Starting Chemo July 2012

Congrats to Melrose for graduating from Camp Chemo!  and no Rads!!  We are all cheering for you 

#3 of 4 for me on Tuesday and have such mixed emotions.  Happy that I'm almost there but dreading it because my taste is juuuuuust starting to be almost normal this weekend and everything will be back to tasteless crap next week.  UGH!!  

Will leave you with this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt-- You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' 

So last night I took the plunge...my head is shaved. Yesterday was a crazy emotional day leading up to it. But as many of you have said, I needed to take control. So at 10 p.m. last night, my sister-in-law who is a stylist, shaved my head and my brother-in-law followed suit. I cried a little but at the same time smiled because I took control. The best part was when my husband said "Em, I'm not blowing smoke up your a** it looks really good." Just wanted to share my experience with you ladies and thank you again for all of your support!

Ann - glad to hear that you are feeling a little better

PAeagles - That has been one of my go to quotes over the last few weeks.

We are a bunch of beautiful bald ladies taking on the world! Shaved mine right down to the skin yesterday for a photo shoot with a henna tattoo on the top of my head. I'll post pics when I get them. Really beautiful work. This morning, my boyfriend laughed and said I look like a super villain with my shaved head and suggested I take over the world. I think that's a good plan.



Second treatment went better than the first, tho the nausea was worse this time but very little bone pain. Never gonna be easy but I am grateful for such minimal side effects.

My friendwho's gone thru this with Cytoxan/Taxotere suggested dark/black polish because Taxotere is light sensitive. I've been doing black polish with sparkles for fun and my nails are fine so far.

Hi, I'm new to this site. Just started reading through the posts here. I was diagnosed with IDC on June 6. After many discussions with doctors, I decided to have chemo first, then lumpectomy. I am married with 2 boys ages 6 and 9. They are very energetic and hard for me to keep up with.

I started chemo on July 5. Taxotere and Cytoxan. I'm scheduled for 4 treatments at 3 week intervals. I've had 2 so far. Yay! Halfway there. I have my 3rd treatment coming up this Friday. My second treatment did not go so well. I had a reaction to the taxotere, about 15 minutes in. My upper back and shoulders felt real tight, then I got short of breath. I pushed the nurse call button, and they immediately knew what was happening at first sight of me. I got oxygen, which helped. The pain also went to my lower back. They stopped the taxotere, started a pain med and additional steroids. Things got better, and they slowly restarted the taxotere. We (my husband was with me the whole time) were there from 9am to 5pm. I was wiped out!

I also had phlebitis at the 1st injection site- the vein was dark red/brownish for a couple weeks. The 2nd injection site is similar, but hurts like a bruise as well. This time around I'm more tired. I was expecting to have more energy like the 1st treatment cycle.

Has anyone else had these problems? How concerned should I be about the health of my veins? I don't have a port, and have just 2 more treatments to go. I'm concerned about continuing the C&T drugs. I'm waiting for a call back from my oncologist.

NDbcfighter, sorry you had such a hard time with the 2nd infusion.  I just finished 2nd round of AC.  I did not have an immediate reaction like you did, but I was surprised how much harder it was to bounce back, both physically and mentally.  My MO warned me the fatigue from chemo is cumulative and told me to prepare for it.  It still caught me off guard since the first one went pretty easy. 

My clinic also does not use ports routinely.  I was told I *will* get vein damage (great huh?).  I have a bit of a sore spot in the vein up my arm from the 1st infusion site.  I don't fully understand the tradeoff, I was just told ports have their own problems.  I wasn't real eager to get one anyway.   I did ask them to use my cancer-side arm from now on, since I won't be able to have needle sticks there after surgery.  I figure I'd better save the "good" arm from vein damage if I can.  They don't seem to have a policy on it either way for us neo-adjuvant women. 

I hope your 3rd treatment goes better. 

Here's the link for the henna tattoo series I did with my bald head. Adam Southard did a great job with the photos and Melissa Collins created a beautiful mandala representing strength. Such a great experience!

http://flickr.com/gp/lifeonitsside/2rS2j1/

_Ann_  That's a good idea for the surgery-side arm. It seems my chemo brain is taking over my creative thinking and problem solving... I will be sure to ask for left-side IV on Friday.

I have had several kinds of reaction you mentioned. First is the phlebitis, which is a dark vein spot on my hand at the injection site. Second was folliculitis- a skin infection. It wasn't itchy, but like red pimples all over my chest. My face broke out a lot, too, but thankfully wasn't red and blotchy. I got antibiotics to clear that up. Now I have to take an acne antibiotic until I'm done with chemo. The 3rd reaction was feeling generally itchy all over. I didn't have hives, though I did give myself a bruise from rubbing an itchy spot too hard. Benadryl and steroids helped with the itchiness. At least the steroids haven't messed up my sleeping too much!

My onco office called back. I will continue on taxotere/cytoxan, but they will give me more pre-meds this time. I hope that works. I didn't realize it going into my 1st chemo that C&T seem to be 'stronger' kinds. But I got that impression from others I've talked to about this.

I try to think positive about at least one thing every day. At least I still have some hair on my head! It might be short (1/2 inch), but it's mine! And I still have eyebrows & eyelashes.

Blessings to all of you

hello everyone out there in chemo lane ,havent posted in last few weeks, but i have be reading all posts so keeping updated, lifeon ..i am so sorry to hear about the death of your father i know this will be a very difficult time for u but u are in my prayers, still talk away to him and he will give u strength, life is one big battle field at the moment.        i am due my 3rd tch tomorrow and i am dreading it, my second treatment was worse, se lasted much longer and my anxiety levels very high even had a panic attack, not used to all this loss of control;  i have a port insitu but i know my team always take blood and even bloodpressure from my non affected side i think this may have to do with reducing the risk of lymphodema post surgery.speak to your onco about this. if u r having so many problems with your veins could u not suggest having a catheter port or hickmans line inserted.                        good thoughts to u all....... dreading tomorrow

SusanHG123

I had awful headaches from the zofran too after the first tx. They prescribed me butalbital which seemed to help but then it's one more med. This time I took the compazine and increased ginger including sucking on preggo suckers to help with the nausea. I wasn't nausea free but will take that over not being able to hold a conversation or have a light on any day.

Nat - you are such a champ with your workouts. I was a fitness nut before this started and I really have to get back into something. I vow to walk this week while I am feeling good.

Madelyn - I am so happy to see you back. I've felt a bit out of sorts these last few days and thought of you this morning.

Susan - I had a bad headache after my first round. Then the nurses adjusted the drip time on the cytoxan - went from a 30 min drip to 45 mins for round two. This made a world of difference for me. Not sure what time frame you rec. meds on but it might be worth asking about.

NDbc - I had problems with acne too. I read that it is from all the steroids that we are getting. My onc told me to use topical cream - not working!

Started feeling more like myself yesterday, which took two days longer than it did after round one of AC. The emotions were out of control this last round too. I was a blubbering mess on Thursday and Friday. Hugs to everyone tonight