Starting Chemo in July 2009

Pammyj - glad to see one of the magnificent seven chemo starters posting. Good to see you started off well. Day 3 and all is well with me. Nothing to report so far which can only be good news!

glassist - you are doing well too! I am also on A/C but DD -  how about you?

joni1 and I both asked for some input about drinking fluids. This has probably been addressed before but, I understand the need to drink lots to flush the drugs out of your system. But is this just for a couple a days post-chemo or every day till I'm done - months down the road?

Lisa - hope your Mom will post with us.

gillyone, yes I'm DD.  I'm kind of surprised to feel this well at this point.  I'm just taking the good whenever I can get it and hope it lasts.

crystalised ginger some supermarkets have it   it comes in a spice container in the spice aisle its big pieces covered in sugar...not ground .oh another item that helps is canned asparagus.  been eating it for days cuts down on the acid burning tongue...

Not too sure about the fluids either..been reading in my med books and it said in one it was CRUCIAL to push 3 liters into our bodies right after chemo for 24 hrs..prevents bladder infections and gets rid of the toxins faster b/c then we have to pee.for me the peeing isn't an issue i just haven't hit on anything i like to drink THAT much of..thanks to eliz46 for the ginger suggestion. i honestly have just had a pounding headache since all this stuff was put into me thursday..hope you all have a good weekend!

GILLYONE.....My onc said the water drinking thing was most important the first 48 hours following chemo.  After that don't need to overkill.

PAMMYJ.....I also had terrific headaches from first chemo.  After adding electrolytes, they disappeared.  Might give that a try. 

My third round of taxotere and cytoxan is coming up next week.  Will find out if SE's are cumulative.  Patti

hello

I received my first letter from Chemo Angels and they really match your personality's, I have a lot of things in common with her. I plan to be a Chemo Angel when I graduate!! Today(day 10) is the first day that I really feel like my self, I put up all the laundry (2 weeks worth) went to Walmart and cooked supper, and am going for a walk in a few min.. thank goodness, I was beginning to think I would never have energy ever again.

Hey gals,

Well the inevitable happened and my hair is now coming out by the handful.  Am managing it pretty well with no tear so far but going to get it shaved on Tues night and sure there will be lots pf tears then!!!  My best friend is shaving hers too in sympathy which is just amazing.  Also my two male bosses at work are going to shave theirs and encouraging everyone else to do so as well!!!

2nd treatment is on Friday along with my port placement so will be a big day.  Hope you are all having a great day!

PS173 - Tried to PM but not sure how to do it - will keep trying and see how I go!

Hey Js.  How is everyone?  From the looks of it, everyone has been managing the SEs.  The asparagus for acid tongue is brilliant, where?  what?  how?  ..going to try it out one day in the future when I have the stomache.  All you georgians, ever hear of Covington?  My sis lives there.  Im day five on my second tx of AC DD and ouch, yuck, puke, bleh, I don't think I could tolerate anything entering my body except lemon water.  Wish I could eat or drink something right now but the thought of it makes me want to vomit.  

Puppy is so cute, sleeping on the sofa spread eagle.  I can't imagine being that trusting. 

May go to a movie bc have been cooped up all weekend.  Not sure if Ill do a wig or scarf and am trying to figure out how the 1920s scarf fashions worked and Im failing miserably.  I kinda look like a terrorist.

Just saying hi to you gals.  Im so glad that you are all doing well!!! 

Hi Ladies-

Well, I had my first treatmetn last Thrusday! Nervous to say the least but I wan made to feel comforatble.  Gettung the needle into the post was hurtful, but I survived it.  Next time I get the numbing cream.

Of course there was alot of paper for them to to go over with me, you know like what tyhe meds are and the side effects...

They stater the Taxotere first and were very careful to monitor me for any reactions.  Of course I had been drinking lots of water so 2 trips to the restroom were needed. LOl  Cytoxan was next and that went ok also. 

They gave me a case of Ensure and I get one every time I go for treatment?

I did ok the day of treatment, no problems (excepot the car stopped running, now Need to find a way to fix and pay for repairs).  The next day I friend took me for my Neulasta shot, that went good also.  Doc did order me meds for pain if I get any from the shot.

I have had a bout with constipation on Frifay and Saturday but I was already cleared with the onco to use Alfalfa pills, they work so well for me. 

