Starting Chemo July 2012

Lisa614...thank you so much for sharing each day. I've got teaching tomorrow and first of 4 T/C on Friday. Your strength and posting is giving me hope and courage. Thank you. 

Is Gatorade ok to drink for fluids? Ginger Ale or is it just water? 

Teeballmom:  If anything good has come of this, it's to know that my experience has helped someone else in any way possible.  You CAN do it....Just stay in the moment, don't think too far ahead.  Just think about today.    Being prepared with all the meds and various remedies helped me feel in control.  Start hydrating today....drink till your pee is clear.     My doc also put me on Ranitidine 150mg.  (OTC Zantac) for heartburn and acid reflux.   I started that about a week before.  

I did have a rather rough day yesterday with body pain, joint pain, and fatigue.  Slept on/off on couch most of the day.  Basically feels like the achy flu without the fever.  Took 3 Advil which did nothing so I had to take one of my Hydrocodone pills.   Felt much better and was able to sleep through the night.  

Woke up this morning and still feeling very weak with little appetite.  Am trying to eat some oatmeal so I can take another pill.  Needless to say, i am not going to work today.  I just wish I knew if it's going to get worse as the week goes on.  

Don't have the metallic taste in mouth that people talk of.

Everyone...hang in there...we will get through this! 

Lisa - day 4 was the hardest for me with feeling like I had the flu and then I woke up way less achey with more energy on day 5. I think if I hadn't been hit with a stomache bug/neutropenia on days 6-8 I would have been feeling really quite good. And I think what happened was pretty unusual. 

I'm only 10 days out, but my hair started falling out like crazy yesterday. I think that's early, but getting sick might  have speeded it up. My hairstylist was going to come by my house on Thursday. My hair is about 15 inches long and is making quite a mess so I decided to just cut it myself. I did about a 4-5 inch layered page boy and it turned out cute. I never thought I could cut hair so this was a good time to start.

My energy is back and I feel really good again. So far no pain from the neupogen.

cyano- Good for you for taking control over your hair before it controlled you!!!  I know it wasn't easy for you to decide to do that but I know it feels very liberating and it just helps you move forward with the hair going bye bye.

Lauren423- chemo brain is being forgetful and absent minded and unable to concentrate and focus after having chemo.  I've read in various places that it is real and not just something we all say as an excuse as to why we forget and/or confuse things after starting chemo.  Not only are we having the actual chemo infusions but also the pre-med drugs right before the chemo is being administered as well as anti- nausea drugs and any other drugs that one feels she needs (ie anti anxiety meds/ sleeping meds). 

mssunshine71-  Here is a link to the BCO section on types of chemotherapy drugs which should help you to decipher your chemo regimen

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/chemotherapy/medicines.jsp

• Adriamycin (chemical name: doxorubicin)
• Cytoxan (chemical name: cyclophosphamide)
• Taxotere (chemical name: docetaxel)

You can also go to the BCO chemotherapy section and read more about the side effects of your chemo.  I also go to the chemocare.com website to get more info about chemotherapy and the side effects .  Chemocare.com was founded by Scott Hamilton, the former Olympic ice skater who survived cancer.  Hope this all helps.  here is the link to that website:

http://www.chemocare.com/

Chemo 4/24/2012Taxotere/Cytoxan X 6 & Herceptin B-47 clinical trial:4/24.5/15.6/5/,6/26,7/17.8/7. DX 2/17/2012 Encapsulated DCIS 4cm/IDC 2cm, ER+/PR-/HER2- (+1), Stage IIb, Grade 3,0/5 Nodes

Mssunshine71 - I start on the 19th as well. I'm on Taxotere and Cytoxan every three weeks for six cycles and then radiation and then Tamoxifen. I get my port on the 19th and then go right into chemo. I'll be thinking of you!

And my treatment includes a second day of fluids and anti-nausea meds as well as Neurlasta. So it's two days of treatment for me each cycle.

Okay 7/11 girls:

Chemo starts tomorrow..how is everyone doing?  I'm going to try to drink a gallon of water today, tomorrow and 3 days after.  I hope everyone has a great day.  My  friends are taking me to lunch and we are going to see the movie "Magic Mike." I'm sure I'll be peeing every 15 minutes.  What better way to spend the day before chemo?! I have my Lidocaine with saran wrap ready to put over my port an hour before my appointment, my water bootles, snacks, Ipad (words with friends junkie) I'll remember to ask for ice chips, I have all the meds( Ativan, Oxycodone, Prochlorperazine)/mouth wash/claritin/new thermometer/plastic utensils/sennakot/purell...comfy outfit picked out.  My hubby is staying with me....did I forget anything?  I'm on the AC-T regimen, I will have a B-12 shot tomorrow also and Neulasta shot on Thursday.  And when I'm not peeing I'll be washing my hands A LOT.  I cut 7 inches off my hair and have a human hair wig on order, and I'm learning the art of scarf tying!

 My love and support to everyone...

Sending love to the 7/11 girls!



-lee-

Hey, ladies, finally checking in and catching up on your posts over the last few days.

 I began chemo on Monday the 2nd. My BFF and parents accompanied me, and everything went smoothly.  The only time it got tough is when my poor mom broke down as the nurse began the IV. After my dad escorted her back to the waiting area, I started to cry because I didn't want her to feel bad about not being able to watch it. My nurse was great - very patient and compassionate. I got all the anti-nausea meds first - at the infusion as well as in my chemo kit i.e the prescription drugs. The usual suspects - decadron, Enmed and compazine.  I was told by the research nurse (I'm in the b-47 study which is testing Herceptin on Her2- women) to take compazine only "as a rescue" on Day 4 or 5 but the chemo nurse told me to take one. Something told me to trust her, and I have not had a second of nausea.  Of course, I'm also taking the decadron and Enmed like clockwork and drinking like a fish! I'm usually not great at hydrating but the day before chemo and all through the first few days, I made it my business to drink a gallon of water each day! 

