January 2016 Chemo!

Options
1…5556586061…86

Comments

  • MissBee123
    MissBee123 Member Posts: 186
    edited April 2016

    Setup: I have a smelly dog who needs to be blow dried after his baths. We left our old hairdryer in New York.

    I deeply wish you all could have seen the look on the saleswoman's face when my bald self bought a hair dryer...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • EmilyJane7505
    EmilyJane7505 Member Posts: 25
    edited April 2016

    MissBee - LOL! That's priceless. I keep temporarily forgetting I'm bald and was intently checking out some shampoos on sale. Haha

    LovestoFly - the makeup looks great. My eyebrows and lashes are slowly disappearing. Thanks for the inspiration.

    So , Im all proud of myself today - realizing I would be though bald ( then baldish) for awhile and I was tired of wearing my boring plain cotton beanies. So, I went through my daughters old clothes to find cute stretchey cotton floral prints and pretty stripes. Sewed 3 awesome new springy Beanies. 😀

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fightergirl711
    fightergirl711 Member Posts: 300
    edited April 2016

    Had first AC on Thursday, Friday was relatively ok but yesterday I felt like I was burning from the inside out, as if I had a sunburn and couldn't cool off. Couldn't drink enough water all day, and same goes for today, I can feel my bladder getting irritated. And my eyeballs felt hot, which was really odd. Appetite is ok, but still on steroids. I wish the weather would cooperate here in the Northeast, it snowed this morning and the wind is howling, maybe I could walk off this feeling. I still might later.

    For those on Taxol and counts are dropping, same happened here at first but they rebounded. Sorry Miss Bee, I think I was the one who said Taxol was tolerable. :) I'm chalking it up to being familiar with the side effects after 12 weeks. I had nosebleeds too, they were extra fun at kid school events, hanging over the sink at the high school. Good times.

    Thanks JCS28 for the tip on the Prevention rinse, I have been using Biotene since the beginning, and haven't had trouble, but nervous about sores during AC.

    Going to go zone out again, I usually would go read, but can't seem to stay focused.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DFWFLYGIRL
    DFWFLYGIRL Member Posts: 146
    edited April 2016

    Quixhobbit..love the wig and congratulations!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LovesToFly
    LovesToFly Member Posts: 1,133
    edited April 2016

    Any of you that have school-age kids, I would recommend looking through their hats. I have been wearing my daughters hats a lot, because adult hats are kind of big on a head without hair!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cathytoo
    Cathytoo Member Posts: 667
    edited April 2016

    EmilyJane & MissBee...so funny! Whenever I go into a store I immediately head to the shampoo and conditioner section to see what's new. Then I remember‼️ What I love about having no hair is how fast it takes to get out ofthe house. Having hair does take up a lot of time. Of course, I'm looking forward to having "bad hair" days again

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LoveMyVizsla
    LoveMyVizsla Member Posts: 813
    edited April 2016

    Fightergirl, are you taking Zantac or Prilosec? My GI tract felt like it was burning too, but the Prilosec helps.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cathytoo
    Cathytoo Member Posts: 667
    edited April 2016

    LoveMy...Gaviscon‼️ Liquid or chewables. Tastes HORRIBLE, but works quickly

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LovesToFly
    LovesToFly Member Posts: 1,133
    edited April 2016

    I get a lot of heartburn, Gaviscon liquid helps me best.


    I made a video of how I do my eye make up, forgive the horrible chemo brain narrative!

    http://youtu.be/v0M4y9rYLto

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cathytoo
    Cathytoo Member Posts: 667
    edited April 2016

    LovesToFly...great tutorial. I couldn't see the name of the palette. What is it? Did you buy it at Sephora

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LovesToFly
    LovesToFly Member Posts: 1,133
    edited April 2016

    Thanks!it's Too Faced Natural Eyes, yes Sephora. For a lower priced alternative, I like the Maybelline Nudes.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cathytoo
    Cathytoo Member Posts: 667
    edited April 2016

    LovesTo Fly...going out tomorrow to buy it. That's if I can make it out the door‼️ I'm not tired, just feel like I've run a 5K whenever I get up. But, makeup waits for no one. No matter what, I'll be coming home tomorrow with that palette in my hot little hands.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LovesToFly
    LovesToFly Member Posts: 1,133
    edited April 2016

    yeah!! I love it!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Paulinek
    Paulinek Member Posts: 117
    edited April 2016

    ongratulations Quixhobbit!!! I finished TC in March 11th and my BMX with expanders is in two days (I'm so nervous). I tried to find a good surgery thread, but none seemed as awesome as this group!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Paxton29
    Paxton29 Member Posts: 221
    edited April 2016

    Good luck with your surgery! Hopefully all will go smoothly. I found the drains to be the most obnoxious part of the whole process.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DFWFLYGIRL
    DFWFLYGIRL Member Posts: 146
    edited April 2016

    Good luck Paulinek!! You will do great

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Maya15
    Maya15 Member Posts: 323
    edited April 2016

    Paulinek, good luck for the surgery!


