Is There A September 2011 Chemo Group?

Kimberly - I get mine at Costco. If you have an hispanic section at your grocery store, you should be able to get it there. Some of them even have little chunks of soft coconut in it. It is definitely my beverage of choice!! Oh, some healthfood stores carry it as well. I hope you can find it.

Oh, Kim, I'm sorry to hear about your headache!  I've been having minor headaches -- nothing like after treatment -- and I'm just going to go with them being stress-related at this point.  I am just very curious to see what happens after treatment #2, which I think will be on the 27th.

Interesting about the Claritin -- the surgeon who did my lumpectomy recommended it without reservation, but I don't believe I've heard any mention of it from my MO or anyone at the treatment center.  There seems to be this mysterious "knowledge gap" between some physicians.  I can't report on its efficacy, though, as it appears I'm going to be spared the shot.

Hi everyone - well I learned today that I'm not going to start chemo until 9/30.  I guess my oncologist didn't realize that I was only three weeks out from mastectomy and you have to be four weeks out to get in the clinical trial that I'm participating in. I have to admit I'm kind of glad.  This way I'm going to have my treatments on Fridays instead of Mondays.  My doctor gave me Ambien today because I haven't been able to sleep.  Are any of you on it?  Any SE's?  I live by myself and don't want to wake up tomorrow to find out that I've been up and about during my sleep.    When it first came out I seem to recall hearing that people did some crazy things on this medicine.  Please let me know.

I hope all of you that had treatments today are doing great. 

Hello,

I am joining the September group, wow!  I start TAC on Monday every 3 weeks x6!  Seems like most of you are not on all 3.  Can anyone help me understand why so varied?  I realize every case is so different but I am totally confused, once again! Also, is anyone doing any homeopathic things in conjunction with chemo?                                                                                                              thanks so much  

sarasowise, good luck on Monday!  I start on Monday too, but I'm doing TCx4.  The regimes are varied because each person's stats are so different.  I was going to have to do TACx6, but when my MO saw that I was trying to avoid chemo he changed his mind.

Also, my SN was negative, but 2 axillary nodes were positive and my oncotype was 22.  These stats, along with 1cm, etc. got me the TC route.  Some ladies are HER+ and then there are those who do chemo before surgery and then chemo after surgery too.

I have been seeing an acupuncturist for the past 5 years.  She's great for a pinched nerve, but also helped me through some emotional stuff.  I've always been into more natural ways of healing.  Of course with cancer, I'll deal with some less than natural stuff too :-)

Hi All,

Kimberly1961, my onc also didn't know about Claritin, but told me to go ahead since it wouldn't hurt anything.  I have had some bony pain, but not too bad.  I guess I expected the SEs from chemo to be really incredibly bad, so I was willing to put up with the bony pain.  I might try on the next round.

I am day 15 TCx4, and I have to say that the last few days I have been feeling my normal self again.  Neupogen shots ended a few days ago, and since then I have been feeling pretty good.  I ran out of the thrush mouthwash, and it came back, so I got more.  I guess this is something that will stay with me for the duration of my treatment.  Also, taste is still off.  The big thing for me is that my hair started falling out in earnest yesterday morning in the shower.  I am almost completely bald now.  I have some nice head wraps, and a wig that I am wearing all the time now.  Also, I got some "disposable hats" to sleep in, because I am losing so much hair in the night.  The hat kind of catches the hair.

I went for my 2nd acupuncture treatment yesterday.  I still don't know if it is helping or not.  I can't tell if I'm feeling better because the chemo is wearning off, or if the acupuncture is giving me something.

Chris, my onc gave me a supply of injectable anti-nausea medication, and told me to call the home care nurse to come inject it if I was unable to keep the pills down.  I think they worry more about dehydration if the nausea persists.  I was really worried about nausea because I had it really bad after my mx surgery.  They gave me anit-nausea pills before they started my chemo infusion, and then I was taking them for 3 days afterwards.  My nausea after I stopped the pills was very low level and manageable.  I was only sick once.  Good luck.  I hope your wife is feeling better soon!

Hugs to everybody!  Have a lovely weekend :-) 

Chris, I hope your wife is feeling better this morning.  Please let us know how she is doing.   The study drug that I am taking twice a day is known to cause nausea so my doctor told me to just take the nausea pills proactively.  This has helped me to stay ahead of the nausea instead of waiting until I start feeling the twinges. I'm sure your wife's doctor has some good advice for you.

