**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

Thank you so much Gina for taking up the reins of the Warrior Princesses Wagon.I wanted to post on this new thread to say thank you and then will go back and read everyone's news properly. Kisses to those with treatments today and those recovering from recent infusions.I am really loving all the pictures, and undertake to post mine as they emerge.

I had a fabulous time at a different wig shop yesterday which was recommended to me (via a dear friend) by the woman who was head of costumes for "Priscilla Queen of the Desert -the Musical "(a great show, by the way). The women there were utterly wonderful and I found several wigs I liked. Not drag queen ones, obviously! Just have to narrow the selection down now. 

Hello fellow March 2009 friends..

Well am I so honored to be the first on our new topic board . We have become such a close knit group.

Gina you are just so generous to take over this board. I know you have so much free time having only two small children and a husband. I am only kidding. But I know you feel as so many of us do that this board really makes this cancer stuff and chemo so much easier to deal with.

I tried to convince a friends relative to look at the board. She said she wasn't interested. Then she wrote me a  long email about how her hair began to fall out and she just did not know what to do with it. We all know the ropes from each other. What could be a better support group.

Three cheers for all of us and for Ginagina..

How are all of the friends who had chemo doing today?

I think that the docs feel that many of these things we do to prevent side affects don't really work. But I guess if they don't hurt us why not try.I still gargle with salt water and baking soda a few times a day..Can't hurt . I also change my toothbrush often..

My oncologist told me not to have any manicures.

Tomorrow I go for my weekly blood check and hope all is well so I can begin round two on Monday. I can't wait.... I can't believe I am saying that. But I do think we all feel this way now.

Hugs to all..

Francine

Maria, thank you so much for starting the group and bringing us together.  Gina, thank you so much for keeping us that way!

Well, my family is at dinner without me for my daughter's 14th birthday.  I'm sitting here feeling so sad about it, but I just couldn't go.  They will come back here for the cake (which I was supposed to get, but my friends showed up and went into action getting things ready for my daughter).  My white blood count is almost nothing, and I have already fought off one fever today.  If it spikes again I get admitted for IV antibiotics. 

I know many of you got this automatically, but my onc. only does the neulasta shot if a patient has a problem the first time.  Needless to say, I'm getting the shot with the next round.  How bad is it?  What does it do?  I'm asking you before I look up any other info about it.

It's Day 11 or 12 (was chemo day Day 1 or Day 0?), and absolutely no signs of hair loss yet.  No discomfort or anything.  My appointment with the wig guy is on Thursday night, and I'll chop most of my hair myself before I go.  I've always kind of wondered what it would be like to just hack at my hair with a scissors.  But I won't quite do that. I'll wash it, put it into a tight ponytail, and then cut off the ponytail.

Michellinsj - The nuelasta shot was not bad at all.  Do take the clariton for a few days to decrease the bone aches.  We started the exact same day and I was pretty much back to normal by day 8.  The rest was not that bad either.  Good luck

Does anyone know where the clariton-nuelasta got started.  I cant believe my mouth is already sore.  Does anyone have a hard time swallowing after treatment.  I am ok with liquid   but  a little bit of trouble with food.  I was due for my for my steroids at 8  so i took them a little early.  Maybe that will check it.

Hi everyone!

Can anyone tell me how they did on FEC?  I start my treatment on Thursday the 19th and would really appreciate any feedback.  Also, home care is coming to my house the day after chemo to administer a Neulasta shot.  Apparently the nurse will show me how and I will have to give myself a shot 24 hours after each treatment.  Did you have to give yourself the shots?

Thanks!

Diane

Maria: Thank you so much for getting us all together. I applaud you, I know that it has been very time-consuming, especially with the insane roller coaster ride you have been on. I will be checking in on you on your new posts. Good Luck and please stay in touch.

ginagina: My hair(err hat) is off to you for being the one with the courage to take this task on, i can barely keep up with reading the posts, let alone responding as much as you all do. Thank you so much!!! It really helps us all so much to have a place to come for comfort.

sakura73:  Good Luck narrowing down the wig selection. I started  out hating even the thought of a wig. I have cut my hair much shorter, got my free wig and several hats scarves etc. Now I want too many wigs and can't choose. I am getting more comfortable with the fact that i won't have any hair, mostly because of everyone's pictures on here.

MichelleinSJ: I am so sorry your not feeling well; perhaps birthday cake later will help you feel better. I had the neulasta shot on friday. I took the claritin. I really felt rough, i don't know if it was the shot or if i was coming down with something because i didn't feel that great all week long anyway. I hope next week will be better and then I will know it was just a "bug"

EVERYONE: I did not know that antiemetics would cause constipation. oh my god! This is absolutely ridiculous, I have tried everything that I and everyone I know in the surrounding 3 counties can possibly think of, no luck yet. I was wondering why I had such a friggin back ache, never been constipated in my life. TMI i am sure.  Anyone have a jackhammer,I think i'm gonna need it!

