April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

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  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited April 2012

    Day 2 no serious SEs but sure feel blah.

  • Lumpynme
    Lumpynme Member Posts: 747
    edited April 2012

    ladies.... a word ....rest.............get as much as you can..nap sleep whatever....i know you cannot all afford the luxury of napping or lying around- and we DO need to stay active but if you can...rest..........be good to you.......

    oh-i found that my fingernails got stronger after the neulasta shots--a pleasant SE !

    i don't know about taking during chemo but afterwards Biotin (an OTC available anywhere vits/supplements are sold) is great for hair and nail growth.....

  • LisaG65
    LisaG65 Member Posts: 65
    edited April 2012

    woke up arounf 5:30 am with some nausea and sat in the bathroom with a bucket on my lap. didnt know which end was going to blow first. took some of the anti nausea meds 1 dose only all day. layed back down, i was up and down for a couple house, but really was glad to have the movement in my bowels. i wasnt worried that is was diarreha, because i took laxitive b4 bed. i have never taken laxitive b4. i didnt have movment the day after chemo and didnt want to be locked up. the pain from the laxitive induced burning, rolling gut was no fun. going to resist doing that again.  I made sure my 12 yo was up and got to school by 9am and i laid back down till noon. house was quite :) i got up and made a fresh banana, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple smoothie with hemp seed protien added in, I walked over to the beach, i sat in the sun and floated in the water for an hour. i made a vlog for my youtube channel. i was really hungry the last 2 day and enjoyed some good meals. drink a lot of water and decaf green tea. thanks for asking. i hope all are doing well. keep moving, and smiling. i have no pain at injection site, my vein in fine. so far im glad i dont have the port.

  • LisaG65
    LisaG65 Member Posts: 65
    edited April 2012

    i am getting the shots next week, i go in tues for CBC and then the shot, if its needed? they have me on the shot schedual for tue/wed/thurs/fri for shot if needed... i do not recall the name of the shot, it is not the day after chemo shot its one i may have to take several days on row, my insurance wouldnt go for the nuelesta shot. anyone know the name of the shot i will be getting, would like to learn more. thanks. if you have any experience with this type of shot please share.

  • SadeSurvivor25
    SadeSurvivor25 Member Posts: 119
    edited April 2012

    I've been doing fine until around 4:30. I felt sleepy and nauseous so I took a little nap. I'm still very much nauseous but nothing will come up :-(. She gave me a prescription for nausea but it's only for tomorrow and Saturday. I just sent the hubby on a ginger ale run, I really hope it works. Any suggestions???

    Lisa I'm not sure of what your shot is called. Was only told to have labs done the day before my next round of chemo which is on 4/26.

  • sandik
    sandik Member Posts: 482
    edited April 2012

    Ugh that is the worst when it just wont come up! Has anyone tried the beads? Queasy beads on facebook. I think its like $8 for a bracelet. Supposed to help.

  • SadeSurvivor25
    SadeSurvivor25 Member Posts: 119
    edited April 2012

    I'm super miserable!!! I haven't heard of them but I'm interested. Where are they found??

  • SadeSurvivor25
    SadeSurvivor25 Member Posts: 119
    edited April 2012
  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited April 2012

    I have flu like symptoms now but manageable. SO FAR.

  • Tammy2012
    Tammy2012 Member Posts: 22
    edited April 2012

    Lisa, the Neulasta alterntive is called Neupogen.  It's supposed to have much less side effects than Neulasta but you have to go in daily.... yeck.  Good luck to you!

  • SadeSurvivor25
    SadeSurvivor25 Member Posts: 119
    edited April 2012

    Stacie I'm glad it's manageable for you . Did they give you something for nausea or did you get something OTC?

    With the nausea I'm feeling it's like im pregnant all over again and on top of that my "monthly enemy" is in town with cramps that feel like I'm in premature labor!!! Lol

  • sandik
    sandik Member Posts: 482
    edited April 2012

    Oh yuk! Hope that goes away soon!

  • mcm24
    mcm24 Member Posts: 33
    edited April 2012

    Checking back in. First treatment of AC was yesterday. Everything went fine. I put EMLE cream on my port site an hour before and covered with an occlusive dressing. I didn't feel the needle at all. First IV bag had Emend and Aloxi for nausea and Decadron (steroid). Then the adriamcyin that took about 20 minutes and the Taxocan which took an hour. Had a little headache yesterday and felt very tired, but was able to eat a hearty dinner and walk the dog in the evening. I took a Claritin (actually the generic of it) in the evening to get ready for the Neulasta shot. And an Ativan to sleep plus the antinausea effect of it,which I did not know about. So I slep very well. I had some mild nausea this morning but was able to eat some toast and green decaf tea. Then I took a Zofran before I went to work.

     I felt well all day. Got the Nuelast shot and that was a breeze. I did notice a flushing of my face and neck, which they said is from the steroid. I kind of like it since I am so pale otherwise, it makes me look like I got some sun! I took another claritin tonight and an Ativan just a while ago before I hit the sack soon. I felt a burst of energy today which I also attribute to the steroid. The nurse told me today that if the nausea meds don't work for me that the doctor wants to put me on steriods for a longer time. But so far, so good. I hope that tomorrow is a repeat of today. I did not have a BM today, but I am normally so abnormally normal in that area that I didn't mind not going today!! I know from the surgery and all the meds from that that I don't want that to go too long, though. When I finally did go then it was excruciating! OK, that is just TMI !!

