Starting Chemo July 2013

Wow aaoaao,you are awesome and an inspiration.Lark they are going to give me 4mg vs 6mg,i quess the nurse just squirts some out?Or maybe it comes in different doses?Ang

Hi All, 

   I loved reading all the inspirational stories. So many things to be thankful for, and yes, even though we may feel bad or don't look like ourselves we are alive and will get through all of this when some are not so lucky. When I used to walk in the cancer center I felt like a cancer "victim".  Now I take a look around and speak with other people who have thing so far worse and am thankful that I am a cancer "survivor".  I will be forever changed, and even though the treatments are hard sometimes life lessons are hard.  I have so much to be thankful for and am truly blessed.  I never knew the depths of love from my family and friends and strangers that I have received, and some people will never know that until it is too late.  If that all makes sense.  Peace and love to all...........

Hello everyone...am back. My yeast infection is getting bad, no discharge but its red and sore. Applied the doc given by doc but it is not working as fast as I want it to be. I am jumping up and down after every pee. Anyone to share on this? Any medication? Doc said he will not want to give me anti-biotics, since chemo med is already bad enough for the body.

Hi Sue, hope you get your chemo done without a glitch.

Hi Angela, glad that I am normal! I started to get worried if I am going blind with the teary eyes. Sorry to know about your son's accident but I am sure you have gained a new perspective of life after BC, just like me.

Hi Twohobbies, talking about anxiety. I am eating lorenzepam to calm myself down. Especially with the yeast infection now, the pain is so unbearbale   It heightens my anxiety badly.  I cried so loudly, hugging my mum yesterday.  Bald or hair, we are all warriors and will be survivors.

Hi Lynn, enjoy the game.

Hi Marsha, not sure if I can get aquaphor in Singapore. Let me try.

Hi Lark, there is always a rainbow after the storm. Your daughter is lucky to have a great mother. I want to be alive for my daughter.  She just turned 11 months two days ago.

Talking about white and red blood count, I am not a promoter but the only health supplement which I have been eating is papaya leaf in capsules form.  It was by chance that I spoke to a friend and she sweared by it. It is her life-saver, she have blood disorder and blood transfusions are normal for her. Until she found out about papaya leaf and started consuming, she no longer need any blood transfusions.  Her doc and her had a small test, she stopped for a week...and her blood palettes went very low and dangerous. She consumed again, went back for aother test, her blood palettes are normal.

I will not do any advertisement here. But if anyone is keen, please pm me.  I am giving one bottle to an colon cancer patient, she has been missing her chemo due to low WBC.  I met her during one of my chemo and chatted. She said she would like to try.  I am meeting her on Monday.  I will update here if it works on her.

Cheers to all... and big hugs.

Hi Honeybunny, thanks. I will hang on and hope the cream works. Its already stinging pain and I am jumping up and down after each pee. Not sure if the vinegar will bite more into the soreness.

I am singing with you Good luck!

Hi Sue, I tried using it before I went to the doc and the patch got bigger! My gal's nappy cream... thanks for the suggestion. Glad that you finished one round of chemo!

Rambo-Taxol for me has been like the AC in the respect that the side effects hit about the third day.  I get bone pain and fatigue.  Definitely easier than AC but brings its own side effects to the table.  I see where alot of people are having fatigue the day of infusion due to the benedryl.  This didn't affect me at all.  I get a little drowsy but it wears off quickly.  The only problem I have is on the day of infusion due to taking steroids the night before and the day of infusion I only get a couple hours of sleep that night.  Next infusion they are taking me off of them the night before and will only receive the day of.  Hopefully that will help.  Bottom line is every person is different so you will just have see how you react.  Tomorrow is my day 3 of taxol 2 so will have more to report then. I did a full days work yesterday and today and am feeling good. So I guess we will see what tomorrow brings.......Happy Friday to all !!!!

Cherri- when I had a yeast infection one of the lovely ladies here suggested keeping a spray bottle filled with water in the bathroom. Then after you pee spray yourself like crazy to cleanse. I found that it did help while I was waiting for the med to kick in. The sitz bath and vinegar in bath water sound like good ideas. If you're worried about it burning try dabbing a tiny bit of the diluted solution on yourself first then have the spray bottle handy just in case you need to wash it off. Hope you get relief soon!



Aaoaao - you're my hero. I pray that I can handle this with some of your grace and wisdom.



Sue - I guess I lost track and didnt realize you were so close to the finish line!! Congrats, thats awesome! Funny story about your son. Im surprised you weren't muscling the truck out of the mud yourself!



Rambo - glad you're feeling up for going to game! Hope that means the hemorrhoids are better. (How strange that I'm talking to strangers about yeast infections and hemorroids!) With my first taxol I was very sleepy for a couple hours from the benedryl, then got wired later that evening and the next day from steroids. So for me that night was ok, but see what others say.



It's day 9 after the first taxol and I'm still soooo tired! I drive my kids to school which takes about 45 minutes round trip then I have to come home and lay down. Thought I was going to faint in the grocery store a couple days ago. Still achy and not sleeping well. I thought it would be better by now. Admire all of you who are able to work and do fun stuff!

Lana, I also have crazy blood sugar problems with the steroids. Before my last infusion it went up to 500! I had never seen a number like that before! My endo prescribed an injection of NPH (Humulin) each time I take the steroids. I also give myself an injection when they hang the bag of Decadron during the infusion. I try not to worry too much because I know the steroids are temporary and things will go back to normal. Good luck!

