Starting Chemo October 2009
Comments
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Hello Girls!
Let me tell you about my day!
So today I found out that my Zometa infusion has been moved up from March 5 to next Monday Jan 25. They want me to go in right away and had an opening.
Well that meant that I needed to get it all organized with the Pharmacy to have it ordered in and then sent over to the chemo clinic pharmacy so that they could mix it up and infuse it on Monday.
AND that meant that I needed to go for blood work today (Day #4 from Chemo #6) to check for calcium levels and other things. No time to go to my reg lab that are so very gentle with me - no I had to go to the hospital lab which I've never been too.
One newbie lab tech poked me in my hand (that's where I get my blood drawn from) and completely went through the vein and pulled out the needle with the tube still attached so my hand grew an egg!
The next girl tried my hand again and although some blood started it did not flow!
Next the "expert" came in and tried a deep vein in my inside elbow - she hit every nerve but no vein so then pulled out.
Finally she went for my inside wrist - you know that juicy slit-your-wrists-vein that we all have - and that worked! But boy is it every sore and bruised now.
I don't really blame the lab techs - I have BAD veins - and the little 92 year old lady who whipped in and out and had the juiciest veins I've even seen looked at me pitifully!
If I had known the Zomeda was going to happen this quick I could have kept my PICC line in just a bit longer for this - they tell me they could have drawn blood from it and then Zometa could have been infused with it. Then it could have come out right after on Monday and the next infusion would have been ok to use my veins in 6 months when I've had time to rehab my arms and rehydrate.
After all this I hope that they will be able to find a useable vein on Monday for the infusion! You know I'll be pumping the 1 lb hand weight and drinking lots of fluids this weekend. Maybe even take some B (6 or 12?) to help the arm heal from this lab attack!
So a word of warning girls - if you find yourself in this situation ASK what other infusions you might need right after your last chemo before they remove your port or PICC!
I was a bit queasy after all this and had to drink an apple juice and eat a cookie (which was awful since I'm off my sweets) and I thought that my hubby would have to come get me but in about 20 minutes or so I was able to drive away.
But that's not keeping me from going out to dinner tonight - after all this I'm not cooking!
Hugs to all!
Marie
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Marie that stinks that you didn't still have your picc line. I hate the finger pricking and the digging for veins every chemo. I too have a bit of no colored peach fuzz growing on my head. I hope it stays I still have 2 taxols left. It started growing about 2 weeks after my last AC. Now my eyebrows are another story. I really look like a cancer patient not. I am going to ask my oncologist about the zometa for me. We have similar diagnoses. I just didn't have any positive nodes. Wonder if it an option for me ~ she has never brought it up. Sorry everyone else... if I page back I lose my darn' post ~
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Hi, I am a little confused about what happends next. I have one more TC then the doctor said he would relook at the pathology reports. I am triple negative but If hormone numbers are above one percent then I may need hormones. I am a lttle confused that I am just hearing of this possiblitity.
What is the zometa you are talking about? Is this something we all need? All I know is I move on to rads after #6.
thanks, Jean
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Jean
I'm also TN but all my ER, PR and HER2 numbers were exact zero. So no hormonal therapy for me. Zometa is a bisphosphonate and used as a bone strengthening agent. There is some evidence from past studies that bisphosphonates help prevent/delay mets to bones as well as organs. The previous studies gave these drugs upto 2 years. The SWOG 0307 study is the first large, multi-center, US run study for these drugs and the drugs will be given for 3 years. I'm also enrolled and am getting Zometa. The enrollment is due to close in a weeks time. -
Is the zometa another type of chemo? How oftern is it given? side effects?
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Jean
Zometa is not chemo. It is a bisphosphonate. In the clinical trial, it is given once a month for 6 months and then once every 3 months for 30 months (total 16 doses).
If you get it off trial, the standard is to give you 4 or 6 doses. You can also buy it in Canadian gray market.
Side effects are very mild - light fever, light bone pain for 2 days. There is a rare but serious death of jaw bone (ONJ). But your onc and dentist should work together to keep that risk very low.
Search for bisphosphonates thread for a lot more info. -
HI ALL
Just got back from weekend with my sister it was nice all we did was take out for food watch tv/dvds while sitting in recliners . nice but now i feel fat and lazy i need to get active maybe do a bit of spring cleaning im more of a active person no able to sit all day in front of tv except on chemo days
Yep im a fuzzy peach as well i kinda like it i feels like velvet i shaved it a few weeks ago and now im going to leave it alone cause ive only got 1 more chemo to go so if if has a head start on some growth ill leave it alone
Zometa sounds good is it for all or the ones who have lymph involment or triple neg ill do a bit of a read up on it
MARIE K
You poor thing i know how you feel i get I.V ed with my chemo and 2 blood tests inbetween treat my veins have just about beparted my bodie theve had enough they tryed my foot once and nothing there aswell so after this the last thing i want is any more I V s hate then with a passion
Good luck with the Zometa
PRINCESS JOJO
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Since I heard that some of you gals are growing fuzzy peach on your noggin heads I have been looking but I see nothing on mine :-(
I want my hair back. Waaaaa! Waaaa! -
marie, so sorry you are having to go through all of this. I am so glad that I had a port. I know I only had 4 treatments, but it was certainly worth it. I will get my port removed after I am through with radiation. Hope things go well for you on Monday and you don't suffer any more with them trying to find a vein.
onty, I have fine hair all over my head. I had a few hairs that hung in until the end and they are now gone. I am hoping what I have now will stay in since I am 4 weeks out, but who knows. I could get up in the morning and they might all be gone and then I would think it is all in my mind. It has no color, so I think I will be completely gray when it all comes back in. My DH will not be happy about that, but I will just be glad to have hair.
jojo, glad you had a good time at your sisters. You needed some R&R and I am sure your sisters was the right place to be.
