Starting Chemo in March 2014

Great advice, especially dealing with one phase at a time. Makes it more manageable. Thanks!

It seems unfair to menstruate during chemo. I am flipping 55 yrs old and got a period during the third week of my first cycle. Bummer!

Another update - day 4 of round 2.  I called the OM for some new meds and they called in a scrip for stemetil. Wife took some yesterday (Monday) around 4 pm. She was up and about after about an hour, then back to bed. She slept for a few hours, which is good (she tells me) because half the time she is just lying there unable to sleep or do eff all. She seemed to be improving later in the night, and able to chat with the kids. Snow day today, so we let the kids stay up and watch Captain America. LOL wife could use one of them injections he got.

Wife has slept well. Woke up this AM around 6, but had good sleep hours again, she says. Feels better. Less nausea. She rubbed my back. Felt great. I rubbed hers too. Hoping she may have turned a corner. Says she won't take another stemetil unless she has to. Our young daughter just popped into bed with us. My boys are fighting over a blanket because I have the heat turned down. Kids are off as school is closed, so it sort of feels nice to have everyone around.

When wife is better it just feels right.  Kids know it, and you know I have to know it.

Stemetil seems to have taken the edge off the nausea.  Here is hoping.  Wife felt good this time in last treatment, and then was up and down after that with pain from neulasta.  We shall see.

MJHJAN2014 - a side affect of Neupogen is men's trial bleeding. Did you happen to get that injection?

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/neupogen-side-effects.html

My MO held off giving me the shot first round but wants to do it second round. I had such bad lower GI issues first round (lots of pain and difficulty with BMs) that I read the line about that in the side effects list and was like no way. 

I also have had menstrual bleeding since March 20. It increased over the past few days so I guess now that my body has entered the pre-ovulatory phase and is starting to build the lining that my endometrium hasn't completely healed from my period. It is light but annoying. My MO's nurse had do suggestions except to say that my periods would probably go away for good soon enough -- not what I want to hear and not helpful. I'm going to see if my Chinese medicine doc can help with herbs and acupuncture on Thursday.

agness, we can be virtual walking buddies! 

I finally stopped bleeding from the period I got after my first treatment. ... 10 days!

I feel so much better now with regard to my surgery that I feel stronger going into round 2 of AC. Here's hoping that makes a difference. 

My new motto: nap when you can!

I am not receiving any of the WBC rescue drugs. Prior to diagnosis, I had not achieved menopause. I was hoping chemo would shut down my ovaries, which it will, in time.

Had my 2nd infusion yesterday and got my Neulasta shot today. So far, feeling pretty good. The 4th and 5th days were the hardest for me last time so I'm expecting the same again. Nothing tastes good still which makes it hard to eat. My mother in law flew in yesterday to help this week, which is a big relief. Hope everyone is doing better!

This is day 18 since my first round, hair shedding everywhere, I cut it really short, have a wig that is ok, might look for a better one this weekend. I'm not having any side effects now. Go to the Dr tomorrow, get my next round of chemo on Friday, I'm going every 3 weeks.

jmg, Im so sorry about everything you're going through. Hopefully now that the tooth is out, things will start to improve for you.

wifeWBC, hope your wife continues to feel better. I had nausea but it was pretty mild. When I was getting my chemo we got talking to the nurse and it came up that my husband and I were boaters for a number of years and she told me I may have less nausea if I never got sea sick. So I guess the fact that your wife is prone to motion sickness makes sense. Sounds like there must be something to that.

Xrayalli, I go to the PA tomorrow, I'm going to ask for a diagnostic mam and ultrasound, I think the dimpling in my right breast (left is the one with BC) is more noticeable and I'm very uneasy about it. I hope she agrees with me, I just don't think that MRI is telling the whole story.

I hope all you March chemo girls have an easy April, and may we all get used to our bald heads. Anybody losing eyelashes and brows yet?

My hair started to go today...day 14 since first infusion, next infusion tomorrow.  

A hard "rite of passage" for all of us. Surreal.  Side effects of treatment for this stupid disease now publicly visible. 

Oh, I see you haven't even had the Taxol….. maybe the other agents are causing?

Hi everyone! This is only my second post on here. I'm am 15 days past my  first infusion. Yes my hair started coming out on day 13 and I cut it really short for now. It won't be long before it is all gone.  An update on what I 've been going through for the past 2 weeks, day 3 after infusion I crashed. I had blood in my urine so I went to the Dr. and thought I had a urinary tract infection, so I started Cipro. Things only got worse! I had abdominal cramping and diarrhea and was so sick. I also developed a rash on my chest. After 4 days of taking this medicine I decided I must be allergic to it! I called the Dr. and they said yes do not take it anymore. So after I stopped taking it I slowly began to feel better. The only issues I'm still having is abdominal cramping and everything I eat goes straight through. I've tried to eat different things but it all does the same. I try to drink at least 1 ensure a day to get my proteins. I don't know what else to try. Any suggestions? On a good note I was able to work most days except for maybe three. So that was good. I go for my second infusion next Wednesday so we'll see how that goes.

I had my 2nd infusion Monday and by Thursday of last infusion I was in Hell. So far today, though certainly far from great and still weak, I am feeling somewhat better than I did with my first. I have a headache and my heart feels like it is pounding right now. Hopefully that will go away soon. I only hope this gets easier as it goes on but I doubt it.

Hi all, I went to see the CNP yesterday, she has ordered a diagnostic mam and U/S per my request. The dimpling to me is getting more pronounced on my "good" breast". She seemed to think if there were anything it would have shown up on the MRI or CT but agreed to do it for my piece of mine. The radiologist will be there on Tuesday so I should get my results that day.

Washed my hair this morning and almost all of it fell out, laying in a wet pile in the bottom of the shower. It was pretty gross. I got out my clippers and buzzed it off and put a hat on for work. And so it goes.They initially told me 3 weeks and it was 20 days so they had that right.

Tomorrow is chemo #2 for me, i'm using frozen peas for my hands and feet. Got my steroids and colace on board, ready to go.

Sinsin, hope you feel better soon.

jmg, so sorry about everything, I hope things are improving, especially your tooth. I consider myself to be pretty tough but not with my teeth, then I'm a big baby, sounds like you've been through hell and back.

Oddducklady, hope your DH is doing better, and the drain thing clears up soon.

Denise, you too, hope your D clears up soon.

And the rest of you, good luck with your treatments, you make me so thankful I am postmenopausal… I would hate to have to go thru that too… jeeze…not fair. 

Good night ladies, and men… hope you all have SE sweet dreams

Genny5775 - have they mentioned vitamin b-6 for neuropathy?  My MO said to start it (100mg 2x a day) the week before I start Taxol.