Starting Chemo February 2015

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  • Ldavidson17
    Ldavidson17 Member Posts: 12
    edited April 2015


    Haven't posted much lately as life has been crazy.  Got through TCH #3 of 6 a couple weeks ago and now gearing up for #4 hopefully next week.  Went to my MO yesterday because of a rash that I noticed on Tuesday and turns out I have a staph infection!  so my week of no doctor visits has turned into IV antibiotics yesterday, again this afternoon, and tomorrow.  Also see MO again tomorrow for blood culture results to determine the exact type of infection.  This sucks but SO glad I got it checked out when I did.  hope everyone has a great Thursday!  We are almost to the weekend!

  • MaryJC
    MaryJC Member Posts: 350
    edited April 2015

    hi Jerseygirl, sorry if I misunderstood, but awesome that you're having treatment today. Sounds painfully ironic to say as we all hate it. But great you have 1 more down and out the way. I go next week hopefully for #4.

    Ldavidson- ugh sorry to hear of your infection and yes thank God u got it checked out. This stuff makes us so susceptible to all forms of crap.

    If I haven't said it before (and I know I have) I HATE CHEMO!!!

  • MaryJC
    MaryJC Member Posts: 350
    edited April 2015

    I have to say, reading the threads about taxotere causing permanent hair loss really bothers me. Yet ANOTHER issue to be in edge worried about once chemo is finally done. When will this nightmare end???

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    Just tried to walk the dog. Legs feel like I'm wearing cement boots or slogging through snow. Anyone else have muscles that feel like you are 100 years old?

  • SugarCakes
    SugarCakes Member Posts: 353
    edited April 2015

    breaking rules and getting a pedicure!!!

  • SugarCakes
    SugarCakes Member Posts: 353
    edited April 2015

    ...and going for Fried Oreos!!!

  • MaryJC
    MaryJC Member Posts: 350
    edited April 2015

    Pedicures against the rules??? I didn't know. I've been breaking the rules then! Mani and pedi.

  • SugarCakes
    SugarCakes Member Posts: 353
    edited April 2015

    Me and the little one at the carnival...

    image

  • SugarCakes
    SugarCakes Member Posts: 353
    edited April 2015

    I read somewhere that pedicures should be avoided. I think because of potential infection. I also read no dental cleanings. I was sure to have that done right before my treatment started. No flossing also, though I have used those flossing brushes. I have a bonded retainer.

  • Darumama
    Darumama Member Posts: 135
    edited April 2015

    Sugarcakes, that is an adorable picture and you look great. You must be doing something right!

    I read that about the dental cleanings too and I had my teeth cleaned before treatment started, but I have braces on my teeth and still see the orthodontist monthly. I guess it's not as invasive to change a wire as it is to do a good cleaning, but it does make me a little nervous. My oncologist never had a patient with braces and my orthodontist never had a patient with cancer. This is the first cycle I have bothersome mouth sores, but in terms of the braces things have been uneventful. I do still floss every day. If my counts were to drop I'd be more careful

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    I've been flossing. It's when I didn't that I started to get a sore spot. Just use a long piece of floss and have a clean section for each space.

    Sugarcakes you look like a model! Adorable photo of you both!

  • MaryJC
    MaryJC Member Posts: 350
    edited April 2015

    beautiful pic :))) your make up looks great! I have trouble getting my left eyebrow right but i cover it with my 'hair' so it doesn't look too obvious.

    Okay! Yes NOW I recall all those warnings lol. I have a bonded retainer too on the inside of my bottom fronts. I guess I just forgot about the mani/pedi possible infection issue. Diabetics get 'dry' mani/pedis. Perhaps that's an option.

    Glad you got out and having fun. Your lil man is too precious <3

  • Mecsmama
    Mecsmama Member Posts: 20
    edited April 2015

    I haven't posted in forever, but I read this thread everyday. Makes me feel much better about all the side effects I am experiencing. I know I am not alone and most of what I am feeling is to be expected.


    Chloesmom, I had my 4th round of TC on March 31. My muscles are so sore!! I feel very weak and feeble. The chronic pain is beginning to wear on me. It is particularly bad in the evenings and when I first wake up. I may call my oncologist on Monday and see if there is anything that may help.


    Thankfully, I only needed four rounds of chemo, so I am finished and waiting for this poison to work its way out of my system. So far I am still pretty bald, but hopefully I will have hair on my head soon. The permanent hair loss worries me too. I am taking biotin so hopefully that helps.


    Wish I could say I was finished with treatment, but I will have to begin 6 weeks go radiation the first week of May.


    Hope everyone is having a good day today.

  • Jerseygirl927
    Jerseygirl927 Member Posts: 438
    edited April 2015

    I guess I was missing too, had round 3' so far so good. I will say hydrate,hydrate, hydrate. I also learned you can hydrate in a tub of water and cup of Epsom salt. Just soak. The magnesium is free in the Epsom salts. Might help those weak muscles. I treat myself so much more to that soak, just a share.

    And no mani, pedi or digging in garden without gloves, this is gonna be tough to remember the gloves, can't wait to get started. Had my seranoma treated, still lots of fluids because I am doing too much, but at least the fluid cells are the good kind. It tells the dr your lymps are workin.

    Anyone have foamy urine? Every time I pee there is foam, like beer,but big foam bubbles, I thought it was normal, but dr never heard of it, so now I am curious if anyone has this? Have not read it, and with dr not aware, he ordered a urine culture, so will wait, no pain, no burning, just foam?

    Have a good days, I'm gonna go for a walk later, and visit a friend.

