Is there a July 2011 group?

Kristien, I also have been having an issue with a rapid heartbeat.  I can feel it pounding in my back and under my ribs on the left side.  I have had issues with this all my life, so I was very afraid of having to have chemo.  But my echocardiogram said it was okay for me to go through it.  Did you have an echo before starting chemo?  My heart didn't start racing and pounding until well after my steroids were out of my system.  My first chemo treatment was on July 7, and I'd say my heart has been pounding for about the past 3-4 days.  I'm also doing DD ACx4.  My second treatment is this Thursday.  I still have hair, but wondering for how long.

Here's wishing all of you free SE's and strength to get through another week!

Valbee - I had a weird dream last night! LOL! I dreamt of a wasp the size of my fist and it seemed to just want to land on me! I could see its sting and I was so freaking out.  I was screaming for everyone's help to remove it from my head and finally when it was, I woke up!  

For all the dreamers out there: I have heard that Ambien can cause some people to have strange dreams if anyone is taking that. So far, it doesn't do that to me. But, when I took Tylenol with Codeine in the past for wisdom tooth removal, I went through some strange ones!

kk11: I think the sore throat will pop up with every treatment and just keep doing the teaspoon of baking soda per 8 oz of water and gargling and rinsing with that 4x / day to ease it. My doctor said that it is just the chemo drugs going through, not from being sick, although it does feel like that. Then the 2nd week post treatment, it was not such a fight to feel well in the throat.

Hair: on day 12 after treatment I started getting considerable thinning. So that day, I gave up and got a cute (well as cute as it could be anyway) little short cut. On day 14, which was actually the day of 2nd treatment, it started coming out every time I touched my hair. I finally just leaned over a dry sink and ran my hands through it to gently tug it out. Every time I take a shower now, it takes so long to get all the hair out of my hands to get the shower done. My stepmom is visiting and I may let her shave it off tomorrow. It just takes so much time out of the day to clean up all that hair around the house and clothes and bed. And it really looks sad and pathetic now anyway. My 13 year old daughter started crying when she saw me without a hat on today. Today was the first time I had started wearing them, but I am losing so much so fast now, it was a dramatic change for her to see. Today is day 2, after 2nd treatment of A/C dd. (I still have great eyebrows today though, but it is going away everywhere else.)

Hi everyone I start my Chemo treatments July 25th 3 rounds of Fec and 3 rounds of Taxatore

The Oncol give me a script for Nulasta 1 shot after each Chemo treatment.Does anyone else have this regime.I will shave my head on the weekend as the oncol said total hair will fall out by

99.9 % going to try to prolong the next 7 days befor Chemo.I hope everyone is having minimal S/E I enjoy reading your posts.

hi Sandy

I am on FEC for 4 rounds then docetaxel (taxatore) for 4 rounds, every 3 weeks. I get my 2nd FEC this Wed. I am not on the nulasta shots....I shaved my head on day 15 when I started shedding really bad.  

Forgot to refresh the page before I posted!

J-Bug - Thanks for the tips about the gargling. I haven't been doing it, but may try it. It's good to know it's just a s/e and not me getting sick. I'm also shedding a lot more now. I'm dreading shaving my head, but I agree it's going to get to be more energy to just clean up after all the shed.

Paintingmywaythru - I'm sorry you've got mouth sores. I haven't had them yet but I do have the numb feeling on my tongue like I've burned it. With cycle 1, it started about a week after treatment and lasted a few days. Cycle 2 it started earlier and has lasted longer. Hopefully it doesn't get worse each treatment. 

Sandy - I don't have the same chemo regime, but I am getting Neulasta shots on Day 2 of each cycle. I have to give them to myself (inject them in the abdomen area). I find they're not too bad. My onc recommended Claritin to help with the bone pain. I haven't had it too bad though my neck and face are sore starting a few days after the shot.  Maybe I need to take the Claritin longer, but I'm trying to limit all the meds. As for the hair, it won't come out right away. For me it only started to really come out about 16 days after my first treatment, though it varies from person to person. I decided to cut my own hair for the first time in my life knowing I couldn't go wrong. Turned out I did a pretty good job. I think this is the time to experiment. I cut my hair several times and had "fun" with it. Anyways, I guess you'll know when you're ready to shave, but just wanted to share that with you.

Ok...now I'm going to try to get some sleep! I'll let you know tomorrow if I was successful.

Hi Rabbit I get my treatment every 3 weeks too.The Oncol said my hair would fall out just after the 1st treatment..Did you have positive nodes.?Your diagnoses is the same as mine my tumor was 3.7 cm and I had sentanal node only had 2 taken out but the B S wants to take the rest out after Chemo and Rads.i would rather have had them out before Chemo and Rads.Did you have a

Lumpectomy I had surgery June 3rd I am terified of the Chemo but there is not much I can do about it.I wonder why my oncol  is asking me to take Nulasta after each treatment the cost is $2.500 a shot x 6 the insurence company wont pay for it.I am in Onatrio.I hope you are getting some rest before your next chemo treatment.Let me know how it goes good luck.Sandra

Ok guys today is the day for me to go in for chemo. I am sooooo not looking forward to this. I also think my hair will be gone a lot sooner than others on here since I will get treatments once a week. My infusion nurse friend told me I would be completely bald by the 3rd treatment and if not bald be almost bald with a few long strands that I would just want to shave off. So for me that will be basically two weeks completely bald oppose to shedding around that time. Soooooo not looking forward to this. Sorry for the pity party I am throwing myself over here

Derar GramNurse,

I am a nurse too, and this experience has given me a new appreciation of the courage it takes to be a pt.  (I have none.  Nothing in my career has prepared me for this).  Had my port placed last week and 1st chemo tomorrow.  (Am terrified).  While they said that the port can be used right away, they neglected to mention that the area would be sore for a few days, so I rescheduled my chemo appt from the day after port placement to tomorrow.  I suggest scheduling your 1st chemo a week later than port placement.  We're all in this together.  A big hug to you and to all of the rest of the new July fraidycats like me.

