Is it the A or the C?

Yep, i just think they are all evil! But the good news is you got through it, and thats one less to do! Just keep plugging along, the only way to get to the end is by keeping on going.

Try and do something you enjoy on your "good" days!

Hope I'm not pointing out the obvious here, but be sure your oncologist is giving you lots of fluids IV.  Before the infusion, of course, but also the next day when you go in for the neulasta injection get more fluids.  Then drink, drink, drink.

No doubt about it,  this stuff is "wicked" as you said.  I remember I slept like I never have before, and I also wept.  I am not a weapy person, but believe me, I was during treatment.  My onco nurse said it was the decadron highs and lows causing that.  I don't know, but it was an experience I won't forget.  

I think it's the adriamycin, but I don't know for sure.  I had AC so how could you separate it?  For me I became a bit weaker with each blast of treatment and my recovery was slow once treatment was done.  I was told this was normal, but I don't know.  I wasn't a bc.org poster in those days.  If I had known about this site, I sure would have been here comparing notes with others.

Giant hug for all you are going through.  Think of all of us in a circle around you sending warm, loving thoughts for strength and health.  

Hugs. 

The Adriamycin scares me the most. My physician friends call it Big Red but they even have this reverential face when they say it. Big guns for a big solution. I call it friendly poison.Its kicking my butt too. I'm exhausted and have about 3 or 4 terrible days, then they get better.

Its worth the horror, it is a very effective treatment and will help me see my grandkids one day.

Hang in there!  My first round of AC was truly horrible, but the next 3 were honestly far more managable.  I hope it goes the same for you.  I also got that UTI-type urgency/pain (though I never actually got one) whenever I didn't keep enough water going through me.  I drank water constantly before, during, and after - day and night - with the next 3 which I think helped a lot.  I've had a horrible time actually trying to sleep through this round, but when I did, DH would even wake me up periodically to drink more and go to the bathroom.  I just finished my last AC last week.  You'll be there soon! 

I just finished chemo 12/18 - did the AC first followed by Taxol.  The AC knocked me on my butt.  I had infections after each one and generally stayed in bed or on  the couch for several days after the infusion.  I was told it was the  Adrimycian, but who knows - it could be both.  Start keeping a log, you'll begin to notice a pattern and be able to make plans on the good days. Gitane is right and I may be saying something you already know too - be sure that you're hydrated, drink plenty water before, during and after chemo.  And....... check with the onconologist to be sure you're getting fluids during your infusion. And............ for the bad days here's a ((((HUG)))) , just rest and listen to your body.  It'll be over before you know it.

Koda - You may be right about the steriods and the bad dreams - coming down from the steroid high was the worst - terrible dreams, night sweats, crying and in general just feeling terrible.

I was absolutely fine the first and second day, but then on the second day a few hours after the Neulasta shot I was miserable.  Exhausted and lot's of body aches and flu like feeling,  Also the beginninngs of mouth sores I rinsed with baking soda which helped to keep them from progressing.  Hang in there you'll do it.  I attributed  it all to the Neulasta, but it must have been the Red Devil kicking in that got me good.

Having just finished AC, I would say the Neulasta was as bad as either one.  Agree that Days 3-5 are the worst, but I can see I was one of the fortunate ones in that I was able to do most things including exercise.  However, not with much enthusiasm.  Wasn't exactly in a fog, but was seriously dragging.  Mornings were the worst.

Drinking enough liquid was no problem as really thirsty throughout this period.  And agree about the nasty sweat.  Talk about washing sheets.  Eeeeewwwwww!!!!

Off to take a bath right now as sweaty from my bicycle ride and one of my neighbors has clam soup for me.  Hoping Taxol is much kinder to my body.

I found the back end of AC cycle harder than the initial two infusions as my red cell counts were fine then.  But now that they are lower, yes I do lack my usual energy.  And as getting every two weeks, I never fully recover.

Yes, do get a water bottle with a SCREW TOP.  I tried using one of my cycling ones and ended up drowning my cell phone.  Well worth the investment to have a good one.

Like you said, everyone is different!  With me, I couldn't see any patterns.  My SE's were different every single time, then at the end when I thought I was in the clear, BAM I got the worst case of bronchitis - I think because my immune system was non-existent by that point.  It wasn't easy but I got through it, too!  I just didn't expect anything out of myself for my chemo weeks either, and so if I felt good, great!  If not, well hey, it's to be expected when you get bags of poison (friendly poison is still poison:) pumped into your veins!  It's all about the lesser of 2 evils, right?

I had 4 AC's and then 4 Taxotere's.  I had an UTI after the first AC and it was miserable.  Someone told me to drink a lot, but I am not a drinker.  I tried my  best but still got the UTI.  I did better the next 3 AC's but the Taxotere's did me in.  The bone pain was incredible.  I did not work thru those chemo's or the 6 weeks of rads.  I went back to work until I just got laid off.  You'll do fine, just remember it will be over! 

Ellen