September 2013 Chemo Group

Pam358

Vintage Gal - it must have been haircut day yesterday. I too cut my long hair short. When my stylist went to cut the braids off, the owner of the shop said sharply "you're not cutting that are you?" Once I explained she calmed down. I thought my stylist was going to cry. I told them both that if I was good with it, they too could get through it - too funny!

I too am waiting for a chemo start date and have been told it could be the week of the 23rd.

Deborahanne

Day 8 complete. All went fairly well. I feel mostly "normal" and when I don't feel well, I seem to feel better if I get up and do something. I am not sleeping well. Not sure if it's related to the chemotherapy or that I haven't been as active during the day.

Lovewins - hope your long drive went well and that you'll have a better week ahead.

QUESTION: are there any suggestions for making the "hair coming out" part easier? I've read that the head becomes tender and painful? I'm really not looking forward to that. Any suggestions are welcome.

70charger

Day 4 post- #1 chemo. And here I am at 2 am.  I would just love a good nights sleep.  Went to bed with hot flashes, woke up with bone crushing joint pain.  Hope the advil kicks in soon.  I just want to sleep.  Last night I was up at 2am.  HUNGRY!!  And of course had to pee.  took meds, waited, tried to go back to sleep, got back up, made ham, eggs, hash browns. OMG tasted so good.  By then hubby was to get up so I treated him with a big breakfast as well.   I took the day off, did not much, a bit on the treadmill, but the day flew by, then at supper time the hot flashes started. Oh and I got rid of constipation yesterday.  What a relief. LOl. I will have to do my carrots & tomatoes today , get them in the freezer.  It was way to hot yesterday for doing that. At least that is what I told myself.  Good luck to everyone.

  

Anonymous

Josgirl, my first infusion is Monday and I'm going to do 500 calories today and tomorrow (so the two days before). I'm a bit scared to do water-only fast without my oncologist's buy-in. Will let you all know how it goes.

The doc who put in my port (young, male, south Asian-American, absurdly handsome) called me "sweetie" while putting it in which I totally did not appreciate. He immediately got a lot less good-looking in my eyes. I said ouch really loudly when the first numbing injection went in and he said, "I can't do anything about it, sweetie." So he gets triple negatives for attitude and disrespect to patients.

Sending love and support to my chemo sisters.

Martie1228

Why the fasting/500 calorie thing two day before chemo?

lighthouselady

Welcome Peacockgirl.  I'm impressed you were able to go to lunch after chemo!  Maybe it's because I'm doing cold caps and they completely wear me out, but all I can think of is coming home to my couch!  LOL

Pam - the waiting is the worst, right?  I messaged my hairdresser on Facebook to tell her about my cancer and to ask that she please not use the "cancer voice" when she saw me.  LOL   Even though I'm using cold caps to try to save my hair, I went in before my first chemo to get my hair trimmed.  When I was leaving she gave me a hug but said, I won't look at you so we don't cry."  

70charger - are you getting the Neulasta shot?  If so, take Claritin... it helps with the bone pain!  I take it the day of my injection and the 5 days after.  

unplugged - I'll be interested to hear how it goes with fasting.  I don't think I could ever even try.... I get so awful feeling if I don't eat, and then putting chemo on top of that?  No thanks!  LOL   Good Luck!!!

Well, chemo #2 was Thursday and I am SO MUCH MORE tired this time around.  Wow.  I slept 12 hours Thursday night and from about 8pm - 5am last night.  And I don't feel rested.  Queasiness is still hanging around, too, but I haven't gotten sick.  It's really hard to find something to eat that I can stomach right now.

batcatlady19

Deborahanne - My hair has been coming out all week & it doesn't hurt. It's just like when you normally brush or wash your hair & a few hairs come out. You don't feel anything, but a whole lot more hair comes out than would have before. More comes out each day (prob. going to shave the last bits off tonight if I have time/energy). It's really *weird* but it doesn't hurt. I'd heard that the scalp can get tender, but mine feels fine so far.

As with all of this, your mileage may vary. Good luck

aviva5675

Once your hair is gone, does it stay completely out til after chemo is done? Or do fuzzies grow in and you keep shaving heads? Trying to look ahead at what might be coming for me soon.

70charger

lighthouse lady... no shots   I am keeping moving today,  It has helped.  Making BIG batch of Chili with the tomatoes from garden, also some buns to go with for supper.

