February 2014 Starting Chemo Club

Jules_NY

Babyduck I am doing chemo first and I started on 2/28 too! I'm not sure how your symptoms were before but for me I had an overnight onset of swelling, reddened areas, hard areas, pitting, and itchiness. but that's IBC. I noticed a dramatic change after 2 AC treatments. It's still weird but better. I'm pretty sure what's inside counts more!! Plus I'm sure chemo is preventing you from healing normally! Did you do taxol with AC? You are on number 7 already. Just curious. 

Lgoldie. My mouth is a mess too!! And the anticipation of taxol is killing me. Though hearing everyone's experience eases my mind a bit. 

lago

h0pe I know that Taxotere made my muscles so stiff. Bone pain for me was from nuelasta. I know that chemo isn't good for the bones either. Big drop in my dexta scan after chemo.

lgoldie

Spent some time in the ER this morning.  Fast heart rate so onc's office said to go.  My white count was so low I think it freaked them out.  Come on Neulasta.  Didn't have a blood clot in lung, didn't have much of anything EXCEPT CHEMO.  ER doc calls MO who says "It should kick in today, give her fluids.      Does anyone here ever feel like your life has been highjacked by cancer?

jbokland

I had treatment 5 today. Another dose of IV iron, too.

Pfc. I'm stealing that one!

Not sure what the lases are up to. My heart sinks every time I wash my face and see a single lash on my hand or cheek. I'm rocking the bald head but hate to loose the lashes. Every brows are thinning but easy to fill in for now.

I complained to the doc about weight gain. He said don't blame the treatment, blame what your eating! He is right. I used to never eat ice cream, now I love it!!! Must exercise now that I feel better!

Funny I put on my FB that I am genuinely happy despite this shit. An old middle school boyfriend mailed me the PharrellWilliams HAPPY hat!!!

Holeinone

YES

Jules_NY

I'm blaming everything on CHEMO I don't care if I'm right it not!!! Lol. Jb you enjoy that ice cream!!! Love the hat too!!!

Lgoldie hoping those numbers rude soon!

Someone sent this to me on FB. sorry it's a little blurry! Had to share!

megomendy

Lago, thanks for letting me, at least, know what PFC meant. I always thought it was some chemo combo like AC. I'll always remember it now!

tangandchris

I feel at least once a day that cancer has highjacked my life

Yesterday was TAC #4 for me, had an emotional time but was reassured by the nurses that crying "for no reason" happens alot. I missed my preschooler's Easter program and egg hunt, that was the topper. I WILL not miss her preschool graduation for this!!

I'm feeling surprisingly good today. My hope/prayer is that I will be strong enough this weekend to attend church Easter Sunday. I'm gonna go and get my nuelasta shot here in a few. Just wanted to check in and say hello.

Love and hUgss!!

Jules_NY

Tangandchris. I missed my preschoolers spring sing along with my last AC too. I was a weeping mess in the infusion chair. I feel your pain!!!!! The nurses told me that I'm here getting treated to not miss the things in the future. Which now I see is true but at that moment I wanted to see her in her flower dress singing songs that day!!!!! That's lost time and my daughter doesn't understand why I missed it. Things can be worse and we are all here fighting like warriors to continue to be here     in the future. But we are allowed to have moments where we give in and have ourselves a little pitty party because of what is being taken from us now. I'll come to anyone's pitty party on this board and I'll bring wine!!!!!

lago

lgoldie and others. Yes cancer has hijacked your life but once the treatment ends you start get it back. Granted some of you will still have surgeries etc but cancer is a big time suck. 

jbokland Just love your style.

Abbreviations: you can find them all here (or under the left nav bar. Look for the button): linky

For those of you who celebrate Easter...  the sweets usually taste good. 
For those who are still celebrating Passover... food isn't that great tasting anyway. The real reason why you eat horseradish is not to remember the suffering but to eliminate the suffering tasting gefilte fish.

jbokland

Lago. Your a hoot!

I had taxol # 5 ( I am singing Mambo #5 as I write this). Honestly, the way I get through each treatment is to look at each bag with some level of gratitude that chemo is an option for me. 

I've been invited to speak at a fundraiser next week. I will wear the god aweful wig that I have never worn  ( I proudly wear nothing on my head). And whip it off when I introduce myself!

gatorgal89

Hi Everyone!

Taxol #3 was much better with the reduced Benadryl. Yay!

@jbokland - you look so happy in your pic (yes, I'm singing along)

Looks like the Taxol got my eyelashes and eyebrows too!  Good thing I didn't wear mascara for four months to try to prevent that! I thought it was working and suddenly, naked eyes! On the up side, I'll be saving money on bikini waxing. Little victories.

lago

jbokland after chemo try this song instead. linky

Gardengirl66

jbokland, love your picture ,you are stunning.... I wish I could fly down to Florida and eat ice cream with you. I also have gained weight ...but that is the least of my concern right now... The chemo side effect diet of sugar and dough.  

