Sept 2012 chemo

aic

Love the pic Timbek2! You look great!

kidsandlabs

ladies your pic's are great!

whenlifegivesyoulemons

Kidsandlabs - I gotta ask, what's the story behind your avatar?  Pretty great pic.

patriciahurtado

Damian9....my BGC sure gave a treat alright ....started of with my benadril infusion..i went with my sister and brought some movie....got ready and i passed through the movie....woke up with a small stomache...felt like throwing up...

Second day woke up just fine took my steroids and that made my so hyper...but tonight my stomach hurts a liitle again...got Naulesta shot so im hoping no joint paints in 5 days thats when it kicks in...i take claritine and aleve for all my naulesta shots!!!!

One more FEC chemo then Taxol which i started to drink L glutamine for joint pain....Thank you for that PatinMN..i hope it works i started with the small bottle and taking 5miligrams and tehn i will i do 30....and see how that works!!!

Damian9 i hope u did well with your trick or treating...i totally understand the pain...i wasent even able to walk to the restroom and whe i did i needed help getting up......i hope you feel much better.....

My sister left this morning to Colorado we cried so much!!!! so said that she notice that forget thinsgs and she had to finish most of my sentence which i cried cause i almost never forget things i as the coordenator to every even in my house...i cant even spell correctly or remenber things...but she said to take it easy that will go away when everything is over ...i hope i hate this chemo brain!!!!!

Cherioo

Timbeck great picture . Patricia I know how you feel . This chemo brain stinks. I will start talking to my kids or DH and forget in mid sentence what I wanted to say . I forget stupid things

Cindi74

Timbec

Enjoy Vegas.  A friend got us reasonable rooms at Treasure Island last spring. 

I don't gamble.  Went to cirque du soleil   The Beatles while hubby lost an equilivent amount.  We are heading for NYC just before I start Taxol.  Sort of a 25 aniversery celebration that bc stole.

One more A/C and wheeeeer

patriciahurtado

Cherioo....totally horrible...but i cry the laught about it ...

My ladies all the pic are so beautiful.....i just stayed home and handed some candies to all those germ ball...that came around ith their custome so many so cute ...gosh alot of babies around my neighborhood.....

So i see new members here.....i love my port no pain ...hate naulesta gives me bone pain but your MO should give you medications...chemoland is not that bad ..well thats hoe i feel that its my bestfriend helping me kill cancer....bearly had any side effects ...i will be having my last FEC in the 21of nov and then Taxol.....so all my ladies that have started taxol please keep me us updated cause i would like to get ready....am i know everything is going to be alright

My newbies ask away we are here to answer all and every questions ......any questions ok.....we all love you and welcome !!!!!!!!

Mariposa123

Timbek2:    Love the picture!  What an awesome dog!  I couldn't find my eye patch, but figured I had enough scarves to pull off the pirate look:-)  I am so glad we were able to enjoy a bit or normalcy on Halloween. 

Does anyone else feel like the exhaustion is getting worse with every treatment?  I barely have energy to do anything.  It totally sucks!  My house is a mess, I want to be active, but I just can't get off the couch.  Yuck

Oh - and my nurse gave me my Neulasta shot in the tummy this last time, and it was amazing!!!  It didn't hurt at all!  I think someone on this board told us to do that a long time ago, but I never did.  Wow!  Wish I had listened.  Took my claritin, and no pain thus far.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

Have a nice night everyone.  I am going to try to get to bed early, but we will see.  It feels like I am exhausted, but can't sleep.  Yuck.

Cindi74

adagio

After first chemo my fatigue was so great I could barely move.  No nausa (Emend yes) No pain.  (Love that port). Just fatigue that set in on the night of the 4th day.  Hubby thought I was having a heart attack.  Called Dr. Went in, and in spite of nulasta, wbc at .8.  Then five days of neupogen to raise wbc.  After first A/C, oncologist reduced dossage by 20%.  (From what I read first chemo reduces most cancers big time.  Second less, and third less.  That is why they change chemos.) 

After second chemo with reduced doze, and neulasta, wbc OK.  They didn't even check after third.

According to chemo nurse, with almost no wbc, "You have no immune system.  Get a cold and you end up in hospital."  I figured that was why the oncologist reduced the dossage although I told her that since I knew after the first that fatigue was about my only SE, I could handle it.  I started taking American ginseng day before 3rd chemo and for a week, (with Oncologist encouragement), and had less fatigue, but achy joints and chemo taste in my mouth.  Had trouble getting down gallon of water a day (actually didn't), then I discovered that small Almond Joy (Halloween candy for tricksters who didn't come) would get a quart of water down. As soon as I went back to one gallon, bad taste disappeared--or did the end of the first week do it.

