Starting chemo August 2017 - would love some moral support!

Kimberbir, Good luck with Taxol #2. The best thing about each step is that we are one step closer to being done. Im not losing hair yet but my scalp is itchy and I assume once I have tx #2 on Thursday it will happen quickly. I am going to get a buzz cut. Im thinking about dying it purple even though it wont last long.

Paulette, I suppose it is for the best that Im not going to work and dont know tons of people here due to the WBC count issue. If I was getting invited out a lot I would be so tempted... plus there is no way I could work right now.

KbytheLake, every day has been a new surprise as far as side effects. And Ive heard some people say it varies each treatment. I'm hoping I learn as I go so I can get ahead of them. Oh dear, I have cowlicks too. Will be interesting if they are noticeable when I buzz my hair on Friday.

On a happy note, I have some beautiful designer scarves that I love and I rarely wear. Getting them out and getting ready to use them. Im not eager to have to cover my head during San Diego's Santa Ana winds. My house doesn't have A.C. Fortunately, I'm alone a large portion of the day so my head can be naked. :-)

paulettek- maybe Advil would work? My MO was pretty insistent that I took Aleve twice a day for joint and bone pain from Taxol for 4-5 days after treatment.

I did this for a could of Taxol treatments. Then the joint/bone pain dwindled and I didn't take any more Akeve

My family knew and most of my neighbors knew can't hide since I live in a street only have 20 houses and I walk daily without hair. They treated me as before and they ask how am I doing from time to time. Some even offered helps but I hate to ask for helps.

As far as friends I hate to vent to them so I pretty much stay away from them. We exchanged text once in awhile they won't understand what we are going through. My sister in law on target treatment for 7-8 years talking to her make me more depressed.

Well, it seems my grace period has ended. Holy mackerel that bone pain hurts. I feel like the Claritin has not done me much good. I have taken Tylenol and no luck. I don't have any Aleve but may get some tomorrow. How do you ladies go to work with this pain

My stomach is upset as well and basically my insides have turned to cement. I'm taking stool softeners and drinking a ton. Hopefully, this will resolve the situation. I did get out and walk this AM and of course it helps some. Can you all tell me how long this Neulasta reaction lasts?

I know what you mean about the loneliness. I experience feelings of being left out. There are so many family and friend occasions coming up and I don't know which if any I'll be getting to. I would say I have a major case of FOMO(fear of missing out). My hearts goes out to those of you in new cities. That must be really difficult. I also feel for the working gals who have that worry as well. I can't even begin to imagine how those with children are coping. So when I think that I am lucky enough to be retired with really nobody depending on me and my husband home on some days, I have to count my blessings.

Prayers for all of you

SusanGA: what day after infusion did the bone pain start for you? The bone pain starts for me on day 4 and lasts to day 6 or 7. It goes away gradually for me so on day 6 I am able to work. My treatment day is Thursday so I don't go back to work until Tuesday. I only use Tylenol for the pain which didn't help me much either. Others say Aleve or Advil works but I've never tried either one since I didn't want to spend for a whole bottle for only a few pills. I guess I could buy the travel size & see if it works.

On my 2nd treatment, I tried Claritin a day before the Neulasta shot and for the next week until the bone pain was gone. And I still had bone pain that lasted the same amount of time, but was less excruciating than the first time. Hope this helps you!

hi all

my doctor says i have nothing to worry about with my lump size. she measured and it looks about the same size. she was really nice about it.

for those with bone pain, aleve helps! my bone pain started on the 3rd day and lasted about 2-3 days. as of now i have no bone pain.

im still taking tylenol for my sore gums! i hate it.

Leatherette, it sucks that this round is bad for you. that scares me, that every chemo round might be different in how it affects us. i wish it the same so we can plan accordingly.

only one of my neighbors know and they are real nice. im sure others will eventually find out. my entire family knows, all of my friends, close coworkers and bosses. i sometimes also feel left out since i cant attend family events due to side effects but sometimes i feel i'd rather stay home and binge on netflix instead to avoid the thousand questions from them.

