October 2013 Chemotherapy
Comments
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TX # 2 was last Friday....for the past 6 days I have been feeling like a "zombie" unable to really function. I was wondering how I could possbly have the strenght to get through 2 more of these treatments! Finally, I felt some relief for the first time this afternoon from the heartburn, blurry vision, bone pain & extreme fatigue!!! Slowly getting some energy back...
Headeast- Hope that your infusion went well today with minimal SEs.
lgkgde13- To avoid mouth sores, I have been using a mix of 1QT of water with 1tsp of salt & 1tsp baking soday , rinse for 10-15 sec...
70 charger- sending positive thoughts for you on Friday! Are you getting injections of Neupogen or Neulasta to help with wbc?
DebDylan- I don't have a port . MO didn't feel it was necessary in my case. Happy about it. I had 2 TXs (3 infusions each) didn't experience any burning sensation.
JenSf- How have you been doing since your last treatment? -
hello dear ladies!
I had my third treatment and I am feeling ok. We will see what happens in the next days. I now have a prescription for Ativan and my nausea medicine was changed to one that wont be giving me headaches.
My counts, without the neulasta were great! I am eating and gaining weight, but it is all nutrients. Yesterday I had three bananas, three cups of garbanzo beans and two protein shakes with L Glutamine, one Blood builder a day. The other days I had brussel sprouts.
WBC 7.3
RBC 4.44
Platelet 332
Neutrophils 83
Neutrophils absolute 6
About the 4 vs 6 TCs, the MO told me my questions were valid and although there are no trials that compare them, we will see how I go until the 4th treatment and then we will both decide. He said no to Oncotype or MammaPrint. That their purpose is to decide if chemo treatment or not. -
first AC tomorrow. Shaved the head tonight...thought you ladies would appreciate.....FU cancer and the pink ribbon you rode in on!
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love it kitty and I agree. Good luck tomorrow. -
haha Kittykate! You look lovely -- much better than I do with my shiny moth eaten-looking dome!
DebDylan -- that is HORRIBLE! I don't have a port, but I don't have the AC regimen either. There has been no discomfort with my infusions at all. I was told that if I felt anything to tell the infusions nurse immediately and they would do something about it. It saw this happen with another patient -- they immediately stopped the infusion and ended up giving some meds through the IV (not sure what) before slowly and cautiously starting the chemo drug again. The MO was also called to come in and check the patient before they continued.
Headeast -- hope you continue with minimal SEs... Counts were awesome (I don't think mine were that good before my first tx!) Hang in there......Just one more to go!
Nicole -- I felt a lot more fatigue after my 2nd tx as well. MO discussed with me that 3rd tx would probably even more fatiguing, but 4th tx (being the last) was usually easier to bounce back from psychologically. The fevers I got from the Neulasta were especially draining. I had some heartburn off and on, but Pepcid kind of handled it. Are you taking Claritin for the bone pain?
Lg -- I am also using the warm water with salt and baking soda, though I haven't had too many mouth sores. That might be because I am sucking on Popsicles and crushed ice with ginger iced tea during the Taxotere part of my infusions.
70charger -- good luck with your busy day tomorrow. Please post as to how it goes -- I am in for rads starting in January sometime, and wanting to know what I have to look forward to. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.
Pam -- glad you are back in commission! I don't know how you gals do this every two weeks thing... I so cherish those there or four days of normalcy at the end of my three week break between treatments.... I so respect your strength!! -
Jianchi I'm sorry your first day of AC was so rough. Mine was too, I started feeling bad about an hour after my infusion was done. I wasn't prepared to feel so sick so fast, I'd heard more of the "days 3-5 are the hardest" so I was expecting that. For me, days 1-3, and 7 were the hardest. I'm set to do my 2nd treatment this Friday (if I get cleared by cardiology--I was supposed to get my 2nd last week but it was postponed due to some heart stuff) and I'm hoping to get a handle on the SE's a little better this time since I know they will hit me fast. How are you feeling now? -
kittykate- You look great! Enjoyed your pic -
kittykate, hilarious! -
70Charger - Congrats on Friday being your last chemo. I hope the weather is cooperating for your appointments today.
Jianchi - I need to start taking my anti-nausea meds and start feeling side effects shortly after I get home from my infusion too. I feel most of my SEs in the days that follow rather than having a delayed effect.
