Starting Chemo January 6, 2014

Rabitvelvet - What you have may be more than dry skin.  It is one of the possible SEs.  I may be wrong but it sounds like Hand Foot Syndrome.  http://www.oncologynurseadvisor.com/prevention-and-management-of-hand-foot-syndromes/article/174390/ Tell your MO.  Dry skin is common and I'm using some heavy duty moisturizers.  Hand Foot Syndrome is more than dry skin.  

I am scheduled for this coming Thursday a week late at the usual time.  They had Wednesday starting at 2pm but that would end so late I picked the Thursday starting at 10am.  This will be my last AC and then on to TAXOL.  I have tons of questions for the PA this week.

Wow tekwriter your last treatment is Thursday? Yay!

I hope your side effects are mild (or non-existent).

Ladies

Been in the hospital since Thursday with Febrile Neutropenia, translation, (high fever & no WBC's)

I felt and was VERY sick until today. Do not ignore chills with no fever. Mine turned into chills with fever and no WBC 's fast. I was not getting Neulasta after my Chemo but will be getting it now. I think I am still here for a couple days. My count is not high enough for their liking yet. getting 3 different IV. Antibiotics.  I don't want to scare any of you but this was only my 2nd round. Dr. Said  I now have to have Neulasta for all rounds. I will be scared thru all my next rounds geezze.. Nurses on Oncology are Awesome!!  I actually have enjoyed talking to them. 

2ndtime that is very scary. I am glad you are doing better. I am glad you will be getting the nuelasta. I go for my third round on Thursday. Each round seems to hit a little harder. 

Diamond I hope you get a few good days before chemo. 

I had a fever of 102.5 after TC # 1 and requested the Neulasta after TC # 2.  I feel much better this time around.  Take Claritin before and after the Neulasta.  It has made a huge difference for me.  I feel fine and I don't have to live in a bubble.

2ndtime4me;  I had febrile neutropenia after my first chemo and was hospitalized for 3 days....it was awful!! This 2nd chemo I was given neulasta and had minimal pain.  What I have is skin (hands) damage from one of the drugs....blistering and bright red skin.  Feels like a chemical burn.  Thank goodness for Udder cream and Lidocaine 5% ointment.  After 3 days I feel it's slowly getting better.. Next week(25th) is my 3rd chemo.....so I'll be HALF DONE and I plan on celebrating with a good lunch while I still have an appetite. 

what was the old saying?..   when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!!    I'm getting there:) 

As I thought, the mo overruled the nurse on skipping chemo--I just got home from A/C #3.

Hoping everyone is having a day with minimal side effects!

Been lurking but haven't posted in forever and I'm still a newbie here. It's time for me to share again.

I also have (had) curly hair. I just got a curly hair wig from vivica fox wigs. I am not African American but these curly hair wigs are more like my hair and they are not tight curls but soft. I got the oprah 2! take a look for those who are stressing over curly hair issues. i know i was. It was also "poofy" but you can have the wig trimmed or thinned and that helped. I've been 3 weeks hairless and a hairdresser that teaches the LGFB classes shaved my head (2weeks after first AC) and also just fixed my wig today. I have been wearing scarves prior and doing a great job fixing them and everyone says I look "beautiful" but I still feel like a cancer pt. No one said i looked beautiful before. doesn't  that bother some of you?  I'm going to try wearing my wig more now and see how I feel. I also look at people's heads, and boobs! There's a girl that I know that had a breast enhancement purely for cosmetic reasons, she's in my yoga class and seems to flaunt it. It makes me so mad, right? Some of us need it for real reasons like cancer!

Went to LGFB class today and lots of great free makeup and stuff. 

Also I have been going to yoga class 1xwk and its been great. The mindfulness, meditation and mind body connection, slow stretching and "strength" poses feel so good. Makes me feel in control of something. I have a yoga DVD but the guidance of an instructor is better.

I have also ordered dr Weil cd sound mind, sound body, music for healing. Will see if its good.

Also warrior ladies who are in to meditation and yoga, try web site www.doyogawithme.com and look at the meditations. There is a 15 min meditation for breastcancer 

I'm heading for my 4th and last ac on 2/24, then taxol. First week after ac is crappy but second week is better.

Also look at "warriors in pink" web site. Some great stories

Ok lots to say but felt good to share

I had an extra week off due to the snow and I thought I would just continue to get better but I am just as fatigued as always. What a bummer.  My port hurts this week also and my neck and collar bone.

Myra- I will be in the chair with you this Thursday for final AC!! Then on to Taxol for me too. Will be so happy to say goodbye to the red devil. 

Ugh!  My taste buds are gone.  All I want to eat is soup, pasta sauce and salt.  Does anyone have any suggestions for more food for me?  Everything else tastes so bland and honestly almost upsets my stomach.

My hair is coming out in clumps now, but I have it in a pony tail.  That keeps it from falling out all over the house, plus I still have hair on my head.  It is helping my psychologically.

Hope you are all doing OK today.  Thanks

morning all!

My taste buds have been unaffected, but I just am not too hungry. Still eating regular meals and snacks but really only cause I have to, it's good that I cook for the family otherwise I would be in danger of not eating at all. 

Mor, I just had A/C #3 yesterday and I probably didn't drink enough h2o afterwards.... I think this is why my appetite is poor today, the chemo isn't cleared from my system. So important to drink! 

I'm still on antibiotics for a suspected case of mild cellulitis that is resolving nicely. Apart from that all good in the diamond lil house!

One more A/C, ya gotta love that .

All the best to you all

LIL

tekwriter....a juicy burger sounds marvelous, I can just see it in front of me!  However, beef, chicken and pork are not on my menu these days.  Make me gag and then I have to toss them.  

On my last post here I mentioned fish sticks.  That brings back to mind a recent meal that was perhaps a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.  It was not great, but okay.  Angel hair pasta with sautéed garlic in olive oil and frozen shrimp.

Bird lover....hope one of my suggestions works for you.

Woke up at 3:00 AM today.  2nd chemo is at 11 AM.  Very curious and anxious to see if it will be similar to my 1st session or if the side effects will be different.  Seems to me, if you get the same cocktail, SE's should be similar.   But will it be cumulative?  Meaning more severe?    Any thoughts?

Any of you ladies working while taking AC?