Starting chemo January 2009?

Renrel: Couldn't agree with you more regarding date nights.  We both need that connection too.  Just can't let this cancer interfere with something that's so high priority in my book. 

  Hi everyone! I  hope all of you are having a good day. I'm on my way for #2. I'm really dreading the neulasta shot tomorrow. I'm going to ask my oncologist about the claritan some of you mentioned.I have been feeling so good this week. Back to reality this weekend. I will let everyone know how it went .Take care.

This email was sent to me by my sister-in-law. it made me feel better.

He arrived this morning. We had prayer. Spent some time talking. He held me for awhile because I was having a bad morning. Then he was on his way to your place. May God Bless all of you.

BevR that is so awesome about your son.  Thank him from me!

Just pack from Tx 3.  Infusion went well and feeling good so far.  Just a little loopy in a "comfortably numb" kind of way.  My doctor and nurses continue to be my biggest cheerleaders and I walk out of there feeling like a conquering hero!

I asked my onc about Claritin.  She said she'd heard about it before but couldn't say if it really helps (great answer).  She did say it wouldn't hurt and I should give it a try.

Running my 9 year old to the doctor so more on this later...I've been asked to participate in a clinical trial.  I'll come back with the details but am wondering if anyone else has been approached or is even on one yet.  If so which one, etc.  I'd love to do it if it all works out but have some questions...

Stay well everyone!

Diane 

  I got my insurance statement today regarding my first chemo treatment. The chemo drugs cost almost $4900.What shocked me most was that the injection of Neulasta cost $4000!! Thank heavens for insurance!

 I have been reading the posts re: Decadron dosages. I take 4 mg twice a day the day before, of and after chemo. I didn't have any problems with that dose.

HOLTBOLT: My next treatment is Friday the 13th!! Lucky me! I wish you luck with your next treatment. I'm getting Cytoxan and Taxorene. Are you going for radiation after chemo? I took a leave of absence from work til after my chemo then I'll go back to work and start with about 7 weeks of radiation.

  My hair is really falling out now. I can't seem to bring myself to getting my head shaved. To control my shedding (as my husband calls it!) I wear a bandana. I have a wig but have not put it on since I I first tried it on at the hairdressers on Tuesday.

BevR - that is excellent news about your son.  Congratulations!

Bev R - that's great news about your son...

Bev56 -  Treatment number 2 of Taxotere and Cytoxan is Tuesday... if I can manage the heartburn and weird throbbing pain from the Neulasta this time around I believe it just might be better than tx #1.  No radiation for me.  But I did have 33 radiation treatments in the summer of '07 after a lumpectomy (yeah, this is my 2nd experience with BC).  Radiation is a walk in the park compared to chemo I can tell ya that....it's almost a non-event... you show up, they zap you, you go home - not a big deal (at least for me).

Shocked - my onc never heard of such a thing.. taking Claritin for bone pain but this time around, I'm going to give that a shot... what can it hurt.

Hope everyone has a restful, relaxing Friday night and weekend.

I made an appointment to get a short hair cut tomorrow but I am not sure I want to do it.  I am not really bothered by the hair falling out so far.  I mean in it being a mess or annoying to have hair all over the house kind of way.  I am bothered by the concept that it is falling out and will eventually be gone.  But I have alot of hair and it will take more than a week for it to fall out to the extent that I look patchy or balding or something.  But my hair does not look very good these days anyway.  I think the damage to the follical that makes it fall out also makes it lay flat or something.  It seems that everyone that shaves or buzzes their head is happy but I am scared to do it.  I like the warmth of my hair and being able to feel it with my hands  DS however can't wait to see me bald.  He is very curious about it.  I have an appointment to pick out which of the wigs I ordered I want on Tuesday, right after I have blood drawn for Wednsday's infusion.  And this time around I am doing Nuelasta which has me nervous.  I don't know.  I am just feeling down and tired today, but I did finally get next to all my paperwork in. I need to hand in my LOA form for the chemo bit of treatment to my boss.  I also made contact with someone who does Reiki today but I was running out the door for my accupuncture appointment so I did not schedule anything.  I got a package from my Chemo angel today.  Maybe I should go open it.  Maybe that will lift my mood. 

