Starting Chemo, November 2013 Group

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    hey audra.....no running on overdrive.....little sleep. get 20 min here and there.. been up all nite....its almost comical how much hair can come out in 8 hours....my head feels so light! lol! I'm exausted.....and beyond! not cause of hair just ever time I fall asleep I'm up 20 min later .....bizarre dreams in between! the antibiotics give me freaky vivid dreams!! odd.

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    everytime I hit new paragraph my phone tyes CRAZY!!!!! HOPE U have GREAT day Audra!!

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  • smrlvr
    smrlvr Member Posts: 422
    edited November 2013


    Wrenn, I am thinking of you today. I know you have been waiting a long time. Be good to yourself when you get home.


    Inks, I am 5 days behind you in starting chemo so I guess it's 5 more days of hair for me. I just hope,it doesn't happen on thanksgiving day. My parents and my sisters family will be here overnight and I kind of wanted my hair to be a private moment because I know I will be very teary and emotional.

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    about the hair.....I'm a lady-scaper! yet what is there STILL IS! My head hair is falling like an old dried out Christmas tree!!! Lol...I have a pile that I can make a tribble out of!!!! too funny!!! that's half in 8 hours!!! I figure at this rate.....tonights the night!!!! buzzzzzzzzz.....and clean shave! hubby and grandsons to follow! hoping to make it a skype family event!!!

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    inks.....God held mine for my bday....hope the same for u!




    huggssss wren!!!!!

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    smlvr!!!! pamper yourself today!

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    smrlvr......turkey delay for u!!!

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited November 2013


    wren - it helps to be hydrated for vein access - also if they have any trouble you can put a warm towel over your arm for a few minutes to help. Good luck - I know this has been a long wait for you and I hope everything goes smoothly. Please know that I am thinking about you.


    On hair loss - I never went shiny bald - I kept stubble throughout, had to shave my legs throughout also - just not as often. My hair did not fall out until day 24 - I literally had a full head of hair for 24 days but since it thinned significantly in the front on day 24 I clippered it down to about 1/2 inch, but that never fell completely out. My brows and lashes thinned, never lost the thinned brows, lost all bottom lashes but not all of the top. Those on Taxotere or Taxol may not lose lashes until close to the end, or even after. Also, don't be surprised if your lashes cycle - fall out several times. The eyelash system is not used to going all at once - normally you only lose a lash or two at a time, so they have a hard time getting back into that cycle, and sometimes grow back and fall out several times.

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited November 2013


    Special K I am drinking like mad this morning and hope it helps. I think my hydrochlorothiazide doesn't help things. I should have skipped it today but I get edema badly without it and the steroids create edema as well. I was surprised to be down a couple of lbs overnight since I ate quite a lot yesterday and was prepared to be up from steroids.


    Good luck to anyone else going in today or the next few days and hoping side effects are lessening for those coming off the chair and even finishing up altogether. What a great feeling that must be in spite of the side effects.


    I will be thinking of all of you and thank you again for the support. bbL

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  • inks
    inks Member Posts: 746
    edited November 2013


    Sending good thoughts and hoping for minimal side effects to everybody getting treatment this week, especially wrenn!!!


    We are expecting a foot of snow on Wednesday when I get my second treatment, I hope they get the roads cleaned up by the time I have to leave for the hospital.

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  • gia444
    gia444 Member Posts: 68
    edited November 2013

    Wrenn,    Wishing you all the best.    Hope you do well with SE's.    My next treatment is Dec 4 so I feel ok now for another week.

    Paulette,    Glad to hear you had a nice birthday.    Good luck with the hair clipping.



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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    wrenn...the warm towel trick does wonders, as well as hanging you arms lower than your heart!. It will hopefully make it better for you! Hydrate....like special K said!...that is the number one thing! Best for you!

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    Again forgive me for having to post multiple times....when I post on my phone it will not allow me to continue without duplicating stuff....all mixed up! I hope everyone is having a good day!

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  • Amazonwarrior
    Amazonwarrior Member Posts: 485
    edited November 2013


    I am on my day 11 now after my 1st CT, and developed these aches pains all over my body, especially in my upper arm muscles on both sides. I also feel 'chilled' to my bones and more tired than in the past couple of days. Yesterday, I felt pretty normal, other than a bit of a gum and tongue irritation.


    Could that be Neulasta pain?


    I took some Advil, put on a thick wooly sweater, and applying hot magic bag and Rub A 535 on my sore body parts.Sad


    I hope it's going to work.

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    amazonwarrior! Im new to neulasta to...my worst pain started shortly after the shot but it seems that I keep getting stuff like that to...off and on. Not sure what is from my autoimmune pbms, bc and/or treatment anymore!


    Hope you feel better!

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  • Amazonwarrior
    Amazonwarrior Member Posts: 485
    edited November 2013


    Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm adding some homemade chicken soup to my 'make me feel better' list.