Miss_Mama_Bear

Martie: there are a lot of studies that say fasting before (48hours) chemo and after (24 hours) reduce many of the side effects and possibly make the chemo work better. The normal cells of your body go into a protection mode but the cancer cells cannot do that. I have been researching it some and I have even read that some think fasting alone will kill cancer cells or at least prevent a reoccurance. I think it will become a way of life for me later after treatment. I really want to try it if I can get someone to drive me to chemo. My only issue is that when I was getting my Herceptin my blood pressure was sitting at 95/50 the whole time and fasting will lower your blood pressure some as well. The other big concerns would be dehydration and you have to make sure you introduce a diet slowly after fasting because food + chemo after fasting could be too much for your liver. I think I read somewhere that you should do just broth for hours 25-48 post chemo and then you can go back to eating regularly. Be sure to okay it with your onc if you do decide to try it. 

Here is an article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fasting-might-boost-chemo

Miss_Mama_Bear

Alfranco: I haven't noticed any shedding on other parts of my body, but my hand are. They are so dry, it is just about as bad as they get during the winter months. My face is super dry too, like that one time I decided to give myself a glycolic peel and left it on too long. Layers of dead skin and it hurts too bad to try and sloth it off. And whiteheads everywhere. Ugh, that must be from the steriods. So, yeah, my skin is a mess too. I actually went and bought a humidifier (I kept getting "Do you mean DEhumidifier?" when I asked where they were. I hope it will help with my skin and my nasal passages feeling all dried out. 

Lighthouselady: I believe the steriods are to prevent inflammation and allergic response from the chemo drugs, so YES I would take them. I have to take them for both days surrounding chemo as well as steriod eye drops. They also *shoudl* stimulate your appetite so you are better able to eat. I know they can keep you up, but I have heard Benedryl works wonders at helping you sleep if they are. I didn't have issues sleeping but I was also taking Lortabs for all the bone pain I was having from the Neulasta. I did get a 4 day migrane from them but that was because I got IV steriods 2 days post-chemo and they ran it too fast. That is what they told me, anyway. 

josgirl

Unplugged, mamastewart, and all,

I completed my fast yesterday and so far the worst se i am experiencing from chemo is the mouth yucky taste. I highly doubt I would be doing this well if not for fasting because I get nauseous driving MYSelf and anywhere there is any motion. So I am going to continue for the next three treatments. I did a water only fast (my onc approved) for 85 total hours - 61 prior to chemo and 24 after. Basically a women's body goes into keotosis after 48 hours and then you need to remain fasting until the chemo is out of your system (at least past the half life). Fasting wasn't fun but opened my eyes. I really realized how screwed up I have been with food since I became a mom. I just really stopped paying attention and just ate constantly. This fast really opened my eyes to what I thought previously was not a bad diet. I broke the fast with watermelon and then chicken soup later. They say you need to go slow getting back into normal diet for half the amount that you fasted for. So 1.5 days for a three day fast. I took all the dex steroids on an empty stomach and was fine - a little energized but was able to sleep normally (with a 21 month old) anyway

I am wearing a scopalamine patch and the acupressure wrist bands which i discovered my first trimester. Awesome non-drug and cheap solution. The only post chemo se drugs I have taken was one compazine.



Fasting is certainly not for everyone and it wasn't pleasant but if it minimizes my se I'll keep going. Mostly I was just tired and cranky but that went away after about 36 hours.



Feel free to pm with questions.



I hope everyone is feeling better. Keeping you all in my thoughts.

Martie1228

Thanks, Mamastewart! I believe I'll try it with my next round. Did you do it when just on the Herceptin alone?

sonshot

 I've been on this site since end of July when my younger sister was dx with ILC. She had R MX  on 8/19 and 3/23 nodes. Learned on 9/12 she will start ACT this coming Wednesday at MGH, Boston.

My best wishes to ALL of you beautiful women going through this.  Good luck on Monday.

KBeee

josgirl, glad to hear he fast went well. I am going to do the first one without, but the second one, I think I am going to try it. Glad to hear you could do it with Taxotere. It is something I've researched a lot.



I just got my wig in the mail today so I am all set for shave fest with my coworkers on Wednesday night. Friday, my chemo will begin.



Wishing everyone who has begun a weekend of minimal side effects.

Miss_Mama_Bear

Jopsgirl: Hooray! Glad to hear that all is going well and minimal side effects! Thanks for the great info, too. I wasn't 100% sure of all the details.  I really hope that I can do it too but I am just worried about my low blood pressure already with the Herceptin. 

Martie: I don't see why you couldn't do it with just the Herceptin. The thing I was worried about was low blood pressure with that though. I think I am going to make periodic fasting a way of life after I am done with all this as another way to prevent reoccurance. I know that I will be doing a whole lot of changes to my diet. I already have made a lot but I figured at least during treatment I will eat what ever I am able to eat... although I am one of the "fortunate" ones who is having no issues with nausea (I won't likely be saying that 50 pounds from now) Anyway, I plan to look into just how often you are supposed to fast to help prevent cancer and I will let you guys know if you are interested!

