position then corrected itself.  You never know.

ladyfighter

I had a MX,  My MO said the grade, stage and HER+ status trumped the oncotype test regardless.  I don't know what exactly drives the type of cocktail really.  It seems to me the younger the patient the more agressive from what I have read on these boards though along with if someone is Triple Negative.  There are so many variables.  One has to consider the preferance of the MO too. 

As for RADS???  BIG question mark! While I don't have to make a decision until after chemo, in meeting with the RO she feels that it is warranted in my case.  Her thought is that if I were to have a re-occurance, it would be at the original site.  Its gone though.  My margins were really good, 11.2 from DCIS and 17mm from the tumor site. No nodes.  I have done alot of research and need her to provide me with some study, trial, national stats SOMETHING so convince me to do it.  I cannot find one shred of evidence that its warranted in my case and pathology.  I will be meeting with her again to make sure I'm not out to lunch.

KCB

Shera: what's the miracle mouthwash? I have biotene, and have been doing that and baking soda rinses...

Kadia

I wondered what miracle mouthwash was too!

I'm doing round #2 tomorrow as well. Will be thinking about you ladies! 

shera

Miracle Mouthwash is a perscription mouthwash my Onc gave me after the first treatment. Not sure if it's the reason I didn't get mouthsores -- but I there are others who swear by it on the boards.

shera

Good luck tomorrow!

galena_79

Side effects are worse this time.

Nausea ++, vomiting x2 so far, no appetite, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, tingly / numb hands, post-nasal drip, some shortness of breath.

My hubby bought me some powerade and popsicles to help with rehydrating. I am forcing myself to keep taking sips.

CHEMO SUCKS!!!

Msbelle

Hope today is better galena.......hugs!!

KCB

Hugs to you Galena. Sorry to hear you feel so bad.

Myleftboob

Galena

Yes chemo sucks!!  Please speak to your MO about the SE's when you can.  Seems to me like you are suffering way too much!  Perhaps they need to revisit your anti nausea meds or something.  They do need to know,   I hope today is better for you.  Above all stay hydrated.

Amymomto5

Ok ladies, if you let constipation get away from you after chemo - magnesium citrate is a gift from God!  I finally called the medical exchange last night and that's what the nurse told me to use. Hurray for feeling better.  I continue to run low-grade fever off and on, which she couldn't comment on, but I see my onc tomorrow.

Galena, hugs to you girl!  This stuff sucks.  I hope you can get on top of the nausea.  I took zofran as a precaution, which helped, and ativan once I was already nautious.  I found popsicles to be good too, as well as jello.

The magic mouthwash prescription is a mixture of benadryl, lidocaine and nystatin(anti-fungal). I used mine once and didn't care for the numbing sensation, however, if my mouth gets a little more sore I'll be using it regularly.

Welcome newbies!  I can't believe how many of us there are, so sad.

Good luck to those with treatments this week, some tx #2, some just starting. Praying for mild side effects for you!

SelenaWolf

I did dose-dense AC x 4, T x 4 last Autumn and finished before Christmas.  I found the AC easy; just take those steriods/meds they give you for nausea as directed.  For the AC, I pretty much continued life as usual.  Taxol was harder; no nausea, but bone/muscle pain that got more severe with each round.  But it was "do-able".

Constipation was a HUGE issue in the beginning; I managed to keep it "live-able" by starting a stool softener a few days ahead of chemo.

I was recommended for chemo, also, because of my "young" age (I'm 51).  My oncologist explained that - even though I was early-stage - I had much longer life-span to get through cancer-free, than - let's say - if I was 75.  If the average woman now lives to the age of 84, then that means I need to stay cancer-free for the next 34 years.  Adjuvent chemotherapy is, often, recommended with this issue (as well as many others) in mind, even if you are node-negative.  It's just a precaution.  Insurance.

brax

So much to catch up on after a couple of days with no computer.  Does anyone have an idea what we should call the exercise thread?  March 2012 Healthy Living?  March 2012 Diet & Exercise or do we want to leave March 2012 off? 

Sissydi & FedFan...I hope things go well today and I am hoping the days ahead will be kind to you.  Looking forward to your feedback as I head there myself on Friday.

Good luck to anyone else receiving treatment today as well!

TC...So sorry to hear about your mom.  I will keep you both in my prayers. 

Onvacation...I have a zumba DVD also.  I got it two years ago? I have never used it.  I will be digging it out.  Not sure I have the coordination to do all that.

Galena...Was glad to see you were feeling better only to read that your battling SE's worse than before.  Hope your MO can figure something out to reduce your SE's.  I feel so bad you are battling these SE's.  Hoping you will feel better today.   

Good luck to everyone receiving treatment this week.

kltb04

Galena . You poor thing.



