Starting Chemo February 2015

Hello everyone. I am getting a port on 2/19 and start chemo on 2/26.  I really like and appreciate all of the posts, I know I am not alone!! Supposed to have 20 weeks of this.  I already cut my long hair above the shoulders, and might go shorter later. I have been doing a lot of reading about nutrition during chemo. I would love to know any tips or things I should or should not eat during this regimen,  or just what you had good results with. These lasf 3 months have been a whirlwind,  and I have seen and learned a lot ; I hate the number of women I see with this, I hate that some are very young, and that some are older. You just never know until you are thrown in the mix. But I hope to learn from this, and help in any way I can.

Bikerbabe and Mchelle5520z, I hope that your chemo goes by fast! You will find a lot of info here, and any questions just ask. But I'll be glad to give you my list for chemo. While some things may have worked for me, I can't promise they will for you. But the better you manage the side effects, the better you will feel!! Your MO will write the scripts that you need for nausea meds etc., but if they don't work tell them ASAP. We all suffer through all of the treatments, but we can make it easier. Just make sure that you take the meds as soon as you need them, they won't work well if you don't take them or delay. Nausea usually doesn't just go away and you need to drink and eat to get well.

Pick up Tums, Sennokot-S, chap stick, kleenex, popsicles and Jell-O, bottled water, hand sanitizer, fresh fruits and vegetables, eye drops and saline nasal spray, baby wipes, plastic forks and spoons, protein foods, and any approved supplements. You may not want/need all of the above but it helps to be ready. And if not sure, please check with your MO and/or chemo nurses as I am NOT a medical professional. I also take Vitamin D3 because my level is low, Biotin for my nails and hair, and B6 for neuropathy. Lint rollers and duct tape come in handy to remove the spiky hair stubble. But silk pillowcases help also. I did find some very helpful things at Sally Beauty as well. They have wig supplies, cuticle oil and sparkly nail polish. They also have silk pillow covers which feel good! And make up and eyelashes. I have one sport bag with pockets to fit all of my chemo supplies. It comes in handy to take with me, one bag and out the door.

I also have a humidifier that really helped with the moisture level in my apartment and the dry winter heat. Some chemo will cause you to lose the nose hair, and it can be irritated. But on the other hand, you won't shave your legs either! Or any other place for that matter. Now that is a good side effect for me!

I'm sure the others will jump in to add their suggestions as well, but ask any questions you have. Good luck! You can do this!

My before and after pics. Now I just need to do my chemo bag shopping, and find some hats. My mom and co-worker are making me hats and scarves. Just want to find some sleep hats, I have a small head and am having a hard time finding hats to fit. Anyone have some good sites to look at

Bikerbabe! I love the haircut, the color and the highlights! I wish I had been more creative and played with my hair while I still had some to play with.

Well, since I was having the tightness in my chest in Fri, I called my MO. They wanted me to come in right away for tests, so off to the ER I went. They did EKG, chest xray, bloodwork and urine(?). Then CT scan which showed a possible clot in Jugular vein in neck. Ultrasound confirmed it. So now I am on daily Arixtra injections. I still have the aching in my chest though. I think my body just Hates this port since most of my aches are on that left side. Maybe this Is just going to be my new norm. Sigh.

Cycle 1, Day 14: Hair is coming out. I started gently pulling it and it's coming out in chunks. At least it waited until I returned from a weekend getaway with the BF. It's pretty short as it is because I got it shaved pretty low on Day 2. Guess I'll plan to have whatever is left shaved in a couple days

Hello vr423, Welcome to the group, I hope we can help you with any questions you may have. I finished chemo 11/25 but drop in to see how everyone here is doing. Have you gotten a wig or some hats to wear? Since you cut your hair, being different may be helpful for you. It won't be such a big change. My hair is growing out and feels super soft. So a good thing for me. Once you get rolling, the time really does fly by.

Do you have any questions that may help you?

Hope in the Stars, beautiful!  Isn't is fun to be a little adventures!  I love the color, I was deciding between pink and purple, pink won.

Valerie, we start chemo on the same day, Cher22 is also starting the same day.  Read thur Beachbum's earlier post, it's pretty good.  Find a bag to put your chemo "stuff" in, so it's ready.  that's my next step.  And yes, I'm feeling pretty scared about the SE.  Trying to breath thur the tears as they come pretty regularly.

I'm going to a LBFB workshop this afternoon.  As I have the day off from work.  I brought some scarves, so maybe she can show me how to tie them in pretty ways.  Also, this site has some pretty hats, and in smaller sizes.  Kind of expensive, but I think I get a few to round out my wardrobe.

I was really hoping to have my hair for my 55th birthday, but it doesn't sound like that is to be, so I need to find a pretty green hat.

Oops - the Look Good Feel Better workshop was great! I had so much fun, and the make up kit is really nice. It is certainly worth the time to go. It felt good to just do something other than BC. Let me know how you liked it!

Bikerbabe, typo, no worries. I just hope that you have a great time, I did! Now off to the beach.......

Hi LaLaP, what a fantastic trooper! You are amazing. I had my port put in by a vascular surgeon, very simple and painless procedure. I have mine in the left chest, and it sits just above the skin. It is about the size of a dime, and I can easily hide it with clothing and scarves. But so nice to have for blood draws and chemo. I have a tube of lidocaine that I put on it one hour before they access it. I just put it on the port and cover it with saran wrap to keep it off my clothes. My nurses remove the bandage when they are ready to start the chemo. Very easy, and saves your veins.

I am so sorry that you have to be here, but you will find a lot of support and love here. Everyone is so helpful. Just let us know what we can do for you! Take Care.

hi LaLa, glad to see you made it over to this board.  My port goes in this Friday, so I'll be sure to let you know how it goes, and if yours is going in sooner, please let me know how yours goes. 

I think that makes 5 of us starting chemo next week. You, myself, Valerie (vr423), mchelle5520, and cher22.  Anyone else I missed?

So glad I found this site. I was diagnosed in January, mastectomy 1/29, start chemo on 2/24. I'm really, really nervous. Everything still seems unreal. How exactly is it that I/we have this whole new set of things to think about? Reconstruction or not? Hats or wigs or scarves? What to pack in a chemo bag? What's the proper balance between being brave & crying like a baby? How to have conversations with folks about other stuff when this is mainly the only thing I'm currently thinking about?

Whew - glad that's off my chest.

Thanks ladies for all of the tips on here.