April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

My port insertion went well. I am a bit sore but I am so glad to have the port. I had three IVs last week and by the third they had to try twice. It took two times to get a vein today too. And the first stick, she hit a nerve. Never had that happen before. Ouch. I will be glad to be done with IVs for awhile.

I start the first round next week. I have heard the AC is rougher than the taxel but the neuropathy side effect is distressing. I am a musician (violin/viola) and cannot afford numbness and tingling in my fingers. I am going to talk with MO next week about icing fingertips.

Lynda, glad your port went well. Mine is still sore since Monday.

Florida, keep us posted on how that goes. I really really hope everyone's side effects calm down.

thats great news that you were less sick tammy!! its been less than a week since my first round, but my head and scalp were hurting, i had waist long dread locks, and the weight of them were causing stress bumps on my scalp out of the blue. i know its chemo related. so last night after everyone was sleeping i cut all 54 of them off, really close to my scalp and combed out the knots that were left after soaking in the tub with a head full of conditioner, let me tell you, i feel sooo much better this morning, i slept good with out my hair/scalp hurting. but my har looks so crazy cause i just cut them out randomly. not sure if i will go in for a hair cut to shape it up or just wait, i have clippers but i dont want a picky head just yet. my hair is sooo soft right now.

Wow Lisa!!  I'm glad you feel better.  I know my pain was because of my hair too.  I had long, very thick hair that my husband cut up to my shoulders...but i still had to much.  Once i shaved it...no pain.  I used the #2 blade so it's not clear down to my scalp.  I'm so glad i did it!  Glad to hear you got a good nights sleep too.  My dr told me to put aloe on my scalp if it was still hurting.  

Well, my nurse is here for my hydration therapy so hope everyone has a great weekend and a Happy Easter to all!!!  

I feel bad for my family cause i can't even think about Easter and food...makes me nauseaus.  I'm gonna have my hubby go buy one of those ready made meals so my family can have a decent dinner while i sleep.   

Still feeling sluggish with not much of an appetite. Took my meds with milk instead of food....fear of vomiting. All I can seem to do is get out of bed long enough to take a shower then it's nap time for rest of the day. Its very hard to stay active when you feel this ;-(

we went out for breakfast this morning, i was okay. until they sat a couple at the table next to us, and the smell of her made me sick, i had to go sit in the car. i bought some milk of magnesia today i dont like the laxative pain, hoping this will make movement easier with out the burning roll in my stomach. i am a real regular person, and even not having movement 1x a day is giving me pain. i bought my son some stuff for an easter basket, and stuff to make dinner. i have a slow cooker. plan on using it tomorrow. hope everyone makes it through the next day without to much discomfort. happy Easter.

Hi fellow warriors,

Day 3 post first AC treatment. I have felt nauseous all three days, each day getting worse than the last. But the Zofran does help me. Fortunately I have been able to eat and keep everything down. I am worried about how I will feel Easter morning and whether I can make it to church with the family. I think if I am up early enough to deal with everything I can get myself into feeling ok. My sense of smell is very heightened and foods that normally smell good are overwhelming. I did find that bran cereal has helped with the bathroom issue. I hope that you all are finding ways to cope and that soon all this misery we are feeling will be a distant memory!

Happy Easter to all!

I was so looking forward to going to church this morning but my toddler and this queasiness seemed to have something else in mind. Ugghhhh I'm so over this stuff already. Something has got to give.

@indigo: dense dose usually refers to A/C every 14 days for 4 cycles.  There are other dense dose schedules.  Sometimes people refer to dense dose chemo that includes taxol too.  All dense dose means it what it sounds like -trying to cram more chemo into less time.

@all of you fighting nausea:  first thing tomorrow, please call your onco and explain your symptoms.  There is really no reason for you to be fighting nausea this hard this early in treatment.  There are a ton of different medications available, and you may have to trade being being nauseous for being sleepy (and nothing is going to make your food taste normal!), but you should not be miserably nauseated.  

If you are nauseous, you should not be cooking.  You need to reserve your time with food smells to just the time you are eating.  I found if I drank a bit of lemon water or just smelled a freshly sliced lemon right before a meal, I could eat better. 

Try the ginger chews, candies, etc, but mostly just eat what you want to eat, you can worry about nutrition in a couple of months when chemo is over.  If you aren't getting plenty of fluids, that can add to constipation, which can aggravate nausea.  If you suck on candy all the time you may tire your salivary glands, which are being stressed by chemo too.  

  Also, if you're finding your biggest problem to be headache/scalp pain, the anti-nausea medication may be contributing to that, so you may need to play with your regimen. 

 Hoping everyone has the best possible day!

Thank you VELUTHA & CLAIREINAZ!!!!!  Both of you bring so much positivity to this thread and give such great simple advice which I appreciate more than each of you know.  I know I can pack my chemo bag, but the practical advice once in the chemo chair is so invaluable. I now know not be afraid to tell my oncologist/infusion staff that I'm experiencing SE's and ask for some medical intervention.   HUGS to you and sending positive calming & healing prayers, thoughts and energy.

Finally back online after internet down    hated losing touch with everyone. I am on day 4 of first round of AC and sooo fatigued.  I have been on steroids the last three days and Ativan PRN for nausea and have had nary a twinge.  So I'm guessing that the steroids did their job for anti-nausea but now I'm without energy because of them.  Had horrible heartburn yesterday which wouldn't go away no matter how many Tums I took.  Still I feel fortunate that its been mild this first time.  I second the comment about talking to your MO about any side effects.  There are so many options out there to help us along.

Fretting today about the 'haircut' tomorrow.  Told my 13 y/o son so he wouldn't be shocked.  Maybe when that event has occurred, I'll have been through the worst and can just get on with this.

Love to you all - next week will be better.

Stacie- I got a cookbook entitled "Eating Well Through Cancer"  by Holly Clegg & Gerald Miletello, MD the other day when i had a visit with the oncology navigator at the cancer center I using.  The book seems helpful with recipes and how to manage the diet when you are having SE's.  I also  have the American Cancer Society booklet- Nutrition for the Person with Cancer during treatment.  You might want to check them out.  Glad you and your DH are having time alone just to be with each other.  Hope you feel better soon.  I know my chemland will begin soon.  Just want to keep fighting to get whatever nasty is left in me gone!!!!

HUGS to all!!!

Is anyone else getting neuprogen shots? I will be getting them for 10 out of 14 days of my chemo cycle.

lol....LisaG65 that does sound creepy! What is all that supposed to mean.  Way to go with the hair chopping you are taking some control back.

They told me i need the neuprogen for 10 days every chemo to keep me okay during my treatments, they seem quite positive i will not be okay without these shots. This makes me a bit nervous.