**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

mmdj43 - from what I understand soy is off limits because it encourages estrogen production and that is not  something you want with bc.  That is why soy is used in some of the things you an take for menopause.  As far as the sugar the only things I have read is that they don't want you haveing to visit the dentist during chemo so they don't want any cavities.  There may be other reasons too.

Annette 

Gina and CC I am so sorry you had a bad time.  I have a long list of meds that I am allergic to.  I am getting nervous about my turn on the nasty taxetere.  Today is day 5 for me on my first AC.  I thought I may be naucious this a.m.  But I had some toast w peanut butter and its working.  Those cocktails look very yummy.  I'll take a Black Forest it sounds dreamy.

Great news. My daughter just came home from a sleepover sick. Coughing, fever the whole thing.  Yeah for me.

Gina  -  Sorry to hear about the reaction.  I go next friday and am nervous about that too.

I got up this morning and took a shower.  Had to lop off about 8 inches of hair before I could even brush it.  Buzz this afternoon when my son gets home.  Hubby just can't bring himself to do it.

Hi, everyone:

Back from New York on Wednesday night, then back to work at 6 a.m.  Then started chemo yesterday morning.  I will update on New York and the miracles that occurred at home and away during that trip.  But right now, I will give the account of my chemo experience.  

I apologize that I have been so far unable to catch up on posts, but I will do my best.  I did skim...

The night before chemo, I kind of hit the wall.  I had a bit of a tantrum because I decided this wasn't fun anymore (like it ever is, but I've had it pretty easy up until now, truthfully.) Didn't sleep very well, needless to say. 

I went to the Cancer Center at 10:45 a.m. for blood work and then had an 11:00 a.m. appt to meet with my wonderful onco and his doubly wonderful nurse.  I got copies of pathology and CT scan reports, and they explained everything that would be going on.  

I reiterated my motion sickness and pregnancy sickness, and I asked them to give me as much as they could to combat that.  So I received Emend and Zofran in my IV, along with Ativan, since I was pretty nervous.  They weren't too busy that day, so hubby -- who had worked a night shift the night before -- got to sleep in another recliner!  They then infused the doxarubicin (Adriamycin), which only took a few minutes, then the Cytoxan for about 45 minutes to an hour.  

They had me suck on ice chips to help prevent mouth sores.  I brought my PC and watched some TV shows I had downloaded.  Everyone was so pleasant, and the place was open and airy, which I love.  I was pretty high and shaky once I was done.  I received prescriptions for Emend and Zofran to take for the next two days.  They also gave me prescriptions for Compazine and Ativan to use as needed.  I also received a Neulasta shot, which hubby will administer in a couple of hours.  

The most annoying side effects so far are weird dreams...always ending with me running into something, stepping off a curb wrong, falling, or something like that.  I wake up suddenly.  I'm not frightened or anything, but I didn't get much sleep last night.  

I developed a headache later in the evening last night, and I haven't been able to get rid of it.  It's pretty low-grade right now, so I'm lucky.  Usual pain medications (naproxen, Excedrin, ibuprofen) haven't helped.  So I took one of my leftover Vicodin from my surgery.  Still didn't do much.  

I feel really lucky, though.  I was able to do some spring cleaning this morning (beautiful day today in Iowa).  Now I'm resting.  

I have a question:  do you girls have a sunscreen recommendation?  I know that I have to put it on everytime I'm outside.  There are so many to choose from...do you have one you prefer? 

More later! Hugs to all!

Carol

Hi everyone from VA:

Gina.....sorry you had a reaction to T...minor setback.  Next week is a new week.  You will get back on track with your chemo!  Love your buffs and seriously....YOU dont' need make up girl.  You are beautiful any time of day.  I still haven't ordered any and I know I need to.  I don't think the wig and I are going to become good friends.....I think I am OK with no hair (T minus 3-4 days) so better hurry up and order some now.

IowaDiva Love your profile picture....beautiful family.  Sorry about your dreams and anxiety BUT Congratulations on chemo #1 being under your belt!!!  Way to go.  Sounds like your onco has your drug regimen under control.  You have gotten the same meds I was offered.  I will tell you that the worst was coming off the decadron high on day 3....when it hits, have a coke and then go chill out.  Then the next 2-3 days take your anti nausea meds (compazine) even if you don't feel quesy.  I had emend for 3 days, they gave me a shot (I will have to ask next time what it was) for nausea that lasted 5 days...but still had mild head achy feeling that I felt better when I took the anti nausea drug.  I even took dramamine on day 3.I only had a couple nights where I was up until Midnight and back up again at 4 or 5AM....which stinks with 3 kids under 4 years of age.  UGH.  Glad those few days are over.  My sleep has returned to normal.

NYDeb48 Good luck with the buzz today....please post some pictures!  I am 4 days behind you   I am getting family pix tomorrow at 9, I hope everyone cooperates.  It should either go great or my 3 kids may just tear the entire place up.  As long as they can get the 5 of us in 1 or 2 pictures I will call that success!  We have never gotten family pix together....funny how being diagnosed all of a sudden I am getting the things done that I always said I would and never made time for.

Sakura We will be with you until you are done with your chemo.  We aren't leaving anyone behind.   We will all get through chemo, it'll be over before we all know it.

Everyone:  I have been taking one step at a time and haven't even talked about what to eat before, during or after chemo....I am going to bring it up at my next chemo treatment. 

 I have been lucky so far regarding food tastes, mouth sores, etc....I wonder if this could all change with chemo #2. 

Hi all - hope everyone is having a good se free weekend. 

ginagina - I am so sorry you had such a reaction.  One drop geez it makes you realize how potent these chemicals are.

all the ladies with the pixies and buzz cuts - you all look really good.  I hope I look half as good when it's my turn.  I had my first Taxon on Monday but no hair loss feeling yet.  I hear it sould be about day 11 - is that right?

I'm feeling a little blue today so I'm just sitting here catching up on emails and posts and cleaning out old paperwork and other stuff..  Also sitting here getting inspired watching "Clean House".  Can they come to my house?  I need someone to unclutter me.

I do have a question though and I may have missed the post but does everyone get a chemo cocktail or is it after a certain amount of time?  I was going to use mine as a screen saver and do a "toast" to all of us when I needed a pick me up.  But I can't find it. 

gina and cc!  Hope you are feeling better, it is so scary when things don't go as planned.  I am glad you had good care!

I'm at day 11 and the hair is still here, I love the way you all look in your buffs, but I am short and have this small  square head and would look like a cartoon, I am sure!  I am going to go with baseball hats and the wig when my time comes, hopefully not until Thurs, for the buzz Dawn

Oh good I thought it was chemo brain lol.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm i HAVE NO IDEA.  Nothing minty - maybe fruity - tequila is my favorite but maybe a real "girly" drink.  Pomegranate martinis are awesome - has you tried them?.  I just wish anything I drank would stop tasting like salt.

Thanks for the cocktail.......................

I just thought of something, if my cocktail isn't there, I'm guessing none of us 16th starters are there either.

YUMMY thanks - care to join me?

ginagina - these are ABSOLUTELY the best trust me and they have pomegranate which is an antioxidant and good for you.  What more can we ask for?  If you want to cheat a little and not go from scratch, Smirnoff sells them pre made and they are almost as good.