November 2009-Starting Chemo

Having my 3rd A/C treatment tomorrow ...Just when Ive been feeling great the last week...I just get anxious worrying about it , but once there Im fine.....My husband brings his lap top and we watch a funny movie each time...I get my Neulasta shot right after Chemo as we live 45 min from Oncology Center in Syracuse.The first time my body ached bad, second time less..I asked my Dr. about taking Benedryl but she said No, take Tylenol. ..I really hate how smells bother me too..I have lost 10 lbs since I was diagonosed with BC...wonder why.  The Steroids must not have much effect on me,  as I remember Nurse saying "Oh yeah, you might not be able to sleep and clean your house from Head to toe all night !!"  That hasnt happened yet !!! One more treatment  on the 28th, then my surgery on Jan. 12th....Then 12 Weeks of Taxol with Hercepton for a year..

Hi Girls,

 Had my second tx on Wednesday. The port area was inflamed that night and I had to get it checked - looks ok now. They think it might have been the dressing they put over it after.

I'm taking the tummy drugs which will hopefully stop the bad wind pain this time. Feeling a bit wobbly today, but still on the steroid high. All prepared for the leg pains too.

My hair stopped falling out, so now I have a nice even light buzz. I did have very very thick hair. I'm still glad I got it buzzed because it's so hot here in sunny Queensland. I'm sure this treatment will finish it off though.

 Hope all of you warriors who have had a treament this week are ok. 2 down 4 to go!!!

WOW.  I just spent the last 1 1/2 hrs. catching up on 4 pages of messages that I hadn't read.  Have been busy, so haven't been on everyday as in the past.  I'll try to mention all the "items" I was trying to commit to memory while I was reading the posts.  Uh...memory??!!  Where are you?!

 I, too, had read never to get the Neulasta injection until 24 hrs. after chemo, so I was surprised to see that mabelle (I think) got it the day of.  I had mild pain with the 8 Neupogen shots the first 2 TX's.  Switched to the one Neulasta after my 3rd TX (due to fear of needles) and so far, day 10 post-TX, no pain at all. 

I had my pre-Taxol appt. with my onc this week.  She said the SE's for Taxol are much less severe, hence me getting the Taxol every week for 8 weeks, then she proceeds to tell me the possibleSE's and they were scary, but she said if any of them are severe, there are meds. to take to help. 

 Wigs need to be thinned out, so anyone not happy with theirs might want to consider taking it to a wig-person or hairstylist and having them thin it.  (My wig-person said most wigs come with enough hair to make 2 more wigs.)

BrendShar, I wasn't going to mention S-E-X, but when I read your posting about not wanting it beforethe cancer, I just had to chime in...ever since menopause, I've lost all desire and it is horribly painful whenever we did.  My primary care doc can find no medical reason and I've tried every lube short of motor oil.  Luckily, my hubby is extremely understanding and patient, just waiting for the time when I go back to wanting to jump his bones.  And, speaking of his johnson...no one told me about the potential of toxicity of the chemicals to it, though for us, it would have been a mute point anyway.  (Is there a pun in there??!!)  Hope this doesn't scare all you, youngins, out there who aren't at the menopause stage yet.  Not everyone has these "SE's."

Hubby and son are wonderfully capable around the house.  My 15 yr. old son does the laundry if I can't.  (Yes, I'm bragging.)  He has done his own clothes for the past 3 years because of a nasty habit he had of putting clean clothes in with dirty because he was too lazy to put them away.  That's when I refused to do his laundry anymore and made him do his own.

hmmmm.  I wonder if I covered everything I wanted to...oh,  I ended up back at the onc today.  Yesterday, I discovered swelling and tenderness over the last rib on my lumpectomy side.  Today, the swelling and tenderness had increased.  Onc fit me in her schedule today and said I pulled a muscle and it was soft tissued swelling around it.  The only exercising I had done was 10 mins. on a rowing elliptical machine on Monday, nothing yesterday, and 10 on a rowing stair-step today.  Neither were anything strenuous.  I was just trying to workout enough to hopefully keep any lymphedema (sp?) and joint pain away.  Guess the chemo makes every body part weaker.

Re: taste buds...mine usually go to hell the first week after TX and return just in time for me to enjoy 3-4 days of good food before going away again after the next TX.  I usually get the mouth sores during the good tasting days...go figure.  Smells are much stronger that 1st week, too, though our fireplace, in this damp weather here in VA following the snow, is all I can smell the past few days.

I've only taken Compazine at night, but I haven't noticed that it helps me to sleep any more. 

BoxerSue...my chem. nurse slows down my Cytoxin infusion by a half-hour to help prevent headaches, since I get migraines on a good day.  See if that might help you.  Of course, it adds a half-hour onto the TX.

I've done lots of shopping on the internet this year. 

My daughter is coming home from college tomorrow for 4 weeks and I CAN'T WAIT!!  She's even taking me to my TX next Tuesday.  We'll have 3 1/2 hrs. to talk.

Sorry this is long.  Wishing SE-free days for everyone, today, tomorrow, and over the weekend.  Nette

Good evening everyone!  Just like Alicia, I've been exhausted all day today - trying to fight off this stupid infection hasn't helped.  I did find out yesterday my counts are good, so I'm happy about that!

Just a quick note to say hello and I hope everyone is having a good day!  Good luck with everyone going in for treatment tomorrow!  I'm going back to the couch now! 

