Starting A/C

daenerys30

I'm getting my port tomorrow and may be starting Adriamycin - Cytoxan on Friday (the 13th, of course). I have read multiple posts here and got a lot of ideas of what do expect but I'm still very anxious. I want to know how bad the side effects may be. Will I really loose my hair? Do the meds I get for nausea really work? Does nulasta make everyone's bones hurt? Can I work (most desk job)? Will I no longer be myself? Any advise, words of encouragement or dirty jokes will help me a lot.

ElaineTherese

Everyone experiences chemo differently so I can't make any predictions for how it will affect you. At most, I can tell that you will lose your hair.

I found AC to be more difficult than Taxol. I could do stuff around the house (put laundry away) and then rest for a bit. Then, I'd do something else (pack lunchboxes) and then rest for a bit. I did work through AC, but it gave me chemo brain. That was hard because I was teaching college students and I would lose my train of thought. I wrote out all my lectures ahead of time so I could remind myself of the things I planned to say. When I wasn't teaching, I would work at home.

Neulasta wasn't a big deal for me. I am still myself, thank you. I'm not a big "side effects" person, but was happy to get past the chemo brain of AC chemo.

((Hugs)) I hope it goes well for you.

BtwnStars

I think it’s normal to feel anxious, I was too. I think expecting the worse made it seem not as bad for me. It is different for everyone and it can even be different throughout.

I think the thing I underestimated the most was fatigue. Even tho I read and heard about it, I didn’t realize I guess what actual fatigue would be like. Naps and resting have become part of my routine, and I rely on my spouse and family to help.

My treatment is on Thursday, I currently take off work thurs and fri. I usually sleep or rest most of the day Friday, but can be up by dinner time. I only experience sickness the night of treatment. Between pre-meds and the meds I take the 3 days after, I keep the nausea at bay, drink lots of water and fluids (coconut water, popsicles), and rest a lot. I do pretty much nothing Saturday and Sunday. I work from home starting Monday and I am ok to work, tho I take afternoon naps or nap right after work. Small meals and nibbles throughout day to help with nausea. I eat what I want & have abandoned trying to be healthy for now, mostly carbs (English muffins, oatmeal, toast, crackers, plain pasta)

Mon and tues following are rough for me coming off of all the meds. I sometimes get headache and struggle with tasting things. By Thursday (a week later) I start to feel better and seem to recover thru the following weekend. My best days are the 2-3 days before treatment again (I am dose dense). It has been hard for me to do any walking/exercise bcz of heat.

Neulasta also was ok for me, I took the Claritin to help with bone pain. I only felt a little back and hip pain after my first round. I lost most of my hair after 2nd round, about day 17, then shaved it. I have wigs and wear head scarfs and hats.

To be honest, I hate it and can’t wait to be done but it hasn’t been as bad as I thought and I am surviving just fine. I have had a heightened level of anxiety this whole time on it and I try to just manage by keeping myself comfortable, but I could take Ativan also. Just listen to your body and talk to doctors about side effects you need help with.

My last AC is this week and I can’t wait!! Happy to answer any more specific questions you have as you get started. Wishing you some peace.

DutchieGirl

Elaine is right - everyone is different. You will definitely lose your hair on Adriamycin, and I needed to prepare myself for that. I went with shorter hair and then had it shaved down to a brush cut after my first chemo. I didn’t want to witness long hair going down the drain.

AC was tougher for me than Taxol. Taxol gave me bone pain but I was able to handle it with pain meds. AC made me feel just yucky but it was do-able. I don’t think I could have worked during any of it but I have a friend who worked, jogged, worked out and did some regional travel during chemo. I also think it was better for her because she got the neulasta shot (1 shot per chemo round) while I was on the grastofil shots (8 shots per chemo cycle).

I was talking to a BC friend recently and we were reminiscing about how short the chemo period is (8 infusions every 2 weeks). It feels like a long time when you’re in it, but it does go by relatively quickly.

I do wish you well, and hope everything goes smoothly!

HomeMom

Drink a ton of water. I would up my water intake the day before A/C and bring a giant travel tumbler with me to the treatment room. The anti nausea drugs do work, but I felt like I had a mild stomach flu the first two days and then I'd wake up the third day and poof! it was gone, but I was exhausted. If you like watermelon, get you some, it's great at hydrating you

You will lose your hair. I know that there were people who used the cold caps, but they were expensive and I heard it was a mixed bag as to how much hair people actually kept, so I saved my money, had my head buzzed by a hairdresser friend and bought a couple new wigs. I went blonde!

Neulasta didn't hurt my bones, but I took Claritin the morning of, and I think that did help.

If you're going to take Taxol, know it's a ton easier to tolerate.

I worked for a builder selling new homes and never missed a lick. I was lucky that the management didn't make me go on FMLA, that would have killed my income as I was commission only. I was given Fri/Sat off. Chemo was every other Friday. So I would be out from Friday to Tuesday, and then I would work straight through to the next Chemo Friday because I felt bad taking so much time off. I calculated that I only took off 1/2 day more a week

I wish you the best, just know it gets better as you make your way through each milestone!