Is There A September 2011 Chemo Group?

Hi Ladies.  So I have my first round of chemo yesterday and it was better than I expected.  The nurses were fantastic and walked me through everything.  They gave me ativan in my drip and it didn't seem to domuch for me.  Which makes sense.  i have ativan prescription at home thay they gave me to counteract the insomnia from the decadron.  Hasn't really workes either.  I haven't been sleeping very well and I fear that this is going to really exacerbate my other symptoms. 

When I get in for my neulasta shot today I wil ask them for a different med for a sleep aid.  I need som good sleep. 

Other than - i am doing good.  I feel a little weak, a little out of it... almost like i have a little buzz going on.  No nausea, yet, but I have been proactive about taking the nausea meds.  Maybe that's helping or maybe it really hasn't kicked in fully.  I'm hoping for the best.  I have really no urge to eat.... but am forcing myself to eat something.  I am finding that fruit type stuff works the best.  I am going to boy some protein powder and smoothie mixes nd try to substitute some of those for meals.  I think that might help. 

 Anyway - just want to let everyone know how I was doing - mostly to give some info for those that are about to start.

Day 2 after firt chemo treatment.... still up and around. 

Stay Strong Everyone.

Kate 

OK so here comes the b*tch from NJ complaining about side effects AGAIN...I'm so sorry, but I think my husband is sick of hearing me.  So Monday and Tuesday were absolutely awful (days 3 and 4) then yesterday was not too bad for the morning so I thought, yay back to humanity! THEN, in the afternoon I got horrible diarrea and nausea and stomach pains...ughhhhhh.  Just when I was about to go back to work today, I couldn't because of the stomach issues. I suffered all night and through today still!

I have my doctor appointment today to do my counts (and meet my new oncologist), and my nurse navigator said to give him a fulll list of side effects. Maybe I'm not eating right? Trying but what does everyone else eat? It's hard when nothing looks or smells good.

Jersey - I'm not saying its healthy mind you, but I am eating a scoop of ice cream 3 times of day because it is so cooling and soothing on the raw mouth, throat, and stomach.  Yogurt is okay but the frozen factor of ice cream is more soothing. 

Jerseylicious, I'm on day 4 and yesterday was the first real SE feelings.  Felt like I was hit with a Mack truck.  It was like having the flu without the body aches and fever.  I kept taking my temp since they gave me this cool thermometer after my Neulasta shot to make sure I wasn't running a fever.  Nope, no fever... just feeling weird as can be.

I did get some sleep last night as the steroids from days 1, 2, and 3 finally were out of me.  My 9 year old came in this morning complaining that her tummy hurt and I was thinking, "You don't know the half of it :-)."  I had to suck it up and get her off to school.  Everything has been in slow motion today.  As for food... well, I've had a few salads with some chicken in them the last couple of days.  I also had some Cheerios this morning with a little milk and sweet and low.  Yesterday I ate candy for lunch :-).  I had more taste buds then and felt like I deserved my jelly bellys.  I'm drinking Metamucil each day and taking the Colase, but this isn't my usual body right now.

I hope your feeling better soon.  I'm hoping these SEs are just for a couple of days and then I'll start to be more myself again.  If my hair is gonna hit the ground, I want to be feeling well physically so I can go pick up the wig I picked out and enjoy the day.  Good luck to everyone!

Hi All,

I'm ramping up for my 2nd treatment, tomorrow for TCx4.  This past week has been pretty good for me.  The side effects seem to have worn off, and although I have been drowsy, I have been able to be relatively productive.  I'm not sure if that is just the way the chemo goes for me, or if the acupuncture is working.  Today in my treatment, the acupuncture doctor recommended drinking chinese red dates boiled in water for 10 minutes.  Drink the water and eat the dates.

I took my first decadron dose this morning, and am looking forward to the energy boost!

Thank you Kelliregi, for the recipe for egg drop soup.  I found that eggs and soup were all I was craving during my worst days of my first round, so this is perfect.  I can't wait to try it.

Hugs to everybody!  And lots of good energy for those of us who are really suffering the nasty side effects.  My thoughts are with you! 

I know Im on day 2 of my first round so I don't have the most experience.  But food has really turned me off.  I am stomacking a bland turket sandwich now but thats all about all.  I bought some of the ypliat fruit smoothie frozen things and those seem to do well.  They are fruity and cool on the way down.  I mix a scoop of protein mix in there too.  They seem to do well for me - and make me feel like my stomach isnt so empty.

 As for the sleplessness - i just went in for my nuelasta shot and asked them to prescribe me something other than the ativan because that didn;t seem to be doing anything.  They have prescribed me ambiem so I am hoping that works better.  I'll let you ladies know. 

Still no real SE.  I do feel a little run down but so far that's about it.  We'll see what day 3 and 4 brings.  BRING IT ON!!

