treatments soon...im reaching out.

Fuzzy:  Glad the day went mostly well . . . I'm sorry about the last hour.  I wish I could  help with the drug reactions, but other ladies who have dealt with this can help you out.  As to A.D.D., that seems to me to be an off-the-wall comment . . . other posters here have also been very positive as well!  I don't think I'd worry too much about that right now, I'd suggest focusing on the  treatments.  Just my opinion.

Good night, and sleep well.

Julie

Glad you are ok. What is the study drug? I didn't use emend, zofran worked great for me!

No, in 10 days you will be out of the woods feeling good. I dipped on day 3 or 4 but by day 10 your body is bouncing back. Emend made me sick: with zofran I didn't feel a thing!

Beautiful pic fuzzylemon! 

You will be on your way to feeling better soon!  You are thru the roughest part.  I never really felt depressed, more sad about the way I felt and the fact that I had little patience for hanging around people, not that I was mean to them, I just couldn't focus.  It was days before I could even read or sit at the computer.  My attention span was very short.  But the day I felt like I could get up and stay up was amazing and I felt so thankful for it...makes you appreciate your good days.  Keep drinking lots of water to flush out the chemo and take it one day at a time.  Take care!

Hi thefuzzylemon! 

Just wanted to tell you I have read your thread and am very touched by your story and attitude.  I did chemo 11 years ago, AC, and it was probably a bit different from your treatment.  The funny thing was I was told the effects would be cumulative and that the last one would be the worst.  Well, I did throw up on the THIRD treatment and so I thought "oh no, look out for that fourth one."  But the fourth one didn't affect me at all.  Go figure--it's all a crap shoot and a surprise.

After my diagnosis that first time, I did some of the complementary treatments that you are doing.  I joined an organic coop, became vegan, looked into all kinds of mind/body activities.  It's such a nice feeling that there is some part of our wellbeing over which we have control, isn't it?  As time wore on and bc was further behind me though, I let a lot of the good habits slip.  I am fighting bc again with a new primary tumor, darn it.  I think it's just a genetic thing.  But because I was being watched so carefully it was found earlier this time.  Still waiting to see if I have to do chemo though and that has put me into a funk.  You are my inspiration!

I am glad your tests came out well.  And that you seem to be a bit less scared about your stage and diagnosis.  Just remember, this staging stuff, etc. is based on statistics and we are so much more than statistics!!

I'm pulling for you!
Georgia

wow, i remember when i was told my husband and i were speechless.  things happened so fast it was hard to have a reaction.  but when i did , it just happened and i couldn't control it.  so I let it go, i cried when i wanted. thank god my husband and co workers were so supportive.  i honestly don't think you can prepare for whats ahead.  chemo was bad but not like years ago, take the nausa meds before you feel sick and drink a lot of fluids to flush the toxins out.  all chemo is different i had TAC, 6 cycles once every 3 weeks, by the time i felt somewhat normal it was back to chemo again,  you can deal with it, you will (at least with me)  hate going because i knew how i was gonna feel for a good week after.  i felt sick just walking in the door, knowing poison is going to be going into my veins.  it was a weird feeling.  i hope i am not scaring you, but there is no preparing a head of time,  just go with your feelings , let go, hope you have a good support group, i couldn't have made it without them.  i went to 3 different radiation doctors in hopes that i could avoid it, no such luck.  see i had radiation to my head 3 years ago for an acoustic neuroma (a beign brain tumor)  i had no reactions to that but had read things about breast radiation, i have expanders in and want to have good reconstruction, with radiation that could be a problem.  i am finished with radiation now and going everyday was a pain, i got burnt pretty bad in some spots and it hurt like hell.  i tried everything aquaphor, silvadene creme, i didn't really get much relief from them, but when i tried emu oil it seemed to work a lot better.  of course doctors didn't know anything about it,  i only found it after radiation was done, i wish i had it before.  my last treatment was jan. 17 and about a week and a half after that i was only pink.  i wish you well , any questions just ask, someone will answer!!

Fuzzy:  I wanted to weigh in and offer my love and support.  I had AC last summer, dose dense,and came through it pretty well (no dehydration, fever, etc.)  Check out the chemo thread for lots of ideas, but here are a few:  (1) I could not tolerate water, so I mixed my water with flavored Vitamin Water, to keep hydrated; (2) I gargled with salt water every day to minimize mouth sores; (3) Milk of magnesia, believe it or not, was the best thing for constipation; (4)  I didn't worry about health, but ate whatever I could get down (which in my case was eggs, yoghurt and macand cheese).   Finally, I had a rule that I did Nothing but rest in the evening and on weekends.  The first weekend after chemo was a toally lost cause - I lay in bed and watched bad TV. The second weekend, I did laundry and got groceries.  That's all I could do for 16 weeks, since I was working almost full time.  I think one reason I did well  later  on with surgery and radiation is that I took it pretty slow during chemo.  You sound like you are doing great - hang in there!

Hey--if you're bathing everyday during chemo, Fuzzy, that's better than most, including me!

toni's advice is great.  I forgot about the water thing--had to mix mine with stuff, too.  I forced myself to eat a little bit every half hour, which really helped.  Like toni said--doesn't matter what; just eat.  Many of us had major constipation issues during the first week from the anit-nausea meds, so please beware and take something.  Colace worked for me as well as M of Mag.  I waited too long, though, so I learned the hard way--ugh.  About the "magic day 10"--your number may be different, but you will get to that magic day.  It almost takes away the memory of the rotten days and allows you to REALLY appreciate feeling better. 

Glad your daughters are old enough to understand and serve their sweet mom.  My teens became more compassionate and helpful, which was a nice byproduct of this BC burden on us and our families. 

Keep doing what you're doing; getting by every day as best as possible.  You'll make it through with BCO ladies, right beside you

fuzzy,

ya know its ok to have a pity party, i had several and then i moved on.  it actually helped for me to cry and feel sorry for myself.  i didn't do it often but when i did , i did it well. lol.  I had to force myself to do many things too and I think pushing ourselves (to a point) is a good thing.  eating was tough at first nothing sounded good, or even tasted good for that matter, the few things i wanted i ate all the time, scrambled eggs tasted good to me and so did perogies.  if you are tired, then sleep dont worry about it.  you have to listen to your body , its a long road ahead, i am still on it. done all treatments but still have reconstruction to do.  i thate this whole trip but i had no control over it, so i do what i can and forget about the rest. 

Sorry you are having a hard time, fuzzy, but glad to hear you are coming out of it.  You mentioned you are not sure if you are drinking a lot.  I think is this very very important.  I drank gallons (literally) for the three days post treatment.  It was hard to do, but I forced myself to drink a 1.5 liter bottle of water each morning, afternoon, and evening.  I am convinced it is a big part of the reason I did so well.  I was also told by the chemo nurse that lots of water helps the blood counts rebound - as does exercise, which I was not so good about during chemo.

Hang in there!  It will be over before you know it. 

I think tea counts.  I was told any liquid, even coke, counts - but certainly water or other "clean" liquids would be best.  I consider tea (at least certain kinds) to be just as good as water. I personally could not drink tea during chemo - don't know why. It just tasted awful to me for some reason.

Are you chewing on ice chips during the infusion?  I did that during taxotere because I had read it causes mouth sores and other mouth problems and that keeping your mouth cold would help with it. I never had any mouth problems other than some mild taste issues (see tea comment above).  Also the ice is water . . . so you can get in some water while doing the infusion.