Chemo starting in December 2010

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  • Rachel2
    Rachel2 Member Posts: 32
    edited January 2011

    Hi everyone:

    It's a warm but very wet and rainy day here today so a great opportunity to catch up on everyone's posts.

    re: Emend in pill form, I started Emend last chemo and it sure helped.  I don't know if the supply is different in each country but I suspect so.

    Sammolisa, I can relate to how you are feeling and somedays it is so hard to shake, but it does pass.  I am supposed to get my period now, had it last month, and can certainly feel those hormones.  I felt like a possessed woman the other day and ended up burning my hand while I was cooking and having a slight meltdown in front of my wonderful girls.  My older daughter just came up behind me while I was running my hand under the cold water and rubbed my back and said breathe, Mom, breathe.  I calmed down. It is very humbling when your children act more mature than you do.  I felt terrible. 

     In March, we did a family trip to Ecuador and in some ways I just want to hop on a plane and hang out at the quiet beach just for a week all by myself, and then come back and start again.   

    The other day I started to panic again about a recurrence and metasis since I am triple negative and went on the internet and ended up an emotional mess. 

    My hands and feet are really dry and I have red painful spots on my hands.  Anyone else have that?  The onc said it was just dry skin but it hurts.  My heels are really dry and getting red too.

    Hugs and warm wishes to everyone.

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  • hdangelbaby
    hdangelbaby Member Posts: 731
    edited January 2011

    I have found some really cool info today gals!!

    I have been craving beef and corn lately. so i made cheeseburgers last night and this awesome corn, tomato, pepper, celery, cilantro salad. It was way yummy by the way.

    This morning I woke up with a new side effect. brace yourself cause it's gross.... hemmorhoids.

    I went on the internet to do some lurking about corn and it's health benefits. It reads that corn is very beneficial to the generation of new blood cells! that's great for us! also, it read it's great for anemics, same idea, cause aneimics have low red counts, and corn is supposed to help with that. and...... corn helps with hemmoroids. made my stinking day!!! lol!

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  • Sharon789
    Sharon789 Member Posts: 56
    edited January 2011

    Hi folks,

    I've finished my second round of TC and I'm feeling good enough to go back to the gym.   I was wondering if anyone has found some cool head covering for the gym?  I don't want to wear my wig but my usual ball cap and my nice hats don't work. I'm worried about sweating too much with the head covering.  Any suggestions?

    Thanks for your help.

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  • nolaa
    nolaa Member Posts: 76
    edited January 2011

    Lawleigh - I just read an interesting article the other day at the oncologist's office about late term side effects of radiation. It's certainly a real concern. My understanding was that the option of rads is a function of the size and location of the tumor as well as stage. Mine is also large and later stage, so I think that plays into it a lot.  They have lots of advanced techniques now to help keep the rays away from the body.  Although I guess access to them depends on local docs and local hospitals/resources.

     Rachel2 - I also started getting those spots on my hands.  Mine look almost like braille. Same size and shape, only sort-of red though.  Doc just brushed them off as a chemo side effect but they're spreading each day.  That doesn't seem good to me.  

    My stubble started falling out today.  That seems really weird and sudden.  I wonder if its the delayed response from a previous chemo round.  Not all of it.  Just some.  None has come out in a few weeks.

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  • sunflower71
    sunflower71 Member Posts: 130
    edited January 2011

    Hdangel- Good to hear about the corn!  I am borderline anemic now and got myself a case of the hemmoroids recently.  Sigh, chemo the gift that keeps giving.

    Sharon789- I run in a nike dri-fit hat.  It keeps my head nice and cool.  They sell all kinds of dri-fit ones at Dicks and Sports Authority.  I got mine at a Nike outlet.

    My head is so patchy now!  I have stubble with balds spots everywhere.  Has anyone broken down and shaved it with a razor yet?  What happened?  Did it get bumpy or itchy?

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  • hdangelbaby
    hdangelbaby Member Posts: 731
    edited January 2011

    sunflower71, i never had them till now. wow... it hurts. alot!!! onc said to try a stool softener and lots and lots of liquids for a few days, i see him tuesday anyway so if it's not cleared up by then i will be seeing him anyway. haven't broken down and used a razor. my head is stubbly too, but with lots of red bumps. doc said to use antibacterial soap on them. eh.. not sure if it's working.