Last night the pain in my legs and now this morning the pain in back for the shot, but so far I can deal with since I have the meds.  I have noticed also my morning ceral tasted alottle funny, but will wait and see what happend there.

So all in all O am doing ok I think 9crossing my fingers)

Talk to you all later

Shae

Had my second treatment on Thursday (7/23). I think I'm the only one on this thread taking CMF. How come? On second day had a miserable time, but today (day 4) things are back to normal. I also had a headache, but I think this is a side effect of the anti-nausea drug Zofran, not from the chemo. Is anyone taking Zofran? Both drugs I got for nausea - the second one is Compazine - did not help much. But at least no vomiting, thank God. My hair started falling out, but a little at a time. Since my hair is really thin anyway I'm waiting for it to look unbearable soon and start wearing the wig. Not looking forward to that! Good luck to those of you who are just starting, and to everyone! elisheva.

Nancy - thanks so much for sharing the video.

Karen - sorry about your ex - hope things are better with him and that happy that your treatment went well.  Don't let the constipation go on too long without taking something.  My dr. has recommended sennacot-s.  I purchased the Walgreen brand and it works well.

Lisa - don't worry about shaving your head if you don't feel like it's the right thing to do.  I just knew I would take control and shave my head - but for some reason I just have not been able to do it.  My hair started falling out at day 13 - I'm now on day 25.  I still have hair all over my head - though very sparse.  It was fine to begin with.  I think we all have to face this in our own way - in our own time.

White 929 - The Beotine toothpaste is good for dry mouth.

Joni1 - Hang in there.  My worst days are day 3 and 4.  My treatment is on Thursday, so that gives me the weekend to get over it.  The first time I took compazine for the nausea and it pretty much knocked me off my feet.  This past Thursday, dr. gave me emend and it worked really well until last night, when I began to feel queasy so I took another compazine last night and this morning.  I did manage to make it to church but it was a struggle to stay awake.  My WBC went down and I really was surprised because I did not feel any different.  I thought that you were supposed to feel washed out.  Anyway, it was up enough that I did not miss my treatment last week.  Best wishes to you.  Eat as much protein as you can - eggs, cheese are all supposed to be good for WBC.  Like you, my dr. will only give neulasta if I need it.

My sense of taste seemed to come back about 7-10 days prior to the next treatment.

Shae - I use the lidocaine numbing crème and it's wonderful - I have never felt even the slightest prick. 

LindaSue - my blood is checked weekly - I had my 2^nd AC last Thursday.  It went pretty much like the first except dr. added emmed in the IV.  It worked really well until last night, when I felt a little queasy.  Hope things go well for you on Wednesday.

I started chemo 2 days ago on 7/24/09 -- TC every 3 wks X 6.  So far, no serious SE!  Some fatigue but I was sleep-deprived going into it.  Twinges of nausea just remind me to put something in my tummy and it goes away.  I am taking Emend and Zofran and have Compazine I can take if needed (so far not needed).  I am also taking prophylactic Prilosec recommended by onc RN.   May be becomming constipated so will try Miralax.  Taste buds slightly affected, but not too bad.

My bigger concern is the potential bone pain from the Neulasta injection I am scheduled to get tomorrow.  I already have joint and spinal disk problems so am at higher risk for bone pain.  Onc RN suggests ibuprofen as first line of attack (bettern than Tylenol for this in her op).  I have read that Claritin (the allergy med) can also help, so will take prophylactically.  Heavier pain med can be called in if I need it.

I just bought some generic Biotene mouth wash but haven't used.  I'm thinking this is so important that I should return it and get the real deal.

I haven't had a chance to read all of the responses and look forward to learning a lot more.

GILLYONE....There are vitamin waters as well as packets of electrolytes that you can add to plain water.  I get mine at a health food store.  Someone on another thread thins down their Gatorade with water or Gingerale so it is not so sweet. 

SHERRILL...My regular massage therapist suggested having a Swedish massage which is very light and what they do at my cancer center.  She does deep massage and advised me to wait till chemo is finished before seeing her gain.  I am going to see the massage therapist at cancer center this week or next after tx three so I can let you now how that goes.  Patti

I am having my first chemo on Wed. July 29th.  I am the mother of PauldingMom and as some of you know we were both diagnosed within days of each other.  No previous history in our family.  I would be a lot more nervious if it wern't for her.  She is a great daughter,  I have two other daughters who are also a great support right now.  I don't know what I would do without them.  I wish you all the very best and I will be an active member of the Triple J's.