Starting Chemo in Nov 2016

hello ladies. Good evening. I hope all of you are doing good.

Granemama I hope you feel better with your cold.

Hope88, I know what u mean it's so depressing looking at the shed of hair just coming out. I'm cold capping but I had my big shed last week and another today cuz I washed my hair. I cried. It's like that was my hair throwing chemo in my face. Cuz I've been doing well with all other SE. Well hope u can hang on to your hair a little longer.

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend enjoying the holiday season.

when you get off the a/c and on to just Taxol it is so much better. Very few side effects if any. Infusion time is so quick compared to all three. About an hour for pre-Med's then an hour for the Taxol and you are out of there. All kinds of energy that day and the next from the steroids so we try to plan on doing things during that time because I know the next day is crash day but not too bad. Has anyone had their tumor markers done to see how effective the treatments are yet? I started at 195 and a couple of weeks ago was down to 162 so we know it's working. Will have it tested again on the 28th.

Grannemama - We are chemo twins. (((hugs))) I do number 3 of A/C this Tuesday.

Nfullblume - Yes indeed. (((hugs)))

mysunshine4 - Thx for your words of encouragement. It's truly and greatly appreciated. (((hugs)))

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Praying for all of my dear pink warriors.

Leslie, congratulations to your dd on the final round! Good luck with the application process It can be confusing and stressful. I recall how difficult it was to get all the teacher recommendation letters together and then one (from a math teacher), had terrible grammar and spelling errors. I didn't think we could ask him for a redo with corrections so dd didn't use it. Once the process is over and a selection is made you dd will feel great and so will you

at Nanpop...

I use Alum on my tongue. When I eat sliced tomatoes, I get sores on my tongue. My Aunt turned me onto Alum last summer. It taste awful, dab little bit on the sore and keep it there for as long as you can then spit it out. It's in the grocery store in the spice aisle ... foid

Nanpop and Becky, I go to the class tomorrow too! And it's just in time, my husband shaved me today. Whew, the gray was sprinkled through. Becky, my chemo #3 is Friday as well.

Hope everyone is feeling great!!

Gail

Second chemo bad week is over. Now going into my good week. I haven't stopped claritan like I did the last time. Hopefully, this will prevent those weird pains I got in my ovaries the last time. I did wake up with a huge headache this morning though.

I'm jealous of those you you who get to try the neulasta on the belly. Mine is still pretty torn up from the reconstruction surgery. So, the back of my arm is where it's going to go of the last two treatments. At least, I think it's the last two. I don't think they do neulasta during the T portion of chemo.

Two treatments down. Six more to go. I can do six of anything.

Javamama sorry you are having the headaches! That was me the first round and its so annoying! If you dont mind me asking what did they do on your belly during surgery? take skin to create breasts? Im just curious since I haven't had surgery yet, but am definitely looking at a bmx...It stinks you can't get the Neulasta there...just take the claritin and some advil for the bone pain and hot baths!

Dianarose I'll have to try the honey nut cheerios (I'll try anything now!) wonder what makes it work? the fiber? I was eating raisin bran last time, taking colace and nothing helped...I"m not a prune juice fan..

What other constipation remedies have worked for others? I need to start planning for this next round LOL

Nfullblume I only have zofran for my nausea med after chemo...I know that is causing the big C, but when I try to go without it I feel sick and since I teach I don't want to feel that way all day...so I usually do the full 5 days, I can usually make it overnight without taking more though which is good...

Nfullblume, I take 3 meds for nausea. Emend, Dexamethasone and Ondansetron. The emend is each morning for 3 days starting with the morning of chemo. The O is taken 1 hour before chemo, then 12 hours later and that's it. The D is taken 3 tablets before chemo, then 2 tablets the next two days. So far, the combo of the 3 has kept my nausea totally at bay. Now, this Wednesday is my last of the FEC and that is all the nausea meds I have, so I don't know if I will take all of these while on the D (different than the above D...lol) portion of my chemo.

