Chemo in July 2015

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  • Want2Bcamping
    Want2Bcamping Member Posts: 62
    edited July 2015

    looking good Powerthruit! Great picture.

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  • 6feetover
    6feetover Member Posts: 320
    edited July 2015

    peabrain:

    Not weird at all. *Hugs*

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  • tonia52
    tonia52 Member Posts: 36
    edited July 2015

    your new hair cut looks pretty. I lost all my hair on day 17 from my first treatment. I had my daughter shave it and it felt good to be in control rather than letting the fear control me. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and your hair will start growing back sooner than you think. Prayers to you!

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  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited July 2015

    powerthruit - you look great!











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  • Suzanne1971
    Suzanne1971 Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2015

    today is day 18 for me, and I still have all of my hair. It started coming out 2 days ago (strands, no major shedding), so I buzzed it down last night. I expected to wake up today to a pillow full of hair, but alas, it's hanging on a bit longer, I guess.

    My next infusion is Wed, and it is CRAZY how normal I feel these days. Virtually no side effects. I am given steroids to take the day before/of/after infusion, and I really dislike them. They give me insomnia. How are you all managing that steroid?

    And is anyone else doing adjuvant chemo or have you all had surgery

    Love seeing the pics of wigs, shaved heads, etc! It's nice to put a face to a name. I'll try to get a decent pic here soon.

    Wishing all of you the best, and welcome to the new July members!


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  • Want2Bcamping
    Want2Bcamping Member Posts: 62
    edited July 2015

    @Suzanne1971 - I had my surgery before chemo. I too do not like the steroids. They keep me awake for several days. Looks like we are on the same schedule as my next infusion is also Wednesday.

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  • 6feetover
    6feetover Member Posts: 320
    edited July 2015

    Suzanne -

    Hi there! I'm doing neoadjuvant chemo (i.e., before surgery) as well. I LOATHE the Decadron that I have to take on the day of and for the 3 days following my AC treatments. I'm in a total fog and utterly exhausted but unable to sleep, with snippets of dreams, memories, show tunes, SchoolHouse Rock, etc., etc., ad nauseam spinning ceaselessly through my brain. It makes me feel crazy!

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  • FreeandFlying
    FreeandFlying Member Posts: 47
    edited July 2015

    All the hair looks great.

    I did not take decadron with my second round and I'm doing so much better with side effects. Zofran alone is keeping nausea at bay (along with regular eating

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  • melinda531
    melinda531 Member Posts: 27
    edited July 2015

    Good evening everyone!

    Love the pics of everyone....nice to put faces with names and you all look great. I'll post a pic of me in my wig later......still struggling with thought that my hair will likely fall out this week....wish I was more at ease with it as some of you ladies :-)

    Bjsmiller - do you rinse with salt and soda water? How often?

    RuthElizabeth - are you rinsing with Biotene due to loss of taste or mouth sores?

    I'll try anything at this point!


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  • melinda531
    melinda531 Member Posts: 27
    edited July 2015

    As I've mentioned, my hair hasn't fallen out yet but I did get a wig to get ready and had my hairdresser cut it like my usual style. Here's a pic.....

    image

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  • powerthruit
    powerthruit Member Posts: 59
    edited July 2015
    melinda531 - looks great!

    Blown away by how many of us there are in this group.

    Going for round 2 on Monday.
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  • mama26
    mama26 Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2015

    I am 3 days out from first chemo. I feel weak and shaky. No nausea or vomiting. The steroids helped more with that than the anti-nausea drugs. I haven't taken them since day one due to severe stomach cramps. My on call nurse practitioner called in Zofran to replace the Compazine but haven't needed it since the steroids are working so well. I hope this lasts every round. We'll see. I've rinsed twice a day with salt water and I have no sores but my taste buds are off. No aches or pains from my Neulasta shot yet. My port site is a little sore but other than that I feel ok. I am having some constipation. I was told to take Miralax. What's worked for any of you on that subject would be very helpful. Next round is August 10th.

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  • madrew
    madrew Member Posts: 15
    edited July 2015

    Hello-Day 13 after round 1. Waiting on the hair to make it's exit.....I have an appointment on Tuesday to get at least a buzz cut. I had some troubles with mouth issues. I'm now convinced that much of it (including lip and eyelid swelling) was an allergic reaction to a thrush pill I was on. (I am now done with that pill.) Nevertheless, I was able to get some Magic Mouthwash yesterday and do see significant improvement today. I My neutrophils also went to zero on my blood work. My insurance company won't cover Neulasta until Granix is tried first. So I am in the middle of a series of Granix shots. Taking the Claritin just like I would with Neulasta. So far no real problems. I get my blood taken tomorrow again so hopefully my counts will begin to head in the right direction finally. Despite the mouth troubles and my low white blood cell counts, I feel grateful that I feel good and that I'm able to function quite normally on a day to day basis.

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  • Batesburg
    Batesburg Member Posts: 199
    edited July 2015

    Melinda531- you look smashing!!!

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  • Peabrain
    Peabrain Member Posts: 268
    edited July 2015

    I am on day 7 of my first treatment and still struggling with nausea, all over body aches and now maybe an ear and throat infection. Bummed!

