Anybody else starting chemo march 1st 2017 TCx4

I return to the PS today to see if I will be released for Chemo scheduled for Thursday. The port doesn't hurt as much now but annoying to have it in my neck. I have a fullness in my throat that's driving me crazy. Not sure if it's related asI have hypothyroidism so maybe it's my thyroid. I'm going to ask MO about it on Wednesday doubt the PS will have any insight. My wound vac has really helped and my incision is almost closed. Ready to get on with chemo and get it behind me as much as I'm dreading it.

Good luck Colly,

We'll be thinking of you! Sending prayers of peace.

Kbt

jsut9802, yes I'm also having neo adjuvant chemo. Port placement tomorrow, eek. Let it be smooth please. We are around the same age. I'm turning 38 in March. Let the good times roll!

Colly- sorry to hear about your trouble with wound healing. My wound was about 2" x 1". It's much smaller now following the wound vac. My breast surgeon gave me Alginate (wound healing skin) that I can place inside thbwound. She said it will heal really quickly. I don't know why my PS didn't need offer me this 4 weeks ago. I'm hoping this does this trick.

I went to urgent care at the cancer treatment center today and was given an iV for dehydration. Had an US on my neck. The tech was having difficulty finding my port and they were concerned it wasn't placed correctly and that may have been causing the neck pain I am experiencing. It appears that I have an enlarged lymph node in my neck. They are not sure if that is from my cancer or just a reactive node. Just ready to start chemo tired of worrying about every little thing. Hopefully next week 🤞🏻

I'm glad this thread got started!

I had my first TC x 4 round yesterday. I'm doing the cold caps as well and honestly, the cold caps was the hardest part of my day. Right when the chemo meds started I did have difficulty breathing. My blood pressure did rise. While I thought I was handling everything well up until that point, my husband told the nurses he thought I was getting anxiety. They immediately gave me something for it into the IV and I was good in about 10 minutes.

Right now, I feel pretty normal. I'm waiting for the fatigue to kick in. Then I'll catch up on my shows and Netflix.

As far as the port, I'm ready for mine to come out. When they put it in during my lumpectomy, it was bothersome for about a week. Then it got better. Then I started running and then the pain and annoyance came back. The nurse practitioner said the running probably aggravated it since it's sewn into my chest wall. So no more running (which I didn't really like anyway) and I'll be walking and doing the bike.

Good luck to everyone! I have found so much guidance and support on these forums.

Glad that I found this thread. Just found out on Thursday that I will have to do chemo and radiation. I was really hoping to skip the chemo but my oncotype score was 29 so after much discussion with my doctor we decided it was best to proceed. Got my port today 3/3 and boy does it hurt!! Chemo teaching on Tuesday 3/7. I guess I will get a start date then. I would appreciate any advice that anyone has. Wgraf are you by any chance married to a Delta pilot? I saw that you live in Peachtree City and thought you might be. I am but we live in South Carolina.

I haven't started yet, but they said they would give me Emla next week before my treatment on Thursday.

Carolinagirl_63 - I am married to a SWA pilot, former AirTran 😜 I got my port placed on 2/24 and it hurts quite a bit still. Did you have surgery yet? BMX or lumpectomy? My chemo has been postponed due an incision that's having trouble closing. I may hoping that I will be be cleared this week. Maybe we'll be starting together. What chemo treatment will you be given

Hi

I'm 36 year old from Thailand just recently diagnosed as TNBC on Jan.

Today is the third day after my first chemo. I'm doing find no vomit, just hungry every 3 hours.

Will get a hair cut super-short soon before it fall out.

Hope the rest of chemo will goes easy as this one.

Wish me luck xx

hi all, popping in from seven years out with love and encouragement. Had six rounds of TC chemo (taxotere and Cytoxan) three weeks apart, starting in March 2010. First tx is the scariest because you don't know what to expect. I didn't have a port so had IV infusions.

I had long hair that I donated to Locks of Love before starting chemo. It was free and the stylist gave me a real cute bob. Hair started coming out 14 days after first infusion. I remember walking in a stiff spring breeze and my hair floating away like dandelion fluff. Got a buzz cut a few days later - not shaved, to avoid nubs.

Never went completely bald, but kept a fine layer of baby hair. Two splurges: Nioxin shampoo and a satin pillow case. The shampoo was recommended by a friend with a balding DH and the pillowcase felt so good on a sore scalp. I went commando, meaning no wig or scarf. Got a lot of compassionate looks and was only mistaken for a man once. Did wear a baseball cap when I took walks, to avoid sunburn.

Last infusion was in June and by Labor Day weekend (early September), had enough hair to look like something I did on purpose. I have kept it short to this day. So much more easy-care and flattering.

It's been a while but if memory serves, tx cycles went like this: infusion day was a Tuesday, got IV pre-meds for nausea and allergic reaction. Wore sweatpants as knew I'd get a lot of liquid on-board and would probably need to pee. I was able to take the IV pole into the bathroom. Post-infusion was buzzed on steroid for a day or two with face & neck red as a beet. Good time to get some housework done. Came down after that and felt tired and somewhat queasy but never threw up. Took anti-nausea pills as rx, every 4 hours for 4 days (Tues-Fri) then stopped on Sat. Sun was a day of rest then back to work on Mon. By mid-week, I'd 'turned the corner' to feeling better. Got to feeling good again, in time for another tx.

I avoided crowds in general and sick people in particular. I didn't let anyone tell me stories that didn't have a happy ending.

Eat what you want, small meals to keep something in your tummy. I ate a lot of mashed potatoes and the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast - was good for upset stomach. I kept saltines on-hand at all times (hunger was not my friend) and drank a lot of weak tea with milk and sugar, also ginger ale. I couldn't abide any meat but roast pork loin, which I craved. I gained 25 pounds in six months that took three years to lose. The Let's Post our Daily Exercise thread was (and still is) a great place for support and encouragement.

Took tamoxifen for five years with few SE's and now on anastrozole. So far so good! Best wishes, everyone! ♥

so good to hear from someone so far out. Thank you for popping in. I start chemo on Tuesday so encouragement is appreciated! So happy you're doing well.

Carolinagirl and wgraf,

Looks like we aren't too far from one another.

Got my port Thursday, 3/2 and teaching class Wednesday. I start chemo Thursday, if all is ok with my port and echo comes back ok.

It has been sore but today it actually hurt. I broke down and took a pain pill.

Thanks for the update and encouragement Badger!

kbt - where do you live? My port is getting less painful each day. I have just come to accept that I will be uncomfortable for another year. It's my new normal.

Carolina girl - let me know when you get a chemostart date. I know you have to be ready to get this over with too. I'm hoping my MO let's me start on a Friday.

DH is leaving for a 4 day trip tonight but has to commute to HOU to start so it turns into a 5 day just like that. I'm so exhausted tonight. My 3 kids are so ridiculously busy I am dreading getting through these next four days without any help. Of course my youngest has Science Olympiad this Saturday so this week will be filled with practicing for that event. Older 2 have track meets, soccer and hockey practices. Oh, how could I forget trumpet lessons. Seriously Cancer! Didn't you see I'm much too busy for you to be a part of my life!! Go away! If only it were that easy 😜

Good luck to everyone getting chemo this week. Praying for sanity for everyone 🙏🏻

kbt I hate the port. My chest hurts and my neck and shoulders. I can't bend over and pick something up on the side that the port is on. I've been taking my pain pills. Although I have to work tomorrow so I will just have to tough it out.