Anyone Starting Chemo Jan. 2010?

Gramoflexus- this is what i was worried about with Taxol.  I have my first one tomorrow.  I'm not as anxious as I was before my last AC.  The fear of the unknown always gets me.  Were you able to take anything for the pain?  I still have a lingering cold, so there's still the chance that I may not get to have chemo tomorrow.  We'll see.  Oh how I dread the whole process starting over.  I only had 2 good days this whole time.  YUCK!  I didn't have too hard a time with nausea on AC, so I had been counting myself lucky and giving the Emend a lot of credit.  I can't wait until the Cytoxan in out of my system so I can stop embarassing myself with this ridiculously drippy nose and eyes.  Did you have a reaction at all?  That's another thing I'm worried about for tomorrow.  I think there are a few of us on here that start the second phase tomorrow, so good luck to everyone.  Still hoping for a "cakewalk" but more prepared now.  Thanks for the info.

georgiabirdgirl . All I took was Ibuproen(sp) and also Ativin (prescription)  that helped alot for the muscle aches . I have to say it really wasn't so much pain but muscle spasms My body was always moving from the spasms . Doc said adivan was good for that . As for reactions , nothing so far . Just the eye thing and I beleive that was from the AC . One suggestion I took a lot of baths during the 6 days after . Really helped me so much . I teased my husband that I was growing a mermaid tail that is how much time I was in the water . I'm sure the water bill is going to be high , We don't have a normal tub we have one that is deep wiith jets . Oh well calgon take me away . Your are going to be just fine . Remeber to drink and drink Just because the drug is different we still need to drink , Which is hard when you fill like crap.

Biopsy results negative!!!! It's been a long worrisome week and I'm so glad that is over. I talked to my onco about his unhelpful and mean nurse and he seemed genuinely upset by the way this was handled and assured me this was NOT how he operates and that he would discuss this with her. I just hope I don't suffer her wrath as a result. I am very happy the way he responded to this, I really do like him and couldn't believe he would support that type of treatment of his patients.

Friscomom, that's the best news all week. The waiting is always the worst! I had two benign tumors removed over the past 5 years before I was diagnosed, so I've been through the waiting game a few times, and it never gets any easier! Glad you can refocus on the orginal DX and not have to worry about having a new one.

Gramoflexus, don'tknow why my fills hurt so much--it's not so much the shots in the horse syringes as big as my forearms. (sight exaggeration ) It's the stretching and cramping of the pectorals and taut skin afterwards and feeling like I've got rocks in my chest, with no real room for them. My plastic surgeon prescribed Vicodin before I went in the first time,  and I couldn't understand why. Now I take two before I go in as well as two barbituates--the only way I can tolerate the pain afterwards--I always bring a designated driver with me As you say, we all take treatments differently. And I've spoken to a lot of others whose experiences are just like mine, or worse, and just like yours too.

Wren, well done, you competed your TC and I will complete mine tomorow. I had my CBC today and white blood count is normal, even without doing Neulasta shot this time! Maybe my supplements are working ? I am still a little anemic, but I always have been, so that's nothing unusual for me. Hope you're all well!

Friscomom-  I am so happy that your biopsy is negative!!  I was hoping that the theory about longer waits meaning better chance for a negative result was true.  I know you are relieved and you should definitely celebrate.  Also, I'm glad you got a chance to talk to the doctor.  At least you can feel confident that it won't happen to anyone else.  Who knows, maybe that nurse will be mortified that she made someone feel that way and will work on improving her communication skills.  Good Day!

Mslrg and Wren- Congratulations on the end of chemo.  I am so excited for you guys to start feeling normal again soon.  You'll have to update us on when and how your hair starts sprouting in.

Michelle_nj and Issymom: well, I finished my last AC yesterday and my oncologist said my breast is markedly improved.  Talked to the onc nurse about the Taxol, she gave me a sheet to read.  I asked about the gloves, well really like mittens and she showed them to me.  They have them for your feet too and they are fillled with a gel in the fingers.  They keep them in the freezer and you have to ask for them.  She said the Taxol takes about an hour so you would wear them for an hour, on your feet too.  She was honest and said they don't really work that well but I'm going to wear them anyway. Even if they lessen the effects of neuropathy it'll be worth it.  We're all different, right?  She said other than that the SE are muscle aches and pains.  If you are going to have a reaction it will be in the first 10 minutes, don't know what that would be like. 

I don't see why you couldn't dip your fingers in a cup with ice chips and water if there are no gloves.  The idea is to shrink the blood vessels in the fingertips and toes and keep the chemo out.

Friscomom:  The best news!  Sorry you had to wait so long but you know now that it's has been well defined taking that much time to happen.  Enjoy!

To all:  wherever you are whatever you're dealing with I hope you keep chugging along, take good care.

