Chemo June 2010

Designermom - I am sorry to hear about your pain in the a$$ day at chemo. How frustrating.  I'm glad you're home now!

I am on day 3 and feeling more sore this time from the Neulasta shot I got yesterday (than 2 weeks ago).  I am resting today and just working from home.  My customers have been really kind to me, which is nice.  I have been feeling kind of queasy, so I'm taking the Zofran on top of the Emend.  And I'm eating something every 2-3 hours and drinking water & Gatorade.  My temp has been cooler than normal (97.3 - 97.8).  Anyone else have that?  My blood pressure was low yesterday, too (99/67). 

Hi all... it's been a few days and I am just catching up with all the activity

2nd chemo (FEC 100) was 7 days ago. Port installation surgery 4 days ago.

I had some really rough days. No nausea, but dizzy, sore and so weak. My hair is about all gone now. I am getting good at tying scarves up into head wraps. I have terrible burps and heartburn.

It's hard to look in the mirror to see a person I barely recognize. I have been spending time mostly at home, but yesterday and today, a few friends or relatives have dropped by. I was reluctant to have people see me with my head scarves, but people have been wonderful... or they lie really well and tell me I look great!

Tomorrow, my oldest daughter comes home....she just finished university and I haven't seen her in two months. I am a little nervous about her seeing my new look. She's a sweetie, and she's been told what to expect, but still....

DesignerMom: I love your attitude! You will have that hospital re-organized soon!

Good luck Girls.... especially Cheyanna and others with chemo tomorrow

NorthernGirl 

Thanks for all the cheerleading.  You guys always perk me up.  Still feeling pretty good...probably the Kytril I got during chemo.  I'm hoping the SE stay AWAY!

Hey Kitty-  As your BP was low yesterday and your temp is low, I bet you are dragging.  I'm wondering if it has to do with your red cells getting clobbered.  Maybe try boosting your protein?  Isn't someone out there grillin' a steak?  Heck, with your weather just throw it on a sidewalk!  It would be worth a try.  I know it helps sometime.  Hang in there

kittycat - low blood pressure is a known SE. try drinking more (as if we aren't already drinking huge quantities...) and upping protein, and eating small meals regularly, but it sounds like you are already doing that.

cheyenna - we are on the same treatment plan, but i am almost one tx ahead of you - i go for my 3rd AC on Monday.

anyone have really sore palms on their hands? mine feel really tender - i screwed up a sheet of paper into a ball and felt like it was made of glass...

Hello Ladie:

I am getting into this a bit late. Started chemo on  June 10 - AC/T dose dense - so I am doiing my third treatment this week.

Here are some things that helped me.  Make sure they give you Ememd on the day of treatment - it really helps. Also, take the med befroe you feell the nausea- especially the Zofran.

The week after chemo I can barely move. I am off for three days adn then go to work, but I think I am going to take the fourth day off, since I have the sick time. 

The week ater chemo NOTHING appeals to my appetitie, so I eatwhatever I can get into my system.  Mac and cheese has become a staples.  I also have started eating a small piece of beef (organic) becasue it seems to give me energy.  Of becasue I had really gotten away from beef.  Ensure has been greaat becasue I owrry about weight loss.  SOmetimes I mix it with coconut milk (which has less glucose) and ffruit into a smoothie.

Ask yourdocs for sleeping pills - you really need to get sleep (unless you are not working and can nap all day) and you can deal with the withdrawal issues later.

On constipation , I use stool softeners twice a day and they really help.

The week after chmo I can't stand water, so Vitamin Water and Gatorade help.

Nosebleeds just staerted - yikes!- frm loss of nose hairs I guess, so I need to ask my onc aobut that.

Hang in there - especially you AC/T ladies -it's a drag, but we'll get through together.
Toni 

H

RS711

If you take the decadron twice a day, I would just skip the second dose today.  It has a half life of over 50 hours so I wouldn't worry.  You might be "flying " from the higher morning dose though.  If you are worried, call the nurse or onc on call.

Sherry, I am on FEC X3, 3 weeks apart and Dx3 three weeks apart.  My first one was rather unpleasant but the onc changed all of the SE meds and decrease the dexamethasone in half.  So far today, I am feeling 100 % better that last time.  Danialas, Algreach, and Trusting have this too so they may have more positve things to say.  When do you start?  It has to better since your onc knows how sensitive you are to these drugs.

Blessings, Mimi

Dsa--I have not had any vomiting, but feel a little nauseated most of the time.  I get Zofran, decadron, Emend, and have compazine and ativan as "back-ups".  Have needed all of them!  I had 2nd tx on Monday, and today haven't had much nausea, but am so "out if it" I can hardly move!  I just give into it and try not to stress about it.  Hubby got me out for a shaky-legged little walk this morning, and that did feel good.  My hair is REALLY falling out now.  Started slowly on day 14, then yesterday started falling heavily. Luckily I'm too out of it to care much!  Have a friend on stand by to buzz it, but might just have hubby do it with his trimmer.  I don't think I'll wear my wigs much--plan on mostly hats and scarves--just need to learn how to tie them.  My 22 yo dd is learning, and she is going with me to my 'look good feel better" class on Wed.

We all know we should be eating healthier, but at this point don't feel guilty about what you eat!  Just eat whatever sounds/tastes good.  I crave a certain pizza because its one of the few things I can taste!  I do have some Ensure drinks on hand too, for those times I just don't care to eat.  I like mashed potatoes too!  And oatmeal.

I hope this next time goes easier for you!  Its esp. important to get a lot of fluids due to the Cytoxan, so def. go in to get IVs, if needed!

Desingnermom--love your posts! 

