Sept 2012 chemo

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  • bearcub
    bearcub Member Posts: 485
    edited September 2012

    When life I was reading up about the I spy trial, can you do that close to home? The trial sounds promising you were lucky to get into. Did they go over your pathology yet? Once you are around people going through the same thing as you, it will feel like you are being hugged regularly.



    Firestorm sounds like you did great, hoping it continues.

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  • firestorm531
    firestorm531 Member Posts: 176
    edited September 2012

    Anyone know where I can get regular Claritin (not the 'D') in quantities less than 100?  I get my neulasta shot today :(

    Thanks! 

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

    firestorm- You can get regular Claritin in small packs at Walgreens, CVS, Randall's, Target.  Glad to hear you made it through the 1st round.  Hope your side effects are minimal!!!

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  • firestorm531
    firestorm531 Member Posts: 176
    edited September 2012

    Thank you Mel - you're the best!

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  • Cherioo
    Cherioo Member Posts: 305
    edited September 2012

    Hi ladies , hope you all are doing well today.I had my first treatment today doing good 7 more to go and staying positive . Going to take each day as it comes and believe for no SE . Amy hope yours went ok . Did anyone feel tired a couple hrs after treatment ?

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  • whenlifegivesyoulemons
    whenlifegivesyoulemons Member Posts: 184
    edited September 2012

    JoJo - glad to hear your'e feeling great.  Hope I'm as lucky once I get started.

    You're absolutely right about this being about grieving, and it's about acceptance.  I'm clearly not there yet.  Maybe after the treatment starts I'll feel like I'm more in control and less a victim.  Hate feeling like a victim.  Hate it. 

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  • whenlifegivesyoulemons
    whenlifegivesyoulemons Member Posts: 184
    edited September 2012

    Bearcub,

    Yes, I'm able to do the I-Spy 2 close to home.  The University of Minnesota is a participating trial site, and luckily it's 15 minutes from home.  There are other active trial sites around the country.  Mayo has it too - don't remember the other locations.  Haven't yet found out whether I've been randomized into one of the study drugs on top of the standard of care treatment.  It's a little overwhelming to also deal with the study requirments and tests on top of everything else, but even so it feels worth it if I might be able to do some good by participaing.  Participating is not without risks, nevertheless I'm at the point where I think something good should come out of this experience, right?   

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  • amylovesbubby
    amylovesbubby Member Posts: 53
    edited September 2012

    Cherioo......I have been tired since my treatment Tuesday. Very bad headache too! Get lots of rest next few days :)

    where in Florida are you?
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  • jojo2373
    jojo2373 Member Posts: 662
    edited September 2012

    Glad it went well Cherioo, i was tired and had a headache after mine. Have to wonder if any of the tiredness has to do with finally relaxing that its over?

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  • Cherioo
    Cherioo Member Posts: 305
    edited September 2012

    Hi Amy and jojo I am glad to know I am not alone feeling like this and it is day one . Will take my nauseous 12 HR pill at 6 tonight and will keep up with the other one every 4 hrs .sounds like you guys are doing better everyday

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  • firestorm531
    firestorm531 Member Posts: 176
    edited September 2012

    I'm on day 2 of my headache...but I'm going to follow the advice from another thread to have the drip slowed down on the cytoxan to see if that's the culprit.  Got another dose of anti-nausea meds through my port today but can tell that my apetite is slipping and fast; just so not interested, I'd rather just sleep.  Bones are a little achey from the neulasta, but that's to be expected - luckly my doc handed me a healthy sized bottle of vicodin to help :)

    I hope everyone has better days tomorrow  

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  • mycancerjourney
    mycancerjourney Member Posts: 2
    edited September 2012

    I start my treatment on September 13, 4 x AC every two weeks; then 12 weeks Taxol; then possibly radiation;  My first diagnosis was in July of 2010 I had mastectomy no lymph nodes involved; then one lymph node showed up postive on PET scan in July 2012 so now will have chemo treatments with a port being put in on September 12.

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  • sherbab
    sherbab Member Posts: 106
    edited September 2012

    Bearcub - my treatment is 4 x AC every two weeks; then 12 weeks Taxol....hopefully that will be it but I will know more on the 19th.  it sounds like the same as many here including mycancer but I wont have to have radiation becasue I elected the BMX.

     Cheerio - after my first treatment yesterday I felt like a walking zombie but today I felt much better and spent a lot of the day away from the house trying to get more of my to do list done.  Hang in there!

