December 2012 chemo group

Donster, Paula is right....it's chemo brain. Welcome to the club! I have a PICC line. What would you like to know? Feel free to ask anything.





Paula, I so feel your pain about the peeing....I swear I must have been every 1/2 hour last night!



Kiwi, please do try the Pepcid AC, even though you may not think you are having acid issues, that's what that feeling like you have food caught in the back of your throat is! I had it too! I also lost my voice for 4 weeks to the acid and did not think I was having acid problems either. Then I went to a throat Dr and he told me otherwise! Give it a try....



Dawn

Back from chemo and the grocery store and bouncing off the walls from steroids. It's like nesting when you are getting ready to have a baby. Only I'm gearing up to take care of baby Gwen once she crashes! I tried to stock up on any foods that somehow seemed tolerable last time. Here's hoping I guessed right. Now off to start with the baking soda rinse.

Kiwi, that is really rude of people not to tell you they are sick before they come! Clearly they do not understand your compromised immune system. Hopefully the rest of your visitors will be more considerate!

Kiwi, wow! Can't believe people have come to you sick. But seems everyone has the flu this year, so I always ask if they are feeling good before they come! Good luck with the acid reducers! Hugs, D

I'm in the chemo room, which in my case is a private hospital type room. I'm sitting up in the bed getting the Emend.

I was so excited that my counts are so good. I had a really bad cold last week that hit during my nadir period, so I got a triple whammy. I had prayed that because I fought it on my own, it would cause my WBC to rebound. It ended up being higher than before my first chemo. Yea!!!



How are all of you Sisters today?



Blessings

Paula

Am happy today is Friday as I'm still flying on steroids and getting lots done before the crash (both work related and personal). Was just notfied DD1 is receiving another grant for college so our balance was just dropped by $1500. Thank you for that miracle! That just paid for her plan to visit a GF in Spain during spring break. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my daughters fulfill their dreams!

I just had to make five corrections to this post... chemo/steroid brain in full force!

Good luck Paula on the rest of your infusion today!

Kiwi - my own brother came to visit the weekend after my last treatment complete with a cold. Ugh. I need to get tough with visitors too.

TGIF ladies!

I have to say this 3rd one kicked my butt compared to first 2.  Tired still and no energy making

myself eat and drink to keep going.  I see its nice out but no energy to do a walk.  Gotta keep going

tho and hope by weekend feeling better.  At least could sleep a bit last nite.  i am almost there keep

reminding myself of that and rads next.  hang in there ladies.

Hi All...I am day 3 after round three of chemo ....foggiest and aches have kicked in....my boyfriend and I are chilling at a resort...hoping that this just keeps me upbeat through the next few days.....I hope you are all doing ok...hugs to my fellow warrior sisters!

Just found out at chemo that my WBC is down and I have to start 5 days of leukine starting tomorrow, Has anyone had this. They told me to take Claritin today and for 2 days after I am finished with the 5 day treatment. Does the shot hurt? How long after the shot do u start feeling pain ? And where? Help! Someone answer fast because my appt is early tomorrow morning. Thank u ladies.

Dwihtd - I think the white blood cell boosting shots cause pain a day after or so from when u start . Ask for some more potent pain killers when u are there - no sense in risking it . The claratin is supposed to help but u need something stronger !



Hope49 - try a mixture of baking soda and salt In warm water - swishing in mouth several

Times and spit out . But also brush with soft new toothbrush with arm and hammer toothpaste and get biotene brand mouthwash !! If mouth sores get really bad ask mo for Magic Mouthwash prescription ! U might've to go to a compounding phramacy for it - it has lidocaine an other ingredients - kind of makes your mouth numb for awhile but a relief if you truly have sores !

Hi everyone, hope you are having a nice weekend!

I have decide I want a mx and will ask for a bmx and see if my insurance and surgeon will do it.

When I look into a future with rads all I see is black anxiety. I don't know what that means but I don't want to find out, so mx is the only way.

Chemo 2 will be done in 36 hours, I'm actually looking forward to the rest!

Xx kk

hope49 I started my chemo in December and just had round 2 about a week ago.  My first go around left me with a dry mouth, and I was able to manage it with lots of fluids, and hard candies.  Be aware that round 2 might be different...mine surely was.  I not only had a dry mouth, but my tongue turned white and thickened.  The doctor prescribed the Magic Mouthwash and it worked great!  It took about 4 days to really feel better but would strongly urge you to have it on hand. 

Dwihtd - I got a shot of Neulasta the day after each of my chemo sessions and that too helps to build the white blood cells.  The shot itself doesn't hurt at all, but a couple of days after there will be some serious body aches.   My first round caught my knees and my jaw, my second round caught me with a stiff neck and just an overall feeling of having gotten into a brawl and lost... I take Claritin everyday for allergies so I'm not sure what it would have been like without it.  I would certainly encourage the Claritin as it can't hurt and it might help. 

I am day 8 after round 2 and am finally feeling less of the chemo fog.  This was a tough week but I am remembering that the side effects are temporary and the cure is for a lifetime.  Stay positive ladies!  

bcoct  Sorry to hear you are having a bad day.  If the sun is shining and you are here to see it, it's not such a bad day and tomorrow you will feel hopefully a bit better and a bit stronger.  Yes, sleeping is awful, especially those first few days after chemo.  I find that hot flashes wake me up, and tissue expander discomfort wakes me up and the overall achiness from the Neulasta wakes me as well.  I try to nap while the kids are at school and that seems to help.  Tylenol before bed seems to help a little bit.  I think it sometimes helps me to relax into a comfortable position but still those dang hot flashes catch me in the middle of the night.

I hope tonight is better for you.

Hi ladies. It's a sunny day here so I managed a run/walk for about forty minutes with DH. I think the steroids are beginning to calm down. The mouth ick had begun so everything tastes cruddy. Otherwise though I think I feel better two days post chemo than the first two rounds so that's encouraging. DD2 went back to college today so it's quiet again. Thinking a nap with the kitten sounds good about now.

Runnergirl - I sat around too much after chemo 2 and I think it made me feel worse. So I'm trying to do a little more this time and hope for the best. Who knows how long that will last!