I am riding out the side effects of my last chemo a few new minor ones appearing... But getting a little better each day. Thank you for the well wishes.  I do not have to do taxol , but for all of you starting or in the middle of it , I send my best wishes , hugs and love , I will be following along with this thread to see all all through it. On April 22 I will get my rad consultation...will let you know how that goes.

Like the word hijacked...I was using the word consumed.... But even seven days after last chemo I feel brighter,lighter and  yes happy.

Hoping everyone's numbers go up ( enough), we do not miss too many more school events,side effects are minimal,  and we all get to enjoy some time with family and friends this Easter weekend.

Hugs 

jbokland

Just frustrating to keep the eyelashes and brows all this time and loose them NOW....I'm getting married the end of June.   I will cover my bald head in rhinestones and wear false eyelashes I guess!

To all my sisters on this same journey....I HIGHLY recommend you watch this video...great perspective and advice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvmABrII35c

Sicilian

Sending everyone here some serious hugs. Hijacked? Kidnapped? Coup de freakin ta'd? Yes. That's it, but like lago said, it's temporary. This too will pass.

jbokland, love the hat, love your smile, love your dress.

I see the radiologist this Thursday to take about treatments. I would like to wait until May 19th to start, as my daughter is graduating college on the 12th and we're having a big party on the 17th. If I start at the beginning of May like I thought I might, I would be feeling the big time suck of radiation fatigue just about the time of her party.

I saw my surgeon for a followup this week. Told her I was convinced my hair is not going to grow back because it's been two weeks since my last chemo treatment and I have nothing. And she just said, "Well, at least you're being rational about it." She told me to give it a little more time and some patience. In the meantime I bought some stuff called NutriOx at Sally Beauty. It's a scalp treatment with Biotin and B6 in it, and it's supposed to reactivate hair follicles. It's for thinning hair and hair loss and got fairly good reviews on both Amazon and Sally's site.

lago

Sicilian 2 weeks is a rather short time. Some women do grow back slower. Even if the hair started to grow it might not have sprouted for you to see yet.  I don't remember, were you on Taxotere? 

Jules_NY

A gift from my friend for my daughter!

lgoldie

I have been hoarse, sore throat, nasally almost this whole chemo time.  Lots of post nasal drip.  Does anyone else have this?  It's like I cannot decide if it's an illness or chemo.  Leah

lago

lgoldie I don't know but you might have a cold. If not the sore throat/hoarse could be a number of things like gerd, thrush etc. Have you discussed this with your MO?

Jules_NY

I've had a sore IN my throat off and on since starting chemo that feels like a sore throat (I hope that made sense) and my nose is mostly clear and just randomly runs out of nowhere. The post nasal drip will give you an itchy sore throat. Maybe allergies? Even if you haven't had them before. Your body is out of whack. 

jbokland

Lgoldie- what treatment are you on?   

Holeinone

You lose your nose hairs, which will let your sinus's drain constantly. I had a sore throat on & off the entire 4 months of chemo. Taking allergy meds really did not change much.

princessrn

My eyes tear all day.  It is so so annoying...seriously.  I got a sore esophagus about 5 days after each treatment.  The GI tract turns over super fast and I am sure that is part of the cause.  

lgoldie

jbokland-  I just finished AC dose dense x 4 and am supposed to start dose dense Taxol this coming Thursday.  leah

lgoldie

I have been so anxious in general but about the fast heartbeat thing mainly this week that I made my MO mad and she said I might not want to continue chemo.   How do you guys stay calm in the face of all this madness:

lgoldie

this is me!  Post nasal drip does not begin to describe.  Sore throat all the time etc.  Let's just get done

princessrn

Do you use anything for anxiety? Xanax, Ativan...anything?  My MO has offered many times, I have things from my Primary MD.  

lago

princessrn the Taxotears do suck.  Has the eye flickering started yet? Hard to read or do anything that requires looking down.

lgoldie I'm with princessrn. Do not suffer. My MO and PS all gave me drugs for anxiety even though I didn't request them. That's how common it is going through treatment. I didn't use them but if I really needed them I would. So many women I know did use them. I think I'm the odd one who didn't... but I never used any pain meds or had nausea. I do things differently and get the weirder stuff.

princessrn

lago thanks...when do the tears stop?  I use on occasion a half xanax at night.  I have started waking up on firs like a furnace though not sweating...cripe sakes is all I have to say!  BTW husband is from Ipswich, he is staying in Peabody now.