April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

Hello ladies! I am 1/2 way through chemo - getting 6 rounds of TCH. The up & down totally sucks, the physical & emotional toll is so huge. I am in good physical shape, and have been forcing myself to stay very very active. I figure if I don't let the chemo change my day-to-day for the most part, I will feel a little bit in control. Everyones bad days will vary, but mine are pretty much from day 3 - day 9 or 10. Lots of nausea - wore an anti-nausea patch this round, which I think helped. But I am actually eating MORE than usual, which I'm not happy about. I get a very sore swollen tongue around day 8/9, which is awful. Also around day 5 I get pretty depressed for about 5 days - crying, etc. Chemo will affect each of us differently, but it will definitely affect us all in some way, & I think it affects our brains in some unavoidable way. I haven't had any chemo brain/chemo fog, but have this depression & just no joy. Can't wait til May 23rd, my last chemo - although being triple + means 8 more months of Herceptin when done, but I hear that's not a big deal - relative to the TCH I'm currently receiving. Summer will be filled with 6 1/2 weeks of radiation, continued Herceptin, then 5 yrs of AI - not looking forward to that, but will deal with it. I do not have a port, & it is totally fine. I am also doing cold cap, so it is quite the process for me. Good luck to you all, this is just a crazy thing to go through!

Getting first chemo as I type. Wonderful nurses. Can't believemy BP was normal



Stacie, you will have quite a story to tell! I have family in Fort Worth and am waiting to her their story as well. So grateful everyone in the area is okay



Good luck to all newbies this week.

Stacie- OMG what a crazy first chemo experience! As if dealing with chemo isnt enough for anyone to go through. I live in Canada and watched a video of the tornadoes on TV looked terribly scary from here. I am so sad for those it effected. I am glad you and your loved ones are all okay.

stacie;

wow-

burning eyes- my MO told me that chemo can also come out through one's eyes hence the watery /burning sensation. good for you for the drops.

to everyone in the chair today-here's a hug!

someone on the march board reminded me of this--go to ChemoAngels.net--sign up--they will assign you two angels who will send you cards etc--it's just a nice thing to be remembered...and i think it will be something i will volunteer for once i am through TX

had first round of six TCH yesterday, so far the only S.E. is my skin feels like i have been in the sun, it hurts, my face is red (nurse said it might be) my appitite is good. i am drinking a lot of water. took a cool bath and had a nice cup of decaf green tea. i took a laxitive this evening since i didnt have any movement today. hoping to get thing moving in the morning.

I had my port placed at the time of my UMX.  I haven't started chemo yet.  I've seen on the boards where the port is placed a few days before the commencement of the chemo.  Good luck!!!

Can't sleep....chemo in a couple of hours. Trying not to fear the unknown.

Thank you Mt4ever. Our God is bigger than cancer and we will get through this.

Had first round of A/C chemo yesterday which went beautifully.  My DH was there but next time I'm sure I can drive in and home.

Sandi, they gave me EMLE cream to glob (not rub in) on the port site 1 hour before with a special skin bandage (that wouldn't absorb the cream) and that made the needle just feel like pressure.  The day before with blood draw it pinched a little because I didn't use the cream correctly.  Either way it was tolerable, its just not a place where we normally get 'stuck' which is the weird part.

INdigo - finally got an answer from my MO on TUesday to just let my gel nails grown out - no more fill ins.  These are not the acryllic nails but not the gel shellac that I think yours are - which I think are the gel over nail polishy that is removed each manicure.  I think the gist of their decision is that they don't want 'shared nail implement' being used on our nails for possible infection or cuts with possible infection.  If I tried to take mine off now the nails would be soft, brittle and sore so I'll just grow them out.  HOpe this helps.

On return home to my house after lunch out with hubby, I felt good for about an hour and then a powerful headache set it which sent me to bed for the night around 5pm.  I took advil in the afternoon and Tylenol PM for the evening along with an Ativan as I started to experience nausea when my husband started cooking?  Slept through the night and was pleasantly surprised to feel okay in the am.  Eating a light breakfast but taking the ativan and advil in case.  I'll ask about the Claritan this am when I go for the shot. 

I know everyone is different with their experiences and side effects but I so appreciate hearing all the tips and tricks you share.

Good luck to those who start today.  Say, found out that they ring a beil and recite a poem to the person who has their last treatment that day.  Very uplifting!

Thanks pkate for the extra mani info. I'm thinking about getting my own set of tools so they don't use shared stuff on me. The shellac is more like a polish than acrylic or gel, but I do think it is more work to remove than regular polish; there might be scraping involved. My nails are really thin too from having worn acrylics so if possible I do want to keep something on to strenghthen them while they grow. Melrose says her nurse recommended clear Hard as Nails; will do that if I'm told not to do the shellac.

Sade, love your post "Our God is bigger than cancer and we will get through this." I know but the reminder is like a blessing. :-)

I'm here for my first treatment. I cried like a baby...for what? Idk! They gave me some meds for nausea before hand. I was told I could keep my nails but to get them done the day of or the day after treatment because that's when your blood count is at its highest. And it's not the acrylic that they worry about but the cleanliness of the salon.