    Does anyone know... if once you have a lumpectomy, then chemo and rads, if you wait at least a year or two,,, can you get implants?? I want to get implants to kinda even out what got lost during my lumpectomy. i have b cup to begin with, just wanting to not necessarily go like big c or d cup, maybe a small c.

    plus i feel i deserve to go around with at least perky boobs after the hell i have went through!!

    thanks for any replies!

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  • peacebear
    peacebear Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2011

    started AC a week after i was diagnosed. still working on staging. so far 2 cycles in first was nausea for 4 days straight sick. second not as bad after my dr changed my drugs. worst is the picc line installed in my dominant arm that makes me feel like an invalid. oh. and my hair is gone. what was hair past my waist for 20 years is making me depressed. i know its only hair, but still.

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  • karebear76
    karebear76 Member Posts: 288
    edited January 2011

    ((HUGS)) peacebear. I had short hair before all of this and it was really really hard loosing it. I have always had bangs and I got to thinking the other day that since I have to "start over" with my hair I could grow it so I don't have bangs since I will be use to looking at myself that way for awhile anyways! Try to stay positive and think of the up sides to things. It has really helped me with the different stages of grieving. I love that I can get ready for the day in 5 min including a shower!! (((HUGS))) We will get thru this and have each other to lean on through it. I love this board and all the support!!

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  • LisaMomOfFour
    LisaMomOfFour Member Posts: 465
    edited January 2011

    Day 3 of my 2nd cycle of AC.  So far so good, just a bit sleepy.  For those of you with hemorhoids, I'm sorry!  I hate them... haven't gotten there yet, but I did have them really badly with one of my pregnancies.... Tucks pads were more relief than anything, and when it was really bad I lined a sanitary pad with them for a little while after using the bathroom. 

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  • hdangelbaby
    hdangelbaby Member Posts: 731
    edited January 2011

    May I vent for a sec?

    I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in over a week cause the ativan just isn't cutting it anymore.

    I have hemmorhoids so it feels like razor blades when I poo, i know gross.

    I peed myself while i was sleeping last night ( the littel bit of sleep i did get)

    and i went to fax off some paperwork to our mortgage company and i left the fax number on the dining room table. so no fax. ( i had to go into my home depot to fax, it's free and i know where it is anyways)

    and when i saw my husband at work today ( he works at home depot too, i am on LOA) i rambled off about razor blades and peeing in my sleep and i started crying. like really lost it!! thank god he knew to just listen and hug me.

    having kind of a depressing day today gals. I know it will get better, but today sucks

    only good thing is the lady at subway said she loved my hat, and laid on lots the pepperoni on my italian sub. thank you subway lady, you are the one that made me smile today!

    thanks for listening!! i really needed to vent- Angel

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  • LisaMomOfFour
    LisaMomOfFour Member Posts: 465
    edited January 2011

    hdangelbaby -- I'm so sorry you had such a bad day....   Sending good thoughts and hugs your way.  This treatment is awful, no other way to put it... hang in there! 

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  • sammolisa
    sammolisa Member Posts: 180
    edited January 2011

    Hi all!

    Feeling a bit better today,  I slept all day - well not really slept per se more like rested between naps- ( I feel ya there about the sleep Angel - Ativan doesn't cut it sometimes.)  I had a cold tho last week and taking Nyquil with the ativan rocked!  LOL.   They are only 1mg tabs of ativan so I figured I was ok to take them together.  Sometimes I wonder how my body knows what to do with all the drugs I keep giving it, between the chemo and the emend and the ativan and the Milk of Magnesia  - it's a wonder.

    To those craving protein..... me too!   Only sometimes tho.   In the early days of the chemo round I don't eat alot anyway but I crave carbs like french fries.  Then week 2 of AC is craving mostly protein and comfort foods.

    Hugs Angel,  vent all you want gf,  it helps! 

    Hope,  Leigh,  you both have my thoughts on rads too - I am getting more worried about them than the Taxol.   The three of us have the same regimen - (not sure who else is getting 4AC 12 Taxol and 6wks rads)   I am not looking forward to the possible long term side effects from the rads either.  And if I have to wait 4 more months after the rads are done to get my other breast to match my left side the oncologist and I are gonna have to talk!

    Well, enough for now as Andrew Zimmern is on and I love that show.  lol

    Love to all,

    Lisa

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2011

    Sammolisa-  I'm one AC treatment behind you and am "looking forward to weekly treatments of taxol. Not sure of how many weeks of radiation now, but initially the doc was talking 9 weeks of it.  My last AC was Thursday.

