Starting Chemo March 2015

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  • so-she-did
    so-she-did Member Posts: 202
    edited March 2015

    Katy - this is absolutely the place to share about your friend. This is the safest place to unburden and talk about those things that are hard to talk about. Hugs to both you and your friend!

    Happy Birthday Slothabouttown! It sounds like it was quite a day! I love how you have a name for your wig!

    I know Katy has a birthday coming up this month - anyone else who has just had one or will have one soon?

    Anyone else getting neuropathy yet? I'm starting to feel it today in both my fingers and feet. Any advice?

    Love all of you gals!

    Amy

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  • greenae
    greenae Member Posts: 540
    edited March 2015

    Hello March 2015 Chemo Group!

    I am a late joiner, as I just found out I start next Thursday, 3/26. I am still a bit sore from surgery, just got freakin' drain out Monday, and haven't driven yet... I think this weekend will be the time to stock up with supplies. Already have the most important to me...2 wigs... They look better than my own hair, so I am hoping I don't mind them...lol.

    I hope everyone is doing OK? I will try to go back and read all the previous posts, Just wanted to say Hello, and see how it's going,

    arlene

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  • so-she-did
    so-she-did Member Posts: 202
    edited March 2015

    Welcome Arlene! Sorry you are having to join this group but you will find this to be a great place to come to talk and find support. Where did you go to get your wigs. I wasn't going to go that route but the more I think about it, and the more posts I see of great looking wigs, I think I might investigate it. Did you go with real hair or synthetic?

    Amy

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  • greenae
    greenae Member Posts: 540
    edited March 2015

    Hi So she did,

    I went to a local family owned business called, Ultimate Hair. The owner spent 1+ hours with me trying on all kinds of synthetic wigs and "Cranial Prosthestics." The difference is the latter is more comfortable, more expensive and Covered by insurance! I am on my work laptop, so I don't have pics here...when I get to my desktop later I can post pics, I think. I also got 2 caps and a scarf. I look AWFUL in the scarf, so it will be wigs and Newsboy type caps for me, And hopefully my insurance will cover some of cost of cranial prosthetic (wig!). Real hair at the place I went to was too expensive...I went with 2 synthetics...pics in a bit.

    arlene

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  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited March 2015

    SC - i heard that too about women who didn't have many problems with pregnancy did better with chemo. For me it didn't turn out to be true - i had a model pregnancy with only one small bout of nausea and yet, my first AC kicked my butt big time!

    Katy - I'm sorry about your friend :( i'll be praying for her.

    My chemo nurse told me the nail pain seems early because my hair is still intact (although starting to shed heavily) but when i described the pain to her she said "yep...sure sounds like its from the chemo".

    Ive already painted them black with a hardening coat but ill also be using tea tree oil now too. I guess my body is aiming for 100% of the possible symptoms. Stupid body!!!!!

    Almost done with pre-meds. They are drawing up the Red Devil...

    Bekah

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2015

    SC thinking of you today!! Hugs

    Arlene -WELCOME!!! But sorry to meet this way.

    Thanks to all of you for the support regarding my lovely friend. This is hitting extra close to home for obvious reasons. Thanks for letting me share.

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2015

    Bekah- special thoughts going out to you as the red devil drips.... I am rooting for you that this time will be SO MUCH EASIER. Yay for extra fluids. Keep us posted if you can.

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  • wpmoon
    wpmoon Member Posts: 270
    edited March 2015

    Katy, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. We are all here for you for whatever support you need. This is real life - scary stuff. We all understand, and can relate.

    I'm having a hard few days. Seems like my good energy from the weekend has drifted away and I've fallen into a slump. Trying to make tough decisions about whether or not to keep working during treatment and the possibility of losing a new job. But... my health comes first. I have a lot to think about.

    Curled up in my bed surrounded by pillows just zoning out before going to work.

    Happy belated birthday to the few birthday girls!

    Good luck to those in treatment this week!

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  • so-she-did
    so-she-did Member Posts: 202
    edited March 2015

    Bekah and SC - I hope all goes well today with your infusions. I'm thinking of you both.

    wpmoon - I wish you the best with making your decision about work. Hopefully your new employer will be understanding if it comes down to that.


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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2015

    wpmoon- thanks for your kind words. Sending my best vibes and a warm hug. Tough decisions about work.

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2015

    just had my weekly draw. All well and baby whites are making a comeback. She said not to be surprised if after next week's chemo they drop down to nearly nothing. I thought they were pretty lowlast time at 1.4 or something. Yikes!

    Still feel very fortunate fatigue is the worst SE. It's a beautiful day here and I'll do my best to ENJOY!!!

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  • DavisD
    DavisD Member Posts: 338
    edited March 2015

    I want to apologize if I offended anyone with my previous posting and the irrelevant wordy ones.

