Chemo in July 2015

Well. Cousin It could definitely have expired this morning in my sink. I woke up after yesterdays treatment (2) and my hair which had been soft and shiny was brittle and leaving this earth. So that was Day 15 for me. I had already cut 12 inches off so it was only 6 inch hair....less traumatic for me, but still a shocker.

Today was a gorgeous day so my son went paddle boarding. On his return he will get the #2 blades out. Just researched blades. Going to use #8 Should leave me with an inch. Im going to do the slow denial before I wear my wig and scarfs. Of course just residing on couch so who sees me! Today much better sxince my infusion nurse read me the riot act about not worrying about getting hooked on the drugs. Take them for nausea! He said he hadnt had to send anyone to rehab yet. Getting tired but to all you hot babes that posted photos, you truly look great. Keep smiling. Fading fast. Nap time.

I am 5 days out of my first chemo treatment. I finally slept last night and I am guessing it is because I am done with the steroids. I totally crashed at 8:00 and slept till 6:00. The last 5 nights I have been averaging 4 hours of sleep. I ordered my wig yesterday. That was a bit emotional for me but I have to come to terms with it. I am trying the penguin caps but if they don't work, need to have another plan in place which I have accepted. Yesterday was a good day - I felt decent. I had an appetite and seemed somewhat normal except for the lack of sleep. I continue to exercise as it does make me feel so much better. Maybe it's psychological but I just want to hang on to the things I love to do and have that little bit of "normal" in my life. Sometimes I look at all that BC entails and it can be so overwhelming. That is when I change the channel and go back to just taking it one day at a time. Thank you all for sharing your stories and your pics. You are all beautiful people inside and out!

Thunder7 what fasting are you referring too? I'm sure it's somewhere back in a previous post but not sure how far back to look. You look beautiful by the way.

Hello All - few days out of the loop for me ..

First -what a group of gorgeous women - love the latest beautiful pics - Flaime, PeaBrain, Cheesequake, Suzanne1971, Thunder 7 and also the real Thunder

notdoneyet and Joy-Anna - so sorry you are joining us but so glad you found us! Hugs to you both

For me - had my 1st AC a week ago and the first week has been rocky.. Was doing OK managing the shakiness and constipation. The constipation got the best of me and sadly took too much OTC meds and went in complete reverse to what I would grossly describe as "peeing out your ass" for 24 hours Wednesday into Thursday. I will now tread very lightly using meds for constipation - it was horrible (hoping a newbie might read and benefit) . I was scheduled to go for Blood and Nurse Check on Friday and they brought me in Thursday afternoon. I knew it was not good when the nurse came in and had me put a mask on. My WBC including neutrophils were pretty much at ZERO and platelets really low.. BP was 90 over 60 and temp was 99.5... Now I had my Nulasta Shot the day after chemo on the 1st at the hospital which apparently does not start to kick in and help the cause for 10 days. What I was told was that while it is normal for counts to drop mine went too low too fast and I was now at high risk of infection although no sign yet. So they gave me IV fluids and antibiotic as a preventive and sent me home with the instructions to do nothing and go nowhere for 3-4 days minimum and come in contact with no one - immediate family must be in high sanitizing duty. My kids were with me and the nurse told my 9 year old boys in a very funny way that they were germfests and need to not get Mommy sick. The looks on their faces were priceless. I was advised I will be admitted with any sign of fever. Also advised not to eat Raw Fruits/Verggies, Deli Lunchmeat or order food from a new place - can't risk any bacteria - body can't fight it...

What is humorous about this is that I am the biggest germ-a-phobe there is and ironically my body right now cannot fight germs - sounds like recurring dream - just add in no hand sanitizer left in the world and I am living my own horror movie HA ...

