Starting Chemo in June 2005

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  • Analemma
    Analemma Member Posts: 1,622
    edited June 2005
    Nancy, Good luck tomorrow! I hope yours is as easy as mine was. It was so friendly at Cleveland Clinic- they had a nurse come and talk to us (hubby and me) for a good part of the chemo, she is also a survivor, finished tx a year ago but has been a chemo nurse advocate for 15 years! We both teared up when she started talking about hair loss! Then a social worker came in and talked for a while. I really didn't have too many personal issues that I felt I needed help with, but we talked about how Cleveland is #4 in the country for BC occurrance. And how there needs to be research into WHY - what is it in the environment here? But, the whole infusion went pretty quickly and painlessly. And, so far, I've felt good. I expect tomorrow to be worse, but have been surprised and relieved that today has been so good. And I just gave myself my first Neulasta injection, and it was easy!

    Brenda
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  • LizFL
    LizFL Member Posts: 377
    edited June 2005
    Welcome Michelle! This group is a big help to all of us.

    Brenda...so glad you are doing well!

    Nancy ...hope tomorrow goes smoothly for you.

    JoMac...glad the graduation gift was a success and I am praying that you will feel well enough to go to the graduation.

    I ended up with a small cast on my hand. The orthopedist does not think I will need surgery, but if I do...it can wait until after treatment.

    Tomorrow is port insertion day, so I am going to try to get to bed early. One more step on this road will be done!

    Liz
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  • Watson
    Watson Member Posts: 1,490
    edited June 2005
    Hello ladies!
    Glad to hear that you're all doing so well.
    I"ve had an emotional see saw day. (one of many haha)
    I posted before about how I've been having severe pains in my legs and arms. I haven't even started chemo yet (6/23) so it's not from that.So onc ordered a bone scan which I had done today. No offical word from onc yet, but the scan tech said she didn't see anything on my bone scan other than the dental work in my mouth! I hugged her hard.
    So as for what is actually causing my pain, today I don't care. It's most likely not the big C, ya know!
    Then feeling much better I stopped at a wig shop and played dress up. I'm bringing hubby tomorrow to get his opinion. I don't know that he'll be much help, but I wan't someone to blame if it looks like crap! haha
    Then, with a good dose of Xanex, I went and got my prechemo hair cut. It really brings out the 8 yr old boy in me.
    I go for my port tomorrow as well Liz. I"m the one getting the funky port in my arm and not the chest but it is internal. Scheduled for 7am. They don't put me all the way under, just the woozy meds. I think this is the last thing standing between me and the chemo!
    Sorry to ramble, but jeez, I had a busy day!
    Best of luck to all,

    Your Breast Friend,

    Watson
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  • LizFL
    LizFL Member Posts: 377
    edited June 2005
    Watson, I never thought to ask about the type of port...just thought there was only one type. They told me today that I will be given something where I won't feel anything or remember anything but I will be breathing on my own. I'm scheduled for 9..but they want me there for prep at 8. I would rather go earlier...less chance of having to wait. When I had my mastectomy...I was the first one and got sent to the OR very quickly.

    I like the "Breast Friend" sign off. Where in Houston do you live. My stepdaughter lives in Humble, but works in the city. My precious granddaughter lives there too. My other stepdaughter lives in Austin...along with our precious grandson. My husband lived in Dallas for 15 years when he was working at IBM.

    Liz
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  • kimBe
    kimBe Member Posts: 101
    edited June 2005
    What a busy day tomorrow is for the June ladies! Good luck to everyone!!! I have my labs tomorrow (had a LOW white count last week so hope that is up tomorrow enough for chemo on Thursday). Good luck again. So much posted I can't keep everyone straight, but know that I am thining of all of you. For all of you "first timers" my first round was very much less than I had worried about! Port and chemo on a Thursday-tired on Saturday and nauseated until I vomited on Sunday and have felt fine since. Glad you had a great party JoMac-give your daughter a hug from Montana. Better go.
    KimB
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  • danahollis
    danahollis Member Posts: 161
    edited June 2005
    Welcome Michelle!

    Brenda...I'm very happy you are doing so well!

    Nancy ...I'll be thinking of you tomorrow! I hope it goes smoothly... I'm sure it will.

    We Junies seem to be one tough group of Cancer Heiny Kickin' Chicks!

    JoMac...I am also sending prayers that you will feel well enough to go to the graduation ceremony.

    Liz...good luck eith the port insertion!

    On the homefront... today was Day 7 for me. Oh my gosh am I TIRED! I just can't seem to shake the fatigue. I have no energy to do anything. I hate that because I look around my house and can think of ao many things I'd like to be doing. But then when I get up... I just want to lay back down. It's so BORING! I sure hope I can get some energy back.

    You all take care! I'm thinking of you!