DebDylan - During my Adriamycin my infusion nurse asks me if I have any burning sensation every few minutes...so often that I sometimes just interject and say no burning sensation. Sorry to hear yours did not go well.
Headeast - Hope your new meds work like a charm - take away the anxiety and the nausea with no headache.
KittyKate - your hair looks cute! -
MO just called in a rx for the Magic Mouth Rinse. My sores came back then I woke this morning with an enlarged tonsil. Great, after my wbc being soooo low I was worried so hopefully this rinse will do the trick!
I ordered a F*ck Cancer t shirt, ya know the one with the pink ribbon in place of the letter U. Hubby wanted me to get it months ago but I was still a bit unsure about *offending* people. now, dealing with all this, traveling this long road, I pretty much say anything & this t shirt says it all LOL. -
Hey DebDylan
hope you get this straightened out. Good luck!!!!
The one thing I have been lucky with is my port. With a year of treatment plus all the contrast dyes, nuclear med infusions & blood draws it has worked out great. -
Jianchi, I am very sorry to learn that you feel so ill and would like to share my experience with you. I hope it will help you get through your chemo.
About vomiting, in my case, anti-vomiting drugs were administered intravenously right before my chemo sessions, and my oncologist gave me Emend and Primperan to take orally. I never vomited during my chemo nor felt nauseous.
Chemo upsets the stomach dreadfully, but I had a very healthy appetite during chemo because my oncologist prescribed Combizym and Gascon for me. Combizym is an enzyme that aids digestion, and Gascon does a great job eliminating stomach gas. I took those meds three times a day throughout my chemo and did very well indeed. Surely these meds or their equivalents are available in the U.S. Do not hesitate to ask your oncologist to prescribe them. They are perfectly safe.
It is imperative that you eat right during your chemo. Eat plenty of proteins for your new cells to grow and carbs to boost your energy level. Instead of forcing down three large meals per day, eat six small meals. Do encourage yourself to eat even if you don't feel like it. Each meal means a lot. Snacking is okay too, but stay away from heavy snacks such as chocolates and French fries. Soft drinks are no-noes because they create a lot of gas in your stomach. For extra vitamins and minerals, I drank one to two packets of Oral Impact throughout my chemo and radiation.
Chemo is no bed of roses, but you will feel much better if you take the right meds and eat the right foods. You would not believe it, but I looked so healthy and rosy during chemo that no one knew what I was going through!
Hugs,
Michelle -
debDylan, don't quit! Change the dr, please. Don't give your life away only because you have a bad doctor! -
Deb, I'm with Head, please don't opt out..it is a hard road but it will soon be over...well this part anyway...WE GOT THIS!!!!! -
I am thinking maybe the AC is beginning to catch up with me. I crashed as soon as I got home yesterday. And I was so tired I went in to work late. I feel better now but still tired. I'm trying to drink more water -- I've really fallen off. I was told that my blood counts are at their lowest a week after treatment, which is today so I'm thinking that's the problem. I seem to be catching a chest cold and I wonder if you guys have any idea what I might take for that -- when I get colds/sinus infections they can be pretty bad but I only get them about once a year.
I'm going to try to "push through" this and stay active because I can right now and the possibility it will get worse with the next treatment. Other than this fatigue and the constipation issues, I've done well on AC. I have 2 more DD treatments then on to Taxol. -
sitting in the chair getting AC #2. Have a blessed day you beautiful ladies.
Kittykate you are gorgeous. -
Lonnie, my heart is with you. One less to go! -
kittykat-you look GREAT
kcat-i was sick within hours of coming home from my first A/C treatment too, and I didn't expect it at all. Threw up for hours...my new MO has changed up the meds a bit so I'm hoping for a slightly better time tomorrow but I'm still nervous.
Deb-PLEASE find another MO...i too was so down and upset that I almost called it all off. Then I changed MO last week and it has made all of the difference. -
kittykate- you're gorgeous! I hope I rock my buzz half as well as you do.... I'm cutting it tonight or tomorrow when my husband and sons are around.
schoolcounselor- it's great having a chemo twin! this week has been great so far (aside from the hair). how are you feeling?
ladies, I wish you all the best in your treatments. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights!
xoxo -
Nicole Not having any shots. tx 1 wbc was 14. tx 2 wbc was 20. tx 3 wbc was 19. No one knows WHY they were so high. Today they were 9. Finally in the normal range. Now I just have to figure out how to tell if they are crashing on me & watch for that.
