Starting Chemo Feb 2010?

hi ladies!

had my first infusion of Taxol & Herceptin today.  Between the labs, follow-up with onc, wait time & a very slow drip for first treatment, i was at the hospital for 8 hours!  now i know what people mean when they say cancer is like a full time job.

luckily, all went went -- no allergic reactions or weird side effects...yet.  tomorrow is a different day. 

i can't belive how well i'm able to tolerate this combo.  i didn't have any nausea at all (i was snacking all day long at the hospital which i think helped with this) and only had to take 12mg of steroids 4 hours prior to treatment - they should have worn off by now so shouldn't disrupt my sleep tonight. 

sally - if given the choice of Taxol or Taxotere, i highly recommend the Taxol.

mo - my sis lives in philly so she told me about the snow and all the problems it's causing.  best of luck getting around tomorrow and i hope they get you started on your way.

lbendl - i know what you mean about trying to figure out the hair thing.  i have a wig but not sure if it's really me.  maybe that means i need to find a better one?  i so wish i had an iphone.  that chemo app sounds very useful.

pegeyore - so sorry to hear about the recurrence.  we're all here to help & support each other so feel free to lean.

teemee - my thoughts are with you....willing that nasty staph infection to go away. 

faithful, writer and everyone else who has posted feedback - thank you.  it's such invaluable info.

for those about to get their first treatments - i know you've heard this before but it is so true.  waiting and anxiety is really the worse part.  once you get going with the chemo and know what to expect, it gets easier.  best of luck.

going to test out my steroid theory now.  hugs to all.

It is good to hear so many of you have done well after treatment #1 !!!  It really is so different for so many and all the ladies on here have been such a big help that I know, had I not found this, I don't think that I would have done as well!! 

mofend - I'll be thinking of you tomorrow, my 2nd is tomorrow:)  Lets get those nasty cells!

Tomorrow at 9am is #2 and I am hoping the snow isn't a problem!!  I exercised a bit more these last few days, getting the last tx out!!  Exercising was never part of my daily routine, but since I was dx, I have made a commitment to myself to do so, even if it is only walking for 20-30 minutes on days I don't feel as great. 

I finally had my husband shave my head, and oh, it feels so much better!!!  Day14 was the magic number for strands coming out and it was only day 16 that brushfulls were coming out!!  Now my brother and I are twins and it is scary how alike we look!!!

I am not sure where everyone is on working and wigs, scarves etc. etc....so I want to share with you what I have done...as part of my job I meet with clients on a regular basis and thus the hair thing is BIG.   I also didn't want to announce all 100+ clients that I was going through chemo because that would mean 100+ discussions about my health!  I know they would be supportive and caring, but I need work to be an outlet, when I am there.  (I should also mention I have a partner in the office and a great asst. who are totally amazing and supportive and have my back!!)    I have had 2 lunch meeting with clients while wearing my wig, and got complements on my shorter/slightly darker color, they had no clue, at least none that I could tell and I am a pretty good read on people!  Most people are so caught up in their own drama's that they can't see it!

I first bot a wig from my stylist, who used to help cancer patients at Sloan Kettering, experienced right?   Well, I bought the wig, it sat for 2 weeks, then put it on at home, my daughter said it was horrible (she is 8) and indeed it was, it was going to be so obvious to everyone that it was a wig!  I looked at websites online www.wigs.com and a few others, and the first site I looked at had the same wig for a fraction of the price!!  The salon did take it back, but I think they lost me and my husband as a customer, (need to write them a letter, they can't do that to other women!) 

If you want something that looks real without breaking the bank,  find a wig with monofilament, it is a circular fabric on the top of the head and it gives the illusion of having a part and you can change the part if you need too!!  Also, there are synthetic and real hair blends with the mono caps, they aren't as "heavy" as the all synthetic wigs.  Also, if you aren't comfortable ordering online, find the nearest wig maker, you won't pay the salons' markup!   I went to www.jacquelynwigs.com and they have locations in NY and there is also Wigs By Gigi in Newark.  If you are close to a major city, I am sure you can find a place that either makes the wigs or is a main distributer for them!

