April 2011 chemo
Comments
-
rangermom,
my port still hurts...however, i forgot that i should have iced it.....until dh reminded me today:(
i did take tylenol for a few days around the lock (which is not like me). i guess i was still out of it from the meds when they told me and my dh thought that i had iced it, until we talked tonight.
so, seeing as though you are starting chemo soon, ice it:) i will start icing tomorrow.
oh, to answer you ?, i am glad that i did not work the next day.....or the day after. i could have, but it is still uncomfortable. they (at hospital) said that it will feel like someone hit you in the chest.....and for me, that is what it feels like...b/c this object feels like it is against your chest wall. weird feeling, but i have no choice...so i roll w/ it. good luck.
-
Ok, thanks Determined3. I believe we've talked on another topic area. do you have bilateral breast cancer too like I do? I can't remember where I saw your posts. But anyway, I remember we were diagnosed around the same time and would be going through this together. I'm so concerned about having enough vacation/sick time for when I will need it after the surgery that i'm trying to work through everything as much as I can. I don't know what to expect but reading everyone's posts i can see that nausea, mouth sores and not getting enough sleep seem to be our biggest challenges. I will ice the port diligently so I can get the swelling down for my first injection this Thurs. The onc nurse said the swelling needs to be down to get the medicine in. It doesn't sound pleasant. Thinking I'll wear a shirt with a blazer over to cover up the ice pack and to keep me warm. Prayers and good thoughts sending to you and all of the very brave women on this forum.
-
Dear Setheridge,
My heart aches for you that this is your second round with all this. Any one of us may be in your shoes one day in the future. Please remember to breathe and don't think too, too far in the future, because we can make is such a scary place when we do. Just think I'm going to get through this day and I'm going to make the best of it. Being newly diagnosed and just getting started, this is what I have to do to stop myself from breaking down. We have so much to live for and fight for. Giving you a mental hug. Please let us know how you are doing.
Linda J
-
Rangermom - I went to work the next day and was ok. It did hurt a bit and I had to be careful where my bra strap laid but generally all ok. It took about a week for me to not feel some tenderness in the area, but that also was partly due to the mastectomy I had on the same side 4 weeks earlier.
-
Sudzinvermont,
Would you add me to the list. i think that's a super idea you started, RangerMom 4/28. Thank you! I'm reading all the posts to catch up with everyone. Its soo good to read all. Helps me a lot. I learned there's an ointment to put over the port prior to chemo injection. I will ask about that tomorrow when they do the port placement.
-
rangermom --
I went to the work the next day as well. It was tender but very doable.
-
Hi all, I will be having my first Chemo on Thursday 4/28, my dr. perscribed a medication called Emed to take (its 3 pills) one the morning of, one the next day and then the day after that, it is for nausea. Has anyone taken this? and did it work? I also, will be taking steroid beginning the evening before.
-
I had Emend and it worked well.
-
RangerMom, I was sore the next day but nothing like some people have reported. I guess it is all how the surgeon does it and how good they do it! I took the sleepy stuff and didn't have a clue until I woke up! Good luck. All: I noticed a little hair loss today in the hair brush, nothing major yet. I had to buy some diaper rash cream for my butt, but it feels better.. LOL I can't stand buttermilk so none for my mouth! It is bareable, noticed some sour things taste really sour however and bitter too. Hugs to all! Day #13!
-
OK the hair is starting to come out. When I run my hand thru I get quite a bit, so tonight is the hair cutting/clipping party! I'm not ready to shave I'll get a crewcut! LOL
-
Linda get a flat top just for fun!!
-
Linda --
Did you get your first round April 13th? If so I did too and I am on the same cocktail as you. I'm not losing hair yet.
-
I am April 13 too - no hair gone yet - I did get it cut short a few weeks ago, though.
Ain't this fun!?!?!?!?!
Pamela
-
I can't believe I'm about to put this on the internet. First round of AC on April 11th, and this morning I lost a significant amount of pubic hair.
So I'm guessing the hair on my head is not far behind. I did get my hair buzzed very short, so maybe I'm just not noticing?
-
Carla: That's the hair I lost first. The hair on my head followed about two or three days later. Still losing it in droves.
-
Ok ladies.. here it is...
