Starting Chemo October 2012

MsTori

Sonson- see if you can get your MO to order son EMLA cream. It's will numb it. I had my put in on the 11th and they accessed it on the 12th. :-/

MsTori

Poke- sorry your feeling bad. See if you can get Emmend for nausea for next treatment. It's supposed to be top of the line. I don't think they will give you a hard time about it since all the others didn't work. Also, my MO gave me script for Ativan, it helps to sleep and an added bene of anitnausea. I took it day 3&4.

Melrosemelrose

sonson--You can ask the infusion nurse to spray that port area with a numbing spray or ask to have the area iced first if you are unable to use the EMLA cream.  You might want to call your onco to ask if you can use the EMLA cream since it has been a week since you got your port installed.

halfcan

Sorry you are feeling so rotten Poke! I use the Emend. Yes you should ask about it. I take it just before infusion and for the next two days. Three pills total. Also take Zofran. I found nibbling helped too. I hope you start feeling better real soon.

alcb70

Seems like (unfortunately)I am right on time with all of you feeling so bad! Poke- I hate that you ended up in the ER! I had to take more zofran and phenergan this time. Had the hot flashes and waves of nausea. Today is day 4 and I feel crummy. On the couch with those zingy pains and a horrible headache. Started out the day thinking I could do something....but went out the window quickly! Hoping that this will be better tomorrow.  I would say we're all living proof that days 3-6 are crummy! I hope everyone is feeling better!!  For those who haven't started yet, I can speak for myself only, when I say that this definitely stinks, but not the end of the world. I think we're just all used to going non-stop and can't stand to be knocked down.   Gonna close my eyes again.....hope everyone feels better soon!!

sonson

Sorry everyone is feeling so bad this week.  I hate chemo!  My time will be this coming weekend since my next treatment will be Wednesday.  My worst day is the third day after treatment.  I always try to schedule it on Wednesday so I can just spend all day Saturday in bed.  It's not how I really want to spend my weekend, but at least I don't have to worry about missing work.  My biggest problem is constipation...sorry I know that's a bit too much information, but I was wondering if anyone had the same problem and had a gentle way to solve the problem.  If I can't discuss this here then where can I discuss it?   Stool softeners don't seem to be enough but then when I take a real laxative my stomach cramps so bad for hours before I finally get any relief.  It gets to the point where I don't know which is worse the fatigue I feel or the pain I feel from the cramps.  It makes for the most miserable weekend ever.  I know I can't avoid the fatigue this weekend, but I would love to avoid the cramps and the constipation this weekend if at all possible.

301724

Sonson, try some senna tea ("Smooth Move" tea). I think it might be gentler on your system. I took it at bedtime for two evenings, along with Colace (stool softener) in the AM and PM. It did the trick. No cramps. No problems.

Abby20

Alc, Poke, and Tori we are in the same treatment regimin. Sorry that you are not feeling well hope se will go away in few days. I am due for my 2nd session tomorrow the first one went pretty much smooth. I didn't need to take any of my medication but I heard se could get worse every time. I didn't lose my hair yet but it is falling out and kind of warning me that It is not going to stay for long time not ready at all. I cry every morning when I see clumps on my pillow.



Hope everyone feels better soon

Poke

Hello from the hospital ladies! Yes, my MO admitted me. Pumping me with anything and everything to get me over this hump.



MO says very rarely some women can be hypersensitive to Taxotere. She is trying her best to get me feeling better and then next round of chemo I'll be getting Emend instead of Aloxi and since Taxotere and I are no longer friends, I will be switched to Abraxane.



Since my infusion on Wednesday, I've lost 7 lbs. Ativan was just pushed and so I'm going to doze for awhile.



Love to all. I feel like a failure compared to all of you sticking it out and making it happen. I pray Abraxane is my answer.

Poke

Sonson: Miralax is my best friend when I'm constipated. Mix it with juice or whatever. No bloating or cramping.

