March 2012 chemo

nsmolen - I think our start dates were the same.  How have your side effects been?  Are you feeling back to normal?  Ready for hair to fall out in a few days?  I'm trying to psych myself up for it. Not looking forward to it one bit.  Your baby is adorable!  Bummer to have to go through this with such a little one.

sissydi -  do your pain meds help the headache any?  I know for me it at least took the edge off, but mine was back/ribs/sternum areas.  Hope it gets better!

Katy - how are you doing?  Get things resolved yet?  Are you back from the hospital yet?

I am super hyper from the mega doses of steroids I am on right now!  Looks like my laundy is going to get caught up tonight, among other things!!

Wow...you lay low for a couple of days and so much happens! Welcome to our new friends! I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you and hope we can all help each other through this!



Muscles- so sorry about the collapsed lung...that really sucks! Do you know why you didn't pass screening for the trial? I hope you are doing better now! Kudos on rocking the bod! You look great and don't worry, you can get there again. I have a friend who competes in Canada and she routinely takes breaks and then goes back to it. I also have a friend who is the strongest woman in America and does the same thing. Good luck!



Amymom...hope things are getting better. Hope you get good news and they are able to figure out what's going on and fix you up.



Karri, hang in there. Are you wondering now why you we're so anxious to get started? That's how I felt when the pain started. Not sure if you are achy or have the stabbing pains. Mine were sharp and the Percocet helped a lot.



Lisa, I did use the Emla cream and it worked! My PS was a little surprised. I still felt it when he punched through the muscle, but it didn't really hurt. I also hadn't been able to leave it on for two hours (three would be better) and it was almost 45 minutes after I took it off before he did the fill, so that's probably why I still had as much feeling as I did. I do wonder though, because my GS removed the facia over my muscles so that may also allow the cream to penetrate to my muscles. Anyway, I will definitely use it again. Doesn't hurt to try, right? I can see and feel my fill points and they are still on top. I kind of wish they weren't because they are visible and they feel so hard. I was told that the TEs do shift around sometimes but I don't think mine have at all.



So if you thought my son was sweet before...on Tuesday I had my DH buzz my hair and I was pretty upset at first. My son came downstairs and could tell I had been crying. He gave me a long look and then a big hug and said, "Mom, you are still beautiful!". I wish I could take credit for him, but he was just born cool. He will definitely make some lucky girl a good husband someday.



The hair thing has been so weird. I couldn't take the shedding even with the short cut so we buzzed it pretty close. Today I took a shower and TONS of it was coming out so I just sat down and let the water run over my head and really gently rubbed it until my hands and feet were too pruney to stay in any longer. Now I'm almost bald. Just a couple of patches left. I'll be happier when it's all gone. Funny...I went from not wanting to let my hair go to wishing it would just go away already. I have a really pretty wig and am going to get another fun, funky one, but the scarves and hats are fine too. I think I may actually be okay commando in some settings. We'll see...



For those of you suffering SEs, or bad luck or anything else...I'm keeping you in my thoughts and sending you really big hugs. Hang in there and keep us posted on how you are!

I Karri I'm doing chemo first also. 20 weeks chemo a month off, then surgery.

januaryice

My MO said to expect the hair to start to go around day 14 after the 1st TX.  While it did it was really more of a thinning process.  Day 21 and it was trying to hang in there and even he was a bit surprised.  By day 23 though coun't take the shedding any more and my scalp was sore so i had it buzzed.  Yeah its a drag but lke Mazzerz says its nice to have a lack of body hair.  Mind you the leg hair hung in until I shaved my legs this week.  Makes for a quick shower too with no hair to fuss with.  Don't get me wrong, i would rather have hair to fuss with. 

First chemo today at the hosptial was not bad I was calm. But took 6 hours, my DH was with me whole time. I was exhausted from the not able to sleep from night before due to discomfort on my port surgery couldn't sleep on my back - I'm stomach sleeper. So ended up went to tv room used my recliner and able to sleep 2 hours . So not sure for me feeling exhausted from lacking sleep or from chemo? I took clartin, in little while will take anti nausea med, when is best time to take it? I dont feel nausea yet.

Tomorrow i go back to hosp for neulasta injection, how does it work? It's just shot in arm and leave? Need ride or I can drive? I'm trying to stay in the "moment" not overdo in my head what ifs next few days!

