Starting Chemo May 2018

Ingerp

Wellhere—the March and April threads are very active. You might ask this question there.

foreverfaith

L8BMR thank you for the tips. I'm thinking I will have a port put in, in between my treatments. I'm in California, so it's 11pm here right now. My appointment is tomorrow at 9am. I am not nervous now, but I'm the kind of person that is generally ok up until the actual moment. I'm afraid I will have a panic attack once they call me back into the infusion room. Thank you for adding me to your Rosary list. Hoping you're doing well with the steps you are in now.

BigPeaches

Wellheresanewadventure, my Neulasta went off last night and I waited until this morning, only because it was late last night when the infusion was finished. As soon as it's finished and the black line comes up that says "empty" you can pull it off and take a shower (careful of the needle)

Aliceinchains

5 more days until I start chemo! I’m getting a bit nervous; want this all just to get over fast! Tho the herceptin will continue until August of 2019

Ingerp

Alice--I start tomorrow and am trying to keep myself busy. I have a regular work day, will try to get to the gym at lunch, am going to a movie after work, and hubs will join me for dinner afterwards. Then it's <try to> sleep until tomorrow. It worked out really well that I delayed starting a bit until after a trip to my youngest's college graduation--that was a welcome distraction!

mianola

Hello everyone. I just wanted to update everyone that I started chemo on 5/15 (AC) and Neulasta the next day. I'm taking my nausea meds by the clock, drinking tons and tons of water, never letting my stomach get empty by eating very small snacks and walk even when you don't want to - as instructed by my onco and so far, I had have no side effects. I'm almost afraid to put that in writing. I'm so very sorry for all of you that are suffering - I truly thought I'd be there with you, however, I still have a couple of days left before I am in the clear. My thoughts are with everyone starting and going through this journey.

Ingerp

mianola--this is great news!! I love your advice and will try to replicate it. Please keep us updated on how you progress--fingers crossed you continue to do well through your journey.

L8Blmr

mianola, that is awesome news! Try to keep some type of protein in your snacks; it will help with muscle tone and energy level. Hoping everyone has a great weekend. Spring has finally arrived!

Justsosassy1

I started neoadjuvant TCHP on 5/10/18, I was OK after treatment. I went back on 5/11 for the Neulasta injection and by 5/13 I was down. Felt horrible, no appetite and at today's f/u appt. down 13lbs. Next session 5/31.

ClareCo

Justsosassy- sorry to hear you’re feeling so lousy. I had a rough time with my first infusion a few weeks ago. My MO is planning to tweak my meds so hopefully the second round won’t be so brutal. Just know that you are not alone—we WILL get through this

Ingerp

Let’s do this!!

Egads007

For you beautiful brave lady, I added whip cream ‘cause you’re looking so good! Hugs & Luv

Ingerp

RAY RAH EGADS!!!

Ingerp

Hey ladies--back home and feeling fine. Very uneventful. I figure I'll eat while I still feel good, so I'm having a banana with almond butter and will cook an egg. I took a Zofran and will probably pop a Compazine before bed, mostly cuz why not. I'm not expecting much nausea--I tend not to run in that direction. In fact I was there long enough today to get a hospital lunch and I kind of wolfed it down--not typical for me!

SAW66

Ingerp- Glad your doing good! We are both getting treatments on Friday’s and mine also went wrll

Egads007–Yum!!!

ClareCo

Thinking of everyone who startes this week and hoping youre all doing ok.

Ingerp- you look great.

Egads- what a great idea—i am so going to Ben and Jerrys after my next infusion!

So my MO called me and wants to see me monday. She is pretty sure she doesnt want to give me the same chemo drugs for my second infusion because my reaction was so bad last time. Shes worried that my reaction could be even worse second ttime (which did not even occur to me!) on the one hand Im glad shes giving this so much thought. On the other hand different chemo drugs means another unpredictable experience. Like doing the first infusion a second time. Trying not to think too much about it. My hair is falling out in clumps and i just want to be bald already!! Keep me in your thoughts guys, as I try not to freak out. Thanks!!

Ingerp

So sorry, Clare. Fingers crossed the change goes well for you.

Saw—so you have finished three? I’m wondering if SEs tend to get worse over time? I feel like I’ve read about a cumulative effect of the drugs. Yikes.

Ultra1949

Hi everyone. Thinking of all of you and the stages we travel through in this chapter of our lives. I am now at Day 17 of my first round. One week after the chemo my WBC was super low but did go back up. On day 16 (yesterday) during early morning hours, I experienced a return of the nasty bone pain I had Days 3-6/7 and spiked a temp of 100.5 which seemed so rogue in the scheme of the chemo track. Disappointing for sure, as for a week, I really felt great. So went in for labs and found that the WBC was very high and that the fever was most likely a later side effect from the Neulasta. That drug, although necessary, has been a beast for me. I had another attack of the gnawing bone bear in the early hours of this morning. Popped 4 ibuprofen and found some relief. I find it amazing how fast the days have gone and will be looking at Round 2 May 24. I’m feeling mildly curious about how different Round 2 will be from Round 1. I’ve read many posts that speak to the many differences between all of them.

Good luck to all of us. Stay strong. 💪🙏.