I was told that Day 2, I'd feel just fine, and lo and behold, I did!  I hung out with the BFF, full of energy and appetite. She accompanied back to the hospital for the Nuelasta shot, and I took a Claritin an hour before that, and every day through Day 5, and I haven't experienced any muscle or bone aches. 

The physical SEs I have been experiencing were alternating days of constipation and diarrhea for about two to three days. Not wanting to take any more drugs, I drank a lot of prune juice with honey.  My other BFF is a holistic gynecologist and she told me that I would have "dryness" SEs like constipation. The skin of my legs are a little dry, too. I've been brushing and rinsing with Biotene several times per day, and so far no mouth problems. 

I've definitely got carb cravings so I'm guessing that's the steroids, huh? Like...the thought of a salad over the past few days has made me go blecch, can you believe it?  Oh, and the steriods are making my arms and face break out. Honestly, I'd rather have that than be wired although I'm prepared to make use of the energy if I find myself wtih some to spare! 

Now my first few days of chemo coincided with a heat wave so I don't know if I was suffering hot flashes or not, but between the heat and going to the bathroom every few hours intent on flushing the chemo out of me, I didn't have the best sleep for about a night or two. Not flat-out insomnia, but I couldn't go for more than two hours without getting up. I also couldn't tell if it was the heat or chemo that was making me not want to do a damn thing those days.  Or maybe it was the steriods, too, messing with my moods, but I just had the blahs for two or three days and yet wasn't feeling physically sick at all. I did have a dull headache, too, that didn't make me want to attempt anything remotely cerebral which is tough for me because I'm a writer and reader. That was the most unsettling thing for me really. 

I've been attempting to exercise a little every day - at least 15-20 minutes of yoga (there's a great DVD specifically for women with BC if anyone's interested) plus a walk in the neighborhood and to meditate. For a few days during the heatwave it was challenging; I didn't want to do squat and yet I was worried that by not even trying, I might be giving some funky feelings - physically and especially emotionally - to take hold and once they did.... forget it. So I just told myself to just show up and try.  On Saturday I went to the gym (still too damn hot to walk outside) and then on Sunday to a meditation/reiki circle and that really helped me turn a corner emotionally and spiritually. 

Then the heatwave broke yesterday, and I've been prancing around like a FOOL!  Other than the breakouts and cravings, I don't feel any different than I did before chemo. Well, my poor vein is still pretty bruised. I'm having the port installed this Friday. With a dense-dose regimen, two weeks is not enough time for it to heal before another infusion, and I've only got one arm to give. 3 more cycles of AC then 12 weeks of Taxol every Monday? I definitely needed the port. 

So overall I feel really blessed that my first cycle is proving to be quite tolerable, and I'm hoping that everyone will eventually get to a point where you can say the same.  When it got tough, it was more emotional than physical for me, but that too passed.  Do what you have to do to take care of yourselves not only physically but emotionally and spiritually as well. 

Hi all, just checking in. Sorry to report that my days 4 and 5 were rough (mon and tues). Just like everyone said, feels like the worst body achy flu ever. Called doc yestereday because i was having very severe sharo pain in lower abdomen (everywhere else too). She said to just continue taking pain meds. All I've done for the last 2 days is sleep. I think i made a big mistake by taking the Lortab (hydrocodone and acetaminaphen) for the pain. It took the pain away but also made me a zombie...sleeping, no appetitie, etc. A friend who is a nurse told me to switch to Tylenol and Alleve. One Alleve every 12 hrs and tylenol for breakthrough pain. I must say i feel so much better this morning. They are controlling the body aches and i feel more human again. Also, this is day 6 so maybe I'm gettingover it as well.



Thinking of those starting today! You can do it....

Here goes!  Day 1 of AC-T.  Madelyn, we did just about the same prep, except I'm doing the haircut after the first infusion.  Water, water, water, and planning a good walk afterward.

dventi- Yes, I had a nosebleed once and fortunately, it didn't last very long.  Nosebleeds are a side effect and you do need to watch out if the nose bleed doesn't stop and keep track of the frequency and length of time that your nose bleeds.  You may want to chat with your onco about the nosebleeds at your next appt.   One of the places you may lose hair is also in your nose.  FYI:   You may want to carry an extra blouse/slacks with you to work as a just in case you need to change clothes.   Also, if you do get blood on your clothing and can change, you can still get the blood out of your blouse without waiting to get home from work.  Believe it or not, if you spit on the blood stain, the blood will come out.  There are enzymes in your saliva that will clean that stain right up.  Hope this helps.

Here is the yoga DVD I mentioned. 

http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Breast-Cancer-Patients-Survivors/dp/B0036LG0F4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342036358&sr=8-1&keywords=yoga+breast+cancer 

 I can't recommend it highly enough! 

I am one week from my date with the big girl chair and feeling a little neevous! But reading all of your posts on how things have gone has helped tremendously. I hope you all continue to have doable SE's. My family and I are enjoying a chemo moon at our favorite beach in Florida and I am loving every minute of riding waves and making sand castles with my kids (while I still have the energy!) Best of luck to all and thanks so much for sharing.