April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

sherryh16- Glad you have joined this thread.  You and I are on the same chemo regimen.  I have #3 round next week and will be halfway at that point.  So far,  I've been fortunate to not experience nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and the overwhelming fatigue  ( knock on wood!!!) after 2 rounds of Taxotere/ Cytoxan.  Yes, food doesn't taste great for about a week for me but I just eat anyway 5-6 small meals a day and drink lots of water.  The 3rd day after my infusion is when I start feeling a little yucky and tired; after that I recover pretty quickly so I can be active and move around again.  Chemo effects everyone differently and even the onco can't tell you exactly what your side effects will before you have the first infusion.  Whatever your symptoms are, you may want to contact your onco by phone asap since there is no reason to suffer through side effects with the meds available to help with the severity of side effects. Some side effects have a way of getting out of control rapidly unless one takes immediate action to deal with them.   Please don't be so hard on yourself about how you are feeling.  Just know that there may be simple things to help yourself so you won't feel so bad the next time.  Chin up, friend..... you can keep moving forward with your journey through chemoland!!!  If you want, please private message me about any questions you have about how I've dealt with the Taxotere/Cytoxan chemo.

Stacie enjoy your trip!!



Misty- hope you feel better soon.

Hi all - had my weekly Herceptin only infusion today. It went without incident and no SE. I am still doing MUCH better today - so far only mild burping/heartburn. I am so, so thankful. Hoping this means the worst has past for this round. Fingers crossed.

My whites were up farther due to Neupogen, and we are continuing it through my nadir this week.   My reds have dropped a bit again.  Still watching, no transfusion yet...hope it stays that way! 

Thrush - Well I've got a new location for you all to watch - the old armpit. Doc confirmed I have it there. It just looks like a small red rash with slight peeling of the skin. Noticed it when I got out of the bath last night and was putting deodorant on. It doesn't hurt. Doc agreed with me that it probably happened b/c I was wearing deodorant (natural) vs antiperspirant, which resulted in too much sweating...wet area = good area for yeast to grow. Ick! So I've given up on the natural way, bring on the aluminum in the antiperspirant! I'll be using Nystatin powder on the armpit yeast.  So gross to think about it and write it out, LOL!  Even though it really doesn't look that bad.   My oral thrush is looking a bit better this afternoon. I talked to doc about Diflucan - asked him since I've had oral thrush 2 weeks now if it was time to start it and if not, why not. He recommended not, b/c he said I am on so many meds plus the chemo that my liver is being taxed, and he really doesn't want to add anything else for my liver to detox. So he'd prefer I stick with the topical treatments. That makes sense to me. Now if I had pain with my thrush or bleeding or some other nastiness, I might think it was worth the additional toll on my liver. Or maybe if I wasn't taking so many other meds for my GI issues. Just thought I'd share since some of us had some questions about it.

I put out a call to friends to visit or call me last night on my Caring Bridge page b/c I feel so isolated.  Someone stopped by today for over an hour, and we had such a nice visit!  Friends and talking about stuff other than cancer = great mood booster!   

mistym - hope you feel better very soon! 

indigo - fingers crossed for good counts tomorrow! 

sherryh - please do NOT think of yourself as a wimp.  I understand, I've felt that way before.  Like wow, some of these other women are pushing forward and doing this and that, why can't I?  Well if you read the thread long enough, you'll see there are plenty of us who are slammed by chemo as well, and it's not b/c we are wimps.  For some reason, we all respond differently to chemo.  I've read about it, there can be multiple factors, biochemical/genetic differences, etc. - and the docs say there is no way to predict how you are going to respond.  So please, cut yourself some slack, and take that time off if you are able to financially.  Don't feel like you just aren't being "strong enough".  That has nothing to do with it.  Your body just is like mine and several others on here - unfortunately, we don't handle chemo well.  It just is.  

