Starting Chemo February 2013

Just getting caught up. Hang in there Rdrunner, sucks to get a week behind when all we want to do is get it over with! Hope you feel well soon.

Had my 4th TCH yesterday. I won't feel "over the hump" until after next week. The infusion is not the hard part, it's the week after. Thankfully I didn't have as much insomnia last night as the night of my 3rd. Hoping tonight is good too. Tossing and turning, but not wide awake for hours on end. It's impossible for me to sleep in so getting the sleep at night makes for a much better day! Hope you are all doing well, we are making progress from February to April!

Nancy what kind of sleeping pills are you taking? I have to start my meds Thursday for my Chemo Friday and last time I was up until 4:30am. That was after taking Lorazapam, and Ambian. I have also tried benadryl. I know I would feel better if I could get more sleep.

For mouth sores my dr. recommended biotene tooth paste and mouth wash sold at any pharmacy

I'm having my 3rd treatment this Monday that means 1/2 wat through. OMG tomorrow. They cut my Neulasta in 1/2 and I didn't have the pain and shortness of breath like last time . More important didn't land in the er. I'm hoping except for no appetite that I'l be ok this time as well. Good luck to everyone

Hoping everyone heading to the bar this week has smooth sailing!

Sasha: congrats on being halfway through. Almost there!

Iamnancy, I am on a different chemo plan then you but my tastebuds are not there either, even when I feel hungry, it is hard to eat. I have lost 6 lbs total but it does go up and down. I have tried to exercise when I can but that is not happening as much as I would like. I just try to eat what seems somewhat palatable. It is hard to find things. I am not sure how much worse the taste in my mouth will get as I go on. Ii thought it would go away for a week before next treatment but not sure that is how it will work. Good luck!

Heidi - makes me think creamy tomato soup might taste good to you...

Tangles: yes you will! We all will get our former selves back. We have to keep thinking that. I have lost weight but I cannot do near the workouts and activity I did before this bs. My muscles are weakening and what I worked very hard for is slowly fading. It is very frustrating for sure. I hope you continue to feel better.

SO gals I know this is a chemo thread but just wondered of all the sisters here with TE how are your fills going? I got what may or may not be my last fill today (460cc's) I am going to be so glad when these TE are out. I am looking at end of June. Seems like forever!! Trying to decide between the new gummy allergan 410 implants or older silicone implants. If I get the older ones I need to overfill if I get the gummy I can be about done. So what are you all getting?? Just curious....

Mary

it has almost been 2 weeks since my chemo treatment and I didn't feel too bad this weekend (other than the shortness of breath) but today I feel sickish again.. crazy.. I woke up so dry - my lips, face, feet,eyelids, arms and legs are all so dry- legs are itchy -arms flaky.. lips actually hurt ... nose bleeding, throat so sore.. I don't get this delayed reaction. Tell me, has this happened to you? this is my third treatment and I only have 1 more to go..

Hi Nancy, I had the same thing happen. I usually feel pretty good by the end of week 2, but felt sickish and took the afternoon off and took a nap. Not sure why? I have been using Dove Visible Care softening body wash in the shower and then slathering myself with Curel Intensive Healing body lotion. I've been really happy with how it has kept my skin soft.

Wow Melissa- you had your TE in for a long time. Boy I am hating these things . The one side digs under my arm and they both just plain hurt. So you did not have to be overfilled? My PS told me if I choose anything but the new Gummy implants I will have to be over filled. What does high-profile mean? How long were you down after the exchange? 

Ywheels- my PS said he will exchange me after 4 weeks. I'm sure I wont be 100% feeling great after 4 weeks of the last chemo, but I sure do want these out as they are not comfortable at all.

Nancy-I have lots up ups and downs. I guess that is one reason I decided it wasn't a good idea to go back to work. I went to the store with my hubby sat 2 weeks post chemo and could hardly make it through and we were just picking up a few quick things. As soon as we got out to the car I was in tears I felt so awful. I felt pretty good yesterday,17 days post chemo and thought I would walk around my block to get some fresh air and exercise. I could not make it all the way around. I was exhausted. Very frustrating from someone who used to walk 3 miles a day and go for 20 mile bike rides. I think we all have good and bad days all the way through this!!

Tangles...



Yes I had them in for a while. But I had bmx may 2012 chemo from June to nov with fills during chemo and then after chemo I still wasn't at the size I wanted so we kept filling. My ps does not fill more than 30-50ccs each time and it felt like so many fills but looking back now I am so happy she did it that way cause I had no discomfort or anything. Really never knew my te's were there. Anyway I filled until last week in jan and I was filled to over 800ccs. My ps does not really go by how many ccs u have. She goes more by size and shape and how big I want to be after exchange. She also requires at least 6 weeks after last fill to get implants which I thought was long but let me tell I after everything I love my ps!!! It took long and was a slow process but was worth it. I had an easy recover with BMX. Really had no discomfort with te's and had my exchange tuesday march 19 3 weeks ago and feel great. My surgery was 2pm I was home by 7pm. I walked into my house and my parents who were watching my kids said I did not look like I just had surgery. I did not drive til the next Monday so five days no driving but I was making my kids lunches that night after surgery out to breakfast and grocery shopping with my husband the next day. I really attribute my great surgery experiences to my ps. I took no pain meds at all after exchange. Had no drains no bandages just a steri strip on incisions. U will do fine with exchange surgery and recovery. It is so much easier than BMX! The only thing is no driving for a couple days and no lifting for 4-6 weeks.

High profile are the type of implant that has to do with more projection vs a low or moderate profile.

Any other questions let me know!

Happy to answer and help anyone out!

Melissa

Have any of you on taxotere experienced neuropathy in your fingertips? It seems to just be setting in for me. I've heard of using l-glutamine but was wondering if any of you have any thoughts or other suggestions?

This morning was a nightmare :-(   Tuesdays (day 5) have typically been my worst day and I sure felt like I'd been hit by a truck this morning. My daughter was being extremely difficult and I was not reacting well. Then it took me 5 minutes to get my son's socks on because my fingers wouldn't work. I was in tears, literally. Oh well, I just need to rest. 3.5 hours until my husband comes home and I will do just that.

WEll no chemo for me again this Friday.. finishing up day 9 of fever. Still cant find anything wrong. Had a bunch of more test today. The kicker.. my o2 SAT was 84% but my chest xray they made me do immediately is clear and my lungs sound good..they have put my on TAmiflu.. shaking my head but willing to try anything at th8is point.

Damn, Rdrunner I hate to hear that. I hope they get it resolved for you soon!