Starting Chemo October 2014

Sjacobs - I second Immodium.  You can take it in pill form or liquid.

SpeedCat - welcome back from the races!  hope you had an awesome time.

Ilovecoasters - Congrats on the first infusion.  If you're like me, I feel good with the first one under my belt and know better what to expect the second time around.  I think the celebration was a little over the top.  I certainly understand wanting to celebrate, but you have to keep in mind other people, the size of the center, where other people are in their treatment and so many other things.  I am glad for the person completing chemo though.  Keep up with your nausea meds - don't let it get past you.  Rest and take care of yourself.  Do you have to get a Neulasta shot?

I hope everyone has a great night!

Ilovecoasters, I had the same symptoms of drunk, dizzy, headaches for days 2,3, and 4 after chemo but not so much nausea and not on the day of chemo. I also had the heart-pounding out of my chest but not constant.  You are the only one that knows your own body, and if you are freaking out, then call them.  Did they give you after hours number?  Try to stay calm, I know it's difficult.  Hugs

Hi Ladies ... 

It is almost the last minute of October, and I am just getting around to posting here.  I started TCH two weeks ago ... will do 5 more rounds of that (every 3 weeks), then Herceptin only for the rest of the year.  I have done pretty well so far ... diarrhea and a low grade headache are the main issues.  I am an arm amputee, and keep experimenting and trying to learn to tie scarves adequately ... luckily I also have a supply of hats, etc., but I do want to master the scarf thing.  I am hoping that I avoid the fingernail issues ... Reynaud's Syndrome makes my hand hyper sensitive to cold, so wishes and tea tree are my only counter measures.

wendeeB- mine is photography. I've had to take a major break through all of this and shooting when I have the energy. It's great therapy. It was my plan to start business and had to take a backseat for awhile I did get published in two magazines this month though so that is keeping my spirits up! 

ilovecoasters- DRINK Woman! Drink! I know everything tastes awful but dehydration doesn't take long to set in. Dehydration makes everything worse. When you're nauseated the last thing you want to do is put something in your mouth but you have to do it. Dehydration makes you more nauseous, it makes you feel very weak, makes your heart race. You have to stay up on your fluid intake. Take your nausea meds, wait a bit for it to start working and then chug some lots of  fluids. 

Sjacobs - Activia yogurt, the kind that Jamie Lee Curtis advertises, is what they told me will help maintain the gut's normal bacteria. I had the most awful diarrhea EVER and my husband had to remind me they told me to eat this yogurt routinely. I had totally forgotten about it.

Linda aka BookLady - how ya doing today? Hoping you are feeling better.

Fabian - apparently Taxotere is known to stain the skin along the path of the vein it is infused through. I remember that being one of the reasons why my MO recommended a port. I didn't get the impression though that it was permanent.

Leto - OF COURSE I have to avoid fresh fruit. It's one of the few food stuffs I can still taste and that tastes good But it makes sense why I shouldn't eat it. Darnn!! 

armamp- Hello and welcome!

Interesting stuff - so I was wondering why I am still tasting sweet things fairly normally while everything else either has no taste or taste repulsive, nothing at all like I know it should. The tongue has receptors for 4 different tastes - sweet, salty, sour and bitter (some sites say there is a 5th = savory). Guess which one has the highest tolerance to the effects of chemotherapy. Yep, the sweet taste buds are the hardest to damage. What a cruel trick of fate. I have to steer myself HARD to keep away from the only food that brings me any pleasure these days. Bummer.

Let's all raise our glasses (I miss my wine) and offer up a toast for a peaceful and feel-good day. 

ilovecoasters, Good Girl, keep drinking, I sincerely want to spare you my own miserable mistake. Have you spoken directly with your insurance company, to plead your case? Shouldn't have to but they can be so heartless if they're only looking at a piece of paper. Ginger is supposed to help alleviate some of the nausea. I found some ginger chews at a local health food store, didn't try them though, was too nauseated! Duh! As to your cycle, you made me chuckle, you probably didn't mean to strike a funny bone but my sense of humor has been altered by this experience too. My thought was glad I don't have to worry bout that too. Thank God for small favors. Hang in there, set a goal to get through 5 minutes at a time. 

