April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

Hopeful - I sort of figured that, auto correct is skrewy. I tried that & it didn't work, but I only tried it for one day. I'll see how this goes first. I have my last AC treatment weds, then on to taxol. I am so hoping my stomach comes back @ on taxol.

Vballmom, loved your comment and it inspired me, too, since I'm starting chemo on Friday.

Hi WW! My eyes water a lot with the chemo, too, (in my case it's actually from eye dryness) but I haven't had swelling. I wonder if it is some kind of reaction to medications?



I am sorry you're having such a rough time. Sending purple healing energy your way!

nofear - do you have stomach cramps with the gurlging?  If so, my MO advised 2 magnesium oxide pills to resolve the cramping - too many can aggravate the diarrhea, though...so check with onc and don't over do.  regarding diarrhea, I have usually just let it run it's course and drink lots of fluid.  Plus I avoid milk products, products tough to digest (see the BRAT diet on line).  Some take antidiarrheals but I was afraid to do this b/c I fear constipation worse (I fluctuate between) D and C train quickly and A LOT.  Some docs have guidelines on how many loose stools you need to have in a certain # of hours b4 they want you to take mades for it.  My onc started me on probiotics which help address BOTH constipation and diarrhea.  I do feel they helped me considerably - but of course I'm not completely symptom free.  But it seems it was all less severe after I started them. 

P.S.  my Protonix or any other proton pump inhibitor has never caused diarrhea (I took them 7 years before chemo), so I suspect that new med is not the cause...but it's possible.   May just be chemo related.  

SandiK - that Genteal Eye gel really helped me.  

I'm glad the upset tummy/relfux is feeling better!!!  

Thanks Dance. I'll have to have my daughter get me some today (she works at CVS). I woke up this morning and my eyes were matted shut. I didn't want to pull, because I don't want to lose my eyelashes, so I stumbled to the bathroom blind to wash it away. haha

Melrose, 

Yes, 1/2 way there. 2 more of the AC, then Taxol I think. Weekly for 12 weeks.

I cannot believe how bad my memory is getting! I cannot remember something that I just started to do. I just sit for like 5 minutes trying to figure out what Im supposed to be doing.

The local news station called me this morning. They do a 'buddy check' segment on the noon news once a month, about breast cancer. They want to feature me this month, so they are coing here Friday before I go to chemo. A friend of mine nominated me.  

The train is leaving the station tomorrow, first TCH moved up a day - 9:45 tomorrow morning and I'm nervous.  Shoulder/back is still sore from port surgery a week ago, but not enough to keep me down from doing 5 hours of yard/garden/misc., outside stuff this past Sunday, playing in the dirt and with the critters is the best mental therapy, totally do not think about the "c". Port itself doesn't really bother me except to sleep on my left side, but some of that may be this stupid shoulder thing I've got going on. Surgeon positioned it perfectly, just misses bra straps and if I slightly position my seat belt that's good too.

Go for labs this afternoon and try out the port, little nervous about that too, but have lidocane & prilocaine cream to apply 30 minutes before, prescribed by onc - anyone else use this?

Any quick tips, for tomorrow?  Stuff to take with me that would be on the for sure don't forget list?  Drinking fluids like crazy today but I already drink fluid all day long anyway - but trying to lay off the diet coke and lean more toward my raspberry herbal ice tea and water.

sandik--very cool about the news segment! You'll be a star!

sgtgee_69--definitely call your MO. I know the pains you're referring to and mine suggested I tap into my hydrocodone stash from surgery. I got a great night's sleep!

lynnbea and wonderwoman123---big hugs and healing thoughts!

I hadn't really thought about the icing?  When/how?  My nails look like the devil anyway from all the outdoor stuff I do. 

As I understand it, the idea of icing nails - toenails also - is two fold. One is to prevent chemo induced neuropathy which is damage to nerves which affects the sense of touch and feeling in hands, finger tips, feet and toes; and two, is to keep finger and toe nails from being damaged, ie: changing colors or falling off. I was told that neuropathy in fingers would take away the ability to do fine motor work - painting, sewing, etc. - possibly forever. So I decided to ice.

I brought a small cooler filled with ice in which I had two boxes of frozen peas plus frozen gel packs from the hardware store. When the nurse was about to start my Taxotere I put two foot sized gel packs on the floor and placed my bare feet on them, then wrapped two more frozen gel packs around my toes. The peas were poured into two ziplock bags which I then plunged my fingers into above the first knuckle. I'd take them out every so often as they were very cold, but then I'd put them back in again. Once the Taxotere ends, about an hour, you can stop icing.

Memorial Sloan Kettering is doing a clinical trial on icing now, and had told me, although I opted not to go there for chemo, that patients there who were not taking part in the trial were allowed to ice fingers with peas if they wished.

thanks @ mary 71, I have already started the self medication just to rest, but its only for a few hours.  I have a low tolerence for pain so I will do what is needed to get thru,  My next feat is just getting a full nights sleep without waking throughout the night.

wow - been working today and trying now to catch up with everyone!