Welcome Girlstrong! Many on this forum/thread have done or are doing 4 rounds of AC. Everyone is so different - some have had very few SE's and others have had many. I think general "fatigue" and lightheaded/foggyness (chemo brain!) are very common. Personally I did very well with AC and mostly just had fatigue.



I had my 1st Taxol today - pretty uneventful, thankfully! It was a long day - started at 9:30 and finished at 2:30 - was delayed some due to another blood clot in my port -pretty common for me now. I had a little restless legs but that's it! Nurse said to see how my BS count is sat & sun and if it stays high to call my primary next week. First she said it is fairly common for diabetics to need temporary insulin shots during T because of the steroids. I only take one metformin a day because I have been able to control it mostly with diet & exercise so I'm hoping if I need to do something that they just increase me to 2 pills a day vs insulin!



Hope everyone is doing well! I hope I stay SE "free" during T! Stay strong fellow warriors - only positive thoughts! Hugs! Lana

Blue stars. - I would keep off the Ativan as much as poss. Sure if really anxious go for it. But your MO needs to be proactively trying to prophylactically treat your valid concerns re neuropathy, TN etc



Remember Cancer doesn't usually hurt (in early stages at least ) because they are our own body cells I have def had some muscle stiffness around Mx area that I don't recall from the start and have put it down to cumulative chemo effects and chemo is far more effective on TN than other types

Did you have Mx or lump? Will u have rads ? Good margins??



So glad you can see a flickery light

That will only get brighter ))

Xx

Hi All,lark I'm on day 11 and still have terrible bone pain,especially in my back,I'm dreading tuesday!Chemo really does hit us all differently,i was expecting skin problems,not agony.Taxol is easier my a#@##@.Congrats Sue!!!!I'm so happy for you and can't wait until it's my turn. I'm starting to feel like a drug addict,pain killers around the clock and like they say ,you start to need higher and higher doses. Ugh!!!!2bluestars your concerns are so normal ,not signs of depression,chuck those zolofts but keep the ativan for sleepness nights and it really helps with the nausia.Hi Girlstrong,the lightheadedness is called "chemo brain"i had it with the ac but not so far with taxol.Thinking of all of you,hugs especially to aaoaao and dreadix and my taxol sisters(may you have it better than me).Angela

Hi Cherri3

I haven't posted in a while but felt I had to respond to your issue. I started to get the same issue but got a handle on it by going to dollar store and getting a squirt bottle filling it with water and every time you go to pee are the other rinse rinse rinse I got two bottles. That saved me hope it helps you honey hang in there.

HUGS FROM TEXAS

Gma04

Hi All,Hannariggs you explained it perfectly,no other pain i've ever experienced(and i have 2 kids)comes close.I'm so nervous about tuesday and being bitchy too,mine started the next day and was really bad for a week. Maybe because i'm getting a double dose?If this happens again i'm switching to weekly taxol.Hugs to all Angela

Has anyone getting taxol had any skin problems? I have tiny little bumps all over the middle of my back that get itchy. Its very hard for me to get a good look at it. My husband thinks its acne which I've never had a problem with in my life. I dont remember them mentioning this as a side effect. Just wondering if its "normal".



Angela and hannarigs - sorry you've had so much pain. I dont think mine has been as severe, but there have been alot more aches than I was hoping for. Still so tired that I'm questioning if I can do another dose dense on thursday. Angela, my prayers will be with you on Tuesday. It seems like there should be a way for them to make this more tolerable for both of you.



Marsha - you were so productive! I'm sure you look great in your "new" clothes and you WILL. FEEL. GOOD. again! I hope you can get some sleep and that that will help relieve your headaches. Let us know how the echo goes next week.



Hope everyone else is feeling good and enjoying the weekend.

Angela-Good luck tuesday.  My taxol isn't dose dense.  I can't imagine how much pain you must feel. I actually look forward to the infusions as I feel no pain for two days and then WHAM.  My weekends are spent hurting.  So much so that it is hard to leave the house unless on pain killlers(which I hate taking).  They say you always want the things you cant have.  I told my husband this weekend I would rather have your dosage as at least you have two weeks that are tolerable.  With weekly doses you have 4 our of 7 that are good.  It gets really old.  9 more to go after this week.  Whoo Hoo! 

Congrats on losing weight Marsha!  I lost alot before my diagnosis.  A good thing as I have gained 15 since my treatments.  I figured it was the only time in my life where I could indulge in sinful things.    I was and 8-10 and now I am a 14-16.  lol.  Hope it comes off easily, if not save those clothes I may need them. lol

Lark- Have not had any rashes yet.  I do use alot of lotion on my feet, hands and my head.  Seems like my skin is dryer than normal.  

Has anyone done the "feel good" makeup class through the cancer center?  I have signed up for ours and its Sept 30.  Really looking forward to it, as I am told I will lose my eyebrows and eyelashes with the Taxol.  So far so good, but I am using the Brian Josephs twice daily.  I hope it works, if not Tammy Faye here I come.  

Lana-Are you doing dd taxol?  I am not getting any neulasta shots.  Is everyone getting neulasta?

Saw a friends baby today and seems like yesterday she had him.  Hes already six weeks!  Life is rolling on.  I look back at the summer and it seems like so long ago.  Yet, each and every day seems so long. We all have come a long way, and still have a way to go. I will always be grateful for the friends I have made here. I Will never forget this past year and hoping for us all a healthy future.