    (((Cyber Hugs!)))
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  • Watson
    Watson Member Posts: 1,490
    edited June 2005
    Hey Kim,
    Did you take anti nausea meds? My dr & pharmacist told me not to even fill the zofran unless I need it. They are putting stuf in my IV and said that's usually enough. I've been bombarded by people on this and other sites telling me I should take it every 8 hours no matter what. I'm torn between being the good little patient and everyone's advice.
    Ladies, what did you guys do?

    Your Breast Friend,
    Watson
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  • Watson
    Watson Member Posts: 1,490
    edited June 2005
    Oh, and I"m actually in Katy, Texas (west) home of Clint Black, Renee Zelwegger and Frank Bilec from Trading Spaces (still lives here) Those are our little town's claims to fame.

    Big Whooop,
    Watson
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  • JoMac
    JoMac Member Posts: 192
    edited June 2005
    Watson,
    I took compozine for about a week after my first chemo. I think I took it every six hours. All I know is I felt better after taking it.
    I took it no matter how I felt and then suddenly I could tell I didn't need it any more.
    so compozine and ativan are my "co-pilots"
    I take the ativan .5mg before bed each night. I am taking one today before treatment because I am pretty nervous.
    I am really glad your leg cramps turned out to be regular leg cramps.
    Whew!
    I got up to early. My appt isn't until 9.
    I am going to see if we can get a syringe and have my husband give me the shot the next day.
    I think they will say no but I will ask anyway.
    The doctor is about 1/2 hour away so the round trip takes over an hour and I remember last time although we did it all I wanted to do was stay in be in and nap.
    This is my first time out into the real world without hair on my head.
    I'm glad it is cold today. The cap makes my head feel warmer.
    I hope everyone gets through all their various treatments today.
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  • Analemma
    Analemma Member Posts: 1,622
    edited June 2005
    Watson, my onc. gave me compazine and told me to definitely take it the afternoon of chemo, that night before bed, and in the morning before getting up. He said have compazine, saltines, and water, and lie in bed for about fifteen minutes. After that, take only if I felt I needed it. I didn't take it anymore yesterday (that would have been the first day after chemo) and I felt fine all day. I feel ok so far today, except I have the body/bone aches from the Neulasta. I put on a bra and it was uncomfortable on my shoulders and ribs, so I'm just in a t-shirt.
    Brenda
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  • kimBe
    kimBe Member Posts: 101
    edited June 2005
    The nigh after chemo and on Friday I took ativan or compazine every 8 hours, then didn't take any on Saturday cuz I felt okay and just wanted to sleep-which am thinking is why I was nauseated on Sunday.
    KimB
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  • NancyM
    NancyM Member Posts: 289
    edited June 2005
    Hi to everyone, and thanks for the warm wishes for my first chemo! I have to admit that I am also kinda losing track of who is doing what exactly. Hopefully after today I can pay better attention to those details (I've been a teeny bit self-involved due to anxiety over Chemo #1). But I sincerely hope you all are doing well today! image

    I kept myself busy (or would you call it procrastinating?) with the emoticons I found on the "Share Your Resources" thread. Here I thought I'd find a good book or two, but no, those ladies have found fun things to play with.

    image

    Alright, gotta get going....See ya later!
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  • danahollis
    danahollis Member Posts: 161
    edited June 2005
    Hi Junies!

    Well, I've spent the first half of my day being lazy. I got up about 5AM and sat in my comfy chair and surfed the net. Then I went back to bed for a while. Then I took a nice warm bath... a little too warm and it made me really weak...so I took another nap. Only problem was my towel was still on my head and now my longish pixie cut it sticking out in all kinds of strange ways! Plus, it gave me a headache from laying on a bunched up towel!

    I finally got up and made myself some lunch. I think I'm feeling a burst of energy! WOO HOO! I'm going to "run" with that and do some laundry and clean up my house.

    Nancy... I need those emtoicons! They are so cute. LOL!!!
    Post as soon as you can about your day!

    Happy Wednesday Ladies!
    Hugs!
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  • LizFL
    LizFL Member Posts: 377
    edited June 2005
    Nancy...love the emoticon !

    Have port now...ready for chemo!

    A lttle sore and tired...but not bad.

    Dana...glad that you are starting to get past the tiredness...me I'm going for a nap now!

    Liz
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  • MichelleB39
    MichelleB39 Member Posts: 51
    edited June 2005
    Hi everyone! Lots to read here today. This helps me so much - now I have lots more questions to ask my onc. I get my port on Monday and start chemo on Wednesday. I am not sure of the name of what I will be getting. I will ask. Thanks for all of the advice on the anti-nausea meds. I will definitely take those.

    I am so glad that I found you guys!
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  • LizFL
    LizFL Member Posts: 377
    edited June 2005
    image

    We are a pretty special group!