    Because of the blood clots and my blood pressure they gave me only 80% of my AC treatment.  They've been taking my blood pressure using my thigh, because the blood clots are in my left arm.  Thursday before the treatment, it was 209/119.  So they decided to take my blood pressure using my right arm, the side they removed my lymph nodes.  Then the blood pressure was 124/74, however it caused my right arm to slightly swell.

    Prior to my treatment, I had 3 really good days.  I felt like my old self, lots of energy, which gives me hope when I feel now as I do.  I go in for daily blood thinning shots to dissipate the two blood clots that were caused by my power port. They've also determined that I'm resistant to warfarin since my P/T number hasn't moved a bit and they've boosted me up to 10 mg.

     I took emend during my second treatment and had terrible headaches so decided not to take it this time around and I'm much better this time.  

    I also had waist length hair prior to all this, but can not stand to wear a wig or a hat 24/7 so...  I go without.  I only wear my polar fleece hat when my head cold.  I feel like my bald head is my badge of courage!  If other people can't stand to look at me, that's their problem!  Usually I get only encouraging words!

    Be strong! Fight the fight hard!!!  Love you all,  Sara 

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  • Sharon789
    Sharon789 Member Posts: 56
    edited January 2011

    Hi folks,

    Thanks for all of the good info on this thread.  I started TC mid December and have had two rounds.  After this second round I have experienced hives and ITCHING for the first time. They are all over my body including my forehead and eyelids!  Yuck.  Today I have just been given a sterioid pill and benadryl.  I was just wondering if anyone has experienced the same thing and how you were able to manage it. Do they go away at some point before my next round?

    I am worried that they will have to change my chemo drugs because of this allergic reaction. I guess my reaction is because if I have to go through all this I wouldn't want them to reduce the dose and potentially reduce the effectiveness of the chemo. 

     Any thoughts would be appreciated.

    Thanks so much,

    Sharon

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  • ami
    ami Member Posts: 11
    edited January 2011

    Hi Sharon,

    I had TC start mid-December too; second round was Jan 6.  The first round, after about a week I started with breaking out on my chest, then to hives that were horribly itchy and spread to my back, top of arms, and to my chin (didn't make it all the way up to the eyes).  I also had uncontrollable mouth spasms and twitches (my kids said I looked like the Joker).  The hives did go away after about a week and before round two.

    I'd been given decadron, zofran, and compazine.  The compazine caused the mouth problems; pharmacist said the decadron should help with the hives so she extended that from 4 to 6 days (though I didn't take full dose on days 5 and 6).  Just yesterday I started getting a little itchy on the chest so used a steroid cream, and it doesn't seem to be progressing. It's MUCH better than last time.  

    Apparently the Taxotere causes the hives, and I was told I'd be switched to the A class (AC) if they were unmanagable, so I'm doing my best to manage them!

     ami

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  • msjag
    msjag Member Posts: 416
    edited January 2011

    I am having such aa bad day, three days after 3rd TC, can't sleep, so tired, just keep wondering around...try to lay down...can't sleep..walk around...get tired...I did so well other tx's, hope this passes tomorrow.  Sorry to be a downer, just know you will all understand.  One more tx and I'm already dreading it....I know..one day at a time....  hope everyone is doing well/better with side effects.   How do you all take naps with those steroids? I barely make it through the night with ativan for a few hours at a time.  any suggestions would be great...I'm so tired!!

    Thanks,

    JoAnn

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  • karebear76
    karebear76 Member Posts: 288
    edited January 2011

    (((HUGS))) JoAnn. I wish I had some advice for you, but alas I am not sleeping either. I can fall asleep but can't stay asleep. I have my 3rd tx on Thurs. Not looking forward to it.

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  • hdangelbaby
    hdangelbaby Member Posts: 731
    edited January 2011

    I think we are all going through some bad insomnia!! I have my 4th DD AC on tuesday. I can't sleep through the night despite ativan. I finally get so sleep around 4 am, then on and off till noon. ugh... it's sucks, and i'm not even on steroids!

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  • mommafluff61
    mommafluff61 Member Posts: 40
    edited January 2011

    I took some prilosec otc on Wednesday morning, took it again on Thursday and by 9am I had hives. I looked up the side effects of prilosec and it did say hives. So I took benadryl and by Saturday I was fine. Weird, huh? I didn't even think it would be the chemo...maybe?

    I built a nest with the hair that came out after my shower today! I even put it in a tree so the birds can use it to build their nests! I had to wear a shower cap when I made "white lightening chicken chili." I didn't want to shed in the food! I'm going for my "shave" tomorrow or Tuesday.

