Starting Chemo February 2009?

Lisa - wanted to respond to your question about Taxotere and hair falling out. I'm on TC and on day 13 my hair started coming out. I had my sis-in-law cut it real short and as of yesterday, day 20 I'd say I just have wisps here and there on my head. Of course everyone is different. I thought I'd hold on to my hair longer.

To All:

I was able to have my second infusion today as my blood count went way up and all went well. I didn't really feel significant effects after my first Tx until a couple of days later so now I'm just waiting and enjoying feeling good. Actually I've been feeling pretty good since about day 8. Hard to believe I have to go back to that darkish place of discomfort again, perhaps not. I do have to go for a Neulesta shot tomorrow. I didn't get Clariton yet. Not sure if I should as some people have done well. Will I have any success with Clariton if I wait until after the symptoms show up?

The most consistent problem I've had is sleeplessness. I went a day and half without sleep in the beginning of the week. Last night I may have pulled off 4 hours. My oncologist gave me a script for Ambien, and Ativan. I don't really like taking pills but may need to do it. It's almost 1 AM and my alarm clock is set for 5 1/2 hours from now to get me to work (1/2 day only as I have to get the Nuelesta/Neulesta ???).

Would have written a poem but the lightness of mood changed after reading about Judy's mom.

Thoughts and best wishes to all.

Judy:  I'm so sorry to hear of your mom's passing.  Losing a mom is always terrible, but I can't imagine how devastating it must be while you're dealing with your own health issues.  Know that she is always beside you now, lending you her strength and bravery.

Suzanne, take the Claritan and an Aleve the day before you get the Neulasta shot, the day of the shot and the day after.  Don't wait for the symptoms to show up.

Judy,

I am so sorry about your mom...what a difficult time for your entire family...know you have an angel in heaven watching over you right now...she is with you now more than ever...i truly believe it.

you are in my prayers!!!!XO

Lots of love,

sue from fl

Buddy 1 - I only have a couple of minutes and then I need to run out the door.  If you will notice most of us have our diagnoses listed in each thread.  Since you said you were somewhat computer challenged, here is the way to get that done.

Log in to the site, go to the disucssion board and then below the white long strip that says "Jump to a Forum" you will see 5 boxes including one that says My Home.  Click that on.

Then you have the option from there to Add Photo, Edit My Profile, Edit Diagnoses.  Hit the Edit Diagnoses button and another screen will pop up that simply asks you questions and based on your answers, that is what will appear at the bottom of each of your posts.  It also helps us remember what is your particular situation so we can answer more personable to your particular case if that makes sense.

What you are doing is AC X 4 DD and T x 4 DD which is the exact same regimen I am on.  If you go to page 1 of this thread you will see where Webwriter has added everyone and start dates, and what they are doing so you can see by the list there are a number of us on the same chemo regimen.  Also the more you know your pathology report, etc  the more we will be able to help you if you have the information to give us.

It is a biatch that it hit the nodes but hey......if it didn't go anywhere from there then yes......that is positive!  Also know you will hit a 5 reply limit per 24 hour day period for what seems an eternal period - I don't know this board does this and never got the answer other than I think they can keep the spammers off of here and ban them quicker.  So.....if you get to that limit and you will get an error message, feel free to click on my picture at any of my posts or anyone else that you want to write to and you will be taken to a different screen where you can send a private message.  There is no limit on the amount of private messages you can send.

If you receive a private message - you will notice there is a box to the right at the top of this screen that says private message and you will see in PINK  (1 msg) so you click on the box and it takes you to your private message area.

Yeah I think I did my poem on a pretty good -chemo brain myself.  Apple, love your stuff!

Well ladies I ended up with a sinus infection.  For 6 days I had such horrible sinus pressure and headaches galore I knew something was gonig on.  Onc. has my taking antibiotics and it's already starting to feel a little better thank goodness.  The taxotere is really doing a number on my sinus' and I was told from the start to daily use a saline nose spray, but did I? nope. From now on till I am done with this crap I'll be using it you can count on that.  But all in all not feeling too bad today.  We'll see what the weekend brings.  Last nite got about 3 hours sleep, and not all at once.  Thank u steroids!  It's a good thing for good books.

Lisa- I think the hair loss on Taxotere is different for everyone cause I do have a friend who did NOT loose her hair on Taxo and it actually started growing back.  For me on Taxo. my hair started thinning and some clumping by treatment #2.  Yesterday treatment #3 seems to have given it a little more umph and it's back to clumping out again but in weird spots.  I have a huge receeding hairline right now, but my sides seem to be holding on... for now anyway.

