February 2014 Starting Chemo Club

AKJ

Sparkling water flavored with lime or tangerine works well for me.  I'm liking Greek yogurt too.

lago

Mor any kind of citrus might help... lemon, lime etc. If you have a metallic taste try using plastic utensils. Not sure if tomato sauce or tomato based food will work for you.

Melrosemelrose

Mor - The other way to help you get fluids in is to use a straw when drinking.  Perhaps you won't taste whatever you are drinking as much.  You may also want to try this soup I made while on chemo.  It is similiar to egg drop soup but I added in some mushy rice.  ( rice with low sodium chicken broth plus mixed in a  beaten egg or scrambled egg.   Boil the rice with lots of liquid until it looks like a gruel/ oatmeal like and then stir in a beaten egg or add in scrambled egg.  It may not look so great but it is very filling.  You may want to try adding some finely chopped veggies in this soup too.)  Hope you feel better soon!!!

Gardengirl66

Mor, just wondering if you sucked on any ice during your infusion ? I just had my second infusion on Feb.28, this time I sucked on more ice to try and protect the mouth a little more...so far I am having less problems with my taste buds, than I did the first time....where I thought everything tasted like wet socks and metal, and my tongue was like a cats (rough). Have you tried fruit Popsicles to suck on ,the straw with cold drinks also helped me.Wishing you all the best, sorry you are having such a frustrating time with your mouth and eating.

KAT4856

Macintx,

I'm glad I helped. I know I was very anxious at the beginning of chemo now that it is more towards the end I feel alot better. Feel free to ask any questions.

lago

Mor I also might mention I sucked on ice chips tx2 through tx6. My taste changes were minimal. Nuts, peanut butter and pepper tasted a little bitter but that was about it. I ate just about everything but gave up nuts, peanut butter and tried to stay away from pepper but it wasn't terrible. My onc had me sucking on ice because I got a mouth sore with tx1 on my tongue. Never got a moth sore either.

gatorgal89

I had my third AC treatment today and took the Emend like I have the previous two times and I already am feeling nauseous. Anyone take nausea medication in addition to Emend? Thanks and hope you are all doing well.

h0pe

Gatorgal - I took my nausea meds in addition to the Emend. I was told it would be ok to premeditate, with my compazine and ativan. 

tangandchris

Got my port today. They tried to go in on my left side and it didn't work, so it's on my right side. Surgery took 2 hours and I'm pretty darn sore right now on both sides.

I like the idea of drinking thru a straw, I'm gonna try that too.

dancetrancer

I chewed on crushed ice during Taxotere and never had taste changes, FWIW. 

AKJ

Awesome, dancetrancer!  I'm chewing on ice for my next treatment.

tangandchris

Me too!! I did for the first few minutes, but this time I will try and do that longer. Does anyone have any other "tips" for preventative nasaua...where do you get ginger capsules. Also, this might be too controversial...but anyone have thoughts on cannabis?

dancetrancer

Someone on my chemo thread tried medical mj and found it to be helpful.  

Regarding the chewing on ice, I started that (and icing my toes/fingers) 15 min before Taxotere, through tax, and 15 min after tax.  That was the unofficial "protocol" I read about here on bc.org.  I truly believe it helps prevent mouth sores and taste changes - by limiting the amount of chemo that can get to the cells of your mouth/tongue (making it cold reduces the blood flow to that area, so less chemo gets there via your bloodstream).   Or maybe I was just lucky.  Who knows, but it may be worth a try if you can stand it.  FYI, I took a nice warm electric blanket with me (I needed it b/c I did the cold caps, too - brrrrrrrr).

dancetrancer

tangandchris - my only tip for nausea is that in addition to Emend and Alox in my IV prechemo infusion, I started my antinausea meds that night, as soon as the doc said I could take them.  I took them every 6 hours for several days, even though I had no nausea symptoms.  My doc told me to take them preventatively, b/c it is much easier to prevent nausea than to try to reduce it once it starts. 

AKJ

I took my anti nausea drugs preventatively too and they worked really well. I think the trick is to stop it before it starts.

lago

How to Make Healthy Flavored Water At Home: linky  

Melrosemelrose

AKJ and Those struggling with nausea-  Yes.... you have it right about the nausea and anti-nausea drugs !!!  You take them on schedule even if you don't feel nauseated.  Make sure you take them with plenty of water and with food since those ant-nausea drugs can make one feel sick if taken on an empty stomach.  If you get nausea even after taking the anti-nausea meds, you should call your onco to get some help.  Don't try to wait it out and think it will get better because sometimes it doesn't.  Your onco is there to help you and can adjust your anti-nausea meds.  Doesn't matter what time of day it is or what day of the week it is, contact your onco for help; there is always an onco available 24/7. 

Mor

You women are the best!  I am definitely going to chew on ice on my next chemo.  It may help and can do no harm.  

I spoke to my MO this morning.  I relayed to her that I was having a very rough time.  Perhaps I can't tolerate all these side effects because of my age, 76?  During the past week, my eyes are itchy and I am swollen and red under and over my eyes.  It feels awful.  This did not happen after my first chemo.  Seems like my eyesight is a bit dismissed and blurry.  

Originally she suggested 4 to 6 sessions.  I opted for the 6.  Now she and I are contemplating cutting back to 4.  I told her that afew days ago I was considering giving up the chemo and just continuing on with rads.

