Starting Chemo October 2012

I had my hair shaved to the scalp at day 14 after my first infusion. I'm 5 days away from my third infusion and I still have a little stubble on my head that I get out with duct tape or a lint roller. It doesn't hurt but comes out way quicker with a little assistance like duct tape. 😉 I have no leg or underarm hair though. My pubic hair is scarce but I always kept that short anyways.

Ok, first chemo tomorrow morning.  I know it is technically November but I am staying here with you guys instead of going off to a November group.

I have 2 coolers, a hand bag cooler with baggies of crushed ice for toenails, fingernails and to chew on and a small rolling suitcase!  That has blankets, and zip loc baggies with stuff I need.

Wish me luck.  I will check back in Monday night if I am not sleeping. 

Schoolmom-I hope your first round of chemo and your port goes well today.  You sound like you've got everything covered!  And of course you can stay with us...you've been with us so far...why not stay.  And I don't know about you, but I can never sleep because they have me on so many steroids!  I'm usually wired on the days they have me on steroids.  I'm convinced that's the only reason I don't crash until day three!

For the first time this weekend I saw another person in public with a bald head.  She wore it proud while I kept something on my head.  I wish I could go out in public with my bald head, but I just don't feel brave enough to do it.  I wanted to go over to her and tell her how much I admired her bravery, but I had my wig on and was too scared to pull it off and show her mine.  Of course, I also didn't know if she'd appreciate the gesture or not.  I mean what if she didn't have cancer like me.  What if she lost her hair due to some other reason.  I guess we never really know.  We just assume just because we are women that when we lose our hair it HAS to be because we are going through chemo. 

Do you guys feel like you can drink on chemo?  I'm just wondering.  Not that it even tastes good right now because it doesn't...nothing seems to taste good.  When I'm on chemo especially the first week after chemo I'm so loopy from the drugs that I can't imagine what it would feel like to also have alcohol in my body.  Do you guys feel the same way?  I know MsTori said something about driving and I feel like I can't drive either.  I feel drunk already like I would get pulled over for drunk driving when I haven't even had a drink.  Do you guys feel this way or is this just me?  I did say something to my onc about it he said it was just the fatigue.  I guess I've never felt fatigue to this extreme before. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend...and an even better week.  Is Schoolmom the only one having chemo this week?  Anyone else scheduled for this week?

Schoolmom- you've got this! And we are here for you. Just listen to your body and hydrate. Remember electrolytes. And if you have any questions, concerns, come ask. Prayers heading your way. :-)



Sonson- I think there is a special look that passes between us women that says more than words can ever say. A friend on another board and I were talking about this and she said that she would usually just give a nod or wink. Some will approach you. I have not approached anyone's but have had the eye contact and smile. It's a sisterhood.

Yep, driving probably not a good idea unless you are certain your mental function and reaction times are spot on. Some do better than others with tx and continue on with driving. I will wait. I miss the freedom and independence, but I also am learning a lot of lessons in patience and learning to receive instead of give so much. Blah! Lol! It's all good.

Mrsrenicka- I have had three rounds of chemo and still have some hair on my head.  I had gone ahead and buzzed it all off, but there's still some hanging on.  It is still pretty thinned out and I'm sure if I had left it long it would look pretty pathetic, but I don't think it's going to come out.  I can't say for sure for you, all I can say is what I have experienced so far on my head.

Toots-sorry you have to be here, but welcome.  This is a great bunch of strong women here.  We all try to be positive, but there are times that we gripe and get down on ourselves too.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  If you munch on ice chips while you are getting the chemo drugs it seems to help with the mouth sores.  I can't say that it's a 100% guarantee, but I think others on here say it has worked for them too.  I know on my first treatment I didn't do that and I had mouth sores and gums that were swollen, but then I had read it somewhere so I tried it on my second treatment and I haven't had the problem since.  You'll freeze to death while you do it, but in the end (if it works) so worth it.  We also use ice on our finger nails and toe nails as well, but then it all depends on the chemo drugs you're getting.  The taxotere causes you to lose your nails.  This is suppose to prevent this.  I also use the ice on my eyebrows and eye lashes.  It's kind of like the polar cap idea.  I'm not sure if it's going to work or not, but I'm doing it anyway.

Good luck, schoolmom! I hope it went well!! 

