Starting Chemo in April 2014

Hi y'all! I'm getting my Taxotere as I type and chomping on my ice chip to keep the white tongue/mouth away. This is 4 of 6, so I will be 2/3 done today!!! After chemo, I'm getting an ultrasound to look at a hard lump under my armpit. Hopefully, it's just scar tissue from removal of my lymph nodes and not anything worse! Good luck to everyone on their treatments and managing those SEs.

Has anyone here been pressured to get only 3 or 4 treatments?  I had to twist my onco's arm to give me number 4.

Linda - Sorry to hear you're not feeling well today. Hang in there.

Timbuktu- My MO is the opposite. She's recommending 6 but says I can stop at 4.

Hello fellow warriors.  Had my 5th infusion yesterday.  All went well.  Blood counts all still good, and no unusual issues.  I was supposed to see my surgeon for a post-op appt prior to my chemo, but she got sidetracked and even though my appt was two hours prior to chemo, I had to leave to get there so I'll have to reschedule with her.  I slept well but the most annoying SE on the night of chemo both last night and after the last infusion is the sweating.  Crazy.  I'm not going to complain though, at least I slept well and was able to get to work today.  Neulasta shot followed by Neulasta Date with hubby afterwards.  That's the only part of this ride I'll miss.  Maybe we will continue our Wed. evening dates every third week even after it's overwith, lol.  We usually go to our local diner which has fabulous food, because thanks to Chemo my tastes can range to anything from salad to steak, lol.  Hope everyone is having a great day.  Linda, you look fabulous! Football, haven't you ever seen that meme about not googling symptoms because no matter what you'll find something that says you'll be dead in a few months!!! Don't do it anymore!!!  The chemo might be making your nail look even funkier than usual, so that might be why your attention is drawn to it.  I lost 4 toenails after that hike I did back in May... Lemonade, I'm glad you're okay! Nurses are the best!

thanks for that article Longisland - glad she is finally saying that the treatments weren't a piece of cake - she made it seem like getting chemo was no biggie when she was on TV which I think hurt women that are going through this as it makes us look like wimps LOL.  I just wish that when people with public voices get struck with something like this that they use that opportunity to really tell it like it is  - don't sugar coat it - be real like we are here.  

Now we have Joan Lunden who has come out with the fact that she has bc and is getting chemo.  She says she has the aggressive kind but she never says what kind, stage etc nor what kind of chemo.  I know these things are personal but if I had a opportunity I would be telling it all - the good the bad and the ugly.   

I had breast cancer 3 years ago and had CMF.  In Dec I was diagnosed with uterine cancer.  At first, at Sloan, they said no chemo was necessary.  The I went to my local  (chicago) onco and she said I needed chemo!  Grade 3 with lymph invasion!  I went back to sloan to see onco and she agreed, said I needed 6 infusions of Taxol and Carboplatin.  Went to MD Anderson.  She said no chemo at all!  Went back to local onco and she said she'd do chemo.  Now she wants to stop at 3!  No reason, that's just their protocol.

I called Sloan dr.  she said they ALWAYS do 6.  It's easier to cure in early stages.  I have significant risk of recurrence. etc.  I told local dr this and she was skeptical.  Grudingly told me she would do fourth.  

Now Anderson says I have Lynch syndrome.  This is day 2 so I'm kind of foggy but I have a lot of anxiety now about what to do.  

Anyone else just nauseated by the thought of drinking liquids? Except milk I seem to be able to drink it. I am trying just eating ice chips. I am just tired and fuzzy which I hate! Ok enough whining!

Hope everyone else is doing better. This is day 7 after round 2 AC.

hi all!

Round 4 over and done. First of 3 started with herceptin for 90 min, then Benadryl and another antihistamine then taxotere for an hour. The ice packs nearly froze my fingers and toes off!!  Lol. So far I'm just tired

Came home and had a salami sandwich. Lol

Now I wait for the appt with a dermatologist. 

I know - don't go to dr google!!!!  Atleast the nail hasn't changed in 6+ months. 

I hope that all are well!!

lena-lou.   It's always good to have new input.  The cough thing in Swissmiss's post is just one example of how important information sharing is.  So, Welcome.

Swissmiss -  Perhaps you are dealing with post-nasal drip.  I have read that we lose nose hairs as a part of the hair loss side effects.  Numerous have complained of a dripping nose and having to constantly dab with a tissue.  To my mind it wouldn't be a huge leap to having the mucus drip at the back of the throat.  It may be a response  by the parasympathetic nervous system or one of those other nervous systems. 

I use a neti pot when I have a cold and I rarely get a runny nose or nasal congestion.  Might be worth a try. If you do it is important to use distilled or boiled and cooled water. I have two pots and clean one in dishwasher each day. (I should have more so I wouldn't have to remember so much.)

Day #8 in the chair DONE!  Now on to the week's cycle.  Wading into the abyss. CHARGE!

