August 2011 chemo, anyone w/ me?!

Celina2011 - Welcome to our group. This is a wonderful site where we can learn from each other and the post moderators. I know that I feel supported and not alone because we are here for each other. I'm really surprised that you are having to "fight" for a PIC line or Port unless your veins are way better than most of ours are (mine are terrible). One of the really hard things about "before" treatment is the waiting for each step. When my oncologist decided what my treatment was going to be, then things started moving a lot faster. I am grateful to a few unnamed patients in my Onc's practice who changed around their treatment day or time so that I could start my chemo on 8/26. If your veins are good, maybe this is a way for you to start your chemo sooner. Best!

Chrys - Thank you!! #3 went well yesterday, uneventful. 5 more to go!!! Feel somehwhat decent today, did an hour walk with my dogs this morning, worked from home, went for my Neulasta. Took a nap. Aside from the steroid, I didn't need any other pills today! I hope this continues. Hope you're feeling well!

isa702 - Thank you so much! So far, so good! We're getting the same regiment! How are you feeling?

Diana - I'm sorry that your daughter cried :-( I hope she's doing better now. About the Taxol shortage, I asked my doctor and she said that I will be getting mine, it hasn't affected their supply.

Hugs to all of you, I hope you're all doing well!! 

Grimbol -

I hope you are doing OK.  Don't worry about becoming addicted to oxycodone.  Your pain relief and not falsely lowering your temperature with Tylenol or Advil is the very important.    After heel surgery in 2005 I was left with terrible neuropathic pain in my left foot.  My primary care doc referred me to a pain management doc who actually increased the amount of oxycodone/oxycontin I was prescribed.  Over a period of time (and as my foot healed as much as it would) he weaned me off the drugs by decreasing the dosage by 1/3 gradually each time I saw him.   I didn't have any SE or withdrawl.   He said that I don't have an addictive personality so that the drugs just sucked out the pain rather than making me high.  Everyone is different, though, and I respect your choice.

So if I develop more neuropathy in my feet, I've already experienced it and still have it in my left foot.  So far, no increase after my 1st round of T/C.  I did have terrible, SE - constipation on day 4 - 5 since day 0, finally resolving to diarrhea on day 6 (Day 5 I called my onc and was told to take a half bottle of magnesium citrate and to take the rest if I didn't have "results" - which I didn't).  Magnesium Citrate is one of the choices as a coloscopy prep (LOL!).  Today is day 8 and I feel much, much better.  Day 5 was a lost day - I slept the whole day.  This afternoon before dinner I sat in a beach chair in front of the Atlantic Ocean reading your and other's posts and reading a detective book on my Kindle (which my DD gave me last Xmas; DS gave me a lighted cover for it.)  Perfect late afternoon.  DD and DH are coming soon to be here with my truly wonderful MIL and FIL and me.

Have a great weekend with no SE's! Best.

Hello all. Hopefully everyone had an ok day.



I am feeling good, it's a good day. I have my son zach all day by myself tomorrow, (3yr old running around.) Husband works tomorrow, daycare is closd on wknd.



Hope everyonne who had tx today, have min s/e. I go for #4 on tuesday.



Everyone have a happy and safe Labor Day! We all get to rest an extra day!



Robyn--i found that aleve worked really well for the pain in my chest from my port. The catheter attached actually goes between two ribs, this type of pain is really bad. So you want an aantiinflammatory. Ibuprofen didn't help but the aleve did, (2 tabs twice a day). (I am a nurse practitioner). It does get better! I promise.



I like the support from everyone. It's nice to be able to talk or converse with each other.

jenn

Well todays the day after brushing my hair this morning and ending up with what look like a small dog beside me I decided I am gonna take control and have my son shave it all of , My lovely sister is coming down to hold my hand and try calm me down, I hope to have a few laughs too, I feel ready and hope when its done I will feel better this waiting and watching it fall out is driving me crazy , so wish me luck ! and hope to feel better that I will have 1 more hurdle over with. 

Hoping everyone is doing good and for those of you suffering with the constipation have u tryed having All Bran and wholemeal bread for brekie its works wonders for me , never had any C issues at all   take care everyone!!!!!!!

Kasi...glad everything went well!  Enjoy your weekend.

Grimbol...glad the s/e are minimal this time.

Flautalee...except for the constipation, your day sounds great!  I live in the middle of a cornfield and can only sit and look at an ocean if I am on a vacation. LOL  I am hoping the Kindle will find its way under my Chritmas tree in December!!

Michelle...that's how my hair is, too.  I have a baseball hat sitting right in the kitchen, near the door, just in case someone drops by and I have to quickly put it on.

jbagley...hope your little Zach takes naps still!  Our forum is a great place, isn't it? 