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • zinny
    zinny Member Posts: 281
    edited April 2016

    Best wishes, PaulineK!


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LovesToFly
    LovesToFly Member Posts: 1,133
    edited April 2016

    good luck Paulinek

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jensgotthis
    jensgotthis Member Posts: 937
    edited April 2016

    Good luck with your surgery!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fightergirl711
    fightergirl711 Member Posts: 300
    edited April 2016

    Good luck Pauline!

    LoveMyVizsla, LTF - I've been been taking Zantac since January but maybe I need to try Gaviscon!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MissBee123
    MissBee123 Member Posts: 186
    edited April 2016

    Good luck Paulinek! I'll be thinking about you tomorrow. I was SO nervous about my surgery but once that IV is in you won't remember a thing and when you wake up it's all over.

    A few things I found helpful from my surgery:

    Make sure your doctor gets you into PT as soon as you're allowed! It really makes a huge difference and yet some doctors still don't prescribe it.

    Hospital food really has gotten better. I actually got some tasty meals there once they let me off a liquid diet. You won't be very hungry, though, from all the anesthesia.

    Be prepared for it to take awhile for you to remember how to pee again!!! Every time I had to go (which was about every 20 minutes with all the liquids pumped into me) it took me a good 5-10 minutes just to get things flowing. Basically as soon as I was done I had to start the whole thing over again.

    Take the pain pills and medicine. Whatever they will give you as often as they will let you. There are no Hero points for abstaining from pain meds and your comfort should not be up for debate at this point. Once you get home you won't have as much and you might as well enjoy it at the hospital while you can.

    Sending best wishes to you and I hope you'll check in with us once you're home!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Paulinek
    Paulinek Member Posts: 117
    edited April 2016

    thank you everyone! MissBee what great suggestions! I would never have thought to ask about PT. I will definitely check back in when I can, especially for those of you with this surgery on the horizon.

    We're almost there everyone...keep fighting

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Wendiwithani
    Wendiwithani Member Posts: 108
    edited April 2016

    Cathytoo - I have to pee at least twice during the night since starting chemo in January. Um...super annoying!

    MissBee, Jill - I'm so glad to know I am not alone with the buzzing feeling. It's the most bizarre thing to feel completely exhausted, yet unable to sit still. And my hands shake really badly for about 4-5 days after chemo.

    Geeper - Great news!!!

    Pauline - Best wishes on your upcoming surgery. You'll do great!!

    I had a fabulously relaxing and wonderful weekend with my family in the mountains. Onto round five this Wednesday. Not looking forward to it, but focusing on being almost done. Only two more rounds to go!

    Congrats to everyone that has completed chemo!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JCS28
    JCS28 Member Posts: 153
    edited April 2016

    Good luck, Paulinek! Yes, I was really thankful for my PT. But I didn't get an order for it until about 6 weeks after surgery.

    About reflux, I have had a good bit and I think I finally found something that helps at night. I take Pepcid and Prilosec for a couple of days before treatment and then a few days after until it gets better. And I avoid heavy or spicy things -- no heavy cream, no tomato sauce, no citrus, no Papa John's pizza :( .

    But the thing that has helped the MOST is getting a wedge pillow. Here's the one I got on Amazon. It really works! I've only had maybe 1 or 2 incidents of minor reflux since starting to sleep on this. And it really hasn't been uncomfortable. I have had reflux off and on for the last several years, so I know I am susceptible. It was awful during pregnancy, and it flares up when I'm stressed.

    http://www.amazon.com/InteVision-Wedge-Pillow-Qual...


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2016

    Hi again beautiful ladies,

    Hanging in there on a Monday morning, Day 5 after infusion #4. Not too bad today, mostly just queasy and uncomfortable guts, and of course, tired and spacy. Was feeling pretty buzzy and achy last night but Advil seemed to take care of that well enough that I could sleep. Today my fingers are a little numb and tingly still but I'm trying to think positively that this will fade and isn't some sign of more permanent neuropathy issues. Also, my taste buds were off the last few days but today they seem to already be getting better, and I can drink water without grimacing. Trying some ginger tea for the first time for some variety (and tummy-calming). Don't know why I didn't try this before, just too spacy to remember to get some at the store I guess!