 

Well my first chemo yestderday went good, I was more scared than anything.. No problems at all.. Gosh easier I thought than many many times of Just gettting blood drawn.. or just putting in a IV for surgery.. So I guess my port was a good good thing for me.

Today, SO far, I am just super super tired. My legs ache a little, I am just kinda relaxing in m recliner drinking one water after another... Pee is getting ligher in color each time..

 Hope to hear the others how yesterday went..

I go on Sept 27 for my blood work to see how I dipple..  and where they are at

I was suppose to have my expanders filled yesterday tool, but the PS held off as she wants me alittle more healed,,,  So the 27 she will relook.

So glad Motheroftwins, cooka and Jersey did OK yesterday. My #1 chemo on yesterday was OK also. I literally did not sleep one minute of the previous night because of the steriod so when I got home, I crashed. It was a long day putting in the port and running everything slowly-around a bit longer than 12 hours. My legs ache also and I feel very spacey with a feeling like my sinuses are filling my head. Jersey- so glad you switched oncologist, you have to go with someone you can trust and that you feel right with. Better to do it now than later. I am taking clariten tomorrow when I take the Neulasta shot. I can wait until Sun because my chemo ended so late. Hope everyone has a good night.

 rjbaby69, are you feeling better?

Welcome Sarasowise.  

JerseyL and Cooka - I had the chest thing going day 3, felt like I was hit by a bus last night and this morning with flu-like, everything aches, sore throat, icky chest, headache, skin and skull aches.  I was chilled sleeping in my sweats, 2 shirts and a hoodie sweatshirt.  I had the hood up and still had my head hid under the covers to keep warm.  I I took a leftover pain med today to get through this and am feeling considerably better and keeping mobile.  All the aches are down compared to middle of the night and this morning.  I did still have a little bone pain also despite the Claritin, knees, back, and skull, but not too bad.  I wonder if it would be worse without the Claritin but I am not going to find out.  Jersey, I am glad I have plenty of leftover pain meds from surgery.  No one should have to go through such difficulty over getting a med they need to get through treatment.  I am sorry to hear that your doctor gave you a hard time about the Ativan.  The same kind of thing you are going through is what made me hoard my post surgical pain meds a bit, thinking I may need them later and they might not be as sympathetic to the chemo pain and discomfort. 

Suz39 - Thanks for updating us about your hair situation, as you are a little further along.  You are really able to wear a wig all the time?  I've never worn or even tried on a wig yet, but I just didn't think they would be comfortable enough to do that.  I bet you look great.  Time for me to go wig shopping too I guess.

Wondering how CCJJ is doing.  Hopefully she is just busy with her kids.

FindingSolace, Cooka, JerseyL, CCJJ, and Mother of Twins: So glad that it sounds like things went mostly good with your chemo. I start in a little over a week, so I am relaxing as we speak just reading about your experiences. I hadn't read about the claritin but now that I have I will make sure I have it available ASAP. Hope every continues to do well and that things go better with the new onc Jersey.

Hello all. Glad to hear that for the most part we're all coping pretty well with everything. Day 6 today for me. The last two days weren't that great. Felt pretty crappy(still kinda do), but like everyone says it's doable. Hugs to you all!!

To all that replied to my message, Thank you.

So it has now been about 36 hours since my wife's treatment of FEC. she finished on Friday at 1pm

The anti-nausea meds she was proscribed are Ondansetron 8mg, this was the med that she did not hold down yesterday at 5pm.

The next med is Prochlorazine 10mg, this med I think is causing the vomiting. I did go out and get this med in suppository form but she has not taken it.

The last med is  Dexamethasone 4mg to be taken twice a day starting the day after chemo. this one seems to be OK in her system.

I also got today and she took 2 at 5pm is an over the counter pure ginger gravol. I am going to try the se

 I have been pushing fluids all day today from ice chips to small freezes, and water, even warm chicken veggie broth.(no luck with that one) I would say she has taken in about 2 maybe 3 glasses of fluids today but no food that stayed down.  she has been laying on the couch since 10am and mostly slept on and off all day.

Does anyone have any suggestions on something that will perk her up.  I want to try to get her to drink and or eat something.

Chris - I hope that your wife's doctors can find something to help with the nausea.  It sounds like the FEC is a very difficult regimen.

Two days after chemo, My legs and hips are aching. I have no nausea yet thank goodness, I am pretty weak though. Very tired.  I did start getting a head sinus pressure last night about 630pm took claritain and was gone this morning. I feel so weak I am scared to get into shower I might pass out. Not a good feeling that might happen, but I am gonna make my self today. Hope everyone else had a ok night