Teamkim Had Rad simulation & tattoos in less than 15 mins, then out of there. Just lay down on table, grab onto post above your head, go for a ride, reposition you, do tattoos, go for a ride, watch big whirly go around you, done, go home.
Lots of rain all night. THANK GOD it was above freezing this morning. Tomorrow, rain with up to 2 inches of snow mixed. Temp is to continue to drop all afternoon. Just in time for my last chemo. yeah! Love winter...NOT. -
I need to vent!!! I haven't posted because I've had minor SE thru AC#3. I've felt so sorry for all of you having a hard time. The worst thing has been the racing heart rate. I took comfort in not being the only one and lived with it. Monday, it got out of control and I ended up in the ER with bp 175/110 and hr 140. They did blood work, normal and cat scan normal, so after 5 hours go home. Next day the hospital called me and said the resident missed a lesion on my liver. Today I had a follow up with my primary. He's telling me about a nodule on my lung. I'm like what nodule and what about the liver? He didn't see the addendum about the liver. The hospital said nothing to me about the lung. I insisted on a PET before chemo started, my MO didn't want to because, if they found something, I would have to wait to deal with it after chemo. My PET came back negative, except for a cyst on my ovary we knew about, so I thought I was home free. So, maybe my MO was right and don't look for trouble cause you'll find it. So, now I have to wait out liver and lung issues. My primary is putting me on a heart monitor, i'll get that next week cause i need a break. Tomorrow is TGIF. Golfing this weekend as payback for my finance for sitting with me in ER, should be a beautiful weekend. Ladies take care, sorry so many of you are having a hard time.
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Ms Jean - so sorry to hear about your lung and liver issues, let alone the heart issues. You deserve few SEs . Good Luck with the heart monitor. And by the way....vent away, you've got lots to vent about. I hope you are able to put aside what's going on for a little while so you can enjoy the golfing. -
Kittykate,
You look fabulous darlin!!!! So funny- you put a smile on my face.
Deb, don't give in. Stay strong with us!!!
2timer-makes sense to me now why I always sleep during my infusion weekend. Check in with your MO right away on your chest cold so you don't take the wrong mix of meds. -
MsJean,
I hope everything works out for you. That is scary. I know our chemo cocktail is tough on our heart. Let us know how things pan out as I will be thinking of you. -
Headset,
how are you doing? Do you go to physical therapy once a week and what do they do? I asked serveral times about my swelling but my surgeon said I looked fine & to wait until my Dec, follow up with him. I worry about this numbness and all. I still get strange sensations under my breast as well and Dr. said this was normal.
I never heard about the nerves growing back. This is good to know as I thought they were damaged forever. Thank you for your knowledge. -
Gals,
I never heard of magic mouthwash? Have been using Biotin and just started using the toothpaste as well. I am upset that I did not get to the dentist prior to starting chemo. I do have some gum issues so I am concerned. Maybe I can go before my Taxol starts? Just not a good idea due to all the bacteria and infection issues? -
MsJean Sorry about the liver and lung issues, that stinks. I had a racing heart after my first AC and my MO wouldn't clear me to have another treatment until I had an echocardiogram (which I had today). I'll find out tomorrow those results and if I can get my treatment tomorrow. You must have felt pretty miserable with the blood pressure and heart rate you had at the ER! -
MsJean, So sorry about your rapid heart rate. Also your liver and lung problems. I have had rapid heart rate too after AC and it is scary. I did pass the MUGA test and was ok to go.
Furfriend2 I have been using Biotene mouth wash too and I was told there was a spray but I can't seem to find it in any drugstore's up here in Canada. I guess I will have to keep trying. It must be around somewhere. -
kcat, can the MO change your treatment to TC instead? I understand Adryamicin might have something to do with the heart issues. -
Furfriend, I am doing very good in this TC 3 compared to other ones.
I asked my OS to write a prescription for a lymphedema therapist and called a hospital by my house and found a lymphedema therapist there. She started with three times a week and was all covered by the insurance company. I did it for about a month and a half and then after measuring me every couple of weeks, doing massages, teaching me how to do my own massages and exercise I am down to once a week. She told me I can start going to the gym and do the lowest weight and low repetitions. Lots of stretch exercises. i am almost there but still missing motion and swollen in one area, but way less than at the beginning.
I hope you can get a prescription from your doctor if you are still swollen. It makes such a difference and now I can almost move my arm, I think in another month or two I should be ok with the arm, not sure about the swollen.
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