December 2012 chemo group

Grace533

I also have to get the picc line for 3 and 4 because my arm got red along vein line after the first two. Is someone saying that I can get part of it out and then back in for the last one or does it have to stay in for the two treatments?

SharonS

Been away for a bit. Started teaching my classes in person this week and then I leave about 1130 or 1200. Went yesterday to get a little fake foob for my Bra since I only have one expander now. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since that surgery and all seems to be healing. Yesterday when she said this should hold you over until you decide what you are going to do down the road kind of got to me.



Right now all is on hold. Not sure if I want to put TE back in right since that side was radiated and seemed to have an issue. Not sure that I will want to screw up my summer when I finally finish chemo in June.



Chemo 2 AC will be next Wed if all blood levels are normal. I went back to work because just thinking of all that happened last time has me scared. They will decrease dose some.



Sandra hope you are ok, didn't see any follow up posts about your fever. I know many had treatments this week. I hope your SE are few.



On a positive note, a former vball player who does hair is going to do a once over on my wig for me tomorrow. Two former cadets came by and walked with me today in the beautiful weather. We went 2 miles. And yes it was a beautiful warm day here in Virginia.

Nicole503

Soteria205 ~ I am also struggling with AC round 3.  The SE's hit immediately and even though I went back to work today, I felt like I was scratching and clawing my way towards something resembling "normal" energy level, ability to think, queasiness level, etc.  The after work nap is no longer a luxury....I basically pick up the kids from school and then come home and pass out.  I'm so lucky to only have to work half time.

I'm curious to hear about how AC #4 was for folks ahead of us on this schedule.  I'm seriously thinking about building in another day or two off work (it will wipe out my sick time but I gotta be realistic here).  For those of you who have done all 4 turns on the AC carousel, how was your experience with #4 compared with the prior 3?  Your honesty may help me with my planning.

I'm also super curious to hear how the Taxol turns might be different.

Thanks all.

mfml

Nicole - Round 3 was my worse!  I did 4 rounds AC every two weeks - finished up 2 weeks ago tomorrow (yay!)  I am not sure why 3 hit me so hard - but for me 4 was better.  The doctor told me to "throw out" at least a quarter of my neulasta - I think alot of my horrible #3 was from the neulasta.  I missed less work with #4 than 3 - had more energy - everything all around was better.  Well - I did get shingles over last weekend - its kind of painful.  But - it isn't bad enough for me NOT to start taxol this Friday.  

I have to decide by Friday if I want to do weekly taxol for 12 weeks or every two weeks for 8 weeks.  I am absolutely agonizing over this!  It is crazy - I have been given the pros and cons and left to decide myself - and I keep changing my mind...  The thought of 12 more week - means I am not even half done yet!

Anyhow - it is good to be done with the AC.  We will all be done with this chemo soon - when you look at the big picture.  

 It's always nice to pop in here to see what everyone is going through and for some encouragement and suppport.

Hope everyone has a restful night with minimal SE's.

Mia

kslansky

I finished up round 4 of AC take weeks ago. Round 4 was the most difficult for me...but I think I've had it easy. Fatigue lasted a couple of days longer,and nausea was a little worse.



I started taxol yesterday. In addition to the anti nausea meds they started me with benadryl, zantac and an additional dose of steroids to prevent any adverse reactions to the Taxol. Once they started the Taxol, they put on ice mitts and booties to help prevent neuropathy.



So good, so far...no SE s and I haven't crashed yet.



I also have lost most of my head hair,but have some left as well...and I think it is growing. I did have my mid point MRI results yesterday and the chemo is working!!!



Just 3 more rounds of chemo...then surgery,rads and tamoxifen. One day at a time right?!

Anonymous

For me the fatigue isn't a sleepiness. It just takes every bit of strength I have just to get from my driveway into my front door. Not far at all. Sunday when we came home from church, I sat in the van for 20 minutes trying to work up the strength just to get out and walk in to the house.

I'm out of breath more too. That's a little scary as I know AC can weaken the heart muscle.

I keep this kind of sinus pressure that I didn't have before.



Does anyone else on AC have any of this?



