March 2010 Chemo Start

JLLJ:  Went to the onc today and very close to your count, my white count was 25,000.  My onc calls it "riches in abundance", under the chemo circumstance and because we know why they are so high, its of no concern. My shot has already been cut in half, and still, 25,000.  For the 4th chemo, he may skip the shot or drastically reduce it, based on the numbers the morning of the chemo.   

My hair is trying to grow back!  It looks like a baby chick...sort of pitiful.  Anyone else having some growth?

WIshing everyone a good weekend....be well and be so good to yourself!  We are really working hard here and doing a great job, all. 

Les, I had a slightly bruised feeling around my jaw and cheekbones that was probably from the Neulasta, but it didn't bother me very much, and only lasted a day or so.  Not much of a problem for me. My WBC count went pretty high several times, around 29,000.

One of my doctors told me that the Neulasta makes your bone marrow produce tons of WBC's, but they are not very good quality cells, so they don't have as much disease-fighting capacity as your usual WBC's would.

Barb, I had the drop in blood pressure - my onc says it's the abrupt withdrawal from the Decadron that does it.  I really thought I was going to faint.  Went to urgent care and my blood pressure was 90/62.  Next treatment I tapered off the Decadron, and took a lower dosage overall, and didn't have as pronounced a drop again.

Hi all -

Anybody else having trouble swallowing?  I have to chew my food until it's pretty much liquified before I swallow, otherwise it feels like it gets stuck in my chest.  I know it's a pretty common side effect, I'm just wondering if it's one that will come and go with each treatment or if it's going to stick around for the duration.

Lisa

Going in this morning for treatment #3 (mid-way mark).  I'm worried about my port. The area feels bruised and the scar continues to itch.  It's been 7 weeks! I just don't want anything to interfere with treatment. I'll feel better once the poison is being pumped in. (odd, I know)

HI.  I am so happy to have found this site.  I am in an unusual situation, we are a military family stationed in Belgium so all my care is being provided at a local hospital.  My oncologist speaks English and I manage a litlle French, but the onc nurses don't speak English at all. There is no support group here of anykind so I have really learned alot from reading hese forums.  In Belgium, neo-adjuvant therapy is preferred so I am receiving 4 dd AC to be followed by 4 dd Taxotere; neupogen on day 3-10. Surgery and radiation to follow- not sure where we are scheduled to move again to Italy late this summer.  The dd regimen was the recommendation of tumor board stateside, so although not the usual regimen here he has agreed to it.  First cycle was started 3/30 and I will have the 3rd cycle 4/29.  I am doing really well with the chemo so far and tumor has shrunk so much that it can't be palpated  at all (started off at 3.5cm)  I am looking for any recommendations on nutritional supplements that you were advised to take and to hear from anyone else that might have received care overseas.  I am triple negative and know there is at least one node involved that showed on the MRI and confirmed with biopsy.  

farfromhome - I got the same advice from my onc, nothing over the counter but a multi-vitamin during chemo.  Not even a baby aspirin which I will start taking daily once done with treatments.  I too am eating a lot of meat but can't stand the thought of beef or pork, just turkey chicken and fish.  I am getting veggies but cooked ones, no salads or raw anything while my counts are low.

Best wishes and {{hugs}} everyone, I'm at work on lunch break so can't post more.

farfromhone, I supplemented with glutamine during chemo.  It's an amino acid that your body normally gets plenty of from food, but becomes depleted when you have surgery, chemotherapy, or other kinds of trauma.  It was OK'd by my doctor and the chemotherapy nurses were familiar with it.  It is reputed to prevent peripheral neuropathy, and also to help protect your digestive tract and mucosa.

I also found an interesting study online which reported that patients given glutamine in a hospital burn unit had lower mortality and were disharged sooner than those who did not, so it is thought to help the body rebuild.

Hope it continues to go well for you!

The dose the chemo nurses suggested was 5-10 MG per day for four days starting each treatment day.

Hello everyone!

It has been awhile since I have posted on the board.  Initially,my chemo was to start in February, however, it was changed to March, so I hope there is room in here for me.  I started on 3/3 with AC x 4 and will be beginning my first cycle of Taxol x 12 tomorrow.  I am feeling somewhat anxious about this as I am unsure of the side effects.  I am also excited that I have gotten through another portion of my treatment plan and that I am moving forward.  This has been a journey for me as I know you all can relate to.  I have not been working or attending school and I am beginning to feel bored.  I also feel like I am in a constant bubble, in that I am hypervigilant about my blood counts.  So far, so good, my oncologist and treatment team say I am doing well.  I think too that my feelings are due to some loss of control, the constant waiting, the fatigue, etc.  I am also now thinking about how I am going to reintegrate myself back into life now that it is Spring.  I am in need of some encouragement and welcome any hugs you have to offer.

