February 2011 chemo pals

EmilyinOntario, thanks for the tip.  I read your post last night and went right to the website and placed my own order for a free turban.  They look beautiful.

Hi everybody,

Thank you Charlottesmama for starting this post. I started chemo on Feb 23. I'm doing dose dense, so every other week I'm getting my poison. My cocktail is 4 x AC and 4 x Taxol. I lost my hair the day after my second AC. I had radical mastectomy on January 23 and a port on march 8. I'm having 2 blood tests every other week. I've been poked so many times the nurse told me last time that she couldn't fine a vein. Any advice? She asked me if I ate, maybe I should eat more before a blood test. The port is still uncomfortable but getting better slowly. Bending over and picking up things are no fun. Chemo is another not so fun experience. In 5 days I'll be doing my 3rd AC. I can't wait for it to be over. I pray for each of my bc survivor sisters. We'll get through this.

I second the idea of drinking plenty of water before being stuck, Braveheart.  Since you have a port, could they use the port instead of messing around trying to find a vein?  That's what they do for me, I have always had crappy veins.  They get their blood for tests from the port, put some doohickey on it, and then later they just connect up the IV for the poison.  Nice to only be stuck once.

This is only my sixth post or so, so I hope you ladies don't mind my asking a personal question.  Have any of you had a period *after* starting chemo?  I did, a heavy one, and it's lowered my RBC and hemoglobin.  Doc said normally he'd give Procrit, but it's not good for cancer patients.  If my counts get too low, I'll have to have a transfusion.  Doesn't seem fair - going thru chemo and still having periods - at 53!  I'm too old for this baloney!

Thinking of you ladies lots as we go through this

best from Carolyn in Iowa, 2 days out from 3rd E/C 

Cairycat, I'm from Burlington.  We're (almost) neighbors!

Im am one of the lucky ones.  I didnt have cycle this much.  I do experence mild night sweats and hot flashes.  Nit as bad at it could be but Im ok with it. 

I did finish my AC treatments and I'm on to the talol. I really have the fuzzies so I got go and I will check you all later.

Dear Braveheart,

Welcome to our chemo group, it is such a rlief to talk to people in the same time frame, I don't know what I'd do without these girlfriends.  To get blood, I'm 60, sometimes they have to go through my hand or between my wrist bone and hand, but the girl at my cancer center still can get it out of my left arm.  I couldn't bend over to fill the dogs' water bowls for the first few weeks after getting mine, and I only use my other arm now to do it.  Hydration is the key to feeling better all thru the whole chemo, as well as blood flowing easier.

Others,

Sat and Sun is suposed to be the worst, but since I stoped most of my antinausea pills, I instead immediately after Thurs Chemo #3 AC started up the water, drank club soda and nonaspirin alkaseltzer for burps, and plus we had nicer weather so no heat on, and I woke up Sat today with no nightmares, no fevers, no pain.  I suppose it will visit on me tomorrow, tho. 

On the way home from Chemo, husband and I had to pull over in car becuz belt was slippping on radiator water to keep engine cool.  Took us three hours and a detour to go five miles becuz we had to stop so often, husband filling radiator with my chemo blue cup for water, and finished with a taxi ride after we made it to the fix-it shop.  I prayed the last leg, a proper prayer over the steering wheel (by now husband was rattled, so drove!) becuz I had to shoot out the wrong way at MacDonald's, cross four lanes of lighted traffic (which I studied the light pattern first), go under the dark and scary overpass, and can't stop becuz engine get too hot, make left at light that never changes, to get to the shop, and of course angel wings sprouted on the car and we got there in one go, the heat needle almost in the red.  Unreal.

GG

sukie...I never really considered that chemo might be improving my colour. Maybe that's why my sister keeps telling me how good my colour is? That's an interesting point.

emilylnOntario,

I just completed my 4th round of TAC yesterday, I have 3 weeks between each round, seems like every round the taste buds take a bit longer to come back, usually at least a week to one and half weeks.  You would think I would be loosing weight, instead I keep eating looking for something to taste good.  Also chemo brain here, I have gone to having to write down my meds post chemo to remember when I took them.  I find frequent gentle brushing of teeth and tongue, with biotene mouthwash helps with taste.  Good luck, looks like you are now over 1/2 way done.

SpecialK,

Short of the steriod blush, I too am pale, almost yellow at times despite makeup.  I wish I could get out in the sun.  My head is so white, and I have a short wig and have to be careful that the sideburns of the wig are correctly place so the white does not show.  Ok, enough complaining, this is one day post treatment, tomorrow I will get up with a better attitude, maybe?

Thanks for listening Feb girls!  In a year hopefully this will all be just a bad memory.

mexican and salsa for me, hard to get good wing sauce in the south!  I grew up near pittsburgh and remember the best wings and blue cheese dressing.  Steriods will have me posting all night.

