Starting Chemo in July 2009

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  • nowaynotnow
    nowaynotnow Member Posts: 26
    edited July 2009

    PauldingMom,

    Great opening post, we couldn't ask for a better leader, though from the sounds of it it seems we should let you lead from a distance! 

    You're the best!

    Thanks 

    Off to physical therapy, yea!! 

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  • backagain
    backagain Member Posts: 34
    edited July 2009

    Good Morning Triple J - Just checking in to let you know that Chemo #1 is HISTORY!! So glad to get one behind me.  Felt a little fuzzy last night and didn't sleep much (probably the steroid) took some ibuprofen for headache but other than that feel great today.  Go for Neulasta at 4:00.  I told my chemo nurse about the claratin.  She was skeptical but said she would check with my doctor and the drug rep.  Hope to get some things done today before my chemo crash!  Thanks everyone for your posts- it is so nice to know what to expect.

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  • PauldingMom
    PauldingMom Member Posts: 927
    edited July 2009

    awwww nowaynotnow. Funny you said that cause I keep thinking "how did I get into this" and I get the keep the distance thing. Not Funny but very true. Laughing

    Way to go backagain!!! See it wasn't that bad. Smile Good luck with you Neulasta shot. I had hoped they would put it in the port and looked pretty silly when the nurse came at me and I lowered the collar of my blouse to expose the port. Come to find out you get it in your arm. Live and learn. 

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited July 2009

    Morning Triple Js-Day 6, feeling quite good.  I'm at work and doing fine.  Didn't take any of the nausea meds today & I'm not regretting that.

    PauldingMom: I thought the Neulasta would be delivered via port also.  Imagine my surprise when my nurse said to bare the belly-more fat, less nerve endings.  No pain whatsoever & that's mostly becuz of a tremendous FAT layer, I'm sure!!!

    O2B: How cute your hair!!!!  I'm going that short Thursday, will post then.

    Finally, my daughter & friend finished my royal bedroom on Sunday.  It's beautiful.  What would be a headboard wall, they stenciled & painted in glittery gold- fleur-de-lis'.  Gotta love teenagers!    

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  • LindaSueH
    LindaSueH Member Posts: 70
    edited July 2009

    I am finally back!  Had my first chemo July 8, and by 3:00 that afternoon I was very nauseated and had a terrible headache.  Stomach was better on Thurs, but still very tired and no energy.  Saturday was the worst energy day, and each day since has been a little better.  The chemo taste thing has been not fun, and brushing my teeth has been a real challange!!  I am trying to keep a positive attitude.....one down and only three ore to go!!!!

    Stay Strong Girls!

    Linda

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  • Jayne_in_UK
    Jayne_in_UK Member Posts: 517
    edited July 2009

    Hi Triple Js

    PauldingMom I agree with you about still doing self exam as well as yearly exam by professional. I also found my bc myself.

    I have not had any bone pain probably because I have not had the Neulasta shot. They don't normally do it as routine at the hospital I go to.

    Nowaynotnow how is your hair doing? Mine came out a bit yesterday, then quite a lot in the shower this morning. I went and had what was left buzzed off this afternoon and I feel much better for it. It had got so that it hurt my scalp when the wind blew through my hair. I never thought I would be so pleased to see my hair go. DH says I now look like a Buddhist monk.

    Backagain congratulations on getting chemo #1 over with.

    Eph3_12 good for you being at work and feeling OK without the nausea meds. You are doing great. Your bedroom sounds wonderful.

    LindaSue good to see you back. Hang in there, as you say only 3 more to go.

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  • lorijo1993
    lorijo1993 Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2009

    Yesterday my 14 year old daughter Fran and I went to the Look Good Feel Better class. Fran learned to draw on eyebrows better that I did,guess she will be doing the eye brows when the time comes.We had about 9 people there, I wish we were given more time to talk to each other, but had a lot of fun. We all recieved a free wig. I liked the first one i picked, hope I know how to put it on when needed. Tomorrow porta-cath and them chemo, I started my pre-chemo drugs this morning.

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited July 2009

    HelloTriple Js

    Our group is growing!

    Although it is late morning as I post this, I did check the thread much ealier. Being pacific time it's nice to get up and find so many posts from all the "earlier" time zone Js.

    Had a bone scan yesterday and get my port tomorrow. Have to be at the hospital at 7am!! There are 2 other TJs also getting their ports tomorrow - I think ohtobe? and I can't remember who else. Sorry. I've tried to go back through the thread and find who else.