Juannelle
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I will take gray, blonde, red, blue, green, yellow, brown, black, whatever. As long as it comes back!!! Can you tell I want my hair back?
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I can only feel a fine fuzz but cant see it. It still looks as bald as a doorknob. I am with you Onty,I really want my hair back!
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I do kinda like having no hair were in really in hot weather and it just convenient, but i do miss my curls and playing around with different styles , its exciting not knowing what type of hair we will be getting i want it thicker and a little bit curlier, and it to grow fast ,a bit more Grey will be ok couse i want to go a little bit blond for my colour, i like the Sarah Jessica Parkers look yes thats what i want . And the body, ill have Penelope Cruises body .My wand wheres my wand ill really need to charge it up for this one lol
PRINCESS JOJO
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Dear JoJo,
You have hot weather because you are in down under. Here in USA and especially on the East Coast it is cold and I want my hair back!
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ONTY
My wand ill wave it over your head and it will help, give it another week youll see
PRINCESS JOJO
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Thanks babe
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I am pretty sure that when my hair comes back it will be wiry and gray...just my luck...but I would love to have Hally Berrys hair and body...or maybe Anjolina Jolies, hair and body...I'll pass on Brad, but wouldn't mind George Clooney....yum..and a little Oprah cash. JOJO, where is your wand, can I borrow it?
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Michele I think you might get your wish! I heard that Angelina and Brad are REALLY breaking up! Maybe Jo Jo's wand is more powerful than we think?
My hair is soooo weird - it feels like sandpaper in some places and is 1/4 inch long and lying down in others. It is exciting to think about what might end up showing up-who knows.
It is freezing around here-we have a few feet of snow bordering the Berkshires- a little insulation would be nice!
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My head is still pretty much mostly bald, with a few little stubblies hanging in there. I'm not expecting any growth until after my last treatment - that way I'm not too disappointed! I'm jealous of those of you who are already growing hair! But I'm happy for you at the same time.
Football time in another hour!
Peace,
Shelby
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JoJO glad you are using your magic wand !!
Michele ~ you are so funny... I am picturing my hair to be spotty bald and grey. I too would be happy with some Hally Berry hair at this point ~
Valerie ~ back of my head is like sandpaper too. KEEP warm.
Shelby ~ hope you are doing good.
I am waiting for football too ~ I am a GIANTS fan but rooting for the Jets today.
Hugs ~Alicia
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Hello from your MIA Sister!!
My cancer vacation seems to be continuing. I am so sick of being sick. It looks like I have 5 pages of posts to go through to catch up!!
Brief update: went to Las Vegas with my daughter and her friend (son and DH went to Vail) over MLK weekend. Very fun, but I was asleep before the girls every night! It is strange to go to Vegas and not do very much gambling and NO shopping! Took the girls to Love at the Mirage and walked around.
My hands and hips hurt more and more. Seems like it really gets going around 2 weeks after treatment and starts to get better in week 3/4. I pushed my 5th treatment to 4 weeks for NYE, and now I'm pushing the 6th (and LAST!!) to 4 weeks so I can go to Mexico next weekend.
The rash on my face has cleared. Some residual red marks, but nothing new emerging. However, my scalp is going crazy again! And my eyelashes hurt. I have less each day and am dreading the 6th treatment because I think it will be the end of them.
Onc says I can start up with vitamins around 4 weeks after last treatment. I think I am going to make an appointment with an nutritionist or holistic doctor to get on the right track. Oh, I almost forgot. Evidently there is some national shortage on Armour Thyroid, which I take everyday. So they switched me to Synthroid. I've been on it for a week and don't feel any different. But I am going to go to an endocrinologist to get that straightened out. I think I may have to wait to be over chemo to do it. Not sure.
Mary - I just read your post about rads. I think I've said before, my Onc says I don't need them because I had a double mast. My breast surgeon wants me to have a rad consult because my margins were clear, but close (under 5 mm?). I want to avoid them if I can because I want to do reconstruction in March, but I also want to do everything I can to avoid recurrence. My solution thus far has been to avoid all thinking about it. Another contributing factor to the cancer vacation.
What are you all asking your onc at the last chemo appointment? Mine is coming up 1st week in Feb. So far all I really want to know is when they will do a scan to see if it worked. When do I start tamoxifen? Has anyone been told they need to go on Lupron or get an ooph?