Linda

What a lot of posting! The short difference between neulasta and nupogen is that neulasta is time-release and nupogen is not... so it has to be administered more frequently. I chose the neulasta because I figured the even release might be easier to handle than the surges from daily injections and because the pharmacist said she gets fewer calls from users about pain from the neulasta. I have felt sensations in my legs and hips but  no real pain. Good luck.

It's cold and I'm grateful for my array of hats... but I get hot when I go back inside. Twice now I have just taken it off (and felt so daring but tried to appear nonchalant!). No one batted an eye. I decided if I could deal with it, they can. I'm aware this may be easier with strangers. Holiday parties coming up will test my boldness (baldness!). 

Best to everyone.

Becca

BrendaSharon - thanks so much for all the information! I really appreciate it. I wasn't given a choice between the two, so I'll ask my onc what her reasoning was when I see her next. I have a feeling it might be a cost thing. I don't have extended health insurance, and these "extra drugs" like neupogen aren't covered under our standard health care. Each dose will cost $200.00 (I need about 40 doses). Luckily I qualify for a a program called Fair Pharmacare where the government will pay for 70% of the price of the drugs. Still, $60 x 40 doses is a whole lot of money! I shouldn't complain though... I haven't had to pay a dime so far (3 surgeries, MRIs, many mammograms, biopsies... the list goes on and on)

The AC stands for Adriamycin (or Doxorubicin) and Cyclophosphamide. I think that's what you thought.

Micheleboots - I take it Ontario doesn't cover the cost of neupogen either. I wonder what their reasoning is... Its an integral part of the chemotherapy, not a choice. Why don't they pay for it!!??

Nette - love your reference to the 'johnson'. I haven't heard that term in a while, and it cracked me up. 

Cat60, Toya and everyone else going in on Friday - good luck with your treatments!  

take care all!

Hi Ladies,

I am going to try to be a little more alive today. The poopy fairy is being cruel, she is leaving "gifts" but they are rocks. I feel like I have done my cardio workout for the day just to deposit my little gravel gifts. I took some Milk of Magnesia last night, plus ate fast food, maybe that will get things moving.

I smell like chemicals, I don't want to hug people. Maybe it is just my sense of smell, but the kids do say I smell like chemicals.

On the WBC shots, I don't get either, my insurance won't pay. That is why I do Tx every three weeks instead of biweekly. Knock on wood...I haven't developed an infection. My temperature hasn't been up to 98.6 since I started chemo.

My tree is up, I have done 75% of my shopping online. I may be able to pull off Christmas , afterall. This is one of those times I hate being divorced, I could sure use a parenting partner. But my ex and I have NO relationship, we don't speak at all. It keeps the stress down by not having to deal with him, but you would think that we could pull it together during major stress times.

Hope everyone has a decent day.

Boxer Sue: Something you said to Doronet piqued my interest. I get very bad sinus headaches/burning sensation from the Cytoxin. The first tx was 30 min. When I asked if it could be slowed down, the nurse said yes, but it has to be administered within one hour from mixing. They slowed in down to 45 minutes, but said they could not go over 60 min. Interesting...

Cafelovr

I will certainly ask next tx.  I'm at Johns Hopkins so I just always trust what they do/say and maybe I shouldn't.

I will definitely bring this up.  Thanks

I was originally going to have cytoxan for four cycles, like many of you, and then my onc decided that carboplatin for 6 cycles was going to be better for me  (along with taxotere and herceptin). Listening to the talk of headaches, I am so glad... I am a total wimp when it comes to headaches, I can hardly stand them. I hope yours get better soon.

I've got the 3rd week delights! Wishing you each something special.

Becca

Kayh - I had the shot in the hospital and suffered no joint pain even though the Cytoxan and Taxotere totally immobilized me. Hopefully you won't suffer this SE.

Toyah ~ you amaze me !!  I am so glad you are feeling pretty good.  I get the Adriamycian which I think is also called Doxiroubine or something - its the RED one.  And I wasn't told anything about hot drinks or dusting.  Nothing like that.  Then I get the Cytoxen drip they do me pretty fast, about 35 mins.  Then the headache kicks in.  Mine sits there too while they give me the red stuff via push through my iv. 

Becca ~ my hair is gone everywhere I am like a hairless cat.  I do love that the peach fuzz that my 40's brought on to my face, has gone and my skin is nice and smooth !  My complexion is the only thing that has benefited from chemo as it sloughed off all the dead skin it seems.

Littlebird ~ good to hear from you.  Hope you are feeling better !!!

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend ~  my pre-chemo jitters set in by tomorrow.  Did I mention I hate chemo and it apparently hates me BACK?! 

Hugs !

Alicia

I have rough stubble still on my crown, top back sort of area.  I was going to shave it but figured if it's going to grow leave it.  I will see if Round 4 Monday knocks it all out.  I seem to lose a bit more with each TX.  Funny thing is like an idiot I still wash my hair in the shower.  I DON"T freaking have any. 

Alicia: The lady that buzzed me said I could still use shampoo and conditioner, why would I do that?? I guess she was just trying to sell more products. Usually, I just use my face bar soap in the shower, face and scalp both. Then I slather on moisturizer on my scalp and face and neck.

I think it is funny trying to apply blush, if you are supposed to brush the blush to your hairline, now I don't know where to stop!