April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

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  • Husker123
    Husker123 Member Posts: 101
    edited June 2012

    Yay VJM! Hope everything goes smoothly & you get to enjoy your vacation!

    Thinking of you rgina & all the rest in the BGC today!

    I'm not doing much in the sleeping dept. either fierro. Sucks....

    My tummy issues seemed to be related to the lunch I had yesterday. Short ride on the D-train but all is better now.

    I have company today. Father, brother & their lady friends. My brother is bound to say something stupid & put me in tears. I think Ativan is in order before they get here. Then I have to go get my Neulasta shot.

    I guess since I'm up, should go clean house.....Bah humbug.......

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  • Fierro6
    Fierro6 Member Posts: 224
    edited June 2012

    Stacie, this is my last day taking the steroids, but I will ask for something to help me for the next round.  I don't think it would take anything real strong.  I fall asleep easily (I'm SO tired in the evening) but if I wake up, that's it.  

    Vballmom, (and others have mentioned...I keep forgetting the "me too") I agree!  I'm loving the new pics.  I'm also SO happy for you that you had a great day!  That's such a mood-lifter, I bet. 

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  • mistym
    mistym Member Posts: 58
    edited June 2012

    Happy Friday beautiful ladies,

    Good luck to those in the BGC today.  Minimal side SE's to everyone this weekend.

    Hugs,

    Misty

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  • mt4ever
    mt4ever Member Posts: 105
    edited June 2012

    Kristy - They said the same thing to me...no scans unless some sort of symptoms!  I am not sure how I feel about that! 

    Dance - Congratulations!!  (a little late!)

    For everyone that had treatments this week here is hoping minimal side effects and for those to come hang in there.  This was my 4th TCH and the SE have been a little more than before but nothing that I cannot survive! 

    Now a question, when I was at my last chemo 6/11 the NP noticed my nipple was inverted on the side where I had my cancer and lumpectomy.  I thought that it had just happened since my lumpectomy but now I am second guessing myself and wondering if I should question it further?   What would you do?

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  • mistym
    mistym Member Posts: 58
    edited June 2012

    Hi,

    I hope you all enjoy this.

    Misty

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgjbJb5f99s&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7byWdzBRA9U&feature=related

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited June 2012

    Morning all! By this weekend I am taking some pics and uploading them. You are inspiring me!



    Vickilind, my son totally is rocking his Mohawk that he did for his middle school youth group, prior to their leaving for camp yesterday. He has jet black hair thanks to his daddy's genes and while he's never been a metalhead, a punk or into goth, it kind of suits him. It's probably temporary too, I don't see him going off to college with it, but it was fun.

    Mt4ever, hopefully it's just from your surgery. What did the NP say?

    Seems like if she had been concerned she would have told you to have your BS look at it.

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  • wildflower2828
    wildflower2828 Member Posts: 22
    edited June 2012

    Hello all, I have a quick question, hoping someone can help me with.  I have gotten my daughters cold 'ugh', and my next treatment is Tuesday.  If I still have the cold by then, will they still give me my treatment.  Not sure, considering it destroys your immune system.  If anyone has had this happen, or just knows, please pass on the information to me.  Thank you very much, and hope all is doing okay.

    Kristy

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited June 2012
    wildflower2828- You may want to call your onco today and let them know what is up with the cold.  No reason to fret over the weekend.  They may call in some antibotics in to help you fight off the cold.  As I recall, my onco had told me that if my blood work wasn't good enough for my treatment that I'd have to delay the treatment for a week and would probably receive some meds (I don't know what) to get me better for the treatment the following week.  Hope this helps.
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  • lisa2012
    lisa2012 Member Posts: 652
    edited June 2012

    I had a surprisingly good and active 5 days-week 3 of round 3. First time since I started midApril that I felt different and more active. Even went to my work party and to a dinner party ( hardly ate and left early but still.) usually at this point it's one good day, one bad day. Felt good though lipless are stiff and achey. Only a couple tearful meltdowns and first incident of swollen ankles (they say water retention for steroids)



    gemmie-i used salt water rinses, added Nystatin nystatin rinses when I got thrush, and then added Biotene on my dentists advice. Thrush went away and tongue cleared up! Stopped the Nystatin though I will use if thrush returned. I think thrush was one things that made food tasteless and even more unappealing. Yay for Biotene ( and careful brushing.)



