Chemo May 2013

Yes Teresa, it will get better. And the coolest thing for you, is that after this go around, you are done. Finished. Completed. Never to go through it again. ) Hope it gets better quickly.



Carla

JennaJMU - I could have wrote your exact post.  I too was suffering with hot flashes mostly at night.  My MO suggested Vitamin E and it has worked.  They aren't gone but they aren't as frequent and I don't wake up with my pillow soaking wet.  I have also gained 10 pounds since diagnosis.  UGH.  Scarred, bald and fat isn't so attractive. My poor husband should be running for the hills.  Heck I don't even want to see me naked. LOL  I started going back to the gym a few days a week last month but the scale hasn't budged.  So depressing.

I feel the need to comment on people who stare.



I wear my buffs when I go out.

I can't say I have noticed people staring while out and about in my area and I really don't care if they do, I am who I am.



This past Monday I drove to Pennsylvania to visit my mother and when I stopped in at a fast food place I happened to turn and "look at the audience"...I caught about 7 people seated that were staring, some with mouth agape! I was floored, not because of the staring, I could care less....is it a "regional thing"? I really don't "catch" anyone staring in my neck of the woods in NY.



I wonder if my buffs make me look "odd"?



Also, I have noted that cashiers seem to be very nervous lately...making change, ringing out my purchases....I'm wondering if it is "my look" or are all the cashiers suddenly "new" and don't know what they are doing! I find this amusing.



Am I crazy?

Pat

Dang...

Can't get sleepy tonight (i forgot about that part of treatment day) & have to get up at 5am for work.... Another long day... BUT then it's the weekend ...and....



My daughter went to doc today.. Dilated 4cm. Doc can't believe she's not in labor yet so he "swiped the membrane" didnt break the water... Its something different?? to help induce and if not on her own, she goes in Sunday to be medically induced! I'm so excited...... But it will be one of my worse SE days... This will make all the pain disappear that day!

Lorrie, I never heard of "swiping the membrane"...I'm guessing it is like scoring something before you break it? Sounds like it is weakening that membrane. I'm betting she is in labor before Sunday.



Ukkate, maybe Bat Mitzvah people will want you to wear a head covering? Are they orthodox? Then you can wear your buff! Wouldn't that be nice and comfy!

As for the sign falling down, I'm with your husband. I didn't even get to your explanation when I felt that it meant you are good to go! (Did I ever tell you I am sometimes psychic?)



Pat

Thank you, thank you, thank you UKKate for mentioning the weight gain during chemo!  I am up 18 pounds during this taxol round.  I gained 11 during A/C, and it all came off again during my break before starting taxol.  I am hopeful the same will be true once I am through with this one.  I have 8 more infusions to go...

This forum is a blessing to me, thanks to all of you.  My husband is wonderful, but you ladies understand and talk about all the details that I am also concerned about.  It's a relief to know other women are dealing with the same things, and thriving.  It gives me hope.

Tina

Hi JennaJMU,

I had a little over 3 weeks off.  It seemed like I dropped about one half or three-quarters of a pound a day, and I did NOTHING different.  I was eating like crazy, and still the weight went down.  Whereas some days while I was doing the dose dense A/C, I barely ate, and I still gained weight!  So annoying...

Don't beat yourself up about your weight (I know, it's hard) and don't begrudge yourself a sundae on the days when you DON'T feel nauseas for a change.  Heaven knows, those days are rare enough on A/C.  After you finish with this journey, you will have you whole life ahead of you, chasing your baby around and getting your groove back.

Hugs,

Tina

Lorrie,

Sorry he said that. Especially when he already knew you didn't like it.

Wish there was something I could do to make it better.

Maybe our husbands "chores camp" can also include an additional week at "get a clue camp".

HUGS.

Pat

Tina, your post was so motivating to me, it's so good to know it could just fall off! Even when I eat super heathy and try to restrict nothing happens so it has to be the chemo or drugs.



HVV, I haven't worked during chemo but it would have been really hard on AC, I was just so exhausted. On taxol x 12 I feel so much more normal but my blood counts are lower than on AC (no neulasta shot with weekly taxol) so that would be my only concern about germ exposure. Some people work all the way through-my coworker did, same treatment, and we're drug reps in doctors offices with sick patients all the time!

Hi Jenna, 

 I am new to your board and am receiving the same type of treatments as your are.  I am receiving DD 4xAC, 12xTaxol.  I have only had two ac doses with another one this week.  I was wondering if you could give any tips on your journey and let me know if taxol is any easier.  Thanks, God Bless..

Hannariggs, I find Taxol to be so much easier than AC. I didn't have any nausea with AC but I was bone tired and couldn't get off the couch, which led to depression. With Taxol my energy level is closer to normal. I have diarrhea on Sundays after my Friday treatment (sorry TMI but we can talk about the nasty stuff here right?) and some bone/muscle pain but nothing debilitating!

Teresa,

I hope you are able to get your much needed rest...can you take Benadryl? Or melatonin ? Or maybe doctor can recommend something?



I agree trivial things on other people's plate can be irritating. Those people have never had to deal with the bigger issues (thankfully?!). I am sure at some point or another I griped about some minor issue...even here...and others are thinking "is she kidding?". It is all a matter of perspective. Remember , whatever we are going through there is probably someone going through worse....this is what I tell myself and my hubby , and my kids all the time. He gets sick of my saying it too! However, that doesn't mean I can't complain...we all need to release somehow. I pray that others will not have to walk in our shoes, and if they have to that they find the support they need like the wonderful people here.



Sweet dreams!

Pat

Teresa,  I was having a hard time sleeping - so tired, but sleep would not come.. I ask for sleeping pill and my onc., nurse said to try two tylenol pm with one benadryl-I did and it worked. If you can take those two it might worth a try to see if they work- I'm sorry you are having this difficulty along with every thing else.

Yes there are definitely those that have things a lot harder than I do and I do not want to have a day in their shoes. This is one reason I am so happy to have found all of you.  Some of us are getting different treatments but we are all sort of going through the same thing and can understand where each other is coming from.  I thank all of you for being here.

I took Tylenol PM last night at 11 pm, finally went to sleep around 4 am.  I haven't tried it with Benadryl before.  I do have sleeping pills that don't always work, I am taking one tonight.  I have got to get some rest.  Weird how even when I don't sleep at night I am so awake during the day.  I guess I just have too many drugs in my system and I am just out of whack.  Pills for thrush, pills for fever, pills for diarrhea, blood pressure pills [I didn't need these until my BC diagnosis], hot flashes pills [I wished they worked], vitamin E for hot flashes and B6 for tingly fingers.  Not to mention the chemo drugs still flowing in my body.  OMG now that I listed all of those I see why my stomach doesn't feel good and I am not resting.  But I am doing OK.  :-)

I have done too much reading now about radiation and am so confused on what to do.  I hate gray areas.  I do have some time to figure things out.  I think part of my problem was the radiologist I met with.  If I do go forward I will go to a different one.