BG, I told the dietitian that I made yogurt with granola and fruit in it each morning for breakfast (yeah, ok, I did when I was going/taking it to work...not so much now that I'm sitting home) She suggested I also cut a prune up into it...the other fruit will mask the prune taste since I'm not a prune fan. Can you hide prunes or something in something else?

DianaRose, I was told to use a moisturising conditioner and massage it in...I also find letting my head "airdry" rather than throwing a scarf/hat on immediately is keeping the itching and soreness down. Don't know what to tell you about the sleep...I just limit my naps to 20 min tops unless I"m really feeling crappy.

My question is, if this chemo is suppose to throw me into menopause, how many treatments does that take? My "friend" came to visit this week, and I'm not impressed.

I'm going to hope this is the last one then Dianarose...lol. thanks!

I am learning way too much about the big "c". Our bodies need soluable and insoluble fiber. Insolvable make everything move faster through the intestines. Soluable softens it and slows it down.

Miralax is great for softening. I'm taking it starting two days before treatment. I take steroids for three days with emend for two days. Walking on a treadmill has helped with nausea and constipation.

So I'm not taking the zofran unless it's an emergency. Ativan works as to stop nausea so I take it instead.

wow, you ladies post a lot! I was in such a brain fog that I've only made it in here once. Thank you for the welcome and the confirmation that I should be talking to my onc about my nausea. I spent 4 days in bed and vomiting, so I'm not looking forward to doing that again!

Leslie2016 - where in Ontario are you? I noticed you have IV fluids at home, I'm going to ask my onc about that. I was so sick starting on chemo day, that I didn't drink anything for 4 days. Of course, then I was so dehydrated I felt awful. I'm sure not drinking to flush the chemo through me didn't help either.

I requested to join the Facebook group. My name is Erin Hathway.

Dianarose-- you described my pattern this week. It was round 2 for me and a bit different from round 1. I had the insomnia from the steroids the first night and felt pretty good the 1st full day after chemo but the next day...felt like I was hit by a truck. Fatigue, bone pain, keeping nausea at bay, constipation, you know, the fun stuff. Today I feel pretty normal and actually did a mini workout since I can't seem to put too much effort behind it, and ran errands. Didn't even nap. Hopefully I'll be back on track until next time.

Ugh, I had my perioda week after my first chemo and now here it is again a week after my 2nd chemo. I thought the chemo was going to shut this lady down. Guess not. Anyone think I should be concerned or call it in? Or safe to just fill my MO in on my appointment on the 20th?

Dinarose - I get chemo on Tuesday am 100% normal on Wednesday & Thursday. And by Friday I'm paranoid emotional basket case. A little tired but I think that is stressed induced. And then I wake up on Sunday like nothing ever happened. My poor family! Lol. I might cave and take the anti anxiety next time.

Nfullblume - I haven't had any nausea. 🙌🏻My MO hits me with the following during chemo: emend, aloxi and dexamethosone. Then for the the next two mornings I have to take 3 dexamethones. And can take zofran as needed, up to 3 a day. I did take the zofran as prescribed on round 1 on day 2-4. But for round 2 I cut it back to 2 a day for days 2 & 3. I may try to lose it all together on the next go around. Although I'm a bit scared to mess with it. But I hate meds. I don't even take antibiotics in real life.

BG - I'm chemo before surgery too. Although I'm praying my cancer disappears before I get there. BUT in the event my big old tumor does need to go, I'm meeting with the plastic surgeon this week for a consult and photo shoot. So weird. I really don't know what to expect and feel a little overwhelmed. I'll let you know how it goes.

As for my hair, I finally braved up and had my cousin shave it off. Not nearly as traumatic as I thought it would be. I got a few looks in my wig but I just pretended I didn't notice.

2blessed I had a similar experience with my period. I got it shortly after my first infusion, then spotted on and off for the next 24 days. Right before my 3rd infusion I got my period again. I too was concerned because I thought chemo would shut it down. I mentioned it to my oncologist at my 3rd infusion appointment. She didn't seem concerned and said that should be my last period. Sure enough, that 3rd infusion shut it down quick!