Chin up everyone!

Sue

Kristine,

Not sure what your poison is, but I'm on Taxotere and had horrible headaches for 6 days straight. As my post above says it wound up to be a sinus infection.

Sue

Judy~  {{HUGS}}  I'm so sorry.  Is there anything you need? Is there anything we can do for you??  Please send me a PM if I can help you at all...

Judy:  Sooo sorry for your loss.  I'm sure your mother will continue to look over you in heart and spirit.  Take things one day at a time.

Well the neulasta sorness has started right on schedule.  I will see if it gets worse or if the claratin will help.  I am wiped out from the steroid crash and not sleeping well for the last two nights. All us her2+ folks will be around for a year, but I consider the herceptin a piece of cake compared to the Taxotere/Cytoxan/Herceptin cocktail so consider the real treatment done after my four rounds.

Well I'm ready for dinner and a nap.  Have a great weekend all! 

(((Judy)))  I am so sorry for the loss of your mother.  I'm thinking of and praying for you and your family.

 Artemis

jrgolomb--Jess.I like the bald head look, too. I think what web was talking about was a braun electric razor. I don't remember the model number. I ordered one from ebay that is less than what walmart sells them for and shipping was free.

I wish I had as good of luck as everyone else does with Lortab.. they work great for pain..but they are a migraine trigger for me... I hate that, cause every other pain medicine messes with my stomach.. I took one last night for this swollen underarm, and woke up with a headache.. but my underarm didn't hurt last night! lol Seems like one solution always seems to cause another problem.. what the heck did the pilgrims do for pain and suffering? lol (they smoked marijuana..didn't they..that's why they started Thanksgiving.. they all had the munches! hehe)

Jancie- I am always ass backwards I tell ya! Lortab and Vicodin also wire me up, I can't sleep if I take one..I will be up half the night.  When I have bad pain I will break down and take a Lortab, but I also have a prescription med for migraines, so if the headache gets bad from it, I pop on of those... I don't have a problem with Darvocet, of course that doesn't do near as good for pain as Lortab does.. After my bilat mast, the strongest meds I took was Darvocet, and that was only before I went to bed so I could get the edge off of the pain to lay down comfy to sleep. The day after my surgery I only had Tylenol... but then again the pain wasn't anywhere near what I thought it was going to be.. the day of surgery they had me all drugged up with morphine I didnt even ask for, and probably didn't need, and ended up throwing up. Of course as the days went by the place in my arm where they took out the nodes ended up being painfull!

I am glad you got so much done today!

Kristine - good luck with the headaches.. I hate headaches! Excedrin migrane works really good for me FWIW.

Judy - I just don't know what to say - somehow you will find the strength you need to get through this and that's a gift in and of itself - not to mention all of the amazing people that will surround you so lean on them as much as you need to including all of us here!

Wow - I always have so much catching up to do - I leave for a while when I'm feeling "normal" I don't like to think about cancer for a little bit BUT now I have no hair so that's kind of hard!

Hair came out a few days after second AC treatment - I didn't take it well - I did get a wig that looks very close to my old hair but I know it's a wig and hate it!  I'm going to get the bang wig everyone was talking about - great idea - I feel more comfortable in hats and scarves so maybe I can go out in public with the addition of the bangs!

Kristine - were you taking Zofran at all?  That gave me bad headaches - I left it out last time and had no problems.

Michele - was it you who is done May 12th?  That's my last chemo date too - I CANNOT WAIT!

3rd chemo round on Tuesday - dreading it already!!!!!!!!!!  Although I try not to spoil the good days thinking about the bad - time is too precious now!

Hi all - yesterday was a bit horrid all around for me. First the nurse took THREE tries to get the IV in, I felt like a bit of a pin cushion. Then last night I did the throw-up thing again, not so much fun.

But this morning I am feeling not too bad. Will see how it all progresses. I have had breakfast, and the nausea has gone, so just Chemo ickyness for the next week.

But at least I will never have to do another FEC again, ever, and I am halfway through. So nearly on the downhill stretch!

Apple-Whiskey???? I'm jealous!!!!!! 

Kerry-Congrats on the last FEC, u r half way there!  but sorry to hear you got sick:-(

I woke up with yet another headache today.  I'm wondering if it is the taxotere doing it and not my sinus'.  My sinus' do feel a bit better now though, but the darn headache on the side of my temples has got to go away already!  and if I'm not constantly drinking water or gatorade I get dehydrated so quickly.