April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

Thanks so much Marcia for that suggestion - but, I'm afraid to try the Metamucil due to a problem I had with it in the past (pre-chemo).  I took 1 capsule a day for like 3 days and ended up with terrible D train for 2 days.  Like so bad I couldn't go to work.  Crazy.  My system is dang sensitive.  Stupid GI tract!  Fiber does work well for most people, though.

Glad to make you guys laugh!   

I've heard another common side effect with chemo is taste buds alteration. Yet I don't recall that topic coming up on this thread before, at leat since I've been reading it for about 10 days. Any comments on taste buds alteration? If yes, how long last? Milk tasted bad to me earlier this AM.  Most other food tastes fine, and I'm on Day 5 out of chair.

  I lost 3 lbs. overnight due to the D train. I know that's not good, still it felt nice to see a number on the scale I haven't seen in over a year. I am trying to eat sensibly today. 

TriChick - Yay for getting those TEs out!  Some times I feel like ripping my chest open and pulling them out!

Gemmie - I've had food aversions (related to things I tried to eat while I had horrible heart burn), but thankfully no significant loss of taste sensation.  I do ice my mouth during the Taxotere infusion, and I wonder if less chemo going to my tastebuds has spared them...no proof, but that is my personal theory.

I was curious, so I did a google search and found a more technical article on taste loss that I think could be helpful to you all:

Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Dysgeusia - Continuing Education 

Specific recommendations made:

Several published studies (Hong et al., 2009; Rehwaldt et al., 2009) along with The American Institute for Cancer Research (2010) suggests the following for improving the flavor of foods:

• Consume foods that are cold or at room temperature.
• Avoid the use of metallic silverware.
• Add more seasonings and spices to foods, such as salt, oregano, basil, cinnamon, and ginger.
• Choose protein products with a mild flavor such as chicken, turkey, tofu, dairy products and eggs.
• Add sugar to decrease salty or bitter tastes.
• Reduce consumption of bitter or metallic tasting foods such as coffee, chocolate, and red meat.
• Marinate meats to change the taste.
• Choose frozen fruits such as melon balls, grapes, or oranges.
• Add fats and sauces to foods.
• Choose more bland foods.
• Suck on hard, sugarless candies.
• Drink more water with meals to help with swallowing or rinse away bad taste.
• Eat small meals several times a day.

In addition to modifying food preparation techniques, cognizant oral mouth care practices can alleviate some taste alterations. Frequent oral hygiene such as regularly rinsing the mouth and brushing the teeth are good suggestions.

What are TE's? Though I don't have them, or need them evidently, I'd like to know so I can properly sympathize and cheer you on.

Hi everyone,

I hope you had a good weekend with minimal side effects. 

Tomorrow morning I go for TX #2 and get to see my new port in action for the first time.  Wednesday morning I have to go back to the hospital for another CT scan to check the status of the lesion that was found on my liver.  Fingers crossed that it hasn't changed at all.  I am a bit nervous about having to drink the barium concoction the day after chemo TX #1, as I could barely keep water down for almost a week.

In preparation for the SEs to come based on first treatment, I have stocked up on ginger, ginger chews, carnation instant breakfast (since I cannot stomach Ensure), lentil soup, Gatorade, Senekot, Imodium and Claratin (for neupogen inection days that start Thursday for a week) oh and have already picked up all my meds.  Now I have to make a list of things to ask MO and remember to put said list in my purse, otherwise I will forget what I have to ask her!  One of my biggest issues but I do not know if it is caused by the chemo or the neupogen is the bone pain which at times was extreme to the point of my not being able to walk.  I am hoping that I can get some strong pain killers to help with those days.

Without all of you, I am not sure how I would cope right now.  I do have a great support system but tend to NOT tell anyone how I am really feeling because I am afraid of worrying them.  Silly I know but I have always been the type of person to keep things to myself when I am not feeling well.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here.  

Extra hugs to everyone who is having treatment this week and to those who just had treatment last week.

Big hugs to you all,

Misty

I know how glad I am about this spot. It's the double reality. When I have moments of feeling good, it almost feels like its not happening. It feels great, and I wonder if this IS happening. Then I am so exhausted, or ache, or can't eat, or look at my pale face and stubbly head. Ugh.

