August 2011 chemo, anyone w/ me?!
Comments
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Watermelon and tons of water helped me following the first tx. DH went to the store yesterday and bought me the biggest watermelon I've ever seen. I'll be eating that this week.
I also have been taking a Melatonin capsule the last couple of nights which has helped me get a better sleep. I think my extreme tiredness on Thursday was made worse by not having had a good night's sleep in a week.
Rinsing with baking soda and water has helped ward off mouth sores. -
I wanted to add my feelings in regards to the hair issue; either I'm in denial or I've just accepted that I'm going to lose my hair. I wear lots of wigs and braided extensions (have full-head extensions in now), so I'm used to changing my look frequently.
I know a lof of the ladies are having difficulties 'letting go' of losing their hair; but perhaps if we look at it this way: we may lose our hair, but it will grow back. We can never get lives back that are lost to breast cancer. So, if a side-effect of chemo is losing my hair, but potentially saving my life by killing the cancer cells, then I will have to take the baldness along with everything else. I KNOW that once I lose my hair I will be upset, but it's only temporary.......
I hope that helps those that are upset and it IS upsetting; but the alternatives are much more distressing.
Blessings for a wonderful evening and a great day for everyone tomorrow.....
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Chrys, I agree.... I'd rather lose my hair temporarily than my life....and I think (ok, hope) it'll be fine once it's all gone and no longer something I dread.... I'm hoping to embrace the wigs and have already bought 2 completely different ones and 1 "like me"....
My daughter and I watched "Soul Surfer" the other day and she said "mom, it could be worse...bethany hamilton lost her arm and it can't come back". And I looked at my sweet 8 year old like she just said the most brilliant thing in the world..... She's so right. Things could be worse.
We'll all get through this!!!!!!
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Well, I got my hair shaved off yesterday. It was a little sad when the first swipe went up my head but after that my sister, my daughter and I tried to have fun. I had no idea how gray I am under all the color and highlights I've had for years. It's so cool too, especially in this heat.
I have my second TCH treatment on the 22nd. I hope my se's are as mild as last time. I'm already dreading it. Is anyone else here doing TCH? I feel like the only one. -
Chrys23, you are so right! I've been telling myself...would you rather be bald or dead? It's a no-brainer in my opinion!
YaYa5, that's what I'm dreading about when my hair grows back...I'm sure it will be WHITE! My Mom went gray very young and her hair is snow white. It looks great on her but she's 78!
Madismommy, your daughter is very smart! She's the same age as my youngest and she comes out with some very wise things sometimes too. We need to listen to them.
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Tomorrow is port placement day. I think I am as nervous about that as I was having the BMX! Chemo starts on Monday.
Did you guys take anything with you to the first chemo appointment? Water? Ice?
I am so glad I found out about this group! Lots of good information.
@Madismommy - The TE are so uncomfortable! I can't sleep in any position except my back. I still have a lot of soreness around the hole where the drains where. Do you? I seem to get pains every now and then in the TX. Do you? I also still have quite a bit of brusing on one side. Looks like the PS was pretty brutal on that side. I am going for my first "fill up" this week. Dreading it!
Have a good day everybody!
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Islandgirl....yes, yes and yes!!!! I've been on my back since the BMX...I wish someone would have warned me! I bought a "boomerang" pillow from walmart.com and it's helped me sleep on my side for short periods of time. Seems like it helps? I get this weird "scraping" pain under my TE's, usually when I over do it with housework, exercise, etc.... So uncomfortable. When was your surgery date? I'm 2 months out.... Taking a lot longer than I expected!
I've had 3 fills so far, I'm almost done and than I'll wait until chemo is done.... Its like 2 really hard boulders on my chest. Not looking forward to carrying them around for 6 more months. My drain sites were irritated for a little while too, I used antibacterial ointment and it seemed to help?
The fills aren't too bad if you don't overfill....I was barely a 34B pre-BMX and I'm shooting for a C cup so I'm really stretching my skin.....so only putting about 40 cc's at a time. Make sure you to an aspirin or pain killer before....it helps!!! -
Oh, and I completely dreaded my port also....I hardly notice it at all now!!!
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good morning ladies~ just wanted to say its day 5 since my first treatment, and i feel good! i had some soreness from the neulasta yesterday, but its gone! and my appetite is huge! i'm so hungry today!
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Bleckchhh....This is Day 3. Or 4? since my T/C. Joint pain, scratchy throat, mild headache...mouth isn't too bad, for which I am eternally grateful! Mild nausea comes and goes in waves. I initially had diarrhea...(TMI again, sorry), but now I've managed to over-correct that I think. Time will tell! Not working today! Staying home, inside out of the rain!
