Starting Chemo February 2015

I had AC #3 yesterday. Like clockwork the SE started kicking in 3 hours after I got home. The nausea I'm used to, but I had a lot of fleeting aches and pains yesterday. Headache, bodyaches, and my fingers and feet hurt too. Today is a little better. If this is like the other times I don't anticipate feeling like myself till Wednesday/Thursday. Cannot wait till I get the last AC done!! As for the Taxol I think I'm going with the 12 weeklies, but have to finalize with the MO on Wednesday.

Signed up for Look Good Feel Better at the MO's office for 4/28. Wish it were sooner.

My hair is gone. I have a very few stragglers that give me a little peach fuzz appearance, but there is no mistaking - I'm bald. I have to get my wig thinned this week. I haven't worn it yet because it's got way to much hair - I think it doubles the size of my head. I'm quite OK with my hats anyway. I think the wig would be good for going out to eat, public events, etc.

For those of you who have shaved your heads do you have any stubble growing in and is it annoying? Do you have to keep shaving it?

I have stubble now, guessing it will eventually all fall out. It's sometimes annoying when I sleep, it doesn't hurt, but itches and I can feel it. We had an open house at my local Harley dealership, and I took my first few selfies with some bald biker dudes. A few I knew and it was easy to ask them, but a few were strangers, and we're puzzled by request until I took my scarf offand explained, than they were happy to oblige. Someone even told me looked pretty hot...I love my biker friends. I'm going to put all my photos in a book once my journey is done.

That's funny Cloesmom! My ears have always been covered with my hair too. I have always had long hair. Now, I am surprised each time I go by my bathroom mirror and see myself! I will have been married 31 years this August. I'm sure you look like an awesome Vulcan! 

I shaved my head, had some stubble grow back (very little, think less than a 5:00 shadow) and that's all that is left. I do have big bald spots (near my neck) and small finger sized spots all over. I don't think I'll shave again and just see what happens. I am most comfortable without anything on my head but wear a scarf in public.

The side effects have gotten easier for me with AC. I was out all day for a school function for my daughter and other than exhaustion, I feel fine. I do way better when I'm with people all day. During the week in home alone and get depressed pretty easily. I'm hoping to have minimal se's from taxol and am anxious to get things going.

My BRCA testing was finally set up for next week. I guess when your surgery is months out it's easy to be forgotten. lol

hi all, lost this thread, have had my second chemo mar 19, and its a bit better, I have hydrated so much more this time, I think this helps the SE a bit, even though no one could have warned me about the mouth sores enough, they went away right before 2nd chemo and they are showing up on opposite side now, but the warm, salted baking soda mix helps neutralize the mouth, I do swish at least 10 x's a day or more. Dry skin is kicking in, so removed rings so I can add cream, gasoline, moisturizer all day long when I remember." Does anyone have a seranoma they are dealing with? Not sure what to do yet?

hey vr. I'm doing a/c without a port. Have had 3 so far. 2nd time had swelling. 3rd time a big bruise. Dr said if swelling to put a warm compress on it. They had to use another vein this last time as my first vein was still sore from the first two infusuons. I'm having 8 total infusions and just didn't want to deal with a port and one more scar. Nurses said its about 50/50 number who go with ports vs veins.

Hi everyone,

Just finished AC #3 this morning and it feels like the SE's kick in earlier with each dose. Already exhausted, which I expected, but also got heartburn, which i don't usually get for days. I popped a prilosec as soon as I felt anything and hopefully that will help. And just generally, yuck.

I always wondered about the dosing. I mean, if Mary is twice as heavy and Jane and gets a substantially larger dose, that doesn't mean she has twice as much digestive tract, hair, or feet/hands that are that much bigger. I wonder if there is a weight/height that is the sweet spot where it correlates really well from a side effect standpoint, and if the symptoms become more severe for very skinny, or large women. But I don't have the energy to wonder much.

Hi rleepac, I never knew that "sucks and/or sucks worse" was a medical diagnosis. WTH? I am so sorry they said that to you, but some Doctors suck and some suck worse than others. Oh my. I hope you hydrate, snack, and sleep to repair yourself. Cheryl

sorry your SE are worse this time, I was better, even though almost all came back, but the fatigue was better, and the quicker turn around was there, In my case, I am still thinking the fluids in my case, but they can't hurt, so try more hydration next round. Got a cut today, and it took a pretty good time to stop the bleeding. I cleaned and put iodine to clean, had to hold it close for 15 minutes easy to stop bleeding, I finally put steri strip to be sure it stayed closed. Watch for cuts girls.

oh I'm sorry you were so sick praying you're feeling better soon. This really sux. I have tch #3 tmw... sigh. Hoping I don't have a bad set of SE this round. Last round was same as first- sluggish digestive system but knew what to do soon as the burping started. Only thing is last round it lingered a little longer but was a quieter queezy than the first round. I HATE THIS

Nina, did you receive chemo through a vein in your hand? On my first TC infusion the Taxotere blew my vein and leaked into my hand. On day6 after the infusion (and leak) a rash appeared. It took a few weeks to heal up

that is def a reaction to one of the drugs. I have one too but not a rash. It looks like a bruise or a burn. Doesn't hurt but not cute. Still not getting a port tho. I just don't want to. Skin is an organ an will heal. I'm treating the area preemptively hoping it doesn't happen. Thing is- if it's a chemo reaction then temporary. But if to Herceptin then yikes! A year more to go. MAY consider port then. At least worst of treatment would be done.

Do they give you any Benadryl in your pre meds?

I got Adivan as a premed bec my BP was so high. Also it helps make the anti nausea drugs more effective. Said they used to do it stabsard- even with pediatric patents. Well I was just as high as my BP! It did mellow me out. Had a nice nap when I got home. But after nap felt groggy and high- no mas, drank 32oz of water n flushed it OUTTA my system. They gave me an Rx for it. I'll be very conservative with it!

they are telling me the rash is definitely from the chemo, which is what I thought. I have use cortisone, but I like the idea of the benedryl for maybe the itching....

yepp, so it's a rash from perjeta. I'm on steroids for 6 days and using the benadryl cream. They said the steroids can be bad on the stomach, anyone taken them?