April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

Well darn, IndigoMont11!  I checked mine yesterday and they were fine and when I read your post I reached up and tugged lightly...out they came.  I still have a 1/4 buzz cut, but even that was kind of prickly and uncomfortable last night.  I am not excited to shave the rest.  Hubby is funny - he wants me to keep it really short. He said he loves it so much, he wants me to not let it grow much longer when it does come back.

I had the best night's sleep in months!  Fingers crossed for a good day.  I think I am due for one.

Good morning lovlies,

I hope you are all well.  I found this link (I hope it works)

Please check it out.  It is so beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyQ5ZSMENF0&feature=related

Hugs,

Misty

Sandik - I'm so happy you are on #4!!!  I hope you sail through this one!

Sandik and all others receiving treatment this week:  good luck to you all!

I took my temp this a.m. and it was 99.9.  I wonder if my temp was so high yesterday because my house was so hot and I was covered in a blanket.  I will keep checking it today, though.  My MO's instructions are if fever is over 101, to call.   

Nofear. I'm so sorry to hear you were hospitalized....I feel terrible. I hope your next treatment is better. I feel guilty that my first taxol treatment was not bad at all. I get tired and have some muscle aches and pains.... But over the counter pain meds work well. Other than that I really haven't had any issues.......please let us know how you're doing. I ope it was just a fluke.

Kjiberty,

Glad to hear your temp is not high.



I'm sitting in chemo now. Saw the MO before I came in. I lost two more pounds. Down almost 10 since I started. She said most people gain, but since I couldn't taste pretty much anything except fruits and veggies, that's all I was eating. So she was OK with the weight loss.



I got a high 5 for being on my last AC. She told me that we will do genetic testing in the next couple weeks. The chemo girl said she never heard of anyone losing their nails on taxol, but she has seen the nail beds get dark. No one here ices, but she said I can if I want.



Anyone watch Good Morning America and see Robin's announcement?



I hope everyone has a great day!

kjliberty- Glad you checked in!!!  Keep a close eye on the temperature though and keep those fluid intake up!!!  I'd still call the MO just to be sure that everything is okay with the fever and rash.  Ok--- why were you sitting under a blanket if your house is warm?  If you had the chills, let the doctor know... sign of possible infection.

Hi..better today..wahoo..my crash..tiredness days seem to be 3rd..4th..and 5th out from tx...and some of the metalic taste is gone..hope it says that way..LOL..

Question on the Neulasta and/or Neupogen shots.  My onc has never mentioned these.  Prior to my first TCH my WBC was 10.7 (range 4.8-10.8)- 9 days later it was 6.7.  I think I asked this before but is that all they look at (the WBC) before they start thinking about these injections?  At what point do you/they start to get concerned?

Well ladies, my reprieve from thrush ended last night when it came back.  This is day 19 for me in my 21 day chemo cycle.  So, I figured my whites must still be going down (which seems crazy since my nadir is days 7 - 10...I thought they were supposed to climb or stay stable after that).  Called the doc, went in for blood work, yep, whites low.  Neupogen today and tomorrow to build me up so I can be ready for tx #4 on Wednesday.  We also retested my kidney function, and I will find out tomorrow if the first test was a fluke or not.  If my numbers are still decreased a bit, I am not sure if I will risk #4...we'll see.   So sick of the weighing the whole risk vs. benefit thing.  Ughhh!  

Otherwise, doing fine.  Actually, my red count was UP!  Higher than it has been in weeks!  Still below normal, but much improved!  This explains my improved energy level over the weekend, for sure.   I'm amazed that my reds have rebounded.  The body is amazing sometimes. 

rgina - they look at your absolute neutrophil count (ANC).  It is your WBC (converted to the thousands, so 6.7 is 6700) times your granulocyte percent.  So say your granulocyte % was 25%...your ANC = 1675.   So that % is very important, too.   If the % is low, it can make what looks like a good white cell count actually be a bad ANC.   I posted the ranges of ANC and what they mean earlier - don't have the scale handy.  I do know Grade IV neutropenia is when you have serious risk of infection - and that is ANC < 500.  My ANC was 1902 today - I am to do Neupogen b/c you need an ANC of about 2000 to do chemo safely (I'm scheduled for Wed).  Onc wants to bump me up even higher b/c I drop so low with TCH - so I'm doing 2 injections before chemo Wed. 

rgina- As for the Neulasta shot, my onco does not give those shots unless the situation warrants them which means until the WBC numbers or a high fever/infection indicate the need for the shot.  All oncos handle this sitiation differently and probably is dependent upon the type regimen of chemo one is on and how often you receive the chemo.  I know from my quick research on the chemocare website, the recovery period for my particular regimen of Cytoxan/Taxotere is 3 weeks( which is from infusion to next scheduled infusion.)  Those receiving the dense dose of A/C have the same 3 recovery period but receive their chemo every 2 weeks which may explain why that they receive Neulasta/Neuprogon as a normal part of their treatment.  In my situation, my onco informed me that I would receive the Neulasta shot after this recent #3 round because I had experienced a high spiking fever/infection 10 days after my #2 round was administered.  My blood count for #3 round was really high before my #3 infusion.  I'm thinking that had I not had that infection and gotten antibotics so quickly, that my WBC would have perhaps too low for the #3 infusion.  FYI at the 9 day point since your treatment, you were probably in nadir which is the lowest point that your WBC would be.  Just remember, side effects are cumulative so the WBC can be become lower each time you have a treatment.  Hope this helps.

dancetrancer- So sorry that your unwelcomed mouth friend decided to pay you a visit.  Hope you feel better and those WBC climb up in time for #4!!! HUGS!!!!

Dancetrancer-- Thanks.... made of copy of that formula so I can have it handy!

Gemmie- I see that you are having your first infusion tomorrow so it's your first time in the big girl chair!!!  I know you have probably gotten all of your things ready to go for tomorrow.  Wishing you an easy time with your #1 infusion and minimal side effects!!!

Thanks, Marnie.  I've been drinking ginger tea, have ginger ale, and ginger snaps.  They are ok but not solving the problem.  More tears today, but I think it's frustration.  I am having trouble concentrating and getting thoughts out.

Went for my 5th Neupogen shot today.  They did my counts first - WBC = 3.0.  Bummer. I was hoping for better. I was at 3.0 last week when I ended up in the hospital.  They switched me from Neulasta. Nurse says I am not neutropenic, though, but to be careful. I will ask for my neutrophil number tomorrow when I go back.  Hubby is flipping out.  He is such a worrier.