March 2010 Chemo Start

Just back from my last AC treatment, so I've hit the half-way mark!  I'll start 4 taxotere treatments in three weeks.  I was incredibly SE-free from the AC (except for the hair loss!), so I am hoping for a similar experience with taxotere.  I thought I would be through with the self-administered neupogen injections with this last AC round, but the onc says this will continue with taxotere.  Thankfully, this is not a major issue!  Best wishes to those Marchers still in treatment!

I just spent 2 hours going through insurance EOBs, co-pays, HSA, etc!!!  I think I'd rather have another round of chemo.

Janice - I am so sorry!  It sounds like it was probably for the best considering the problems you have had.  I have never been in the ICU but I would guess that it is scary ... "no fun" being a serious understatement!

So tattoos already?  Refresh my mind are you doing TEs?

Hugs, Charley

Hey there Charley!  The tattoos are reference points for the radiation.  I received 4.  All they are are black dots.  I have 2 on the left side of my breast, 1 on my right rib cage, and BEST of all, 1 right in the middle of my chest....it resembles a HUGE blackhead!  I will always have to wear some sort of makeup to conceal it if I wear a shirt or blouse that is open in the front....oh well.

I am so happy that you are plugging along.  Keep the faith and peace to you and yours.

Marilyn - sorry about your night of bad sleep.  I was taking Lorazapam (sp?) for a couple of months which they say is just like Ativan but I finally had to stop because it seemed to be triggering cluster headaches  For the last week or so I have actually been doing pretty well on my own which I hope continues.

As far as the GI issues goes I finally decided to take the "Activa challenge" that they advertise on TV with the special yogurt and I have to say it seems to be working.  I have never been a very "regular" person and the issue is now much worse so I am happy to say Activa is working for me.  Not sure how effective it will be during an actual chemo week when all the meds really slow/stop things but for now I am now an Activa fan.

Hope you got some sleep.

Hope everybody else is having a good SE free weekend.

I'm there with you Jules! Last weekend was my bad weekend.  This weekend better but so tired and my upper body strength is zelch. So when I do anything I feel like I've been lifting weights. Just running a few errands tires me out. I don't like the laying around thing either!!

So has anyone else had the watery eyes?? It is driving me crazy!  I have to have a tissue wherever I go and my eye makeup ... well what's the use of even putting it on?  I just hate having this great beautiful hair and haggy looking face ...   And my contacts seem to make it worse.

Ok ... enough griping. Just thought I'd chime in with you Jules.  Cranky truck has not left my house yet ... and somehow I just got my hubby to go buy me some lipstick at the dept. store. (Hmm ... that is a first) So something is working for me!

Hugs, Charley

That is what is so great about this discussion board - Watery eyes!!!!  I thought it was just me - or the pollen - or loosing eye lashes.   The past two days my eyes have been constantly tearing. I didn't even attempt eye make-up today.  Don't have a cough but do have a runny nose - I assume it's the lack of nose hairs.

 TAC treatment #4 of 6 tomorrow.  In a twisted way, I'm looking forward to it.  I'm always anxious until I know my port is working and my blood counts are good, then I kick back and enjoy the benedryl buzz. 

Jules - hang in there! You are now more than halfway through. 

Frosty - post pics of your cute red do.  I considered going red, but opted for the blond highlights.

Hugs to all the March gals. 

Hello Everyone... I have a question.  I received my third of four chemo treatments last Tuesday.  After having relatively few SE's since beginning this process, I must admit that this one kicked me in the butt!  I have been on the couch pretty much since Wednesday afternoon.  I have absolutely no energy and when I do get up to do something, my heart pounds and I just need to go back to the couch.  It is improving, but I'm still so very fatigued.  Anyone else with this happening?  I am soon to be 62, so perhaps age has something to do with this.  I just need to know if this is normal and then I can just wait it out.  Anyone out there????  Thanks.  Karen

Karen - I think many of us are with you on the side effects getting worse the more treatments we have.  I breezed through the first 2 like nothing was wrong but the 3rd one kicked me in the butt also on days 3 and 4.  I pretty much spent the 2 days moving from the bed to the couch, didn't really want to eat and in general felt terrible.  My oncologist had told me that morning that by the 3rd treatment is starts taking some people a little longer to bounce back.  I was thinking she planted the suggestion in my head and my body responded but after reading what others have to say I don't think it was that.

Hang in there.  Hopefully you will start to feel better soon.  BTW, I am 49 and in good health, other tha having cancer, so I'm not sure if age has anything to do with it.