    My iV experience has been ok- 3/3 on the first try, and blood draws fine too. Only multistick was the time I had to be hydrated. Let's hope my luck holds next week.



    Next weds: last chemo, I am like a train barreling down the road. Even if I have SEs(old or new) I feel like the fact that I'll be done will make it easier.KG, my onco was 38.



    Positivity: someone told me last night about they're finding that more women with early BC have a higher chance of recurrence than earlier thought. I just said"that doesn't help me right now, I'm going to think differently." smiled and walked away. It actually did upset me when I read that somewhere this week, but I can't change what I have and what my treatment is at this point.

    Hugs to my wonderful support group- makes a difference.

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited June 2012

    vjm, so excited for you to be PFC after today!!!!   Wahoo!!!  Glad your doc is watching you closely and you will get this done and over with on schedule.  Hope all tests come back well on the heart - I understand those concerns oh too well.  Your vacation sounds fab, fab, fab!  With southwest being on sale the last 3 days, I have booked a flight to New Hampshire for a sailing vacation with my brother on his boat (oh, 2 sleeper cabins, we will sail the coast of Maine .... aaahhhh!).  I have also booked a flight to Florida where we are driving to meet friends for a week in Key West in October.  Our other friends have booked to come visit US in August and another set is meeting up with us to tour Nashville in November.  I better be feeling darned good by August!!!!!  I booked us up silly crazy!  Oh and I haven't seen family in like 3 years and the big reunion is at the end of July, so if all works out, we'll be driving over 2 days to see my family in PA.  What a whirlwind!  All these plans happened over the past two days - so great to be looking forward to a future without chemo and cannot wait to hear the rest of you crossing this bridge, too - we can and ARE doing this!!! 

    Last steroids yesterday evening, but obviously I'm still a chattermouth on the keyboard.  LOL.  Tongue out   So I completely understand vjm! 

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited June 2012

    vicki - best wishes today and can't wait to see that avatar!!! 

    fierro - ah yes, sleeping pills are the BEST during chemo.  Fought it the first round...DUMB.  Felt so exhausted, so much worse.  Just. Do. It.  You need your rest, and it will help you HEAL.   I take Restoril - also known as temazapam (sp?) without any issues.  Didn't someone ask about this a while back?  Meant to reply about it then.

    vballmom - so glad you had a good day!!!  I remember how feeling good just a few days before my next chemo gave me SO MUCH HOPE that yes indeed I could endure the chemo and then recover.  YAY for you.  And the avatar - are those your daughters?  Adorable!!! 

    Well I'm off for bloodwork check - see y'all later! 

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  • Gemmie
    Gemmie Member Posts: 103
    edited June 2012

    VJM--how much baking soda in how much water? Some gals I think use salt too?

    I am still doing well, day 2 out.  Vickilynn, am thinking of you today.

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  • Gemmie
    Gemmie Member Posts: 103
    edited June 2012

    Chapter4,

    I've been meaning to tell you how moved I was by your post several days ago, a week maybe?, where you were reflecting on your personal emotions while standing in front of the mirror.  That was really poetic and poignant stuff. I honestly think you could rework that into poetic form for possible publication. You might want to think about that.

     In the meaantime, I want to locate that post again. I wanted to send it on to a friend of mine who is in similar situation as yourself body wise beacuse your post is that moving and healing. I think it would help her to know she is not alone. I already found it once, thought I copied and pasted it successfully, only to find it got lost in cyber space! Do you by chance know waht date it was when you posted it? I want to find it again. 

    Stacie,

    I also very much liked your poem "In My Own Shoes" and just like with Chapter4's post, thought I had successfully copied and pasted it, only to lose it. So same request for you. Do you know when you posted it? I'd like to find it again too.

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited June 2012

    Baking soda/salt rinses - I microwave 1 cup of water just until warm (for me about 40 seconds) and stir in 1/4 tsp each of salt and baking soda.  It seems to help with everything except the full-blown canker sore that came back....  The Rocky Mountain mouthwash seems to be helping except for that, too, although I don't really think I had thrush, and the concoction I got didn't have any pain reliever in it, just benadryl and nystatin.  But I'd rather not get thrush, so I'm using it.