Here we can talk about gritty details even down to the mood swings. How to deal with our families/support. Yup, our group is sure helpful..

Gemmie, My taste buds have been wonky for weeks now. Coffee? Yuk! Milk? yuk! No breads, cereals, or starchy foods either. They all taste weird. Plastic silverware doesn't help me either. I drink everything cold, with ice. Always have. Even orange juice. The things that do taste good to me are salads, fruits and veggies and chicken. I think that's why I've lost weight. My body only likes the foods that I should be eating anyway. haha 

Saturday I had a wedding. I drank about 3 bottles of water before I went in. Ate lunch, took a nap while my partner loaded the gear. I had a banana and another bottle of water on the way to the wedding. We were there maybe 45 minutes, shooting outside, in the shade. My parner looked at me and said "do you feel ok?" I said "I don't know" I got really really hot, and next thing I know, I was on the ground and he was waking me up. I guess I hot the ground pretty hard and rolled down the hill. I've got road rash on my face. This was all before the ceremony started. The owner of the place was outside when it happened, so he helped me get cleaned up while my partner kept shooting. I felt like such a jerk. In my tumble, my scarf came off, so I just left that off since it adds about 20 degrees. I was about an hour from home, so I couln't just leave. I would never ever tell a bride on her wedding day that I was going home. So, I rested for about 40 minutes, then they gave me a chair in the back to sit in while I shot. haha The girls in the wedding party were all nurses, so they were all very nice. The groom's mom and a couple other people who knew what happened kept bringing me water through the evening. I could not wait til 10:00 to get out of there. I can just imagine what the people there thought. Look at that bald chick with the scuffed up face! 

I rested all day yesterday and called the MO today. She said that she thinks I was dehydrated. Even though I was drinking, I didn't drink enough to account for being outside, plus I had said that I was extra tired this time, so I should have drank more. She said I could come in for fluids today if I wanted to. Once she said that, I was like, oh crap, she told me way before I started chemo that if I felt tired and had a wedding coming up, that I could go in for fluids the day before to perk me up. Totally forgot about that conversation! Won't forget it now! haha

Needless to say, I am chugging lots and just sitting in my safe little office chair and editing all day like a good girl!

Lesson learned!!! Keep drinking. If you think you've had enough, drink some more! Sun is bad!! I feel like that guy from Benchwarmers who was afraid of the sun! haha 

Oh my sandik what a day you had! You poor thing.  Thankfully your partner was with you

Dancetrancer - No, what happened with me was I didn't try the Claratin until I was in pain and it did nothing to help.  Now, thanks to everyone here, I know to start taking it the day before and each day I have an injection to see if it will help.  As far as the pain level - 11 out of 10.  The pain of giving birth three times and suffering debilating migraines all of my adult and teen life don't even come close to the bone pain I have had.  When I called my MO to discuss, she said, that much pain is not common.  But, I see from this group and some others, that there are women out there with severe bone pain as well.

With each special occassion now, I find myself thinking that it could be my last one.  I always thought I cherished them before but now, like yesterday (Father's Day), and the recent birthdays of my two daughters, I often found myself thinking that I might not make it to the next one.  Does anyone else feel this way?

I love all the new pics everyone has up

Hugs,

Misty

Thank you sandik for the inspiration and the giggles.

hugs,

Misty

Thank yo so much Gemmie

hugs,

sandik; OMG!!!  Scary much?  Glad you are okay.  Just when you think you're hydrated enough, you pass out!  Take care and rest as much as you can, sweetie.

Gemmie, TE stands for Temporary Expander.  For those of us going through reconstruction with implants in the future.  I think I can safely say, we all HATE them!  They are so blasted uncomfortable.   There is a thread that gives most of the common abbreviations; I am finally not needing to go as often as when I first started.

Today is day four out from first tx and still feeling pretty good.  Lots of serious fatigue.  Minor tummy issues, soft stools, but that's really it.  Lucky me.

BTW, WELCOME TriChick!  Glad to have you on board. 

I think my partner will be reminding me the day before a wedding from now on. haha I think I really really scared the crap out of him. I told him that I'm telling everyone that he punched me in the face. haha