Sept 2012 chemo

Thanks.  I'll try that recipe.  The prescription mouthwash I have isn't Magic Mouthwash. Not sure if I can get that over here.  Had really bad mouth problems on my first FEc, and then it was not as bad for the next two.  Hope the trend is similar with the Taxotere.  This is agony.  Put a mint chewing gum in my mouth earlier and almost wept it was so painful.

Good morning everyone!

Waiting:  thanks for the story:-)  it made me cry.  I know deep in my heart that things will be okay.  I just need to trust that. 

 Toastie:  I am so sorry about your cat!!!  I hate that sometimes it feels like when we are down, we get more horrible crap piled on us.  I hope toastie is doing okay.  My heart goes out to you.

 English Rose:  Ugggh!  I hated the mouth issues last infusion.  It totally felt like I gargled with razor blades.  Someone else descrbed it like when you burn your tongue on too hot coffee- only it doesn't go away and it covers your whole tongue!  So far, I am okay- but they didn't get really bad until day 8 after treatment.  I did the baking soda/salt mixture and it finally went away last time.  I also kept using the Nystatin.  There is another mixture - benadryl and Maalox (equal parts) that I also used.  I think the magic mouthwash is just those two things added to Lynocaine (?)  Cold seemed to help too - so I ate lots of Popsicles.  I hope it gets better soon!   This time around- I have been gargling with the baking soda/salt mixture preventitively (like a few times a day),  rinsing with Glutamine powder, taking Lysine supplements, and using Good Belly (probiotics).  So far so good, but won't know if it all worked for another few days.

last night I had a super rough night.  Because I have been constipated for over a week, now things are starting to move around (sorry TMI) - and I am getting intense stomach cramps.  The cramps were so bad last night that I ended up waking up at 1am vomiting and cramping.  Woke up this morning feeling horrible.  I can't wait for the week when I feel better.

Damiana - used acyclovir cream and pills. Worked wonders for me, hopefully will for you too!

Damiana9:   I do a rinse of the glutamine powder for mouth issues - but then I also take the powder in my orange juice.  I just do a shot and drink it fast.  Not super pleasant, but I generally start with my first shot of orange juice with Miralax (which is totally disgusting).  I put the powder in my smoothie once, and didn't really notice it (possibly because I also add lots of flax and chia seeds- so the texture isn't really noticeable.

 My stomach is a mess today!!!! Anyone else have all kinds of tummy issues???  What are you doing that helps?

I was going to ask how everyone was managing the constipation. I had it horrible this time around! It's really awful. So sorry to hear others had some of the same. I'm finally feeling normal and then it will start all over again. Grrrrrrrr. Also I bought kale but I don't know what to do with it. All suggestions appreciated.

English Rose:  yes, Taxotere/carboplatin/herceptin every three weeks for six cycles.  My last one is scheduled for new years day.  sucks.

Timbek2:  I eat my kale lots of different ways but three of my favorites are:

1. Kale salad- finely chop the kale- and I add pears, peppers, avocado, tomatos, carrots and whatever else I can find.  I make a dressing - 2tbs olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon, a little water, salt, pepper, and a tsp of chili powder.  I got the recipe from Whole Foods:-)  It is very yummy.
2. Bake the Kale and make chips -  Toss Kale with salt and olive oil - bake at 275 for about twenty minutes.  After you make the chips, you can also shred it up and add it to popcorn for a nice snack:-)
3. The last is I just finely chop the Kale and add it to my regular stir fry.  I read a recipe the other day where the added it to taco meat.  Sounded like something I might try. 

I hope your constipation gets better too!  It is horrible.  I just have these horrible waves of cramping and I have no idea how to make it go away.  I have so much I need to do around my house- and I don't have the energy for anything:-(

here's hoping we all feel beter soon!