In Solidarity,

Tiffany

Tiffany - I completely understand.  I feel like so many things are "on hold" until I am done with treatment.  Thankfully there is an end in sight. Congrats on getting done with the AC portion of your treatment.  From what I have read in other posts, the weekly taxol may be easier on you ... so maybe you've gotten through the tough part! Hang in there. 

Lots of hugs!

Charley

Groundhog: Thank you so much for the hugs.  I so appreciate them and your support!

Charley: Thank you too for the encouragement.  I too hope that this will be better for me.

Undecided8: I so appreciate your normalizing this for me.  I would love to PM you sometime if that is ok.  I just took my second dose of steroids for tomorrow.  Seems like I am going to need to take my sleeping medications so that I can get some good rest. 

Again sisters, I appreciate your responses and sharing your strength and courage with me.  I have been more deliberate in changing my eating habits and trying to get more exercise.  I learned a new strategy for shopping at the grocery store: only shop on the perimeter of the store, it has everything we need to eat well.  I have even started substituting raw organic sugar for regular granulated.  I know I can't make huge changes, but am realizing that the small ones add up significantly.  I will be in touch to let you all know how I am doing and to check in with your progress too.

With love,

Tiffany

3rd day out from my 3rd TAC (out of 6)  Half way there woo hoo!  Chemo went fine.  I have a constant phobia that my port will not work, but each time it works like a charm.  I'm feeling pretty good. Day 1, Day 2 were good with mini med induced naps and conking out early.  The 3rd day is the day it starts to turn for me with thursday being the worst and Friday being a SLEEP day.

I have a new wrinkle - I have a sick teen at home - and as a cancer patient I am treating her like the plague, but as a mom I want to snuggle up with her and make her feel better.  I'm going to call my Onc in a few hours for her thoughts.  I get the Neulesta shot each time and my counts have always been good - great even during the mid-cycle.  And wouldn't you know I can't find the damn thermometer that we are supposed to keep on hand every minute of the day.

 Any one have experience with sick kids / partners in the house?

Tiffany - as for exercise - There are so many friends who want to help, so I've assigned them the task of coming over and taking me for walks.  It's great to get out, it's fun to catch up and for me it helps the nausea and makes me feel strong 

Tiffany: Please feel free to PM me ANYTIME! I love to meet new people and share our stories.

Good luck to all the ladies sitting in the chemo chair today. It's my 3rd of how many I'm not sure. But just remember each one is one more closer to being done! Hang in there everyone and wishing EVERYONE VERY minimum S/E. 

Suzanne E.

Hello everyone! Today was tx 3 of 4....I'm seeing the light at the end of this chemo tunnel! Now, just a waiting game for the SE. I know the next week or so will be tough, but just one more to go! May 10th I have my CT scan of my abdomen to see about this kidney stone...ugh. Yet another hurdle to surmont!

I am thinking of all of my BC sisters, praying for minimal SE for all of us. Love you all.

Ana

Hello fellow Marchers - Ready for a short rant?

My husband just left for a 6 day business trip to HAWAII. They wanted to send him last week -- the day that I was scheduled to have treatment --- and he refused. They even offered to send me with him to "sweeten" the deal.  (Hello - I'm in the middle of chemo!!!) There other engineers they could be sending but they obviously have no clue what is going on. (I know hubby is between rock and a hard place ... we need his job)  

I know I should be used to it by now (people not having a clue about what chemo treatment is or what its effects are) but I find myself increasingly frustrated by so-called clueless friends inquiring "You're still not feeling well? You had your treatment 5 days ago" or constantly wanting to "visit" when I am down ... I'm SICK ... no I do not feel like "hanging out" and talking, taking in a movie or going out and grabbing a bite to eat! I'm SICK.  I do not feel like entertaining. There is a reason I see them only once or twice a year and we are already way over this year's quota.  If you care, please send me a text or email message, bring me a dinner or a movie to watch (if you want), offer to help but stop asking me to do things with you or being offended when I do not call you back to report on how I am feeling today.  I guess I should be glad these people care but some of this caring is getting on my last nerve. 

Sorry, I must sound like a major witch ... I do have many good friends that are so caring and helpful and I am extremely thankful for them. ... only a rogue few that are driving me bananas!