Ultra1949

Best to you, ClareCo. Fingers crossed that your Round 2 will be easier. I’m a day behind you, so get my Round 2 on May 24. My hair began falling out on Day 14, so my sweet daughter shaved me bald so I didn’t have to watch the process. My 2 wigs will work fine,but will most likely be hot and scratchy. You do what you gotta do😉. Good luck! Hoping for the best for you and all of us

BigPeaches

I'm almost a week out from my first infusion, this weekend was a little rough. Pain level was higher but nothing I couldn't handle and just a tiny bit of nausia but it passed. The Clariton trick must really work, the Nuelasta pain was not near as bad as I remembered from the first time so thats a blessing for sure!

We are supposed to go out of town for a car show this weekend, it'll be the first time since the beast reared it's ugly head that I have ventured away from home and I'm quite nervous.

LibbyLouWho18

Hi ladies,

I've been reading through these messages as I may start chemo in June. We are still waiting for the Onco test results, but the doctor has suggested TC x 4 before radiation. I noticed a lot of you mentioned the Neulasta shot. Is that something your doctor prescribed after blood counts, or is that automatically given with chemo treatments?

You are all so brave and kind for sharing your journey. It helps those of us who are still walking around the land of confusion! Haha!!!

BigPeaches

I think it's normally an automatic thing. Chemo kills you white blood cells and leave you open to infections and all sorts of nasty things you don't want.

foreverfaith

Hello All:

I hope all you wonderful ladies are doing well today.

Ingerp- I had first AC on 5/17 and those first 3 days I could barely stop eating! Along with my chemo infusion I had decadron which is a steroid. I read one of the side effects is increased appetite. Not sure if anyone else also had this experience. In any case I ate what i wanted because I figured at some point I may not have an appetite. Ice cream is certainly one of my favorites right now. Although as of yesterday the appetite certainly did slow down and nausea started setting in.

Libbylou- I'm on an automatic cycle with nuelasta. I will get the nuelasta shot the day after each of my AC treatments. To prevent a severe drop on white blood cell count. I've read many have sever bone pain with neulasta. My doc recommended taking claritin day before, day of and day after the nuelasta to minimize pain. I think it's probably worked. I have had some aches and bone pain, but not severe. Except for on day 2 after shot....I was feeling really bad for about 2 hours in the afternoon. I rested and then woke up feeling better. So far, manageable.

Ultra- You said it! You do what you gotta do!! This definitely isn't an easy road to travel and I still can't imagine when I have no more hair on my head. But it is what it is. There isn't a choice. So, we take the time to feel whatever it is we're going to feel and do the best we can to care of ourselves.

Everything I have experienced so far is "manageable". Not always pleasant, but manageable. One day at a time.

Wonderland

Hello Everyone. Thank-you letting me share a quick story with you, especially for those of you who are deciding to buzz your hair. A good friend of mine has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She had made the decision to buzz her hair as it started falling out during chemo (she started in March). A few years ago I read on BCO the suggestion to throw your hair in your yard so birds can collect it to build their nest. I told her about it and she thought it was a fabulous idea. Well, this week she found a nest in one of her hanging baskets with her hair woven in it by mama and papa bird. How cool is that!

Wishing all of you the best during chemo and through the rest of any treatments you may have.

LibbyLouWho18

oh wonderland,

What a wonderful story!!!! Love this!!!

❤❤❤❤❤

BigPeaches

Wonderland, I wish I would have read this before I threw mine away! What an awesome idea!

Ingerp

Excellent suggestion, Wonderland. (We always buzzed my kids' hair when they were younger--we'd leave it outside and tell them birds would use it for their nests. Didn't know that was actually a thing!)

mobscene207

I start tomorrow - 12 weeks of Taxol, one year of herceptin. Penguin coldcapping.

I spoke with my oncologist yesterday and am feeling much less anxiety about Treatment #1. But I'm still pretty nervous!

I appreciate all of you who have gone before and are now sharing your experiences. Thanks for paying it forward!

InnaB2018

All right, first chemo infusion was moved to May 31, so I do qualify to become a member of this group! Scared out of my mind..

Ingerp

mobscene/inna--I read on another of the chemo threads one woman's description of her emotions going into #1, and I thought it was so spot on. I've repeated it to many people. She said she was "anxious/ready/terrified". What I can tell you with only one behind me is that the actual infusion was pretty. . . boring. I think my adrenaline was pretty high--after the Benadryl I got a little spinny but never really tired. I've told myself that if I get sleepy this Friday I should just go ahead and nap. Why the heck not. I brought way too many snacks/distractions. I was there long enough to get a lunch provided by the hospital, although I don't think I'll qualify going forward with the shorter Herceptin drip. Between being on my phone (post a pic!) and reading the newspaper, that was pretty much all I had time for. Didn't even pull out the iPad to watch any Netflix! I think it was also good that we had a somewhat busy weekend planned--I went to the gym that afternoon, cooked dinner that night, and the following day we had two parties to go to. Two days afterwards my brother came for an overnight (picking up his daughter from UVA). My tx days are Fridays and I've already bought tickets to a movie for Friday night. The steroid effect is a real thing--in fact I took a Compazine the first two nights to help me sleep (it worked pretty well!). And the only SE I was aware of was feeling a little foggy Sunday AM--Day 3 for me.

I remember feeling that morning very much like the morning of a surgery--very calm, just "okay finally it's time to do this". In a way easier than all of the anxiety leading up to it. The day you think will never come actually does. You get past it. Life goes on. And thanks to my BCO sisters, I know the next 11 weeks will come and go, and the months after that, and then this will be behind me. And we're all holding your hand along the way.