BevR -  my gratitude to your son for his service.  A big welcome home!!

 Holtbolt:  will you ask your onc iwhat caused your chest tightness and shortness of breath-- chemo or neulasta?   My onc nurse thinks my Red Cells might be low -- which certainly could account for it.   The onc at the infusion center said it might be the taxotere.  In either case, it;s a transient side effect.   I am still a little winded and my exercise tolerance is still low.

Tx # 3 for me on Thursday --that'll be the halfway mark.  This cycle has been a little tougher - finally feel better and I am going to enjoy every minute of it.

Re the hair thing:  I have lost most of the back and sides, but have quite a bit in on the top -- I look a bit like a Kewpie doll.  Am wondering if more will go this weekend - which will be the same time interval as when it fell out from the first treatment.   Although I'm not having any itching or tenderness....  

Take Care Jewels..Have a great weekend,

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Bev R-  Yes!!!!!  It must be wonderful to have you son back. 

<:AtomicElement>I had my head shaved and I am So glad.  Felt good to not shed all over all day.  I wore a hat to work and had one student innocently ask why he couldn't wear a hat....the rest of the class patiently told him and he was okay with it.  I did try on the wig again, and it looks much better without the real hair pushing it up on my head like a crown.  I feel extremely relieved and my family couldn't honestly look at me without repressing a laugh.  I was calling myself Dana Carvey's the church lady with the wig!  Well, Ya gotta laugh! 

<:AtomicElement>Tx #2 is done!!!  I felt much more nausea than before ...I figured they had me take the emend too soon before this time.  Neulasta shot hurt this time too,  BUT day three and I feel a bit better.

<:AtomicElement> SO glad you all are keeping in touch.  Really couldn't have done it without this web page.

<:AtomicElement>Hugs all

<:AtomicElement>Jess

Hi January Jewels.  Catching up on everyone and glad to hear we are all hanging in there pretty well. Had 3rd AC tx on Thurs. Feb 5th and haven't felt much in the way of SEs yet.  Just a small headache.  After tx 2 it seemed to take longer to hit me so I am not celebrating yet, but if it is possible instead of a cummulative effect my body seems to be getting use to the tx.  WBC count is low but has not gotten anywhere near the .4 I went to afer first treatment.  One more AC to go and then who knows what the Taxotere will bring.  

I had lots of runny noses in my classroom this past week so I am hoping I haven't been exposed to something that is lurking and waiting for my WBC to drop.  It is worth the risk to me though I do not think I could do this if I had to quit work.  It keeps me sane.  

I am getting progressively more anemic as the weeks past.  Dr. said not too worried yet but I do need to start adding protein so this latest conversation is just what I needed.

Will check back in a few days..  Patti

Lisa, I am generally really positive about this whole thing, or trying to be anyway.....but sometimes I read some things and start crying and then getting scared and my husband says "stop reading those boards".  But, I think it really helps to talk to people going through the same thing as us, and I know it really helps me to hear from all of you and what your day to day is like living through this.  But sometimes I read about people who are not doing so well and it scares me and I shouldn't compare myself to those people because we are all different, regardless of stage and grade and everything else, everyone's outcome is based on them individually, and just because someone has the same stage or grade as us, it doesn't mean our outcome will mimic theirs. I get really sad (and scared) when I think about others who are not winning their battle and some of the stuff I've read, I will never forget.  It's hard....I went to chemo and the elderly lady getting chemo next to me was talking and said how she is all alone and has too much time to think, because her husband left her for his ex wife and now she is alone, no family (she is from England and they are all back there), just sitting in her house thinking about her cancer.  I went home and bawled.  There is so many heart wrenching stories out there, it really tugs at the heartstrings. 

It's Day 17 after my first chemo session and my hair is starting to shed. My wig is ready, I have tons of bandannas but no matter how much I've prepared, I don't think I'm ready to go bald yet..

I've always had falling hair, but today, it is falling non-stop. I have to frequently pick up stray hair on my shirt, on the table.. everywhere! And I get so sad when i get clumps of hair out because my hair is so thin on a normal day.

Just wanted to rant... I didn't expect this hair issue to be so confusing for me...