June 2011 A/C & T Groupies Unite!

Oops, sorry Rose!

That song is from The Poseidon Adventure - I remember it was a big hit.  Here's the Youtube video for you youngsters who might not remember this song:

http://youtu.be/bcLazPauA1c

Great lyrics!  Good choice!

Michelle

Boobie Jo - I can't believe it!!! I had my second AC on Tuesday. They gave IV Decadron, Ativan, and Zofran. This time I did much much better. Day 2, I took 8 mg of Decadron, 8mg of Zofran and 2 Aleve before my Neulasta shot. I felt pretty normal most of the day. Day 3, I just took 8mg of Zofran and I am not having any SEs, so far. Drinking a lot of smoothies and organic juices.

Michelle - I do use Elasto-Gel Hypothermia Gloves and Slippers to reduce onycholysis (nail loss) and skin toxicity, as well as special oil for my nails. I am planning to keep trying as well as the Cold Caps. Happy to report:  It's Day 17 and I still have all my hair!

Michelle - You can use ice chips, gel packs, cold packs or bags of frozen peas because they are cheap and easy to get. You just place the frozen bags of peas on your finger & toe nails 15 minutes before your Taxol infusion starts and change them every 45 minutes during infusion.

This are the tips the nurse gave me to keep my toenails healthy during treatment and recovery:

-Clip toenails straight across, keeping them short. Avoid cutting cuticles; this can be a source of infection. Use a cuticle cream instead.

-Keep your nails clean and moisturized. If you do a pedicure, sterilize your tools in bleach and water beforehand, to prevent infections.

-Soaking your nails in or massaging the nail with oil, such as vegetable or olive oils, helps to replace moisture lost from water exposure. These natural oils lack the alcohol- containing fragrance that is often found in commercial nail products.

-Fragile nails may be strengthened with biotin, a water-soluble B-complex vitamin, at 5 mg per day. Tea tree oil can be used for fungal infections in toenails, if those occur.

-Try to avoid injury to your toes, as bruises will heal very slowly.

-Wear open-toed or comfortable wide-toed shoes, to improve circulation and provide protection for loose or fragile toenails.

-If your nails break or lift off, try to keep them clean and protected. Covering the nail with a band-aid can protect it from trauma. Clean with soap and warm water and apply an antibiotic ointment twice a day.

-If the nail or nail bed appears infected (there is redness, swelling, warmth to the touch), inform your healthcare team.

Yup, 6 hrs from seeing MO to leaving the infusion room.  Plenty of premeds.  I'm already feeling better in regards to drinking liquids.  My throat doesn't have that lump and I don't feel like I might have acid reflux.  Yay!  I could not sleep last night, though.  I don't know if some of it was rebound from Benedryl (I did not sleep during the day) or if it was all the steroid and the Taxol didn't knock me out like AC.  Ativan did nothing for me!  I made sure I took the claritin this morning.  I got my Neulasta shot this afternoon.   It's my MOs protocol to give it every time.  I also told her i did not want to get off schedule!  I'm not icing my nails, but I think I would if I were diabetic.  I'm keeping polish on my nails; someone on the boards said that can help.  

ask if they can give you Emend, it has worked great for me.  I take it 1 hour before chemo I am getting AC, had 3rd infussion today, and then I take one pill a day for two days.  No nausea.

BobbieJo - ask for an infusion of Aloxi or Zofran as a pre-med.  Then they can give you a script for compazine and ativan if you don't already have it.  And the scopolamine patch helps, too.  I put it on in the morning before treatment and leave it for the three days.  It makes you thirsty, which makes you drink more, which is a good thing.

I already have osteoarthritis and take a hefty dose of Mobic (meloxicam) which is an anti-inflammatory drug.  I am guessing that it will help with any bone/muscle pain.  And I'll probably give the Claritin a try - does anyone else use it for Taxol?  I really want to limit steroids so that my blood sugar doesn't soar.  Right now it is staying nice and low (tested 89 this morning).  A rise in blood sugar due to steroids can contribute to neuropathy, so I'm trying to avoid that like the plague!

Ugh...DH started getting sick yesterday.  He has swollen glands and can barely turn his head because his neck is swollen.  We haven't been here long enough to even make appointments with PCPs, with the focus on my specialists.  But he managed to get an appointment for this afternoon.  I hope it's not something contagious, that would be bad!  He didn't sleep all night, so I just drugged him with Hydrocodone with Tylenol.  I think it's working - he's starting to pass out in his recliner.  Hopefully he'll sleep for a couple of hours.  And hopefully he doesn't have any early morning conference calls.