    I expected the first round to be easier than this

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  • JillyB
    JillyB Member Posts: 18
    edited July 2015

    My friends held a shave party for me last night. We had a great time and I got to do the shaving. It's wonderful when you have lots of support behind you.

    image


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  • Want2Bcamping
    Want2Bcamping Member Posts: 62
    edited July 2015

    That's awesome JillyB! Love the pic

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  • Batesburg
    Batesburg Member Posts: 199
    edited July 2015

    @ Peabrain.....I am so sorry about the ongoing nausea and body aches, etc. I can tell you after my third tx I had a sore throat and ear but it has seemed to subsided - it felt almost like an extension of "mouth sores" into the other mucous membranes in my head/neck. It might just be for you that the future treatments will be "easier" for you in that you will figure out how to manage the side effects specific to you and get ahead of it with experience. What do you think?

    Rooting for you BIG TIME!

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  • Batesburg
    Batesburg Member Posts: 199
    edited July 2015

    Love the party pic, JillyB!!!!

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  • powerthruit
    powerthruit Member Posts: 59
    edited July 2015
    Mama26 - on my first round I let the constipation go too long. I didn't do anything until day 4, because I did have movement on day 2. I eventually took 2 Senna and 1 stool softener. It did the trick. I tried miralax first, but that did not work. It got pretty horrible fast, so I would recommend at least a stool softener right away.

    JillyB - looks great. I did the buzz yesterday and am looking forward to a complete shave. Honestly, once the hair started to go and my scalp started to feel tender and a little itchy, I could not wait to get it off!! ;-)
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  • 6feetover
    6feetover Member Posts: 320
    edited July 2015

    Melinda: Looks fabulous!

    powerthruit: Me too. Fingers crossed for an easy day tomorrow!

    JillyB: That kicks so much arse! What a wonderful support group you've got!

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  • Bliss58
    Bliss58 Member Posts: 1,154
    edited July 2015

    @JillyB, agreed, that's awesome!

    @Melinda531, someone here, and I'm sorry, but now my "chemo brain" can't remember who(!), offered a tip that she had a salt/soda bottle in the bathroom, so every time she went in, she rinsed - and that's what I did, too, for several days (not at all now). BTW, awesome wig and pic, too!

    @batesburg, great wig! Is it synthetic or real hair? I think my insurance will pay quite a bit of the cost, too, so I'm going for a good one.

    @Want2be, you look marvelous!

    Thanks ladies for sharing your photos; it is nice to put a face to the names. Once I pick my wig this week, I'll post a photo, too. I go in for 2nd treatment on Thursday.

    Happy Sunday and hugs to all!


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  • inkster
    inkster Member Posts: 93
    edited July 2015

    Adarkadaptedi and powerthruit, I'm joining you guys for round 2 tomorrow. I just took my morning "day before" pill and am bracing for the heartburn. Man alive do I hate the steriod.

    Most of my hair loss has stopped and I've got a some mangy fuzz hanging on. I think it's still slowly thinning, though, judging by the freaking bits of hair everywhere(!). I tried to blame the big dog, but he doesn't have dark roots. ;)

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  • Flaime
    Flaime Member Posts: 18
    edited July 2015

    I'm on day 5 after my first round of AC, and starting to feel like I can function normally, except food still tastes funny. I expect food won't taste right until I'm done with chemo.

    Mama26 - Use whatever you want for constipation, but do it ASAP! For my 2nd round I will be starting with a stool softener on day one, and take something everyday thereafter. My onco nurse told me to hold off until I was sure I wasn't going to get diarrhea, but most of the ladies on here have suggested that constipation was more likely. I thought I was going to have to make a trip to the ER today to get disimpacted! *sorry TMI* Stay ahead of the SE's if you can... it's easier to prevent, than to treat.

    melinda531 - Love it! Great pic!

    JillyB - Awesome! What a great group of friends!

    Hugs to all those who are having bad SE's. Hope things improve in successive rounds.

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  • 6feetover
    6feetover Member Posts: 320
    edited July 2015

    inkster: I wasn't prepared for the heartburn, even though I was explicitly told that I'd probably experience it; I suppose I should try to be a bit less alarmed at how crappy the Decadron makes me feel! I'm used to GERD/IBS/etc. and I've got a small hiatal hernia; I'm wondering if the steroid's just exacerbating my "usual" symptoms. When it wakes me at night, though, it's no fun.

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  • 6feetover
    6feetover Member Posts: 320
    edited July 2015

    Flaime: Aye, being stopped up is far worse!I'm so sick of all the pills that I'm required to take that I'm trying to go at least a slightly more "natural" route for the GI symptoms–i.e., prune juice, lots of organic high-fiber cereals with almond milk, coffee (when I can stomach it), etc.

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  • hartrish
    hartrish Member Posts: 380
    edited July 2015

    batesburg: your wig is awesome. I wish my wig looked like that.

    Want2bcamping: love your shaved head. I have been going out in public without hats or wraps as well. So simple when I get out of the shower and just have to put on my make up. I had long hair before, maybe I will keep it short when it grows out.

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  • Want2Bcamping
    Want2Bcamping Member Posts: 62
    edited July 2015

    @hartrish - I thought the same thing! I had long hair (about down to midway back) and the ease of care is such a change! Of course, I'll have some time to think about it.

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  • Want2Bcamping
    Want2Bcamping Member Posts: 62
    edited July 2015

    Oh and my daughter (who is 28) cut her long hair off in support of me. She wanted to shave her head, but her work wouldn't allow that.

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  • courtleboo
    courtleboo Member Posts: 72
    edited July 2015

    Just a curious question... I'm 4 days out from infusion 2. Today I have noticed that every time I eat I get shakey. Not like shivers but like that shakey feeling you get when you have not eaten for a while. It happened after breakfast and after the late lunch we just had. Not eating anything out of the ordinary either.

    Has anyone else experienced this?

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