Lynnbea - ugh on the ER visit.... I am trying to be a good patient and report things that I think are of concern, but the idea of being sent to the ER just stinks.  I was freaking out last Tuesday being scared I had a fever (just hot flashes).  I was soo glad when I finally called the MO nurse and she said, no you don't have to go to the ER!  If I'd had a fever (I was on fire but nothing registered on the thermometer!) I would have gone.  Gosh, and hang out there, and then be sent home and told to take Tylenol!  But you can't take a chance on an infection, we all know.  Feel better soon!  Maybe everything you've been through recently including the chemo was just a bit much for your system. I'd sure understand that.  I hope next tx is much better for you.

@sgtgee_69 and nofear (and anybody else) - Some input (what worked for me) with medicines:  I had ongoing heartburn too, not as bad, I don't think, as Dancetrancer's but bad enough.  I was taking both Zantac and Maalox (the Walmart brands) a couple or three times a day, and still from the minute I'd eat anything in the a.m., more heartburn.  I switched a couple of days ago to Prilosec OTC (again, Walmart brand), and like magic, heartburn is just about gone!  It says to take for 14 days or something, one pill every morning before you eat.  I didn't expect it to work right away, but it did.  So - maybe try that.  I have heard also that stuff like Maalox might lead to kidney stones if you take it too much - not sure what too much really is, but who wants kidney stones?  I haven't seen anything that says Prilosec OTC is contraindicated by my kind of chemo.  No diarrhea either after starting it three days ago.  (No constipation either).  And this weird nagging pain I've had off and on in my abdomen is much improved. 

As for pain - I've been bothered by pain too that nothing else seems to help.  I'm not really a fan of Tylenol (aka acetaminophen) - I took way too much of it years ago and since then it has not really worked that well for me.  Ibuprofen is better usually - but you are supposed to lay off it before any surgical procedures, and I think it also was aggravating my heartburn.  So anyway, after tx#1 I got some terrible headaches that nothing seemed to help, didn't want to resort to Percocet (just makes me loopy and makes constipation worse), and someone on the March chemo thread recommended Tramadol.  It's a prescription pain reliever that is not narcotic.  I took it in the past for my bunion surgery and really liked it.  I tried it - and it works so much better in general for my pain.  It is on my insurance plan's formulary so isn't any more expensive out of pocket than stuff like percocet or vicodin.  So, I recommend that you check with your doctor and see if they'd prescribe it.  Mine called in a new prescription for me when I asked for it.  

Mariasnow - the only thing probably to worry about other than how you feel is the risk of getting an infection during the times when your counts are low.  I'm sure your MO will talk about that with you.  

Big hugs to everyone and to those of you struggling with those !@#%% side effects, I hope they go away soon.  

sgtgee_69, did you get a Neulasta or Neupogen shot?  They can cause severe bone pain.  You could ask your onc if it is ok to take Claritin with them.  That helps lots of women have much less or no pain.  With Neulasta you take it the day of and 7 days post.  Neupogen just once daily for each shot you get. 

nofear2012, oh no!  I'm so sorry!  I hope you are about to get the big D under control.  Ugggghhhhh!  Feel better soon!

 Lynnbea - just saw your post.  That DOES suck!  I had to go the ER after TCH1 b/c my R calf ached and swelled up and my foot turned red.  Thought I had a blood clot, had to use crutches b/c it hurt so bad.  This of course happened at midnight.  We were there til 4 a.m.  Thankfully, nothing wrong...but ...ugh, could have done without that drama!  I'm surprised they didn't admit you with that high of a fever.  I hope they checked your stool sample...9 days on the D train is a LONG time.   At day 8 I suspect you are right at the lowest point of your nadir or near it.  Be cautious!   Hope the fever has come down since and doesn't come back. 

Regarding icing, yes it is helpful for reducing nail related changes due to the Taxotere.  It also can be very helpful to ice your mouth to prevent mouth sores.  Ice prevents blood flood/aka prevents chemo to the area.  Clear it with your onc of course.  Ice 15 minutes before, the entire hour of Tax, and 15 minutes post.

My reading has shown me that icing does not help prevent neuropathy, b/c the mechanism of neuropathic damage is suspected to happen at the level of the spinal cord where the peripheral nerves originate.  This is why to prevent it you have to take supplements.  None are fully proven, but those that have shown promise are B6 (100 mg a day, be careful, too much can cause neuropathy, acually - 100 is fine for most!), L glutamine powder (10 mg mixed into a drink 3 x daily for a total of 30 mg/day), and acetyl-l-carnitine (1000 mg 3xday, for a total of 3000 mg/day).  Some oncs will not allow supplements at all, so it must all be cleared with your onc!!!  

Hello everyone. Have not been on thread for awhile. Had my last AC treatment Monday, May 14th. Still struggling with nausea.



Next week starting 12 weeks, every week Taxol. The nurses keep telling me it will be much easier but I am still worries about SE. I had underlying nausea through out AC treatment. None of drugs worked well. So now i am concerned it will be the same with Taxol. I guess I am a bit of a worrier, really struggled with AC treatment.



One positive beautiful day here in Wisconsin, sitting outside on my lounge chair listening to birds sing.



Hope everyone is not having a bad SE day.