Oh Ladies, we need to catch up! Will read through posts and write again later. Thanks for listening!
Love
Laura
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Haha! Just read through the posts!
I buzzed my "hair" about 2 weeks ago. I swear it looked like dryer lint laying on the floor. It just doesn't feel like real hair. And I don't think it is indicative of what the new growth will be after treatments are complete. I have had NO hair growth anywhere else. Just fuzzy, patchy thin growth on the noggin. It was really funky looking, and that is why I decided to buzz it all to one length.
Onty - I just want my hair back too! I even WAAAHed about it on my FB page.
JoJo, please wave your wand and give us all long, luscious mermaid hair. We deserve it after this!!
Laura
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Good Morning Ladies!
Just a quick post from me today - I woke up this morning dizzy!
I swear when I close my eyes it feels like I'm tilting hard to one side and then the other like I'm on a boat in a storm.
When my eyes are open it's a bit better but hard to walk and stay balanced.
What the heck is this side effect? I've never had dizziness before!
Hugs to all!
Marie
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Marie ~
maybe your wbc is low? I get dizzy after chemo sometimes too. I hope it goes away ~ BE careful.
Hugs ~
Alicia
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Hi Again!
I just dug out the drug lit that the chemo girls gave me and found that Fluorouracil (part of my FEC treatment) may cause dizziness and that I should check with the doctor if it continues to bother me. It's not listed as an Emergency or Soon as Possible side effect so I'll just suffer through it for now.
I'm going to stay home and rest today - did too much these last 2 days and hopefully the dizziness will go away.
I'll check in with you all tomorrow after my Zometa infusion.
Marie
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marie, after my last two chemos I experienced a lot of dizziness, too. The nurse said sometimes it means you're dehydrated, so make sure you're drinking enough! Hope you're feeling balanced soon!
JoJo, I'm with Laura, wave your magic wand and give us long flowing locks!
Peace...
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Marie - I get a disequilibrium -like feeling a lot in the early days post-infusion - one of the ses i hate most- don't fall! It goes away in about a week for me- good luck! V.
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Hi this is arby reporting that I had my final chemo on Tue, Jan 19 and am feeling the effects for the LAST TIME! WHOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! Celebrate with me as I'm too dizzy to dance. Just a huge relief to be here. We'll all make it thru this trial. I've signed up for "a Time to Heal" as I know I've not finished with many positive thoughts or a worthwhile look in the rearview mirror. So I'm committed to the emotional work now. Hope you all have the support available too so when your last treatment is past, you can keep moving forward, whether it be to reconstruction, more activities, etc. I am not sure if I'll be returning to a physical job as a CNA. Not working since July has left me saggy and no aches in the back or legs!!! Perhaps I can find a lighter job that still is people centered. Those of you who have kept exercising and traveling have been a HUGE inspiration to me. I sorta sat by the side of the road.....but I'm already facing the 20# and keeping track with Wt. Watchers the Pts I'm consuming now. I know I have to give myself time but am so anxious to grab life back! Ya'all know the feeling I'm sure. God's Best to each one as we exit this place of chemo fog and nausea! arby
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Hi everyone.....
A quick post before I go in tomorrow. After that I will still have two weeklies.......I'm getting there, slowly but surely.
I do have you all beat in one area.......I'm getting a pretty good head of hair! You know I'm on a different regimen.......well, they told me that the Navelbine usually doesn't hurt hair, and that mine might start growing back while I was taking it......and it has! I started feeling (not seeing) the little fuzzes. Then about seven weeks after finishing my abraxane we really noticed nice thick hair filling in. I'm not shaving/cutting anything for awhile......just happy to have it! My hair is usually pretty thick and I think that's helping me. There's another lady at my center who is on the same regimen and started the same day as me that is also getting hair, but not quite as much. Can't say much about the color or texture. My hair before was very curly. This isn't curly, but it's not even 1/2 in long......how much could it curl? The color? Well, a lot more gray than I remember, but I hadn't let myself see my true hair color for awhile...
Congrats to all of you as you finish, and Jo-Jo, so glad you're going to suck it up and finish. None of this is fun, but we need to know we've done everything we can to kill the beast.
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HI ALL
YEP Arby we sure do know what you mean, life after cancer it does seem a bit scary trying to pick up the pieces and move into the spot where we left of ,we will all be ok, we will all handle it in our own way for some it will be a very easy task and for some it will be a struggle, but for every stage of every prosses there is always someone on theses boards who will reach out with a helping hand if we need it , i think the most important thing is to be real and keep talking about your feelings and strugles , OH congratulations on your LAST tx YEH FOR ARBY xxxxxxxx
My magic want is on to it girls miracle's will be happening soon so get the shampoos and conditioners ,brushes ,and rollers ,straighteners and blow dryers ready cause you girls will have more that your used to my wand has sparks coming out of it lol lol lol
PRINCESS JOJO
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MARIE K
IM a FEC girl also on my first TXs i got dizzy as well my onco said it was my low WBC so then on to neulasta no more dizzys so it might be all in the blood !!!!!
PRINCESS JOJO
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