Starting Chemo October 2009

Boy it's funny how our meds vary.  I do not have a prescription for Emend. Could it be because I am on TC and not having A? 

   Today (day prior to chemo)  I am taking am and pm 8mgs of Decadron. I also have to take it day of chemo and day after chemo.   I have prescriptions for Zofran8 mgs every 8 hours for 3 days, Compazine 10mg every 6-8 hours as needed and Ativan 1mg every 4 hours as needed.  This should keep me busy...and hopefully not nauseous.

   I have been busy tonight packing my bag...probably won't need half of it. I packed snacks for DH to keep him humored.

good luck to all tomorrow...Jean

What a great idea. Will join even though my English is not perfect.

 My protocol: 3x FEC + 3x Taxotere (2 FEC done, 1st on October 1st, Second on October 22nd).

 Side effects: nausea, vomitting (not "that" bad but still not comfortable), fatigue. After the third day, my energy comes back and the 4th day, I feel as a whole new me again, walking 30 min to an hour each day and doing some spinning sessions... for my "morale".

Last time, my WBC was really low and the onc. is afraid that next treatment would be delayed so I'm on Neupogen for 7 days. First day was pretty bad with the weird feeling in the bones but then it got all back to "normal" ... except for the auto-injection each day..!

Keep up the smiles and let's beat that thing!

Good luck to all those who start this week.

Hi again!

Back from Pesto's.  A nice Greek pasta dish and a glass of red wine for my Last Meal before Chemo!

I am hoping my se's are as mild this time as the first.  I used ONE compazine last time, and that was to try to make me sleep.  I think I used valium on 2 or 3 nights.  Running low on that, so maybe he will give me more or ativan if I need it.  I know they put aloxi in with the decadron before they start the cytoxan.  But honestly, I think the ginger pills and ginger tea did the trick for me on nausea.  As soon as I would feel a little bit bad I would take a capsule or make some tea.

I do think the CT combo may cause less se's than Adriamycin or some of the other drugs.  Could be wrong and maybe I just lucked out the first go 'round.

I have made a big note to myself to take some tylenol an hour before chemo tomorrow to try to stave off the sinus pressure.  I am also trying to cut back on my weekend bag for chemo!  I will still bring the little cooler with some snacks, but I am going to leave the computer at home.  I will try to facebook on my ipod.  ONE book and maybe TWO magazines.  Lots of water, but no vitamin water.  The nurse said they stock popsicles so I don't have to bring mine from home!  I have a friend coming with me who is in remission from chronic leukemia.  Her doctor has told her to get her blood checked, but she is resistant.  I am hoping she will see that it is not so scary here (she was being treated in Australia) and will schedule an appointment. 

Good night Y'all!  I may not sleep for awhile due to steroids, but maybe I can get some bills paid, etc.  Have a good one!

Laura 

Hi ladies, I'm amazingly feeling a smidge better today.  DH has been keeping track of all the meds I've gone through since Friday, and hooboy, it is a long list.  No wonder I'm feeling groggy and icky!  I took some Vicodin today to help with the bone pain, so hopefully that'll help.  They're predicting a huge snowstorm here tonight (Colorado), so I'm hoping DH can stay home tomorrow, then maybe I'll go back to work Thursday. 

 Wishing you all the best!  Oh, and any particular popsicle recommendations?  I used to love root beer, do they still make them?

Morning All,

Am trying to keep up with all your posts but things including minor work tasks are becoming blurry. Did a deposit last week that was a few thousand wrong (not in my favor) definitely chemo brain settling in. I go for tx #3 today, am on steroids so didn't sleep much last night.

I ended up with a UTI when I was in Winnipeg for two weeks, was on antibiotics for 5 days but have a sneaking suspicion its still lurking in the background so had them retest me when I went in for my blood work. Will find out the results soon. Also got the go ahead from the Oncologist to get both flu vaccinations! Heavily recommended, almost ordered... so I will have that done sometime this week.

Mary, Your first wig looks a lot like mine but its a little lighter and has a few streaks in it. Love the fact that you have a few looks to play with  I have one long but its not as nice as yours. Dh calls it my hippie chick look. hmmm.

So no roll call yet but hope everyone having tx this week will have smooth sailing. Lol so far all I bring for chemo is my water bottle. They have warmed blankets for me and a pair of ice gloves to wear for an hour and a half. they are so bulky that I cant even read  Am really hoping they save the nails. So far have not used nail polish on any of my nails so I can monitor them. Just cuticle cream and tea tree oil.

Best wishes for no se's and smooth sailing through the rest of this week and "Halloween" lol sorry to say I'm turning the lights out and watching a movie after a baby back rib dinner . All the kids are my sons age now in this area (19-21) so trick or treating is long gone.

Warm hugs to you all, may you stay se free . Suz

Valerie - I understand about liking the bald.  I like it too.  Makes me appreciate my ears and face more!

So easy now too - not that my real hair wasn't easy just took a bit of time and maintenance. 