Blessings

Paula

jenjenl

Nicole503 - I would build in the time, don't push to hard.

Soteria205 - I am the same way I really have to get a burst of energy to get around. 

I have TAC all in one day so I can't tell which gives me the most greif but I am worn out for a week straight.  Mine hits me the night of treatment.  The feelings are hard to articulate other than I feel weird and not myself.  Thank goodness for daycare, my mom and short term leave.  I can't wait to finish these steriods. 

On a side note I had a little fight with my MO - I asked when I would have my next scan to make sure it hasn't spread since I am TN, he indicates that he won't do any blood work or scans unless I have symptoms.  I feel he has no preventative measures lined up.  Not that I really want to have scan anxiety.  It ended with me saying I didn't agree and whatever and him saying you just don't like my answers.  We actually have a good relationship/partnership but all that really pissed me off.  I was crying even before going to the doctors office yesterday.  Very emotional this time, not sure if it is bc it is the half way point for me or what.

Have a good day, got to get the kids ready and climb into my chemo cave before fluids and the bone pain shot.  Love you ladies.

Bren58

Did TCH #4 yesterday and then went out to dinner with a friend. Glad I did as this morning I have that terrible taste in my mouth already and I can tell nothing is going to taste good again. So far the SE's have not been horrible, but we will see how they are with this round.

I feel bad for all you TAC girls, it sounds like your SE's are really getting you down. (((hugs))) to all of you!

Wishing everyone a day of mild SE's today.

The weather here is supposed to be warm today, so I am hoping to get outside to do my walk today before the frigid temps return tomorrow.

donster

Bren58- that is great that you have #4 behind you.  Is that the last one?   I am on TC and that is a total of 4 rounds, I wondered if it is the same for TCH.  I hope for you it is!  I have round 3 this Friday so I know my SE's are just around the corner again 

I wanted to share with all the ladies that I took a Gentle Yoga class yesterday through Life with Cancer.  It was not as physical a class as other yoga classes I have taken before BC, but it was wonderful to stretch and meditate.  I highly recommend it.  I have been feeling so blah and achy and tired and it was great to do something to settle my mind and stretch my body.  I know many of you have said that your energy level is low, as is mine, and this class was really nice.  Just wanted to share.

Hope you are all having a good day today.

Bren58

Sadly I am on the TC 6 plan. I was so hoping that I was done yesterday. But I have 2 more to go. My mouth already feels yuck and everything tastes bad. Not looking forward to the next 10 days

donster

Bren58 - ugh.  I had that same thing last go around.  The only thing that was tolerable was butternut squash soup and yogurt smoothies with banana and strawberries.  I think when our tongue goes sort of numb and our tastebuds go it's the texture of the food that becomes appealing.  

I also used the magic mouthwash which helped tremendously.  I found the only flavoring I could taste was salt so i gravitated towards salty foods and I added salt to my food for a few days.  Not my usual preference but it worked.  

Hope the days ahead treat you well.

Bren58

thanks donster. I have tried a lot of different things, but haven't found anything that tastes decent. So I just eat whatever sounds good at the moment. I do try to get decent nutrition though. And I do use the magic mouthwash. I really helps.

carlads

Hi Ladies,

I jumped over from the January group, I hope you don't mind..  I had my first T/C treatment January 10th had mild SE's except for a headache that wouldn't go away. They seem to think that was from the Neulasta injection because it didn't start until day 3, but last for 4 days!  They told me to start taking the Claritin two days before and 5 days after I sure hope this helps.  I know the chemo is cumulative, so did the SE's get worse each time, or just different each time?

Thanks in advance,

Carla

FriendGwen

Hi Carla - I've been thru three rounds and I don't think the SE have gotten worse but maybe a little different. I had a brief bout if constipation with the first round only. I was congested with the second round only. I think the taste buds seemed a bit worse after chemo 3. I feel less anxiety now since I know pretty much what to expect. Overall it's not nearly as bad as I had thought it would be. However I am very excited to finish up in March! Good luck to you!

donster

Hi Carla,

I have had 2 rounds of TC so far and I have round 3 this Friday.  I also had that terrible headache with round 1 along with aches and pains from the Neulasta.  Round 2 wasn't necessarily worse, it was just different.  