-
Carla you are funny! Well hair is hair and thats a good thing to know. Its still growing under my arms so I don't know what the deal is with that...someones idea of a funny joke! haha
-
Hi to everyone, hope you all had some kind of enjoyment over the holidays. Have new wig now - hair going short this week. I'm going to sit at home friday and watch the Royal Wedding - pure escapism.
-
Hi all
It took me forever to get caught up with everyone! I started my first TCH tx on 4/19. I was great for 5 days then day 6 hit and WOW!!! Ow!!! I had exremely painful back spasms - every 3 seconds - felt like someone punching me throughout my whole body and on my sternum. I took claritan and advil, but wow! That was painful! I couldn't even breathe through them... I still have them between my bouts with the big D. I keep taking immodium, but everytime I eat something, I end up running to the restroom. The worst part is the abdominal swelling. I had DIEp reconstruction and its putting so much pressure and expanding my belly tissue. Ican't distinguish one pain from the other! I hate to complain, so I've been keeping it all in, especially around my hubby and kids, but I feel safe here to "let it out." This is tough. I just keep remembering its the chemo, not the cancer thats making me feel like this. I pray I can make it into work this week, but I read on here to think about one week off and two weeks on. I work at a college and there is only 2 weeks left until summer. Hoping I can make it until summer, when it is much slower than now. Anyone taking something for the abdominal cramping?
Thank you also, for sharing your hair stories. I cut mine short and donated it and got a wig, but dreading the actual day of it being gone. It is so scary for my son. Thank you for sharing your advice.
-
hair today probably gone tomorrow!! it is falling out if i run my hands through it!!! dh is at work and so is daughter...so not gonna shave it alone!!!!i was hoping that it would clump out so i would have to go ahead and shave it but its shedding a little at a time maybe i'll get one more day out of it.i just hope when i walk dogs tomorrow morning it dosn't blow out in the wind!!!!
i have to run by the surgen tomorrow and get them to look at my incision to see if we need to pack it! it is not healing and its geeting deeper, so not good!
ain't this fun!?!?!
-
I notice this afternoon my hair is shedding more. My main wig won't be here til mid week...oh please hold out hair!
-
To BernieEllen
Reading the posts and noticed you are from Ireland. I just visited Ireland this past week with my school students. It was a wonderful escape from what I'm facing. Tomorrow I get my port and Tues, May 3 Chemo.
-
hi everyone........i am getting nervious about my first treatment..which is friday.............
-
Hi Ladies,
Determined: i was afraid I wouldnt even make it through the door for my first treatment on 3/13, after all of the pre-meds, i was so drowsy, and ended up sleeping through most of it
Ginger-mea : Emend works very well, I think it is one of the wonder drugs to stop nausea
Dee Bee : the recipe i was given for mouth sores was rinse 3x a day with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt mixed with 8 oz of water
My hair is much shorter today. Got it cut sort of like Ellen. everytime i brush or run my hands through it, it is shedding heavily. Still feeling really good, but developed a new side effect over the weekend. Very red and angry eye. Took contacts out, and that helped alittle, but very sensitive to light. Went to eye dr this morning, and she said no infection, looked like an extreme bout of inflamation, and seemed to think it was starting up in other eye. Got some drops, and it is already feeling better, Just wonder if it is from chemo?
Hope you all continue to fair well on this journey. I am planning on making the best of this next week and a half before 2nd round. Headed to Florida on thurs. to lose the rest of my hear in the wind at the beach! Take care ladies and thanks for being so willing to share tips and encouragement
-
I am attempting to go back into work for a few hours today. I only have two weeks left before summer break thank God! Wowser! What atom bomb went off in my body?
Feeling a bit better today but can still feel this stuff in my sternum. I am going to ask the doc for stronger symptom drugs for the next one. Maybe just something to make me high the entire time. Speed? LOL I'm just sayin, right about now I would be tempted. See the PT this morning to see what she can do about nerve damage from this last surgery.
-
thanks trail2. what premeds did they give you? i am feeling left out here...