    Good night all and good luck to everyone that is going through all of this same crap!!

  • LyndaMarie
    LyndaMarie Member Posts: 92
    edited April 2012

    Hi all! I am new here. I am getting my port tomorrow morning and beginning neoadjuvant chemo 4/13. I have 12 weekly taxol followed by 4 biweekly AC. I have read all the posts till now and really appreciate all the insights! I will have surgery about a month after chemo. I am waiting to see if I will be in the clinical trial ISpy2. If so, I will likely get a trial agent along with the taxol.

    Good night! Hope you all sleep well!

    Lynda

  • sandik
    sandik Member Posts: 482
    edited April 2012

    Welcome Lynda. I'll be doing the same chemo, but the a/c first.



    Mcm I guess I should start keeping track of my bms. Blah. Start figuring out what is normal for me and what is not.



    Ladies, who's still being active?

  • SadeSurvivor25
    SadeSurvivor25 Member Posts: 119
    edited April 2012

    Lynda,It's unfortunate u have to join us. But u are welcomed. This place is awesome.



    Sandik, after my appointment this morning (which ended around 10:30) I ran a few errands, went out to lunch, went walking and did a little Easter shopping with my stepdaughter. Once the nausea set in around 4:30 I was back home for a nap. Dinner consisted of saltines and ginger ale. Yummy....not!!!

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2012

    Ladies, it may be hard to do this, but I tried to see every single SE as proof that fast-dividing cells were being killed and I took that to mean that any cancer cells I had were also being killled.  It made my particular list of unpleasant SE from  4 DD AC and 12 weekly Taxol a bit easier to accept. 

    Drink lots and lots of water the day before, the day of, and at least the day after chemo. Like 100 oz. I added crystal light lemonade to my 40 oz. stainless steel bottle when I simply couldn't drink plain water. You want the chemo to work but not hang around, causing SE, so flush it out.

    Magnesium capsules help with constipation as does drinking a lot of water.  

    Here's a link about exercising during chemo and the reduction of side effects from Lance Armstrong's website.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/395995-exercise-during-chemotherapy/ 

    I did remain active during all my chemo; it was part of my lifestyle anyway. It keeps me sane. Since I'm terrified about recurrence, I've done a lot of research about preventing that, and all roads point to regular exercise (reduces recurrences anywhere from 25-40% depending on what  journal article you read.

    Claire in Az

  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    So for what is worth I read on another thread that mani/pedis are basically just a no no during chemo, whether you are taking a taxol type drug or not, because of the increased infection risk. (The taxol type drugs are the ones that can cause nails to loosen).



    I'll be doing A/C first but common sense says going to even my nice clean salon isn't worth it. Darn.... oh well. Guess I'll save money doing them myself......



    Off this p.m. to get the PET scan; trying to stay positive!

  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited April 2012

    Sade i have two anti nausea prescriptions. Took both last night i had a tougher time late. Felt better this AM.

  • klepine
    klepine Member Posts: 24
    edited April 2012
    Now on day 5 after infusion, still feeling nausea.  doctor gave me prochlorper, ondansetron, and lorazepam.  None of them seem to do much good.  I love to drink water but it tastes bad.  Resorting to fruit popsicles.  Can't stand anything that has any sugar taste at all.  At least the Lorazepam has been helping me sleep at hight.  
     
    This is going to be a long exhausting road but I know it will pass some time. 
  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    Hi, Kim, so sorry you are having such a rough time.  What cocktail are you receiving?  And what kind of popsicles are working for you - any particular flavor?

  • LisaG65
    LisaG65 Member Posts: 65
    edited April 2012

    thank you Tammy!!!!

  • ihatemyboobs
    ihatemyboobs Member Posts: 83
    edited April 2012

    So bloated, constipated and nauseous I could scream!!!! I really feel little else but stomach issues, really wish I could get them under control!

  • klepine
    klepine Member Posts: 24
    edited April 2012

    AC every other week. Had first treatment on Monday. Been nauseous ever since. Eating sugar free fruit popsicles just to make sure getting enough fluids. Nothing seems to give relief.

  • LisaG65
    LisaG65 Member Posts: 65
    edited April 2012

    @ihatemyboob i hope you get some relief soon!

  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    Kim, I'm praying for you and sending purple healing energy your way today.  I hope the first time ends up being the worst time. 

  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    I'm meditating on clairein az's message for all my sisters struggling with SEs, and hoping for easier tomorrows for all of you.  If I get hit with bad SEs, I'll drag myself over to my computer and re-read Claire's message a few times! 

  • SadeSurvivor25
    SadeSurvivor25 Member Posts: 119
    edited April 2012

    @ Stacie so do I. I was miserable until about 8 this morning. I called my infusion nurse for some more meds. I'm feeling a little better but not 100%. Haven't eaten a meal in over 24 hrs.

    I'm praying for you ladies. We will get through this.

  • klepine
    klepine Member Posts: 24
    edited April 2012

    Thank you IndigoMont11!!!  Best wishes to you also.

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