vjm - YAY for sleep!  Blessed sleep!  I had my first good night last night, too, and I feel SOOOOO much better, emotionally and physically.  Are you getting radiation recall with each chemo, or just the first one?  I get it each time, but mine appears associated with the dex - I see it the morning after I start dex, just before chemo.  It's very mild - the breast just turns pink and at times it is itchy.  After I'm done with my dex it goes away.  I know yours was much worse than mine, so I'm hoping it only happened with the first one! 

vballmom - so great to hear from you and to know you are being well cared for! Where you are staying does sound incredibly special.    Glad to hear the WBC's are starting to fight back - come on WHITES!!!  So sorry to hear about the ongoing nausea...ugghhhh!  I wish they could find something that would help you with that.  So sorry to hear about your daughter having a tough time with this...I'm not a mother, but gosh, I can only imagine how you want to be strong for her and how tough it is to watch her worry about you.  It makes me emotional just thinking about it!  Hugs!

I am taking diflucam too. Used it after last 2 A/C treatments, I have had no side effects with it and cleared it up quick...it is nice to be able to taste things again

Pkate here.  Just home from day long chemo.  Late start due to the crowd from the holiday.  This was my first Taxol so they did it slowly - over 3 hours.  First was steroid, pepcid, benedryl and maybe one other med.  Benedryl made me sleepy but could not sleep since I was in a chair as there were not enough beds.  I was told I had to be in a bed the first time (probably because of anticipated reactions) but luckily I had no reactions so it was okay not being in a bed.  I thougt I would have feeling at the port site because I put on the cream at 8:20 and they didn't start until 10:00 but it was the ONLY time I have felt absolutely nothing.  So much for the 1 hour before time rule. 

Doc did not give me steroids to take by mouth this time but instead told me to take Naproxen for the pain, if I have it for the next few days.  Also said to take daily Claritin which I have been doing for 8 weeks now through A/C for the neulasta shot which I had no pain from. 

I am anxious to know if I'll have the muscle/bone pain. Doc said it could start as early as Day 2.  Sure hoping to go to son's 8th grade transition ceremony on Monday.  In the chair across from me, a woman was finishing taxol tomorrow and was telling the nurse she had lost several or all (couldn't hear it all) of her fingernails.  Doc (also mine) told her they would grow back.  I'm not icing but doing the tea tree oil clinical trial a friend of mine at Hopkins told me about so I'll report on that in the next few weeks to tell you al if it works.  You are supposed to put on twice a day on finger and toe nails.  A little pungent but goes away quickly.

I know we are all different with the side effects and several have said Taxol is easier, especially on the digestive system.  I sure do miss my taste buds!

Love to all on the journey

Put me in a coma at the beach w tan, taught cabana boys tending to my body

:-) . I have used ensure & I have a protein mix I have used & that does go down easier, but I still have to eat something during the day cause I contines to lose weight. Food just isn't my friend these days. In Michigan we have medical marijuana & I am considering talking to my dr about getting a presc, maybe it will increase my appetite.....it did in high school, lol.

Jaxson the Jerk-Wad disappeared today!  Oh, let me speak English:  The final drain was removed today.  It was exactly 6 weeks post-surgery.  I thought I'd wear that stupid thing FOREVER!  Chemo was to start last week, but was cancelled due to the drain still "hanging around."  She pulled it, and it GUSHED fluid behind it.  She laughed (we have a great relationship and get along well, so I feed off her reactions) and grabbed more gauze.  She held pressure, removed it again, and it gushed again.  This time, we both laughed.

Apparently, when drains are in for this long, it's more likely.  Also, there is a chance I'll need to have a needle remove soem fluid if too much has built up by Friday when I get my first TE fill.  If it's gushing out my side, surely it can't get too full inside, right?  heh heh.  We'll see.  I'm just so happy that dang thing is gone and SO happy I can sleep in my own bed again.  I've been in this recliner for 6 weeks!

As for telemarketers, political calls, etc.: I answer them all.  Cancer can throw them off their game SO quickly.  "Ma'am, you have won an all expenses paid to Branson!  Which month would be best for you to go?!?!"  

"Oh.  I'm sorry.  I can't go anywhere.  Since I've been diagnosed with the cancer, I'm not even sure how many more months I have left."

