April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

Maybe Indigo.  I'm on TC x 6 every 3.  Maybe they have to be more aggressive with AC?  I guess I'll find out!

Velutha, nah. It was my choice. I could have waited another week, but I already thought I was starting, and since I had that node that still had cancer in it, I figured let's get moving and zap that thing!  Congrats on getting the port out! 

Isharvey, glad you are doing well so far! Remember to keep drinking!  

IndigoMont11- I'm glad I have my port.  I will still be using it after the chemo is over because the Herceptin is going to infused through my port.  I'll be receiving Herceptin through April 2013. I don't think you can use the EMLA cream until the port incision is healed but I'd ask for some lidocaine spray. 

Isharvey- I had my first Taxotere/Cytoxan infusion 2 weeks ago.  I felt fine until almost 48 hours later when I started to feel what I call the "slide down".  By the evening, I definitely did not feel well; I ate dinner and slept for a few hours.  Around midnight, I got up because I started to feel ill.  I drank some really cold ginger ale and sat up in my desk chair for several hours.  By the morning, I definitely felt better.  I drank lots and lots of water and ate small meals on schedule even though I didn't feel well.   I read on older Taxotere/Cytoxan threads that one may not start to feel bad until the 3rd day so I had an idea that I would be okay the day after the infusion but after that, the side effects might show up.  I just burped a lot; no nausea or diarrhea or constipation.  I took my Decadron (steriod) the day before, the day of and the day after the infusion and Zofran twice a day for 3 post chemo days.  I have a prescription for Phenergan but I never had to take it for the 1st infusion side effects.  I did not get a Neulasta shot and will only receive that shot in the event my white blood count drops too low.  Hope this info helps you. 

That spray is the bomb.  I barely even feel my port being accessed.  

Thanks ladies. I've been on zofran round the clock, plus compazine and Ativan as needed, which has basically also been around the clock. I've been trying to eat small meals. It is hard to keep track of time, so I'm not sure how well I'm doing at eating frequently. I basically eat every time I wake up though. My onc said he will add more anti nausea meds to my IV next cycle. I guess there isn't anything they can do now. I'll call back tomorrow if I am still sick.

Melrose- good idea. My husband has been tracking all of my meds. I'm not sure if he's been tracking my food though. I think I am eating fairly regularly, I still just don't feel well. hoping it doesn't last much longer. My onc called me and said that younger patients tend to deal with chemo worse. Ugh.

Thanks MrsJay - fortunately I only have breakthrough symptoms from about 2 to 7 p.m. each day.  My doc just put me on double Protonix dosage to see if it controls the reflux/nausea/burping/burning mix of sx better...fingers crossed!!!  P.S.  Interesting about the younger patients and chemo -  I did just read online that younger patients tend to have more nausea with chemo.  I don't know if they know why.  

I also write all of my meds down.  There is no way I could keep track of it otherwise.  It's overwhelming and would be easy to make a mistake.  I also set an alarm on my cell phone for each subsequent med so that I stay on top of it.   

Sandik - at least no bikini waxing this summer!

True dat! I keep saying that I will be the 1 in a million who doesn't lose hair on my legs and I'll still have to shave. 

Ahhh ok thanks. I got Emend in the first infusion, along with something else. I forget what. I was pretty hydrated too. I drank so much I could have floated away! I go Wednesday for #2. I'm already chugging to get ready for it. 

@MrsJayD80 - Maybe someone has already chimed in on this and I missed it but I've heard great things about Emend for nausea on these boards.  Maybe your doc could switch you to that?

Mb, I go tomorrow for treatment #2. If you haven't gotten cream, ask for the spray. Works like a charm. Take your water and chug chug chug! I'm on AC. I was there 3 1/2 hrs and that included a dr visit.

Thanks, it's nice to be done!  I will hang around, at least through May.  

All you port peeps: So I forgot my EMLA cream once, realized it really didn't hurt much (just a needle stick), and then didn't use it again.  Yes, my port is coming out sort of quickly, but I have a small clot sitting there and so they want it out.  Also, my counts are good and I'm "only" on Taxol.  Plus, I'm going fly fishing (castingforrecovery.org), and I wanted the port out before I left, so I nagged my MO into writing the order.

I kept some of my eyebrows and eyelashes all the way through treatment, but I had a ton of them when I started.  Eyelashes growing in are a PITA!  They are irritating/itchy, and some of them I plucked b/c they were ingrown.  

 Nausea:  If you look at the NCCN guidelines, they have written standards for SE therapy.  For A/C, w/ my infusion I received steroids, ativan, emend, aloxi, and they run pepcid.  I had zofran, compazine, ativan as needed.  I second the advice to be sure that it's nausea -constipation, heartburn, and just the bad taste/less saliva problems can cause you to feel nauseated, but the antinausea meds won't fix you if those are your problems.  I found greasy, starchy foods (french fries, twice baked potato, doughnuts, bacon...basically all the stuff that makes you fat) helped keep my stomach settled during A/C.  Stay hydrated!!! It will keep you out of the hospital!

Those of you just starting chemo, be sure to tell your MO if you tend to have a sensitive tummy or if you are just terrified of nausea, and ask them to start strong with your antiemetics.