Thanks for the info dear friends.  I will pick up some Imodium today.  My DH ran out and got me some Pepto last night.  I don't like drinking that thick liquid.  It was a little scary last night because I was seeing some bright red blood as well, but I guess that is from hemorrhoids.  I also happen to have gotten my period, so it's hard to tell where the blood is coming from.  

Silver lining for today - I am no longer having trouble sleeping.  All I can do is sleep right now.  

Holly! thank you so much for your reply. I am so super excited for you. What an accomplishment to be published in a magazine! You have to have a special kind of  eye to be a photographer. Amazing. thank you so much for sharing your passion with me    you should upload one of your pictures. I would love to see some of them!  How are you feeling overall?

don't know if it was the claritin, or the fact that my bones were used to what they had to do to make the excess of white blood cells, but this go around has been much easier for me as far as pain, and other side effects. My mouth got kind of nasty on Tuesday night but I continue to rinse with baking soda and warm water and it didn't get nearly as yucky as the first time. I had my blood work done today my white cells were high as to be expected with neulasta and everything else looks good.  

Nomatterwhat,

Had a great time and saved most of my energy for the Sunday race.  I was standing most of the last 50 laps and was crying, jumping, and screaming at the end.  Did stay in the grandstands longer than usual to watch the celebration.  Something told me that if I tried to sell the tickets and not go I would miss Junebug winning his grandfather clock.  I've seen him win before, but I don't think I've ever seen him so happy.  It was a great race!!!! That's probably it for my race travel this year.  That's my passion. 

Speedcat:  Sounds like you have a chemo burn from your infusion.   I have one from the first infusion and my oncologist said it will probably eventually go away.  Second spot not yet but it does burn a little so hoping it doesn't make a mark like the first one.  Only two more treatments to go so don't really want a port.  Oncologist said I did not need one.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Hang in there.  Half way there.

Hello all, just wanted to give an update on my SECOND treatment.  One more down, 6 to go.  Start to finish only takes 2 hours which I am very thankful for.  The nausea meds first:  Aloxi, dexamethasone and Emend. Then the adriamycin and Cytoxin.  Discussed my SEs with the MO - headaches, dizziness, and heart palps all caused by the steroid (dexamethasone). I also take this in pill form twice/day on days 2 and 3 after chemo.  The MO said I could cut down on the steroid to once/day to see if that reduces the dizziness and headaches.  I hope so, on the other hand, the nausea will have a better chance of setting in.  I have compazine and zofran but have only used the zofran twice. Very thankful for that too, but I am such a huge wimp when it comes to headaches.   Has anyone had any side effects from the compazine?  

Thanks everyone!

I'm feeling more human tonight.  Heart palps and severe nausea stopped about two hours ago.  I pretty much slept off and on all day.  Tomorrow is Neulasta.  Other than Claritin and Motrin is there anything else I can do to prepare? 

IloveCoasters - in my case, I am taking a nausea medication via the port called EMEND.  The EMEND helps block nausea and vomiting signals from the BRAIN.  The Aloxi blocks nausea and vomiting signals from the Stomach.

From what I've read, Emend drug is always used in conjunction with a corticosteroid (dexamethasone) AND and a 5-HT3 antagonist (Aloxi eg).

Hope this helps.  I'm by no means an expert on steroids, but it used for nausea.

Ilovecoasters - I was also worried about that same thing!  But I was so relieved on day 4 when the constipation wore off. 

I am hoping that this round is better since I will be reducing the steroid this time.  I really have not had nausea yet - I am so thankful.  Let's just hope that doesn't change much.  Take care.

Cherice!  I love books too!  I started reading really early, and haven't  stopped. I'm the girl that when my friends went to the mall I went with them, but I spent my time in the book stores.  what's your most recent favorite book?

my doctor told me that the corticosteroids that we're taking, specifically dexamethasone, is to prevent an allergic reaction from the solvent used in one of the chemotherapeutic agents.

wishing everyone a super exciting Halloween. I love this day. Tonight my kids and I are going as Michonne, her two walkers, and Sophia. I can't wait to get home from work and start on the makeup.