Starting Chemo October 2009

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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited January 2010

    Princess JOJO  ~ yes on the tamoxifen.  ugh ~

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  • CAtharsis
    CAtharsis Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2010

    @MaryNY: Me, me, me, ... last tx Thursday, can't wait. Feel like a child waiting for X'mas!

    On the tastebuds thing, yuk! Almost a whole week after Taxotere, I have the vivid feeling of eating paper... everything tastes nothing. Hate it!!!

    On the hair, after my 2nd Taxotere, my hair seems to be growing  back... I think I'm hoping too much... we'll see...

     :)

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited January 2010
    Catharsis: between hair growing back and last treatment this week, it must feel like Christmas is coming Smile
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  • valeriekd
    valeriekd Member Posts: 287
    edited January 2010

    Good evening ladies- Just checking in- nothing good or bad happening -regular chemo brain but basically relaxed. Poor DH suffering w/ root canal 2 nite - I am the nurse this time (I think he may throw up from the VicodinUndecided).

    Hey Jean where is that boston thread?

    Love you guys- Valerie 

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  • MarieK
    MarieK Member Posts: 911
    edited January 2010

    MaryNY - try taking your Vit D at night.  I switched and it has helped me with my sleeping through the night.

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  • joanneasiata
    joanneasiata Member Posts: 719
    edited January 2010

    MARIEK

    What does vitamin D do ? I'm just taking a good strong multi vitamin ill take something else if it helps any thing !!!!

    VAL

    Your poor DH is he a good patient or just a big sook ,most men are dying when they have a common cold  lol

    Two more sleeps till next TX , oh boy im trying to stay positive !!!! its a bit bl##dy hard

    PRINCESS JOJO

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited January 2010

    Alicia, I am so happy for you...things are looking up.

    Lainie, sorry about your mother...I know it is hard to stand/ lay back and let others do what you would jump to do...I hate needing people and have a hard time asking for help.   must get over that.

    I am having a hard time gagging down water or anything like water..I put a few drops of lemon juice in it to change it up a bit...I had a hard time yesterday with the poop fairy...she almost killed me..but I gave her  the punt and I feel a bit better..next time I shall start taking the soflax and senacot sooner...like on chemo day...

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited January 2010

    JoJo: There is a link between low Vit D levels and breast cancer. My onc tested my Vit D levels three weeks ago and my result was low—18.8 ng/ml, where the optimum level is 25-80 ng/ml. The primary source of Vit D is that it's made in the skin after exposure to sunlight, so your levels are likely good since you live in Australia. But you and anyone else on here might want to have your onc check your Vt D levels, unless that's already been done. In my case I'm not sure if the chemo had already reduced my Vit D levels or if they would naturally be this low in Winter.

    Dietary sources include fish and fish oils. I've started taking a Vit D3 supplement.

    Marie: I started taking Vit D and Calcium at night a couple of nights ago. No sign of any improvement yet. I was always a good sleeper, I could sleep 8-9 hours straight without waking up, so this is new to me.

    Michele: Have you tried drinking seltzer water or sparkling water?

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  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited January 2010

    Oh, Alicia, I'm so glad you don't have to do rads!!  What great news!  Hope you're feeling ok after tx yesterday.

    Lainieo, I'm sorry to hear of the trouble your mom has been through.  I'm sure your sister has everything under control.  It is hard not to be there, though, I understand.

    That food thing...so frustrating!  I have always been a chocoholic, so when I SEE chocolate, I think yummy, but then when I TASTE chocolate, it's yuck-o.  Everything needs tons of salt, and sweet things just don't taste good.  I used to live off of Crystal Lite Fruit Punch, but the stuff just tastes too weird now to drink.  Not much tastes good.  That's probably why I was experiencing all that dizziness and such.  The nurse said I was probably starting to get dehydrated.  So, I've been eating soup and drinking cappuccino and orange juice.  Blech.

    Hope everyone is having a good day!  I'm trying to regain my energy.  The Cleaning For a Reason people come tomorrow, hooray!

    Peace to all,

    Shelby 

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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited January 2010

    Thanks girls ! 

    And yes Michele.... I started the Miralax immediately last night ~  The constipation was brutal last taxol.  I don't want to go through that again.  Glad you got that under control. 

    :)

    Alicia

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  • valeriekd
    valeriekd Member Posts: 287
    edited January 2010

    Hi Folks-

    I always start Miralax the chemo day b/c of the Zofran and it takes 3 days to work but then aha! and then just a stool softener after that if necessary.