Miss_Mama_Bear

Does anyone have a "sleeping hat"? I want to get something so I am not getting hair all over the place but I don't know what kind of hat to get. I wouldn't want one too hot since it is still pretty warm out, and I haven't had much luck finding any kind of stocking cap anyway; winter stuff isn't out yet (but Christmas stuff is) I may just have to make one (although I really suck on the sewing machine) because I dont' think I'll have time to have one shipped. Any suggestions on fabric type? 

batcatlady19

I made a sleep cap of washed shantung silk - it's what I had around & it's soft yet sturdy. The design is kind of a muffin cap or mob cap. Old fashioned but comfortable & keeps the stray hairs in the bag, so to speak



Here's a similar pattern

http://yale-eco-crafts.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-make-beret-out-of-old-shirt-or.html



But mine was even easier, just make one bigger circle for the top & gather or pleat it into the band. Making it out of an old t-shirt is a good idea - recycling, cheap/free, & soft.

lovewins

Hello ladies...I am up North with family and although I am keeping up with reading posts I am not able to spend a lot of time on line.  I wish you all the best in what you are facing each day.  I am on day 12.  I am feeling very good...I would have to say almost 100% which I am very happy about.  After all I've been through the past 12 days I wouldn't know it, my family has no clue because my health returned so quickly one I got here.  Maybe my blood count went up?  My hair has not fallen out yet but I asked my Dad to cut it off today...not ready for buzz cut yet.  Seems like when it happens it happens fast.  Went shopping with My Mom and she bought me a cute hate I actually like.  I don't want anything fancy or dressy just something everyday.  Thinking about contacting a breast cancer coach...I have some issues I want to talk over with someone not sure how I will approuch this...have any of you all done this?  Have a great day ladies.

JellyK

Holy crap this cold has kicked my butt.  And taught me a lesson - ladies even when you're feeling good and your counts are high, be germ-phobic!  I have literally barely left my bed for 3 days (my poor mother has been taking care of my kids), and just today am finally starting to feel like I can see the end of the tunnel - I'm nowhere near it mind you, but I can see it.  Normally if I had 3 whole days to just sleep (which is never, lol), I'd be completely on the mend by now.  As it is I have a splitting sinus headache, my nose burns and I have a cough that's so violent it makes me gag and nearly throw up - and that's a gigantic improvement over yesterday.  I've dropped another 3 pounds so now the nausea has caught up with me and I'm fighting that too.  

Part of me is whining, yes, but the other part is telling you this to remind you that even when you feel good it's SOOOO important to be germ-phobic.  I was ahead of the nausea this cycle, and so proud of myself, but this cold made it so that I'm just as effed up and out of commission as the first cycle, only this time I'm dealing with the hair loss too (pulling 20 tiny little hairs out of my head at a time literally makes me gag, lol), which doesn't help my mental strength.

I am getting better, today I woke up grateful for the cough (since that usually means the end is near), and not begging for someone to just knock me out until this is over.  Take care of yourselves ladies - don't shy away from telling people not to visit if they're sick, teach your kids not to share your drinks or take bites from your food, and go ahead and put hand sanitizer on right after shaking someone's hand :-P

lighthouselady

Oh Jelly... that stinks!!! I hope you are on the mend soon!

josgirl

JellyK,

Good advice and I have certainly been too cavalier about it. Thanks for putting it into my head. Hope you feel better soon. And the same to all of us.

4sewwhat

Hello All! I am almost 5 weeks PFC from TCx4 and warned to stop in and offer encouragement. You will all graduate with flying colors before you know it! Roller coaster ride pretty much sums it up, but you will get back to the platform you started on soon!



I also wanted to chime in about TE expanders and just share my experience. My PS started my fills two weeks after surgery when he pulled my last (of 3) drains I started chemo the next week but got a couple more fills during. Then my PS didn't want to fill more until I was the RO, so I saw two to get opinions. I decided who to go with and asked him about the fills. Told him in my poor over stressed, too many decision making head,mthat it made sense to me to stretch then cook, instead of cook then stretch! He didn't really like my word choice but he did agree with the underlying principle and cleared the fills!



Because of the angles they aim from I think there is an issue if the other, non radiated breast is too big in the case of a double TEs, but don't quote me there.



I only did my left "invaded" breast to start because I was recovering from a dislocated, broken ankle and couldn't imagine having both arms out of commission too! Plus I was terrified as it was my second ever surgery, ankle being my first. I am having prophylactic left done this weds. Told RO I wanted path run on it before rads just in case something was hiding. Only doing this once!



