February 2011 chemo pals

Thank you Dogeyed for the advice. I believe you're right, when I'm able to drink more water I do start to feel better.

Hi Cairycat,, I was told that not all nurses are trained to take blood from the port. I go a week after my AC cycle and then the day before my next cycle. I go to a hospital different from my chemo center. I will drink more water this time and hope for better veins:)

Hi Ladies; Sorry I've been away from the boards for so long. Both my kids birthday's are in March and we've been busy visiting colleges for my daughter as well. What a busy process college applications have become. It was so much easier when I went through it years ago! Anyway she's looking for a college with a good 4 year BS in Nursing Program. It has become very competitive to get into these programs. She's wanted to go into medicine since she was 5 years old! Anyway, I'm going in for treatment number 2 of 4 tomorrow. Will be at the half way mark. I have to say I am still nervous about the whole thing even though I've been through it already. Of course I'm hopped up on steroids so that doesn't help with the nerves. Well, good luck to all of you sitting in the chair this week, will be thinking of you! ((( ))) Love, Mary

Mary;

Thanks for the update. Seems we're on the same regimine and you're one cycle ahead of me so it does help to hear from you! My hair is just about gone, started on day 15 and now just peach fuzz, but not totally bald, weird! Never shaved it, just cut it short so no stubble.

Dogpiskit; Putting lotion or cream on my head makes it easier to sleep at night since my head is still sore too, hopefully that will end soon.

Carirycat; My RBC is also low but my onc said he'd give me intravenous iron before he'd ever give me a blood transfusion. Ask yours about that.

Emily; I had a rash on the back of my hands, chest and stomach last time for a few days, it turned out to be a reaction from the Taxotere. The onc said it was fine but he wanted me to come in to make sure it wasn't shingles. Definitely go in.  

pejkug -I know it is hard when your kids don't respond the way you would like them to, but try to remember that 14 year olds should be sent to live on an island by themselves!  My DD is now 21 but I recall that time period like it was yesterday.  They are all hormones and drama.  You are probably coming off to her as very capable because you have tried so hard to shield them that you seem OK - remember you are dealing with HER thought process when she says something insensitive or hurtful she is using a 14 year old's viewpoint.  Could she feel like you are asking more from her because she is the oldest and the only girl?  I know my DD feels it more because her brother is away at college and really doesn't have to deal with any of this, aside from worrying from a distance.

That probably didn't help at all, but at least know I feel for you. Wish I was there to bring you some Nexium and a hug. 

JeanH..the area is near where I had my Neulasta shot 9 days ago. 

M1nn1e..I'll probably call the onco tomorrow and ask her to have a look at it..

Thanks for the responses..:)

Braveheart, I did notice in first and second AC treatments that my throat got sore, so I gargled several times a day with salt water with a little baking soda, helped ease it.  I did have to cut back on talking, too. 

Melanie, I feel for your nondigestion situation...I keep BabyLax or PediaLax around, a little box of tubes, squirt one or two in rear if digestion is ready to come out, but won't, and it'll blast it out within a minute, might help prime the pump, very powerful, tho.

Safari, I did so find relief in reading your post.  I also have heartburn first time in my life, dreadful feeling, got some nonaspirin alkaselter, the bicarb releases the burps.  Thanks for fingernail idea, when I do Taxol supposedly I'll have that.

Sister Dogbiskit, I ditto Safari, head cactus sensitivity gets less and goes away, I had to turn my night cap inside out becuz of seams!  Loved your description of walking like hunchback, yup, I'm suddenly my grandfather, leaning over, shuffling.

Well, I got to say this third chemo has been easiest, barely a nightmare, but wake up too many times, at 2 a.m. took one of my tranqs and a sleepy antinausea, kept me down rest of last night.  Pain is not as bad in body but still awful, esp legs, feet, glad I got Percocet for it early on.  Last night, girls, I just lost it, my chemo madness took over and I was upset with husband over nothing, men are tough and share less than women, yet mine has been uncharacteristically sympathetic, still I pushed his efforts aside and whined he wasn't consoling me enough, when all it was is my fear fear fear of not feeling well at all.  I finally told husband before I went to bed last night, I mistakenly believe this illness really is about ME and thus I feel entitled somehow to freely swipe everyone around me with my big clawed tiger paw if they don't bow down and grovel at my feet.  I think we can take this self-centeredness too far.  But dang, I have NEVER been so miserable in all my life, it's like torture, which in my opinion being prisoner of war is the worst thing a person can go thru.

CHARLOTTESMAMA, you're getting surgery between AC and T, could you tell me if you had any inflammatory presentation, or are you just invasive carcinoma?  I want so much to talk doc into doing mine like yours, cuz I simply do not know if I can keep going like this, afraid my madness won't go away.  I guess we each have diff treatment methods depending on many factors.  GG

Update on reddened area on my inner thigh...