    Liz
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  • kimBe
    kimBe Member Posts: 101
    edited June 2005
    Worrying about my neutraphils for a week....but my blood work today shows I am fine for chemo tomorrow! Relief...hope everyone had a good day and will hopefully be able to tell you about Chemo #2 tomorrow night.
    KimB
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  • Analemma
    Analemma Member Posts: 1,622
    edited June 2005
    I haven't heard anyone but me whining about the aches after neulasta. Is no one else sore? I feel like I've been beaten (well, maybe I'm exaggerating a little). But really, how's it been for the rest of you? I've had no nausea to speak of, just a bit of a headache and not feeling real good, then this achiness. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow.

    And, to top it off, I got my period today. BTW, were any of you told not to use tampons during chemo? I'm thinking of ignoring that bit of advice, it wasn't in any of the printed materials. I'm 50 for god's sake, I hope chemo puts a stop to this!
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  • kimBe
    kimBe Member Posts: 101
    edited June 2005
    Brenda-there is a posting somewhere regarding tampons-used without a problem if I remember right-maybe try the May group.
    JoMac-you are so on top of things-I am debating about my hair...driving home tonight ran my fingers through my hair and OMG I know the definition of "by the handful", amd thinking that I have to shop for a wig tomorrow after chemo cuz I don't think it is going to last to Friday! I am going to call my friend that is taking me down and tell her to put her large dog travel kennel in the back of her pickup cuz I am sure her german shepard never shed as much as I am.Am afraid I am going to have to have a check list before I leave the house-glasses, hair and left boob.
    Hope everyone has at least one day this week as good as mine was today-I am just in such a good mood-all because my blood count was good enough to have chemo tomorrow-oh how our perceptions change. Have a good one and talk to you tomorrow after session #2.
    KimB
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  • kimBe
    kimBe Member Posts: 101
    edited June 2005
    ps Brenda-I did not have any aches or pains related to the Neulasta....sorry
    KimB
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  • LizFL
    LizFL Member Posts: 377
    edited June 2005
    Kim...so glad you can have chemo! I know I am worrying that something could delay mine. The sooner we get through the chemo the better!

    Hope the wig shopping goes well. At least we all know that that is just temporary. I was conservative and went with ones close to my own hair. I have been feeling like I'm bald already and haven't even started chemo!

    Goodnight hugs to all the Junies,
    Liz
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  • dha317
    dha317 Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2005

    Hi My Onc wants me to start chemo before the end of June (AC + Taxol x 4) followed with radiation and hormone therapy. I had lumpectomy May 18th removing 2 masses in right breast 3.8cm and 1.5cm no lymph node involvement ER postive HER2 negative Stage II invasive ductal carcinoma. Has anyone had similar diagnosis and treatment?

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  • zeamer3
    zeamer3 Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2005
    Hi Ladies,

    I've been out of commission for the last week due to my mastectomy incision not healing all the way! ugh . . . I now have to use a wound vac for about a week. I was really bummed out because I thought that this would probably delay my starting chemo but I saw the med onc nurse on Tues. and she thought that I should be fine to start June 24th. I was actually happy about this! I agree that our perspectives sure do change. You Ladies that have had your first treatment, any suggestions for what I might want to bring with me? Should I bring some strong hard candy to help with the metal taste that I've read may happen? Any advise would be great. It sounds like the good days are starting to outweigh the bad ones for all of us! Keep it up luck to all those having tx this week!
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  • danahollis
    danahollis Member Posts: 161
    edited June 2005
    Good Morning!

    I only had about 10 mins of aches from the Neulasta shot... well, I think maybe it was from that, but I'm not sure. I think I've been LUCKY so far with the side effects. Either that or I've managed to appropriately DRUG myself! LOL!!!

    Zeamer... I did take some hard candy to suck on. I did not get the metal taste, but I did have some very light burning in my sinuses and eyes that my nurse said was a side effect. It went away in about an hour... and was really no big deal. ( I was almost glad I felt SOMETHING as I would have been worried that they were just giving me saline if I hadn't had some reaction! )I think the candy gave me something to do, though, so I will bring it again. My Infusion Center has drinks and snacks and stuff like that, but if yours doesn't, I'd bring somethng to drink like juice or water for sure. I didn't snack at all (other than the candy)... because I think I was too keyed up on adrenaline to stomach anything. It turned out to be a very easy process and I won't be AS scared next week when I go again. At least I know it doesn't hurt or anything... it's just a long time of sitting around.

    The only thing I will do differently this time is to take Senna tabs (Stool Softener/Laxative) starting the day before chemo! I have decided that a steady diet of one pill in the AM and PM does me just fine in the in between times... but I think I'll ramp it up to 2 pills AM/PM before chemo day. My nurse said that Senna Tabs are perfectly fine and I could take quite a few of them as needed. Well...I needed!

