Starting Chemo in July 2009

Hello Carole,

I guess we are both on the same treatment (4 cycles of adriamycin and Cytoxan together then 4 cycles of Taxol - every two weeks.).  I had my port put in on July 2, 1st chemo on July 6 and neulasta on July 7th.  Day 1 I slept most of afternoon and night, but made sure I drank tons of fluids.  Sucking on ice chips during chemo really helped me too. 

Day 2 Felt really good and worked all day, but constipation was a problem. 

Day 3 still felt good and worked all day, but constipation was still the issue for me. 

Day 4 still felt good and worked all day except at about 3:30 felt tired.  Yippee - finally went to the bathroom - what a relief.  8 oz glass of warm Prune juice and Milk of magnesia do work. Tastes yucky, but worked.

Day 5 Last night I fell asleep at 9:30 then woke up early at 1;30 and right now it is 5:30 am so I'm not sure what's going to happen today.  I had a slight headache during this sleepless night, but took tylenol and I feel fine except I can't sleep.  It is the dexamethosone that is keeping me awake right now.

I don't like to take too many medications so I'm just going to see what happens today after this sleepless night.

I felt no side effects yet from neulasta unless my slight neck and head ache are from the shot.

I'd like to keep in touch with you since we seem to be on the same treatment regimen. 

 Take care!

Connie

Carolee, that is right around the corner.  I hated the anticipation.  Once you start you will feel so so much better (believe it or not).  The anticipation is the pits.  For my first visit, I brought mags, books, a blanket in case I got cold, ice chips (they apparetnly had these) - to suck on during the adria which took me 10mins for 45mls so it wasn't too bad.  My place had a dvd player for everyone individually so a movie is not a bad idea.  It goes quick. 

Have some comments.

Britta - your blog is really awesome.  I like the layout and found it pretty informative esp the night sweat part - Ive been having night sweats for about three years and wasn't sure why, and now there may be a link to cancer.  Second, Im hoping the part of the vitamin C, and the antioxidants are for post chemo skin and not during as antioxidants and c are a huge no no since they compete w/ the chemo to fight cancer cells.  Just want to clarify.   Not sure if you are going to check back but I had to put it out there to the sisters.

Just read this:

Drink 8 ounces of water every hour

Chemo drugs are very drying to your body's tissues, and the drug will be going to every cell you have. Right after an infusion, drink 8 ounces of water every hour until bedtime. Avoid caffiene, as it is also drying and may cause you to feel worse. One other benefit of drinking this much water is that it will help your body to process and flush the chemo drugs out of your system sooner, so you can start to recover sooner, too. 

Connie you are a huge water drinker - 1 gal a day, bless you but I can't do it dear, I try and try. 

..and lastly i feel pretty darn good right now.  no meds, neulasta shot yesterday *Carolee - this increases your white blood cells (or red, not sure) since they drop during chemo - it goes into the bone marrow to produce more cells.  sometimes you feel growing pains or worse and you get this shot 24 hrs after every Adria treatment -either by a dr or caregiver.  I call it my heroin.  

ok, off to shoot my post wedding documentary since my videographer forgot to interview us seperately pre wedding -drr.  documentary and not a video bazzar, friend of a friend.  cheap + artistic = yah. 

be well jayhawking jubilleed jedis to the jugonat

nobody listen to me.  i didn't take my emend first thing and now I feel yucky on the verge of vomiting.  hoping to catch up.  take your drugs as directed. 

I also am starting chemo on the 17th I had the port put in on June 30th, I went thru all the tests, Bone scan and Muga are time consuming not painful, but could not be done the same day. Had ekg done same day I had the Port put in. I think major test are done just want the chemo to start to get routine back in my life and feel like I am still in charge of my life. haha.

Getting lots of ideas from here and really appreciate everyone sharing!! 

not really caring about the hair loss,(hair is very short anyway) worried about the steroids and weight gain. any advise? 

Hi to all of my July Chemo Buddies.  I got a port on July 9 and will start chemo on July 15.  As of two weeks ago, the plan is AC every 21 days x4.  That may change depending on the results of  a repeat Her-2/neu test.  Dr. wants to confirm the + status of my first test since it was done on biopsy at another center.  I will see her on Wednesday morn and have a chemo class prior to tx later in the day.      Other than a little bruising and minor discomfort I almost forget the port is there.  Yippee!     The hair thing - I've cut mine pretty short already.  I love my hair but I'm tryiing not to be too concerned about when it will happen.  Just knowing that it will is enough for now.   I look forward to coming back often because you ladies have already been an encouragement. Elisheva, good to see you here.  Jaycee, thanks for your comments.  PauldingMom, thanks for organizing us.   I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Wanda

Thank you for including me in your July month-I hope you are reading along with June- I sure read May before I started! I have yet to lose hair anywhere EXCEPT my head!

Well I have a moment I feel like typing some. Things went well until I got home and I had an allergic reaction to one of the nausea meds so had a long night got to sleep by 2:00am

  I just dont seem to get a handle on the gas on my stomach and GI Track. I am taking Pepcid, Maylanta extra strength last night. called in to the dr. office they said to get some Gax relief so I have started that seems to help.

 still on my nausea and steroid meds doing ok with them.

 But its my Stomach if I drink water it starts the gas all up again. So have a call in to the Dr. office to see what they think. Does  not matter if I drink some juice or water it makes my stomach just bubble. Not to mention the loose stools started this morning (guess green is the new color??) not to gross anyone out (sorry if I did) feels better when it moves so I don't want to take any immodium just yet want to see how this goes. 

If anyone has any suggestions what to drink besides water or gatoraide (its to sweet).love pineapple juice but thought might be to citius (but I love it) that seems to settle on your stomach through this let me know.

E

Hi Joni, I had my Neulasta yesterday, I took two advil right before the shot, two  more six hours later, than 1 every 6-8 hours. Haven't felt a thing, I think you need to get ahead of it.

Thank you all for th e info.

hopeful-1 since your are a step ahead of me..Please keep me posted. Lets do keep in touch.

Good luck.

Carole

Oh that makes sense, I thought maybe I was doing something wrong. Hope the tylenol works, I've also read that claritin works great too.

TCGGAL...Same with me on the hair loss....only on the head so far.  Thanks ladies, for including me on your July thread.  Only had one tx in June, two in July, then the final one in August...woohoo!  Patti

To any of you who are wondering about getting a port put in......

 My surgeon put one in a week before my infusion and I am SO glad he did, I could just kiss him.  It works great.  I don't even have them numb it, because the numbing shot hurts more than the single stick into the port, which I think is pretty painless.  It's been so helpful and now that the incision has healed I don't even notice that it's there.  

Anyway....there's my plug in support of getting a port.