It is cold and I don't think I could leave the house with a naked bald head - it's only 4C (40F) here and chilly!

I do wear a nice warm fleece hat around the house and I'm very tempted to hang a sign on our door that says "Enter at your own Risk - Boobless Bald Mother on the Premises!"

I think the kids would die of embarassment though so I haven't done that yet!

I'm on a steroid high today and hope to get some stuff done around here before I crash.  So far so good with this second tx - no vomitting/nausea and headache under control.

Today I'm going to eat my 22 seedless green grapes and that area will be under control again too!

Today is also Day #1 of 7 for my neupogen and I'm going to the clinic for a refresher on injecting myself.  Don't want to hit a bleeder again like last time!

Have a great day everyone and HUGS to all!

Marie

Hi Michele, I live in Boulder.  Just found out that they're closing the University at 2pm, so even if I had gone in today, I'd be leaving early!  I grew up in Minnesota, so I definitely like the "Oh no, snow! Close everything!" reaction that I never had growing up! 

Tomorrow is my tx day and I am on round 4 of AC.  Last one!!!! Yay.  Unfortunately I have 4 rounds of taxol/taxatore after that so still not done.

I give my neupgen shots in the back of my arm, front thighs and lower back.  Anywhere that is fatty on me.  I have lots of choices.  LOL.

Oh, I'm not the one with H1N1 (unless you ladies know something I don't)!  But I had to chime in about the shots.  Who would've thought when we were taking our wedding vows years ago that they'd include our hubbies having to stick us with shots for bone marrow growth?  We've done two shots in the stomach that hurt less than the one I tried in the thigh.  Maybe the arm will be tonight!  Oh, the excitement.

 I'm currently doing a strand test to see if I want to dye my hair platinum blonde tomorrow (so it'll be blond for Halloween, then fall out anyway).  I've never dyed it before, and ugh does it stink!

LOL MarieK, we all have the flab....

TX #2 finished for me!  And I have a smiley face because it went off without a hitch!

Jean - I'm sure your arm will be ok.  Raise it over your head and do some stretches.  I have heard that that helps keep lymphadema away.  Don't worry!!

I used the heat wrap on my wrist again this morning.  I put it on about an hour before they go for the iv.  So far, my veins have just popped right up.  I would like to avoid a port if I can.

Bad news is that Dr. C says I do not need Zometa.  Still thinking of going to Mexico for some good old Boniva, but darned if that guy can't make everything sound so reasonable!!  And he was a little warm and fuzzy today!  Guess I didn't make him mad.  We talked a little about Tamoxifen - he is a fan of it for me.  Said that if the cancer came back it would most likely be ER+ and the Tamoxifen would help with that.  He said that it does NOT encourage ER- cancer.  I CAN drink Green Tea, but no SuperGreens or alkalyzing drinks.  He said we would talk about Lupron or Zoladex later (after we see if my periods stop from the chemo).  By that, I'm sure he means YES but he doesn't want me to get upset about it yet.

Had fills with WonderDoc before chemo.  They now both have the same amount of saline in them, but rightie still looks bigger due to the 2d surgery scar.  I should schedule him as the last appointment of the day because he is so great.  Basically, he can fix everything.  AND he is going to take care of all of my other torso issues (bad belly button and tummy tuck scar) when he does the exchange surgery.  And he agreed to suck out/cut out anything ugly or fat related so that I never have to worry about that area again!!  I'm sure he was just appeasing me, but it felt really good to laugh before I went to the chemo appointment.

Drinking some ginger mint tea, but not feeling nauseous.  It just tastes good!

Going to rest now.  Hope you all have a nice night!

Laura 

Marie, I don't know her, but I bet she means well.  She is just not expressing it in the way you want.  She probably thinks that by buying all the pink stuff she is donating money to the cause. She needs to keep the stuff for herself, you are the one that doesn't need the reminder.

You just have to love them.

Juannelle

Marie...I agree with Juannelle...you just gotta love them!  I had a similar gift.........a really nice big coffee cup with a breast cancer theme.  I can't make myself use it.  I have decided I will use it AFTER this is all over and feel good about making it through!

Laura, Jean, congrats on making it through today!  One more smiley face!

And the flab thing.........so many choices!  I had my neulasta shot given.  The first place they used was the back of my upper arm......it worked, so we've stuck with it. (Literally!)

Enjoyful, I forgot to mention earlier, Vicodin does the trick for me with the bone pain from Neopogen.  In fact, it does the trick with pretty much any pain...

 Jen, you are rocking the bald look!  My port isn't bruised, but it creeps me out how I can feel a wire in there.  The actual bump itself is covered by what looks like a fake Halloween scar:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/boobcancersucks/4053766207/in/set-72157622560974223/.

Oh, and about the pink ribbon merchandise--the only thing I've used so far from a few gift bags is a mini-Kleenex set.  I figure wiping my snot with awareness is ok for now!