Starting Chemo July 2012

_Ann_

Thanks for that food list stride.  I also had peanut butter crackers (triscuit) today.  I have been unable to eat rice all along but I think putting it in cambell's chicken soup (which I can eat) would work and also improve the soup.  Great dinner idea.  And now that you mention it, prune juice actually sounds good.  Never would have thought of that.  Bananas don't work at all, sadly.  Tuna was working, then stopped after last infusion.

SusanHG123

Thick frozen homemade noodles cooked in chicken broth with some grated cheese worked a couple days. Cutie juice. Sonic limeade a couple days. Scrambled eggs. i have blisters on every membrane so have to be careful with sharp foods--so no crackers, etc. Crazy to try to find something that tastes good. 

My steroid high is really high. A lady (use the term very loosely) was staring at me in a store. I almost tripped her. Came so so close. 

_Ann_

Susan it's good to know I'm not the only one having foods rotate in and out of edibleness.  I laughed at the idea of you tripping rude staring so-called lady :-)

SusanHG123

Today so far, water only. Which is odd. Water usually makes me gag. 2 days post Taxol and herceptin. Feet and ankles swollen and itchy and red. Hands swollen and tight. Slight nausea--but NOTHING as with AC. Am considering removing port access. Some back and joint pain-but not horrible. Am coming off of the steroid high---still willing to run over people with my car--but might drive slower.

Anxious to hear how 2nd round of Taxol has gone. 

_Ann_

Amazing you can suddenly drink plain water.  I can't even stand a mouthful to swallow a pill (haven't started taxol yet).  Hope the swelling goes down soon Susan.

SusanHG123

Hi Ann,

I have never liked plain water---always made me gag a bit. With the AC just coming towards my mouth would start the nausea and vomiting. Now it is almost a craving. Plain water with lots of ice--no lemon or lime. Just plain. Hope it lasts. Maybe it will help me pee out some of the edema in my hands and feet from those darn steroids and Taxol. Food today-nothing sounded good. Had a peanut butter sandwich. Did not taste good--but kept thinking protein, fiber, protein, fiber.

Has anyone in our July 2012 group had to have blood? My red cells are dropping and dropping. Very short of breath. MO has started the discussion. Am not opposed--but want input from our group.

Breathing heavily and NOT having fun. 

teeballmom

Susan:  I was borderline anemic when I started in July and treatment before last I was officially anemic.  I think I've always been borderline so I don't feel much different.  My ONC is only considering blood if I get really tired (which luckily I haven't - but I'm not dangerously anemic) but this past week she put me on a protocol of iron supplements that all of the ONCs use in the office for their patients to see how I do over the next couple of weeks.  If my iron levels don't improve within 2 weeks, she will give me an infusion of iron through an IV.

Melrosemelrose

If your red blood counts are dropping, you can try to eat foods to help boost those up.  Some of those foods are as eggs, red meat, liver ( beef & chicken) oysters,  spinach, broccoli,  dried fruit ( peaches, raisins, prunes), dry legumes(kidney beans,lima beans, black beans, pinto beans), peas, fortified cereal ( ie Total cereal, cream of wheat), fortified breads & pasta, pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds.   Also eating foods high in Vitamin C will help with the iron absorption.  Hoping everyone's red blood counts rise soon!!!!   

SusanHG123

Thank you Melrosemelrose. I have always struggled with anemia--had iron injections once years ago. Have joked that if I could just eat a placenta all would be cured--but eating is an issue. Using Slow Fe per MO and pharmacist since diagnosis. But so far--just keeps dropping. Since Eupigen is contraindicated with breast cancer--we don't have the help as with Neupagen. 

Teeballmom--I am really tired--but hard to discern tired from anemia or tired for chemo or tired from combo of everything. But really tired. The steroids kept me up the past 3 nights.

We all have some damned if we do damned if we don't.

I am worried about the weekly chemo with Taxol, steroids, Herceptin, Pepcid, Benadryl, Aloxi. Those of you on this protocol---how are you feeling? Working?

A calm Sunday to all 

_Ann_

"If I could just eat a placenta all would be cured"  ha ha, gross yet funny.  Reminds me of this hair conditioner I used to use called "Henna -n- Placenta".  Whoever thought that was a good name for a product was a few cards short of a deck.  I swear it's the henna part that made me buy it.  

Well I have a new side effect of chemo I don't think I've heard mentioned yet.  My house stinks.  It stinks like my own stale sweat, because I've been sitting inside with nonstop hot flashes making me drip sweat everywere I go for weeks.  And we noticed the stink *after* washing all the laundry and bedding.    I'm afraid it may have soaked into the mattress and the upholstered furniture.  Now I don't want to even sit on my lovely and pricey new sofa I was so proud of finally buying this year (old sofa was, let's see, 19 years old?)  The fun never stops...

P.S. can you believe there's not an "angry" emoticon in that little emoticon set for this site?  Grrrr!  Definitely would come in handy. 

stride

LOL, Ann. I saw posts on one of the boards talking about chemo enhancing people's sense of smell. Not sure if it's true, but sure seems like it sometimes. I wonder if that's part of the reason we're all having so much trouble with food.

