September 2013 Chemo Group
Comments
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Mamastewart-
So glad you are OK and home...
I understand worrying what is normal and what is not with this stuff...I am over paranoid about symptoms and imagine all kinds of things...the nuelasta shot can cause enlarged spleen (rare) but I read that and am already hoping I will not have that side effect! CRAZY!
Hoping your chills/sweats diminish...and you get to feeling better!
HUGS -
mamaStewart,
Glad to hear you are "ok". :-) Good thoughts and prayers still going your way.
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well, I finally have a rads simulation/CT on the schedule for Dec. 30th
and I'm glad I asked about the hospital's new health club, as a cancer patient I get a reduced membership of $15 a month, but the radiation center will COVER it so I get a FREE gym membership. I'm like a giddy kid at Christmas today. I know, something only a gym rat like myself would be excited about, but hey at least it makes the 50 mile roundtrip drive to rads every day more fun because I get a workout in (not diggin' the idea of walk/running outside in Jan/Feb here in Oregon!) They also said I won't need to start rads until after the 12th so we are good to go to Houston and visit our friend who's husband just died on thanksgiving. Still have the cough but it's not getting worse. Last night my left tonsil hurt, that's a lymph system thing right? -
Hello Gals
I had my 3rd Taxol/Herceptin today, was there about 5.5 hours. Having it weekly I switched to have my blood draw done first so there is an hour wait at least. But driving there the day before is such a waste of time & gas & through winter not fun in snow/ice. So all in one day. Yesterday I had another ECHO, that Herceptin is bad for the heart & I will get another in 3 months. All was fine.
I only had Neulastsa after my A&C. None with Taxol. It was a rough thing to handle. My pain now, mostly knees some hip/back is just a day or so from the Taxol.
My blood counts are still low, should be back up since being of the A&C but....I am teetering on the edge of the counts being a no go for chemo. Blood builder & steak will be on the menu again the next few days. This overwhelming exhaustion every day by noon is tiring! LOL -
Glad you are home MamaStewart
Hope you continue to feel better. I know when my counts were so low they decided to give me 90 minutes of fluid infusion. Wow what a diference. I thought I'd need an transfusion but the fluids helped so much with everything! -
Vintage,
I thought it was the Taxol that was tough on the heart? I had my second ECHO yesterday. Get the results from the doc on Friday when I have a regular appointment. -
kj, I think the adriamycin is hard on the heart, as well as the herceptin. I can't imagine any of these drugs are easy on it though. I hope your eating is getting better.
vintagegal, Glad the fluids helped!
Peacockgal, That is awesome about the gym. That would make me happy too! I can workout at work, but I am not comfortable without hats and such during the day, and I have no energy at night. I am happy for you.
Mamastewart, I am glad you got to come home. I hope the fluids helped, and that the Cipro keeps infection away.
Audra, Hope that port is healing.
I could eat today...with no Zofran...yahoo! Some days it's the little things. Hoping for a good day for all. -
mamastewart- so glad you are home!! Hopefully the cold sweats are gone soon!!
Lhl- one more to go!!!! Yahoo...we got this! I seriously can't wait till Thursday! I am on the honey moon stage too! Feeling great just in time to be hit by a train!
I think I am going to loose two of my finger nails.....yuck!!!!!
Hope everyone is doing well !! -
Question:
I have numbness in my pinky and 4th finger today and I called on call dr...wondering if port placement on nerve or something?? He wasn't helpful and didn't seem like it was a big deal...I have been google=ing for info. and can find none
What do you think it is?? -
Hockeymommy - I was going to post and ask you how you were doing. I swear I feel like a kid at Christmas. I can not WAIT for Thursday. :-) Ready for a P.A.R.T.Y.?????? I know I won't feel like chemo is really "over" until the pain goes away Monday or Tuesday, but I can't wait to say I've had my last treatment. What time is your appointment?
mamastewart - I'm glad you got to come home, but it's frustrating to not really get any answers.
Kbeee - I was telling KJ yesterday that my sis-in-law had your chemo cocktail and she was very sick throughout. She had to be hospitalized for a day or two after three of her four infusions. I hate that you two are having problems with nausea. Booooo.