I had the shots in the tummy where I had put some of the numbing stuff.  No pain.  Took claridin for 8 days and some tylanol and no bone pain.  Good luck, Hugs and no SE

marianelizabeth

timbek2, great photo and still trying to figure out how to do it myself. Advice please on posting photos. I wasted a ridiculous amt. of time yesterday trying to change my Avatar photo and ended up using the old one which was also the only one I could upload in the summer. I need a techie I guess.

adagio, there should be no question about you qualifying for the Neupogen. For me my MO wanted me on it for the dose dense thing - every two weeks for chemo. But this week my Neutophils were so good that I only have to have 5 Neupogens instead of 7 (every other day). I will PM you as it is a Canadian program that works with FairPharmacare - you may already know about it. Also there is an Oct. chemo site and I think a Nov. one has been started too.

Hope that everyone is doing well post Halloween and Hurricane Sandy!

Marian 

EnglishRose75

Mariposa, Damiana and Timbek, thanks so much for posting those photos.  You guys rock! Mariposa, your children look like real cuties--you must be a really proud mummy!

Waiting for this Taxotere to creep up on me over the weekend.  Oooh, I just can't wait.  Still, my Mum arrives tomorrow to help out taking care of the kids and make me hearty wholesome meals and cups of tea on demand.  Hooray for the cavalry!

Neighbourhood Bonfire Night party tomorrow (Guy Fawkes night--crazy British tradition about burning the man on the stake who tried to set fire to the Houses of Parliament in the 1600s) .  Fireworks, roast chestnuts, mulled wine.  Hope I can make it.

Hope everyone's doing OK today.

jojo2373

Becki - love the pic.  I didn't get the memo that we should "go pirate", I could have at least donned a patch!  (LOL no worries bout it messing my hair up).

Patricia - my Taxol update is now very similar to AC.  Day 1 and 2 felt fine and on a steroid high (even more so than AC cause I got so much more).  Days 3-5 in so much pain couldn't do anything.  Pain much worse than AC, but that yucky, nauseated, flu feeling I didn't have with Taxol.  Day 6 was almost back to normal and today, Day 7 feel 100%.  I learned that with the next treatment I will be more dedicated to the steroids and claritan on days 3-5!

Welcome newbies and be sure to read the threads, we have definitely "been there".

PatinMN

Jojo, now I understand why the nurse asks me each week if I've had any pain...which I haven't, but I guess that's a big difference between the weekly dose and your doubled (or more) biweekly dose. I hope the pain is more manageable for you next time!

Timbek2

Glad you noticed that PatinMN!  I was reading Jo Jo's post thinking that I may just have 2 good days on Taxol.  I'm very concerned about going every week.  I'm always wondering in that 7 days period how many will be "good days" that I can feel like getting things done like the laundry and dishes that are forever piling up with 5 people.  I'm hoping for at least 3-4 good days each week but only time will tell.  Just gotta get through this next week from the AC monster.  Today is a good day so far so hooray!  Also, got my smooth move tea on hand if needed.  Really trying to avoid the contipation and nausea however possible.  Those are the two worst for me!  Glad to hear no nausea for Taxol!  YAYAYAYAY  Best wishes to all!

jojo2373

Oh and I forgot to add - NO YUCKY METAL taste with Taxol!  I am afraid though with no nausea, my taste back, and mega steroids I will gain a ton of weight on this one.

Toastiecat

Hi everyone,

Back online after Sandy. So happy to have heat and light in the house! Beth Israel in NYC is still without power, so I'm going to a different hospital tomorrow for chemo. Hope everyone affected by the storm is doing okay.

xoxo

Mariposa123

On Taxotere I have gained five pounds already:-(  I am just trying to not worry about it- but it is hard when I already feel not so cute.  Plus I am swollen (after chemo, I gain ten pounds by the next day of just fluids)  YUCK!