It is now Saturday- temp still in the 99.5 range but holding firm and stomach much better.. fingers crossed Nulasta starts to kick in - go for CBC on Wednesday to get ready for Chemo AC #2 on Friday ... Nurse said other than this you are tolerating the chemo well - I nearly fell off the table... She said this could be my pattern and we just have to manage it .. what I find interesting is that I read some posts here for all of you that insurance did not cover Nulasta until counts dropped - if it takes 10 days for the Nulasta to work that is crazy.. I got the shot and still and 0 counts ...

FreeandFlying - thanks for hanging with me on constipation - I wrote your quote down - "experience is stripping us to the core" could not be more true"

Ruth - thanks for posting the Cancer Fighting Kitchen blurbs - very helpful

PeaBrain - so glad you are getting Port - so much better especially when you have 1 arm restricted .. definitely get numbing cream .. I used it about 40 min before chemo - felt nothing.. just be sure to put big globs on and then put saran wrap on top to keep it on your skin and not clothes ..

So I am only a week out of 1st AC and already feel scalp tenderness .. I liken it to having a ponytail in for days and then taking it out and your scalp hurts ... I have that now but still full hair - is that the start? How long from that pain to a good shed that I will need to buzz it?? I cut it real short but thinking could be as soon as this week I will need to buzz it ... just curious??

XOXO Hugs to all - this does suck but I could not do it without all of you

Mary

morning. Up at my normal 2:00 am. I sleep in 2 hour intervals. But, am still getting enough rest.

Mary, my first AC was awful. Second one has been soo good. They gave me prednisone, and amend for the nausea. It works thru the brain, instead of the stomach. So far, only one day down and that wasn't as bad as last chemo. As for constipation, I take a senekot morning and night. Keeps things moving without diahrea. I started with one a day for two days and now am at 2. Maybe it will help you. My first time, went like yours too. So be assured, maybe you will have a better second time. I pray for you to, I know how hard it was for me....

As for the hair, when it wound up in my toothpaste and drink from the shedding process, I slipped it down to 1/4 inch. It still hurts on my pillow. Head is sensitive. Still stubble. My husband asked why it's not growing. Haha, had to laugh.

Went to a craft show sat. Morning. Walked way too much. Totally overdid it. I was so sore. Came home, napped and was almost useless the rest of the day. Did get my laundry done, but that was it. Hip is still a bit sensitive. Stepping up on my right side, is painfull. I had no pain from the first neulasta shot, and this time is just minimal.

I also love all the pictures of your beautiful faces. They all show power, strength and love. I went for a pizza today at our local pizza joint. Stood strong while the guys were speaking ??? And just looking at me cause I didn't have my hat on. It's just too hot. I sweat like a pig. And I just smiled and wanted to say, this is what cancer looks like, but didn't. I don't want to think that way. Let them be ignorant.... Not sure how fast I will go back.... And, maybe they were saying something nice, but that's not what their faces said. I will be strong and proud.... You all will be too. I know it...

My daughter and her family went camping this weekend. We cancelled. I so missed being with the kids. It was our wet and wild weekend. Water guns, fire hoses, lots and lots of fun. My last chemo should be the Monday before Labor Day. We are camping Labor Day weekend. I'm hoping I feel this good and can make some memories with my family.... And then hoping to get more fall camping in too.

Here's hoping you all can get the things you like to do back soon too. I'm hoping to work a little each day this week. It helps... Plus I must admit, I pick and choose who comes. I'm not allowing myself around negative people. Only upbeat.

Love and peace to each and every one of you. Every day counts and makes us stronger. We will never be the same. We WILL be stronger, more companionate, loving and accepting of ourselves. WE WILL WIN !

Love you all, Ruth

Thanks thunder.where is the hair hair hair board listed under? I have been searching under the active topics but no luck.

@Hartrish - sounds like you have the same thing I did. My MO said mine was side effect from Taxotere. Mine was so bad they put me on (more) steroids, and to take Benadryl and use cortisone cream on the bumps/rash. Mine was mostly on my head but had started to spread to other parts of body.