    Day 1 after chemo I felt pretty good. Now I'm having bad diarrhea all day and something resembling the worst head cold ever. I also can't taste anything and not much appetite. I'm just being pathetic right now but it will pass.

    Katy I'm so sorry about your friend. It must be scary for you both and I'll be thinking of you both.

    Maybe when I go back to work I'll pull out of this funk. We all need to be needed.

    Best to you all!

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  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited March 2015

    Just got home from AC #2. Nothing spectacular while I was there (same as last time). I used the cream for 2 hours before and didn't feel the needle go in at all. Before I left they put a 'Sancuso' patch on my arm as an extra help for nausea. I go back tomorrow for fluids and the Neulasta shot.

    Drinking my water and eating light lunch. DH is insisting that I do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day and I'm not gonna argue with him. I do feel a mild headache coming on, slight nausea, and a little tired. Maybe I'll sleep through it this time? It's worth a shot....

    Sitting in the chemo chair this morning I was thinking of all my BC Chemo sisters and how strong we are even when we don't feel strong. We can do this!

    Ha! Let's see if I'm still feeling so positive in a few hours

    Bekah

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited March 2015

    SC: I swear, you and I are soul mates. I had my "chemotorial" this afternoon and guess what question I asked? I said if you had little nausea during pregnancy do you do better on chemo? She said yes but I thought maybe she was just saying that to make me worry less.

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited March 2015

    Hi Arlene and welcome. I also went wig shopping today but had to leave early because I had to go to a bunch of doctor's appointments. I don't even have to try on those scarfs to know I will look awful in them. :)

    Diane: I am not sure why you would think you offended anyone but you sure didn't offend me.

    So mad that I seem to have a little viral thing for the second time in 5 days. My white cell count was a tad high today. But they said it's ok for the port to go in tomorrow. Now if they could just call and tell me what the hell time to be there. Maybe the surgeon is mad at me because he knows he is not doing my BMX.


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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2015

    Diane- for the record, you have never even come close to offending me. You are safe here. Don't forget that.

    Bekah- so very proud of the bravery you showed today walking back into that place knowing what it might do to you again. You are strong. Hear you ROAR! Hope you sleep the rest of the day off, and kudos to your DH.

    And Trvler, glad you are still laughing after your chemotorial. Lmao.

    Love you girls too much!

    Katy

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  • shaz101
    shaz101 Member Posts: 718
    edited March 2015

    sloth...HAPPY BIRTHDAY. .. sorry I'm late.

    Katy you and my Andrew share a birthday. When we celebrate his birthday I will be sending some birthday wishes your way

    Diane, you'd have to go a long way before offending me. We all have a right to share how we feel. I think unless someone is attacking someone else's thoughts and feelings we'll all be OK to say what We want.

    Bekah, I'm hoping that you have all of your SEs under control this time around.

    I had yet another migraine overnight! Maybe it's related to my sensitive scalp and hair loss.

    Welcome Arlene. I'm sorry you're here. I hope you find this a good place to share your experience and gain strength from us all.


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  • shaz101
    shaz101 Member Posts: 718
    edited March 2015

    Wpmoon, thats such a difficult decision to make. Have you told them what is happening? I may be good to at least give them a chance to work through this with you rather than just quitting . I'm sorry that you need to do this but your health does come first.

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  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited March 2015

    wpmoon - I faced those same feelings around day 6 after round 1. But I pulled through and I'm glad (so far) that I didn't turn in a disability packet yet. Hang in there...but do take care of you first!

    Bekah

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited March 2015

    for people who haven't buzzed their hair yet, how many days has it been since your first chemo? I am on day 17. Shedding a ton, but only if I comb it. Hair is definitely thinner, but still thicker than most people have. But the front is starting to look suspect. I don't want to look like a woman with male pattern baldness lol. Or bozo the clown.

    Diane, I went back through your posts and saw nothing offensive. So no worries! My worst side effects were my mouth tasting horrible and burnt for about five days, and my stomach trembled for a couple of days, like I had done too many sit-ups. The mouth thing drove me nuts.

    Wpmoon, rather than lose the job, talk to them if it is getting difficult and see if something can be worked out. Seems sad to lose a job you want for a few months of treatment. I would at least ask.

    Bekah, as always, you are my comic relief with your funny way of expressing things. I hope you do better after this second round, keeping my fingers crossed for you!

    Had to do a yeast infection suppository yesterday and I had a tiny bit of vaginal bleeding, which freaked me out. Worried about the vaginal atrophy thing. I didn't even know about it until it happened and I looked it up online. Sigh, another thing to obsess over. I guess the applicator was too rough or something.