    Cathytoo: how funny that you recommended that IT brow pencil, that's what they gave me in the bag from the LGFB class, and so far I am pretty pleased with it. I like that you can use the brush on the other end to texture the lines you've drawn so it doesn't look quite so fake.

    Jill: you are gorgeous and a makeup queen and I loved your tutorial! Go you! Also adored your Canadian accent. :)

    Valstim: yeah for almost being done with chemo and double yeah for awesome purple wig! I want to see a celebratory pic when you are finished!

    MissBee: I wish I could have been a fly on the wall during that hair-dryer-buying transaction. I bet it was funny. And thank you for the good surgery tips! I asked my surgeons about PT and they basically shrugged and said "sure, if you need it you should do it". So I guess we'll see what happens.

    Paulinek: Hooray for finishing chemo and I will be thinking of you and wishing you best of luck for the surgery tomorrow. Come back and tell us how it went. You got this! I know I for one will be eagerly grateful for any tips or supportive stories you want to share afterwards. I haven't really looked for surgery threads yet either (though I read through the 2016 DIEP one)--I've been spending most of my forum time here with the awesome chemo ladies.

    Hugs to all you amazing fellow journeyers....hope you are enjoying some spring weather wherever you are!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cathytoo
    Cathytoo Member Posts: 667
    edited April 2016

    Quixhobbit....it's funny that you and I are on the other exact same Chemo schedule with totally different side effects. I've never gotten any queezy or buzzing sensation. My taste buds are fine until the second week. I've had no problems with water tasting bad. Try Smart Water. Recommended to me because of electrolytes. It costs more but tastes good and the electrolytes are good for us. Maybe that's why I've never been queezy. How many more infusions do you have? Are you doing six? I'm not looking forward to the next two because I've been very weak this time

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • EstelaLorca
    EstelaLorca Member Posts: 98
    edited April 2016

    Good luck Paulinek - I hope all goes well, and that you have a speedy recovery.

    Geeper - that's such good news, your family must be so happy!

    Round 5 tomorrow ladies, so close....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2016

    Cathytoo: We are on a pretty similar schedule, aren't we. I only had to do 4 treatments though, so once I'm done dealing with this round's side effects, I'm done with chemo and am going to move on to dealing with recovering from a BMX. Whee! That's so interesting that you don't get the tastebud weirdness until week 2, by then it's usually gone for me. My mouth starts tasting funny (i.e. chemical-y tasting) once they give me the Cytoxan, and it gets worse over the next few days as the taste buds die off (or at least that's what I imagine is happening), then it gets better by the second week. First round was the worst for that bad taste stuff, but this fourth round hasn't seemed too bad at all (knock wood). Good idea on the Smart Water, although I find it has a lot of sugar in it too and I am trying to be good about staying away from as much sugar as I can. But there are other electrolyte drinks or flavored water additives I could try also, I've just been lazy about doing so since I know eventually the water will taste ok again. In fact I'm drinking some now and though it tastes "off", it's reasonably palatable. So I'd better drink up so I won't be peeing all night! :D

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Valstim52
    Valstim52 Member Posts: 1,324
    edited April 2016

    Quixhobbit: Glaceau Smart water has no sugar. It has helped me keep my minerals up.

    MissBee: Thanks for the heads up about the PT. I'm scheduled for surgery the 2nd week in May.

    PaulineK: Congrats on moving on to surgery. I'll be watching for your comments, as I'm right behind you

    Jill: I mentioned you on another thread you are no, about that tutorial. Girl, that sounds like a new career for you. I mean it's better than the make up folks!!


    MasectomyMO told me no more scans until 2 months after rads. That way she says will get true picture of if anything going on, and where we are at if I would need more chemo etc. She says the surgical pathology will nail it down, but she like to due scans a few months after rads in my case.

    . Had Full CT after AC, and it showed definite response, and no metastasis. Same with my pre tx PET. Always a worry with IBC, though I'm not sure if it's my antidepressant, occasional Xanax and ativan, but the worry factor has left my psyche.

    Due to my having IBC, the social worker at the cancer center told me to apply for disability. Went on the website and it has inflammatory cancer as a reason to get early disability. So apply I will. Same with a prescription for a wig. Got a lovely wig from a wig shop here that fills those prescripts. Human hair etc.

    Oh and it has taken me all this time to get a couple of mouth sores, got a prescription for magic wash. what a help... Biotene, and salt water just could not hold these off. After a few applications I'm so much better.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories