Starting Chemo July 2012

dventi--

I'm on TC, not TCH, and I had mild sore throat after first chemo. Now, after second chemo last Thursday, I'm having a dry cough with a bit of sore throat.

Susan--

Another vote for the group hug!

I think I'm doing a bit better after second chemo than first. At least I'm not having the killer cconstipation that I had last time. Now I'm using Miralax to keep everything moving and that seems to be working well. I'm having similar amount of nausea to last time. Once again, my taste buds have taken a sabbatical and the best foods are tasteless; lesser foods are pretty awful. I'm struggling to find things I can tolerate drinking, doing my best to keep hydrated....

I'm not sure what (other than luck) determines frequency and severity of side effects, but I'm appreciating my center's procedures: Premedicating on chemo day with saline, steriods, and anti-nausea drugs, than taking a longer time than some other places with the major drugs. For me, it takes 90 minutes to administer taxotere and an hour for cytoxan, than more salline before I leave.

Here's to an easy week for all of us!

MaddyMac,

 Here's a big hug. Sorry you're feeling alone. Just know that you have a whole family here.

For the thrush, ask your oncologist for magic mouthwash with nystatin. It cleared up thrush fairly quickly for me. I also started taking probiotics again (check with your oncologist if s/he is ok with probiotics).

Maddy - here's a big hug for you {{{HUG}}}

Anyone having trouble with their gums? I feel like mine are receeding on the bottom front teeth. I brush very carefully with a soft toothbrush and biotene. Then I rinse with either the baking soda mix or the biotene rinse.

Yes - gums and tongue - ugh - nothing is normal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The Biotene toothpaste seems to help and the rinse. I has Thrush after the 1st chemo and it started to come nack after the second but I used the Nystatin rinse and it got rid of it. I've also had nose bleeds -about 4-5 days after the treatment. Lots of fun. I was sooooo hungry yesterday - just weird after nothing sounding good last week - but I guess just go with whatever. One week til my 3rd chemo and my hair is sort of coming back - it look slike a guy who hasn't shave for about a week - I miss my hair so much  I have never been a hair person - but I think I will be now.

teeballmom---loll! you made me laugh about watching Food Network.  Try ginger candies (they are called gin gins) and cinammon drops.  If you cant find the gin gins in a store.. I just ordered on Amazon because the store I previoulsy bought them from were out of stock. Great for nausea and metallic taste.

I just had 3rd tx last Wed -my worst days were Sat and Sunday.

Have been struggling with drinking something I can tolerate .. Seems like every treatment, some else doesnt taste good. Was doing fine with club soda and lime.. Now I despise it.. So I found that Coconut Water is going down fine.....

I had my 2nd T/C on Thursday of last week (8/9).  I had few side affects with the first treatment, and fewer this time. I post to let those who have not received a treatment know that it may not be as bad as they fear.  I was so frightened, but have not had much difficulty.  Fatigue, both physical and mental.  Some depression this time. But really no stomach or digestion problems with my 2nd treatment, and I re-bounded faster.

I drank over a gallon of water on the day of (8 big bottles - 184 ounces). I started drinking water with lemon the day after because I was so bloated with water weight (from steroids, I think). Also took a laxative the day before to "clear things out", as I had constipation with my first treatment.  Not sure if those things helped, but just passing the info. along.

I send hugs to those of you who are feeling dreadful.

My AC #3 also kicked my butt. I am like a big slug. I have no energy. I don't even know if I have thrush or what, but my mouth is just eggghhh. I cheer for Natalie, who was going to gym...wow...she is a champ. My thoughts go out to everyone, hang in there!

Lifeonitside:  I am so sorry about your Dad, may he rest in peace.

I am so far behind, no way I can catch up with everyone.  I had my 2nd DD AC treatment on 8/9 and am so tired.  I do hope that it goes away.  My platelet count in 110K so I am guessing that is the reason.  

Now, question for you veterans...I had my head buzzed last week, the day before my 2nd treatment because I could not imagine my hair falling out in clumps much less cleaning up after myself.  Well, low and behold, I still have my hair.  Do you think I won't lose it and I had it buzzed for nothing?  At this point, I really don't care, good excuse to go with my natural color of grey but just wondering if I will or will not lose my  hair.  *sigh*

For everyone experiencing SE's I hope they go away quickly!

