Starting Chemo in September 2017

ewu

I haven't been told to take or not take anything. My MO just said everything will be explained to me during the chemo class. I plan to ask about vitamin D and B12, not sure about other supplements.

CA-Sunshine

Ewu sounds as if you will have a long day tomorrow. Try to relax some.

tina_marie

OCD Amy... I start my treatment next Wed.. and I'm going to do the whole scarf thing.. i bought a bunch of adorable beanies at TLC.. I work at the front desk in a dental office and the Dentist encouraged me to not wear wigs.. just to do it on personality! His encouragement brought tears to my eyes and the following weekend i cut 6 inches off my hair!....

I had to feel like I was in control... Next week I start Chemo... and next weekend I'm going to have my daughter give me a buzz cut.. so when it starts.. it won't be thick hair thinning out.. but ready for scarfs at any point.

I'm not all that cute so got to go on personality, make up, fake eyelashes and stenciled eyebrows... That's my plan!

Cheska

Thank You for the warm welcome. This is one group I'm sure all of us did not want to be a part of but are thankful it's here for support. It is very reassuring to read the same concerns I have that others have posted. I do notice that none have the same cocktail of drugs I am on. I understand it depends on the type of cancer you have but it would be reassuring to know if someone else is on the same mix as I am. I have Stage 2, grade 3 metastatic IDC, Low PR+, ER+, Her2+ , 1 lymph node involvement - will be on 6 cycles of chemo- Perjeta, Herceptin,Carboplatin, Taxotere( a little afraid about the possibility of permanent hair loss but if it saves my life then I can accept it), surgery after chemo, with or without radiation. Hope to hear from others ..

OCDAmy

Welcome Meg! Glad you got your first treatment behind you.

ewu, the icing of fingers and toes works for taxane drugs to prevent neuropathy and nail problems.

Icedgem

Hello Ladies, I have now returned to this forum and to my home after a couple of crazy weeks evacuating from hurricane Irma. I had my 2nd treatment 8 days ago and have been pretty rough with the side effects ever since. It seems so much worse this time, I can't even imagine how the remaining 4 will be. My doctor managed to control the chemo rash this time, but the headache, sore throat and diarrhoea is driving me crazy.

Cheska- welcome to the group, I am on the same cocktail of drugs as you, TCHP. I am on chemo first to try to shrink the tumor, then surgery & radiation. I had my head shaved 14 days after my first treatment as my hair was falling out fast. I too am very scared about the possibility of permanent hair loss. I have always had long hair and been very girlie, so the hair loss thing was as devastating as finding out I had cancer. I guess I am coping ok with my bald head right now, as I feel horrible and am glad I don't have to mess with my hair whilst feeling bad. I try not to think too much about the bad stuff, I have to get through this chemo first

mkn86

same here. going with bandanas and beanies. but i did get 1 wig.... just in case i get one of those days. my hair is also very short at the moment. I wanted it shaved yesterday but i chickened out. so instead had it cut shorter so i don't freak out as much when the hairfall gets heavier over the next couple of days.

I was updating some things for work including a calendar for august and I was pretty close to tears having to list down all those days i was out sick in August because of the diagnostic tests. It felt like having to go through all of the stress of waiting all over again and the entire process of finding out. funny how something so small like that just triggers so much fear and sadness.

AndreaT

Tough cookie, sorry for the late response- chemo brain is real! No, I've not had colitis before but do have gastritis and a hiatal hernia. This does feel like what I hear it is like. Had round #2 yesterday and pressed the NP for a definitive diarrhea plan in hopes of avoiding the hospital again. She had one & that seems to be staving off the 10 second big D variety so far. My work has been really good with absences but I'm a little leery since last round was pretty ugly. It must be really nice to work where you do!

Andrea.

AndreaT

mkn86, I completely hear you about all the timejust for tests. I've been calling it The Experiential Hospital Tour, since mine has also involved the ER and inpatient zones. Something that helps me is to remember that all the tests help make the unknown into the known, and fighting the known is always easier, for me. I hope that helps a little.

Milkweed93

CA-Sunshine - I would do the baggies with ice and just lay them on top of your toes with thin socks on. And for hands it's trickier, but I kind of bunched the ice pack and pushed my nails in. I also sucked on cold things during taxotere to hopefully help with mouth sores. Also, I had a nutritionist at the cancer center go over what was allowable on my regimen. For some reason I can't take L-Glutamine but a friend of mine who has a different chemo can take it. I can take Alpha Lipoic Acid which is supposed to be good for neuropothy.

Meg - Welcome! I just did round 2 of T/C. Right now mouth sores are my big buggaboo. I brush with a soft brush and rinse after every thing I eat. Biotene helps too!

Milkweed93

Tina marie - I think that is a cute cut! Maybe you will go back to it when your hair grows back. I did the same thing - in stages. I never thought I'd like short hair on me. I'm enjoying not messing with my hair right now and have been experimenting with scarves, hats, scarves with hats. I have a wig, but it isn't really right for me. And I definitely play with make-up. I went to the make-up counter and got a good eyebrow pencil for when those start to go.

Milkweed93

Does anyone take the Neulasta shot after your treatment? I was told it wasn't approved this time so they didn't give it to me, which is good news in terms of pain (it gave me mondo bone pain!), but I did have a skin infection that it may have helped with last time. I don't know if it is just something some MO's give or if it is a T/C thing.