Outside of going into the office and client meetings, I will be wearing a scarf, they are very, very comfortable and there are some really beautifull ones!  Oh, except if I am going into my children's school, will wear the wig then too:)

Don't forget to see if your insurance picks up some of the cost!!!

Sorry so long ladies, but I wish I had looked into the whole wig thing more before I jumped!!!  The steroids are doing there thing tonight, I am up!!  Take care all!!

teemee: Your whole situation sucks! I had a staph infection last year and it was awful. Mine was not nearly as serious as yours but I can only imagine how you feel. Please don't let this distract you from the most important thing here, pursuing your bc CURE! You've had your surgery already, right? So you can take a little bit of time between chemo. I know you'de rather spend that little break on a nice vacation, but it is what it is. I am so sorry, I feel bad for you. You can rebound and get your chemo insurance, especially with grade 3. It will get better!

Grace, your post tickled me. You know, now and then we just need to get a little bitchy to keep our sanity. It happened to me last night. I tuned into Larry King to see his interview with John Kerry and his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry because they were supposed to be talking about her breast cancer. Well, John Kerry kept almost bragging about how the cancer "wasn't in her lymph nodes" in one of those "thank God" voices, and it hit me the wrong way. I felt like shoving a sock in his mouth! LOL  I felt like if he was going to on national TV to talk about breast cancer, he should at least know a little more about the disease and not stick with old, out-of-date lines. So that's my rant for the day.

Good luck to those going for treatment this week. I'll be with you in thought. Hope you all make it in with all of the snow.

Magister and MomWhoFan, that medicinal ice cream is pretty good stuff!  My husband says I can justify anything! LOL Oh, and Mom, I'm also a big Beatles as well as The Who fan. Add the Stones, and I'm happy. Actually got to see the Stones in concert in 1981 in Philly -- where have the years gone?

Have a great day, everyone!  Oh, and I've been feeling great the past couple of days. My oncologist says to expect more fatigue around days 7 - 10, and that's coming up this weekend. Also said hair loss is right around the corner, and I have a package coming in the mail with some hats and turbans.

Cindy 

Thinking of mofend and pegeyore, who are presumably getting drips right now. Hope it's going well. Grace, very funny about your hippie hair, you should post a photo of you and the hubby back in the day. But so sorry you've had to lose the hair. I'm the type of tomboy girl who forgets to look in the mirror and thinks I'm not vain, but losing the hair is really, really tough. Not that it's happened to me yet-- I've got a week or so to go. Actually, it's the eyebrows and eyelashes that freak me out. I'm an Irish girl whose eyebrows and eyelashes have been my best feature my whole life. 

Day 4.... more side effects, but really not too bad. Sort of like a mild flu, tired and hips achy, mouth sort of metallic, guts a little knotted, but no nausea and no misery. Also are you all feeling just kind of spacey? It can't be chemo brain just yet, but I feel like I'm just about an inch underwater. Had to go to my office (I have my own business) days 2 and 3, not gonna do it today. It's another gorgeous day in old L.A., so will get out for a walk, and spend an hour on the phone dealing with Medco and how to get my prescriptions for round 2. 

I've been hydrating well, eating small amounts (guts aren't great, but eating a small amount at a time helps), taking Advil and Claritin for the bone aches (presumably from Tuesday's Neulasta shot). Afraid to take either anti-diarrheals or anti-constipation stuff because my intestines don't seem to know which direction they're going in. So for now I'm sticking with water and small portions and fiber-rich food when possible. Had my last Emend pill yesterday, don't feel any nausea today. Steroids should now be out of my system, too. My face has been flushed-- I look like a drunk Irishman-- but that was probably the steroids and should fade.

Hang in there everyone.  

Day 4 and 5 I felt a little spacey, and jittery.  Heartburn is killing me,  I feel fine, eat OK and then bam heartburn.  I am taking zantac and so far it is helping.  Today Day 6 not jittery, not spacey, and so far no heartburn. 