    They offered me an antiviral to help the canker sores heal a little quicker but after she said I'd have to take it every day regardless and that it usually only shaves off a couple of days from the healing time, I decided I had enough prescriptions piling up around me and didn't get it.  We'll see; I might change my mind.  

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  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited June 2012

    Here you go Gemmie-



    In My Own Shoes



    I never really knew



    The texture and feel



    of another's shoes



    Rug from beneath me



    Balance once assumed



    Now uncertain



    Strength once ample



    Now finite



    Faith once abstract



    Now precise



    I never really knew



    The intimacy and brevity of life



    Until it's fragility was exposed



    In my own shoes



    Stacie



    6-7-12

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  • rgina
    rgina Member Posts: 100
    edited June 2012

    Aloxi/Dexamethasone, Taxotere, Carboplatin done. Herceptin about 15 minutes left - got here at 11 a.m. did labs and it's 2:30 and I'm almost finished - moving right along...Bloodwork looked good and no problems with infusions for TX#2 - hope the weekend goes as well.

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  • mclark55
    mclark55 Member Posts: 168
    edited June 2012

    vballmom:  Awesome.  Love those lyrics and that you had a good day!

    Stacie:  Wow - sending you loads of love and healing today.

    Fierro6:  Yeah, I remember those steroidal insomniac nights.  Listened to U2 for hours on end - amazing what you can hear with a good set of earphones that you can't with just ears and speakers.  Anyway - what I wanted to say is try music when you're stuck on "awake".  They say that if you're in bed and resting for 2 hours, it still equals 1 hr of sleep.  Hope you get some sleep soon!

     vickilind61:  LOVE the pink mohawk - amazing!  Wanted to recommend you go and get a massage for that stabbing pain in your shoulder.  That would help you rest and is so good for your immune system.

    Love to everyone today xoxox

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  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 4,039
    edited June 2012
    rgina - yay!!! 
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  • mclark55
    mclark55 Member Posts: 168
    edited June 2012

    IndigoMont1: If you're having trouble with mouth sores you might want to try glutamine.  It soothes and relieves the pain of mouth ulcers and protects the body's mucosa.  I took anywhere from 1,000-4,000 mg per day and it really helped me.  (it's an amino acid, you can find it in Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottage in Colo.)

    Sending you lots of love today!

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  • lsharvey822
    lsharvey822 Member Posts: 257
    edited June 2012

    Beautiful Stacie!

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  • mistym
    mistym Member Posts: 58
    edited June 2012
    Stacie that is beautiful Smile
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  • vickilind61
    vickilind61 Member Posts: 338
    edited June 2012

    vball, glad you had a good, normal day.  Those seem to be few and far between with this stupid BC thing going on. 

    Fierro, babbles are my forte, so bring them on!

    I had my first tx today; feeling good but tired, which is ironic, since all I did was lay on the bed all day.  Go in for my Neulasta shot on Sunday.  My MO explained she will always give the Neulasta because she has seen too many infections from the chemo.  Told me what to expect in terms of SE's from that shot and if I need more than Tylenol, she will prescibe something.  I know I am going to ask for some more Ambien; this sleeping thing sucks. 

    Oh, by the way, the results came back on my node tumor and it was, drum roll please, HER2+.    Yippee skippee.  Wow, I must be tired, I have made SO many mistakes and keep deleting and re typing. 

    See my new pic?!

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  • sandik
    sandik Member Posts: 482
    edited June 2012

    Went to work this morning and took a nap. Had a shoot this afternoon and took another nap. Don't have to be at the wedding tomorrow until 2:30, so Im relaxing at home. So lucky that my son is a good cook. He's making dinner. If it was up to me we wouldn't have anything. Haha

    I think this round is really kicking my butt. I really hope taxol is easier. Don't know how I'm going to do another 3 months of chemo.

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited June 2012
    sandik- We have made it this far so I'll drag you to the chemo finish line if I have to!!!!  Not leaving you behind, twin!!!  Rest.... rest .... rest!!!!  HUGS!!!
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  • mary71145329
    mary71145329 Member Posts: 133
    edited June 2012

    Questions for those of you who have skipped the Neulasta shot.......I had the shot treatment one and bloodtest check going into treatment showed WBC high at 15.8range 4.4-10.4) and ANC high at 12.28(2.0-8.4). Had my labs done today(day 11 of treatment 2) and WBC is low at 1.6 and ANC is low at .03. Dr on call sent me home with a prophylactic antibiotic for 5 days and instructed me to lay low as I am very prone to infection. Is that really it? Not that I want the Neupogen but wouldn't this be the time to give it? And what are my chances of rebounding enough for another treatment on the 26th? I have no appointments or follow up between now and then. 

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  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited June 2012

    Dig the hair Vicki!

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  • vickilind61
    vickilind61 Member Posts: 338
    edited June 2012

    Thank you Stacie.

    sandik, you can do this.  don't want to, but can and will.  Because you are, wait for it....AWESOME!!!

    Itis time for me to rest; tookme 5 tries to get awesome done right?  I am just tragic today. 

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited June 2012

    Worked almost the whole day today.  Barely made it to 4 p.m. and I left.  I am exhausted.  

    Sandik:  Hope you get lots of rest for tomorrow. This round is kicking my butt too.  

    Dance:  Good for you for making lots of travel plans.  I am working for a girlfriend reunion maybe for mid-to-late July in Chicago.  Most of my plans will revolve around my son's wedding in September.  I would really like to get away somewhere with my DH before radiation.

    Vickilind:  love the new pic  You rock!

    Rgina and Gemmie:  Hope you have a restful weekend.

    Fierro:  Get the rx now for the ambien. Don't wait for your next treatment.  You need your rest.  Like Stacie, I will deal with getting off it after the chemo.  

    Beautiful poem, Stacie! 

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited June 2012

    Mary71- The short answer to your question is that it is possible to recover in time for your next treatment.  My onco does not have me go in for blood checks in between my chemo treatments ( every 3 weeks).  However, I know to call her asap if I have a spiking fever/chills or signs I have an infection.  I managed to skip Neulasta shots for Treatments #1 & #2.  About day 12 after #2 Treatment (it was Memorial Day weekend Sunday), I spiked a really high fever/had chills.  I called my onco asap & she called in antibotics for me to take so I could avoid the ER visit.  I took the antibotics and by the time of the Treatment #3, my WBC had recovered to the point it was the day of Treatment #2.  I did not go in prior to Treatment #3 for any lab work which; my lab work for Treatment #3 was the day of treatment and 12 days after the fever/chills incident.  I did receive a Neulasta shot the day after Treatment #3 to help me from having another fever/chills/infection incident.  Right now, your WBC is in nadir, the lowest WBC point.  That's why your onco told you that you are prone to infection right now.  No worries.  (FYI-- Cytoxan nadir point is day 10-14; while Taxotere nadir point is day 5-9, according to chemocare.com.)         

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  • rgina
    rgina Member Posts: 100
    edited June 2012

    Been home a couple of hours and I'm starving (not like I haven't been eating/drinking fluids since I woke up this morning)!  Told a friend it's like I'm a squirrel storing up food for winter the Herceptin only weeks, because in 2 days after the TCH everything tastes like yuk.

    My question of the week.  I got my lab results when I left and started looking at when I got home and my white count is very high (I've not had neulasta or neupogen my onc doesn't rountinely give it unless needed).  When I say high it's jumped from 6.7 last Friday to 13.6 this Friday on the range of 4.8-10.8 and my Gran % is up there too 72.5%.  Oncs office didn't say anything, but wouldn't/couldn't that be a reason for concern?  It's always been on the high end - initial before any chemo was 11.7, 10.7 and the lowest gran % was 64 - but still?  Anyone else experience similar?

    Do most of you all get steriods in addition to those prior to infusion?  I know steriod crash for many have been several days after and was just wondering if the reason I crash about 36-48 hours later is because I only get Aloxi for nausea and the dexamethasone prior to chemo and no other steriods?  (Okay that was 2 questions for the week:):)

    Vickilind -I love the Mohawk & pink hair - you are brave:)

    Sandik - hang in there and hope the wedding goes well tomorrow for you

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