I didn't read everyone's answers yet, but I have pretty much stopped drinking alcohol. I used to drink a glass or two of wine once or twice a week, but I have barely had anything since I was diagnosed. I have just read so many terrible things about alcohol and cancer. I plan to have a drink here or there but I find myself never asking for one at dinner anymore. My boyfriend, my best friend, and I all shared a bottle of Dom Perignon before I started chemo and lost all my taste buds Toasted to being cancer-free! I haven't had a drink since. 

Has anyone lost eyebrows or lashes yet? 

Welcome to all the newbies and good luck this week for everyone with treatments and no side effects!

Thanks, MsTori...and right??  We sit there shaking, freezing to death, people shake their heads at us thinking we're crazy.  I know they do me.  Especially with ice over each one of my eyes as I blindly reach for my ice chips to try to keep my mouth frosty too.  And I change out which hand dips into the ice for my ice chips so I keep my fingers nice and frosty.  And I'm also determined not to talk to anyone because it seems rude not to look at them while they are talking to me and I don't want to take the ice off my eyes nor do I want to stop eating the ice chips!  Go away!  Go away!  I have a mission while I'm getting the chemo.  It's too late for the hair on my head plus I looked into the polar caps and it's also too expensive, but if it works for the head hair shouldn't it work for the eye brows and eye lashes too?  It's a theory I have.  I'm testing it...plus it's a lot easier to put ice packs on your eyes than it is to put it over your entire head.  I thought it couldn't hurt and I really don't care how strange it looks or how cold I get...especially if it works!  I can take it for an hour and half or two hours.

schoolmom - hope everything went well for you - I love that you brought all your "luggage" with you, they must have thought you were there to stay for a while!

Sonson / Ms Tori - I am keeping track of all the icing tips as I have two more FEC then Taxotere probably in December. Good news is that I'm in Canada so may be they can just park my comfy chair out in the snow and I'll really put the icing theory to the test. 

Sonson / Poke - I stopped drinking completely after diagnosis, not that it was ever excessive, but again all the mixed messages.  I plan to resume after chemo but very minimal and limit to two glasses a week - this seems to be consistent with the science but also always me to still enjoy my red wine!  Gosh - it is hard as for many of us we don't "know" what caused our cancer and it is sad to take out something from our lives we enjoy entirely as it may not have been a factor?

I'm in tomorrow....hopefully.  My WBC low last Thursday when I was supposed to be in but it seems I have a bit of a cold so I don't know how my WBC will be any higher than they were? I will have neulasta so I'm hoping I'll get the chemo regardless.....any thoughts?  My WBC was 0.9.  I've also asked everyone about the claritin with neulasta and no one knows anything about it, I the knowledge of this group is phenomenal as otherwise I would not have known about so many of these things to ask about....

Wishing you all well.

Loubar- seems low for WBC ct, but may be up with Nuelastra. Mine was a tad low before tx and I still got my tx. Yes! Claritan at least an hour before your Nuelastra shot. I didn't the first time and ouch! This time...100% better! Yay! Also, let me know when you start the taxotere. Have some other tricks up my sleeve from others. B6, acetyl L Carnitine, and L Glutamine a week after treatment cuts down on neuropathy. I can give ya the dosages. Anyone else interested, let me know.

Thanks Ms Tori - I will follow your advice re. the claritin and check out the other thread.  

Halfcan / flight4two - it will be nice to go through taxotere with you both, will connect with you soon. 

flight4two - I'm sorry about your weight loss, I lost weight the first week and gradually put back on.  They seem to have a lot of advice and ideas to add extra calories on some of the materials I read, I'm sure your MO can provide you some good nutrition resources.  I would also think being a mom to an 8 week old doesn't allow you the opportunity to rest as much.  Wishing you all the best with your scans.  It is scary, but good to know the results as to what you are dealing with...fingers crossed for you. 

You ladies are truly amazing and strong women!

My mom is going to be starting chemo next week.  She will be getting  cytoxan and taxotere 6 treatments every 21 days.  Does anyone have any suggestions that as a caregiver I can help her with?  Also how long does the infusion session last?  We have our chemo class on Thursday but I am just trying to prepare for what to expect. 