Hola again ladies! It's almost 'bedtime' around here but I wanted to check in. Day 3 (yesterday was Neulasta shot) and I was pretty tired all day, but just mild heartburn and a bit of sinus pressure (most likely from the claritin for the neulasta) I'm a bit nervous about the next 2 days as I am done with the 3 days of Emend and my decadron, so I am not sure how things will go. I do have zofran and something else already onhand if nausea sets in and for me, the miracle for my 'full, bloated stomach' is something my mom uses called Calm. It is natural Magnesium citrate in powder form an the nurse told me that I could try colace first or use the smaller dose of calm (a full dose is 2-3 teaspoons) which is only 1/2tsp spread out as two 1/4tsp servings. I put in in my tea and it has really relieved the gas/pressure pain. I got a nice nap in during hte middle of the day, too. So we'll see how it continues (warning, the nurse said it can cause a 'blowout' if you use the max dose, best only if you haven't had a BM in a few days, but on the plus side, my mom says it doesn't cause any cramping when it does make you go, just lets you have a cleansed smooth movement) So far, I wish I had more energy, but i know that is a silly thing to worry about when some of us are having such a hard time with SE's. I am torn between trying to do more so that I get my body used to it since lots of ladies meniton exercisting, etc, or just letting my body sit here and heal. I started this barely weighing 95lbs, so I can't afford to do too much. I guess I will 'know' when I am overdoing it. With 4 kids, I am glad just to have small talks/time with each of them daily. I am so glad my mom is here! Okay, enough rambling, lol. I'll keep all of you in my thoughts until I check back in! 

@Rae--Love your posts, and I am originally from Texas, too!!!

so first chemo is done.  Went to onc first to get labs and she called in order to hosp for chemo...stupid insurance still wont let me get in her office chemo room so gotta get done at hospital...idiots...costing them 3 times as much.  It was quite an ordeal.  Morning labs never made it to the onc floor so at 5 oclock--I arrived at 12noon--they drew blood and checked it.  Pharmacy sent up the Taxol but not the preload meds so infusion started at 8 and ended at 12 midnight --but not problems went smoothly...slept thru most of it.  Nurse did not want to "bother" doc for discharge instructions so said she would call in the morning and at 8:45 still no word from doc so I called the office myself and asked it the doc could please call and discharge me.  Was walking out at 9:15.  went to doc's for Neulasta today and came home for a nap this afternoon.  No nausea yet..just tired from yesterday's all day ordeal and a slight headache from the Zofran and some heartburn--might be the mexican lunch--may regret that later but it was so yummy!  Waiting to see what the next few day hold for me..taking the anti nausea steroids and claritin for the neulasta so far so good...hope it keeps up...no plans for the weekend so may just lay around and do my walks

Maggie 

Yeah read that in the nuelasta lit but hopin the doc knows what is up...forgot to post about my blood test results...BRCA NEGATIVE!! Cancer tumer cell negative and another one which I was not listening what test it was cuz i was so excited about the first two relsults that my # was 17 and up to 38 is considered normal range.

Maggie

Wow Mags you've earned a much deserved break. Hope you rest well the next few days:)

Hi,

Can't sleep because of the steriods...  I'm not going to fight it this time.  I'll sleep eventually.

rjbaby, don't worry about the hair.  It really sucks, and I totally know what you mean about forcing you to realize that you are sick.  Once my hair started coming out in clumps I had about 2 days before I was almost completely bald.  It really helped to shave my head.  My first thought when I saw myself with the shaved head was that I looked like a man, but after a few minutes, I started seeing myself in the mirror again.  Make sure you smile at yourself in the mirror lots.  Sour faces only made me look and feel sick.  So now I have this ridiculous peach fuzz like coverage of hair all over my head.  I look crazy, but I'm getting used to it.  I always wear a hat or my wig, which I am getting used to, and can wear for longer periods now.  People can't even tell that I am wearing a wig.  A parent at my kids' school, who is a hairdresser told me he loved my new haircut.  When I was at the wig store, I was shocked at all the people wearing wigs, and it looked totally natural.  It doesn't feel natural for me, but if I can fool other people, it means that I don't have to make the emotional investment of explaining why I have no hair.

All this talk of hair is making me sleepy!  Yay!  Sweet dreams to everybody. 

Kelli - Hope you are able to make it to Georgia this weekend.

Suz - Heck, I'll try the red dates if I can find it at the oriental food store by my house.

PinkShirtNow - I think we have to rename you something like NoShirtNow, All-in-the-open-Now, SignMyOwieNow.

Now we just have to watch out for the guy in the chemo suite who wants to raise prostate cancer awareness!  Oh.  I'm sorry.  I'm teasing you too much.....but I am laughing with you. 

Now I really feel bad for teasing you.  Sorry to hear about your hair.  I predict mine is coming out for my 50th birthday.  Can barely wait myself.