Sandy115: The Neulasta shot helps give you blood counts a boost. Mine were extremely low until that shot kicked in. One of my nurses told me that before they gave that shot a lot of patients ended up hospitalized for various infections due to low white blood cell count. I believe she said that there is another option, but right now in my neck of the woods, Nuelasta seems to be the leading choice. I hope the information helps. I am so sorry that the Canadian insurance has not jumped on that one. (I will bite my tongue on ObamaCare for now.)

I also just started last Friday.  So far no bad side effects, just some diarrhea.  I will go once a week for 12 weeks and then at the end every other week for 8 weeks.  Praying to God this chemo works.  I've been so down since my diagnosis and I know that I need to get back into a routine.  I resigned from my teaching job in May so I could spend time with my new baby and 3 year old, and 2 months later I have BC diagnosis!  I got  my "cranial prosthesis" prescription from my doctor, so I'm trying to plan a fun day with girlfriends to find a nice wig.

Have a blessed day, Vicki

Sandra - How ridiculous that insurance won't pay for Neulasta! It's about $3500 here per shot, but I fortunately only have a $20 copay, so I know it could be a lot worse. Anyways, I would argue the insurance coverage on that shot since if they're paying for your chemo, they should pay for that too. Maybe have your onco contact insurance for you so that they know it's medically necessary? I don't know how it works in Canada, but surely they should be covering it!

GramNurse - My only suggestion would be to have the port placed enough in advance of your first infusion. I had it placed the same day and went into my first session dehydrated, which made all of my s/e worse. The best thing you can do is to be as hydrated as possible going in. I'm not on the same regimen as you, so I can't speak to the drug combo, but hydration surely benefits us all!

BlessOMel - You have EVERY right to throw yourself a pity party if you want to. I am on Day 21 since my first infusion (getting DD every other week) and while I am not bald yet, I'm starting to shed like crazy. I thought I was ready for it. I'm NOT. I have been down for the last several days. It's just hair I know, but it's like cancer is staring me in the face now. Up until now, I didn't feel as much like a cancer patient. 

Kayak2 - You will get through it even if you are scared. This is my 3rd chemo regimen (first 2 were for a molar pregnancy) and each time I have been nervous going in. Then you get through it because you have to. Hoping your first session isn't too rough. 

For those of you with ports, I was prescribed a lidocaine cream to put on about an hour before they access the port. I don't have much pain at all when they put the needle in, just a little discomfort. Definitely ask your doctor about it because anything you can do to reduce suffering is worth it!

vshowe - I took my mom and SIL with me to go wig shopping for the first time. I was dreading it, but I ended up having a little bit of fun. As for the prescription for the cranial prosthesis, I would definitely double check with your insurance before you buy b/c mine doesn't cover wigs, so I am in the process of an appeal. Meanwhile, I went to an event put on by the American Cancer Society and got a donated wig instead. I'm sorry you're dealing with this diagnosis right with 2 little ones at home. It's hard enough going through this without. Make sure you accept whatever help you can from others around you so that you don't wear out.

Cathy - It's absolutely not crazy to want to keep your eyebrows! I am perfectly fine losing the hair on my legs/underarms/down there lol, but the hair on my head is a different story. Since there's no way I'm keeping my hair, I certainly hope I can hold on to at least my eyebrows!

Hi all!  I havent been on for a while.  I have been super busy with my kids, husband, family, and church.   I will go in for my 2nd infusion tomorrow.  I am not nervous for tomorrow but I do dread the week afterward a bit.  I have gotten pretty close to being my old self and I dont want to give it up just yet but gotta do what I gotta do.  Tonight I am going with my family to a baseball game.  I cant wait.  I havent been to a Mudcats game in a while.  It will be nice to do something before chemo tomorrow.  My bff is taking me for my infusion.  My hubby has to work.  He will be off for day 3 and 4 which seem to be my worst. 

We had class at church last night and we joined a life group that will be going into local nursing and hospice centers.  I am really excited to get back to at least visiting with residents.  I miss my residents from my old job.  I worked as a CNA while in nursing school.  I have taken a break from school for now but cant wait to get back into my life.

 BTW, I am also on vitamin D.  I actually found out when my onc did labwork at my first visit.  I was suprised that noone else said anything about it since I had a bunch of blood work for my physical.  I take 50,000 once a week for 12 weeks.

Hope everyone has a good day today.

Jamie, I get my 2nd FEC Wed. the day after you...will think about you tomorrow if you think about me Wed. LOLOL I know what you mean about feeling normal, I have felt GREAT the last several days or more, taking advantage of it. Tomorrow I get a massage from one of the cancer clinics downtown free of charge for chemo patients..can't wait! 

 Ana, they put me on cipro last Wed. my temp was only 99.5, I am glad they did, we can't afford to take any chances.

hope we are all SE free this week!!

hugs to all