Hi Gang, I am starting Day 6 after first round of TC. All has been manageable, the most notable things for me is a skull cracking headache (to the point that I could not wear reading glasses, the 'arms' bothered my head - bad enough reading glasses hit my ego), blurred vision and general brain fog- I thought it was the 'normal' fog' brain, blurred vision from chemo brain (good guess?), however, through process of elimination based on my post Chemo SE tips/mgmt, I think the Zophran may be causing the headache extreme (good and bad news).

I am ramping down that drug as of today, so I will test my theory - its like a clue game, getting excited about narrowing in on the suspect. (Ok, I need to get out more). I will take headache to nasuea, I just don't want to suffer if there are alternatives - so I continue on my quest to conquer both nausea and headache. I repeat for those that are new and lurking, it is NOTHING what you are imagining, totally manageable. I feel this overwhelming sense of entitlement to reduce suffering with the help of modern medicine, so I continue on my quest to feel normal and feel that I can prevail .. (again, i might need to get out more - hopefully you are all laughing a little).

I called dr and asked about headache and hopefully we can maybe alter next time and/or least I know how to get relief (way, way too many OTC painkillers, alternating). I will keep asking to see if alternatives. I have a hard time working like that and work is one of my most effective therapies! I must work ... it keeps me distracted and motivated on a something other than bc.

Last question for this am -- other than diet (fiber, liquids), exercise -- what have you used for constipation?

I was researching Miralax, as an extra push - any other ideas? I need to 'run' out this am and try something in this area - not bad, I don't want to overdue it - just a 'gentle' push/helping hand. Any tips or tricks you have tried?

Makeuplover - FANTASTIC news!! I am glad your ONC gave you some reassurance, now give you immune system/stress a break and let your body heal. I felt relieved for you after reading that post - so thank you.

TravelGirl: did your BC team hand you a packet containing a list of OTC's to take for side effects? Like for diarrhea (D), constipation, nausea? Also, my medical group has a secure website where I can ask non-emergency questions which I have used a lot. Also, I have called the (triage) BC nurse to ask about headaches, Big D, coming in for a juice up/fluid replenishment. Depending on the need, they usually call me right back.

P.S. I waited a bit too long to try something for blockage (that's what it turned into) and I should have called them (after not reading the "list").

SusanGA I was given Zarxio which I have to inject myself for 5 days - instead of the Neulasta shot. I started Claritin a couple days before my first round of chemo, but did notice some really uncomfortable deep joint and muscle pain starting the day I started the injections. Walking does help but since I am still recovering from the bilateral mastectomy, stretching my upper back is really challenging and sometimes on the walk I have to stop and sort of pathetically try to stretch my arms just to release enough to keep walking. I tried Aleve yesterday instead of ibuprofen and I do think it helped take the edge off. I also did a bunch of stretching of my legs and hips which was super intense but helped with lower back and hip: www . onemedical . com/blog/live-well/low-back-yoga/ (I can't post that as a link, but you can remove the spaces and try that)

Travel Girl: I also had crazy awful headaches last two days (I am also day 6). I was wondering if the anti nausea meds I was on were maybe another culprit and am going to stop those as of today. For added fiber, I have always had a glass of psyllium husk at night which normally does the trick. But for this craziness, I have added in a couple small cups during the day. It is not, I would say "satisfying", but things at least are progressing.

