First round chemo questions

resilient74

Hi everybody-

I just had my first round of chemo Jul 30 (TCHP).

After a few days, things were looking good, but starting Monday (about day 5-6) I had stomach discomfort. After starting with some chewable pepcids, I moved on to a daily Prilosec also. By Tuesday, I had stomach cramps (no diarrhea though), and my lips and mouth feel tight and dry. TMI, but I also needed something soothing to wipe with! Everything from my lips, stomach, ... allll the way through is in pain!

I see my oncologist tomorrow and I thought about asking for "sucralfate". Has anyone here used it before?Is there anything I can do at home to help??

On a different note, it's weird knowing that soon my hair will be gone and I have no idea when! Will it come out in huge clumps and patches? Or thin over several days?? I cut it pretty short right after diagnosis, but I'm going to a close cut this weekend. I feel like I need one more stop on the way to bald, lol!

Much love

PamelaC47

I can only answer re the hair, I had different chemo (ACT). I started chemo on Sept 20th, and was told that my hair would start falling out after the second treatment (I went every other week). I had long hair - it started coming out strands at a time. I cut it to a bob...it was getting all over the place, so by Oct 10th I shaved it. It was coming out gradually, not in clumps, but I could definitely pull it out easily

Kicks

My head hair was thinning before 2 nd neoadjuvant DD A/C but with the 2nd infusion it was coming out in hunks. We had a head shaving party at the barn using the horse clippers. First Son used them on me then all the 'Sons' (young men who call me 'Mom' took turns in using the clippers on each other. I only lost about 1/2 of my eyelashes and eye brows. Very little hair lose in other areas. When I started 12 weekly adjuvant Taxol ALL hair that was still there left.

Have you been to a Look Good, Feel Better class. These are run through the ACS for one going through chemo to give hints/tips on doing make up in ways that work for dealing with the effects of chemo. The ones I went to were at the Cancer Center I went to and were conducted by a Master Cosmetologist. Not just make up was discussed by also skin care, nail care and wig information. Each person is given a 'Goody Bag' of name brand (not 'el cheapo' crap) cosmetics that are donated from the manufacturers with everything given.

The BC Nurse Navigator had given me a wig a few days before the class. The Navigator had given me a wig a few days before, she thought it was 'great' for me - I wasn't convinced. When I got home I put it on for Hubby and Son to see - they broke out laughing and were right - it wasn't 'me'. I took it to the Class to return it and as luck would have it - there was a Lady there that it was absolutely perfect for so she got it. I wound up with a different wig the next day from the hairdresser. She had gotten in a box of wigs from a manufacturer a few days before and there was 1 wig she thought she'd never fond anyone it was right for - til she met me. It is a 'gypsy shag' (if you are old enough to remember that cut) which is how I had my hair at the time (hadn't started chemo yet). It was frosted as opposed to my naturally dark hair (cursed with Daddy's genes where no one greys) but looked great. VA did buy me a wig hortly and I got a frosted pixie cut one which I also liked.

I was warned not to take any OTC 'meds' without first clearing it with Dr, PA, NP or RN. It was impressed on me that some 'things' can be cointer- indicated and possible cause more issues than help, possibly effecting the chemo and it doing 'it's job'.

MissBee123

resilient74 I'm on the same regimen as you and 3 days ahead (started 7/27). For lips I use Blistex Lip Medex. It's in a small, round, blue twist top tub. The smell isn't pretty like a lip gloss or chapstick, but it's saved my lips from cracking and bleeding.

Dry mouth is pretty bad for me, too. I drink water constantly and have found that lemon flavored gum works when water is not enough. Stomach cramping may respond better to anti-nausea meds versus the heartburn ones you are trying. My MO prescribed 4mg of dexamethasone. I take two every morning upon waking and it's been my miracle drug.

I'm on day 11 post-first TCHP today and still have my hair. There are some other ladies in the July Chemo thread that have TCHP and, at my best recollection, their hair jumped ship between days 13-16. One TCHP woman, who seems to be the exception, is over 28 days in with all her hair and just a few bald patches that she said aren't too obvious; she also has really thick hair. I think for most of us, though, 13-16 days is the norm. I've heard you'll shed a little on your towel first, then a lot comes out with the brush, and then there's the day where it starts to come out in clumps. Most women seem to shave their head on clump day.

Best of luck to you!

resilient74

Hi everybody! Thanks for sharing your experiences!

I finally got most of the strange side effects under control. The Prilosec started working on that ulcer feeling in my stomach, and the doc prescribed 'magic mouthwash' which works great!

Today is day 16, and if I pull on a small section of hair, 5-10 strands come out easily. It's pretty short, so I don't have to pull a brush through it, which is probably helping too. I'm trying not to touch it too much, so I didn't wash it today. Soooo, tomorrow is the big day to shave it all off! I don't really want to drag out the anguish or deal with the mess

I have a little collection of hats, but it's so hot I'm thinking of just rocking the bald look for a while!

Much love to you all!

littleblueflowers

Sucracarafte saved me! I took pepcid morning and night, and 4 carafate throughout the day. My guts were a wreck. It works great though!