First round of AC and Neulasta question?

I did four rounds of dose-dense AC before four rounds of T.  I found that I had very little problem with the chemotherapy, but struggled mightily with the Neulasta short (side effects would slam into me eactly 48-hours after each shot).  No nausea or vomiting, but increasingly uncomfortable acid reflux (which Gavescon helped with).  Taste went metallic and with it my appetite.  Fatigue grew increasingly severe as treatment progressed, but nothing that was too debilitating.  Walking helped.

Hello, Milane!

My 1st chemo round was exactly one week before yours. Tomorrow I head for the analysis before round 2.

The SE were not numerous, but those I had were intense:

- in the first week, extreme sleepiness and fatigue;

- slight nausea, in spite of getting 3 medications to control it, but only in the first week, afterwards it went away and usually it was stirred by sensing odours;

- odour sensitivity (that was responsible for the slight nausea) - I felt almost like the main character from Suskind's _Perfume_ !

- taste has lost its strength;

- the stools were every second day;

- in the third week, my hair (head and pubis) starts to slightly come out. Most probably, after round two, they will come out completely.

Reading the other girls i the discussion, I have to mention that I have almost no appetite to eat, but I had my five portions of food per day - two cooked meals and the other two were either servings of fruit or of vegetables. Since my taste is no longer so strong, I eat raw onions with the cooked meals. In fact, the raw onions were the only food I craved. Along with cucumbers and kiwi.

(The loss of appetite pre-dates my being diagnosed in August and it has not really returned since. I can't eat when I'm not healthy, I was always like this... )

I started to feel things getting back to normal on day 11 of the cycle: no more fatigue, stools normal and daily, smell sensitivity still present but considerably toned down.

Now it's time for round two, we'll see how I will manage. My onc told me that the SE might intensify, but she said that usually one doesn't develop other ones, one just has the same, only more intense with each round. (If that's so, then I'm pretty nervous about the nausea part!)

And finally, it's fundamental to remember that we each react in our own way.

Good luck and keep going, there's a finish line to this run!

Fond greetings!

Congratulations on #1.

I did , 6 1/2 years ago, 4 DD A/C. Gave myself the Neulasta cuz I live so far from hospital. Was sent to me by Pharmacy, in dry ice, kept it in fridge.

SelenaWolf's "metallic" taste was my experience too. Lived on Yukon Gold potatoes, mashed, plain rice, didn't like anything salty.

Biotine products if you get dry mouth. EMEND ( medication from oncologist) if you get nausea.

My worst problem was just the opposite of constipation, I took a lot of Immodium.

Symptoms of fatigue are cumulative, 4th is much more exhausting than 1st, and joyful, cuz you know it's the last one. Hair starts to row back in about 2 weeks, interesting about same time it takes to fall out. I had a buzz cut b4 I started, so no problem with hair falling out.

Not an experience anyone wold choose, the word I kept hearing, and is true, DOABLE.

Also kept my favorite Winston Churchill quote in Big Letters on Poster in my bedroom:

" If you're going through hell, keep going."

The effects from chemo are usually cumulative, meaning they get worse with each subsequent tx. But not everyone reacts the same, so you may be one of the ones that does well. I experienced loss of appetite, loss of weight, and loss of hair. Cut my hair short short short day before the first chemo tx, then shaved it 3 weeks later when it began to pile up on my shoulders. Hair began growing back four months later during taxol tx.

I also felt fatigued during AC but stubbornly forced myself to hike, go to bikram (yoga), weight lift, etc. as I had before. It may have allieviated other symptoms.

Claire

Thanks Sunflowers!

So, I'll just keep going, even if this means going through hell for the time being. Nice idea the flower poster, it must have been excellent inspiration and motivation every day!

The smell issue worries me a bit because it's also one path to nausea. :S It seems that my taste weakens and the smell becomes a little too bossy. I know both senses are "directed" by the same nerve and maybe the treatment has thrown the nerve slightly off balance, who knows... I just hope i can manage the last 2 treatments. 

Yet the fact that 1 year of Herceptin awaits me then is also scaring me: nausea is among the main SE listed.