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    Yummy!! I haven't made that for years....perhaps I'll dig deep into my almost empty head and dig up my grandmothers recipe that she would cook for HOURS on the back stove...simmering all that mmmmm....mmmmmm....good into it!


    This would be a great time to compare yummy ingredients! And get out minds off all the wacko stuff going on in our lives now!...Ya....lets make this a recipe site!...Lets forget bc...naaaa...We don't got to deal w/chemo and crap~Dats the ticket!!


    BTW....who is having a real Christmas tree this year!>? Anyone have any holiday traditions that you will be sharing with your family!!?? Sounds like such a better topic than C*#%*#!!! Not that we cant mix a little naughty with the NICE! Turkey Day's coming! Happy plans and recipes or traditions!

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  • wallymama
    wallymama Member Posts: 146
    edited November 2013


    Round one is behind me. Went so smoothly I couldn't believe it. Hubby was so bored he agreed with me that my sisters could do the rest (he thought he should go to every one). Only SE so far, very fuzzy head from the anti nauseas, maybe getting a slight headache, and the mouth is already feeling very dry. Can't hope hard enough that this will be the worst of it.


    Lisa & Wren- how'd it go? Feeling ok? I sure hope it was as good as mine (so far anyway).


    And actually, maybe the best news, Dr said I could have wine on T-Day. Believe me, with both my girls here helping cook, I'll need it. LOL


    Start the Decadron tomorrow, do it Wed and Thur also. Nurse said to go ahead and start the Zofran on Thurs since it's easier to prevent nausea than stop it. I'm all for anything that will prevent that particular SE.


    On the hair front, did anyone else's hubby get a gleam in his eyes when he learned ALL the hair might fall??

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  • wallymama
    wallymama Member Posts: 146
    edited November 2013


    Paulette, think we'll get a small 3" or so real tree this year. Don't think I'll have the energy to drag the big one down from the attic. And maybe just put out the most sentimental of the décor and not try to go all out like I normally do. It's not even putting it out that would be hard. Packing it all back up is the hard part. I'm going to do just enough that the granddaughters are ok with it.


    I usually do all the T-Day dinner, I love to cook and the more the merrier. Not going to try that though. My daughters are going to come help. The youngest can't cook at all, and the oldest is very OCD. That's why getting to have wine is so great!! Should be a very interesting day to say the least.


    I work in retail, for Walgreens for 35 years. Yes 35 years. For about the past 15-16 years I have worn this pretty, decorated, glittered pair of antlers from T-Day to Christmas. Can't wait to see how they look on a bald, shinny head. With my large collection of Christmas earrings and socks, I'll be smoking hot. Might have to rotate them with a Santa hat if it's cold in the store, but I am going to wear them bald. And the real upside to that is, maybe the cranky old ladies who waited till the last minute to get the hot gift won't take it out on me this time. Hey, I got IT, I might as well get some good out of it. Joking and laughter is really better than tears and blues. I'm taking every chance I get to get a laugh from this. And I do believe it's helping.

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    Like I said before....I'm gonna decorate my head as a Christmas ornament! Bling...Bling and ALL! Should be fun! Today has been rather interesting...since 2am I have lost about 1/2 my hair! I am building a little critter with all the remnants!


    Either tonite or tomorrow...Hubby and I are gonna set up a Skype conversation with my grandsons and are gonna have a marathon shave off! I told my daughter when I get beyond the super thin to the patches....then it all goes~! I did not bother to cut it shorter...personally I just wanted to leave it long "until the inevitable! At least it lasted for my birthday!!!! (SMILE)


    It is coming out pretty fast right now. From head to toe! I did one last "lady leg" shave and "ladyscape" a few days ago...just for the fun of it~! After I saw my hair was falling like needles off an old Christmas tree...I washed my hair one last time and have enjoyed it! Gonna be interesting how it comes back! Have lost some hair in the past w/other med pbms and it changed totally after the 74 day hospitalization in 2005....what is next!!!?? Initially I had IRON BOARD straight hair..would not curl for ANYTHING!...after steroid overdose, transfusion, heavy antibiotics.....it grew back so nifty! I could go curly or straight and have FUN!


    Now I get to go baldie...(actually a secret desire~short term of course!) What will my new hair be????? In the mean time...what else but try to have some fun with this whole f#%#?# mess!!


    I hope everyone is doing well!


    T-re!!

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  • NorthwindsGS
    NorthwindsGS Member Posts: 128
    edited November 2013


    Umm, okay this is embarrassing to ask but I know I can count on you ladies,


    Has anyone else dealt with a thick, white coated tongue? Feels furry........I have bad Asthma and have to take Advair. Have taken it for years now with No problem what so ever. Last night when I got up to use the bathroom for the hundredth time, I noticed my mouth was extra dry and kinda thick and fuzzy feeling. So I stick out my tongue in the mirror and Yikes! It is all white with spots. Call in to RN this am and I have a yeast infection.....:(........seems my Asthma medicine can cause thrush in the mouth due to the active ingredients in it and due to the chemo. Lucky me ended up with a dose of it. So into town we go this morning to hit up Walgreens. Thank god they have a drive thru, would have been so embarrassing to have had to go in and talk all funny like to the pharmacist and have strangers look at me like I am some kind of freak......