Does anyone know when I need to see the radiation oncologist? Since I'm having chemo before surgery, I'm not sure what the protocol is. I'm going to ask my MO on Thursday. I've read that I should see the rad onc before my surgery, but not sure that will be possible since my surgery is Jan 3rd and there are two holidays in between now and then. I guess we'll see.
Went to the Christmas parade downtown tonight. It was fun (and a beautiful night that felt nothing like Christmas: 82 degrees today!), but OMG I am so tired. I worked this morning, then went to the mall to do some Christmas shopping. My son's school band adopts children in need for Christmas and the items need to be turned in tomorrow. I traipsed around the mall for over an hour. Then the parade tonight & went out to eat after. Nothing strenuous, but that is way too much for my chemo-exhausted body! -
audra - sounds like it could be neuropathy from Taxotere.
kj - you get echocardiograms for Herceptin, not the taxane, those who are on Adriamycin get them also. They are done for both regimens to check for cardio-toxicity.
lighthouse - you have to be healed from your surgery prior to starting rads - usually 3-6 weeks after. They usually need about a week to do the planning, sometimes less.
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Lighthouselady and Hockeymommy, so happy you two ladies are having FINAL chemo this Thursday! I'm an infusion behind you so this week is my 2nd to last. My fingernails are getting really brittle starting to chip and tear and a little yellow...no pain or lifting or lines or ridges. I just notice the difference. On AC my nails NEVER looked so good! I had to cut them like 3 times they were getting so long...but then I wasn't doing anything like yardwork, housework, weightlifting or anything like I usually do. Hah. An actual benefit to AC. Good nails.
My stomach has finally righted itself after AC. I am not having to take daily Prilosec anymore or tums from time to time because of horrible heart burn or regurge at night. That's a blessing. Have been able to cut daily Colace out too so that's nice too!
I don't know what chemo #7 will bring but I feel pretty darned good this week. Walked 4 miles today. I have a feeling my hemoglobin is coming up. I just have a lot more energy than I did a few weeks ago. I'm also sleeping better with the Ativan and Elavil combination. Who knew hair was so important for thermoregulation? I've had to wear thicker hats and it's helped keep me asleep. Plus the weather has turned colder finally so we aren't in that weird autumn phase where it's too cold for the windows to be open or too hot for the heat to be on. I've actually had hair on my head grow back after I shaved it skin-bald a week ago. It's white and like prickly peach fuzz all over but it is ALL over and not patchy so that's promising that when my hair DOES grow back it will be uniform.
Oh and I get to see the Nurse Practioner this week and not my oncologist (whom I dislike more and more each time I see him).
ps-SpecialK thanks for all the cosmetics/eyebrows/eyelashes and Sephora links! I need some retail therapy!
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Morning Ladies! Well we are all one day closer to the end of side effects. Hope everyone has few.
I have one eyebrow that is very itchy & thinning (infusion side) I will look quite off if I lose just one! Chemo tears & crusty eyes are getting better. Cotton mouth is going. I've also been having problems with my leg muscles. They feel super tight. When I go up the stairs they feel so tight, like they are about to snap. I've been trying to stretch them out, but nothing seems to be helping. Sigh. Time heals all. So I guess that's what I need. I have Rads class tomorrow. Hope they tell me more than my RO did. Start Rads on Monday, 16 tx. Getting nervous, more so about winter driving than the treatment. I hate winter. I stay hunkered down in the house til spring, sucks but safe.
Wishing everyone minimal SE today. Congrats to anyone going for last tx! Big hugs. -
So happy we are almost done. I hate to be by myself, at least when the kids are around they keep me thinking of other things. Too cold, I am sure not as cold as freezing for some of you, but for las Vegas 40 degrees is freezing. Don't mean to be childish, but I wish I could hug you all. I may not post as much but your posts have helped so much. Monday should be my last taxotere.
