OMG, 1st chemo was last Thurs. am I going to be able to do this?

Anonymous

SweetVirginia....it's called EMLA cream. You may want to ask your MO about putting it on your port.

Edited to add: you may want to do a search on the boards to read about it.

Beatmon

Sweet V, I told the onco to just call hospice after my first tx and then the big hit of Nuelasta. I knew about Claritin and took it. It didn't help me at all. He changed me to Neupogen.....tolerated it much, much better. I also chewed ice during all subsequent txs and it kept the mouth sores down.

You can do it. Just try to accomplish 1 thing a day

EnigmaticFox

Hi SweetVirginia,

I know everyone's experience is different, but for me the port was also really painful at first (plus I had a bad reaction to the twilight sedation...ugh!), and the pain and discomfort lasted for about 2 weeks. I felt it when I breathed, I felt it when I swallowed, I felt it when I laid down, got up, looked down, turned sideways, reached up...you name it!

This is now my 4th week with the port, and it's finally gotten to the point where I don't really notice it much anymore. I have slowly begun inching over into a semi-sideways sleeping position sometimes. Like you, I can't wait to have another sleeping position that's not just on my back (I used to be a stomach sleeper, darn it)!

I hope that your port will start feeling better soon.

Oh, speaking of ports and discomfort -- in case it helps anyone else out, I found a neat product called The Breast Buddy (https://www.facebook.com/TheBreastBuddy), created by a bc survivor for other survivors. It's a soft padded thing that attaches to your seat belt with velcro, and it protects mastectomy or ports from your seatbelt. My port is on the left side, and the seat belt goes RIGHT over it when I drive, so I got one and it's been a life saver! I always like to support other breast cancer survivors who are making the effort to help others in this club that none of us wanted to join.

SweetVirginia

Fox,

That is exactly the experience I'm having with my port. It's been 3 weeks. I'm hoping it will get better.I have the Emla cream but that is used prior to treatment. My problem is that it is uncomfortable, bordering on painful, all the time.

ksusan

I'm sorry to report that my port caused great discomfort all the way through. However, it will be removed next week. I'm posting this to say that even with an uncomfortable port, you'll get through!

Rose_d

Virginia,

I just wanted to add my words of encouragement! You can do this!

I remember feeling a combination of morning sickness and hangover for about a week after each treatment. And I thought the neulasta was the worst part! I begged my doc not to make me take it but had no luck with that one. I don't think the claritin worked for me.

For me the thing that seemed to make the most difference was making sure I was eating enough. The one treatment where I didn't really eat lunch afterwards was by far the worst. It was the only time I threw up during treatment and I generally felt worse for about 3 days. It really reminded me of being pregnant, as long as I kept a slightly full belly, I was ok (not great but ok).

I also wish I had stayed more on top of constipation. That was harder than the nausea for me and was something I think I let get out of control early and then it was very hard to fix.

I remember after the first treatment thinking "do they really expect me to be able to voluntarily do this again?!". Just take it one day at a time. Don't think too far ahead and before you know it you will be 1/2 way through and then down to 1 more treatment and then it will be in your rearview mirror.

Be kind to yourself and don't lose sight of how strong you are for getting through this!

Rose

PS I didn't get a port b/c I just really didn't want one (I had 8 treatments two weeks apart). By the end it was a real struggle to find a vein and even today I have a hard time giving blood b/c of scar tissue from the treatments (of course it doesn't help that I have only one arm to give). I just wanted to give you the flip side of the port, hopefully it will be worth it for you in the long run!

anmarie63

Here is what got me through surgery, chemo, neulasta, and radiation: "GOD's GRACE CAN CANCEL the STRENGTH of THE STRUGGLE"!!! First and foremost please believe that. For nausea I ate ginger root. Whenever I felt the nausea starting I ate a small piece of the root. You can also get ginger candy. It's called crystallized ginger. I've only seen it in like health food stores. I noticed this also, if I kept my tummy full the nausea stayed away. So, I ate small things almost constantly: fruit-cups (peaches), applesauce, pack of peanut butter crackers, etc. This was in addition to my regular meals. And lastly, what everybody else has said: WATER WATER WATER! Especially 3 days before and 3 days after treatment. I know I was blessed to not have severe pain with the Neulasta but I did make a point to stay active. I got up out of bed every morning at the same time I would have to get ready for work and I took a walk everyday.