September 2013 Chemo Group

Peacockgirl, I've had a hemorrhoid since I gave birth to my daughter, and it flares up every time I have a treatment. Unfortunately I don't really know the difference between those and fissures - if you're bleeding though I agree that a doc should take a look.

So I'm on day 6 after my final AC tx, and I still feel like crap :-( It's funny though, I don't feel forlorn this time or like I can't cope, I'm just pissed off - theoretically Taxol will be easier SE-wise, I don't have to be strong or mentally resilient so I'm letting myself just hate it, lol. That said, I'm really hoping everyone is right about Taxol being easier...

The hot flashes are officially out of control. My mom still has them, poor thing, and last night we were alternating hot flashes - I'd rip off my jacket and fan myself, then right as I was putting my jacket back on and shivering she'd rip off her sweater, lol. At least with these I can find humor in them. I do have a leg up on my mom - when I stick my head in the freezer I don't have hair to insulate, so it cools me off much faster :-)

JellyK - I'm right there with you on the Taxol. I've heard so many people say that it's so much better than AC... I just hope I'm not the oddball and end up feeling worse since I feel like I've tolerated the AC fairly well. LOL

mfm - I get a rash every time. It's usually on my face & neck, and VERY itchy. The nurse at my MO's office said that steroids can help because it's usually some kind of reaction to the chemo.

I'm not sure what my issue is... you all are mentioning bleeding and hemorrhoids & anal fissures.... I have some blood with every bowel movement. None in my stool, just on the TP when I wipe, so I'm assuming it's just bleeding from the act of going. I haven't mentioned it to my doctor, but I did have an exam at the gynecological oncologist Thursday and she didn't see anything. I take Colace every day but it doesn't seem to help with the constipation (or maybe it does and I would just be REALLY bad off without it).

I've been feeling pretty good. An annoying headache that comes & goes, and a little bit of a sore mouth/throat, but nothing awful.

Question about those on Taxol or Taxotere and icing. If you are icing your hands/feet, how are you doing it? Since dose dense taxol has a high risk of neuropathy, I want to try icing to try to avoid a lot of that. Some people have said they bring bags of frozen peas, but I know the taxol infusion is at least several hours long. Will they last that long, or should I bring bags of ice? My AC infusions were only about 2.5 hours from start to finish, including premeds, so it's going to be a drag sitting there for chemo for 4-5 hours.

Jellyk you are seriously funny! Thanks for the laugh.

KbeeeI had a rash from tx#1 and thing that helped me was curash powder from the baby section. I am not waiting to get it again but dusting it on as a precaution.

LHL i am the same in the toilet.

Viji

Feeling scared of not knowing what to expect with each drug or different se. I pray we all see less se each time.

Cougarlicious, When is that sweet baby if yours coming??????

I don't think I have checked in since my treatment scare. The rest of the infusion went fine. Post-round#3 has been rough. I told myself that I got the side effects out of the way during treatment time. Haha. I felt really good the day after and decided I was just going to sail through it. That night I got the most horrible sternum pain ever from the Neulasta. I started Claritin two days pre-tx and even had taken some ibuprofen a few hours before the pain started because I felt a headache coming on. I ended up taking a whole Lortab (I usually only take half) and crying in bed until it begun to relent. Then Saturday I got nausea and vomiting. I couldn't even keep water down. I didn't think I was going to have an issue with this as I have only had to deal with heartburn so far. I am guessing it is either cumulative effect of ever changing side effects. Who knows.

I think I am getting my first real signs of neuropathy. I had experienced this previously but very faintly. This time it is much more real. About half of my my hands on the pinky side are pretty desensitized and same for my feet. I also feel like a bull in a china cabinet like I am bumbling all over the place. I don't know if this warrants it's own doctor visit or if I just need to address it when I go in for my pre-chemo appt. Is there even anything they can do besides physical therapy and/or reducing future doses? Hopefully it will fade some as the days wear on.

I had a hundred things to say as I was reading through here but didn't feel up to posting when I read them. Now I lost them all. I will try the Miralax. I started taking stool softener, prunes and Metamucil two days before treatment and still it immediately dried up any and all moisture in my body. It is like mummification, I swear! The ancient Egyptians could have benefited from chemo drugs in preserving their loved ones. Hey, isn't that what we are doing? Haha, sorry dark humor is my friend some times. Albeit, very dry humor.

Nails- I heard a little tidbit about reducing the black nail/falling off effect. I heard that dark nail polish will help prevent that as it prevents UV rays from hitting the nail bed. I have no idea if it works. I did paint my nails really dark blue the last two infusions. I have yet to take it off though...I just painted over it the last time. I will do that today and report back.