Hi Cherry,

So, my first Taxol was DD and I had no reaction to it, except 3 days later with excruciating bone pain, and neuropathy so the doc changed me to weekly Taxol. My last three weeks of weekly infusion began with a Saline drip first, then Benadryl, and then 1 Percocet, and 3 Decadron pills, and exactly 7 minutes into the infusion of Taxol, I started to feel my chest get really tight, cheeks flush, started to cough, and blood pressure went up dangerously high. The nurse was sitting across from me so she stopped the Taxol, and within seconds I was fine.... they waited 20 minutes, gave me more steroids, and started Taxol at a slower drip, and then I was fine. Fortunately, with the weekly Taxol, no SE to complain about except not being able to sleep the whole night of infusion because of the steriods. Last two infusions i didn't have a reaction because they gave me 6 Decadrons and an antihistamine before the infusion, and that kept the reaction away. I wouldn't worry to much, the nurse monitors you the first 15 minutes, and checks your blood pressure closely, and the reaction doesn't happen to everyone. I guess Taxol is plant based, and I have asthma and have tree allergies, and wonder if that has something to do with it. The reaction comes on suddenly, but as soon as you I mentioned it to the nurse, it took her less than 30 seconds to turn off the infusion, and I was fine, so please don't worry, I will pray that it doesn't happen to you! 4 more infusions for me, now if only my open wound would heal because until then, I won't be able to have radiation....

Angie

Hi Angie,

I do not have any allergies and my first Taxol went uneventfully last week even though I got Herceptin before it. Yesterday when they started the infusion I had the same reaction you were having though a bit milder maybe. I just said I think I fill my piccline in my throat, because it did happened to me when they just set it in so they had to pull it out 1 cm, but the nurse just looked at me, stopped the drip and said: this is not piccline. People stormed in, my pressure went up and but all other tests were ok, they took oxigene test, I got more cortisone and they ran it slowly after 30 min. So here we are the two of us. Weekly Taxol has been manageble so far but last week I was drowsy for two days, in case it wil happen even this week it will start tomorrow. I had pulpitation and feeling nauseaus, we will see. I hope your wounds will heel until your radiation, no fun to delay the treatment. Hugs Cherry

Teespoons, I always had the same problem and you mentioned you tried it all, but just a question: boiled beet roots? Or baked in the oven under foil? Works every time and they are delicious with goat cheese or feta. Dried prunes, dried apricots?

Hi Cherry, I agree with you that people will know when they know. But my mom has unfortunately told EVERYONE she knows and even people she just met for the first time that her daughter has breast cancer. I have talked to her about it several times and asked her to please stop, but it's as if she has a compulsion to tell people. I think it has to do with her recently retiring and it gives her something to talk about. I know she means well, but this is MY personal, private health information and not hers. I haven't told very many people, just family and close friends and my boss and HR at work. There are others on my team at work who now know because they're doing my job while I'm on leave.

We went to a picnic at my parents house over the weekend and I had to tell my mom not to tell everyone at the picnic. I said I would tell them when I want to. Thankfully nobody asked me about it and I was able to enjoy myself without being bombarded with questions and advice andcomments.

Edited to add- I use the magnesium "calm" powder and it works better for me than prunes or colace. And it helps replace my low magnesium levels.

MakeupLover, I have another theory regarding your lump. What is your Ki67? Chemo is mostly effective when Ki67 is around 50% I red somewhere on these boards. Chemo hits dividing cells. And it does not get to whipe out after the first chemo, give it some time and just imagine how it is crushing the bad cells and they all die and disappear. I wish you complete pathological response. Cherry

VL22, I think this is common for all of us, this complex of suddenly becoming a sick person over a day and falling out from the healthy people asking ourselves what and how the .. did it happen?! Hence the victim feeling. But guess what you are not and this is not your job to keep others around to feel comfortable. Usually people mean well, even though they are avoiding you they are compassionate but this is not your obligation to feel grateful, not when they do not have a clue of how unfair all what happened to you is. Feel free to be that mean cancer lady, the anticipation of those looks kills me too but we have not done anything wrong and want to skip this attention and it must be acceptable and respected, so just feel free to look away when you do not want to socialize. I am very offensive/defensive today, feeling that everybody else who is not going through it cannot understand and should mind their business, lol