I know it's a lie, but I don't feel guilt.  Maybe I should, but I need my feelings for other things.  Like kicking Jaxson to the curb! 

On a serious note, I was warned that a lot of leakage was normal after having a JP drain for as long as I did (6 weeks.)  I had a LOT of drainage, that's for sure.  It has slowed, now.  I am to have my first TE fill on Friday, and was told to be prepared that, if fluid was built up, I would be sent to the general surgeon to have it removed (PS doesn't have ultrasound equipment to avoid TE.)   So, I'm wondering somthing that is going to sound SO stupid, but I couldn't help but ask, since you guys are always to knowledgeable and helpful.

I feel a bit of tightness.  Nothing outrageous, but she told me that I'd know by the tightness and perhaps some swelling.  I feel the tightness.  If I, umm, squish around? on that side...I don't know how to explain what I want to do, but essentially, anything to push the fluid out the side before that hole closes up...does that make me a moron?  She said, "It's better to let it drain than to have it build up, so don't worry about that drainage..." so now I'm wondering about "forcing" the drainage.

Probably a bad idea, but I SO want to push around on it and test my theory.  Please, someone who has dealt with ANY portion of this, let me know what you did.  I fear I cannot keep my hands off of there, unless I keep typing.  LOL 

Verballmom:  Wishing you a speedy recovery and keeping you in my prayers.

SherryH and Melrose:  I am on the same T/C regime-with 2/4 done.  My next treatment is next Thursday.  My SE were minimal the second time around except now I have HIVES all over my body.  I took benadryl yesterday, which knocked me on my a....., today I took zyrtec.  The ones from yesterday disappeared, but today newer and bigger ones appeared.  I have numbness in one of my hands (like it is asleep) as well as tightness in my chest?  Is this acid reflux?  I don't know.  I have never had it prior to all this business.  Just took three Tums.

Dancetrainer:  I love all your research.  You are an inspiration.

Stacie:  Have fun in AK!  No vacations for me this year!  Next year....maybe...once I get through this..

Fierro:  Glad you were able to work.  I keep thinking maybe I should just take FMLA, but I would be bored  I am thankful I can work from home, and take a nap at 8 a.m. or 11 a.m. if needed.   

vballmom--Glad to hear you're doing better. Hope you can go home tomorrow!

Fierro--Yay!! Farewell to Jaxson! It's about time! I didn't have drains so I can't offer any advice.

kjiberty--sorry to hear about your new SE's. Maybe just take the Benedryl before bed?

Dancetrancer--So glad you're feeling better this round! You deserve a break!

Stacie--Enjoy your vaca to Alaska! So jealous! We badly need a vacation but probably won't go away till treatment is done.

Welcome to everyone new....you'll like it here!

I had 25cc Monday, and 28cc Tuesday, so it was time.  The amount it gushed (which she said was due to it being in for so long,) and the fact that it filled the bandage within a few hours had me believing that I could squish tons out of that hole.  Yeah, right.  I think my body is absorbing it (as it should) because it's much less tight, and for all my squishing, smooshing, smashing, and manipulating, the gauze had a tiny little dot on it.  LOL  Much ado about nothing.  What a dork I can be.

Hi dancetrance, yeah I waited on the Diflucan. Dowed my tongue to onc today. He said- no pain no sores, mostly jus whitish light layer in middle of tongue, stick with nystatin. It will tend to hang around during chemo bit will go away after. I eat fine, no mouth discomfort. Funny the nurses sort of were surprised at his advice. So I have the Diflucan and if becomes worse or painful I will take it but not yet.

Rose, I bet you are shocked about radiation, not because of it ( many people say it is not bad) but the elongation of this whole process. I won't do rads because I had a double mast, but I still have TE/implants surgery ahead. And because of 4-6 weeks post chemo to do it, I have to do it later because I am a principal and school will be starting. So my surgery will be like in November. A aargh!! Hang in there, we get it.

Krazykatlady - ask them if you can be in my room!  I'm still here.  The IV got me under control quickly.  I am still getting both antibiotics and fluids.