April 2010 starting chemo

Well had my first AC on 4/29.  I'm on day 7 here and the nausea will not go away.  I'm going to try accupuncture tomorrow to see if that helps.  Has anyone else tried accupuncture for SEs?   I've also had a low grade fever the whole time.   No hair loss yet but I'm thinking of sporting a mowhawk until it does.  If not now...then when?

well today I cried....luckily it was for something good....I do not have the BRCA gene mutations....it seems like there are enough negative things we deal with cancer, SE, chemo, surgeryk no hair, (triple negative for me), etc.  that to have something good happen was a little overwhelming......

Thanks Prickles: Saw my onc today and he gave me some tablets for stomach acid...feel much better today(i can actually even forget i'm on chemo!!!)

Susiesue: I'm happy for you on the good news especially cos of your daughter. Take care

thanks everyone for the advice - i rang the nurses yesterday and they told me that it wasn't a usual side effect of TC (huh I beg to differ!) but were worried about possible infection so said to go to my GP.  I saw him this morning and he gave it a name (too long and complicated to remember!) and said normally a dose of antibiotics would clear it up but preferred not to give them to me as I've got so many other bits and pieces in my system and he didn't want to cause nausea which would put me in a worse situation. So instead I've got an antibiotic cream to apply twice a day with the view to prevent inflamation and further break outs. Basically it's all the toxins in the body casuing it so by keeping the skin clean with this cream it should help. He also said that he sees it a lot as a result of Chemo so there you go.

LauraM - good luck tomorrow. The anticipation really is worse than the actual thing so hopefully you'll be fine!

Saralmum - I have a friend who went through chemo and for ages afterwards couldn't even drive past the place where she had her infusions without feeling nauseous because of the association with it.  I don't think it's as strange as you think. Hope you feel better soon.

LauraM,  you're in my thoughts today, hope everything goes fine, I'm in jersey too

Hey SGJ

My hairdresser who specializes in aleopecia and chemo hairloss said a bunch of her clients swear by Neutragena T-gel shampoo for your scalp through the bald stage.  I haven't tried it yet but plan on picking some up.  She said it helped a lot of them with the sensitivity as well.

Susiesue

Congratulations...Love to hear the good news and hear about the tears of joy!

I'm on day one post treatment two.  I'm tired and my arm is looking like a pin cushion.  It took four tries to get my IV running and then it stopped working before my final med.  Oye.  My arm is bruised and sore.  I'm running true to my last Tx.  feeling good today but will probably crash on day 3.  chemo Zombie here I come.  I'm going in for a port placement on Monday...yea! no more needles!  So excited!

LauraM  Hope your tx goes well!

Happy Thursday all!

I am going for my second AC next wednesday and am not sure how to go about the hair thing. My first round was on 4/28/2010. I know it is has only been a week but I have not yet started loosing any hair yet so am learly about getting it cut/shaved. Kinda hoping I am one of the few that wont loose it but I know that is probably a pipe dream I am also unsure as to when it starts falling out will it all come out at once, little by little, clump by clump? Any thoughts or tips would be greatly appreaciated.

Regarding hair loss -

I had consulted with the wig shop (they are a complete support system for cancer patients and in the know) and they had said to make the appointment for 2 weeks after my first treatment - for the buzz cut, etc.  I actually made the appt on the 16th day due to a schedule conflict.  As I was approaching the appt my hair wasn't really coming out. On day 15 I started noticing some long strands coming out here and there.  I was really having second thoughts about buzzing it - I even thought maybe I'd not lose it (I think we all think that at one point or another).  Well on the morning of my appt on day 16 the hair was coming out in clumps of long hairs - it was everywhere.  And it was really upsetting - just like they predicted. Buzzing it all is their way of helping so that there is less trauma.  

Now my buzzed hair is coming out.  Like Karen, the sides of my head are more bare than the top.  I do rub it when I shower, and I have a balm for after showering that I rub in - and lots of hairs are coming out.  Even now, I'm dreading losing the ugly little hairs I have left.  Being smooth bald feels worse than having a buzz... 

Hi, 

arubajan, yes!  I have the drippy nose and some kind of post-nasal drip at night, which causes throat irritation.  I've seen that posted elsewhere as a common SE - best to carry tissue everywhere.

As for hair loss ~ I just finished AC TX #3 today and I still am not completely bald.  I have maybe 10% of the hair on my head still.  It is buzzed to about 1/2".  Hair loss/shedding has come to a standstill, and hairs don't come out when I tug on them...am wondering if this is it or if I'll eventually have 100% hair loss.  Weird thing is that the finer hairs near the scalp line, at the nape of the neck, and sides of my cheeks haven't come out.  Looks sort of strange, and I couldn't stand the way it looked like I had "sideburns" but no hair, so I waxed them off.  Much better.  

sumby, you had mentioned the chest pain.  I had what I characterized as a heaviness or pressure sensation on my mid-chest, especially when I'm in bed.  My onc prescribed omeprizole, as it is a GI symptom.  I didn't have actual heartburn.