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70charger-I had the same problem with my legs for weeks! I would stretch and it didn't seem to do anything. I am 6 weeks out from last CT infusion. I also have a neuropathy issue so I wasn't sure if the legs were related or not. I started taking a B-6 and B-12 supplement about 2 weeks ago and my neuropathy is getting better. I am also consistently walking for at least 20 minutes a day. The other day I noticed that my legs felt so much better! So, I'm not sure what did it, but I know that it gets better!
I am also still losing eyebrows
. Head hair growing in-really gray. -
So happy for everyone heading into their final infusions this week. Wish I could fast forward time for everyone with a few left.
I went for my final fill today, and was hoping to maybe schedule a final surgery date and get new foobs for Christmas. Not to be...I will have a consult with him on Dec 23 to go over the different implants and to make final decisions on sizing and such. He wants to wait until mid to end of January to do the surgery to make sure chemo is all out of my system to decrease any chance of infection. I respect and appreciate his caution...so I won't be getting my 2 front anythings for Christmas. I'll have to put something else on my list. The silver lining is that I will be able to work some actual fire and ambulance shifts in the end of December and early January which thrills me. PS wants to know how airpack works with my TEs which will help us make a decision on final size. I am so grateful that my PS and BS have been so very supportive of doing everything they can to get me back to work. I really love my job. -
Hi All,
I had my first AC infusion yesterday. I was delighted to learn that I would be getting Emend IV before the infusion. I've heard such good things about it. I am staying on top of my antinausea meds too. I give myself my Neulasta shot any time after 6pm tonight (I'm a nurse and live a 2 hours drive away from treatment, so I'm giving the shot to myself). It will be the first time I've given myself a shot. It should be find.
They also told me to take Claritin twice a day starting this morning and ending 5 days or so later for the bone pain from the shot. I've never heard of taking it twice a day, but I'm going to do what they say. They seem to be really on top of side effects.
I talked to my MO about the horrible steroid crashes I had each week on Taxol. I've been given some Ativan that I will start tomorrow since the crash is always on day two or three. We will see if that helps.
I'm a little envious of all you that are near the end of you chemo, but we are all on different schedules and have different treatment plans. Congratulations on all of you that have finished or are close to being done. It seems to take forever when we are in the middle of it, but looking back, it seems like the 12 weeks of Taxol went fast. With AC, there are only 4 infusions, so it will probably seem to go by fast too...once it's done!
Hugs to you all,
Kay -
70charger- I hear you about the winter drivings and Rads! I too am more worried about that. And correctly guessing for me, so far driving has been the worse part too. We are having a snow storm today in Minnesota. I decided to hop in my 18 year old's car and go with him to rads today instead of driving myself, as the town he goes to college in is where I have to drive to radiation. It's about a 35-40 minute drive thru farmland. It was switching between snowing and freezing rain I couldn't stop the mommy instincts of telling him he was driving too fast or too close to the car in front of us. He drives this almost everyday and isn't as afraid of winter driving as I am, so I am sure he quickly grew sorry he agreed to take me along. We did make it home alive thankfully. Tomorrow I may just skip rads and stay home. It's suppose to be worse than today. Just wishing I wasn't having rads in the middle of winter! -
Audra - yep sounds like neuropathy. I've had it off & on since late in my 3rd treatment & it's still lasting 4 weeks PFC. My onc said it can last for 4-6 months after but she said there's meds & such to help treat it if it gets bad. I told her I'd wait & see bec. the feeling is intermittent. I get it on only some toes & fingers & only some times (like in my toes when I walk or stand a lot).
Keep track of it & let your dr. know if it's interfering with daily activities & lasting for a long time. -
KBee-sorry no foobs for xmas, but glad they are working with you on your needs for work!
Simplelife(Kay)-glad to hear your first AC is going well. Did you feel nausea the first day or just start the meds? I will be getting Emend and Aloxi as premeds. I have my first Friday and am nervous. Still need to go buy Claritin and some flushable wipes.
I had an MRI this morning, will see MO tomorrow and hoping for good news on how well taxol shrunk things. I can still feel something, but....
Congrats to all on the home stretch! Every day is a day closer to normal for all of us. Although normal will never be the same, will it?
