February 2011 chemo pals

LOL!!  I think it sounds like a fun way to end this little "trip"...I've never had one before...and I think I'm going to use my avatar...slightly adjusted...I saw a pic where a woman had a dolphin that wrapped around the side and under her breast...it was really lovely...but I'm not big on dolphins...

All I know is I have to have fun with it...I've had the nickname of Fuzzy for a few years but I has never meant more to me than on these discussion boards...so Fuzzy it is!! 

I just finished my third ACT - I had adriamycin this time instead of epirubicin.  I am doing neoadjuvant chemo and am having a lot of pain in the breast/tumor site and under my arm where my lymph node is shrinking.  Plus this time I've had a lot of pain in my same side shoulder and arm down to my elbow.  I think some of this may be muscle spasms from referred pain.  I had my treatment on Monday and today is the first day I haven't taken anything for pain.  I'm still really weak this time but I haven't been drinking as much water as the first two cycles so I really need to increase that next time. I hope this gets better. I have to go back to work Monday full time - I have my own business and my insurance depends upon my working.  I'm so worried about keeping working during this. I've had some finger numbness on one side - index, middle finger, and thumb (same side) but the last time this went away after about 1.5 weeks.

Dogeyed- thanks for the suggestions.. I've been gargling when I can with biotene and salt water, but the throat pain is pretty far down, so hard to reach from gargling.  Just to fill you in on my saga, after two rounds of antibiotics and no relief since starting chemo, I finally saw an ENT specialist and had an endoscopy Friday involving a long tube with a camera inserted in my nose, down to my throat.  I am such a wimp!  Had to close my eyes and hold my breath for that!   Though it wasn't as bad as I expected, just really uncomfortable.

The endoscopy showed a large "ulcer" in my throat.  He doesn't know what it is, so he wants to do a biopsy Monday. Fortunately he reassured me that he doesn't think it's cancer. 

This whole episode reminds me how chemo affects the whole body.  If you get an infection in one area, it could just get worse because of lowered immune system.  I'm hoping and expecting to regain health after this is all over.. and that thought is pulling me forward with chemo.

Laura

christina19 - right after chemo I get pain around my TE and in the complete node removal arm (same side) and it lasts for about 4 days.  I think I am retaining fluid and it is squeezing the TE and irritating the nerves in my arm.  If I am outside (it is 90 degrees here) for any length of time or use that arm too much it has radiating soreness in the forearm and it gets firm.  If I come in where it is cool it goes away.

fuzzy - I get Benadryl every time

mamaoftwo - ulcer in the throat!  Boo!  I am sorry you are having that.  Keep us posted on what is up with that.

Dogeyed...I slept for 14 hours!  And, I slept really well last night too!  I didn't take any medications at all yesterday so hopefully that's a good sign!!

Taxol has already proven to be much easier to handle for me....I hope it's the same for you!!

Ok...getting a little worse today...nausea is here and some joint pain.  I'm really hoping this doesn't build like the AC did...does anyone know?  It's still so much easier than the AC...but it was only round one...eleven more to go...

Hey there Special K! I have treatment every week for 12 total treatments. ..if it builds like the AC...I'm in trouble!

I think after the second treatment, I'll have a better idea of how this will go...thanks so much for the info! Back to work tomorrow!

Thank you!!! I'll let you know how it goes! I just took a sleepy so I can get up in time in the morning! LOL

Thanks, SpecialK - maybe it is swelling. I thought I had posted earlier, but I don't see it on here - but thanks for replying!   It seems a little better - I've been off pain pills for two days now and am going back to work tomorrow.  I think the ACT is building - I've had a harder time this 3rd time.  If anyone had an easier time, the 4th time, I'd love to hear about it!  At least I can try to psyche myself out before my fourth treatment.

MKS,  Probably just having work done there is what's sore, chemo makes all mouth and tooth conditions worse, plus anyplace on the body that aleady hurts gets worse.  To stop tooth pain, I use ordinary cloves, clamp down on a whole clove right out of your spice cabinet, hold it there for five minutes, the pain will go.  Or you can use oil of clove with a dropper or there's a tube of Orajel that just a tiny bit numbs, both can be found in the toothpaste or medicine section, those will stop it, too.  Reapply any of those when the pain comes back.  I suggest you get a squeeze-in appoint with dentist, too, he may have something much better or even your doctor might.  I wouldn't say it's the nerve as much as it is bone pain, but those remedies will stop nerve, bone, and gum pains.  Why it happened now, I don't know.  I've had pain in parts of my body for one chemo in four, but not the others.