I probably won't be able to get fills on the left during rads, so it won't get in the way! My right TE is at 720 cc right now and my breast was 580 when it was removed, but the tumor had pulled it up a lot and it was smaller than the other. I was a saggy C cup!



Hope everyone is having a great SE free weekend. Weather here is beautiful and I hope that is the case everywhere! Good luck to you all! You can do this :0)

Lynne

4sewwhat

Ok, chiming in on nausea now.. I had a Scopalamine patch for surgery and NO nausea. So I fingered what could it hurt and asked my onc for a script for chemo. He looked at me sorta funny but gave it to me. I explained I had had 4 kids and pee when I sneeze or puke so he had to find a way for me not to get sick. Did I mention my docs all think I am nuts! I also had a script for prochlorperazine 10 mg (compazine). I filled it but never took one. It is one of the patch ingredients active ingredient in the patch.



My only premed on treatment day was Aloxi that took about 30 seconds. My first time ey kept benadryl close by in case of a reaction, but only give it if needed. I liked that approach because everything they give has SE and your system is trying to juggle so much already. I took my steroids by mouth at home and put the patch on before we left for chemo. I took it off 72 hours later. Never felt sick once. The patch does make you thirsty but I figured I wanted to drink lots those days anyhow! My doc has started scripting it for patients now, some like it, some don't.



I did TC which they say has less nausea then Adriamycin, so I don't know if it would help you ladies on ACT or not. I also asked them to slow my cytoxan drip to about an hour after the first time (30 mins). The first time i could feel it hitting my throat and my voice got all raspy about 15 minutes in. Husband appreciated the "phone sex" voice though! Slowing it seemed to help even if that was just in my head! Or maybe it wasnt as foreign as it was the first time,who knows. I also asked them to run the full saline at each treatment which added about 15 mins because it helps dilute and hydrate.



Again, good luck and (((big hugs)))

Lynne

BabyRuth

I hope everyone is having a restful weekend.

Jelly-I hope you can feel better soon and you are so right not to let our guard down around people. Germs can be lurking anywhere.

I am on day four after my first treatment and I am doing good. I have spent a lot of time yesterday and today just taking it easy. I have not been very hungry so far but I am making sure to eat when I can. I just keep looking forward. One treatment down and 8 more to go!

I can not remember if any one is starting treatment tomorrow or not but I will be thinking of every one in our group. Here's to a good week ahead!

Pam358

Jelly - I caught myself using the "cancer voice" the other day and quickly put a stop to that.  I work in a school and (I have been on medical leave for the beginning of the year and until spring until my treatments are complete)  so some people have asked "So how is school going this year?" or " Do you have today off from school?" It's a small town so I know word will continue to spread and I'm really OK with everyone knowing so I just tell them I have breast cancer and we go from there depending on how comfortable they are and what they want to know. That will teach them from expecting "fine" and moving on....lol

alfranco

JellyK I hope you get better soon. It sucks when we are sick and have to add chemo. Round 2 tomorrow. Wishing everyone no se.

70charger

Oh Jelly- BIG HUGS.

I am Day 5 post #1 t/c. Very bloated, gassy.  My body hurts today.  Heating pad is my friend. It is just not big enough to hit all the spots where I need it. lol.  Had to start my cipro today.  Cipro does not like me, & I don,t like it, but it is what it is.  Everything tastes like wet kleenex.  When I get my taste buds back boy am I going to eat out!.  We rarely eat out, maybe once a week in the summer when we are attending car shows, but in winter, hardly ever.  Craving things I have never ever eaten today, like BBQ pulled pork asian style.  Never had it, but I want It! rofl. Why is it that anything with taste during chemo is super gassy???  No wonder we don't get visitors!  And we say it is because we don't want to catch any bugs.  We all know the truth now.  But our secret is safe.

CoCoCo

My first cemo treatment was Thursday September 12, 2013. I will be doing 6 rounds of TCH. (Three week cycles) Surgery after the 6 rounds. I will have a total of 52 weeks of H. I feel achy all over right now.

KBeee

JellyK, I sooooo hope that tomorrow is a better day.  Wishing everyone wh begind in the next day or 2 good luck adn minimal side effects...ditto to all who have had treatments...hoping the chemo zaps the cancer cells, but spares the healthy ones.

We had a picnic from work today. I knew the guys from my company were shaving their heads with me (this Wednesday night).  I did not know that they are keeping them shaved until mine grows back.  I about cried.  It mazes me how incredibly compassionate some people can be.  Honestly, some of these guys spend more time on their hair than I do on mine.