    A question about port surgery. Did anyone have a general anaesthetic or a local with happy juice?

    Fight the good fight.

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited July 2009

    It's Lorijo!!! I'll be thinking of you and ohtobe and hope we all report back with easy port installations.

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  • nowaynotnow
    nowaynotnow Member Posts: 26
    edited July 2009

    Jayne, I had first few strands this morning in the shower and then more out of the shower, can't notice any difference though. It does feel like it is just sitting up there  and a good breeze is all that it will take. As soon as it really starts to drop I'm buzzing it, I'm going to do it myself as I do my son's all the time. Unfortunately he is in camp or I would let him do it to me for a change.  I'm one of the crazy ones who is actually looking forward to it. It's going to happen, might as well get used to it, what difference is a day or two going to make, get it done and we are one step closer to the end!!

    I will say I am a little jealous when I hear 1 down 3 to do.... I have 6 cycles I'm 1 down 5 to go. Oh well I feel great and have had minimal se, I can't have everything! 

    I went for another CBC today and WBC were through the roof, they couldn't believe I hardly had any bone pain. They did talk to me about entering a clinical trial with the chicken pox vaccine. Evidently they are researching how a weakened immune system increase antibodies and these antibodies lower the recurrence of bc, or something like that...it is called V212-002 by Merck & Co. Anyone heard of it?

    gillyone, I had general anesthesia with my port surgery which was fine with me and all went well.

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  • PauldingMom
    PauldingMom Member Posts: 927
    edited July 2009

    gillyone,  I had local with happy juice, I didn't like it, but that's just me. It did knock me out and gave me a head ache for about 2 days but it could have easily have been the pain meds. I am sure you will do fine. Just don't call it an "installation" to your surgeon. Trust me, he will be offended, but the nurse will giggle. 

    It's great to see our group growing. I met a sweet lady yesterday and she is getting ready to start chemo this month. I gave her the site name and info. and hope she finds her way here. She had so many of the same questions we had and I could tell she wasn't getting the information she was looking for.  

    Okay back to the hair thing......I've been told that your neither region falls out first. I must look like a freak in the shower giving it a tug every morning. Can anyone confirm this?  

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  • o2bhealthy
    o2bhealthy Member Posts: 2,101
    edited July 2009

    Gillyone: I met a women at my Look Good Feel Better class who had her port installed with the twilight 'happy juice' - she said she was chatting the whole time with the radiologist and when she asked if they were going to start cutting soon the tech giggled and said 'honey we are almost done!' - so with that in mind I am going for happy juice - that way I can head home sooner where I an get some real rest... my port install (does anyone else feel like a used car with all these installations and tune ups?) is a two hour drive and I have to be at hospital at 7am too...we are heading out tonight and will stay at hotel so I don't have to get up at 4:30am...

    Will be thinking of both you and Lorijo tomorrow and will check in when I get home to swap port stories...

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  • Jayne_in_UK
    Jayne_in_UK Member Posts: 517
    edited July 2009

    PauldingMom still laughing at the thought of you tugging away in the shower every morning. Smile

    For me the hair on my head was first to go. No sign yet of that in the nether regions coming out. I still have hair on my arms & legs, eyebrows & lashes. There's still plenty of time for all that to go of course.

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  • PS73
    PS73 Member Posts: 469
    edited July 2009

    I had the michael jackson juice.  Not sure what its considered but I sure felt happy and was awake not two minutes after they wheeled me back to my bed.

    The port you will see is a great thing.  I have a huge bump and a scar above it but I can't say my veins would take the chemo so I like it.  You may have a neck ache after the surgery bc they prop you up in a weird way.  It took me about a week to recover from it.  

    Im anticipating the hair fall out - looking forward to not shaving my legs for a bit anyway.  

    o2b  your hair looks adorable. 

    K Js - have to run to a wake for a man who was dx with metastatic cancer one day after my dx.  Sad. 

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  • PAP
    PAP Member Posts: 142
    edited July 2009

    With my port insertion, they gave me something that knocked me out for just an hour.  I understand you can have it removed with just a local which I think I will try when the time comes.  With the port "bump" I feel like I've been abducted by aliens and have some alien thing implanted in my chest.  I have lost most of the hair on my head, but hair down south is still there, thinning, but still there.  Also still have some facial hair.  I have developed bumps (look like mosquitoe bites) on my scalp over the last few days.  The onc nurse suggested benadryl as she thinks it's just a sensitive reaction from losing the hair.  But it's also itchy.....someone on another post recommended corn starch for that so will give it a try along with Benadryl.  Don't want to be sleepy during the day, however, so will wait till nighttime.  Patti

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  • tougherthanithought
    tougherthanithought Member Posts: 454
    edited July 2009

    Hi everyone!  Add me to the list of July Chemo starters...I will begin this Thursday w/ AC for 4 cycles, then 4 Taxol/Herceptin, then Herceptin for 1 year, then Tamoxefin for 5 yrs. 