Poke

Feel better Andrea!

anamerty

hi:im day 8postchemo i had my neupogen shot about 3 hours ago and now starting to feel fatigue coming and also mild nausea is the nausea from the shot? i still have antinauseas the prochlorperazine is the one i can take every6 hrs if needed so day 8 and i took one sure its fine?seems that when most need their anti nausea ifs most only within a couple days post chemo but i seem to need them even after my neupogen asi got up to getmy medsinow can tell that the neupogen bone pain is kicking in to my left leg great i took my pain killer about 9 dont want to take it again right away cuz of the other meds yuuuukkkk the bone pain was so bad that mo changed it to every other day and gave me hydromorphone cuz my percocets werent touching the pain ill try to hold off on the pain pill till enough of my anti nahsea has kicked in cuz im so parenoid about all these meds that cause droziness

MsTori

Hi Abby- so glad you came through the first doing good. I pray the second goes the same. I had my tx on the 12th. Day 10 and doing a lot better! I had day 2 &3 bone pain (Nuelastra injection), then real foggy head on Monday morning and bone pain (I took Zyrtec instead of Claritan), day4-6 worst headache of my life and nausea. Wish I didn't have SE. They say everyone is different. Pray it gets better. I still have my hair- only day 10. Some of the veterans have said they kept theirs until the next treatment. I'm sorry it's happening. we should all post pics when we do, with turbans or something. ;-)



Poke- you are in my prayers. I'm sorry your body isn't cooperating. SE stink! I didn't have an easy time either. I lost 4 lbs. my bad SE was the intense unrelenting migraine on day 4-6. So we are all coping. Others have been wiped too. Hang in there.

BethBV

Oh, Poke!  So sorry to hear that taxotere is giving you so much trouble!  Hopefully they're able to get things under control and that the new regimin doesn't do a number on you!  Rest well, Poke!

MsTori

Anamerty- try Claritan before your shot. Also, Ativan has anitnausea property and bonus! It helps u relax and sleep. Yay for sleep! Also, yes, you want to be careful, but really, they give people strong pain meds post surgery, and still breathing. I took my nausea meds and pain pills at same time with no problems. I don't know about nausea and the shot. Someone else should know. Feel better. ;-)

anamerty

hi:im day 8postchemo i had my neupogen shot about 3 hours ago and now starting to feel fatigue coming and also mild nausea is the nausea from the shot? i still have antinauseas the prochlorperazine is the one i can take every6 hrs if needed so day 8 and i took one sure its fine?seems that when most need their anti nausea ifs most only within a couple days post chemo but i seem to need them even after my neupogen asi got up to getmy medsinow can tell that the neupogen bone pain is kicking in to my left leg great i took my pain killer about 9 dont want to take it again right away cuz of the other meds yuuuukkkk the bone pain was so bad that mo changed it to every other day and gave me hydromorphone cuz my percocets werent touching the pain ill try to hold off on the pain pill till enough of my anti nahsea has kicked in cuz im so parenoid about all these meds that cause droziness

fight4two

I'm 6 days past my second infusion and happy to report the se seem to be pretty much on par with the first time -- and not worse as some of us have feared.  So hopefully if your first session went smoothly, you will do well again, and if it was rough you can know what to expect the 2nd time and hopefully be armed with the meds to stop the se before they take hold!

I casually mentioned to my onc that I hadn't had any scans and wondered when in treatment that takes place.  He has now ordered me a bone and ct scan and I am terrified! I guess he forgot that I hadn't had scans due to pregnancy.  Have you ladies done bone and ct scans already or when do they usually take place?  I really dread doing these scans, but I guess they have to happen eventually....

MsTori

Fight4two- see, that's the only area that I question my MO about. He said he doesn't do scans right now. He said I'm receiving chemo anyway. Hopefully he will later.

halfcan

Hi fight4 two...I have had both scans done. One of them makes you radioactive for

3 days and when I went through the border I laughed like hell. I knew it would set off all their alarms so I did it for the fun of it. Gotta laugh whenever possible. The tests were not difficult...it is just the waiting for results. That part sucks. Hugs

Abby20

Fight4two, I asked my MO last time if I can have scans just to make sure that everything looks fine and she said they don't usually do scans when the margins and lymph nodes are negative like in my case because it is very unlikely that they will find anything, the scans will more likely to create a lot of anixity because the chances of false positive readings are high!

