Starting Chemo March 2015

pboi

Thanks everyone!

Congrats on almost being one with rads Sharon. I did ok with rads, with the fatigue gradually building up, but managed to walk everyday, but now that I'm one week post rads, I'm exhausted! Must be a combo of the rads and thyroid iodine treatment. It's so frustrating...there is so much I want to get done, but I'm so tired

PB

eheinrich

I borrowed our dog today to help motivate me to get outside & walk. It's currently 102 so for her paw's sake we weren't out very long. I like having her at my place to swim. Since Alan got a pool heater she doesn't swim much at home but she loves to hang out in my unheated pool.

Trvler

I would love to see the dog in the pool.

Diane: Have you been checked for a UTI? I had one with no symptoms at all (except a low fever) but I have noticed some weirdness around my urethra. Not pain exactly. Just aware of it like never before in my life. I guess the AP in the ER was probably right when she said chemo causes your skin to think and become 'less plump'. I was quite surprised I had a UTI as I never get them.

KBeee

Diane, I have had some pain and blood in urine. I tested negative for UTI a couple months ago, but positive for blood. I have not been tested since. I had some blood in time after TC in 2013 too. Former MO never followed up. In October when I see MO again, he is repeating urinalysis. If it shows blood, he will refer me to a urologist. Cytoxan can cause bladder damage. Hoping that's not it, but also hoping it's nothing worse!! My guess is inflammation like interstitial cystitis

Jackbirdie

E- I vote yes on a pic of the dog in the pool. What fun!

Is it large enough to do laps when you're bored with other exercise? Too cold?

shaz101

Diane, I'm so happy to see you back. I totally understand how you are feeling. I feel very alone and I was withdrawing from the world. It made it so much worse. It's hard topush yourself to reconnect,but I know you will. We are here for you and for ourselves.

The hair fairy must be very busy. It's been 9 weeks since my last chemo and this is me, right now! But I can see peach fuzz now so I am confident it will come. I'm really trying not to let my mind become negative about this one!

Jackbirdie

I see the peach fuzz too! And I didn't have to magnify to see it! Yay!

ksusan

I see fuzz! Soon you'll be furry as a little drop bear!

shaz101

thankyou both...and I love drop bears! You just need to be careful and look up!

shaz101

thankyou both...and I love drop bears! You just need to be careful and look up!

ksusan

I'm always careful to speak Strine when I visit. Can't be too careful.

Italychick

Yay for peach fuzz! I see it too!

wpmoon

YAY Sharon!!!

shaz101

I saw the MO today. He thinks the tamoxifen will trigger my migraines!!!! I have to try them for a couple of months then they will recheck my hormone levels. If they think I have permently gone through menapause they will put me on another drug. I hate cancer.

On the positive side... I'm getting hair. YAY

ninjamary

I see peach fuzz!

Trvler

I was hoping when I saw the bald head it was going to be your head with some hair, Sharon! Yeah.

molly1976

Yay Sharon! Mine didn't really start growing until 9 weeks out, either. My MO gave me this puzzled look and said, "when did you finish?" when he saw my bald head. But now it's a month later and really growing! Once it starts it will get going fast.

ksusan

Good luck with the Tamoxifen/menopause determination. That sucks.

littleblueflowers

This is for Italychick, or anyone else who bikes a lot- do you know what that glide stuff is bikers and runners use to prevent chaffing? Do you use it? What are its characteristics? Does it work????? Sorry if that's too personal- I just had a thought last night that it might be good armpit dope during radiation if it helps cut down on chafing? I figure if people put it on their fannys its probably gentle enough for radiated skin LOL. Yup, I"m already planning to be a noncompliant patient.

SpecialK

little - my DH used it when training for marathons at inner, upper thighs and nips for chafing prevention. Here is a link:

http://www.ems.com/bodyglide-skin-lubricant-0.45-o...

littleblueflowers

Awesome! Thanks so much, Special K! Do you think it would protect radiated skin?

Italychick

Sorry littleblueflowers, I haven't used any of the butt creams, etc.

wpmoon

"Butt creams" made me laugh.

SpecialK

Little - I did not have rads but I have a number of friends who have, and my understanding is that you can't have anything on your skin prior to or during the daily treatment, but it is about applying treating, protective, and rejuvenating products in the hours right after the treatment, up until the next session. Glide may be something useful, it appears to be comprised of mostly natural elements. There is a member that used to post regularly that developed a rads skin protocol - I will find it and link it. Her RO said he has never seen better results, I have a friend locally who used it and her skin was so good her RO adopted it as his regimen

ksusan

You may apply moisturizers, Aquaphor, aloe, hydrocortisone (if indicated) up to X hours before treatment, where X is whatever your RO says. Mine says 2 hours. The rationale is that the moisturizer may act as a bolus and change the depth of the radiation penetration.

I normally exercise at 6:30 AM, shower and moisturize at 7:30, get radiation between 9:30-10:15, and immediately apply Miaderm in the dressing room before leaving the facility. I do another round of moisturizer (plus other treatments if needed) in the afternoon, and another before bed. If I'm starting to break out, I use Cetaphil moisturizer instead.

My RO's handout listed other products that had parabens, which I didn't want to use. She agreed that pretty much anything was okay as long as it was more than 2 hours before and didn't contain alcohol.

Msmath

I need some advise. I am three weeks out from chemo and now I am having problems with hemroids. I don't see my MO until Friday and I really don't want to call the nurse. I have been using moistened wipes and tried to use tucks medicated pads because that seemed to help last time. Any advise would be appreciated. I thought all I would be dealing with now is my nasty nails and trying to get some hair to grow. This is so upsetting and somewhat painful.

SpecialK

Here you go. This post was written by another member, so when you see "I", or "my" that is her talking. I believe that she also had a lumpectomy so some of the post may not be applicable in terms of the tank top, etc.

ksusan

Thanks, SpecialK. I haven't "gooped" and my skin is still very good.

Jackbirdie

MsMath- ouch! Been there, felt that. I slathered coconut oil all around the offended area and a bit inside the rim if you get my meaning. Then washed my hands. It helped me also to loosen the stool, so I started back on colace and Senekot as well.

You must stay on top of this, as a serious version of what you are feeling could be an anal fissure. At times I felt I was pooping shards of glass. But the above cleared me up in about a week.

Good luck. Sorry everyone if TMI.

Trvler

I have a bit of a problem and I think keeping the area nice and clean is essential. Also, I think a soak in a tub could be helpful. I used some preparation H. Katy is right. Don't let yourself get backed up. That's makes it worse.