Guess what I am doing right now??? That's right. Chemo!! Got the drain out this morning and just started today. For those who have asked, I am getting Adriamycin and Cytoxin for the first four rounds to my understanding. Just glad to have things started.

journey4life

brax - how about "Healthier Marchers"?

zillamom2

Hi. Sorry to hear about those not feeling well. I am on day 5 from chemo and wondering at what point can I taper off the nausea meds. I have been going back and forth from compazine and zofran and it has helped. Tried to wait on meds this morning and I am still nauseaus. Does anyone know how many days from chemo it takes not to feel sick to stomach?

journey4life

galena - ((((hugs)))) Call your MO. There must be something they can give you.

about constipation: So far, eating prunes has helped me. I have Senekot-S on hand in case they stop working!

munny - my mom was diagnosed with BC two years ago at age 76. My MO and SO agreed that I should be gene tested based on her diagnosis and other ovarian cancer on my mom's side of the family. I was tested, and I am BRCA1 positive. It changed my entire surgery and treatment plans because of the increased likelihood of recurrence. After I finish treatment, I will have an oopherectomy as a preventative measure.

Myleftboob - I am having the same thoughts about rads that you are. I had a BMX (left was prophylactic), ALND (22 were removed, only 2 positive) and am having DD chemo. I wonder what is left that could possibly be radiated! The RO will have to make a strong case.

For everyone having tx this week - thinking of you all. We can do this! 

QuinnCat

Zilla - I think we're all individual. My first chemo I just took the compazine 6 days...twice a day the first four days...once a day after that.  Felt great after that.  I'm glad I wrote it down as I thought I only took for a few days and I may have only felt "off" through day 5 and took the others out of precaution. This second time around, I have more acid reflux and on day 6 I'm feeling a bit not like eating much.

journey4life

zilla - I was fortunate that I only needed Compazine through day 5. I hope you'll soon feel better!

tellie_savalis

Hello All,

Please keep me updated on the workout board.  I was training pretty hard before the BC and half the aches and pains seem to come from the enforced slowdown.  Not sure about Zumba, I have the natural rhytm of one hand clapping.  I have some workout tapes,and an xbox kinects workout thing should at least look at. 

kltb04

SE number one. Let's just say it is the opposite of constipation. It started about an hour after I left but we had also gone to eat and I probably ate more than I have in a while and with the stress of today added in. I just don't know if it's a true side effect.



Zilla - I guess you just take them as long as you need them. I have Zofran that I am going to start with tonight.

Kadia

Galena,I hope the SEs ease up soon.





I am sitting in chemo right now,once again wishing I had a port. Owie! Hoping I will feel well enough after the infusion to make it to my son's first little league baseball game....

onvacation

Galena - hope you are feeling better - did you call the MO to help you out?

Kari - yea on chemo - well you know what I mean - glad everything is better that you can get the treatment goign!

Hope from having my port, went well, no pain, just a little pulling if I turn my neck.  Hope it stays that way. They left a needle in for the treatment on Thursday, but I can shower at least! WOOHOO.

I had planned a long afternoon nap, but my dog thought I should feed her instead!  LOL  I will be hitting the sack early tonight and plan on working tomorrow.

I like the exercise board name with March in it - so we know which one to post in! 

galena_79

Tx2 Day 2.  My husband called the hospital last night to check how to proceed, partially because the SE's weren't so bad last time, and also because he was worried that my anti-nausea meds weren't actually staying down.  They said to keep me hydrated, and if the vomiting continued and was preventing me from hydrating I would need to go in.

I haven't vomited again since then.  I took sips of gatorade throughout the night, and this morning I managed to eat 3/4 of a piece of toast.  Still feeling a little nauseous and getting chills, but at least the anti-nausea meds have stayed down... so far.

Next time I see my MO I will ask about other anti-nausea options.

Now I'm going to watch a Sex and the City marathon (I have it on DVD). 

Kadia- I hope the treatment is going okay.

Karri- Glad that your chemo is underway now. 

Zilla-  Last time I didn't vomit at all, so I came off the anti-nausea meds on day 6.  Then I started vomiting on day 9.  o_O  So I don't really know when is a good time to stop them!

I like the exercise board name with March 2012 or Marchers 2012 in it.  There are already other exercise boards open to everyone.

KCB

Hi All you ladies day 7 of #1 for me and I am learning that hhis will be a major exercise in patience. I can't imagine thinking of actual physical exercise right now; still so so tired, bit of a sore throat (hospital says ok unless it "develops" or I get fever), some intestinal discomfort...am already wondering when the H my body will feel like my own again, and need to keep reminding myself that it may be a long long time.

That being said: slightly less dizzy today. Drive the car even though I really think I shouldn't have,

Managed to pick up the kids from school. Got to the pharmacy. Small achievements.

Galena, glad to hear you are keeping things down now. Karri: good luck with the top of round one for you. Glad your treatment is underway finally.

How about just "Marching"? I would have nothing to put on it right now, but do like the idea of supporting our collective efforts.

Today's food of choice: chicken soup. Can't say enough good things about it.

Hugs all round.

onvacation

Katy - yea weird that we are in a new "normal" !  Baby steps are the way to go!

I like Marching 2012!  What do you guys think? 

brax

Okay, we have Marching and lisajcj through in Healthy.  How about Healthy Marching 2012 or Marching Healthy 2012. 

I'm good with whatever, I will post Marching Healthy 2012 tonight unless someone has a really creative idea.  Where's Shera?  That would be her department.

Hope everyone is doing well.