Melrosemelrose

Sonson:  To help you get off the "C" train, you can also try eating high fiber foods and  bulky foods (wheat bran, whole grains breads and cereals, fruit and veggies (raw and cooked with the skins on).  If you eat more high fiber foods, make sure you increase your fluid intake.  I ate wheat bran sprinkled on top of my daily bowl of rolled oats and fruit at breakfast.   I also ate a few prunes after each meal which seemed to help.  I ate those Sunsweet Ones Prunes which are individually wrapped prunes that really moist and sweet.  You can buy them at Target in a plastic canister.  I know the idea of eating prunes doesn't bring any wonderful thoughts but they worked for me.  You can also try drinking prune juice or apple juice.  I mixed those two together a few times but after a while, I just ate the prunes.  If you are taking any OTC meds for constipation, make sure you are taking in enough fluids.  Hope this helps and you feel better soon.

Poke

I also asked for some scans. My MO said insurance won't pay unless I have four positive nodes.

I need to verify this and or ask about negotiating a deal. Look at poor nb! I don't care of it isn't protocol... I just want to have any info I can.



Still here at the hospital. Just got my sleepytime Ativan. Good night ladies. xoxo

Abby20

Poke - You will do it, am sure you will. I pray that Abraxane works better for you..take care of yourself Good night. Hugs

schoolmom

I could get someone to drive me if it is necessary.  It is a 5 minute drive from my house.  I was more concerned about needing TLC for days afterwards at home.

sonson

Poke-so sorry you are having such a hard time with SE.  I hope they find a combination that works for you. 

Thanks for all the advice on my wonderful topic on the big C. 

They say if you take Claritin a few hours before the Neupogen and/or Neulesta shot that the bone pain isn't as bad.  But I'm sure it's not the same for everyone.  They say to take it for 10 days after you get the shot to keep the bone pain at bay.  I found that it doesn't take the bone pain completely away it just makes it more tolerable.  I have also found that heat makes it feel better too.  Anything you can do to make yourself feel better you might as well try it.

All you guys are wonderful and strong and I wish none of us had to be here cheering each other on, giving advice, but here we are and we can do this one day at a time.  I know somedays I look around for someone like myself who has lost their hair, who looks sick and I don't see anyone like that unless I go to my cancer center.  It makes you feel so alone sometimes.  It's hard not to feel that way sometimes when everyone else around you seems so healthy.  But you aren't alone.  And before you know it this will be behind you and your hair will be back and you too can say you are a survivor.  We just got to climb that mountain that every sister before us has climbed.  And God it looks like a huge mountain and it is a huge mountain, but we can do it together...one day at a time.  Okay so that's more of a pep talk for myself since I'm having another round of chemo tomorrow, but I hope it helps someone else too!

schoolmom

fight 4two:  I had a bone scan and CT scan before surgery, within a week of my diagnosis.  All clear except some nodules in the thyroid which the onc. said we would deal with later and they were probably nothing.  The insurance denied the CT scan so I put it on my credit card and fought with them later.  I also went to the benefits office at work and fought with the head guy.  Guess what....it got approved after I said I would be writing a letter to the school board and superintendant with his name on it.    Neither test was anything to speak of.....just glad they were clear.

Abby20

InI the infusion room for my second session, just finished from Herceptin and will start Taxotere in a while. So far so good!





Hope everyone is doing well today



Hugs,



Abby

Poke

Another night here at the hospital for me. Still can't eat or drink, cramping improved slightly with levsin and nausea STILL an issue.



Sigh.



xoxo

CelineFlower

oh poke... sorry to hear u rstill there... but goodto hearfrom you

not having a great day here... nausea but no vomiting.. 

301724

Poke, I'm so sorry. Sounds completely miserable. Please know we're there for you!