Fuzzy, at first when I read you SLEPT 14 hours, I about died laughing!  I thought, oh, no problem for scared me, then.  But then you felt rather worse the next day, and I so sad for you.  But it can't be an awful rough since they only need one week to keep going with it.  Ask your doc for meds if you need them.

All, today is Day 11 out from chemo, and FINALLY I'm in better shape.  I realized this morning that when in the throws of chemo, it's like climbing around barefoot on a bunch of big rocks, you cannot get good footing, you fall down and skin yourself, it's just no fun.  But today is more like walking on a beach with smooth water flowing around my ankles.  And to think this is nowhere near as good as I felt having three weeks off.  Ohhhh, to be done with this chemo.  I don't think some other cancers, like colon cancer, have as tough a time with their chemos... husband and father both had that and they simply suffered less, altho they both had a hard time finishing their last rounds.  I wonder, if AC and similar combinations for breast cancer are the worst.  If it got much worse, I don't know what that world would be like, as this one is decidedly inhuman.  GG  

mks16,

I grind my teeth and have a nightguard.  My dentist told me when I started chemo to wear my nightguard because the stress from chemo would cause me to grind my teeth even more. Of course, I had lost my nightguard!  I finally located it in a drawer - going to take it into the dentist and get it carefully sterilized before reusing it.

mks16 - is it possible you have TMJ and you are clenching your jaw on that side while you are sleeping?  I have it and it has been relatively asymptomatic for years but when I am stressed (hello, do you think I might be?) I tend to unconciously clench.  The only way I really notice it is if I get a cramp in my jaw/cheek.

For those with water retention, could it be from the steroids?  I'm about to take my 5 (!) decadron pills tonight, because of Taxol tomorrow, and read that steroids can cause fluid retention.  Though it's usually near ankles and legs, and not the arms.  Just thought I'd throw that out there.

mks16, I hope your tooth pain gets resolved, sounds very painful.  It sounds like your nerve endings are so over-sensitive that you're feeling pain you didn't feel before, unless you're aggravating the teeth by grinding.

I cancelled the throat biopsy today after discussion with the doctor by telephone because I feel almost better.  It's a nice surprise during chemo when the body actually reacts the way it is supposed to by healing itself.  

Well, good night everyone and good luck to everyone getting their treatment tomorrow.

Laura

mamaoftwo - Up until this next chemo #4 I have only steroids in the drip on the day of chemo.  Unlike most of us I was not taking the day before, day of, several days after.  Whatever is causing my fluid retention I think is more directly related to the chemo itself.  I have to go to a wedding in mid-May and tried on some of my shoes today - unless this goes away I will not be wearing any of them!  Bummer.  I already have to get a new dress to cover my uneven chest situation, wear a wig and now it looks like orthopedic shoes are next!  Oh man!  I am glad to hear your throat deal is feeling better.  If it isn't one thing it's another, right?

melanie - I am sorry about your arm.  I know you must be nervous and disappointed abot it.  I am so hopeful that they caught it early enough to undo it.  I am worried about mine too - did your just suddenly swell up?

dragonfly is tomorrow and LisaGH Wednesday and I am Thursday.  I am hoping for no tornadoes and power outages in the middle of chemo this time!

Thanks for the advice and kind words everyone!

There's now a swelling on the right side of my face and I am 90% I got a sinus infection. My nose has been running since start of chemo (loss of nose hairs) but it got worse in the last couple of days. To top it off, I am sporting XXL pillows under my eyes since Sunday and now have an earache as well. I will call the cancer clinic today to see if I should see my family doctor today, or whether I should take Ibuprofen and suck it up till tomorrow when I am scheduled to go for my next tx.

I will also try and see my dentist today, just to rule out dental complications.  I noticed the pain is worse when my nose is running. I woke up several times throughout the night, no pain, dry nose. As soon as I got up, nose started running and the pain is creeping back up.

I hope this doesn't complicate my first Taxol tomorrow!