Michelle

FCGU FAN- i want to hear how the Taxol goes, sounds like we are getting the same treatment. i have 2 A/C left and then go to Taxol. want to know how you feel, if you are just as tired on the Taxol or ??? also, nausea and insomnia??? i heard it makes your fingernails hurt??? and when we are on that, does that mean our white blood count will always be in the danger zone??? right now i only worry from day 5-10, i figure that is when my WBC is at it's lowest. So i am really carefull about going out in public and watch what i eat. let me know. Thanks!!!

Rose - he went to the doctor, they took blood and sent him for xrays.  They did a quick strep test and that came back negative.  They are also doing the 24 hour strep test (which we probably won't hear about until Monday).  No fever at all.  They put him on steroids and sent him home.  He's sleeping now because he didn't sleep last night.  But I have to think the steroid buzz will set in and then he'll have trouble sleeping tonight.  I think it's going to be a long ugly weekend...lol!

Julee - I'll be starting Taxol on 8/17 - DD every two weeks.  I was told by my MO that my WBC would not tank, I would not have much nausea, etc.  Sure hope she's right!  I'll be hoping to avoid large doses of steroids and based on what I'm reading here, I'll take the Claritin for a few days each cycle.  I already take meloxicam for arthritis and I think that has kept any additional bone pain at bay. 

I think BobbieJo and Paula (cider8) did their Taxols first - weekly, if I recall correctly.  So they are our trailblazers. 

Hugs,

Michelle

Good Morning ladies!  I woke up too early with a very hungry tummy!  Decided it would be a bad idea to ignore it, so I've made coffee and downed a container of yogurt.  Just tasted the coffee and yup, yucky taste is here.  I don't know how much of it I'll be able to swallow. 

Welcome Heather!  It's great that you've got a terrific support team.  I saw your post about your co-workers donating their leave for you.  Now that is a special group of co-workers!  Congrats on being almost done with AC. 

Hope everyone has a nice weekend with little or no side effects.

Michelle

Before my first AC my red blood cells were already below normal. According to my ON is normal after surgery (of course after my first AC they were even lower). I was so "lucky" to have my period just while I was having my second AC. Today is Day 4 (2nd AC) and I am not taking any antinausea or pain medications, I have been able to eat and drink, but I feel "like I will have stomach flu". I also notice that I feel weaker and dizzier this time, and I have had some mild headaches. Did anyone have this experience or I should assume that is the result of having my period and losing more blood in the process?

Does anyone has red, blurry, sore eyes, or photophobia since your first treatment?

I wear monovision contact lenses and have found that I need to wear my glasses for a few days after treatment.  My brain just isn't switching between near vision and distance vision, and so everything is blurry.  I'm ok with my glasses.

I have been taking lots of naps the last couple of days.  I guess #4 kicked my butt a little.  DH slept and/or watched golf today, but he was feeling better this evening so we went out for dinner.  But that's it, we're home and done for the night. 

Michelle

Hi Everyone - I have yet to start my chemo treatment, but was hoping ya'll could help me out.  My first AC treatment is on 8/24.  We had originally cancelled our summer vacation plans with everything being up in the air as far as treatment goes, but now that everything is scheduled, I was hoping we could still take the kids to the beach for a week. 

We were hoping to go away before treatment started, but are having difficulty findina a Lake MI rental house on such short notice - which I am not surprised by.  So I was wondering if I am being overly optimistic thinking I could go on a week's vacation starting 8/27?  It would be a very low key vacation mainly hanging out at a beach house on Lake MI.

Any insight you could provide would be great!  I know the side effects are different for everyone, but I would love your opinions.

Thanks!

Jenn

Jenn - I think I could have done a beach vacation that soon after my first treatment.  We're all different and the SEs hit everyone at different times and in different ways.  I actually went to a Red Sox game with my son on the Friday night after my first Wednesday treatment.  Hanging out at a beach house sounds relaxing.  And as long as your family is doing their share to let you rest, you'll probably be ok. 

One thing to consider, though... in the event that you had a bad side effect, how far would you be from decent medical care?  Is there a hospital in the immediate area?  It's very hard to predict how your body will react. 

I have not let chemo keep me from doing much of anything, but then I've had a bit easier time than some of my June sisters. In a worst case scenario, you might have to cut the vacation short or delay the start by a couple of days.

Michelle