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...because you can't take yourself TOO seriously in the chemo chair. (this was infusion #3, probably post Ativan, LOL)
congrats to all my September sisters finishing this week and strength to those of us still moving towards the finish line. I thought some of us might need a good laugh today! I'm going to wear my pink fuzzy bunny hat for chemo #8 (final) on December 20th. Oh and I LOVE how my husband goes out and gets me a HUGE Arby's roast beef sandwich and a milkshake for lunch on chemo days. Those gross hospital sandwiches they try to pawn off on me are disgusting. oh and we have a forecast for snow this Friday (chemo day) ..good thing my husband has a 4x4 pickup. Although I'd much rather be out playing in it then watching it from the chemo room. Good thing is I have a doc appointment tomorrow so I will have my labs run early which will take off 2 hours on Friday! I might actually get out of there by noon !!! (it's been 7+ hours with blood draw, waiting for labs, pre infusion meds and slowwwww taxol drip the last 2 times)
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Peacockgirl - LOL Love the pose!!! My hubby goes out & gets us lunch on chemo days, too. AND we have a winter storm warning from tomorrow at noon until Saturday. In TEXAS! Yikes. I'm just glad my appointment is at 10 in the morning.... hopefully we'll get started before the bad stuff hits (rain, sleet & freezing rain, with gusty winds). Surely they can't kick me out of my chemo chair in the middle of Taxol, right? LOL I'm getting this last treatment in tomorrow if I have to keep the place open myself!!!!! -
PeacockGirl, you rock!
LHL-be ready early...when we had our blizzard, my appointment was at 10 and they called at 8 and said get here as soon as possible, we will treat everyone that can get here before we close! I had to have someone bring me breakfast because I dashed out of the house without eating. And my nurse walked out with me to go home too after I was done.
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Simplelife4- For the Claritin bid, is it the 24 hour pill you are taking? Just trying to clarify as I'm supposedly getting a neulasta this time (hoping) and in case they don't KNOW about Claritin as so many of these posts have said their docs didn't;.
Yay for all of you done! OMG! Cannot even imagine the elation you all feel! Yay for you!
Peacock girl- I think I haven't been able to do that stretch in years! You are darling!
I am using the port for the first time tomorrow, do I need to wear something open in front or can it sortof peek out of your shirt whatever you wear???
We are getting sleet, ice tomorrow here in Texas too, and thank God our DR is 10 minutes from here...
Good luck to all tomorrow and today I know there are a few of us! -
simple - I have the same question as Audra - because Claritin comes in both 12 hour and 24 hour strengths - they may have assumed every twelve hours so told you to take it twice. I took 24 hour Claritin once a day, starting a full hour prior to the injection, and continuing for several days afterward.
audra - I always wore a V-necked top, or something that unzips down the front for port access. Mine is subclavian, right below the hollow of the throat.
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Thanks Special K- That is good to know, trying to get ready for tomorrow. Mentally preparing and packing my bag to go with me makes me feel a little more in control of this and able to deal with it. I also take a blankey like a little kid...it's a small comforter and cozy and mine...I use their warm blankets under me to cover the chair as I'm sortof a germaphobe too...:)
Can't wait to see how this port works - and to get half way done after tomorrow with this chemotherapy thing! -
audra - do you have Emla cream?
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Audra - I'm always cold, so I wear a loose-necked t-shirt with a long sleeve shirt under it. I just pull the neck of my shirts aside for them to access my port. I always bring a blanket, too! My friends gave me a pretty one and it's SO soft... so much better than the generic ones there. :-) Good luck!
knightzoo - Thanks for the tip. I'm going to take a shower early and be ready to go in case they call me in early.
I have my "This is my last chemo" sign ready, and I made brownies for the chemo nurses. I am READY! :-) -
mercedes taxol has no taste. it iis a butt kicker compared to AC has been my experience. good lux. keep on posting
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LHL and hockeymommy, Yahoooooooooooo for you today!!!! Very happy for you. May the side effects be gone quickly.
Audra....hope the port works well. Halfway there!!!!
Peacockgirl, LOL!!!
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