I'm glad I buzzed mine down to stubble because it definitely was falling out in some areas, I'd rather have control over it than look like a dog with mange!

Awe, thanks Melrosemelrose!  So you never lost all of your hair -- interesting.  We ARE all beautiful!  From my first treatment, this is day 19 and right now, if it falls out, it falls out.  At least I no longer have the colored hair and will be going natural from now on...I think. 

 Lifeonitsside, you started chemo a week before me -- when did you start losing your hair?

I guess part of me wants it to fall out becasue that tells me it is killing the fast growing cells but as tired as I am, I do know that someing is going on with this toxic dump inside me.  

Susan, so sorry you are still experiencing nausea and dry heaves -- and I'm complaining about being tired!  Shame on me!  

Hugs to each of you lovely ladies!

On Day 13 I was getting gas--moved my hair out of my face and a very large hand full came with my hand. Day 14 and 15 had a sink full and clogged shower. Shaved on day 16--had strands remaining. 

Am sleeping on a flannal pillow case--found my regular ones pull the stubble. Flannal is hotter-but doesn't hurt. Weird. I know 

My hair fell out in large clumps about a week after the first round. However, I was in the hospital then with neutropenia which probably sped things up. I didn't lose all of my hair. I have bald patches and patches of hair which are thin. I have round 3 tomorrow and I have stubble in the bald batches. I cut my hair in a pixie and the hair which didn't fall out has grown. My hair is naturally curly so the thin hair stands up vertically about 4 inches in every which direction. So I have a spectacularly bad hair do. Think patchy Albert Einstein. In real life, I am a mad scientist so it's pretty funny. Having some hair is good with the bandanna because I can spread it out where it sticks out under the bandanna and it looks like I do have hair.

So TC #3 went pretty well today. My nurse tried something a little different to see if we can prevent the allergic reactions I'm having at the IV site. She ran the Taxotere in conjunction with an additional saline drip to see if diluting it in the IV will stop the rashes I'm getting. It looks like I burned my arm with a hot pan. Then late lunch at Olive Garden with mom and picked up some groceries on the way home.
Funny thing happened when we stopped behind a vehicle making a left turn (Less than a quarter mile from my house). The car behind us didn't stop till he ran into us!! (His cell phone rang and he looked down to see who it was... young dumb kid.)  Let me tell you, it sounded just like the replays on NASCAR!! One minute I was looking out the front window the next I was looking up at the roof of the car! (Both of our seats laid back on impact so we didn't really have any forward return movement, not sure if that was suppose to happen or just a malfunction). No serious injuries any of the vehicles, just some cuts and bruises for both of us. Mom has a bump on her forehead and my feet must have gone forward and connected with the bottom of the dash. I have a ruined pedicure and Mom's got a couple of broken fingernails. I suspect we'll be pretty sore tomorrow tho. Sadly the car didn't fare as well and will probably be totaled. The rear of the car was pushed up so far that the wheel wells were tight against the rear tires and they would not turn when they pulled the car up on the rollback It was a good little car and I know Mom will miss it. But we are both grateful to be able to walk away from the accident.

I had a pretty sweaty head over night from the steroids and didn't really feel like getting another shower this morning, so I used a wash cloth and some baby shampoo to wipe my head and face off.  (The Taxo-tears get icky by morning) When I was finished wiping my face, I saw that I had little dark stubbles all over it.  Apparently some of the hair that is growing in on my head got taken out by the wash cloth!  I have so much peach fuzz that most everyone thinks I was crazy for shaving my head, but *I* know that it was the right thing to do because I would look like a half plucked kewpie doll by now and who wants to see that?  I think I prefer the bald look to the thin/patchy hair look.  I think it was day 16 that I got the itchy feeling that what was left from the short buzz cut was going to have to go.   Just remember... we are NOT our hair! 

Keep swinging gals, we are getting thru this one day at a time.  Peace and restful dreams to all! 

SusanHG123- That hair stubble does get caught in regular cotton pillow cases.  I purchased a pair of polyster satin pillowcases at Ross for less than $6.00 and slept on those for a while which helped.

Easy times in the BGC for those who have chemo this week and minimal side effects for all!!!