    Congrats on no rads Alicia! Great news.

    Congrats on getting thru this tx w/o so much trouble Shelby and JO JO I'll pray for minimal side effects and remember crying to the onc is not the worst idea! 

    Thanks for the smiley Mary!  and love to all-Valerie

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited January 2010

    Mary, thanks for updating my smiley as well...

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  • joanneasiata
    joanneasiata Member Posts: 719
    edited January 2010

    HI ALL

    MARY

    Il  ask my onco about vit D I'm always in the sun love it so i hope its not down to much or ill have to go down the beach more ahha good excuse lol

    ALICIA

    on ya girl no rads  your the lucky one

    MICHELE

    Love your humor your so funny the poo fairy hope mine will be kind to me i feel all teared up in that area boo hoo  or should we say poo hoo

    SHELBY

    My mouth hasn't been the same this last TXs it feels like a gooey film all through my mouth and still that chemical taste and yep i loved chocolates as well now it hurt my mouth especially my tongue, and thirsty i drink around 3 liters of water a day , I'm way over water i might try putting mint leaves in it see how that goes , i hated beer could only drink Shandie's 1/2 lemonade 1/2 beer ,now i like it straight i crave the stuff, any way its nearly over for us strong women and then back to our normal lives

    1 MORE SLEEP FOR PRINCESS JOJO THEN JOJO JUST WILL COME AND TAKE OVER

    BEST WISHES TO ALL

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  • DebbiD
    DebbiD Member Posts: 14
    edited January 2010

    Finished treatment # 5.  This is the first of four AC treatments and it was SO MUCH EASIER than taxotere. I would be thrilled if the next three were like this one!

    Blessings to all of you! 

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited January 2010

    Mary, I am enjoying the break between chemo and rads.  For the first time in probably 6 months, I don't have a doctors appointment this week.  I hardly know what to do.  I keep telling myself, that this is a really good week, because if I had another chemo it would be this week.  It is hard to believe  that I am finished.  I have noticed some hair growth, but I am not sure it will stay in.  Just waiting to see what will happen.

    jojo, hoping you will have very mild  SEs with this tx.  You will be through soon and it will just be a distant memory.

    debbi, congrats on tx #5.  Glad it is easier than Taxotere.

    shelby, I am still having some taste bud problems.  Food just has a different taste.  But soon maybe I will be back to normal.  How is your new job going?  Hope all is going well.

    michele, I guess we all hate the constipation.  At least that is normally one thing that you can control during treatments if we start on it soon enough.  I am glad you got it all taken care of.

    valerie,  sorry about your DH.  Hope he keeps it down and starts feeling better soon. 

    CAtharsis, I think it will  take a while for the taste to come back.  I am still waiting.  I am still waiting on the hair.  It will come with time I guess.

    alicia, hope you are having a good evening.  How is your DH?

    marie, I just started taking Vit D last  night, because everyone was saying we were usually low.  I have started taking several other supplements also, I hope they help.

    Love to all,

    Juannelle

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited January 2010

    One-L,

    How much Vit D are you taking? Have you read the Vitamin D thread on this board?

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  • Hollycan
    Hollycan Member Posts: 33
    edited January 2010

    MaryNY I have night sweats too, thought it was the chemo but maybe it is early menopause brought on by the chemo (I am only 40).  It's pretty gross, especially when I think about all of the chemicals I must be sweating out, sometimes I have to get up 2-3 times in one night to change my pj's cause I get so drenched.  My constipation has been awful as well.  Michelle, I loved your comment about the poop fairy, that's exactly how I felt the last two treatments.  I have a tx tomorrow and started taking docusate yesterday to prepare for it...  Wish me luck!

    As for beverages, I have a couple of things that have been tasting fairly decent lately:  Becks non-alcoholic beer quenches my cravings for beer (weird, becuase I am not a beer person and hardly ever drink beer, would love to satisfy my wine craving with non-alcoholic wine but it's nasty). Sparkling water tastes pretty good and sometimes I infuse water with slices of cucumber, orange and mint.  Can't drink water from the fridge anymore - tastes weird so I have been buying bottled water lately...

    Warm and positive wishes to all of you!

    Holly-can (and will kick this thing)!  Smile

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  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited January 2010

    Jojo - thinking of you today!  Hope all goes well.

    That goes for everyone - Hope the s/e's are minimal for all my breast friends (haha, I saw that somewhere at my doctor's office the other day).

    Peace to all...