Got a friend insisted I go with her to look for wig this Saturday - she is BC suvivor, but someone else's telling me it is too soon to do that ? Ugh I'm torn in between.

LTR227, we have same treatments same day AC x 4 every 2 weeks then taxol x 4 every 2 weeks

Katy and Amy, feel better!

Leftboobs, is it normal discomfort on Port area and shoulder ? How long it last ? Had no prob with chemo needles but the movement of my left arm is kind of like ughhh. I brought coconut oil to Argentina and used it for 5 weeks, my skin was so soft! But I left it there! So I'm going to buy it soon!

Munni- u and I pretty much similar with our 1st chemo I even told DH pls write this or that , said no he remember in his head o_0

I hope I sleep full night tonight so I get Refreshed tmw for neulasta

Hugs you all

ladyfighter, at my onc office they do a liter or so of saline with more antinausea meds (yay!) then the shot.  It's subcutanous, so can go in arm or belly.  I chose belly.  It burns for about 30 min.

munny - did the nurse try to warm your arm or hand before doing the IV?  I've heard that helps for getting a good vein.  That is going to stink having a port for only 3 more treatments.  I'm hoping to avoid it if the veins in my right arm hold up. Good luck!

Ladyfighter - i go for my shot tomorrow morning, will drive myself.  My dad with went me today but i drove both ways no problem.  My port was tender, but not really painful.  I took the anti nausau around 2 day just becuase I thought my stomach was wierd, didn't want to chance it so I took it.  Thinking of just taking it in the morning because I don't want it to hit while I am driving or at work! 

Cmclean, I haven't had anything that urgent, but I've had a few moments when I was glad no one else was home waiting to use the bathroom after me! : )



Ladyfighter, the sore shoulder is normal. Not fun, but normal. It's normal for your neck to hurt as well. I had trouble sleeping for a while after I had mine put it, but it does get better! It doesn't bother me at all now and I'm super happy I got it. The Neulasta shot is an arm shot (usually in the fat on the back of your arm). Most places will also give you an IV infusion of saline and it can be done in your port. I could have driven myself with no problems but DH insists on going to every appointment with me. About the wig, don't let people push you into anything you don't want to do. However, it's not really early because you may need order what you want in a specific color and that can take time. You also might not feel like shopping for one if you have SEs and are tired or sick. Do what feels right to you!

I'm still up and had a bowl of raspberry with ice cream and whipped cream!? I'm not ice cream person ! Feeling a little better than 45 min ago, strange. But I have been drinking lots of water, used bathroom 4 times at the hosp, and more at home, I plan to drink 2 more before I go try to sleep if not then back to recliner in tv room we have 4 recliners lined up like movie in tv room it's giant with big tv , my DH favorite room haha...



Amy, myleftboob, onvaction, love 74' masserz, thank you for all of info !

Yes I can see its blessing to have port not having to use my arms or hands because at port surgery they used my hand to put iv for anesthia , now it's all bruised. I can't imagine having to use Arms all the times. They drew blood from my port it was easy! And my WBC was normal. So far ..



I have been looking at website of caps, hats, scarf.. Sooo pretty and stylish ! I ordered two at two different sites that they sent out for free



I also join caringbridge.org made my journal for my family and close friends so they can read what is happening during my journey, they all liked it ! Hope you guys should try that , it's free.



Hope good night for now !

Masserz...its not too bad...just pinch the fat in my belly and stick it in!!! I did fertility preservation before chemo and had to give myself 2 or 3 needles a day for 2 weeks so I got lots of practice! And a belly full of bruises! I did have a nurse friend on standby just in case.



This week I switched from full time work to 5.5 hours a day...so nice to have an afternoon nap. Next week is my week to feel "awesome" so I will use my new free time to garden...hopefully not too tired.

So my only complaint so far is being bloated!  I don't know if it is the start of constipation or the MASSIVE amount of water I have drank today!  Any suggestions?

I give myself the Neulasta shot too!  Never had to give myself a shot of anything in my life.  Had a home care nurse surpervise me once that that was it.  Very easy, you don't need a vein or anything, right in a fatty bit.

Onvacation- taxotere can do that to you, that's one of the reasons for the steroids. I'm worried because I have to cut my steroid dose in half for the next round because it elevates my glucose levels too much. I hope I don't blow up like a balloon!

I have my first round 3/29, 6 treatments every 3 weeks. Don't know what to really expect of the physical side effects but they do scare me. I'll be taking it one day at a time