Is there a July 2011 group?

Dear worriednlost, I just tell myself take it a step at a time.  Docs will give meds for all the side effects and hence, to follow docs' instructions to minimise SEs.  For me, the first 2 days are ok, just weak so a lot of resting and sleeping.  Days 3 and 4 were worst off, cant sleep, very weak and drained and no appetite.  I just lazed around the entire time.  All suffering will pass... I am Day 5 now and getting better and could even go out for a walk today.  Hang in there for her!  She can do it.

Day 2 for me and I feel just ok, but not quite right. I can't explain it other than to say I feel like I should stay close to home. So, I ended up calling off work today after all. I have to go in for my neulesta shot at 3:30 this afternoon. Other than that, I'm sticking around here and puttering around the house/taking it easy.

I woke up in the middle of the night with some acid reflux/heartburn, but that may have been related to eating dinner fairly late last night. I truly felt perfectly fine; we even went over and visited my boyfriend's parents and grandmother, whom they just moved in with them from NJ.

But I overslept this morning and I took it as a sign that I need to slow it down for a few days. I'll keep you all posted if I can. Being home today likely means I'll be popping in here more often, seeing what you all are up to.

misswim, everything about that tea you mentioned sounded promising... until you said it tasted like licorice. Blech! Wonder if there are any other flavors, because I can foresee that being an issue for me as well. Then again, who knows?

Hope you have a good day today, too! 

It's definitely one of the SEs, FrancesC, and that's one of the reasons I'm not straying far from home today. I kind of have a feeling as though diarrhea could strike any moment today.

However, my instructions say to call my doctor if it persists more than 24 hours. So, I would contact them ASAP to find out if there is something else you should be doing.

Whew! Ok, Frances, I read your post wrong! I thought you'd said it had been going on for five days and I was alarmed. Big sigh of relief!

Just make sure to keep hydrated in the meantime, and maybe try some items on the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast). Glad to hear your getting your energy back. Hopefully, the diarrhea will ease up and be the last SE you have to deal with for a little while. Hang in there!

Day 9 today after my first chemo (TC); So far I am feeling much better, came back to work yday and worked full day, and I am at work today as i type this now.

I have been noticing a few things - my days are good but at the end of the day i feel like my body get soo tired and i just want to nap. Yday after work i came back home and i was worn out!!! thank God my kids were out with hubby, so i snuck in 30mins nap before they came back:-) had a good night sleep. Another thing i notice is that my feet get tired easily. I work in the city and live in the suburbs so my commute is kinda long (25mins drive to the train station then take the train 20mins ride to the city then walk for abt 10mins to my work) I noticed that i dont walk as fast as i used to because my legs hurt:-( also i get palpitations every now and then. Has anyone else noticed this? Other than that I am doing good; I eat whatever i used to eat before and i dont ahve the constipation problem:-) My mouth feels weird, i use biotene toothpaste & mouthwash.

I am hoping to have a great and fun weekend with my family. Hope you have a blessed friday & weekend.

Got a question for those of you who are a few days in, especially those getting TC. Did you get the metallic taste and how long after the infusion did it set in? Just curious when to look out for it.

My sister is having a case of Aqua Delight sent to me. Should be here today, in fact, but so far I'm not noticing any weird taste. Too soon? Infusion was just yesterday.

Valbee - not metallic exactly. I got that fuzzy tongue feeling about 3-4 days after. My whole tongue was white. After a couple of days, that went away and now it just feels like sandpaper. Very dry mouth feeling. The Biotene mouthwash is soothing, as is yogurt, ice cream, stuff like that. I am always drinking some kind of liquid. Food definitely does not taste the same. I am on day 9 and it is better, but not gone.

hi all, 

I am doing pretty good, day 17, I'm thinking it takes about 2 weeks to feel pretty normal for me. Dreading Wednesday when it starts all over again, but also looking forward to putting #2 under my belt! 

Hope everyone feels better and has few SEs.

xoxoxo 

Hi Everyone - I too had the "carpet mouth" that you are all describing.  I'm on day 9, and it is fading but I do think the one thing that has helped and I wasn't doing until this week is rinsing your mouth out with 1 tps of baking soda and 1 tps of salt in warm water, 3 times a day.  trust me you'll notice a difference in 48 hours.

Snoopy73: I believe the heart palpitations was one of the symptoms that they told me to let them know about. They have me calling the nurses for most of the side effects, just to touch base and then they can screen my calls to let the doctor know if it is something more alarming. I would feel more comfortable just calling and checking in, rather than wondering. I know the AC treatment can really do a number on the heart muscle.

I have been hearing that an hour of walking or other exercise is the ideal for those of us on chemo. Kind of hard to imagine fitting that in with all the naps, doctor appointments, work and taking care of a family though. I would like to work more in, but I cannot imagine doing that much yet.

Hi, ok so I went back to the clinic to have my labs redrawn and everything came out fine this time. So as of now everything is still set to go for chemo to start Monday. I am soooo not ready. I like coming on here and seeing what to expect. I am just not ready to go through any of it. I keep going along as if everything is ok and knowing all the dates and going from one procedure to the next. I know what I have to do but I am not sure if I just put it behind me at time or what. But reality sets in when I get places like going to get the port. I had a massive headache which was from stress and lack of food since you have to be npo.

Hopefully, I can have a good weekend and not worry and miraclously be ok with getting started on Monday morning. I know it's a dream but maybe at least the edge can be taken off some

I'm sure I am jinxing myself, but today (day 7) was great. I tire easy and surely do not want to over do it. But everything tastes good (and comes out good), no mouth sores, no aches/pains from the Neulasta shot and even felt the desire to show affection to my loved ones. I would be so lucky if I could feel like this until my next dose next Friday. After talking with the Onc nurse I decided to go ahead and go out on disability (maybe that's why I felt good today). She said with the AC dose dense, I am getting hit hard and don't have that extra week to feel good. However, my port area still aches.

I am sending my feel good vibes to all of you so you can have great days too. 

Cathy, I am happy to hear that! I am on dose dense too. Day 5 I was tired and felt sort of old. Today,  day 6, all is back to normal. I think the Neulasta shot made me tired.

Otherwise I am with you, no SEs. 

I am on ETC dense all two weeks for a total of 9. 

Sommer

Luvmy2kids, I had my Neulesta shot yesterday afternoon and this morning I woke up with some soreness in my shoulders and neck and a little bit of tenderness around the incision itself. I'm not sure if it's the Neulesta either, because since I was still riding on energy from the steroids I took for three days, I did quite a bit around the house yesterday. But I suppose it is possible.

Did the onc recommend anything for you to take to combat it? I'm taking Claritin and Tylenol right now, but was told repeatedly that if I needed anything stronger to let them know. So far, so good. *crossing fingers*

I don't know what the vitamin deficiency can do to how you're feeling; I'm completely unfamiliar with that. Sending good vibes!