Toni30--good to hear from you!  Good reminder about protein!  Good luck with your 3rd tx!

Ok, off to "la-la" land again...

Take care!

T

tmarina-  Hang in there!  Like you said, just give in to it and rest.  Know the SE won't last forever. 

dsa outtahere-  I love your suggestion to trade places with me for chemo and I'll do their job.  I'm going to try that next time.  My usual reply when people (far too often) say "we can't do that" is "no, no, no, we can put men on the moon, surely we can do THIS!"

Upon finding out about my 3 hour delay for chemo, my dear friend sent this and had me lol.  Thought I'd share it.  "Pretend you're in a third world country, and you took the packed bus with
the chickens in the aisle for 14 hours to get there, and slept overnight in
the courtyard in the rain. It will make the 3-hour wait more bearable.

Or else bring a laptop and earbuds, and watch a movie. Better yet, make your
own. A re-make of The Terminator, called The Chemo-nator? "

Love and prayers to you all!

Adding Toni, Workmother and Latte to my hero list for tolerating and getting through A/C treatments!

Mimi - I am doing the FEC every week for 12 weeks - no time off in between.  Yet your timetable is different.  I wonder if my dosage each time is much less, therefore the need to go every week.  I don't care as long as it doesn't kick my tail like the A/C did.

As far as tasting and eating goes - my taster and appetite comes and goes depending on how I feel on any certain day.  I eat whatever sounds good to me at the moment that I think won't make me sick.  After all, it's only for a few weeks.  I can start making better eating choices after I get through chemo. So far I haven't eaten THAT bad but I do crave french fries alot.

I am having a hard time staying asleep and this pattern has been going on for about a week or more now.  I can go to sleep okay, but I wake up around 2:00 a.m. and can't go back to sleep.  It takes 3 or 4 hours before I finally fall asleep again.  I'm not sleeping during the day, so I don't know what it could be.  I noticed someone mentioned asking doctor for sleeping aid, but my stars - don't I have enough pills to take?  What do they give you to sleep? 

Sherry 9316 I asked them to recommend a sleeping pill and they recommended Restoril because it's not supposed to be addictive. It definitely helps. They also said they would try Ambien CR if that doesn't workl  I agree = I wish I didn't have to take another medication.  But sleep/rest is such an important ingredient in getting better, that I think it's worth considering. Toni

cheyenna - my temp went down today but now its back at 99.5. Taking the antibiotics they gave me. Did your fever finally go away? I read your post about the doctor saying we get fevers and no coughs. Well, I have a cough too. They actually did a chest xray at the hospital last night because of the cough. But that came back clear. I have what feels like a really lousy cold. I'm all congested and stuffed in my head. I think the cough is really a drip down the back of my throat. I was so tired all day again today. Hoping I get some energy and feel better the next couple of days before I have to go for my 2nd treatment on Wed!  How are you feeling so far from your 2nd treatment?

Ladies, I haven't posted for awhile but sign in to follow along on your journeys.

Had first TCH on June 23rd. ( First Neulasta on June 30th.)

11 days out and I am debilitated by headache and stiff neck.

Am drinking water, smart-water, decaf green tea until I float. Don't think it's a hydration thing. Taking 500mg Tylenol q 6 hrs. Doesn't touch it.

Any suggestions? I looked this up on a SE site that said if you had headache and stiff neck you should go to the ER. Not about to do that unless the stiff neck part is an indication of something nasty that I'm not aware of.

Trusting,  after my first FEC I had my head buzzed on day 12.  The stubble didn't start falling out until day 14 and by day 21 I still had some that wasn't ready to fall out yet.  I know it was early to buzz, by hey, I just couldn't stand the thought of watching ANY hair fall out.

My first FEC kept me awake the whole time.  No rest, no naps, up at 3 am too.  The onc decreased the steroid in half and all I have done is sleep this round.  So much better!  My heros are those with young children and going thru this!  My late baby at 17 yrs old has been a tremendous help.

Sherry, yes, your dosage of chemo would be probably about a third of mine if you are getting it weekly.  there are "lifetime dosages" of things like adria (epirubicin) that you get and no more.  Perhaps getting it weekly will be easier on you.  Good luck dear, I worry about you.

Mimi

julia2-  I agree, that is no discussion for the dinner table, especially in a public restaurant!  I wish people were more sensitive.  Our society seems to emphasize all the very bad things, even though they are statistically small.  It's why the news is so dreadful, trainwrecks, explosions, airplane crashes.  Logically, the likelihood of these things happening is SO small.  Just know that the OVERWHELMING odds are in our favor to survive breast cancer and hold on to that knowledge.  As my DH would say "why are there more horse's A$$es than horses"!

tmarina- I think you might want to call  your Onc.  I don't like that your chest is congested and you are coughing.  Be careful about taking things like Nyquil, they may interact with chemo drugs?  Also, they may mask symptoms if you have lung infection.  When I asked my Onc if I could take Tylenol, she said yes, however always check your temperature BEFORE taking a dose to make sure you aren't running a temperature.  Otherwise the Tylenol will supress the fever and you would not know.  It seems such simple, logical advice, but it never occurred to me!  Be sure to hydrate and boost your protein.  That might help with the low blood pressure.  You are in  my prayers.

Today is two days after chemo #2.  I'm a bit pooped.  This time the Zofran isn't working quite as well on the nausea, but it is tolerable.  I have Reglan too, but don't want to use it unless I really need to.  This time the constipation is better, but boy am I going to up the stool softeners, that's a whole other uncomfortable story!  I know I will probably perfect the whole digestion, constipation remedy......just as I finish chemo!   

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!  May you live forever!