Starting Chemo in March 2014

Hello to all. I am a husband posting about my wife who starts chemo Monday the 17th. She sees enough computers at work so I will be posting for her. I have supported her through 12 operations. Some major, some semi-major. (there are really no minor surgeries.)  She will be having AC every 2 weeks, 4 treatments. Than Rad 5 weeks. Then taxol  same schedule as the AC. This is scary stuff and the not knowing what to expect is so hard for both of us. Before her other medical procedures I always tried to have a positive out look. I also know enough to expect the unexpected. This place is a blessing because there are so many stories to read and it helps to "see" what others have experienced. The little tips about how to handle the discomforts are so very valuable. Thanks to everyone who has already posted their experiences and thanks in advance to all who offer advice and tips to my wife and any others who may be reading this site. 

Thanks Nina. I am glad you liked the name. The screen name was around my fifth or sixth try. I am sure the best people are here and I will try to live up to the standards set by the women and men who have come through here before I arrived.

A few years ago my wife had a knee replaced and had so many reactions and side effects I thought she was going to win some sort of disaster prize. These were nobody's fault, just stuff that sometimes happens. It all just sort of took on the snowball down hill effect! That experience has made me very nervous. The stomach stuff is a worry since she has had stomach problems for years. Her Dr. has prescribed 2 types of meds for the stomach.

She will be getting the neulasta shot 24 hrs after the treatment. I hope she avoids the body pain as she is already suffering with many hurting body parts. Does anyone know if these meds hurt more in places that are already hurting? I have had 2 back operations and the 2 times I have had the flu with body aches, the pain intensity in the surgical area was very bad. I suppose I will have a definite answer to that question and more in the next few weeks.

 I do not have much outside support. No nearby family and I hate to rely on friends too much. They have lives of their own. The best support prospect friend I have is having to deal with more bad stuff than I am right now I am able to access much support from family via cell. I will check out a local group concerning this issue if I feel the need. I can see that there will always be much help and support here at this forum.

heroldman, I do not have a big support system either...so stay here and
let us help you for sure. The ladies here have been awesome to me and
given me a lot of help, support and tips. I hope this will be a nice
place of solace and companionship for you through this. The same to WifeWBC...welcome!  Your wives are lucky to have such caring husbands.

If it helps even a little, I had my neulasta shot today, at 8:00 a.m, actually in my arm.  No sickness yet and I was the most terrified one on here. I have a little shooting pain at both of my incisions by my underarms this afternoon, but nothing earth-shattering.  I will take a Claritin today just to see what happens and what it feels like because my white blood cell count was a little low to start with, but 36 hours later, the only thing I feel is fatigued.  If the other shoe drops, I'll let you know...but keep the faith...as anyone here will tell you, I was hysterical for a week before my chemo yesterday, convinced of the worse, since that is also my own experience in the past, but so far so good.  I will probably feel worse in the next two-five days, but so far it's been nothing I couldn't handle.

My experience with the Neulasta injection.  I took the Claritin beginning the day of the injection and continued for 6 days.  Day 3 the bone pain started and increased to pretty severe through days 4 and 5.  My onc decicided for round two that I should start the Claritin the day before chemo and continue for about 10 days. A world of difference for the rest of my treatments.  It really reduced the pain levels to livable.  The pain levels are related to how hard the marrow is working to get the WBC up and each person reacts differently.  I was glad he adjusted the Claritin dosage schedule.  He worked on some of the original trials and was convinced he could make the Claritin work for about 95% of his patients.  Good luck to yourselves and wives as noted.

I will be available for a while, just got home from stage 1 DIEP reconstruction. Will be living in my lounge chair for the next 2 weeks for sure.

Hi all, I just had my first ride on the chemo train today. For me so far it was a piece of cake. I'm always really good about IV'S, (I don't have a port.) So anyway, she tried on left arm, no go, then she went for the right anticube and got it in. Well it hurt an I couldn't move my arm and she brought me a hot pack and 10 min later, sell hurting. so my husband called her in and asked her to move it. So she brought another nurse in, and she put it in my hand and no problem! Couldn't feel it at all. From now on they will use my wrist or hand. After that everything was great! No nausea, a little tired from the ativan but thats it. I took the Claritin yesterday & today and I get Neulasta tomorrow so we'll see how that goes. I'm off from work till next Thursday and only that one day, hoping by the following week I can work no problem.

jbdayton thanks for the tip, I think I will take the Claritin for the full 10 days.

heraldman, welcome to the site, I'm so sorry for what you and your wife are going through. I hope you find the support you need on these boards, all the different threads have things to offer as you go thru each phase of this nasty illness. i wish you and you wife the best.