Gosh, so many new posters getting ready to have treatment.  Good luck to you all.  If anyone is contemplating getting a PICC line, I highly recommend it.  The placement of the line was fairly easy, and it has been smooth sailing getting blood draws and chemo.  It's really fast...today I finished AC in record time - in and out in under just over 1 1/2 hours!  

~ Julie 

A lady at a cancer workshop recommended a shampoo called "Live Clean".  She said it is supposed to be very gentle on the scalp.  I bought some but have not tried it yet. My hair is quickly thinning out. It start coming out a week ago and has really speeded up.  I am hoping to maybe get another week at most out of it.  If I do that will be about 4 weeks from Treatment #1.  My scalp is very tender and it hurts when the shower hits it in the morning. Ouch!

Jen C - My husband has been bald since about the age of 18.  We plan on getting a lot of pictures of us together when we are both bald. I think our kids will love it!

 Hi Everyone, this is my first post.  I started chemo April 15 (tax day, perfect!), I just finished my second treatment today.  I'm on TC x 4, followed by radiation.  So far I've not experienced any nausea, but I get a Nulasta shot the day after chemo, and about 7 days after the shot I experienced severe bone pain.  Could not get out of bed, never felt anything quite like it.  Anyone else get this?  My hair started falling out right when they said, it was day 16.  Scalp sensitive, hurt to touch my hair or scalp, so my sweet husband shaved it all off for me.  Felt better to get that out of the way, I've faced it, moved on.  I got a wig that I let my 6 1/2 year old daughter pick out - blonde - I am not a blonde, but I figured, if not now, when?  Great time to experiment!  So I am going to get it trimmed up and start wearing it, but honestly if nobody else cared I would go bald with nothing on my head at all.  I just stay positive, and am trying to get the most out of this journey that I possibly can.  I look forward to reading your posts and learning new ways to deal with things, and I hope I can pass along some good ideas too. - Laurie924

Laura M - Glad to hear your treatment went well today.  Isn't it great to have the first one over with!  Hope you get a good nights sleep.

I figure that shortly I will need to wear my scarf.  I live in a small town and teach at the school. Most people know I have cancer as I am not working, but I dread the first time I go out with my scarf on. I know people will stare and I look forward to the time when I feel comfortable enough that I don't even realize I have it on.  I have a wig, but think it may be too hot to wear during the hot summer months unless it is a special occasion.

Hi,

Karen, the PICC line is basically a catheter that is threaded through a vein in your upper arm (non lymph node removal side), which terminates at the superior vena cava.  Getting it in requires local anesthesia and imaged guidance.  You cannot feel when the line is being inserted, nor can you feel it once it's in.  The whole procedure, include the follow up x-ray to make sure placement is right took about an hour.  I've not had any problems with it.  I get my infusions every two weeks like you, and on my "off" week need to come and get the PICC line dressing changed, and the catheter flushed.  Takes 10 minutes.  You need to keep the dressing dry; I purchased this water-tight sleeve specially made to cover PICC lines - works like a charm in the shower or bath.  It's great because there is an IV hub thing (don't know what it's called) on your upper arm, and the nurse just connects the chemo IV to it.  The hub allows placement of needles directly into it, for the Adriamycin push and also blood draws.  I was told by my onc that he wanted me to have the PICC line for the AC portion, but I am thinking that it's so easy, I may keep it in for the Taxol portion as well.  I am not a needle phobe, but I do have problems with people finding my veins.

Jennifer, wanted to chime in about your comment about rude stares.  I have noticed a few, and I just try to make eye contact and smile.  Honestly, I hope that the person is thinking that they are happy it's me and not them who has cancer, because at least it is making them feel some gratitude for what they have, as opposed to what they don't have.  Cancer has taught me that ten-fold, and each day I see blessings of what I do have.  At my very first appointment with my oncologist, I saw a women with a completely bald head.  She looked wonderful; she was very neatly dressed and groomed, and had make up on.  I think of her when I go out, and hope that I can carry myself as well as her.  I don't dare go bald in public, because I'm too chicken (and plus I'm not completely bald, so it doesn't look as good).  Also, I do wear my wig when I'm out with my kids since I know it makes them a bit uncomfortable.  So far, I haven't had anyone approach me to say anything to me; that was one of my fears about broadcasting my cancer status to the public.  Has anyone had someone say something rude or inappropriate to them?

~ Julie 

Speaking about the people staring. I am not looking forward to that either. But for a good laugh when I do loose my hair, two male friends of mine who are bald have offered to go shopping with me in all my baldness just to see peoples reactions.