April 2015 Chemo Crew... Starting in April? Please join us!

Congrats on finishing up AC Princess, Addie and Heather!! May your SE be few!! )

Hi April Ladies, you guys have been chatty. I had AC#4 yesterday woo-whoo! Four down, four to go. I saw MO, and this is what I got on Taxol:

1. 95% of patients do better on Taxol than AC. Less nausea, more bone pain.

2. I'll have to take steroids at 12 and 6 hours before (Melissa - this is my first steroids before an infusion, I got 8 mg - 2 tablets - by mouth at each AC infusion). 20 mg ea! So five pills at 9:45 PM, then five pills at 3:45 am before infusion. They said to take the Ativan to help with sleeping - yeah, right, like 5? No steroids after the treatment, I assume continue with Zofran for nausea?

3. Premeds will include Benedryl and other histamine receptor blocker, and nausea (i assume the Emend).

4. I may or may not have to have Neulasta shot after - depends on blood counts. She's thinking not the first one, but maybe the 2nd.

5. I asked her about icing hands and feet, and she said they haven't found it to help. She suggested Glutemine, 10g 3x a day starting 3 days before treatment. She suggested getting the powder. I was going to stop at TJs to see if they had it, but I didn't have time. Where do you get your Glutemine?

6. We talked about my working, and she is going to suggest that I go off work so that I can attend to "self care".

7. I have to go to a podiatrist today to look at my toe. It started oozing the other day (ok, after I picked at it). It's clear liquid, but it is still all swollen and red.

Lots of other stuff of course, but those are the highlights. I feel better about it. My sister is going to drive me and stay with me until they get the Taxol going and through anything that might be, but I'm feeling like they know what to do with the reactions if any.

Today I've been very busy with work and trying to return calls and send emails. The end of the school year is so busy anyway with meetings and such. I've been trying to get LOA stuff worked on.

The weather has been very rainy and cold, not good for my mood.

Lynne

Kbeee, congrats!

Lynne, this is the product my partner and I use: http://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-L-Glutamine-Powder-500g/dp/B0013OUL10

Thanks Lynne and KBee for the Taxol reports! I am getting Dose Dense for now, and if I can't handle it they will switch me to weekly. Sounds like I need to start the Glutamine now...dang it.

Lynne, is your toe infected? Are you doing anything special for it? They told me OTC hydrocortizone for itchy feet, and to just come in for blisters.... I ran yesterday and wound up with 4 blisters after a 3 mile run. Hobbling around in flips today at the office. I have to hike Thursday, so I'm expecting to have really F$&ed up feet to celebrate starting Taxol.

Having a resurgence of toe/nail/neck aches, dry eyes, and port pain. Must be two days before chemo!

I figure it's the point at which I've exercised enough that I'm squeezing the chemo out of my fat cells. Friends have told me they had little chemo resurgences months later after, for example, losing weight or exercising hard.

I hate to say it, but I look forward to going for chemo because doing something for my future makes me feel powerful. I'm sure if I were having a lot of nausea, I'd have that nausea-conditioned aversion to the building and room. I have a little nausea this cycle, but I'm also a little tippy, so I figure both are from losing stereocilia (hairs in the inner ear that affect balance). My job between now and chemo is not to fall--I have a friend who tripped on a cord the day before her 4th chemo, broke her shoulder, got blood clots, and couldn't use her port for the last infusion. I am absolutely holding hand rails and being really intentional when I get up to use the bathroom at night!

how are all of the last ac ladies feeling? I went in yesterday for my last ac and this morning I actually feel pretty decent. Usually by this time my whole body hurts but that hasn't hit me- yet. I don't know maybe it's from the extra fluids they gave me yesterday because I had a headache. But whatever it is I love it! Ac 3 made me feel horrible so my dr added emend to my treatment and i think it's made a difference. Also I started using some do terra deep blue rub and omg it's amazing, I highly recommend!

honestly I was only awake once last night and that was to pee (after drinking 22oz of water) and the grab a snack. I slept from about 8pm to 1am then from 2-6:30am so not too awfully. Before they lowered my steroids I was up like 5 times a night. Lowering them has helped me so much.

positive spirit I'm doing well! Thank you for asking only side effects are slight diarrhea burnt off taste buds and slight tiredness just hoping to get through those last 3 darn treatments!

Here is my haiku for today:

Day three post chemo
Feeling wicked hung over
Side effects be gone

The podiatrist said for me to soak my feet in warm water and betadine (sp) solution 2x a day for 10 minutes. Antibiotic ointment and bandage. Have I managed to do that today? No, I've been in bed all morning - working when I have meetings and answering emails,but feeling like CRAP. This morning I have the light sensitivity again, and I could hardly keep my eyes open. One of my husband's coworkers called the house last night at 1:03 AM (he's in building maintenance, so it could have been a butt dial or mistake, but not a prank). I could not get to sleep after that - finally turned on the TV and was up until 4:30 so now I'm exhausted. Have all the feelings of being hung over, but none of the fun. Getting the fluish feeling - my throat is sore again. I so hope this is the last time for this.

I know Taxol is supposed to be long, but I was at infusion for AC for at least 4 hours each time - including blood prework etc. This week appointment was at 10:15, and I left after 3 PM. So, will it be longer than that? I did end up spending more time with MO than I do with NP. My first Taxol is with NP though, so I'm figuring 5 hours total.

I will be on vacation for my 2nd Taxol, I'm beginning to realize that I'll probably have to come home the night before, get rides to/from, and then come home and have a nap before I can return to Maine? The drive is about 1.5 hours one way. I really don't want to have to spend 2 nights away . . . I'll look for your advice on this one.

Lynne

KBeee, wishing you a Happy Birthday, and many more to come for a very long time! Cheryl