A nutrition plan includes lots of fruit (except garpe-fruit, because it doesn't marry well with epirubicin), green vegetables, red meat (I limit myself to liver and tongue, because they are fat-free and fat just tends to give me nausea in normal times, so I avoid it in these times... I prefer to get the fat from oils and certain vegetables). I also drink lots of ginger tea in the first weak of treatment, then I change to camomile, lime or mint... And I just can't give up my cups of cocoa, they cheer me up too much. Onc told me I should not avoid dairy completely because I need the calcium.

Thanks for the rice tip, I admit I forgot about it! With herbs it's just fantastic and with curry as well! The crackers are part of my arsenal whenever I don't feel well! But honey... and anything sweet in general, I handle poorly, so for the time being, I avoid. I eat dark chocolate, though. One square every other day, but still, it's chocolate. Also, pineapples are good at controlling nausea.

Like Claire, I experience acute appetite loss (since diagnosed in August) and I rarely fell hunger, so weight loss is there. But I try and eat 5 times a day. Little portions, but I eat. 

I really hang on to the fact that there are only two more to go. And I'll just keep going. Which is what I encourage each of us to do. Because it's worth it - there's life, love, beauty out there, and we want it all!

so many people are different if you we're ever pregnant and nauseous you will not do well with chemo!!! That was me I was nonfunctioning and so sick after round three that I skip AC #4 and my onc agreed!! Taxol is a breeze compared to AC!!!! Good luck on your journey I am just back from the exchange my journey here is almost done but always around!!! Enjoy your day

Milane- I sailed thru 4 rounds of AC with only some low BP. It was the Neulasta that almost killed me. The bone pain was far worse than anythig I had befode or since.It came on 3-4 days post chemo. I could only dull the pain a little with Vicodinn My bladder got a bit week  foo.  on the Red Devil 

Glad I found this thread! I have my first round of AC today and have been getting increasingly freaked out from reading the Nov 2913 Chemo thread - many side affects there. I did notice that many of those women are not doing AC and maybe that's why the difference? During my 2 pregnancies I had very little nausea and never did vomit, so maybe things won't be so bad. A girl can hope : )

Thanks. I've got my arsenal ready: Colace, Immodium, Claritin, ginger ale, bland soup, etc.

Kathy

I start my first round of chemo on Dec. 5th. I will be having four rounds of AC followed by four rounds of Taxol, if all goes well. I had my heart test today, and I have a chemo consult tomorrow. Can you please post a list of recommended items that I should have on hand to make my life a little more comfortable, since no telling how I will feel. Oh, I will be having the Neulasta shot the day after each treatment. It sounds like the shot is horrible. Should I request pain medication in advance?

Kim

I did the 4 dose dense A/C...now doing the dose dense Taxol, I have had 7 Neulasta shots...I was so sick on the A/C that the bone pain from the Neulasta was mineable. Now I am gearing up for the last Taxol. Have no idea if its the Neulasta or the Taxol but the bone pain is severe. Yes, I would get pain meds. You might not need them for A/C, but you will for Taxol. Better to have them on hand & not need it then suffer. Harder for the Dr. To call it in now with the new guidelines. Stock up with your normal comfort food. I am still on the baked potato or mashed 4 or 5 nights a week. Easy on my stomach & bland. I eat lots of steamed veggies and a small amount of meat.. The anti nausea meds will make most people constipated, Miralax works for that. As difficult as the treatments are for some, not all, most of us have a stretch of "good days". Do what you normally do. I have been able to continue my walking group, 5 miles usually. On my bad days, making it to the mailbox & light house work is it..Good luck to all who are starting. Being able to communicate with others on this site is very helpful.

I will be getting my 6th AC on Wednesday. My first was awful. . I was ok for the first 2 days then nausea and vomitting for a week, The second was much better as they gave me Amend and Aloxi and dexa methasone. I also get Nuelasta shot 24 hours after treatment and have had no problems with that but I take a claritan daily to help with that and aches from zometa when I get that. Good luck to you that are just starting. I am unsure of what is next for me but will hopefully know more on Wednesday.

Redroan