  • Bikerbabe17
    Bikerbabe17 Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2015

    Adorable pic sugarcakes, miss my girls being little.

    I'm covered with an itchy rash today, quite uncomfortable. I've been using cream, and that helps, but my ears are bright red 😑. Seems like round 3 is going to be the worst yet. Still having to take injections to thin my blood, been 2 weeks now, and the level just doesn't move very fast. Having a girls night tonight, going home to see my HS friends, looking forward to it.

    Have a great weekend everyone

  • Jerseygirl927
    Jerseygirl927 Member Posts: 438
    edited April 2015

    have they had you try benedryl for the itches, usually work and help me sleep better, Nite all

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    This is my nadir week from last chemo. Not supposed to be in crowds but my dear friend was starring in a show for chairs at out little theatre. Wouldn't you know the guy behind me had a cold and was coughing like crazy. I wore a mask and hope none of the germs snuck past it! Why don't people say home when they are sick?!?!

    Otherwise it was a beautiful day in Pennsylvania. We have a gazebo in the back and I sat out there 3 hours and rested this afternoon. Happy to have the chance to open my eyes in the morning. Appreciate my yard more than last year. Glad to be ALIVE!

  • TortyLass
    TortyLass Member Posts: 43
    edited April 2015

    Chloesmom and Mecsmama: I did 4 rounds of TC also,last treatment was 3/26. My muscles are so sore also! Sometimes hobble around so slowly, that I swear my 97 year old grandma is going to outpace me

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    TortyLass. Sorry you are having this symptom too. Going up steps and incline is a big challenge as my hamstringsand gluts protest the most. Wondering when the effects of the TC stop happening? Seems like this stuff must still be doing yucky stuff doe a while if your eyebrows don't fall out till well after you are done. It has to be getting worse before it gets better, but wondering when the getting better will start

  • Jerseygirl927
    Jerseygirl927 Member Posts: 438
    edited April 2015

    Thursday was chemo, finally feeling effects of it, joint pain, mouth stinging, taste buds gone, fatigue setting in, ear popping all the time, that's new? Doesn't hurt Just pops. Took nap to catch up, and the sweats are awful. Heading to bed to get out of this pain..

  • December
    December Member Posts: 108
    edited April 2015

    thanks all for the support!!!!!. Curious... why some have chemo first and some have sugery first?


    Also...wondering why my dx information doesn't show up at the end of my posts ... I filled it all out on dashboard???

    Prayers and blessings to all.

  • December
    December Member Posts: 108
    edited April 2015

    i keep looking for the like button to click😄cute picture of you and the kid!

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    my surgery was first. The tumor was small and didn't need to be shrunk as I wss having a mStecyomy not lumpectomy.

    The chemo was scheduled only after the.oncitype came back high enough to increase my chance or recurrence

  • Bikerbabe17
    Bikerbabe17 Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2015

    vol4life, you just need to make your info public.  Go to your settings, and I believe it on the right--a little button to click that makes it public.

    This itch rash is all over me.  How long will it stay around, it's so very uncomfortable.  Hard to focus on anything but wanting to scratch.


     

  • live_deliciously
    live_deliciously Member Posts: 346
    edited April 2015

    i too haven't posted for a while. Just celebrating feeling good having a/c done. I start dd taxol tomorrow so getting nervous. I'm pretty active and can't imagine having the foot sores people talk about and not able to walk. My biggest issue has been the dripping nose and watery swollen eyes. There are way more she's but that is the one that bothers me all the time This year not even zyrtec is helping. I have foamy pee too. Been that way thru all of chemo. I think I read somewhere where that is normal with the toxins they put in us.

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    Eyes look puffy like I've been crying. Nose runs like a faucet. This is a very pesky SE, but better than some do the others I've been having

  • MaryJC
    MaryJC Member Posts: 350
    edited April 2015

    I'm so annoyed n sick of chemo. I just asked my onc if after this next round (#4) can we do 5 and 6 every two weeks if my numbers are good enuf. Let's get this mess over with already. I still have a friggen year of herceptin and those lovely six weeks of radiation which are making me consider a double mastectomy if the radiologist tells me it would avoid it. My margins were clear so we'll see. Let's see what my onc says. I know she thinks I'm a pain in her tail but guess what chick- YOURE not on chemo

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    MaryJC. I'm so glad I got a BMX.and was done with it so I didn't have to have rads. If the tumor is near the chest there's often no choice, but given a choice between lumpectomy w rads and mastectomy w/o rads I didn't have to think twice They act like rads is just like getting an X-ray. If these doctors ever had some of this stuff....

  • MaryJC
    MaryJC Member Posts: 350
    edited April 2015

    Yes the radiologist makes it sound so great and easy.... for 6 weeks. Yeah right! My tumor was right by my nipple so I'm sure I could avoid it. I'm just unsure of the recupe time being a single mommy with a toddler. And worried about all the risks. It's all cute and dandy when people do it for vanity only but there's a very real side to it cancer or not.

    How was it for you, healing, implants, etc. Thanks for your reply

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2015

    Didn't do implants. Decided I didn't want any more painful procedures and chance of complications. My friend had rads and dealt with fatique and burns. Didn't want implants under my muscles that would effect my strength and ability to swim. Didn't want an iron bra feeling with a numb chest. Told the doctor to make me look like a 10 year old boy and if I want to buy boobs I can be any size I want. Healed up fast. Got sensation back in my chest so it's nice to be touched again if you know what I mean. THE BMX was a piece of cake compared to chemo. Check out the website Flatandfbulous.org for photos if you are interested.

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