Thanks~

Fight4two-- my heart goes out to you. I lost 5-6 lbs in a week my first tx. Then once I started feeling better, I ate as much protein, veges, shakes (calories) as I could. Sparingly throughout the day. Cottage cheese, Fage yogurt (21g protein/cup!), used the slow cooker a lot! Easy peasy. Just always have something to eat. Yogurt, milk/ice cream, fruit shakes rock!

Regarding immunizations- please talk to your MO. If its a live vaccine, it could hurt you. This is whatever been told. Also, they should be able to see if your tumor is shrinking. Your in my prayers. (((Hugs)))



Cheerio- I've been over to your threads. You ladies are amazing! Thanks for the invite. I'm on tx 2 of 6 of TCH. Almost halfway! Yay!



Inittogether- there is a board on here for caregivers. I've wondered over there and it's great. Check it out. Of course if you ever have questions and can't get the support there, we are here. The chemo class will hopefully give you enough info. But her oncologist will be her main support. If she is getting taxotere, check out the icing boards. I really recommend that. Everyone's treatment time is different according to what med they get and premeds. I think emotionally, it may be hard with the role reversal. I'm a nurse, and it has been hard to be a patient. Also, it's been hard for me to have my mom take care of me. I'm suppose to help her out at this stage of life. So, just go into it with no expectations, plenty of patience and sometimes just silence. Know that sometimes, there's nothing you can do but just be there. And never take anything personally.

Schoolmom - I'm on the same regimin (TC) and had dizziness for a couple of days.  The worst for me were days 4 and 5 (lots of nausea, diarrhea, etc).  No fun but, honestly, not nearly as bad as it could have been!  Round #2 coming up on Thursday.

Inittogether - As has been said, just being supportive is what your mom probably needs the most!  She won't be totally incapacitated and she may or may not want to talk.  Just let her lead and try to encourage her to get outside for at least a short walk every day.  Seriously, for me, those walks (even on the dizzy day after treatment) were truly healing for me.  Also, with 21 days between treatments there is a lot of time for recovery.

By far the worst day for me, so far, was Day 13 when my hair started coming loose (and my husband clipped it to 1/2" all over) and then Day 16 when huge clumps of hair simply feel out and collected on the shower floor.  That, for some reason, really freaked me out even though I knew it was going to happen.    Help your mom find a nice, flattering wig and a few comfy fleecy hats.  I'm on Day 19 now and my head is still tender but I'm already getting less self-conscious of my peach-fuzzy head.  It was the few days of super-patchy with huge, uneven bald spots that really had me bothered.

Poke - I haven't lost any of my eyebrows or lashes yet.  Did you end up shaving your head?  It is such a crazy thing, and I think we can all understand the wide array of emotions that go through deciding whether to shave it or not.  

Schoolmom - Hope your first chemo went well and that you are having as few SE's as possible.

I've been reading, but not writing for the last few days/week.  This 2nd treatment has taken a lot more out of me b/c my steroid sleep was worse for the first 4 nights.  I can't function on 3-4 hours of sleep a night which is what happened on the steroid high, and so then it made me want to only sleep the last 3 days.  This past weekend was a heavy time for assignments for my classes so I hope I'm better able to concentrate today to get everything graded.   

I go for my WBC check today, and I'm hoping since I started higher for this treatment that maybe I won't have gone as neutropenic this time.  I'm afraid they are going to get on to me about weight b/c I've lost another 5 pounds making it 16 total since treatment started.  I am eating, but I've really lost a lot of taste. A friend who has battled cancer/done chemo for 19 years told me I have to not be afraid of food, and just focus on what stays down regardless of whether it tastes good.  I'm trying to do that and get protein & fruit/veggies every day, but it is a struggle for me.  I think the biggest thing that is making me lose is that some of my comfort foods now taste horrible. Hmmm, since I have 30 pounds still to lose, maybe I should hope those things like pizza stay tasting bad for a while, lol.   I do feel very conflicted b/c I know I'm not supposed to lose weight, but I can't be too upset with myself about it at the same time.  I have been exercising lightly every day that I can as well which is getting to be more and more since the surgery, so maybe that has something to do with it as well.  Before BMX, working out was my hobby, and I'd easily do somewhere between 1-3 hours a day so that feels like getting some of myself back.   

Sorry for rambling.  Hope everyone has as SE-free day as possible!