    2nd round of chemo on Thursday.

    Sometimes it's just easier to laugh than to cry! (trying to make this my motto!)

    Have a great week! 

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  • hdangelbaby
    hdangelbaby Member Posts: 731
    edited January 2011

    good motto mommafluff!

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  • msjag
    msjag Member Posts: 416
    edited January 2011

    Anyone take ambien for sleep? my onc is calling in a script cuz I'm not getting any rest...if I have the energy I'll look further online, but you gals are the experts!! hope all is well

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  • bambi380
    bambi380 Member Posts: 44
    edited January 2011

    Gals I feel so lucky in that I sleep. The only thing that wakes me are the AWFUL hot flashes. But I go right back to sleep easily.

    Now for my question. What do you take to battle the brutal constipation which visits after treatments? For me thus far, that is the worst SE.

    BambiSmile

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  • LisaMomOfFour
    LisaMomOfFour Member Posts: 465
    edited January 2011

    Hi Bambi -- I agree!  I had the worst constipation last round...this round I started taking senokot-s the night before my treatment, and continued for five days.  It didn't work perfectly, but it was a huge improvement over the first treatment where I didn't do anything ahead of time. 

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  • nolaa
    nolaa Member Posts: 76
    edited January 2011

    For constipation try any foods that make you loose: carrots, prunes, pears, prune juice, tons of fruits and veggies...  plus a slew of OTC meds that should do the trick.

    hdangelbaby, lindaa, Rachel2 -- good luck on AC tomorrow.  I'm finding myself weepy all morning.  I'm just not as mentally prepared as last time.  I know its the last and that should make me happy!  But I think the SE have finally worn me down.

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  • hdangelbaby
    hdangelbaby Member Posts: 731
    edited January 2011

    nolaa, i am in complete agreement. my so called "good week" this week hasn't really panned out that way, and i know is should be happy it's the last AC, I am still dreading it!! Thank you for the good thoughts!

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  • harper7777
    harper7777 Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2011

    Hey all, I started chemo (Herceptin, Taxotere, and Carboplatin) on thursday, Jan. 13. No big deal that day. Friday only had a dry mouth and eyes. Also had a shot of Neulasta. Saturday, I was drained. I had to have help to get to the bathroom. Slept most of that day. Sunday, diahrea set in and metal taste in my mouth. Onc. said take immodium. Nausea is not real bad but I can tell it's there and is not letting me eat much at all. I'm on companzine, but the  dr. is going to call me in something different. I have 5 more treatments to go and I dread everyone of them. Trying to be positive, but keep bouncing back and fourth.

    Take care

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  • harper7777
    harper7777 Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2011

    I take trazodone, It works great for me and dr. said it's the least harmful.

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  • LisaMomOfFour
    LisaMomOfFour Member Posts: 465
    edited January 2011

    I'm feeilng the same way about the weepiness... I hate it.  I would trade more surgery and more treatment if I could just get my emotional equilibrium back... constant fear, worry, and anxiety is the side of effect of cancer that I can't shake.   My four kids busy lives and my own stuff keep me partially distracted, but as soon as I am alone, the fears and tears are non-stop.  Just venting.  Took a xanax today as I'm on day 5 of tx #2, and remember that days 5 and 6 last cycle were AWFUL for me emotionally, and I attribute part of it to steroids crash.    Hoping that if I take the xanax days 5-8 it may not be as tough this time? 

    Fortuntately I'm doing OK with the physical side effects, just very tired and going to sleep quite quite early for me, couldn't stay awake last night to finish watching the golden globes with my teenager.  

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  • msjag
    msjag Member Posts: 416
    edited January 2011

    I take aloe and a probiotic pill..since I don't like yogurt, and it keeps me pretty regular through the chemo...I add wheat english muffins and wheat cereal, when I can eat!!!  Gonna try the ambien tonight, was hoping someone had tried it before...hoping for no crazy side effects!! I'll use it for a night or two and that's it...just that the ativan quits on me so soon.

    Good luck all with treatments, everyone.  More snow/ice coming to MA..blah...I REALLY WANT SPRING!!!

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  • msjag
    msjag Member Posts: 416
    edited January 2011

    ((((((((((((Lisa)))))))))))) that fear and anxiety is with us all, but we will get through this...and when chemo is over, we won't have the side effects that make us more emotional.   I should be glad I ahve one more chemo and I am so dreading it, getting thorugh this time is rough.  We will do this , one day at a time.

    JoAnn

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