Starting Chemo February 2013

Well ladies, I'm as ready as I can be. I found lots of cheap comfy chemo clothes at the goodwill, DH and I sanitized the bathroom top to bottom today, and I moved our toothbrushes to the kitchen.



If I have to get that neulasta shot, I'm gonna dig into my morphine stash left over from my surgery. ;-)



I started to panic a little now that it's time for bed, so I took a 1/4 pill and a couple of Advil liquigels. I'm going to be floating in sleep very soon. Tomorrow is a big day.



Hugs to all. See you tomorrow.

Debzah, my port still feels sore and very weird in my neck when I swallow.



Good luck, shady.



Regarding nausea - do you take the meds on a schedule to prevent it, or only take after you feel it? Thanks.

Rdrunner: I am in envy of your ability to run/walk during this. You rock! I took a 20 min walk the day before my first treatment (AC) and was exhausted. I asked my PS about getting back to my routine (I work out with a personal trainer, show horses, spin, etc) and he said 8 weeks at best (double mast/immediate recon). I am going to try to walk on the days I feel okay,

I did take Claritin and I will talk about pain meds. I guess the Nuelasta did not agree with me. Maybe it will get better with each time?

I am heading to the Am. Cancer Society Live Well Feel Better thing now. Will let you know how it was. Best to all.

Im with you Ywheels there is NO WAY I could go back to the gym run or even power walk. Im Jealous! I thought because I already was a "gym" person I would walk right through this surgery and be back in the gym week 4. NOT....... I am not even close. I carry a load of laundry up my basement steps and have to stop at the top and rest. Yesterday I cleaned toilets, and did laundry and dishes and I was totally exhausted. I am no where near working out. Not sure if its the surgery or the Chemo. One thing I have been doing as I read post is looking at what Chemo & surgeries others are getting because I think that makes a difference on how you feel

Lmimp64- If you are given a prescription for anti-nausea meds, you need to take them to help ward off the nausea in the event you have nausea.  I took Decadron for 3 days beginning the day before the chemo round and took Zofran for 3 days beginning the day after the chemo round.  I also received the same drugs in my chemo IV at the time of the chemo round.  You need to try to stay ahead of the nausea because once it appears, it can be hard to get control of.  Make sure you take your meds on schedule with food and plenty of water.

Like MelroseMelrose, I had a schedule of drugs to take in the days before and after chemo; thank goodness the nurse wrote the whole thing down as it was hard to keep straight. It's important to stick to it. 

Also had mouth sores, which were a pain, but they were the worst the first cycle, and got better after that. 

Regarding the wigs and feeling silly wearing them. I felt like such an idiot the first week or so I had that sucker on, I couldn't see how anybody could look at me and not see a giant 'WIG ALERT!' flashing above my head.  Then a friend of mine who has also been down this road pointed out that people look at you and expect to see hair so really, that is what they see.  You are feeling all the wind blow through and so on, but they have no clue; it's all hair to them.  

I would look around the chemo room at my fellow patients, and even though I knew that there were wigs in that room, they didn't really leap out at me.

Tangles, are you going every two weeks or every three for chemo? If it's every three, Neulasta is less of a given. 

Hope that helps! Good vibes to those heading to infusion this week...

Tangles: Right back at you. I am a major workout person and thought the same...I'd be back by week 4 (this Wednesday). NOT. My PS said 8 weeks.

I got a script for a percasat (sp) for the SE of the Nuelasta shot since it was really bad for me. My nurse also said for the majority of patients it gets easier each time. And my MO said I don't have to have it when I start the Taxol (as long as my counts stay within the range he is happy with.) I guess there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Lmimp64: The American Cancer Society Feel Well, better thing was nice. You get a free bag of nice make up and they show you how to do eyebrows (which I never did before) and other tips. They also show you how to do scarves on your head, talk about wigs, nails, etc. It is worth going and you meet other cancer patients. This was nice for me because I realized there are others who have it far worse, which stinks because it's bad for all of us. One gal has had treatments since November! She ends in March! I thought it was worth it.

I am hoping I can walk tomorrow some. The weather has warmed here in Upstate NY some so maybe I try that. Baby steps I guess. Best to all.

Smethot, I thought green tea was ok during chemo. Then should we eat kiwi, orange, etc that are high of vitamin c?....

i'd suggest talking to your MO- but i was told specifically (and its all over if you seach the info) that green tea is s NO and anti-oxidants are a NO.  Most of us clear our diets through our MO's...you want your chemo to perform to its very best.  i say if we have to suffer, it'd better be the BIGGEST benefit we can get.  And every MO is different- some say no yoghurt, some say ok.  Mine says natural source vitamin c in serious moderation, others have different opinions.  Pls be VERY sure to clear all supplement and vitamins and "health" things through your MO- we all want our nasty-ass chemo doing its job 100%!!!

OMG! So glad you ladies are around! I am about to get my next AC on Friday and I'm still learning. No anti-oxidants and no raw foods. Something I've learned in the past week. Again, it is so nice to have you all around to bounce these things off of. When you're in the doctor's office it seems like there is much information thrown at you it is impossible to remember it all. Also, anyone else notice that chemo forgetfulness? I normally remember the majority things I have to do but lately I have to write everything down or else...



Blessings to all!

Odd I got NO food restrictions at all. They just said eat healthy. In fact yogurt was one of the things they offered us during chemo. They even had a dietitian come in during my chemo session talking about healthy eating and she didn't say anything was restricted???

My chemo center offered fruit juice (paturized) and sandwiches (no veggie). The chicken salad sandwich made me really sick after my first infusion. I will never eat chicken salad again.

Ywheels22, thanks for telling me about the program. I will definitely go.



My mo said raw fruit and vege will only be banned if my counts drop too low.

(((hugs))) to you too, debzah! Never thought I'd be doing chemo with negative nodes, but there it is. Let's go kill some cancer cells!

Got my hats from headcovers.com today, wig later this week. YAK!

ywheels22- thanks for the tip about the ACS Feel good thing- I knew about it, but wasn't really thinking about going- now I will.

Or it and you looked that good.