I will be joining the ranks of the chemo princesses on March 24.  I will be doing taxol x 12 weekly and herceptin every 3 weeks for a year.  Dr is still talking about maybe cytoxan for 4 x every 2 weeks after taxol is done.  we agreed to talk about it later.  They showed me all the rooms you can choose from to get your treatments and the nurse answered lots of questions.  I went in a little more prepared for the doctor this time.  I had a list of questions I wanted answered.  Most of them I agreed with once I knew why he thought that. Wondered why no scans required, since so many of you have had them.  He told me that I could request a pet scan if I wanted , but he did not usually order them for a stage one with no node involvement.  I asked the nurse about sleeping caps  and she said they were a good idea to keep from losing body heat when you sleep.  i had never even considered that it might be cold with no hair at home.

Maria thanks for getting us started and gina thanks for taking over.  Annette 

So now I feel like I'm just sitting here waiting for my hair to start going. I thought I'd read  day 14, maybe day 15 was sorta the norm. Nurse said it could start day 13- which for me is tomorrow. I'm shaving at a party  day 16 and I'm wondering if I will have hair left to shave or will my scalp hurt bad enough I'll want to cut it off before then?

I was planning to donate my hair- so I feel like I should cut it short to preserve it as much as possible once it starts going, but then the head shaving won't be as dramatic.

I know everyone will be different- but how fast does it go once it starts going?

 I shed hair a lot normally- long straight hairs my DH refers to as "five year olds" cause they are like an unruly 5 yo girl getting into everything, leaving stuff all over the place. So I had a few of those on my shirt and the nurse picked it off and said- see there its starting- um- I don't think so that's pretty normal for me!  

Best of luck to you Marie, you will remain in our thoughts. GinaGina, everyone needs a leader!Way to step up to the plate! I'm not yet 1/2 thru the first treatment and have a number of side effects. But my bigger problem is that I have to host a bridal shower for my daughter this weekend and need some fun ideas! I don't know the groom's family (except they have lots of money, which I don't) so HELP! Anyone have any fun ideas??

Good luck today Jan and lindany! Welcome Lindany also! Which cocktail are you getting?

Buddy - you had asked about turning red, that is pretty normal for chemo and the steroid. I look like an oompaloompa (sp?) after every tx for about 3 days, and my breast that had the lumpo gets really red & swollen too. Apparently chemo targets our healing wounds, as those are faster dividing cells, so you may notice more pain/swelling/redness in your surgical sites. As for the mouth soreness, next time try chewing on ice chips as you are getting the infusion, it helps with the general yuckiness and can preserve some tastebuds. I have much more taste after tx #2 than I did after #1!

And alyad, you are completely correct about day 4, it is when the second-pass metabolism gets underway. First pass takes out the initial chemicals and causes them to transfer into active metabolites that do a whole other number on our bodies. The first few half-lives pass, then the liver kicks into it's second pass and causes us to feel really bad again, probably worse because now the steroids are gone. Then you really should start feeling better as everything starts to leave the system between 6-10 days post tx.

kellerka - good luck with the shower! I have never participated in one, so I am afraid I have no ideas for you, other than to have good food and good drinks available! I hope someone can help!

LindaNY - Happy belated birthday and welcome to the group.  Chemo cocktails are not a fun way to celebrate.  My first treatment was two days before my birthday last week.  Best of luck today.  The anticipation is worse than the treatment itself.  It all moves so quickly and then all of a sudden you realize you can't wait and want it to go faster just to be at the end of it all. 

MOB - good luck today for number two.  I hope everything is smooth and easy!!!

Gina - nice cocktails! The thought of a true cocktail doesn't sit right with me right now so I am enjoying yours (even though they are not specifically for me, I am just sipping a little)

Marshall - I was very constipated for the first three days after treatment.  And I felt very bloated.  I took colace and senokot every day for about 5 days then I went in the other direction.  I ate a hamburger yesterday (first big meal in over a week) and it was great tasting but it didn't stay in long.  I don't know if it was all the senokot or just that my stomach can't decide which way to be.  I am hoping to find a better balance next week with round two.  Lots of water going in this girl next time.  Hang in there.  This too shall pass!

Kellerka - The shower will be great.  All you need is good food, good drinks, and good friends.  That's what makes any party. 

My mouth is starting to feel funny.  My cheeks and gums are definitely affected now.  I will try the magic mouthwash that was prescribed to me.  Hope everyone has a good day today!  I am having bagels and chit chat with friends today.  I will show off my new 'doo.  I will try again to post pics tonight.