Hope you get relief - I know mine was so sore and itchy! Actually slept with beanie on to prevent direct scratching on my nearly bald head. (I would wake up scratching them and they would start bleeding which is not good

Thunder & Ruth - thanks for the tips! Definitely plan to try a few new things this go around - manage stomach better & get some silk sheets ...

I know the stomach issues I pretty much caused but concerned about counts dropping to zero every time - hoping Wed counts are good & maybe the next time they won't drop so low! Meeting with MO Friday before AC #2 - curious if she thinks the drops will happen every time! With back to school coming in 2 weeks it will be hard to keep the germs at bay LOL

Happy Sunday!

Mary

Okay ladies, I have a challenge tonight. We moved to this area about a year ago and joined a golf club that some of our old friends from FL also belong. We have made quite a few friends here and many people do know about my breast cancer. The people here have been incredibly supportive. However, tonight is an awards banquet. We are going to the banquet and I am going bald.

Some of our friends have already seen my new chrome dome and I have had no problem going around our small town without hair. For some reason (LOL) I am apprehensive. I truly feel that going tonight with my scalp au natural is important for me. I am going to look this way for many months and I need to be accepted this way.

I know this is silly. With everything else going on. This is really the first time I have REALLY cried.

Thanks for listening.

Thunder7

Thunder you are rocking the bald look and should go however way you want - good luc

it was so nice to see the posts on this thread. Three directed to me CinderellaNC. My first round of TC went fairly smoothly. If I did this well after all four rounds I would even wonder if the drugs were doing the job. I had a couple of days where I felt kind of sick as if I had the flu but really no nausea to speak of and I didn't take any nausea meds except one zofran the day of chemo and the decadron my oncologist gave me to take for two days post infusion. It is a steroid and she said it would prevent delayed nausea. My energy level is pretty good and haven't started losing my hair yet but imagine I will start to this week. I know the effect of chemo is cumulative so I imagine with each successive treatment the fatigue anyway will get worse. My white blood cell counts were down some so I will get that checked on again this week and again the day before my next infusion which is August 21st. I might have to have the neulasta shot with the other three treatments if my white counts become a problem. Anyway all of you ladies who are just having a three month course of Four TC treatments count your blessings. It could be worse. Seems Adriamycin , the red death, is no fun at all. Regardless, all of us will get through chemo . For those of us who are triple negatives there aren't a lot of other options. We are all on the same road, though, which is the road to beating our breast cancer.

hello everyone been reading the posts and as always it's comforting to know I'm not alone. I had my fourth chemo last Wednesday as part of the second cycle and it hasn't been as bad as with the first three. My main issue has been constipation and gas which is uncomfortable but manageable hopefully it'll stay that way for my fifth doses on Wednesday and then a week off I'm on Abraxane which is one of the Taxols . Hope everyone has a good night and the upcoming week has mild se for all of us.

Aurora

Morning everyone. Amanda, ask about Amend for the nausea. I had a horrible first chemo winding up with severe stomach pain and in hospital 3x for fluids. They changed my mess to the Amend, and this chemo went really well. I'm on day 7, and only down one day. Hope this helps.

Miss Bee, when you do your shaving party, use the clippers with the #1 attachment on it. Don't shave, if you still have a rash on your scalp. You must be really careful with infection. Enjoy the power you receive after cutting all your hair off. It is truly empowering...

I had someone come up to me yesterday and asked why I shaved my head. Haha. I go everywhere with out the hats and wig. It's just too hot. And I'm still sweating like a pig.....

We just got some well needed rain. So, I guess I have to walk on the treadmill today. I still feel better, back and leg pain, after I walk. It just makes me feel at least a little active....

Have a great day everyone. Love and peace to you all. Ruth

gargengirl, I drink orange Gatorade. About two inches in the glass and then water. It's the only flavor I can handle. Give it a try

Thunder7. I read your post about finishing off your head with a razor. I had been apprehensive about doing that before so thank you for idea and the courage. All those patchy, scraggly, short hairs on my head are now gone. It looks so much better!