Jojo:  Glad you are feeling better.  I wonder how similar taxol and taxotere are?  Sounds like you all don't have to worry as much about the neuropathy.  My worse symptoms are the nausea, neuropathy, and massive joint/muscle/bone pain.  But I have learned at this point, I just need to stick it out three more days and I will feel exhausted, but better:-)

Cherioo

Hey ladies just spent 4 1/2 hrs in the chair getting my first taxol. So far so good a little tired which expected from the premeds . Notice today two ofmynails are changing color which sucks. I love my nails . The Dr said that was from my AC . In hope that all have a great weekend

florbo

Thanks so much for posting all your pictures.  They brightened my day.  I had an ultrasound yesterday at the breast surgeon's office and my tumor hasn't shrunk any with 2 FEC treatments ;(

Timbek2--hope you are feeling better.

allurbaddayswillend

Hi everyone! I had my 9th Taxol treatment on Oct 30th. Only 3 more to go, omg, it's so close I can taste it!!!!!   Weirdly enough, I think my fatigue is not so bad but pain has gotten worse as the treatments have gone on. Once my MO cut out the intravenous pepcid and I stopped taking it orally, I am actually doing better in the overall picture though. I am allergic or sensitive to something in that stuff, it gave me an anaphylactic reaction a couple weeks ago. As the weeks of Taxol have gone by I have noticed more tingling in fingers and toes and more sharp sudden pains but they tend to be worse a couple days after Tx and then a bit better by the next time around. I know everyone's different but in some ways I hope many of you heading into the Taxol have my luck with it, it has not been as hideous as AC. My fingernails are behaving a little weirdly but not fully lifting or discoloring - they are just detaching a little where they usually join the finger. It's not bad, I'm still keeping them short and am careful with them. well, we're all different but I hope hearing this helps someone out. Great Halloween costumes. I have to remember to celebrate Guy Fawkes day with some Doctor Who tomorrow. Cheers!

aic

Mariposa,

I hear ya on the weight gain on taxotere I have gained four and started a week after you. Where are you having pains? Mine seem to be upper body more than anything and hang around til day 10. My neuropathy is very minor but already starting. Am going to talk to my dr about the supplement as nurse didn't mention any supplement proactively...go figure. Have you had any nail issues yet?

Mariposa123

Aic,

   I was trying to be good about taking care of my nails, but have kind of slacked off... and now they are looking a little discolored and they seem fragile.  There are just so many things I have to be on top of!  My toenails are also slightly discolored.  Maybe it is time for some nice colorful nails:-) 

My pain has been radiating from my hips and back up to my shoulders.  The swelling also impacts my knee and ankle joints.  The stupid neuropathy is like burning pain in my finger tips.  My doc said that the neuropathy is cumulative, and he predicted mine would get worse with each treatment.  He thought the L-glutamine was a good idea.  Let me know if your doctor gives you any other good tips!

aic

Too many things to be on top of...I agree! My pain seems to be sternum related which my doctor said could be from chemo or neulasta. I will let you know if I hear of any other tips! How often are you getting tax.?

Mariposa123

Every three weeks- which has been nice.  I have at least one week where I feel good physically.  How about you? Are you getting carboplatin too?

aic

Every three weeks as well and thankful for that. I have about a week and a half of feeling good. I am getting pertuzamab. It's a fairly new one. Pm me anytime. Would be nice to compare since we are on a similar regimen. I have heard from others on other threads what an ass kicker taxotere is. We are tough cookies!

bearcub

Damian's, Mariposa and Timbek love the pics!..so happy you were well enough to enjoy the day with your families.

kidsandlabs

whenlifegivesyoulemons- about my avatar, i have 5 labs and I love this pic. I actually found this pic, not one of my dogs. I just thought it was the cutest thing, something one of my dogs would do.

Mariposa- I get carboplatin and taxol every three weeks. I am like you. About one one week good, then chmo time again.

Cherioo

Jojo my DR is making me continue the N shot on Taxol when I asked why he said he wants to stay on schedule . Sucks I have to drive on Sunday at 7.30 to get the shot

Cindi74

Cherioo,

I got my oncologist to give me a perscription for neupogen when I had to have  five days of shots after first chemo and neulasta.  Two of those days it took almost three hours and a twenty minute drive.   my insurance, "medicare and tricare" covered it and I got a packet (10 prefilled syringes) to keep at home as needed.  Nurse taught hubby how to adminster.  Check on it.  I think 5 neupogen equals one nuelasta.  If you get it in the tummy and use tiny bit of numbing cream an hour before, NO pain.

Cindi74

By the way, I think one neulasta cost about what ten neupogen do.  They are about the same stuff, but the neulasta is slow release so that one replaces five.  I got that from research on line, so it could be wrong.