    I have been reading many posts and accumulating much info on all of this crap we have to go through, but I find it comforting to be able to come here.

    I gave cancer it's first beating in May to remove the nasty tumors, so now I'm ready to kick it's ass again this ThursdayWink. 

    Bless you all

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited July 2009

    I was under a general for the installation of my port & as you may remember from previous posts, I was under a general for the emergency aggravated hematoma surgery a couple days later.  I have to say that I'm kinda of a baby when it comes to operations on me-I'm a firm believer in "knock me out (not up!)"; I am thinking to the future tho & having the port removed with the happy juice, altho' we shall see.

    I find myself pulling hairs all over to see if they are loose...sort of the can't keep your fingers off a loose tooth syndrome!!!    

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  • o2bhealthy
    o2bhealthy Member Posts: 2,101
    edited July 2009

    Pauldingmom & Joni2:   I cannot get the vision of you both pulling at your hairs at odd moments out of my head...of course it makes me giggle so I am enjoying the visions...

    PAP: there was a big discussion on the last few pages of the Taxotere/Cytoxan thread or was it the June chemo thread ( watch both so I cannot remember)  anyway one suggestion was to use dial antibacterial soap to wash the scalp and then rub in neosporin CREAM on the scalp (cream not ointment)...apparently there were really good results with that treatment...best of luck...

    Welcome to the Triple J's tougherthenithought

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  • stef58
    stef58 Member Posts: 288
    edited July 2009

    Hey Triple J's I still have the hair but itiis getting thin. I have thick hair so it is taking awhile which is fine for me. Got the clippers to buzz it off. What is everybody going to where on their heads . Taking a poll. Age and demographics. Sounds like we have quite abit of mixture heer which very interesting. Pm me and I will give it out if anybody is interested. I am 50 and from rural Nebreaska, I live on a ranch in the Pine Clad hills of Western Nebaska. Thought some other info beside cancer is intersting also. Strength and hugs Dianne

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  • Hopeful-1
    Hopeful-1 Member Posts: 72
    edited July 2009

    Hello Triple J's,

    Yesterday and today have been good days for me.  Not looking forward to Monday, July 20th, but oh well!!  I heard from my doc that my cell count will be lowest day 11 and 12 after chemo.  Does anyone know if that will make me feel bad or different?

    o2BHealthy, Your hair looks great.

    GillyOne,

    I had a general anaesthetic with happy juice when I had my port installed on July 2nd and didn't remember or feel a thing.  Also, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would to have some strange, power port in my chest.  I actually don't even notice it's there.

    Dianne,

    I just turned 45 (between the mascectomy and 1st Oncology visit) and I live in CT.  I also live and work in MD, but my apartment there will be vacant for the next 4 to 6 months due to the BC bump in the road.

    My mom is a BC survivor of 12 years and said sucking on ice chips during chemo and drinking tons of fluids help avoid mouth sores and other side effects.  I aslo rinsed at least 6 times per day with CVS brand of biotene.  I think this helped me get through the last chemo with minimal side effects so I'm going to make sure I do this everytime.

    My thoughts and prayers are with all of you!

    Connie

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  • o2bhealthy
    o2bhealthy Member Posts: 2,101
    edited July 2009

    I am 38 - live in small rural town in Northern AZ - I have been hitting thrift stores and yrd sales for scarves and hats...might try a wig later but right now I am indifferent...its 100+ degrees here during the summer, cannot imagine a wig right now...

    Onc office just called and is scheduling a Bone Scan, echo and labs for next week...because of trial I will have to start chemo within 5 business days of tests...eeeeeeeeeek...my turn soon... 