I've been having "food fantasies" lately. Today I was thinking about a big, juicy hamburger with french fries and a thick, chocolate shake. If you put that food in front of me, I would probably get sick just looking at it. But some part of my body somewhere wants FOOD. Pizza. Chinese take-out. Roast beef and mashed potatoes slathered in gravy with green beans and a side salad with carrots, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese and Italian dressing, with apple pie for dessert.

Dinner tonight was half a PB&J. 

_Ann_

stride, sadly enough my husband who usually has a very weak sense of smell has also noticed the stench.  Eeeek!!!

And boy did your post just make me hungry.  Especially the roast beef dinner, yum!  I know I couldn't eat it either.   Had a wonderful chocolate Boost today, some baked beans, and cottage cheese and berries.  That was a good day food-wise. 

SusanHG123

Today must have been the day for food cravings. All i could think about was chicken and dumplings. The Bisquick kind. So off to the store I go. Chopped veggies, sauteed, simmered, chopped chicken, cooked dumplings. About 4 bites and was done. Plenty of left overs if anyone has a craving. 

Have no energy to do a search--but who wrote about pain like little balls shooting through their body? If it was Taxol--hit hard this evening. 

Seriously, am sick of this cancer crap. Really sick of it.  

mamabr

Looks like everyone has been pretty quiet. Going in for blood today and the next round. I've been nursing a sore throat, which may be the reason I have been feeling a little more tired. Tomorrow I don't have to meet with the doc first, so that saves almost an hour. Well, I guess that is all. Best wishes to everyone this week.

PaEaglesFan

MamaBr, I hope that means more of the group are 'graduating' to PFC status.  I am celebrating 3 weeks today.  It feels like a milestone for me since my treatments were every 3 weeks which means my tush would have been in the BGC today. 

For the 1st time in a long time, I was able to enjoy my morning coffee.  I had given up on it after the 1st Rnd of chemo because it would gag me when I tried to drink it.  Yesterday I found out that water doesn't have that "weird" taste anymore.  Food is finally starting to have flavors that I remember... still not quite right, but it's getting there.

To those who are still in treatment.. Hang in there, it DOES END!

_Ann_

I'm in the lull between AC and Taxol.  Perhaps not posting because I'm dreading it so much.   Really freaked by the prospect of weekly IV's and blood draws, and the neuropathy.  Also dreading the upcoming MRI (another IV).  Terrified of surgery, radiation, and significantly concerned about SE's of hormone treatment.  And in general, angry that I still end up "high risk of recurrence" after all that.

Lifeonitsside

I've just been frustrated the past few days by chemo coma. I'm such an active, busy, insane person and it gets harder and harder for me to accept these days following chemo where I just don't have any energy or enthusiasm. Just went through my fourth cycle and only have two more to go but... crap. Tired of it already. And I'm not working so I'm sitting at home, with no money, staring at the walls. And my DBF has been in Europe this week so... He's home today so hopefully I'll see him and get my emotion back up. Anyway, just feeling blah this week and just coming out of chemo coma and hoping to feel better as the week progresses.

Lifeonitsside

I've just been frustrated the past few days by chemo coma. I'm such an active, busy, insane person and it gets harder and harder for me to accept these days following chemo where I just don't have any energy or enthusiasm. Just went through my fourth cycle and only have two more to go but... crap. Tired of it already. And I'm not working so I'm sitting at home, with no money, staring at the walls. And my DBF has been in Europe this week so... He's home today so hopefully I'll see him and get my emotion back up. Anyway, just feeling blah this week and just coming out of chemo coma and hoping to feel better as the week progresses.

Lifeonitsside

I've just been frustrated the past few days by chemo coma. I'm such an active, busy, insane person and it gets harder and harder for me to accept these days following chemo where I just don't have any energy or enthusiasm. Just went through my fourth cycle and only have two more to go but... crap. Tired of it already. And I'm not working so I'm sitting at home, with no money, staring at the walls. And my DBF has been in Europe this week so... He's home today so hopefully I'll see him and get my emotion back up. Anyway, just feeling blah this week and just coming out of chemo coma and hoping to feel better as the week progresses.

PinkyWI

I with you Ann, in between AC and Taxol and am quite nervous about it, not so much about the needles but the neuropathy.  This has me freaking out.  I start Thursday, 9/27 and am not looking forward to it but on the other hand, I know it is necessary and therefore am looking forward to getting it started so I can get to the end of this and start RADs.

stride

Mambr, hope your throat feels better and the next round goes OK.

PAEaglesFan, thanks for checking in on those of us still sticking around. It's nice to hear about people's progress after chemo. It's a reminder that those of us still in it will get there, too.

Ann and Pinky, I hope taxol goes well for you. FWIW it's worth, not everyone who gets neuropathy has severe problems. I have a mild case, which is what I wish for you if you have to get it. Of course what I really hope is that you don't have any neuropathy at all. The fear is natural, but of course maybe you'll look back at the taxol treatment someday and say it wasn't as bad as you feared.