Thanks for letting me rant.

lago

Mor my eyes got blurry vision from the Emmend. Took me a while to figure out but I'm pretty sure that's what it was from. I had chemo on a Tuesday. I think Thursday and Friday might have been the most blurry. Fine by Saturday. Do you find it resolves. Also I forget which chemo your on. On Taxotere your eyes can water and twitch. Watering comes from dry eye and will also effect your eyesight. Ask your onc which eye drops you should use if you have dry eye. Do not use the stuff that "gets the red out" But for all I know this might happen on other chemos too

kaluha

Is it normal to feel nauseated 5 days after TAC?  This round was easier.  I've been able to keep food in this time but today I'm nauseous. 

jbokland

Regarding medical marijuana....or as I call it, Colorado Yum Yum.  I have access to edible products and find it very helpful.

seaniebopp

Hello Warriors,

Im just checking in to give an update since beginning chemo.  So far I have completed 2 treatments and feel very fortunate not to have suffered any hard SEs.  Short of my hair coming out the chemo experience has been "do-able".  I am still working (against the advice of many).  I just feel like I need to stay busy.  I don't want too much time to think.  I don't want to be alone with my thoughts. Anyway, I want to consider myself at the half way mark (I only want 4 treatments ONC wants me to do six).  Only 2 treatments left hopefully.  Next treatment in on Mar. 21.  I pray for all braving this battle and I am honored to be a part of this site with each one of you.  Stay positive, hopeful, and PRAYED UP!

lago

seaniebopp if you need to stop working you'll know when. My onc had no problem with folks working. BTW I did 6 tx. Would have loved to quit at 4 but I know I needed to do the 6. I'm alive, well and healthy now 3+ years PFC

NOTE: the site will be down tomorrow so get your questions in today. Not sure why they don't do this on Friday. Usually slow here on Friday.

tangandchris

So, am I the only dork that is having trouble tying scarves?? lol

My hair is extremely thin, I still can't bring myself to shave it. So, I'm trying to experiement with scarves tonight and this is alot harder than I thought it would be! I've watched some tutorials on youtube, so that has helped. I think I like the method with the hair tie, but it does seem like it could slide off. I tried the tee-shirt wrap, but it was just too tight on my head.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well, or as well as can be. I have my 2nd treatment tomorrow and as dh said tonight, I'll be 1/3 way thru my chemo!

Trying to stay positive ((hugs))

lago

tangandchris there are  videos on youtube I posted a few below. Also check here:

I used method #4: linky

This is a pdf that will download. I'm only going to leave it up for a little while: linky

You might try purchasing a buff: linky on how to wear.

VIDEOS:
linky 1  
linky 2  

h0pe

Good luck tomorrow Tangandchris! I shaved my head last weekend and it wasn't as bad as I thought. The more difficult part is dealing with people's reactions to a bald head. I don't mind how I look - it's the reactions that bother me.

AC round #2 was Friday. I've been a lot more sensitive to smells this round. Anything that reminds me of the alcohol/metallic taste of the saline being pushed in my port makes me want to puke! The smell of plastic, wine..even certain lotions Day 1 of AC was bad. I was super  nauseated, but this is partly my fault for eating 3 slices of greasy pizza that day. I was so excited to taste again that I over did it. Def paid for it that night. Please learn from my mistake and go light/bland on chemo days 1-5. 

I'm having a hard time bouncing back to my norm. Maybe it's partly due to the bald head, but I don't want to deal with what to do with my lack of hair - wig, hat, scarf? It's easier to just stay home. *sigh*

Hopefully, everyone is starting to feel better or on their way to feeling better. 

BTW, my skin is super dry. Thinking I need a super moisturizer for my face. 

Sicilian

It has been an extremely cold winter here in NY. I have such respect for bald men now! How do they do it?

My skin and lips are ridiculously dry. There simply isn't enough lotion and lip balm in the world. I've also been getting occasional nosebleeds. I have the humidifier cranking all night, so I can't imagine what I would be like without it.

Tang, good luck tomorrow.

Hope, sorry the pizza disagreed with you. best to you

lago

Sicilian I had terrible nose bleeds on chemo/herceptin. I don't remember if you are on Herceptin but that will make things worse.It's not unusual to get nose bleeds with chemo.  I still get nose bleeds at times but I did before chemo too in the winter when it's dry. (have had a few this winter too).  You need to keep your nose inside moist. I used vaseline but many don't want to use a petroleum based product. If you do decide to use vaseline be sure just to lightly coat the sides of the nose. You don't want to put a big hunk up there because you don't want to breathe it in. 

You might consider a humidifier. Also be sure to tell your onc! 

Here's what BC.org has to say about it: linky

dancetrancer

I also got nosebleeds.  I used a bit of baby oil on a Q-tip (I stayed only near the outer part of the nose!) as well as a humidifier.

Also, let your onc know.  Sometimes platelets can drop on chemo and that can lead to nosebleeds.  May or may not need to be treated, but your onc should know. 

Ula

Hi ladies,

Hope you are all doing well. I just finished my second cycle of TCA. It was a long day! I got there at 10:30, did blood test, then waited for the result, saw MO, and waited a round one hour for the drug to be prepared. I started at 2:00 pm and finished at 6:30 pm. They adviced me to do port because it is hard to get clear strong vins. I don't know about that, what do you think ladies!

Every thing is fine, I am just tired.