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  • lorijo1993
    lorijo1993 Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2009

    OK stef58 and the Triple J's, I will go next,   I am also 50 (happy decade) I live in rural Alabama, 1 hour away from Huntsville, I have a wonderful Church and very involved with it, I also am a member of the EMMAUS community, I dabble in making jewelry (haven;t since I had surgery, I am too messy when I do it) from raw gemstone, pearl,,,,I also love to play POGO and Facebook on the computer. I plan to wear what ever it the coolest for head gear, I tried on the wig to get a picture of it and instantly had a hot flash, no picture, the Look Good Feel Good class showed us how to use the lower part of a Tee shirt to make a head scarf, sounds cool. I have been a RN for 25 years, not much of that knowledge helped me to prepare for this experience, if anything I am less informed because the Doc.and nurses assume that I know it all,I can stop a heart attack  "code" someone that is dying with out a thought (i have been a cardiac intensive care nurse for 12 years)but when it comes to me I am pretty lost, the several surgeries I have had were all very overwhelming to me.Thank you for all the advise. I love this group. God Bless every one on it

    Lori

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  • eliz46
    eliz46 Member Posts: 71
    edited July 2009

    This group is the best. its so nice to see im not alone....tomorrow i get my port in. i hope all goes well im gonna ask for the happy juice too...... still havent had my pet scan but is schudled for monday than tuesday i start chemo for 4 cycles 21 days apart with t/c.eliz

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  • eliz46
    eliz46 Member Posts: 71
    edited July 2009

    Hi everyone thank you for your posts, i found a lump in my breast went to have a mamo than a biopsy than blood test than masactomy on one side have healed for 3 weeks....all in less than a month tomorrow i have a port installed for chemo on tuesday..everything is moving quickly ...i am dealing fine here keep up all the great info i did sign up for the .www.chemoangels.com what a great site .i plan on keeping in touch and helping someone else who needs cancer support when i get through all of this ........

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  • stef58
    stef58 Member Posts: 288
    edited July 2009

    Thanks for the info. it is interesting to far to hear about everyone. Puts a personal look to everyone Dianne

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited July 2009

    Eliz46 - another triple J getting a port tomorrow!

    Hmmm - lots of people with general and some with local. The person who collected info from me at the pre-op appointment recommended I do whatever the anaesthetist says I should do. I would be happy to be under - a bit squeamish. But my husband hopes it is a local. (Plus he wants to be fast as he has arranged to play squash at lunch time!) When I had my lumpectomy it freaked him out when I was in recovery and kept asking him the same questions over and over. (I have no recollection.) A friend says she hopes I never get alzheimers -  how would he cope with that!!

    A bit about me. I am 54 and live in a campus town in Idaho. Originally from England we have been here for 23 years. We have 2 sons, both are students at our University so we see them quite a lot. One is home for the summer,then back to the dorm, the older one in an apartment.

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  • lorijo1993
    lorijo1993 Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2009

    My port placement is lunder local, they want me to go out and eat after the port, before chemo

    Lori

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  • lorijo1993
    lorijo1993 Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2009

    My port placement is under local, they want me to go out and eat after the port, before chemo

    lori

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited July 2009

    Just turned 55. Live in Southern Oregon.  14 year old daughter who was carried for me by a kind woman in China-she then made sure my daughter was found by authorities who contacted me when the baby was a year old & we've been together since she was 16 months!  Have a husband but sent him packing 5 years ago when he decided he liked being with other women more than me.  Marrying him was the 2nd best thing I ever did because it gave me the courage to adopt-kicking him out was the 3rd best thing I ever did because we are soooooooooooo much better off without him.  The bestest thing I ever did was accept Jesus.

    Spending most of 2009 dealing with cancer wasn't exactly what I envisioned for the year but I am thankful that there are so many tools available these days to deal with all the different aspects of the disease, including these forums. 

    Have a good night everyone. 

    Joni2

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  • backagain
    backagain Member Posts: 34
    edited July 2009

    Gillyone -I  had a general for port placement, but that was because my surgeon was concerned that there might be some complications because of my past radiation.  Everything went fine - still have some swelling and bruising, but it didn't cause any problems with access for chemo yesterday and it didn't hurt when they accessed it.

    Joni 2 - I had my neulasta shot today, but they did it in my arm.  No pain yet.  Anybody know when to expect it?

    nowaynotnow - I am 1 down and 5 to go too.  We can hang out when the rest of them have moved on!

    stef58 and the Triple J's (sounds like a band, lorijo)  I am 52 and live in Merritt Island, FL by the beach where they launch the space shuttle.  I work as a media specialist at the local middle school and love my job.  I was dx just before my son's high school graduation and scheduled my bilateral mastectomy for the following Monday so that I could be at his graduation and my daughter's college graduation in CA 12 days later. Being diagnosed a second time was devastating but I am amazed at how much progress has been made in breast cancer research and treatment in the 8 years since my first diagnosis.  

    Thank you all for sharing your strength and your stories.  The force is strong with us! 

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