    I hope that your first time goes smoothly! Please don't hesitate to ask if you have specific questions! There are some second round of chemo ladies here in our June Group too so they are even MORE seasoned Pros! We'll help you all we can!

    Junies, I'm thinking of you again today and hoping you are all doing well! Take care!

    Hugs!
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  • danahollis
    danahollis Member Posts: 161
    edited June 2005
    dha... I am Stage 1 and having AC X4 and then Taxol X4, followed by radiation and then a hysterectomy due to some mean and nasty precancerous cells in my cervix. My Oncologist said I need to get through the AC for sure, but then we'll take the Taxols one at a time and see if I can get through them as they add a little more insurance against recurrance. (Also incentive for me to get through the Taxols is an article I read that they may begin a trial to test Taxol on Cervical Cancer which I am on a knife's edge of having... totally unrelated to the breast cancer... just happened to catch it at the same time!)

    It seems that everyone is different as to how they handle each drug, but I find it really great to know what side effects do seem occur more often. The ladies here have shared so much and that makes this process quite a bit easier.

    Please keep us posted and ask if you need anything!

    Hugs!
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  • Watson
    Watson Member Posts: 1,490
    edited June 2005
    Hey All,
    I had my port put in yesterday. What an emotional day for some reason. I guess this was the only procedure left before the chemo so it's REAL now. Nothing else to tick off of the list of things to do except sit and wait for 6/23 (1st chemo)
    Plus, they couldn't find veins for bloodwork and IV, so they had to do them on the inside of my wrist. I'm a tough cookie, but I wimpered the whole time.
    Now I've got to start making my list of things like hard candy, etc to bring.
    Dana, thanks so much for starting this thread. It's a great resource of information and friends. Take care!
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  • LizFL
    LizFL Member Posts: 377
    edited June 2005
    Watson...I got very emotional when I set up the appointment for the port....just like you it was the reality that this was actually happening that upset me. With all the tests, etc. this past week they were running out of veins to use, so now I feel glad that I have the port. Glad you made it through...it's ok to whimper when you need to!

    Welcome to those joining us!
    Hugs,
    Liz
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  • NancyM
    NancyM Member Posts: 289
    edited June 2005
    Hi all,
    I survived the first chemo just fine, I guess I'd say I just felt a bit woozy afterward. My husband and I went to the store and picked up Jello and rice pudding, and then by the time I got home I needed to take one of the Compazines. Even though they gave me the Alixi (? spelling) that stays in your system for a few days, I did need the Compazine, too. Then, during the night I had to get up several times to pee out all the extra water I drank! And I felt very icky and flu-like and I thought "I'm so not doing this again, I quit!" but this morning I feel pretty good!

    Today I have a rapid heartbeat at times, and from what I can tell from the side effect list it must be from the Neulasta. I think I'll give the doc a call and mention it to them as it is listed under "rare" side effects on the info they gave me. I also have a question about when it should be given - the patient info says not to be given within 14 days of chemo!!! Have any of you who are getting dose dense with Neulasta heard of this? It said something about causing myeloid sensitivity, is that the bone pain? Then why don't they just say so? I was thinking the chemo trying to kill the cells and the Neulasta trying to make them grow was going to cause some horrible science experiment gone wrong in my bones! My husband told me to stop reading so much. *sigh*

    A very nice woman in the chemo room was giving me advice, and it turns out she had a mastectomy 8 years ago and now the cancer is in her bones and brain. She offered me her phone number in case I had questions. I thought, "are you kidding? What can I do for YOU?" It seems the people with the most going on are the most generous with themselves. I wish I had known what I could say to her, but we just chatted about our kids. She's only 45.

    On a much lighter note, I went to emoticons4u.com to find this: image
    and if it was not for copy and paste I would have no clue on how these work! They are fun to play with!

    Well, there is my 2 cents worth for the chemo diary! I hope you all have a fabulous day!
    Nancy
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  • danahollis
    danahollis Member Posts: 161
    edited June 2005
    Nancy... so happy to hear from you! Glad it went ok. I had my Neulasta shot 24 hours later... I thought that was common?!?! Hmmm... I guess I see this whole deal as one big science experiment... hopefully it's a good working one!

    Anyway... hugs to all!
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  • MichelleB39
    MichelleB39 Member Posts: 51
    edited June 2005
    It's funny how life is. I found out I needed to have chemo and was upset, got over it, getting port in on Monday and was told chemo would be Wednesday. They called today saying no room until the next week and I don't want to wait! The other thing is, my folks made arrangements to come and take care of me and now they might have to change their travel plans. Today is a roller coaster!

    Hopefully my onc will override and make room for me on Wednesday. I just want to get it started so I will be that much closer to it being over.

    I know it sounds petty, but I figured I could vent with you ladies. Thanks
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