Starting Cytoxin/Adriamycin on Sept 5th

SandeeAR

Thanks in advance to anyone that can give me any tips!  What are the common side effects?

GottaloveNED

My main side effect was that I felt like a slug for 2 days after. I did mine dose-dense which means every 2 weeks with a shot of nuelasta the day after chemo to build red blood cells. I was lucky - never got sick - not even a cold. My blood counts were good each time they checked. Oh yeah -lost my hair 2 weeks in. I was self-conscious for a week or two and then I adjusted and wore bandanas ( it was summer). I bought a wig but rarely used it - I'm not a girly girl - I run around in jeans or sweats and no boobs unless I'm working. It was a bigger deal to me to lose my eyebrows and eyelashes. I had to draw them in as they got thinner and I wasn't one to do "make-up" every day. Hope your chemo goes well with few side effects!!

Sassa

I also had AC and then 1 year of herceptin, so the side effects I talked about in your daycare thread apply.

jojo2373

Starting same chemo next friday!  Port this Monday.   Hope to share the journey.

crazyride43

I did dose dense A/C (with port) and had the following side effects:  tough response to first infusion until I figured out when to take my anti-nausea meds (dizzy, sensitive to light, nauseous etc), a couple of days after chemo when I felt "weird" and out of it, more tired than usual and needed to rest often, constipation and some pretty gnarly hemmorhoids (sorry if TMI!), heartburn, sensitivity to smells (I went to test drive a new car and almost left my lunch in there the smell was so strong!), and everything was really dry all the time - mouth, skin etc - so I was constantly drinking fluids and slathering on lotion.  My hair fell out after about 17 days, and my period stopped after the third infusion (my final period was very heavy and made my RBC drop down a lot - no energy at all).  Just like GottaLoveNED, I was lucky and never got sick.  I did try to go walking a few miles almost every day and I think that helped.  I know many people have altered taste buds, but mine were fine - maybe a little off for some tastes.  I did suck on ice cubes throughout my infusions, and never got a mouth sore - perhaps the ice helped with the taste buds too. 

Let me know if you have any specific questions - happy to answer them because I remember very clearly how scary it is going into that first infusion.  A friend who had been through A/C before me said "it's not fun but you will get through it and you will be fine".  She was right, but it was pretty tough to understand that at the time.

SandeeAR

Thanks so much for all the replies!

Janetanned

Your SEs might vary.  My SEs were very similar to Crazyride43's SEs except that I did loose my tastebuds.  I had a metalic taste in my mouth.  I also craved certain foods, usually 'white' food - chicken, mashed potatoes, bread, vanilla ice cream, etc.  Also hair loss everywhere, legs, arms nose, pubic, etc.  The loss of nose hairs had me carrying tissues all the time.  My nose would just drip all day long.  I think most important though is that you take all of the anti nausea medicines prescribed.  The key is to keep on top of any nausea.  I made the mistake of trying to tough it out after the first infusion.  Big mistake, not repeated.  Also, call you MO's office with any and all questions or concerns.  There are so many meds available to counter SEs.

Good luck!

Cindi74

I get a port Sept 4, and start chemo   A/C   on Sept 10, I think.   Scared silly.

bearcub

I start AC Sept. 5, actually I am not too nervous. I think all the posts have basically educated me and I know it will be hard but doable. I just want to get it over with.

deeteeone

HI..I HAD MY FIRST AC YESTERDAY.ONLY SE IS TIRED.AND I AM TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT.THEY CAN WAIT ON ME FOR A CHANGEI HOPE YOU ALL CONTINUE SPEEDY HEALTH

SandeeAR

Had my first A/C yesterday.  Go back today and tomorrow, for nausea meds and fluids. Gave me Ativan for nausea and told me to take it regularly.  I have been.  A little nausea, so diarrhea, but mainly tired.  I only slept about 3 hours total last night.  Kept waking up and not being able to sleep.  My biggest fear had been them accessing the port.  I had used the numbing cream before going in.  I never felt a thing!

 DD has a baby shower Sunday afternoon.  Hope I still feel this good then.  Don't want to put a damper on the shower, b/c I'm dragging.

 Hope you all did well with your treatments.

bearcub

Sandy I also started my AC yesterday, I have had different meds for nausea.. Zofram, Decadron, Maxeran....didn't have to return to hospital today except for a mugga scan. I have felt good, no nausea, I did get up at 3 a.m. But I think the steroids for nausea woke me up. No diarrhea And not too tired, half expecting to feel real rotten soon...hope not!



Hope your DD has a beautiful shower and you can make it feeling fantastic!

Anonymous

I did dose dense every two weeks and then 4 rounds of Taxol.  I flew through AC regimen with flying colors but the Taxol made me ache so bad after the first treatment that I couldn't do anything, let alone try to sleep at night.  It also shot my WBC up past 30,000 !!   I developed a fever of 102 for days and finally my onc put me into the hospital for an "unknown infection".  This is not the norm for us I don't think -- at least I HOPE NOT!  I spent a week in the hospital hooked up to IV with antibiotics to finally kick the infection.  I also had mouth sores twice - not fun.  Try to keep mouthwash on hand and use it as much as you can.  I hope your treatment won't blast your energy so much but the thing I couldn't do, was to sit around and do nothing when I wasn't working -- but I should've rested and I didn't.  On one hand, the docs tell you to keep active, but I think in my case, it wore me down to the point of being pretty anemic.