I think we all deserve a pity party, I'll bring the ice cream.

Pity party away, baby. My metal tongue, aching hips and knotted guts are right there with you. Maybe I'll try a margarita tonight and see if that helps! 

And not only gonna go bald, but I've barely eaten all week and am still up a couple of pounds. Damn steroids, I guess.  

I'm going to try my medical marijuana tonight. It never gets mentioned here on the boards, but it's legal in my state and I've got some and I'm trying it. Just don't want to in front of my 16-year-old.... have to figure that one out.

I mentioned to my 15 year old daughter (16 in May) that I could get a prescription for medical marijuana and she said "great and die from lung disease!"  What do they teach these kids these days?  She is my total goody two shoes ... and I love that.

Good morning everyone!  Well, had my first round yesterday - the snow finally let us get out.  I have to say, it was so much less scary than I had built up in my mind.  I had zero problems, and was out of there in about six hours.  Slept like a rock last night since I hadn't slept the night before from the steroids coursing through my body - don't care for them.  So far today, I feel fine - a little funny in the head, but body feels normal.  Have all the anti nausea meds, etc., so I think I'm in good shape.  Neulasta shot coming this evening.  Prepared for that.  Retrievermom - if you go to the wig shop, try to get the brand, name of the wig, number of the color that you like and order it on line - it's sooooooo much cheaper.  The stores really charge you about $300 more than they are on line - I know from experience.  I have always been a hair person (Farrah Fawcett was my hero! - ironic).  So, this is bugging me, too, but I'm kind of looking to the end - no cancer, but hair comes back, so that's what's getting my through - and fours wigs, eight scarves, about seven beanie hats and lots of love from my kids, hubby and friends.  Hope to hear how everyone is doing.  I know the perverbial crap will hit the fan for me with this, but I'm feeling good so far and sooooooo happy to have one done.  Love to all - Mo

Hey Mo, was wondering about you. Sounds like your experience was just like mine. Congrats on making it through round one. It sure helps a lot to have such support and love from our people, doesn't it? Day 2 wasn't bad at all for me-- days 3 and 4 definitely harder. I'm feeling a little better this morning and am going to make my normal pilates class and go to the office. Fingers crossed.

As for the medical marijuana, well it was pretty dang funny. My husband is out of town for a couple of days, my older girl is away at college, so it's me and the 16-year-old, who's not unlike yours, Frosty. She disapproves of the party scene, and she and her friends still secretly watch Disney movies. She is so sweet and would have no problem with her uncomfortable mom lighting up, but I just couldn't do it. Drank a big cup of ginger tea, which helped the gut knots a little, but finally said goodnight, went upstairs, closed the door to our room and bathroom, opened the window and furtively took a hit, hoping she wouldn't notice. So funny to have the middle-aged woman hiding her drugs from the high school junior. 

I only had a bit, just to see if it would help the lower GI malaise, and it did help a little... or it must have, because I slept okay. No miracle cure, but I will try again.  

A good weekend to all, and take care of yourselves this Valentine's Day. 

Faithfulc, I've been sweating at night over the past few nights.  It's most noticeable on my head, with my hair feeling slightly damp.  I've wondered if I was quickly shifting into menopause.  My Neulasta shot was last Saturday, so I ruled that out.

Cindy 

faithfulcmy Oncologist said I had to get  Neulasta within 72 hours of chemo.  Because I had chemo on a Friday I had to be back in her office Monday morning for the shot.  In the future I will be having chemo on Thursdays and then back to her office on Friday for the shot.

I took Clairtan before the shot and the day after and had no bone pain.

Love that you are 'hiding from the kids' and smoking furtively in the bathroom.  That is a hoot!  Having grown up in the 70's and 80's when (it seemed to me) things were a lot more casual, it is so strange to have a daughter that is so anti-drug and anti-drinking.  She and her friends aren't as furtive about their Disney movies -- they do watch iCarly in secret, though!