Life, I'm with you in the chemo coma. I feel like I have been a bump on a log for almost a week. I need to get back to work, but my thinking is so fuzzy I can't really do it.

I was looking at posts today by women who exercised all during chemo, and I don't understand how they did it. I wasn't in great shape before chemo, but I could walk plenty. My muscles are jelly now. Just walking around the block feels like such an effort. How do some women walk three miles a day and do yoga during chemo? How, how how??? I want the secret.

_Ann_

stride, I was able to walk most days through it (after the nearly 24/7 sleep days ended).  But definitely not three miles, and at a really slow pace.  I was able to walk three miles at a medium pace beforehand.  So I think it really depends on what you can do beforehand, and expect it to be reduced a lot by chemo.  I'm amazed by women who work through it.  But before chemo I really had to push through fatigue to work fulltime and get anything done on weekends.  The women I know that worked had energy to spare before starting.

natL12

PAEaglesFan - I'm being nosy. Maybe you won't want to answer this...but, I'm curious about the different chemo regimes we all have.  You've finished your Cytoxin and Taxotere, but I notice that you are ER+ and PR+.  Do you have other things you must take for those conditions? I ask, because I am triple negative, so Cytoxin and Taxotere seem to be all that is available for me. (Unless the recent discoveries about the link between triple neg and ovarian cancer makes a difference.)

 Also, for all of you taking Taxol...it seems to have stronger side effects thant Taxotere has had for me.  Anyone want to comment on that?

roadwarrior28

Natl12 - my onc gave me a choice between taxotere and taxol so I think they serve the same function. She said that overall Taxotere has more toxicity. I finished 4 of AC and had 1 Taxol so far. I think Taxol is easier - I even started working out, did a hike last weekend and I've been working all through chemo. My energy level is also much better with Taxol than AC.

roadwarrior28

Natl12 - my onc gave me a choice between taxotere and taxol so I think they serve the same function. She said that overall Taxotere has more toxicity. I finished 4 of AC and had 1 Taxol so far. I think Taxol is easier - I even started working out, did a hike last weekend and I've been working all through chemo. My energy level is also much better with Taxol than AC.

mamabr

I think our screen names give a hint of ourselves, because roadwarrior sounds like a strong person. Of course, WE ARE ALL STRONG! But, I have to hand it to roadwarrior for working and exercising. I just haven't been able to do either. I know it is a double edged sword, but I am tired, I've probably been a little sad and my other life was pretty much on the go 24/7 and now I just don't do that anymore. Good for you roadwarrior and keep inspiring us to take walks and hikes because I do believe that exercising brings those valuable endorphins. I'm just not there yet.

As treatments go, I was wondering the same thing Natl12. I am also triple negative. I did the 4 rounds of AC and now 12 rounds of Taxol. Back in the spring I read up on all the different cocktails, but after I made the decision, I stopped reading. We had several differing opinions, and all the MOs agreed, there was no single answer. Half of them recommended one plan and the other half recommended a different regimen. We had to decide on our own. As I recall, Taxotere was in one of the recommendations. I went with my first MO opinion. I trust him and I feel good/confident that he and his office will be there for me for the next 5 years or however long I have to have checkups.

As you know, being triple neg., I can't do the hormone therapy. This is it, except for monitoring, I guess. We haven't decided on the ovary removal. I'll worry about that next year.

PaEaglesFan

NatL  I will be starting my radiation treatments tomorrow (33 of them) because I had a Lumpectomy.  After I'm finished with that I will be on Tamoxifen for 5 years for hormone therapy.

stride

It does seem like a lot of people are able to exercise normally. It's starting to make me wonder if the muscle weakness I am experiencing is unusual for chemo. My thighs are like jelly. I was not a weightlifter before chemo, but I did a fair amount of walking and hiking. I wasn't in tip-top shape, but probably as fit as the average American. Now even walking around the block is hard, and small inclines that I never even noticed before feel like mountains. I'd be sunk without my husband around to do things like grocery shopping and fix meals. I guess I need to talk to my MO about this. I've got one more treatment to go, and I'm starting to wonder if it's a good idea. If the chemo is affecting the muscles in my limbs like this, I wonder what it is doing to my heart.

Lifeonitsside

I used to do just simple yoga in the morning - just 5-10 minutes to stretch and get my body moving. Can't do it now. My arms won't hold me up and my legs also are like jelly. Walking a block or two wears me out. Don't know how you guys are doing it and I admire you.

SusanHG123

I wasn't in great shape but could walk a decent distant without becoming SOB. Could at least walk across our campus more than once per day for meetings, etc. Now, walking from my car to my building am SOB. Grocery store--I really think about each aisle. Know I am very anemic despite Slow Fe and trying to eat accordingly. Eating is an issue--even with the steroids. 

Have 2nd Taxol and Herceptin tomorrow and am very concerned. Had to come home from work early today to sleep. Was unable to focus on anything. Had 3 days of bad pain-better today--more of an achy joint pain instead of severe joint, muscle, bone pain.

Adding the high and low of the steroids am really concerned about the next 11 weeks. Trying to stay positive. Especially since I have such a long time to go.

Have i overlooked a post from Emily recently?

Hugs to all