Sorry I keep coming on here too much and with these too-long announcements of how awful I feel.  Today is Day Four after Chemo #3, woke up at 3 a.m., terrified, crying, but no fevers or nightmares, body pain holding off, and diarrhea was more manageable.  Husband was up watching a movie, thank goodness, I am afraid of the dark.  Anyhow, I realized my heartrate was over 100, might explain waking up too early and the oppressive fear.  So, while my regular car wreck medicines include tranquilizer, I took a second one, one of the tranqs the cancer people give me, and it knocked pulse back where I'm not QUITE as afraid.  Drank a little nonaspirin alka seltzer, helped full feeling.  The chemo makes my vision wierd, where things don't look "happy" to me, and being dark outside doesn't help. 

I guess I'm reporting all this not only as self-serving wimpering, but also in hopes if others feel like me, they'll know partly why and maybe what to do.  I did begin my morning as usual, too, ate a little breakfast, fed the dogs, coffee, and boy did that orange juice taste good.  I wasn't hungry at all yesterday, ate very little becuz I had to, and I only eat breakfast becuz it's good for me.  Taste buds, since you all mentioned it, I get a few days where nothing tastes good somewhere between chemos.  I still doubt I can make it with all the treatments I'm supposed to do.  One more big AC, then over to 12 weeks of Taxol... really wish I knew if I could do surgery before Taxol, but doc says keep going, I guess inflammatory part of my diagnosis means tons of chemo first, then surgery, gives best results.  But I swear, doc said he would switch to surgery if absolutely had to, and I don't want to spoil full recovery, but would SO like to end this.  I wonder how Taxol for 12 weeks will be.  I'm afraid I'll die in the middle of all this...poison.  GG  

Thank you so much Sukie, reading your message brought tears to my eyes, thanks for the hug. GG

Hello ladies!

Hope everyone was able to enjoy the SUPER moon! I haven't been on in a while but trying to catch up and just want to check in! So sorry to hear all that are having miserable experiences! My thoughts and prayers are with you!  I know that we are all different and on varying treatments but I just wanted to give some hope to those that may be similar to me....

I just completed round 3 of TC x 4!! I am 3 days out and feeling pretty good - just exhausted! Side effects of Taxotere have not been so bad (being the stronger of the 2 TC).  I do lose my taste buds each round but just for a week - while appetite has done pretty well! I can bare water now as the first round or 2 was terrible with the metal taste, not so bad this round.  No diarrhea or constipation so haven't taken anything. Like I said, exhaustion has been the worst and I'll take it! Just trying to not overdo it and drink TONS!! They say SEs can get worse but honestly, the only difference from round 1 to 3 for me was this past week I experienced painful acid reflux!! I am 37 and never felt anything like this before! My Onc said that the Taxotere does a job on your stomach so.... it was really just the day of treatment and the next day and I dosed up on Pepsid Completes which she advised that I continue to take 2 a day until treatment is done.

Overall, after each treatment (minus the first that I was hospitalized for appendicitis unexpectedly), I have fared pretty well and any SEs last just 6-7 days and I am back to 'normal'!  What else is positive?? Oh, my hair stopped falling out! I did have it shaved on day 23 as most of it was gone.  I surprisingly have a lot of stubble but certainly not enough to pass off long! And.... I have peach fuzz growing?? It started shortly after my second treatment so who knows?? OH - Dogbiskit, mine only hurt for about a week and only a day or so after I shaved it - it gets much better trust me! The sensitivity at least! I would just try to get it all out in the shower while rubbing with shampoo - feels much better! My eyebrows are hanging on but for dear life! I just don't mess with them! Eyelashes still in tact like new and hey - haven't shaved (anywhere) in over a month! How festive is that!! lol  Fingernail beds began to hurt really bad after treatment #2 and that is when my Onc suggested I ice them during treatment! Fine timing to tell me!! One day they just felt like they were all pushing up and going to pop off! Well, it went away and they feel and look normal and fingers are crossed! I did ice them during my last treatment just in case.  I just filled a baggie with ice and water and kept them pressed against it.

Well, just trying to give you all some hope and let you know I am thinking of you all and we WILL get through this! I regret that some of you are having a more difficult time and know that I am here to vent! Just shoot me an email! I am also here to answer any questions for those taking TC!! I was so desperate to find someone on my similar regime when I first joined and couldn't find anyone.  Hope this may help even just one of you! That is what we are here for ladies!

God bless you all! Many hugs from sunny West Palm Beach!

Mary

FEC-D Start: Jan 28 2011 Cycle 3/6 Day 10

With each round of chemo I get " a little something extra" to have to deal with. First round was tooth pain and infection and had to have the tooth pulled 2 days before chemo 2 ( I was NOT going to deal with a root canal at that point) Chemo round 2 was the strange rash under my breasts which thankfully cleared up with hydrocortisone cream just in time for Chemo round 3. Now we're on to the strange patch of pale pink redness on my thigh which is painful but doesn't appear swollen. Sore to touch and MAY have the start of something raising in the centre which I am wondering..could this possibly be shingles? Has anyone had anything like this?

Hi girls,

I finished cycle 2 of AC. I'm doing dose dense and in a couple days is AC no 3. Since yesterday I am losing my voice. Did this happen to anyone else?

I wish you all brave ladies an easier time through chemo! My prayers and good wishes are with you.