    Today I went for my Neulasta shot today and opted for it in my stomach...great decision on my part, no pain.  I did take the advice many have given and took Claritin and Aleve and I didn't have the flu like symptoms - thank you!!

     Sounds like it has been a very busy week for all as Jojo predicted a couple of days ago! 

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  • firestorm531
    firestorm531 Member Posts: 176
    edited September 2012

    Has anyone noticed their breast get hot and red? My right one is noticeably red and hot to the touch...same breast where I had my lumpectomy on July 16th...

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  • Foreverchanged72612
    Foreverchanged72612 Member Posts: 223
    edited September 2012

    Hello,

    First time posting on this thread. Scheduled to start chemo on Sept 10. 12 weeks of taxol and herceptin followed by 4 cycles of FEC and herceptin. Then surgery. Then radiation. What is the first treatment like? 

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited September 2012
    firestorm- You may want to have that breast checked out.... red and hot to the touch may mean there may be an infection.  Call your breast surgeon today if you can.
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  • jojo2373
    jojo2373 Member Posts: 662
    edited September 2012

    Welcome foreverchanged and mycancerjourney - you will find support and love from these wonderful women here!

    Sherbab - I love your description of feeling like a "walking zombie"!  That summed it up perfectly :-) 

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  • Amy4978
    Amy4978 Member Posts: 473
    edited September 2012

    Good morning ladies...

    Went through my first chemo yesterday with flying colors.. I arrived at 10am and was there till 3pm. It was just my husband and I he catered to my every need and held my hand through the Doxorubicin (the red stuff) I was most nervouse about this one due to its toxicity. My biggest fear was allergic reaction or bad port placement. I really started to freak when my port would not let the nurse pull blood back into the tubes to see if it was in a vein.. but turns out my port is just as stubborn as me and wanted me to lay back and put my arm up before it would work. ah! just like me has to be my way lol

    they started me on 20 mins of Aloxi and Decadron(anti nasusea)

    followed by anothe 20 of Emend then(anti  nausea)

    the doxorubin followed by cytoxin

    I opted for the private room which was nice, quite and I was able to turn the lights down and watch a little TV.

    I was home by 5 after errands was very tired and was battling a headache that had been there since I woke( I think it was a stress headache) but the chemo seemed to intensefy it.

    I ate a light dinner and was in be by 9pm with my melatonin in hand I slept till 3 am and woke to a uneasy stomach so I ate a piece of bread along with a small glass of juice took a prochlorperazine and went back to bed till 8am. I am due for my shot at 1230 today and plan to go for the stomach.

    all in all not to bad yet! 

    Firestorm I would go call the doc asap.

    JOJO my nurse said claritn will help with the headaches from chemo and wont make you so sleepy like benadryl. Hope you are kicking this cold! Sorry to hear about your mom but on the up side I too am negative for the Brca1 & Brca2 everyone of us is different and will handle this in our way. Praying for you.

    Bearcub wondering if you are triple positive? I am and thought that could be why we are on the same treatment for chemo.

    Well 1st chemo done 15 to go! heres to no hair in less than 2 weeks.. I tell you this chemo Is crazy Its hard to absorb making yourself sick to feel better. 

    One stride at a time... We got this!

    Hugs!

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  • jojo2373
    jojo2373 Member Posts: 662
    edited September 2012

    Great news Amy!  I will plan on trying the Claritin next round.  Tell me about the Melatonin?  Are you taking that for sleep?  Of all my nausea meds, I found the ativan at night helped me the best.  Made me relax plus eased my nausea the most.  

    Hoping everyone has a great day and feels as well as you can! 

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  • Cindi74
    Cindi74 Member Posts: 363
    edited September 2012

    September Team   of the Exclusive Club No One Wants to Join

    AmylovesBubby

    Bearcub                                Prince George, British Columbia

    Firestorm531                        Texas

    Melrosemelrose (visitor from April)                    Houston, Texas

    Cherioo                                Florida

    Whenlifegivesyou lemons       Minneapolis

    Jojo2373                              Maryland

    Mycancerjourney                   Illinois

    Sheerbab                              Dallas, Texas 

    Foreverchanged72612            Chelsea,  Quebec

    Amy4978                              Howard City, MI

    Cindi74                                 Apopka, Florida

    Terri-11

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  • Cindi74
    Cindi74 Member Posts: 363
    edited September 2012