Hello Ladies,

Just checking in on you all - I like Janice will be beginning the rads soon - I go tomorrow for my tats,(hereandnow I'll ask about the goldfish or perhaps just a different color LOL)

  I have to tell you a great story that happened to me on Sunday.  I was having breakfast with my husband and girlfriend and this woman came up to our table and handed me a card with a bracelet attached to it and said, I see you are going through chemo this is for you.  It is a beautiful colored beaded bracelet and the card it was on tells you what color represents which type of cancer.  She left and of course I started to cry and my girlfriend (whom I haven't seen in a while) asked me if that happens a lot.  I told her people do ask me about my scarves and stop and tell me to hang in there, etc etc.  I just thought that was one of the nicest thing anyone could do.  So now, I'm going to a bead shop buying beads and going to make one myself and do the same thing and Pay it Forward.

My best to all and I continue to wish you all the best. Hugs to ALL - Stacey

Hereandnow:  Thanks for sharing your boob wound story, but sorry you're going through it.  I did not have chemo this week, they held off for wound healing.  Did they ever do that to you?  Initially, they delayed my chemo start because of it.  This time I don't mind, I really want the wound to heal.  So i am now 2 weeks on anti biotics and continue to dress it twice a day.  Trying to walk more to promote blood flow.  Hope it helps. 

Here's my new sogga (sp?)  I need to rest my arm from blood draws.  Last time they couldn't get it due to scare tissue.  And I can't use my right arm.  We are trying to see how I can get it drawn through my port.  I've been having it done weekly due to postponing of chemo and I guess it's too much.  I guess there is no "things as normal with cancer".  But I just wish I could be a "normal" chemo patient.  As for the food thing, I had not been eating so great before my diagnosis.  I have to agree with Stacey, now I want the healthy things.  The junk food tastes terrible! 

I am also going to ice my hands and feet when I do taxol.  The nurse in my infusion center never heard of such a thing.  But to me it's worth a try to avoid those side effects. 

Congrats to all for another week through treatments!! 

barb - I have had insomnia since my 2nd treatment.  I tried over the counter stuff but now I just take ambien every day.  Can only sleep for about 4 - 5 hours a night even with that.  Funny how I am so tired but can't sleep. Probably need the CR but I'm hoping with the end of chemo in sight maybe I won't need it after the next few weeks.

Stacy - what a nice thing that happened to you this weekend. I, too have experienced so many random acts of kindness since this journey began it is really almost unbelievable.  It sure makes you have faith in the goodness of the human race. I too will want to "pay it forward".

Kanye - Hope you heal quickly!

Hugs, Charley

I haven't logged in in a couple of days and I decided I just wanted to complain about my list of symptoms. I am laughing -- seems like a lot of us are going through similar things this week!

My whine list:
sore throat, something stuck in throat
pounding heart with hardly any exertion
out of breath, feels like I spent all day in a chlorine pool
drippy (not runny) nose
watery, twitchy eyes on & off
tired after one errand
This is my new favorite. the sorest butt ever. I cry every time I have a BM. bloody--guess it's part of that same tube from mouth to anus, it could get really irritated too.

stupid taxotere.

OK, done now.

{{hugs}}

toni

Teemee: The whole BM thing is a bummer. I experienced it after my first chemo. I couldn't believe how stopped up everything was or how PAINFUL. I have not had it since and this is why. Right after everything started working again (back in March) I started eating a bowl of oatmeal and 2 pieces of whole wheat toast EVERYDAY for breakfast. I have not skipped a day. When I had my second chemo, everything in the BM department kept working normal (even during and after chemo). I continued with the oatmeal and during my third chemo the same thing happened~everything worked normal. I take no laxatives or stool softeners or anything like that. BUT, my first chemo I was downing laxatives and stool softeners like they were candy! They didn't help me. I went 10 days without a BM (during first chemo) and when it finally started working again it was so painful that I thought I was going to die! Oh, I do get tired of eating oatmeal everyday but then I remind myself why I'm doing it! Anyway, that's my story and what works for me.

Charley: I feel pretty dumb but what is CR?

ANA: I only have one treatment left of Taxotere and Cytoxan. My nail beds are fine and my nails are pretty strong. Did not do Ice or anything.

Marilyn7: I agree with the stool softeners etc.There is a fine line when to stop a;nd not get Diarrhea. My firsts time was just awful. I had had the ct with barium and was constipated from that and they (onc) told me not to worry that I would probably get Diarrhea  with the chemo. Boy was I miserable. Did every thing I could think of to get it going then went to the point of bleeding and had to do everything to stop. So now it is stool softeners,  and I also do probiotics. works great.