Oh yeah, and hot flashes SUCK!! I got woke up TEN times the other night from them! Combined with this horrible leg muscle pain and burning every time I move in the the night, I am not sleeping much. I was due to start yesterday and I am usually like clockwork so I am assuming it is definitely chemopause for me!

thank you everyone for the bathroom tips...for my last A/C infusion this Friday while I am chewing ice perhaps I shall stick an ice cube up my butt as well. LOL! Calling onco today.

Kbee- I am so impressed you are still running girl! I've got nothing left in my lungs ...it's like hitting the gas pedal and having your car do nothing. I'm still walking about 3 miles a day but that's all I can do. Taking a shower these days leaves me winded.

Friday will be bitter sweet. Last A/C then on to taxol. I'm at the half way point. Kinda like when I finished the Las Vegas rock n roll half marathon last December. I ran the whole thing in 2:37 (my first half) with my husband trotting behind me (he's a serious runner, an ironman finisher even) and when we crossed the finish, me tired beyond belief and really limping with a hurt IT band in my right knee...he said 'now turn around and go all the way back to the finish and THAT is a marathon'. I couldn't even fathom doing it. Surely I could have...walking ...limping...crawling but it would not have been pretty. I'm feeling the same way about chemo..this turn around on Friday is going to be brutal. But I will do it.

Peacockgirl - I had my last AC and will start taxol this Thursday. Even though I've been doing this for two months, I feel like a chemo newbie since I'm starting with a new drug. Who knows what Thursday will bring? I was really excited to get finished with AC though, because I dreaded the red devil so much. Try to look at the halfway point as a GOOD thing instead of having to go as far as you've already come.... think that every day after that point is a day closer to you not having to do that many days again! (If that makes sense coming from my chemo brain...LOL)

So I have another stupid mouth sore on the side of my tongue. Chewing and swallowing is agony. Ugh. I'm taking L-Lysine daily, rinsing and brushing with Biotene multiple times a day and even have magic mouthwash. I don't know what else I can do. Ugh.

Thursday is going to be a long day. Usually I see my MO on my off-chemo week, but he was on vacation last week. So I have labs, office visit and my first taxol infusion Thursday.

Mamastewart - I had heard that about the dark nail polish, too, so I'm going to do my nails on Wednesday. I told hubby I might buy black and go goth... at least it's almost Halloween so maybe I wouldn't stand out too much. LOL

re: nails. Forgot to mention..I've NEVER had my nails look so good or grow so well. it's bizarre. I've had to cut them down TWICE since starting chemo 2 months ago. but then again i'm not doing anything ..no yard work, no banging around the gym with weights or doing heavy house chores like I usually do. I hear Taxol can be much different though. Going to go with the dark nail polish for sure.

ps-thank you lighthouse for the pep talk. I really should look at it in those terms. Not that I have to go all the way back but that I am so much closer to the finish. You are exactly right. When I started this thing I new the last A/C would be around Halloween and that seemed sooooo far away. And it's already here. I will be watching for you and reading closely how you fare on Taxol this week. I so hope the rumors are true and its' easier for all of us to endure than A/C.

pps-I got the MALE onco nurse today to talk all about butts and bowel movements. hahaha. he complemented me on my "knowledge" and keeping on top of things. hahaha. oh and he made me remember how last week? ummm...I kinda over did things with the spicy. Like curry, tabasco, hot peppers etc. To try and cover up this metallic, dirty gym sock, sewer flavor that has taken up residence in my mouth. ((( sigh ))) ooops.

MamaStewart

I am doing the Mirilax & Colace too...trying to drink water, even have prunes. I am so paranoid after my ER visit for fecal impaction the weekend before. It is weird because usually any gastro issue for me usually would be diarrhea.

Cougarlicious

funny my friend told me to have a spoon of molasses in milk (ick) Her dr told her that for her kids decades ago.

SpecialK

Thanks....

I just read about asking for Caphosol. I will tomorrow. These mouth sores have lasted a week & I go for chemo tomorrow. To add to the misery I have upper denture so the gum sores are under my plate & cause great irritation.

I have used Biotene since my first treatment & also have Colgate (no alcohol) rinse for mouth sores. And use Anbesol.

I may have added to the problem myself because I had orange juice & also eat fruit daily. I know that citric acid can cause sores to be worse.

Congratulations mankatostate.  You have crossed the finish line. 

Congrats mankatostate, well done and what an encouraging person your husband is.. wishing you minimal SEs...

yahoo mankatostate!!!!!! Congrats! So, today I had to run into the grocery store to grab a few things. While in there I started to have a hot flash, a flash like no other. I could feel it coming from my toes and work its way up to the top of my head. I had to rush over and stick my head into the ice cream freezer. At which point I look over and see an elderly couple starring at me, I smile and pretend to be reading the ingredients on the tubs of ice cream. To make it worse, while enduring my own personal summer I must have whipped off my hat and was completely bald in the freezer.....loll...... no wonder the couple were starring at me!

nice juli.  many great wome on this joourney;-)