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  • SC_Coqui
    SC_Coqui Member Posts: 133
    edited March 2015

    Back home from chemo. It's funny because I'm having ups and downs from sleepiness. One minute I'm sleepy for like 10 minutes then I'm fine again for a while, then sleepy! It's like being on a sleepy roller-coaster.

    The infusion went sort of well. I have stumped the MO and nurses. My port still leaks out. Just a drop or two, but it leaks. They can draw blood just fine which is why they felt comfortable using it- last time they couldn't even get a blood draw and had to replace it. The doctor said to keep an eye on it for redness and itching. She said that going forward they need to make sure they always flush it well.

    My hair is starting shed, but nothing major. I hope it holds through Sunday for my son's birthday party. Yes, we're having a small birthday party- about 12 kids- for my son's 6th birthday. We're trying to keep things as normal as possible. DH is awesome and will be helping a lot. I wish the weather would cooperate, it's supposed to rain. We'll need to come up with more indoor games!

    I need to take look of my labs, I asked the nurse for a copy. It's funny how we learn this new "language" while we go through all of this and things like WBC become so important!

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2015

    SC Coqui- glad it went pretty well. Hope they get the port issue worked out so he/she can be "your friend"

    I was also thinking about this new language we are learning. Must be one of the reasons why family and friends can't keep up even though they try. And why it is so enjoyable here because we all speak it

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  • SC_Coqui
    SC_Coqui Member Posts: 133
    edited March 2015

    I was looking at my labs and did the ole' "doctor google" search to understand them.

    My WBC and Granulocytes were slightly high from yesterdays labs (just by a percentage or two) and they were on the high end of normal on my labs before chemo and of course, now I'm worried that something else might be going on that my body's been fighting off. Also my LDH was a notch on the high side. LDH is "Lactate dehydrogenase is of medical significance because it is found extensively in body tissues, such as blood cells and heart muscle. Because it is released during tissue damage, it is a marker of common injuries and disease." It means that the chemo is doing it's work but an elevated level may mean that the chemo has found some additional tumors -- I had a mastectomy and my scans showed I'm clear. It's not super elevated so I guess the doctor will be keeping an eye out. A normal range is between 98- 192, my test pre-chemo was 112 and post chemo is 198.

    We'll see what the results are for the next time.

    With such a high WBC count I wonder why I even need a Neulasta shot! Ugh!

    And of course my energy pumping cells: Red blood cells are low! Not sure what I can do to raise that.


    (Edited to add more info)

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited March 2015

    After the Neulasta shot, they got my white blood cells to 23.90, and my Neus (baby whites) to 18.50. I said that seems too high, and they said no, it is perfect, right where we want you to be. So I don't 100% understand because my normal white blood cell count before chemo was around 8.40.

    Oncologist said white blood cell count, baby whites, HGB and PLT (platelets) are the important numbers to watch. My HGB was in the normal range, and my platelets were too. I am still concerned about how high my white blood cells count is. Is anybody elses white blood cell count that high?

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  • slothabouttown
    slothabouttown Member Posts: 449
    edited March 2015

    So it sounds like many of you get labs run at some point in between treatments? I'm not scheduled for bloodwork until the morning of my second infusion, which seems different from what a lot of you are doing?

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  • SC_Coqui
    SC_Coqui Member Posts: 133
    edited March 2015

    My doctor has them done the day before, except for my next one which will be the day of. I'll be out of town the day before my next treatment.

    It makes things run much faster.

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited March 2015

    they give me the Neulasta shot and them have me come in a week later to do my bloodwork to make sure my levels are where they want them to be. It seems like there is no common testing or protocol, it is whatever your particular oncologist decides. I am still worried that they are pushing my white blood count too high, but I can't find any data about high white blood cell counts during chemo. Nothing feels weird, though

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited March 2015

    I am starting at the end of March or early April, so I've been lurking here (and just started an April group). I just wanted to comment on the high WBCs since this is my second go round with BC ( finished chemo 1st time in November 13). I had highWBCs last time and when I asked, it was because of the steroids. MO said that can make them go sky high. I asked how he'd know if they were normal and he did not really have an answer, so I went in a day earlier, before the steroids, in subsequent rounds. If you have steroids a few days before your infusions, then that may be a reason for your high numbers.


    Best of luck to all of you. I may jump in from time to time since I may technically start on 3/31. I'll find out eventually. I have to say that I love what a supportive group you all are. My Sept chemo gang are some of my best friends now. I am in touch with a lot of them all the time and even met up with several of them last October. So there is life after chemo (which I will need to be reminded of many time this spring).

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited March 2015

    thanks KBee! I guess if my doctor isn't worried and is pleased then I should be too. Guess I'm just a worrier by nature.

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited March 2015

    Interesting discussion about white cell count. I had my prechemo workup today and mine was elevated but I can feel a little viral thing going on, the sec ond time in a week.

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