Sept 2012 chemo

love dr Seuss.....

Oh carla thank you so much.....i will defently get the best out of this...quick questions did you keep you nipples...or your gonna tattoo them??? i feel that its not that bad right its not that painful correct??

Hi Patricia, I am looking at having my head shaved today. Nervous but it has to be done. I had my double mastectomy first then chemo , I chose go get it both done so that in feb I can get my reconstruction after three weeks of radiation after chemo

Good afternoon all my sisters:

Everyone is out of the house for the moment.  So, I have taken this opportunity to cry and post where everyone understands. 

I have not posted on here since starting TC chemo on September 4th.  Round #2 on September 25th.  Not looking forward to it at all.  My first round, I had a UTI infection (I guess due to the Cytoxin) which irritates the bladder, extreme fatigue, the type of fatigue that makes you feel like you are covered in cement, went for hydration 6 days after tx, which really did not do much, had my blood drawn 9 days after 1st round and my WBC was 1.2 (I did take the Nuelasta) and day 10 two lymph nodes popped out under my ear.  I went back to work day 10.  I cannot believe this knocked me down so hard.  I did not leave my bedroom for 3 days.  The anxiety from being so fatigued has left me feeling anxious and scared for round #2 on Tuesday.  Anyone else have similar fatigue as I described?  First, I don't know what my MO is going to say about those nodes under my ear -- maybe antibotics?  The other SEs I had were the popular ones, but not too bad.  My fingernails also have grooves on them already.  I have them short, polish and hard as nails on them as well.  This is harder than I anticipated.  I am going to ask my MO to cut down the dose -- I felt like I was drugged like a dog.

Also, at work or going out in public, I feel so exposed with my wig.  I had long higlighted hair, full and thick and there is just no way to duplicate that look with a wig.  I just want to crawl under my covers and hide for a few months under my treatment is over.  Unfortunately, I can't.  However, it does sound appealing at this point.

Cindi, thanks  for keeping a running list.  I am 49, have two sons, 26 and 19 and I am married.  I found my lump.  Had a mammogram in the end of January -- all clear and found the lump exactly 4 months later.  

Okay, done sobbing -- have to pick myself back up before my husband gets home from my mother-in-law's old folks home.  She is 92 and in decent health for her age.  All she does is bitch that she is ((BORED)) and none of her friends come to visit her.  The truth is no one visits her because she has outlived everyone!  Trying to be so strong and keep it together. 

Here is my song that gives me strength, yet makes me cry (Four Tops - I guess I also love this song because I'm from Motown)

 Now if you feel that you can't go on (can't go on),

Because all of your hope is gone (all your hope is gone),
And your life is filled with much confusion (much confusion),
Until happiness is just an illusion (happiness is just an illusion),
And your world around is crumbling down, darlin',
(Reach out) Come on girl reach on out for me,
(Reach out) Reach out for me,
I'll be there with a love that will shelter you,
I'll be there with a love that will see you through,

When you feel lost and about to give up (to give up),
Cause your life just ain't good enough (just ain't good enough),
And your feel the world has grown cold (has grown cold),
And your drifting out all on your own (drifting out on your own),
And you need a hand to hold, darlin'
(Reach out) Come on girl reach out for me,
(Reach out) Reach out for me,
Hah, I'll be there to love and comfort you,
And I'll be there to cherish and care for you,

(I'll be there to always see you through,
I'll be there to love and comfort you),
I can tell the way you hang your head (hang your head),
Your not in love now, now your afraid (you're afraid),
And through the tears you look around (look around),
But there's no piece of mind to be found (no piece of mind to be found),
I know what your thinking,
You're alone now, no love of your own, but darling,
(Reach out) Come on girl reach out for me,
Reach out (Reach out).......... just look over your shoulder,
I'll be there to give you all the love you need,
And I'll be there you can always depend on me,
I'll be there to always see you through,
I'll be there to love and comfort you 

Wishing all my sisters an easy time with treatment this week and all recovering with minimal SEs. 

Wendy49

Looks like we have some similarities. My first chemo is Tues, so hoping it is not that bad. I am very worried about the UTI symptoms.  I have had a history ot UTI's.  Just finished one year without one, but it is precarious. I know I am susceptible. I am also worried about the wig.  I bought one, a fairly good match, but to me if you look twice you can tell it's a wig.  It's much more puffed out than my hair.  I bought a hooded sweatshirt, and I've been looking at hats too.  I mean how long can you wear a wig without it getting annoying?  oh well, cross that bridge when I come to it.  Hope you feel better...