Welcome Allycallie!  Yes, this has been so helpful for me too.  I started chemo on March 4th, but I am doing 4 AC treatments every other week and then I go for the 12 Taxol treatments. Those will be weekly I believe. I don't even have an itchy scalp yet, but I cut my hair really short yesterday to prepare for the inevitable.  Nice to have you here. )

hello new friends!  I just scheduled my first infusion for next week, five weeks out from my BMX.  Chemo training on Tuesday, port placement on Wednesday, first AC treatment on Thursday.  I had a TE fill today, my last one now until chemo is over (I will miss my PS, absolutely love him!!)

Never in a million years did I think I'd have to see "chemo" on my calendar.  

My treatment plan is 4 A/Cs every two weeks then 12 weekly taxols (different that my first opinion which was dose dense .. 4 and 4 in 16 weeks, I like the second doctor and facility better than the first, the treatment plan didn't matter too much to me).  Then rads.

I also have a hair appointment next week .... Gonna go pretty short and bring my wig for a haircut and color.

I have been lurking on this forum...not wanting to know too much about everyone's side effects, hoping to not scare myself or make my mind play tricks and just wanting to make my own story.... But I love the support that can be found here.  I'm sure I will relax after the first treatment. I know that surgery was WAY less scary than I had anticipated. Hoping the same for chemo.

Have a great night!

Hi WifeWBC and all,

Just joined this tonight, and this is my first post. I'm meeting with the med oncologist Wednesday, after a PET/CT plus CT of my chest abd/pelvis on Tuesday. If the Tuesday radiology stuff is okay, then I'm probably similarly staged/diagnosed as your wife (WifeWBC), with a 2cm right breast tumor and a positive axillary lymph node. I am ER+ (95%) and PR+ (5%), and HER/2-., the cells are moderately differentiated. That's about all I know so far. It's been a whirlwind these past 10 days, from mammo to ultrasound to core needle biopsy to fine needle aspiration under my armpit..  And now about to get rolling with chemo, some heavy hitters that are given in a "dose dense" regimen followed by 12 wks of taxol. All this lingo is new to me. The surgery will follow the chemo, and will likely be a lumpectomy and axillary node dissection, followed by radiation therapy (that I DO know about). After that, it's some estrogen receptor modulator thing, for several years. Obviously I'll know a lot more after I meet with the med oncologist. 

I'm checking out this site because I want "previews of coming attractions" so to speak, but also a sense of community in dealing with this. I'm 49 with 2 teenage kids. This is scary stuff, and I didn't think anything could be scarier than riding shotgun while my kids were learning to drive! (youngest is still in the midst of learning, actually) 

I used to do mammography but then went into radiation oncology field, and am now a dosimetrist. That's why I go by "TxPlanner" (for treatment planner), but I'm realizing now it looks like I do taxes for a living! Anyway, I'm glad there are healthcare professionals in here too. Hope you're doing relatively okay with your first chemo.

Hi Nurselaura, 

Possibly a stupid question (won't be my last) but what is ACA? Thanks

Hi, folks - it'll take me a bit to catch up on the posts, welcome new people and all. I've been away for a bit since I spent a few days in hospital getting over an infection. I developed thrush about Day 4, got the Nystatin for that but by Day 5 had a nasty fever (all this on top of bone pain for which I'd gotten the OK to take some of the surgical pain meds I didn't need from port surgery). By the time I got to hospital, my white count and potassium were trash, among other things. So, the port got a workout for a few days while they pumped antibiotics in me 'til I finally got rid of the fever.

Very scary experience not only for me, but for my 17yo, who had to be on her own while I was gone. We didn't know how long that would be day-to-day. We had to figure out stuff like grocery home delivery services (I'd already had to figure out home delivery pharmacy for the Nystatin) so that she had food and necessary sundries. The whole thing has left me sort of emotionally as well as physically shaky, but my kid and I have both come through. I'm kinda proud of both of us. We're both stronger than either of us had expected.

Hi Megomendy,

I completed 4  AC DD treatments and have completed 3 Taxol treatments so I wanted to let you know that yes the Taxol is easier. I have felt some aches from the Neulasta which I did not feel from the AC treatments but my energy level and appetite is definitely better. The aches only require advil and it's mostly at night.

Nurselaura, I also got my free wig from the ACA....it is quite like my own hairstyle and for being free, I like it very much.  Just got my hair buzzed yesterday so may start wearing it soon.  Good luck finding one...there were a couple I had to choose from that fit what I wanted. 

so let me know how you are?