Chemo June 2010

I just heard about the Ativan.  Maybe I should have requested it for MUGA #2 tomorrow!  Ughhh..

swanseagirl - there is a ton of info and a shopping list for chemo if you Jump to Forum:  Chemotherapy - Before, During and After. There's the chemo shopping list, headcover tips and a whole list of helpful items.

Dear gillyone - thanks so much for the encouragement! So glad you got through and are getting back to normal. That is such fantastic news!!!!!! Hugs to you for sharing with us who've just started, or like me, are still waiting nervously to start. Thanks so so much!!!

grneyed-  I would ask your Oncologist's nurse to please confirm any prescriptions you will need TODAY and even call them in to the pharmacy so you can fill them.  My Onc prescribed Zofran and Reglan.  Every doctor is different.  I took my prescriptions with me on my first day and took notes.  I'm glad I did as I wasn't thinking too straight after chemo and certainly didn't want to run to the pharmacy.  Tough my husband would have been happy to go, I wanted him nearby if I needed him.  I would also ask them if you should take something to ward off constipation.  I am 4 days after my 1st chemo and STILL haven't gone!  I have another call into my doctor.  This just can't be healthy.  How long can a person go without going to the bathroom???  Best of luck!

DesignerMom - 4 days, that's gotta be uncomfortable. I hope your doc gets this resolved quickly. Wishing you best of luck.

Designermom--Thanks for the info on Ativan. I did not know it can be addicting.  I don't use it often, just for stressful situations, like today, and for occasional nausea.  I don't need it for tests or anything, just the dang stress of being back in that stupid chair again!  I hope your "problem" gets resolved soon, w/o too much discomfort!

gillyone-->thanks for popping in to give us some much needed encouragement!

I just got back from my first AC treatment.  The whole thing, including labs, took about 3.5 hours.  Next time will be a bit longer because I'll see my onc. too.  I got Decadron and Zofran through my port  (seems to be the standard at my cancer center). Oh--because Emend worked well for me in the past, the nurse made sure I got some today, so I'm not sure if the doc was going to give it to me anyway, or just did because the nurse asked.  So before the infusion started I took an Emend pill, and then I'll take 1 a day for the next 2 days.  Emend helps with delayed nausea.  After the pre-meds, the nurse gave me the Andriamycin (red devil).  It was pushed in with a large syringe.  She pushes it very slowly so it mixes with the saline that is also going in.  Every couple of minutes she would pull it back to pull blood out to make sure my veins were ok.  She said problems are less likely to happen with a port, but they still take precautions.  I can expand on that more if there are questions.  She did 3 syringes of that @ 5 min. each.  Oh, and she gave me ice chips to help ward off mouth sores while I was getting the drug. Then she started the Cytoxan.  That bag took an hour.

So, other than the nerves and upset stomach from being back at chemo, everything went well.  It helps that I'm familiar with the place, and the nurses know me.  I just am a little tired and blah feeling.  I've noticed most ladies here feel the worst a few days out, and the nurse agreed that that's what usually happens.  My throat seems a little scratchy too, hmmm.  Since I got enough steroids in the infusion, I won't take a pill until the morning.  Hopefully I can sleep tonight, but that is somewhat unlikely.  I'll probably end up in the recliner flipping through channels!

Hope to hear from roosje and lizzyanne, to see how they did!  Praying it went well for them!

Hoping all goes well for those soon to start too!

T

TMarina:  glad to hear your first treatment was fairly uneventful.  I am hoping for that same scenario myself on Wednesday.  I have to say that reading about everyone's experience on here has helped with my anxiety.  Tomorrow I am going shopping for the things on my list after I finish my scans.

tmarina-  I'm proud to know you!  You can do this.  You ARE doing this!  I am praying that you have few SE.

Update on my constipation ladies!  After ALL the advice including:  Colace, Sennokot, stewed prunes, Milk of Mag, I just had to hang up a phone call FAST and run to the bathroom.  Hallelujah!!!  I can tell you one thing.  Before my next chemo, I am going to eat my stewed prunes, take Colace and maybe even something else.  I am 54 years old.  Never, have I not pooped for 4 days!  That's just not how God designed us.  For all you ladies getting your first chemos, ask your Oncs AHEAD of time all the thing you are allowed to use.  That way you will have a bag of tricks ready and can jump on it faster than I did.  Whoooo Hooo!  I feel good.

Well I went and shaved my head yesterday! I cried the whole time but I am so happy it is gone now! I ended up shaving it on day 16 but I recommend to everyone to shave it BEFORE it starts coming out, like on day 13! It was probaby harder seeing it come out in clumps then when I shaved it, plus when I shaved it, there were some bald patches and I think it woud be easier to see it shaved when the hair is still in, seeing the bald patches was the hardest. But it is done and over with and I can finally stop crying over my hair coming out. LIke the instant it was all gone, I stopped crying. My husband did it for me (I didn't watch) so he was trying to make me laugh the whole time which made it easier... I just kept reminding myself that it is temporary and it will grow back and the hardest part is over!!