Taylor...I'm also having trouble sleeping at night.  Onc says it's the steroids.  Hope that part fades away for you.  I think most of us here found that the hair starts about day 12-14.   I'd go ahead and wash it.  Have fun at the party.

vtEllen...the constipation is overwelming, isn't it?  It isn't TMI if it's discussed here...that's what we are here for! LOL

Robyn...I hope the infection clears quickly; and you shouldn't feel guilty at all!  People need the services that he is helping to provide.  

Summergirl...my control over the situation is what made me just 'do it' also.  It was bordering on 'freakish', the amount of hair that was piling up on the floor and counter of my bathroom.  I just decided that I am one of the 'let's just get this over with' type of people, and I just started cutting away.  I never did the shave.  I still have tufts of hair. {{{hugs}}}

Rosey...welcome.  Hope you are able to pick up some knowledge and support from all of the great ladies here.  There are some that have the regiman that you are under.

Morning Everyone -- Hope everyone is doing well and welcome to any new ladies that have found their way here.

Day #4 for me (I count my TX day as day 1), and I'm hanging in there. No nausea, no trouble sleeping (didn't before), and I'm taking Advil every 8hrs. I don't want any bone or muscle issues this time.  I still feel slight 'pangs' of aches under the surface, but I think the Advil is helping keep it at bay. This time at my last tx, was when I started having a horrible time.  Feel a little off and sluggish/slow though.

I still have hair -- very thin, but there is some there! And I'm always ravenous with food! No issues eating. I'm craving White Castle Fish and Cheese and I will have one! LOL

Taylor: I hope your son has a wonderful 9th birthday today! I am glad you are hanging in there.

vtEllen: Hope you are good hon -- my hot flashes are kicking my behind! I had to purchase a small fan yesterday to keep on my nightstand. I hope the "C" issue loosens up soon (pun intended). I'm going to ply myself with some Sennekot this morning because I know I'm going to have issues.

Grimbol: How are you holding up?

Robyn: Sorry to hear about the infection - I hope you feel better!

Summergirl: You'll be fine hon once you take the reigns!  I'm so glad I cut mine really, really short, so it wasn't as traumatic when it started to come out.

Dianamaps: Hugs to you!

If I missed anyone -- please forgive me. Try to enjoy the holiday weekend -- can't believe August is over with already! 

I have to pipe in again today...Since I had so much trouble with diarrhea and then constipation after the first treatment, I've been using Metamucil every day. I hate the stuff, but I mix it with a little bit of Tang and it tastes better. This is only the day after transfusion number 2, but I was already having diarrhea at this point last time, and so far so good! So I suggest trying whatever fiber fix works! I'm having better luck so far!

Good morning everyone!!!

praying that we all have a great weekend with minor to none S/E...

Tailor: Happy Birthday to your son and may God grant him with many more healthy one to come... 

Yay Summergirl!!

 Here's pic of me as a bald you'll actually see my face..

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r66/Vivie_06/BC/IMG_5638.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r66/Vivie_06/BC/IMG_5634.jpg

Vivie, I have had one regular period and one just spotting. I don't think that I will have another though. I don't have cramps anymore, had endometrial ablation about 3 yrs ago for heay ones and cramping. The chemo should be shutting down our ovaries as they contain. "Rapidly growing cells".



Summergirl, I did the same, I let my daughter shave my head to about a 2 buzz cut. Then it started falling out, but I still have about 10% of my hair that hasn't fallen out. Sprigs all over, and they are fair colored (I think my gray hairs didn't fall out cause I have dark brown hair! And what's left is quite light.



Hugs to everyone, including our new girls. Hopefully all find little s/e. Have a safe Labor day.

jenniifer

Vivie - yea, period came, right on schedule. I was surprised since somehow it seemed that two rounds of AC has knocked so many other things out of whack, it would have affected that too. But no. 

Chrys23 and Robyn6463 and Sara1970 others: Hope things are still going well after treatments last week!

Head shavers:  You're all brave. I'm keeping mine just super short (< 1/2") but my scalp is too sensitive to shave it. It's now patchy bald in places.

I'm 10 days after tx 2 and still haven't hit that point that I had last time by this point, when all of a sudden I felt great/normal like there'd been no chemo. I still have on/off nausea and overall queasiness and headache and fogginess.  But if the rain holds off, I may rally some energy to see about joining the family at the state fair today. I know I'm supposed to avoid crowds (LOL), but it ends tomorrow and my kids really want to go. 

This is only day 2 after T/C #2, and I'm so exhausted. I did manage a walk around my pond yesterday, but didn't make it to the grocery store. Hubby's working hard all weekend, so I'm going to have to get my 17 yo  son out of bed to help out today I'm afraid. I've had a little nauseau, I think the muscle aches are starting early. I just have no energy! On a good note, port incision looks better today, so I think the infection is going to clear up with the oral antibiotics. Maybe. Whew. I was dreading a stay in the hospital! I'm also really missing my husband through all this. Thank God I have you ladies!

Have a great day!