I experienced a loss of taste buds with round 2 and thrush.  The nurse prescribed Magic Mouthwash which worked really, really well.  Round 2 also brought on the chemo fog, hot flashes and just an overall feeling of being tired.  I surrendered with round 2 and took naps when I could and let the kids clean up after dinner

I try as hard as I can each day to keep perspective and I encourage you to do the same.  The side effects are temporary...super annoying, but temporary.  You will get through this.  The prize at the end is totally worth it all. 

Take care.  I hope tomorrow is a great day for you!

carlads

Thank you both so much.. It helps to hear how others have done! 

Carla

Nicole503

Bren58 - What exactly is the magic mouthwash again?  My tongue is coated with white and is super sensitive.  I restarted the salt/baking soda rinse but I think I may need to take it up a notch because I am suffering.  My acid reflux has been godawful today today - not resonding to the licorice or tums or pepcid.  Waaaaaaah!

At least the nausea has passed for this round.

Sandra60

Nichole the magic mouthwash has dexamethsone , lidocaine , maalox and some other stuff in it . I did not like it because it made my mouth totally numb - but of mouth soars get rally bad or would help ! I've been doing the biotene mouthwash which has enzymes in it that seem to help and also baking soda mix mouthwash . Use those two evey hour or so if u have to - or thrush may develop .

For acid reflux I take Prevacid every am - Prilosec is good too - it has nipped that se in the bud ! Finally gone today - it is a more rare side affect but mo says it is from the taxotere - I is just the way my body processes that drug . I did not have to have any WBC shot after # 1 & 2 bc my counts were normal .

powermom

Nicole,

My indigestion was horrible after my #3 of TCH. Had a hard time swallowing, felt like a lump in my throat. I would recommend calling your MO to help. The nurse doubled my dose of Omeprazole (which I take every day already). Wish I had called sooner. Hope this helps.



Does the Magic Mouthwash help with the taste issue? I haven't had thrush or mouth sores, but if it helps with taste, I will ask for some.

Bren58

Magic mouthwash does not help with the taste issues, but does help with the fuzzy mouth feeling and will help keep the mouth sores away.

As for heartburn, I start taking the prilosec about 4 days before chemo and take it about 2 weeks, then take a break for a few days and start again before the next tx. I usually do have to take Tums a time or two during the day too when needed.

Hope you all have a good day!

Grace533

My mo gave me a prescription to prevent mouth sores , I ( knock on wood) have not had any mouth sore issue through first two treatments and I also use the biotene products.

LeeA

Re: the taste/taste bud issue - this was suggested on the January 2013 chemo thread: 

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/797712?page=36#post_3392800

Nicole503

I am so grateful for sympathetic and caring oncology nurses!  Huge shout out to the hiring manager at Kaiser who hired the wonderful nurse who supported me this morning.  

I feel like in the last 24 hours, my entire GI tract (from stem to stern as they say) got annhilated.  My acid reflux got completely out of control and I ended up vomitting after dinner last night.  It's crazy that I've been nauseous off and on after every treatment but was not actively nauseous yesterday and then the acid reflux caused me to throw up.  Let's just say it was an unpleasant night!

Now I have a prescription for generic prilosec and hopes that tomorrow will be a better day.  I also got the magic mouthwash and completely agree with Sandra60's review that the total numbness is a bummer.  It's a bummer that I will endure for now because I was so miserable but I'm hoping not to need it too much in the future.  

The other thing I got was a prescription for Nystatin which I am a bit mixed about.  My tongue is definitely whitish and super sensitive but I've been religious about taking probiotics and have been doing the baking soda/salt rinse.  Perhaps those measures are really no match for chemotherapy's brutish nature?  I see that the side effects of Nystatin can include nausea, stomach discomfort, vomitting and diarrhea.  I don't need to invite any more of THAT into my life.  Have others on this list taken Nystatin and was it worth it???

