April 2013 Chemo Group

I may be the first chemo patient to utter these words but my hair is growing back!! At day 21 (day of chemo#2) and day 22, almost all of it came out. Fast forward to today (a week later) and both my husband and I noticed that I have a whole head of peach fuzz again. What in the world??? Is anyone else GROWING hair instead of LOSING it?? Weird. 

Of course, that has me worried that chemo isn't working....

OnaWing yes! I'm also tired of the women who think it's cool to tell me how their boobs are too big and get in the way all the time.. and that they wish they didn't have them. I always tell them "Be careful what you wish for.".

Anyone else deal with rashes? I'm 11 days post round 2 and woke up in the middle of the night with a swollen, burning head & neck and now today my entire body has a rash! Benadryl is helping a bit I think??? Why do all the weird things happen on the weekend instead of when my MO is around?!??!

I don't like how doctors can say "It's not the chemo". They tried to tell me I had allergies when I had my nose/sinus thing happen but I have never had any.
Sometimes I think they think we don't know what we are talking about. It's frustrating, it's like we have to be our own doctor and help ourselves the best we can because we aren't getting the advice from people who SHOULD be there for us. Good thing for these forums!

Me too Shipsgirl! I have a head full of snot every day, I can't breathe through my nose at night, I keep having a bloody nose that makes clots that get blown out every day and reforms. Someone mentioned using Aquaphor and that HAS helped, thank you! 
Last week my nostril was so raw on the outside it got a sore that I had to put Neosporin on..

I love complaining about my nose/sinus issues 

Onawing, I haven't had too many "it could be worse" comments. What I really hate is the, "You're going to get through this just fine!" comment. Really? It's nice to know that someone knows what the future holds for me!

The comment I get the most is, "You look great!" I keep wondering, compared to what? Did I look that bad before? Or do I look better than they expected a person with cancer to look? (This started before chemo and hair loss, and even now people still say that.) Or is that just the only positive thing they can think of to say? Maybe it's just that, for the first time in years, thanks to the Ativan, I'm getting a good night's sleep every night.  I try to accept the compliments graciously and not read too much into them. 

No, Indenial, you don't sound like a nutcase, just someone who has been through physical and mental trauma and is on steroids. I think your feelings are entirely normal for where you are in the process right now.  You have a lot of strong emotions right now. 

I say this from the perspective of someone who is over 3 weeks away from being dosed with steroids. I recall how hard control was to come by during the first couple of weeks, and how grateful I was to start feeling normal again in the third week. You have not gotten that break to feel normal again.  So give yourself the understanding that, in addition to the trauma, you are being influenced by a powerful drug that affects your emotions. Keep on talking about them here and wherever else you feel safe. 

Indenial, I hope you can find a solution to your rash. Consider if there is anything new (soaps or lotions) you are using that might be irritating your skin, including any caps you are wearing. Some fabrics can cause reactions or have chemicals on them that can cause reactions. 

Rockermom, I lost only a few more hairs than normal during the second week after my first chemo. On day 16 it started coming out in clumps and hand fulls. I just kept pulling the hair out until I lost patience and gave up (see my post on page 23 for the whole story). After that, it continued to come out in hand fulls for about another week. Now, at 3 1/2 weeks from the first chemo, there's only a few wisps in patchy spots left (I decided not to buzz it). I still have all my other body hair (including luxuriously growing chin hairs, darn it!). I'm curious to see what happens after chemo  number 2 next week. 

Indenial - I have had rashes after 3 of my 4 treatments. My mo told me if its a few days out its a side effect - not a reaction - but still miserable. I am on claritan daily for the rash and have prescriptions for a steriod cream and hydroxyine when actively itching. Can they call in any prescriptions for you on the weekend? Also, if you have any heartburn andcare taking pepcid, it will also help with a rash.

rockermom, I've had the discharge.  Like old blood.  Been happening all month.  I think it's part of the chemo menopause setting in.  Bring it on.  Don't care if I have to have hot flashes.  I just want to get it over with.

rockermom, I'm not sure how it works, but I'm 51 and I've been told that if the chemo doesn't do it, the hormones they give me will.  I'd much rather do a short, intense menopause than a long protracted one.  So I say bring it on.  I'm pretty sure that most women stop having periods sometime during chemo.  Some resume, some don't I believe.

I thought I was starting my period a week or so but I just spotted (brown) for less than a day and that was it. I hope it's chemopause. Such weird things happen to us on chemo.

Happy Mother's day to ALL you Warriors who are Moms'....

What an odd Mother's Day... my sis came to visit and used duct tape to get hair off my head!  It worked, but stung. Then she gave me a ball cap that has blonde hair sticking up from the cap -- I look like one of the Muppets!

Losing eyelashes today... yuck!

Energy low... food tastes odd. My son fried Morel Mushrooms for Mother's Day for me, and I could only eat a few.

Heading outside to soak up some sun... and maybe garden a little. And yes, Doctor H -- I'm putting on sunscreen (although I hate it!).

Hope everyone is having a good day...

I'm loving you women more every time I log onto this site. I'm crying with you, laughing with you, sharing your fears and being inspired by your fierce determination to win this war. You have become the most understanding member of my family. You are living it with me and no one can relate unless they are living it or have been there. 

I'm sending something that seems appropriate under the circumstances that bring us together as sisters.