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YaYa5 - TCH - is that Taxol, Carboplatin & Herceptin? If so that's what I'm on. Day 4 from TC, and I have to say, miserable today. Bone pain has been tough the last 24 hours, just feel fluy and yuck today. Have to keep layding down to avoid passing out - ugh. Staying home, no work, maybe tomorrow will be better.
I really hope the rest of you have a good day today.
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Good luck to everyone getting treatment today!
All those who had treatments last week, I hope you get to feeling better soon. Dreading #2 on Thursday.
Islandgirl - I'm 7 weeks out (today, exactly) from my BMX and I sleep on my side. They are kind of uncomfortable but I'm used to them, I think. The bruising is normal. You won't even feel the fills if you go conservative (I had 60 ccs for each fill). Guess it's good that I'm used to these silly turtle shells since I'll have them for almost another year :-( Oh, and the nurses will bring you water, ice, ginger ale juice, whatever you want when you're getting your infusion. Maybe bring a snack? I ate right before so I didn't eat anything during.
OH AND...is anyone else's nose running nonstop?? Sometimes if I bend over, it literally drips out of my nose. And I also had heel pain in my right heel for a day last week. So weird.
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Grimbol and Robyn, I had the same SEs. Seemed as though each would last in varying degrees for 2-3 days, then leave and would be replaced w/ a new SE. My advice is HYDRATE. Force yourself to keep drinking, ice helps as I've already gone on about. Robyn, for me the mouth issues (no sores) started really kicking in just after the fluey, bone pain feeling. Keep gargling and hang tough- I have had a good few days and I am happy to say that my body feels pretty good today (healthy) I would feel really good if I wasn't having insomnia. I'm up till the wee hours of the morning. Just feeling restless. Probably from being too homebound w/ the neutropenia.
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Someone else had that heel pain in an earlier post, Kasi. My nose totally ran also! What are the turtle shells?
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Good morning!
YaYa5 I'm also doing TCH. Days 3 and 4 I felt pretty yucky but still managed to get to the store and even pick out paint for the living room. One of the positives of this whole thing is that my husband is FINALLY getting a lot of projects done he had put off and NO not because of me being diagnosed. Some of those projects were suppose to have been done in January. I'm feeling much better today which is good and really glad to hear that there are good days, I was worried yesterday.
I got my hair cut last week, it was pretty traumatic but now kind of like the short hair. Dreading when I lose it but like Chrys said, it will grow back. I've always had straight hair so curious to see if I get a little curl when it comes back. Now that would be AWESOME!
My dogs and my foster dogs keep me laughing and make it very hard for me to sit around feeling sorry for myself for long, but there have been a couple of times they've had quite the job when this all started. Now that I'm in it, I know I can do this and will survive. ALL OF US WILL!
I am so happy to be able to come here and know I'm not alone.
Hope everyone has a great day!
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I had posted about the heel pain - it's weird and random. My heel is
sore and my teeth still hurt today. Legs are achy too. -
I'm day 4 after my Taxotere/Cytoxan coctail. Friday I felt good, then crashed and slept on and off all weekend. I still feel kind of tired and woozy today, but need to make myself get up and about! The taste bud thing is the WORST! I can't stand the saltwater mouth wash stuff they told me to use, maybe I will just make it with baking soda and see if that works. It's hard to even drink water, but a little more tolerable with ice. My tongue feels kind of numb today. Ok, enough whining! I am alive and that's what counts right now, we will make it through everything else! I hope everyone has a blessed day! Lots of Hugs to everyone!
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Had AC on Thursday, went to work on Friday, got Neulasta shot Friday evening, slept Saturday and Sunday and am at work on Monday. I am dragging today,feeling wobbly and my neck hurts. Is that normal? I figured I'd be feeling better than this by now and am wondering if this is how it will be from now on. Anyone else experiencing anything like this?
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Koalakid, I had the same bad mouth stuff going on. I didn't like the saltwater, either. But, I forced myself to do it, and I do think it helps to keep thrush and sores at bay. I really like the biotene mouthwash, I find it soothing. Something I saw on another post that I think is helpful, esp when SEs are at their strongest: two words - TEMPORARY and FORWARD. Justina, I am on TC not AC, but I doubt if what you are experiencing now for SEs will last very long. 3 days seems pretty quick to be feeling better, I was more like 7-9 days.
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vtEllen - I call my tissue expanders turtle shells. They are really hard!
Dogmom - How many dogs do you foster? Do you have your own? My husband and I have two rescues who we love DEARLY. Dogs are the best.
Chrys - The heel pain was weird. It hurt then it went away a day or two later. I was wondering if I walked on it funny or if it is some kind of weird side effect.