Timbeck2 do you have a CVS or Walgreens near you? the tea taste good actually . It has a lemon taste to it and it soothes your stomach . I am sure walmart sells as well it is over the counter

Patin- OMG, I can't even imagine the 20x a day on top of all the other pills for various things.  I posted the question on my facebook and someone suggested making it into jello- maybe jigglers- that might actually work and if it is still gritty I could probably just swallow it and not even notice it.  Add some vodka and it would be SUPER! lol! 

Jojo- thanks!  I am going to ask my onc for that tomorrow and see if it helps my nose!

Mariposa- I need to add more miralax to my diet this time around because have been getting super constipated.  When I have used it in the past I have added it to my smoothies and protein shakes and I don't notice it in those.

I have only taken 1 dose of steroids so far and I already feel like an oven   One good thing though- I used a hefty dose of benadryl at night last time while on the steriods and I was able to sleep all 3 nights that I was doing the Decadron.  Hopefully it works well again this time!

Proud of you Jo! Way to persevere. My 3 ac this week. So ready to have that behind me. Rest well friend!

Thanks cgesq!  I asked my husband to go get me some immodium:-)  Hopefully it will help.

Kidsandlabs,
I love your hat!!! You look fabulous!!

Cindi,
Yeah I am taking Claritan with Aleve as well. It was just really bad yesterday. Today it wasn’t so bad….at least the bone pain…the fatigue sucked!

Mariposa,
Thanks! I am so happy that I was able to go!

Bearcub,
Aww thanks…I feel a bit better today!

Jojo,
Love the knitted cap, so cute and looks super comfy!

Today was crazy amounts of exhausting! I had to go to my office for 10am to supervise my undergrad TAA while she graded assignments. Then I had to go to a meeting at 12pm, then a 3 hour class which I’m surprised I made through. I sat through my one hour of office hours then went home. Don’t know how I made it through the day but I did! Yay lol!

Does anyone take the nausea medicine a day before treatment?

Hello ladies,

So round #2 is sooo much better than the first one, so grateful. Still have SEs, but definitely more manageable, very grateful.



Couple thoughts are trying to stay positive. My therapist, who is also breast cancer survivor, recommended to literally yell STOP or clap my hands together when my mind starts to go to dark places. Sounds simple and more than one occasion I look a little crazy, but it helps. I also second Cindis advice, I have downloaded a bunch of free guided mediation podcasts on healing, facing fears, calming the body, peace, positivity, all in iTunes...I try to listen to them in bed, with headphones, before I fall asleep. Before I would be on my laptop "researching" my dx, not really helpful to settle my mind.



I used Imodium the first round when I had the big d and lots of stomach issues. Now I think this time around, I'll be dealing with constipation, so Ill be hitting up the metamucil and colace.



Toastie- I am so sorry about your cat, heartbreak.



Wishing everyone strength and rest.

Patricia I am sorry your back has been hurting . I am up too can't sleep . I feel like a vampire . Up at night and once the kids go to school I am back in bed . Feel better are cheerleader

Hi marian, The steroids really bloated me up for a day and a half or so with AC. My MO was able to reduce mine as I wasn't get much allergic type reaction to anything in the ac or pre-meds. I'm back up to more steroids on Taxol. In what way couldn't you breathe? Clogged up feeling? or like your body just stopped breathing? I ask because mixing allergy meds, painkillers, sleep meds etc can be a tricky biz. My GP one time let my Benadryl usage slip by him and gave me Ambien for sleep. The two together can stop your breathing! that was a rough night because I didn't know what was going on. I'd fall asleep and then suddenly wake up not quite choking but knowing I wasn't breathing. I checked drug interactions on the web the next day. It might be worth it to triple check everything you get on chemo day and anything you take at home together. I have started having an allergic/anaphalactic reaction to the Famotidine (Pepcid) they give me. It started as feeling like my throat and trachea were kind of burning and I started coughing and gagging and my lungs felt restricted. After more benadryl and a shot of steroids it all eased up. It's weird and probably rare but possible. Hope you got a bit of sleep after posting.