Thanks for being the place where I can come when the going gets rough and benefit from the wisdom of those who travel this rough road with me and slightly ahead of me.  You women are blessing!

donster

Nicole503 - so sorry you are having such a hard time.  I found the Magic Mouthwash to work really well.  It did leave my tongue numb, but I found the numb feeling to be way better than the feeling of dry styrofoam in my mouth... The first swish and swallow was the worst, then I got used to the taste and welcomed the numb feeling.  It took about a week for my tongue to feel the same, the color to return and my taste buds to come back.  It is definitely a crappy SE.

I go in tomorrow for round 3 of TC.  I am psyching myself up for it tonight.  Making a nice dinner for the family since next week they will mostly have take out and my husbands cooking.  I am hopeful that there will be no new or worse SE then I had the last couple of rounds.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

I hope you have a better night tonight.

Dawn1008

Hi everyone. I'm mentally preparing for AC 4 this coming Monday. Finally I have gotten a break with the whole bronchitis coughing. The last 2 days miraculously I feel human again. Round 3 was awful for me, but I am hoping #4 won't be as rough since I have crawled out of the bronchitis.



PICC line inquirers--- I've had my PICC since I started chemo. It is what I would call "bothersome". It is a serious decision. You can't take the PICC in and out between chemo's. The PICC is a cardiac catheter. The tube is inserted through your arm into a large vein. The tube runs from your arm all the way to the very top of your heart. Make sure you understand what you are getting, why, potential complications and the ongoing care regimen. You cannot get the external PICC line or entry site wet...no swimming, Saran wrapped and taped for shower and bath time. If you have it for an extended time, it itches (a lot!). It is always covered with a tight clear-view PICC bandage and a mesh sleeve which is changed weekly by an RN. If you have any other questions let me know. I don't mind answering.

carlads

Good Morning Everyone,

Had second treatment Thursday (T/C).  First go round no SE's until the end of the 3rd day.  This time seems to be a little quicker.  They did reduce my Neulasta injection from 6mg to 4mg since my white count was out of the box high. Not sure if it is going to help my headache started last night..  I have been taking the Claritin as directed but this time I did get a RX for 800 mg ibuprofen. 

Hope everyone else's SE's are mild.  Have a great weekend.

Carla

Nicole503

Dawn1008 ~ Good luck on Monday, Dawn!  I'm right behind you with AC #4 on Thursday.  I'm nervous too.  Round 3 was really tough for me and I do not feel the energy "bounce back" that I felt after 1 & 2.  I'm definitely in a weakened condition and nervous about where the 4th dance with AC will take me. 

On the upside, I've gotten much more diligent about self care (napping, working from home, saying no to social invitations, etc) so perhaps that will see me through the upcoming storm.

Wishing us both well!

Anonymous

AC #3 kicked my butt around the block. I get #4 next Friday. My onco nurse said AC is like climbing up hill, but taxol is like coming down the other side.

I dread Friday, but will be so glad to get it behind me.



May all our SEs be easier this time.



Blessings

Paula

Sandra60

Carla - I guess I am exactly 1 week behind u on TC - I go in next Thursday for # 3. I do hope your headache gets better - ibuprofen always works better for me than Tylenol so hope it does for u too !

It will be interesting to see if i get the neupogen shots this next round . In sharing privately with other posters I am amazed at the difference in how the mo decides if u need these or the neulasta shot . I was told it was dangerous to have those if your counts were normal ( I remember now that comment was from the nurse - not my mo - so maybe she is incorrect ) and that is why I have not had any - but that does not seem to be the case with quite a few posters . I am just wondering with me if it is cost vs benefit issue since I am with an HMO . Welcome to the world of managed care - more to come in the years ahead wih the affordable care act I suspect .

Good luck to Dawn and Nicole on your next rounds - looks like u are getting very close to the finish line YEA !

Bren58

TC #4 has been a little tougher for me than the others were. Part of the problem is that my potassium was really low. So I had to take a giant potassium pill twice a day for 3 days. They also want me to eat a banana once a day. I like most foods, but bananas are one of the thngs I just have a hard time with. It's the taste/texture/flavor/smell. The whole thing. And of course they taste even worse now, since everything tastes bad. I don't know about anyone else, but I am getting really weary of the whole chemo thing!