January 2016 Chemo!

I always took my steroids at breakfast and lunchtime. Never in the afternoon or evenings. My face always looked puffy from them.

thank you everybody! I will ask the pharmacist that chemo about taking the second dose at lunchtime instead of dinner, and when I am there I will also ask if they can prescribe Ativan or lorazepam or if I need it. So for I just use Tylenol p.m. for insomnia, but I haven't really had much related to steroids, it's more been thinking too much ( usually just the night before procedures or chemo)

I have done 3 FEC cycles so far and gained about 3 pounds (cording to the scale at Chemo Clinic, my weight goes up and down a few pounds day by day at home), I'm not really worried about it first of all because that could be just regular fluctuation, and second of all because I'm concerned about a small weight gain weight gain. I just don't want to gain enough that I need to go on a major diet when I'm done this, up to 10 pounds or so is fine ( I lost 50 pounds in 2010, and frankly the last 10 pounds come and go anyway- and I was at a low when I started chemo). Just want to maintain the majority of the weight-loss, enough that I don't need to buy a whole new wardrobe!

Edited for FWFLYGIRL:

LovesToFly (For weekly Taxol) I think the first day is a loading dose; but unfortunately I can't remember, certainly ask. I'm on 8mg the morning of chemo only - I'm on a weekly regimen (12x). They usually taper off the steroids and the Benadryl via IV after a few doses, but I still get the benadryl and pepcid since I had quite the rash the first few weeks and I have weird skin allergies anyway. Nothing major, and it was likely the Perjeta causing the rash, but the infusion nurse says there's no harm to stay on the antihistamines.

Steroids aren't too bad, you do get a lot done indeed. I have been getting acne, then again, I'm sensitive to weird skin stuff. It's really not that bad. It sounds like you were already on them, but 16mg does seem like a lot. I have gained weight (meh) but it could be because it's winter and the food people bring over.

You'll be ok!

LovesToFly My mistake I'm on Taxol, so dosage could very well be different. But no tapering? I think that would make me a basket case!

I'm on TC and I have to take steroids (dex) twice a day one day before chemo, for 4 days. I have noticed it causes puffiness, which is terrible with my bald head, and I think it makes me put on weight as well. All three times I have had TC now, I have naticed my arms and thighs getting bigger over the few days I am on steroids. I have also started taking Atvin, for relaxation, it helps with the insomnia.

Chemo has really made my scalp burn! Its just sooo hot most of the time. And I sweat like crazy, I'm up on the bed in the middle of the night sweating like I had just completed a marathon. Stupid cancer!

hi ladies. Wanted to share a great brow product. I have been coloring in my brows with a pencil or powder, but recently I received this in the mail, I ordered it weeks ago and had forgotten about it! It is a brow gel and colored. It will not work if you have no brows but if you have the roast in a defined to her you have, and colors in between it. It's very quick to put on, like mascara, and I was blown away by how good it looks!

http://www.bhcosmetics.com/products/flawless-brow-...

I will add a picture, with and without the gel:

Hmm ... I'm on TC and while I do think they give me steroids in the bag the day of infusion, I don't have anything to take before. Interesting

I will get big dose Dex on day of Taxol too - but more I'm worried about having an allergic reaction than the Dex, for now. That being said, my weight was stable and has started to climb. IT is the weirdest thing - nothing tastes great after the 4th AC dose, and it feels like the top layer of my mouth tissue is all about to slough off and that's why (not in a painful way) but I keep eating stuff because it is like I get a glimpse of how it should taste and keep trying to get a full flavour. And I am hungry, as in my belly feels growly, but I don't feel like anything. The only thing that tastes good is chocolate chip cookies….oh dear:)

4th round of AC was definitely harder, felt pretty crap for a few days but I think today I am starting to feel at least a little better:)

My sweet son had a temp to 39.5 night before last - half his class was away at the end of last week - and a sore throat. I DO NOT want a fever!! Not worried about him, not worried about getting sick ( on neupogen) but do not want to mess up my ski trip plans for the weekend . Trying to figure out the incubation time and hoping for the best!!

Loves To Fly you are so brave with all your styles! You gave me courage to take a selfie with my hubby! Two baldies! I still have to wear at least a ball cap out!

Beautiful Rockstar!!

im so looking forward to finishing this last AC Friday and having no nausea with taxol. I still don't know if were going to do taxol does dense every 3 weeks or the 12 weekly treatments yet. im going to meet wit my doctor before treatment Friday and make a decision.

I was given nausea meds to use but fortunately haven't had any. Don't know if it's true but I've read that if you had morning sickness or car sickness you were more likely to have nausea. I guess it was true in my case, though. I hope you don't!

Also, I switched from Biotin toothpaste to a regular one, seemed to help the slimy feeling and some of the taste issues I was having. Still using the water, baking soda, & salt mixture to rinse with.

No treatment today due to lingering neuropathy, it seems to lessen or worsen depending on resting or moving around. It's mostly in my hands, but sometimes my feet. I went to the store last night and by the time I got home maybe 90 minutes later, my foot was tingling bad. Anyone else having neuropathy, does this happen to you? Will see the dr next week to discuss another reduction or switching to something else. In the meantime instead of taking glutamine for 3 days after treatment I'm taking it every day along with B6.

Edit: I thought I was posting in the weekly Taxol group but I'll leave this here.

fightergirl-how about the Herceptin and perjeta, what were your side effects with those and was there anything you did to manage those? im doing my last AC Friday and the best advice I can give you on that is continue what you are doing by drinking plenty of water, start taking your nausea meds before nausea hits (I start the morning after infusion), take them on schedule, and by all means if your nausea meds don't work for you ask your doctor to switch to something else. also eat small meals every few hours. some have no issues with AC, some do everyone is different. I think most would agree that days 3-5 are probably the hardest, but they are manageable. I was able to work days 5 and 6(day 3 fell on sunday when I was off work)

JCS, it's folliculitis. My MO prescribed clindimycin for it. It has helped, but I have two new spots this morning.

Fightergirl, I'm on 3 week AC and am able to get out and feel pretty normal in that third week.

Hi all - I'm late in joining but just found this thread.  I started chemo in January and had my last AC last Tuesday (woo hoo!)  I start Taxol next Tuesday and will have four treatments every other week.  It feels really good to be at the halfway point.

Someone a page or two back mentioned having nausea due to associations (like passing the hospital where you have chemo), and I have that so bad.  Even when I'm feeling well, certain smells and specific things will really affect me.  The weirdest one was opening up my sock drawer, and seeing my "comfy socks" that I wear to chemo - the thought of putting them on made my physically ill.  It's such a strange phenomenon.