    On a good note our son bagged two nice big Doe's this morning. Hubby had to help with that so I didn't get my haircut as planned with all the excitement of the hunt and the furry tounge episode, but that is okay. Work the next six days so will have to do it next Monday for sure as it should start falling out anytime after that.

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  • NorthwindsGS
    NorthwindsGS Member Posts: 128
    edited November 2013


    Wallymama,


    Sometimes the Cytoxan drip can cause a fuzzy head and also leave a headache behind. You can ask the nurse to slow the drip down on the Cytoxan and this can help prevent athe fuzzy head feeling and also help with the headaches from it. It can also cause sinus pressure and burning if the IV drip is too fast. They did mine in a 30 minute time frame and I am going to ask at the next session to slow it down to 45 minutes to see if it helps with the fuzzy feeling and headache. I am fuzzy headed enough on my own without adding to it,lol.

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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited November 2013


    LOL Wally RE the wine :)


    Hope all went ok for the others who had their first treatment today! Gave been thinking of you ladies.


    Ellen - we took a sticky lint roller to my head last time lol - whatever was stubborn enough to stay in stayed in.


    Did the Look Good Feel Better program today. I was with one other woman who had lung cancer. Her oncologist is the same one my mom had more that 30 years ago (figure he's really old now or was really young when he treated my ma lol). The program was ok - they have you apply makeup which I already know how to do (I used to work in that industry). The gift bag they give you us SUPER nice - full of makeup and skin products.


    I feel like almossssst a million bucks. I had my first TC one week ago. Felt ok the day of, just super tired...then holy moly I felt like crap til today. Huge cramps/intestinal pain (to the point of tears) and dry metallic mouth and headachy...oh and achy bones. Was surprised at how crappy I felt. Feel pretty great today.


    Thinking of you all.....hard to mention all in a separate comment.lol,we have a huge group here :). My poor feeble chemo brain can't remember poop :)


    Hugs to all

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    Northwinds...with me it was thrush.....yeast infection....it can actually go from white to white RAW! DIflucan fixes real quick!

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    northwinds....hadn't even read ur whole post! once h have it....u never forget it! if your mouth is really sore and burns....have them call in majic mouthwash. ya it makes u feel like mouthrot! everything tastes pasty! get a new toothbrush too!!

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  • Palameda
    Palameda Member Posts: 259
    edited November 2013


    Virginia NJ, I too have had cramps in my second week. I just keep throwing Zantac, Prilosec, and Imodium at it to tame it. It's not incessant, so it's tolerable. Northwinds, I use advair too, but I've been blaming 3 months of antibiotics as well as chemo for my thrush. The white (and sometimes yellow!) tongue is sore and unpleasant for sure. I was already fighting it going into chemo so I had lozenges to treat it already. With treatment it gets tolerable in a couple days. Hang in there!


    I keep tugging at my hair, so far it's holding!

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    low resistance and antibiotics will give u that and likely a vag yeast inf too....It can be soooo thick its like cottage cheese.....gross....but true! anyone with symptoms catch it early! white patches....at first ....then whole mouth....makes ur mouth and throat RAW and painful!!

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  • Paulette23
    Paulette23 Member Posts: 499
    edited November 2013


    virginia & pat......bad cramps here about the same time....made my stomach hurt to touch. well....my hair started last nite....about 2am...1/2 gone now!....wow....the diflucan works wonders for thrush....plus magic mouthwash! !!!

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  • audra67
    audra67 Member Posts: 521
    edited November 2013


    On Diflucan for yeast too...I have been on antibiotics for 9 weeks since my mastectomy, then exchange, then sinus infection, then arm infection from i.v. Just stopped them today...phew...so maybe can get some good flora back in my gi...


    My daughter had wisdom teeth out today and that was my first time 'out' since chemo day...was good to get out..and now I have a couch buddy today! woohoo!!! fun! simple things these days :)

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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited November 2013


    it certainly is comforting knowing you can find at least one other person here is having a similar SE!!! I have a crazy amt of energy today - it's amazing the night and day difference between yesterday and today.


    Pat - thanks for the tips RE relief for the stomach pain. That was truly THE WORST SE For me. I can deal with the bone pain and fatigue - but that gas pain was crazy.......I was walking around my neighborhood in tears (hoping it would loosen up the gas lol).


    My hair is holding too, but it's only a week :) have been saying goodbye to it every day :)


    The dry metallic mouth is really annoying bc I'm a major foodie.... Though tonight I managed to polish off a plate of pancakes for dinner lol

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