Starting Chemo in Nov 2016

Thx so much ladies.

I just finished talking on the phone to one of my sisters-in-law. She said she admires my positive attitude with all of this. I've always been a happy and positive person, and i refuse to let this (or anything else) change that about me. I'm going to also continue to pray for all of us here and those elsewhere that have been affected by bc and other cancers. (((hugs)))

I ordered a selection of hats from www.tlcdirect.org (American Cancer Center). I hope they arrive today and I hope at least one or two of them don't look silly on me. (I'll return the rest.) I'm retired so a wig is less necessary in terms of public persona. At least during the winter people are not surprised by hats.

I know this is not a great thought. But I have to ask. Did anyone look into receiving TC instead of ACT to avoid leukemia and heart problems?

So the hats came and I'm keeping 2. I also just ordered a skull cap/doo rag from Etsy (they also use the term chemo cap on Etsy) https://www.etsy.com/listing/223165428/denim-skull-cap-doo-rag-chemo-cap-cancer?ref=hp_rv There is a big selection.

amw5 - the story about your hair dresser was very touching. Thank you for sharing.

gmmiph - you're pictures are perfect! haha Keep em' comin'!! :-)

Now - sleep - Anyone else not getting much? I'm going to talk to my MO at my next treatment Thursday but would love to hear suggestions for a good night sleep. It seems like I wake around 2:30 - 3:00 every night. Yikes!!

Mariachi Sleepwalker

Dreaming of Chimichangas

LOL Nfullblume! yeah, being bald ain't so bad, except for the cold! Yick! Why would a guy volunarily shave his head in the winter? I never realized how much my hair kept my head warm!

I went back to the wig place and got it "fixed" today...I was putting it on wrong, not straight, not positioned right front/back. I now have it figured out and was able to wear it to my workplace today. Had a few giggles as some staff walked right by me not clicking it was me then backtracked.

I'm almost jealous that you go back this week! I'm on a 3 week schedule, not 2. This 3 week schedule seems like it's going to take forever to get through! I do go back Wednesday though to do blood work for my port placement, which is next Monday. Good luck Wednesday!! May your side effects be no worse than they were the first time!!

Good luck tomorrow amw!!

I had my first set of labs taken through the port and meet with my MO. The blood draw through my port was very nice compared to the arm vein. I am cleared to start my chemo. I have my first dose Wednesday. I have a few cavities and need a good cleaning but did not get it done in time. If I was to do it now then it would stop my chemo treatment, so I am going to wait until I am done. Hopefully it does not get any worse, but I do not what to stall chemo. Continued good luck to those with treatments this week.

Hi Bg46tn,

You can still discuss everything with your MO. All would depend on your pre-chemo lab tests like the echogram, blood tests, bone scan, ct scan and in your case, petscan. Carboplatin was my first choice but due to my echogram and blood counts, my MO decided to give me Fec-d instead wc is equivalent with your AcT. It has something to do with cardiotoxicity and blood results plus the biopsy, hormonal assays and others.

If youre MO says your vein cannula is ok, instead of a port, then it is fine. He should know better. I also got my first infusion thru my cannula on my hand. No problem. You can request your onco nurse to slow down the drip of the red devil in order not to have that burning sensation. All of my drugs (premeds and chemo) were given with NSS, Natural Saline Solution, for immediate body hydration and to sort of dilute the chemodrugs as it flows inside me. But i have to stay in the hospital overnight to finish my Nss.

You are gonna do just fine. Relax.

I will send prayers and positive thoughts to you and the others, for your successful chemo sessions and overall treatment.

Take care,

gmmiph

pmevans50, I've been getting up at 3:30 since I was diagnosed! I can fall asleep fine, but always get up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. I'm afraid it will get worse when I start my chemo, but I was prescribed Ambien. I took it once last week to see how it worked, and I woke up pretty foggy and dizzy, so I really don't want to use it. I'm in Colorado, and I'm thinking of asking my MO if I can get a prescription for cannabis. Has anyone tried that to help with sleep or nausea? It seems like it would be less toxic. Four more hours and I'll be at my first chemo. Good luck to all of you starting with me today. I hope it goes well for all of us.

Sleepless Good Luck today!!! Let us know how it goes!!

Thanks Gmmiph! I remember asking my onc about why Taxatore instead of Carboplatin, but can't really remember his answer since it was our first meeting and a bit overwhelming...I will definitely mention it again. The nurse wasn't concerned about using my veins to put "the red devil" in, just my sister (and now me ha ha) She says they "push it in" not iv drip it.

Thanks Leslie! Are you getting a port? or doing the rest without one? I'm glad to hear you didn't feel a thing :-)

I am getting a port, but I have 5 more chemos, then an additional 15 herceptin infusions, plus the nurse coming for hydration to my house for 3 days after each infusion so a lot more times to plug in. Don't worry, many people do it with the IV. I even had the IV left in for 3 days after my chemo because I had the nurse coming to my house for hydration.

Starting chemo today! I'm TN. Should get final staging info this morning. OK - I'm terrified but I understand that TN responds very well to chemo so I've been looking forward to starting it, til today. Now I'm just scared of it all.