IntegraGirl

MilkWeed, I never had the Neulesta shot because I just couldn't bear one more needle in my life. My MO was agreeable as long as my blood counts were good, which they were. I took antibiotics the week after treatment to help avoid infections.

toughcookie_21

milkweed, I didn't have the Neulasta shot either. My MO only gives it if WBC counts are low and/or to patients with compromised immune systems (elderly, those with comorbidities like diabetes or autoimmune diseases etc...) I will find out next week if my counts are good or not. I've been anemic and my platelets are low, but they told me that Neulasta doesn't help those.

I did something really dumb the day after my first infusion. I was so out of it and didn't want to bother my husband, but I wanted hot tea. I burnt my arm on the steam from our tea kettle. It wasn't a bad burn, but it has been 2 weeks and it is still not healed completely. I would imagine that is due to low WBC and whatever else the chemo does to your body's ability to heal. The reason I was so upset about it was because it was on my right arm, which is the cancer side where they removed my sentinel lymph node. I am very worried about lymphedema. I had brought it up to the MO and they said the nurse practitioner would take measurements of my arm next time I'm at the office so that we have a baseline for tracking lymphedema.

Sorry for the rambling. Your comment about a skin infection reminded me of how careful we have to be, regardless of whether we get Neulasta or not!

SusanSL

I had my chemo yesterday. Cytoxin/Adriamycin for 4 rounds over 8 weeks. Then herceptin weekly for 12 weeks. At some point-mastectomy. I was sent home with a Neulasta pump that will start 27 hours after it's placed. So, in about 3 hours of this post. That saves me the trouble of having to go back to the office daily for a shot. So, far so good. I find I'm hungry about every two hours, so I eat a yogurt-piece of fruit-some hummus, etc. The nurse told me to graze all day and drink water water water.

OCDAmy

Susan, best of luck with this first one! Let us know how the side effects are for you.

I also have not had neulasta. My counts last time were good and they only give it to you at my center if your white blood cell count is low. I hope this continues, she shot side effects sound crappy.

CA-Sunshine

Hello All,

just getting home from my porta cath placement, not  so bad.  No pain, just discomfort when I turn my neck to the right. Otherwise it was a breeze for me. I hope I say the same thing Tuesday after chemo.  

Meg101

Hi Everyone! Regarding icing fingers and toes, I found something that works great and doesn't cost much. It's called CryoMax. I found it on Amazon. It stays frozen for 8 hours! I bought 4 of the smallest size (6 inch square, the size of a hand or foot). It folds perfectly over fingers and toes. And, because they stay frozen for 8 hours, there is no wetness. There are 2 packs per box, and I paid $13.00 per box. Just go to Amazon and type in CryoMax.

hopebringscourage

1 week ago I had my first treatment and I've lost 7 pounds. Today started with the watery diarrhea. I feel so hungry for real food. I'm still weak -I will be asking my MO about how necessary the Neulasta really is in an otherwise healthy person.

Just feeling frustrated today. I just want to feel decent.

Glad to see all the new peeps on here - welcome!

Meg101

Hi hopebringsc. I read your post about the severe diarrhea. How awful for you. I hope you're feeling better. I've only had two tiny bouts, and that was bad enough. I don't even want to imagine how sick you felt. The big "D" is a heck of a way to lose 7 lbs.

Milkweed93

Susan, you may not get the bone pain that I did with the Neulasta, but taking a Claritin each day is supposed to help with that. They don't know exactly why - the other antihistamines aren't effective.

Castigame

hope,

I am so sorry that your body is in shock. I dropped 10 pounds after 1st chemo. Weight loss will slow down I promise you. Chemo is like a full marathon with lots of hurdles. All I can tell you is eat whatever appeals to your palate and drink lots of water or fortified drink. It helped me to have Boosts by my night stand.

Please take care of yourself.

Mimi

Meg101

Regarding Neulasta shots: My MO ordered a shot for me everyday for 5 days called Zarxio. It does the same thing as Neulasta, but without the SE of bone pain. So far, so good. (Just an FYI in case you want to ask your doctor)

Milkweed93

hopebrings - the big D sucks! I'm sorry you are having to go through that!

Toughcookie - it is good to get a baseline for your arm. From your profile it looks like they only took one lymph node (sentinel), so that is better. Lymphadema can appear anytime really, but you can do some proactive self lymphaticdrainage if you get worried. There are some YouTube vids and some are really helpful

Meg - thanks for the CryoMax tip!

JD_RN

Ok peeps - I'm stopping in with a totally weird question - so I'm rocking my short hair cut in anticipation of it leaving the jurisdiction - but now that chemo has been kicked twice because of my liver - I will update you on all that later - my grey is really showing - so here's the question - if I dye my hair tomorrow and then have to shave my head in 2 weeks will my scalp be dyed? Thoughts please . . . . xoxoxo - JD

Ressecup227

Yes I am starting chemo on 9/28/17

Ressecup227

I am starting the same drugs on 9/28/17 lets stay connected we are in this together. God will make a way for us. Waiting to hear back.

Ressecup227

Me too sounds like me

Ressecup227

Yes lets try to get through the chemo first let me know how that's going

Ressecup227

yeah me too get my porta cath tues did you feel it