Koalakid - I had the numb tongue thing too. I actually didn't mind the salt water gargle but I HATE the biotene dry mouth rinse they recommend. I think it tastes disgusting.
Justina - Kudos to you for working the next day! I got my treatment on a Thurs and worked from home Friday and Monday. Did not feel more like myself again til Tuesday, so I bet you will feel better tomorrow. Fri, Sat, Sun, and Mon after treatment I felt like a zombie. A zombie with the flu.
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Kasi, love your description, I felt like a zombie with the flu, too! I have 10 dogs at the house right now. (yeah I know, I'm nuts) 5 of them are looking for homes. All are rescues. Rescuing is going to keep me sane during this whole chemo thing. It keeps me focused on something besides what is going on with me. Dogs are the best!
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Dogmom, My husband and I have been thinking about fostering but I'm so afraid that I will get attached and want to keep them. Right now, we really only have time for the two sweeties that we have; we both work full time out of the house, but that may change in the next year. I am always considering Dog #3 though!
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We have 3 dogs! (all rescue mutts) 1 getting old, 1 youngish middle aged, and Tally the new girl! She's a 1 yr old Border Collie (cross?) They get me out on the trail every day and inspire me to stop my whining and deal w/ it!
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hi everyone, I agree about the TE being turtle shells LOL ,mine is really hard at the top near my armpit, they are uncomfortable but Im getting used to mine now and can finally sleep on my side, does anyone know when you have the exchange done to implants do they have to open up the whole mx scar again ? I forgot to ask the PS when i had my consult, another question is I heard today their is a test they are now doing to determine if u need chemo , have any of you had this done I was never offered this, not sure why,and is it baking soda you use to gargle with ,
sorry for all the questions tonight ladies ,
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Summergirl, I think you're referring to the Oncotype test. It appears to be widely used in the USA but is not very common in Canada. Yes, it is baking soda I've been using to gargle with and it seems to do the trick.
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thxs Michello for your help yeh thats the name I heard oncotype , I dont know why they dont offer it if it would save us from having chemo, someone just mentioned it to me and she got away without the chemo , wow wish I had of know about it I would have begged them to do it , but think its too late now I am finding that there is a lot of difference over here as far as tx goes , also everyone over here gets 6 x TC and in the us it seems to be only 4 sessions , and they never heard of clarityn for the bone pain either , thxs to this site Im getting educated LOL
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Hi all
Just checking in with everyone. I have been keeping an eye on all your posts and hope that everyone is doing ok.
When I last posted I was feeling ok (ish) boy did that change -have spent the last 2 days in an awful state - hallucinating, terrible sore mouth, desperate aches, and a general feeling of stop the world I wanna get off!!
Thankfully I am feeling a bit better now and am managing to eat and drink again.
Summer girl - I presume u read the article in papers this weekend about the oncotype test. It is o ly available to private patients in Ireland. I was naively under the impression befor I read said article that the test was done routinely over here. Actually went so far as to look for my results to be met with a sort of a "what" stare from my bs.. I for one am hopping mad that I didn't get the test. It could have made a HUGE difference to the path that I am now taking. The cost for the test here is €3200 I am sickened to think that health care has come to this. If they just looked at the cost of the chemo that they are dishing out, surely there would be a saving in costs. I could rant all night about this. When you think of the money wasted in this country over the past few years it makes me want to scream......
Enuf!!! Deep calming breaths michaela!!!!
Baking soda is good to gargle with. My onc gave me a script for mycostatin and that helps a lot too (despite the god damn awful taste)
Hope everyone well
Nighty night
Michaela -
The oncotype test uses tissue sample from the tumor. The test is sent out for testing to a lab and is very expensive. Not all insurances will cover it. My MO said that if the test was not available, It would be recommended that I receive chemo based on my age (42) and the size of my mass (1.9cm). I'm waiting for my oncotype results-should be beginning of next week.
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Fostering is a great way to save lives! It's hard to let them go, some more than others, but when you see them with their new families it makes it all worthwhile. AND nothing wrong with being a foster failure either, if you have the time for more dogs. VtEllen, dogs do make us stop our whining don't they? LOL Before I was diagnosed, I was losing my mastiff mix to cancer, he was always happy even when he didn't feel good and he was his dogself until the end. Funny thing about that, he is the reason I discovered my lump. I was helping him walk at the end, felt the lump, assumed it was just muscle strain. When he passed, the lump was still there and decided to have it checked out, something I probably would have ignored, otherwise. That lump came up sooooo fast. Part of me feels like Hercules wanted to make sure I noticed that damn thing. When it was removed my margins were clear. If I hadn't noticed it during that time, I could be dealing with a lot worse than I am.
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