    Shelby 

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited January 2010

    Holly: Yes, the night sweats are so unpleasant. Although I'm 53, I hadn't started menopause prior to this but now my periods have stopped. But of all the SEs, the constipation is the one I find most unpleasant. I hope you're drinking lots of water today. A nurse friend swears by drinking of warmed prune juice (hot as tea) in the morning. I would do that everyday but find the taste sickeningly sweet.

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  • Hollycan
    Hollycan Member Posts: 33
    edited January 2010

    MaryNY, thanks for the reminder about the water, I totally forgot about it and my tx is in 2 hours... Yeah, I think the constipation (and the unpleasant mouth tastes, etc.) are my most unpleasant SE's too.  Don't think I would be able to handle warm prune juice, thanks for the suggestion though.

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited January 2010

    Hi to all just having a quick check in...still exhausted, but I am making through..I keep drinking that water, but god it makes me want to puke...

    'Good luck Jojo...you can do it...

    A good day to all..

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  • CAtharsis
    CAtharsis Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2010

    Night sweats... I thought they were a chemo SE... menopause?! At 37!? I guess this is another demonstration of how the crab hits us more than we expect. These days, I'm waking up 3-4 times / night sometimes changing clothes ... Then it's one leg out, one leg in; cannot seem to find the comfortable room temperature.

    Tomorrow's my last chemo and then, off to surgery......... and rads........... I feel like chemo is the worst part. Am I right? I guess it depends on a lots of factors.

    Good luck and courage to those having treatments this week and for the others, enjoy the free time "in between" the tx.

    Isabelle

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited January 2010

    Drinking water is so difficult when you get to the point that it tastes nasty. I'm finding it hard to take in enough liquids. Michele, have you tried sparkling water such as San Pellegrino or Perrier?

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited January 2010

    Isabelle: good luck tomorrow with your last treatment! I'm wondering once chemo is over how often will I have to go back to see the onc.

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited January 2010

    Good luck tomorrow, Isabelle, I can't wait to be done, yet at the same time I dread it because this is getting harder each time..

    Mary, I hate sparkling water at the best of times...have never tried the other stuff.  Today I am drinking gatoraid and it going down ok...ice water is not so bad today as well. Perhaps it just freezes my throat enough..I might even resort to milk, which I hate too..at this point I will try most anything.

    Well it has been a while since we heard from Jaclyn...I think her operation was this week..I hope and prey that all went well...

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  • valeriekd
    valeriekd Member Posts: 287
    edited January 2010

    I have been thinking about Jaclyn also. I hope things are manageable- 

    if you gotta force liquids down -Im w/ you Michelle gatoraid or pedialyte gives the best bang for the buck. 

    Jo Jo - Hoping things are ok- FEC is awful, huh? (don't know much about it).

    Good luck CAtharsis! (I think the chemo was the worst of 2 surgeries - longest!)

     Here's to few ses Holly.

    Have a good day ladies- Valerie 

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited January 2010

    I would take FEC any day over Taxatere....I was told this was a walk in the park...HA

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  • Hollycan
    Hollycan Member Posts: 33
    edited January 2010

    Well just completed number 5 - Yay!!!  MaryNY please give me another smiley.

    White blood cell counts were high (14.1) as though I am fighting an infection of some sort but they gave me the transfusion anyways and started me on antibiotics just in case.  I thought I had signs of a sinus infection a couple of days ago so maybe thats it.  I took an xray after the chemo so we'll know for sure by the end of the day.  If that's not it then who knows.  Has anyone else experienced this?

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  • jeanl151
    jeanl151 Member Posts: 146
    edited January 2010

    Things are going well here. Number 5 treatment is next week so this is an up week for me. Glad to hear I am with great company wthen it comes to se. We sure do all have similar stories.

      Val - that thread is "Boston Area". There get together is Sunday but I cannot attend

    take care,  Jean

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited January 2010

    Onty, I am taking 2000 iu.  I just started it Monday and I will check out the Vit D thread.  Thanks for the tip.

    Hollycan, wishing you luck on your TX.  I couldn't drink water from the faucet, I also had to drink bottled water and it didn't always taste good either.  There were times when nothing tasted good.  I never had to worry about high WBC, mine were always low, but fortunately, I didn't get  sick while doing chemo.

    Isabelle, congrats on making it to the last tx.  You will be surprised at how good you will feel when the last one is  completed. 

    MaryNY,  I will go see my Onc once a month for several months, then go on a 3 month schedule, then 6 months.  She said she would be seeing me for at least  10 years.

    Good evening Valerie  and Michele, have a great evening.

    Juannelle

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