    Hope you don't mind.  I realized that the next year should find most of us together.  Reading some of the months previous to us, I realized that once my hair goes--in about 2 to 3 weeks, it will be almost a year before I have hair again.   Glad I bought that wig.  Some of us are on slightly different formulations.  Some lump, and some mx.  But I suspect we are going to come to know each other pretty well.  No Aussies in yet.  Hope they are all sleeping soundly.  Sorry to meet you like this, but since we are in this boat together, somehow, we must all get to a better place together.  For those old enough to remember pacman, a friend who had breast cancer about 15 years ago told me she imagined the chemicals rushing through her body to eat up the bad cancer cells.  Worked for her.  Hope you all have a painless and perfect day.  I start A/C Wed.  Today is my birthday--although my large family had a great birthday weekend for me last weekend.  Dinner,  Party, Breakfast, over 24 there--8 children and 11 grandchildren and spouses and gag gifts.  2nd marriage--some his, some mine, now all ours.

    I'm going to drink a cup of tea in honor of this new club I've joined.  Hugs to all of you.

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  • Amy4978
    Amy4978 Member Posts: 473
    edited September 2012

    Jojo melastonin is a natural chemical our pineal gland makes I have read lots of studies on it and breast cancer..

     www.naturalnews.com/033511_melatonin_cancer.html

    Not sure how to get the copy and paste to work on this site... but it will be in my Fb log in my group. This article has amazing things to say about fighting cancer as well as helping in sleep I currently take 5mg pernight but am thinking of bumping it to 10mg. My MO and BS both agree it is a great thing to utilize during cancer treatments.

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  • jojo2373
    jojo2373 Member Posts: 662
    edited September 2012

    Cindy - that is wonderful what you did - TY and Happy Birthday!  A group of women who would have never known each other prior to cancer.  There are gifts that are given along with the diagnosis.

    Amy -  great article!  I thought I had researched everything..lol.  I particularly liked the reference to the ER blocking properties (being ER+).  

    I will be sure to pick up some today.

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  • Foreverchanged72612
    Foreverchanged72612 Member Posts: 223
    edited September 2012

    Cindi74 - Thanks for putting it together like that. I hope to be leaning on or helping others in leaning on me in the year ahead. Glad I have a group to go through this with.

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  • bearcub
    bearcub Member Posts: 485
    edited September 2012

    Cindi wow we are from all over, helping each other with no boundaries!..Happy Birthday!



    Amy no I am not triple positive, er and her2+. Pr - .like you about 2 weeks till the hair goes. Oh well I am done AC in November so will be wishing for hair growth for Christmas!



    Forever good luck on the 10th! ..



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  • Cherioo
    Cherioo Member Posts: 305
    edited September 2012

    Amy, glad you got through your first round . I was like you a little nervous when they gave me the red devil but all went well. I toad a headache last night and very tired . Did not sleep well until I took a ambiem . Feel good today little tired but that is ok . Going to get my shot at 2 in stomach as well.



    Cindy happy birthday to you







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  • Amy4978
    Amy4978 Member Posts: 473
    edited September 2012

    Bearcub are you also taking taxol? I was told my hair won't grow back on that. Was hoping though! I am triple with all.



    Jojo yes pick some up its pretty cheap.

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  • Foreverchanged72612
    Foreverchanged72612 Member Posts: 223
    edited September 2012

    Hey Amy4978 - I'm triple positive too! I am starting on Taxol and herceptin and then moving on to FEC and herceptin. Surgery not scheduled until after - some time in Feb. I think.

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

    Cindi74-Just wanted to let you know that I am PFC --- done with chemo as of August 7th!!! 

    I've been visiting this thread to give support, encouragement and help to all of the wonderful gals of this September 2012 chemo thread.  I am on the April/May 2012 Chemo Hang out thread where we shared and talked about chemo and everything else.  It has been a great place to share the good days and not so good days of our time in Chemoland.  Thanks for including me on your September list though definitely not necessary.  So if anyone has questions, please don't hestitate to private message me.  I'll keep checking this thread from time to time and happy to help and support everyone in any way I can. 

    Wishing everyone an enjoyabale weekend and minimal side effects. Cool

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  • bearcub
    bearcub Member Posts: 485
    edited September 2012

    Amy, no Taxol for me, just 4 rounds AC, rads and Herceptin.

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