April 2011 chemo

okay, what am i reading about taking claritan with the neualast shots? help. and have your docs told you guys about fasting before chemo. i am feeling SO left out.....:(

@suzy..perhaps one of our friend will come along with some enlightenment

oh friends.......where are you?? sounding like my son. when he doesn't see us he says "dada/mama...are you?" he forgets to insert "where".  he will get there, just like we will getting to a healthier state. i am feeling it!

Determined: don't mind me and the fasting. I'm not sure I would recommend it. Look up Valter Longo's research on chemo and fasting if you want to learn more. I am probably going to skip it for the next two treatments.

Profbee, sorry to hear about the seizure!  so scary.  I might be moving to treatments every three weeks, the neupogen may not be right for me.  Time will tell.

Prof b

The universe loves you but I know what you mean. I hope your son is ok.

Some low life emptied my bank accouunt this week end while I was in the throws of chemo. Luckily I have protection at my bank but e-gads, like I needed to deal with that right now! Then... My new computer that I bought less than 2 weeks ago broke this morning so now I gotta take that back. I'm just setting here thinking "WTF?"

Thanks friends.  In the past, Jack's seizures were all related to fevers, and that's pretty typical for kiddies.  But, these last 2 (the one during my first chemo treatment and now today--sheesh) aren't fever-related, so now we're into testing and specialists.  He had an EEG today, we're seeing his neurologist tomorrow morning, and my oncologist gave us a referral to the head of the epilepsy program at Boston Children's Hospital.  Yay!  Because, y'know, we don't have enough doctors in our lives right now.  ugh.  

Merilee--that's AWFUL!  See!  You're must be feeling just like me. WHY is the universe targeting us?  LOL!  We need to go in the woods and dance naked or something and get some good mojo from somewhere.    Where's the life reset button?  Something is on the fritz.

I wish I even WANTED a cocktail right now.   

Profbee...I've heard FABULOUS things about the epilepsy program at BU.  I have a dear friend whose son (7 or 8 yrs old) has been treated there for the past few years and they head in from Rhode Island.  That said, I know you don't need another health adder on your plate, but you'll find the strength.  And what you don't have, we'll loan some out to you.

Raises hand for period last week.  Did a big WTF since I thought we were shutting off the ovaries. It was week two. Should probably write the date down.  Hmmm.

I don't know about Claritin and Neulasta, but I have seasonal allergies in the spring have been taking Zyrtec daily for the past few weeks and continuing through the chemo regieme.

Thinking I need to pull out a hat or a scarf tomorrow, starting to look patchy.

I put a piece of Saran Wrap over my port after the numbing cream.  It sticks right on, keeps the cream on, keeps my clothes dry and it's cheap!  

Okay, will do the plastic wrap. I bought surround seal bandages but they breathe and I wondered if you don't want it to breathe to really work good. Going to the dentist in the morning for teeth cleaning, then chemo at 10 am. I'm taking the day off but hope to work on Friday. Get the neulasta on Friday too and I'll try the claritan. Do you only have to take it the day of or do you do more than that? thanks

Merilee and Profbee -- just want to send some extra hugs your way.  I'm so sorry for all the extra stress in your lives at the moment.  Hope things get better soon.  Thinking of you.....

@ ranger mom, if you read this b4 your treatment, i was told to put A LOT on, make it thick. i was wondering why i still felt the pinch this am for my blood draw. the dude told me that i had to put a lot on there to a point where i can't see that part of my chest. oh, it prob did not help that i did not know to use saran wrap, so it prob. wiped off a bit.

I read a couple of non-academic studies re: fasting before chemo, and had to do some hard thinking about it. The idea, as I understand it, is that fasting makes normal cells hunker down in survival mode, and therefore less likely to be damaged by chemo. After talking it over with my naturopath, I decided feeding myself lots of protein to promote cell-building was a better goal for me. There's so little proven out there that we all have to make decisions based on what we know, believe, hope - it's such a crapshoot...

Anyone have problems having blood drawn from their port?  Last week it worked fine but yesterday they couldn't get any and I had to get it out of my arm and then a blood prick from my finger because of the Coumidin, that's 2 too many needles for me, LOL.  I want to avoid that every week - any hints or tips for this?

I got a huge shock today -- I tested positive for Lyme disease!

Lyme and chemo don't go together well at all, since the immune suppression from the chemo apparently causes the Lyme to grow out of control. This could account for my borderline heart ejection MUGA scan results (55%), since Lyme apparently causes carditis and damages the heart (in addition to damaging the thyroid, causing chronic fatigue, etc.) Now apparently I am going to have to go on massive antibiotics to get through the rest of treatment.

WTH! How long have I had this?!?

Another note - I never took Claritin, and have not gotten any bone pain from Neulasta. (Thank goodness for small favors. I am grateful wherever I can find them.)

Linda: Sorry to hear about your hair, too. I think your wig will look great. Can you post a photo with you wearing it? And thank goodness they gave you Emend this time around. I can't imagine they didn't the last time - it's now considered the standard of care. Neulasta was a breeze for me.

Hang in there!