Just spent 13 hours in Emerg. I went to the hospital last night when I saw the reddened area was spreading down my inner thigh to my knee. It was also quite sore so I decided I couldn't leave it. After an 8 hour wait I saw the doctor and he  felt it could be cellulitis, blood clot or start of shingles.( all possibilities I had considered) I had an ultrasound to rule out blood clots and because he felt that since there wasn't any real sign of blistering yet to indicate shingles it was likely cellulitis.My temp was 36.1 so no fever. I had IV antibiotics there and was allowed home with instructions to come back if it continued to spread. Also have antibiotic pills. I DID have my neulasta shot 10 days ago in that thigh but more to the front top of my thigh than inner so the doctor didn't say for sure that there was a relationship but not sure what else to think. Will be talking to the onco next week about it. Emergency doctor did phone Onco and she made a curious remark that Neulasta was usually given in the abdomen. That's not what my information said. Thighs were also supposed to be okay. Where is everyone else getting theirs?

I get mine in my arm as well. But I don't see why it would be a problem in the thigh or the abdomen.

I thought I was getting a UTI the other day as well, but mine came back clear. That does not sound fun! I'm allergic to a few antibiotics too and they always have to search for something to give me when I need one. I'm trying to stay antibiotic free during this. I'm sorry for the setback! =(

charlottesmama...What a cheeky lad...."out of the mouth of babes" eh? I'm glad you had an opportunity to talk to him. He may grow up to be a better man for the experience. I bet he'll always remember that encounter.

SpecialK..you probably already know that cranberry juice really does help with UTI. It's nice with gingerale...10 oz. per day, 2 oz. concentrate or cranberry pills. (see Merckmanual.com) Thought I'd share that in case it helps somebody.

Emily - Thanks for the cranberry reminder!  I stocked up over the weekend as I felt mild symptoms on Friday which is why I did a urinalysis when I had the CBC.  It took them over the weekend to culture the sample so they just called me today.  They called in a scrip for me to the pharmacy.  I actually had problems with UTI when I was middle-school aged and they just always treated the symptoms.  A bright doc questioned it when I was in college and it turned out I had a congenital birth defect - urethral stenosis.  It was surgically corrected and I never had a problem save for one UTI with each pregnancy.  It has been 21 years since I last had one!

As far as the Neulasta - how have your white counts been?  Does your onc think you might be able to skip it?  It is interesting that this UTI for me developed even though my white counts are fantastic.  So, who knows...

Specialk..My WBC counts have been fine each chemo round, however they were slightly raised last night with the cellulitis so at least my body is trying to fight that. 14.5 I think they said the WBC count was.

14.5 for WBC?

Mine started at 7.XX and dropped to 5.XX after TCH #1.  No Neulasta for me as standard of care.

Do colds raise WBC?  Lower them?

This may be way more than anybody wants to know about WBC but it does show the factors that can raise or lower WBC counts..( again from merck.com)

Acute emotional or physical stress can increase WBC counts. There are various types of white blood cells (WBCs) that normally appear in the blood: neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes; PMNs), band cells (slightly immature neutrophils), T-type lymphocytes (T cells), B-type lymphocytes (B cells), monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. T and B-type lymphocytes are indistinguishable from each other in a normal slide preparation. Any infection or acute stress will result in an increased production of WBCs. This usually entails increased numbers of cells and an increase in the percentage of immature cells (mainly band zcells) in the blood. This change is referred to as a "shift to the left" People who have had a splenectomy have a persistent mild elevation of WBCs. Drugs that may increase WBC counts include epinephrine, allopurinol, aspirin, chloroform, heparin, quinine, corticosteroids, and triamterene. Drugs that may decrease WBC counts include antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antihistamine, antithyroid drugs, arsenicals, barbiturates, chemotherapeutic agents, diuretics and sulfonamides. Normal values: WBC: 4,500 to 10,000 cells/mcl Note: cells/mcl = cells per microliter What abnormal results mean: Low numbers of WBCs (leukopenia) may indicate: bone marrow failure (for example, due to granuloma, tumor, fibrosis) presence of cytotoxic substance collagen-vascular diseases (such as lupus erythematosus) disease of the liver or spleen radiation High numbers of WBCs (leukocytosis) may indicate: infectious diseases inflammatory disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis or allergy) leukemia severe emotional or physical stress tissue damage (for example, burns)

Ok, girls - no posts in 13 hours?  Does that mean everyone is doing well and enjoying the spring weather?

I'm feeling overwhelmed and tired today.  I posted in the "Surgery" forum that I have blue nipple discharge nearly two months after my lumpectomy.  Yes, it is BLUE.  Like radioactive dye, blue Kool-Aid, Smurf BLUE.  I called the surgeon's office and they don't seem to think I need to worry too much.  And I don't think I am.  But it is concerning.  Really, what will they tell me?  I have cancer?  Yeah, too late for that.  So I have an appt at the surgeon on April 4.

Can we talk about hair for a minute?  I think I may have extra strength hair...it seems to have stopped shedding?  I had TCH #2 on 3/17.  My hair started shedding that night.  Now it has all but stopped.  I had my husband scissor it off on 3/17, so it's hideous and I have to wear something to cover it.  How long did it take for you guys to lose hair?  Are we talking 'shiny bald'? 

I walked 3 miles yesterday.  Talking myself into a short 1 mile walk today. 

 What are you guys eating?  I have a lot of weight to lose and I try to eat well.  But when I eat healthy things, the Big D kicks in and I live on Lomotil.  I had lost 40lbs before my diagnosis and I've been holding that line.  But I'd love to lose more and I definitely have a lot more to lose.  Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a nutritional idiot. 

 How is everyone?