I wore my wig alll day today just so it wasn't so hard to see myself with out any hair. But my scalp still hurts, like it's pretty itchy and feels tender, does anyone know how long that lasts for and why it is so tender? I thought it hurt before because my hair was so long and heavy but it still hurts!!

Hi everyone: Just wanted to share a few experiences I had before my planned June 9 chemo start date.   I had been experiencing pain down my back, under the scapula prior to going in for my first TE fill. It felt raw, and burned. Plastics guy said he thinks I have shingles. No blisters or rash, but it follows along a nerve from the back and with his experience, sounds like shingles. He was hesitant to start me on neurontin (said it's pretty sedating), until he witnessed one of my "zingers" which hurt like a b****, and had me crying like an infant, and wrote the script on the spot. I followed up with my primary Dr. regarding the shingles-she contacted my onc. who said (same day)  to go ahead and start Valtrex (antiviral), even though I was outside of the 72 hour period from start of symptoms. Oh how I love collaboration- none of us should settle for less! The neurontin started to work after a few doses! Whew-like anyone needs that kind of pain on top of everything else!

 In anticipation of starting chemo on June 9, I had my teeth cleaned, a crown replaced, and unfortunately had a tooth identified to have a root infection. My dentist referred me to an oral surgeon-set to see him on June 8 where he promptly made an incision, pulled down the gum, and cleaned it out. It was a horrible experience because he didn't say a word to me the whole time he was doing it as he torquing my mouth open as wide as possible, and smashing one side of my nose with his hand-this is all while drilling away. I started to cry about ¾ of the way through. No one even asked why. After he sat me up, he pointed to a chair that I should go sit in to get my discharge instructions. I sobbed the whole time-again, no questions of what was wrong. Luckily my sister was with me. When we got to the car, I told her what happened (as best as you can when entirely numb on one side) and she went back in and read them the riot act! Yeah for sisters! BTW, I "told on" this oral surgeon-called my dentist that day and told him what happened. And yes, this guy (oral surgeon) knew all about what I have been going through, not that any human being should go through what I did, no matter what.  No more referrals for you dude!

 My whole family tried to talk me out of starting chemo the next day. I called the nurse and told her what was going on (mouth, shingles) and she said to go ahead and come in as planned and she would tell the Dr. The next day, I felt so much better-less mouth pain although swollen like a chipmunk on the left. So, I got all dressed up for my first chemo, and said "Come on-let's go, If my Dr. says it's a go, I'm doing it!" Received my first dose of Adria and Cytoxan on June 9. My point of all of this, because I know it's very lengthy, is two-fold. Do not let anyone give you crap about anything! I've been reading on various forums and threads since being diagnosed 3/12, and know that everyone on this site is strong!  Also, just wanted to share a few things that happened before chemo, but chemo started anyway! The waiting is agonizing and I think we all just want to move forward. The last thing I wanted was to postpone the start of chemo.  Sorry for the lengthy post  Laurie

Hi everyone--I just joined the group. Had my first chemo on June 7 (TC) and did well. The only SE that has really bothered me so far has been bone pain from the Neulasta. My hair is still with me, but I expect it to go any day now?  I told our sons that when it goes, I think I will just get a great big tattoo on my head instead of wearing a wig. At ages 12 and 15, they thought that was a great idea! I won't really do it, and they know that, but it was great way to make it a less stressful situation for them. We had a lot of fun thinking of different designs I could get.

Have really found all the posts so helpful and am looking forward to sharing the journey with all of you.

Beanius and all June Ladies,

Thinking and praying for you all that are starting chemo treatment soon or are in treatment.

I went and got the MUGA scan today.  The tech was so much better.  She had no problem seeing my heart.  The other tech said my heart rate was irregular, where it would slow down to the 40's and then speed up to 70's.  When they got the heart monitors on me, I watched the screen.... 70..71..73..76..71..71..71..71.....  for about 20 seconds before they pulled the MUGA machine over me.  So unless it jumped down afterward, that other tech might not have had me hooked up properly (or she was just plain LAME)!

So, I called my onco twice afterward to see if they got any answers and to get a chemo start date.  I finally got a call from the nurse at the end of the day.  They won't have my results for a couple more days!!!  I was sooooo mad!!!  They don't seem to get that my husband has to take time off work.  He changed his schedule to meet my chemo dates, only for it not to start.  Now we don't know!  I wanted to start on Wednesdays because the 3rd day (Friday) I would start to feel bad and I could rest over the weekend.  Ughhhhh.....

I'm thinking of planting myself in their office tomorrow morning until someone starts giving me answers!