Footballnut- You look so cute with your ice packs on.  If some had told you that frozen peas would be important in your life would you have believed it?

Lena Lou

You and I have similar DX, Although mine was larger.  I had surgery 1st.  I know your glad to have the Red Devil behind you!  Taxol should be easier.   

Welcome!

Hi all...I have the cough thing too.  When I mentioned it to MO, he said it was from irritation to the esophogus from the chemo.  The lining is irritated so your body wants to sooth it by creating more "stuff"...therefore the cough.  I know, I am driving my family crazy too.  It also gives me this crazy effect to my voice making it horse and gravely, I sound like I have smoked for 25 years, which i have NOT!!!

Hello ladies.  Yes, that article with (Ha! I can't remember her name!) ANYWAY, I thought it was a good article.  Linda, I think unfortunately we all try and poo poo what we're going through so as to appear strong, but I agree that someone in the public eye should speak more truthfully about symptoms, etc.  Maybe she was afraid of being told to stay home, because she did say how important continuing to go to work was for her psyche.  The most important thing I came away with was that she vows to advocate for women facing this horrendous disease, specifically those who cannot necessarily afford treatment.

I do not have a cough, however I am a bit scratchy at times.  Perhaps trying Zyrtec or Claritan might offer some relief.  I do take that for seasonal allergies anyway, and my hubby was instructed to take it when he had a cold/cough. 

Lena lou - I joined the March page just to keep tabs on what I could expect as I went through my April treatments.  This April thread will be a great resource for you, and everyone here is awesome! Welcome!

Timbuktu - I am so sorry to hear about the contradictory BS you're dealing with.  I wonder if maybe two of these doctors can conference and come up with an agreeable plan for you? Maybe the two you're most comfortable with? Just a thought...

Day two after treatment and hanging in there.  Made it in to work, although awake since 3:15am, so it will probably be an early dismiss for me. 

In case my dark place gets too dark to post from, want to wish all you beautiful women a very happy fourth of july weekend! I for one will be staying home in my dark place and comforting my little bichon Jack who is deathly afraid of thunder and fireworks... both of which are in town this weekend. 

XOXOXO

#5 today for me. I'm all caught up on the thread but kinda nauseated and experiencing a lot of muscle pain so making it brief. Hope everyone is hanging in there. Happy Fourth of July to my American friends. I hope my fellow Canucks had a fab Canada Day. 

Footballnut!

Celebrate all things!! even the poops!

I coughed my guts out for weeks, not to mention peeing my pants!  LOL  glad that is over!

Hello April Sisters!

Whew! When my MO told me the fatigue would continue to get worse with each infusion he was NOT JOKING. After Round 5 (only ONE more to go! YAY!) on Friday, I SLEPT THROUGH Monday and Tuesday, AND part of Wednesday (yesterday). And Saturday and Sunday are kind of...foggy. So is today, actually, so if what I'm posting doesn't make sense, you all know why.

In terms of the other SEs, with the exception of the nausea, which is GONE (another YAY!), they were all THERE, but really muted this time around. They all set in earlier though. Like, Friday night my tongue was tingling. And by Saturday I had the whole burnt tongue/throat thing going on, as well as numbness and tingling in my fingers and toes. And The Big C (which has already turned into The Big D). But these things are all LESS than last time. Even the bone/muscle pain is so much LESS. If it wasn't for the MIND-NUMBING fatigue, I really wouldn't feel all that bad. The Dark Place? Not so ugly and not so mean this time. It's like those Dementors have realized they have no hold on me - they can NOT bring me down. I gave them all a nasty RIGHT HOOK and said "LET ME SLEEP", and they did. And now I feel better. SLEEPY, but better. 

A new side effect (because I didn't even KNOW it could be normal - WHY don't they TELL us these things, right?): My tongue is turning black. Or maybe a dark grey. Definitely in the charcoal hue anyway. It's pretty gross, though my children think it's cool and asked me to look up WHY chemo can do that. So I did. Apparently it has to do with swollen and irritated taste buds and bacteria. Blech. 

I am LOVING the Chemo Lounge photos - you ladies are all so beautiful. And the SMILES. You all take my breath away.

footballnut - I have said this before and I'll say it again: Dr. Google is a LIAR. You can't believe most of what that guy says. Really. He gets a huge laugh out of scaring the pants off a person. So don't give him any more power over you. P.S. You look adorable with the ice packs on.

MommyQ - GREAT news about the lump!  So glad it's just a pesky seroma!

lena-lou - Welcome! I hope you'll find lots of support here.

Mompv - Fluids - I froze juice into cubes and then blended them with regular ice cubes to make a sort of flavoured ice drink. It's actually pretty refreshing and nice change from plain water (which tastes like SLIME right now - ew).

I'm pretty sure there was more I wanted to say, but POOF! Its gone. Darn Chemo Brain. 

And now, I'm off to enjoy an afternoon in the sun with my babies. Hopefully I don't fall asleep.