-
is anyone on navelbine and avastin I started last week and would love to chat with someone in same position please ...will be on navelbine for at least 3 months and not sure how long on avastin ...I am tired but doing well otherwise
-
hey had mine last week and went well on navelbine and avastin and I have a port in ...doing okay here good luck on friday
-
I started losing my hair last Wednesday. I also had my third chemo session with Abraxane that day. I still have a thin head of hair, but boy it sure is coming out! No chin hairs, though, and the legs are very smooth after three days of not shaving! Wore my wig for the first time yesterday, and had to do a TV interview for one of the local stations this morning. Guess lots of folks will see me with my "new" hair!
Jane
-
determined3 -- it really isn't as bad as we feel like it is going to be, at least for me it wasn't. I was so scared but once I had my first it was ok. I go for my second tomorrow. I wonder at what point your hair stops falling out. I have had very little shedding so far and tomorrow is day 14. I'm thinking the next few days I will start noticing more.
Categories
- All Categories
- 679 Advocacy and Fund-Raising
- 289 Advocacy
- 68 I've Donated to Breastcancer.org in honor of....
- Test
- 322 Walks, Runs and Fundraising Events for Breastcancer.org
- 5.6K Community Connections
- 282 Middle Age 40-60(ish) Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 53 Australians and New Zealanders Affected by Breast Cancer
- 208 Black Women or Men With Breast Cancer
- 684 Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer
- 1.5K Caring for Someone with Breast cancer
- 455 Caring for Someone with Stage IV or Mets
- 260 High Risk of Recurrence or Second Breast Cancer
- 22 International, Non-English Speakers With Breast Cancer
- 16 Latinas/Hispanics With Breast Cancer
- 189 LGBTQA+ With Breast Cancer
- 152 May Their Memory Live On
- 85 Member Matchup & Virtual Support Meetups
- 375 Members by Location
- 291 Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 177 Singles With Breast Cancer
- 869 Young With Breast Cancer
- 50.4K Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis
- 204 Breast Cancer with Another Diagnosis or Comorbidity
- 4K DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
- 79 DCIS plus HER2-positive Microinvasion
- 529 Genetic Testing
- 2.2K HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
- 1.5K IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)
- 3.4K IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)
- 1.5K ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)
- 999 Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis
- 652 LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ)
- 193 Less Common Types of Breast Cancer
- 252 Male Breast Cancer
- 86 Mixed Type Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned
- 189 Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care
- 488 Second or Third Breast Cancer
- 1.2K Stage I Breast Cancer
- 313 Stage II Breast Cancer
- 3.8K Stage III Breast Cancer
- 2.5K Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- 13.1K Day-to-Day Matters
- 132 All things COVID-19 or coronavirus
- 87 BCO Free-Cycle: Give or Trade Items Related to Breast Cancer
- 5.9K Clinical Trials, Research News, Podcasts, and Study Results
- 86 Coping with Holidays, Special Days and Anniversaries
- 828 Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues
- 101 Family and Family Planning Matters
- Family Issues for Those Who Have Breast Cancer
- 26 Furry friends
- 1.8K Humor and Games
- 1.6K Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts
- 706 Recipe Swap for Healthy Living
- 704 Recommend Your Resources
- 171 Sex & Relationship Matters
- 9 The Political Corner
- 874 Working on Your Fitness
- 4.5K Moving On & Finding Inspiration After Breast Cancer
- 394 Bonded by Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Life After Breast Cancer
- 806 Prayers and Spiritual Support
- 285 Who or What Inspires You?
- 28.7K Not Diagnosed But Concerned
- 1K Benign Breast Conditions
- 2.3K High Risk for Breast Cancer
- 18K Not Diagnosed But Worried
- 7.4K Waiting for Test Results
- 603 Site News and Announcements
- 560 Comments, Suggestions, Feature Requests
- 39 Mod Announcements, Breastcancer.org News, Blog Entries, Podcasts
- 4 Survey, Interview and Participant Requests: Need your Help!
- 61.9K Tests, Treatments & Side Effects
- 586 Alternative Medicine
- 255 Bone Health and Bone Loss
- 11.4K Breast Reconstruction
- 7.9K Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 2.7K Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment
- 775 Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results
- 7.8K Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 50 Immunotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 7.4K Just Diagnosed
- 1.4K Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy
- 5.2K Lymphedema
- 3.6K Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment
- 591 Pain
- 3.9K Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 8.4K Surgery - Before, During, and After
- 109 Welcome to Breastcancer.org
- 98 Acknowledging and honoring our Community
- 11 Info & Resources for New Patients & Members From the Team