Hi all, So glad for this site. I too started TC x 4 and had my first the 6th of Sept. Had the decadron and anti nausea meds and did ok till day 4 .No nausea, but no appetite since everything taste like metal.  I broke out in a "poison ivy like" rash, terribly  itchy on neck, armpits and groin. After the first Solumedrol(steroid) dose pk, I wasn't ripping skin, but then it came back the next day on arms, legs,back, and the worsrt the firey itch on  my hand-you can't even put warm water on them- it feels lkie a chemical burn !. I am on day 3 of my 2nd Solumedrol pk with no relief as yet .I have also tried (without relief)- Caladryl, Cortisone cream, Benadryl cream, Allegra, Benadryl and AloVera.  My next chemo is this Friday and I am going to try the old Taxol, hopefully no more rash issues and i can get some sleep !Only 3 treatments left. Praise God !

Hi all, So glad for this site. I too started TC x 4 and had my first the 6th of Sept. Had the decadron and anti nausea meds and did ok till day 4 .No nausea, but no appetite since everything taste like metal.  I broke out in a "poison ivy like" rash, terribly  itchy on neck, armpits and groin. After the first Solumedrol(steroid) dose pk, I wasn't ripping skin, but then it came back the next day on arms, legs,back, and the worsrt the firey itch on  my hand-you can't even put warm water on them- it feels lkie a chemical burn !. I am on day 3 of my 2nd Solumedrol pk with no relief as yet .I have also tried (without relief)- Caladryl, Cortisone cream, Benadryl cream, Allegra, Benadryl and AloVera.  My next chemo is this Friday and I am going to try the old Taxol, hopefully no more rash issues and i can get some sleep !Only 3 treatments left. Praise God !

Jojo you look great with no hair . I am getting mine done tonight ...

Hi waitingforthenex:

The treatment itself is not a bad, the anticipation, as you have read in these posts is worse than the actual event.  I wish you luck on Tueday -- I'll be thinking of you!  You may want to mentioned to your doctor about your UTI issues.  Maybe he/she will put you on something to prevent one from occurring.  Since it has been cool over the weekend in Michigan, I have been able to put on a light weight hat, which makes me more comfortable out in public.  To answer your question "how long can you wear a wig without it getting annoying?"  Since last week was the first week I wore it to work, I had to take several breaks and went in the bathroom to take it off.  I hate it!  At work, I would put my hair up in a pony tail.  With a wig, I can't do that and its annoying.  

You will do fine with your first treatment on Tuesday. I know you are anxious, but you will have one down and the time does go by fast.   

I had my 5th of 5 neupogen shots today; let's hope they did their job! I had my blood tested Friday and the white blood cell count was still really low. I did have heavy duty low back pain that day so hopefully that was a sign the cells are back in business. I'll get my blood tested again on Wednesday.

I just read that you shouldn't eat feta cheese with a weak immune system. So much for my original dinner plans! Looking on the bright side, I may not be able to eat some of my favorite foods, but so far I haven't lost my sense of taste.

Tomorrow I'm going to a Look Good Feel Better session. I haven't started losing my hair yet, but I have it cut really short and I have a wig, so maybe I can gain some confidence about actually wearing the wig at the session. Right now I feel so terribly conspicuous!

Best of luck to everyone; you're all amazing women!

See Patricia - our cheerleader! Wink.



Becki - thats how i feel too, like the first trimester of pregnancy.



I think many of us are doing the Look Good Feel Better tomorrow. Looking forward to sharing notes.

Becki,

I'm doing weekly Taxol too, my 3rd infusion was last Friday.  So far so good, but I've still got A/C ahead of me, and that, based everyone's posts, seems like a bugger.  I also skipped a period and I'm sure that was due to extreme stress.  I'm told this treatment will smash me right into menopause and since I'm 46 that's probably the end of that.  I get that menopause is inevitable, but I'm really not looking forward to being introduced to the topic in such a harsh and chemically induced manner.

Liz 

Cheriooo...go girl......i wanna see pictures im sure you look awsome.....welcome to our beauty baldy months!!!!!!!

Patricia,  they tried to take blood out of my veins last wed, and I drew up my arm and insisted "that was what the port is for."  Then I had to wait a little while longer while they got a nurse trained for the port.  That makes it a little hard injudging when to put the numing cream on before going because it is supposed to be on an hour before hand.

Anyway, they got the nurse.  Cream worked.  No pain.

I am a big baby.

Cindy74 ....we are big babies here!!!! who saids they not....shut i put that cream 20 times make sure i dont miss a spot!!!!!lol