Hi Ladies, no chemo for me today.My oncologist examined me. My chest is still rattling and I still have rectal bleeding that has not stopped in thee weeks since my last infusion. Onc found a smal hemmhoid, but thinks there's a bigger one internally. Chemo caused this and chemo can make it worse. So I have to see a gastroenterologist and pulmonolgist next week before a final chemo treatment can be considered. This in top of my cold put in bad shape for having chemo.  I amtentatively scheduled for an infusion next Friday. We'll see.

StiilCardsfan--sorry about your .BRCA test. I wnt to share an organization with you that my husband's neice works for: FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered). Lisa tested BRCA+ and made the choice to get a double mast and ooph before she got cancer because so many in the family had breast cancer. She is who we're staying with when we go to D.C.in June. FORCE is a great resource for BRCA and other genetically-based cancer patients. Hopeit helps. Here's an article about Lisa's jouney: http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=11597&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=&S=1

Here's the main website address to FORCE: http://www.facingourrisk.org/in_the_news/index.html

Hope this is a helpful staing placef or you. So sorry.

mslrg - thanks for the info.

Sending you good vibes to feel better!!!

stlcardfan - Sorry about the BRCA positive results.  Me too.  At least we know why we got cancer.  I figure now the rest of the family knows to be on the lookout and to be screened regularly at least.

mslrg - sorry you couldn't have chemo today but I will say that I am miserable because of this cold that I have.  It is hard for me to sleep.  My ears hurt but there is no infection.  I also feel like I have a bladder infection but again tested negative.  The Taxol achiness/pains is like pouring salt on the wound.  It is a very weird sensation.  I just randomly get these relatively sharp pains in my thighs, abdomen, and chest.  It makes me wince every time they hit.  I am at Day 4.  I am getting very depressed with my whole situation.  I want to stop feeling so bad.  Sorry for my venting, I don't think my family really understands how weary I am getting.

I hope for a good weekend for all of you.

Thank you, Maryanne. I guess, I'll be able to do it. My husband is ready to help, but I remember his hands shaking when he was shaving my head

Friscomom - GREAT NEWS!!!!  YEAH!!  Definitely celebrate a little this weekend!!

After having very few SE's thus far (1/2 way), I woke up this morning, day 8, with some strange things!!  My ears, palms, knees, elbows and butt cheeks, were all red hot and itchy!  My one palm hurt like I stuck it on a frying pan!!...Went in to get looked at and was given Benedryl which cleared it right up and will take some more tonight...My onc wasn't in today, but the one I saw didn't think it had to do with my TC txs, she thought it was dermatitis (sp?) or an alergic reaction to something in my house??  Not so sure..we shall see....I also was diagnosed with Strep Throat...the thrush cleared up but was still left with a raw throat, so on antibiotics.  Slept most of the day b/c of Benedryl, but overall feeling better now than how I started the day!! 

For those finishing up that is awesome news!!!

Msirg: Thanks for the information. 'm considering saline implants, don't want to deal with the pain after this year I've had enough.  Plus I'm an older woman (70) and I just want them for cosmetic purposes and self esteem.  Not to have reconstruction to me would be a constant reminder of cancer.  What ever I have left I want to live it as normal as possible. 

Also, someone wrote about not doing gardening and working with plants while on chemo.  I read that too and my onc nurses said to wear heavy garden gloves.  I probably has to do with fungus, thorns and possible bites working with plants with the WBCs.  Makes me sick because I love gardening and have huge perennial gardens which DH will have to deal with alone. 

Bubalu--sorry to tell you if you have implants after a mastectomy, you have to get tissue expanders first because there's nothing left after a mast. We are not like women who still have their breasts,but want a little augmentation--they have skin still, ours is all removed, literally removed--nipples, EVERYTHING. My doctors pulled skin from under my collar bone and streteched it to reach skin under what were my breasts, then sewed the the 2 sides together. The skin was pulled very tight, and has to be stretched with tissue expanders over  PERIOD OF MONTHS in order to have a place to put implants. It's all part of the cancer gift that keeps on giving

Well it is raining like a son of a gun here in NJ today.  I can see the river behind by house already overflowing it's banks.  The closest it has ever come to my building is 3 feet and that was during hurricane Floyd.  I wonder how close it will come today?

Aside from being really tired, I am feeling pretty good.  Since chemo is over, it can only get better, right??

A friend and co-worker is moving to Phoenix next month.  There are about 20 of us that belong to a scrapbooking group.  We decided to make her a recipe scrapbook.  Each of us is doing a 2 page layout with a recipe.  I am making the White Chicken Chili I posted on here a few weeks back.  I am incorporating the AZ sports teams.  If it comes out good, I'll try to post pics.

Today is the perfect day for that type of activity.  Let the procrastinating end and the work begin.

Hope everyone is having a great day!