Starting Chemo May 2018

My PT popped a cord for me a few weeks ago, little pain, but it felt good and the I had more mobility after she did it. I hadn't had anymore.

Just finished 6 of 12!! Half way there! It put a smile on my face today, I'm just so ready to be done.

I had my son buzz cut my hair today when I got home. Before chemo I had a very short pixie cut, but it started looking patchy and every time I touched it I had a hand full of hair. So, we got the clippers and put the no 1 on it and toke it all off! It kinda felt liberating. There is something about the advise everyone said about being in control and I felt it today for some reason. I didn't get a wig, I am just going to wear hats and scarfs. I already scared myself going to the bathroom...I didn't recognize myself!

I also am having a hard time sleeping. I know tonight will be bad cause of steroids, but this week my feet has been tingly and some pain. It also seem to travel to my legs. So, between hot flashes and having to move my feet to stop the pain, I don't get much sleep. Anyone else going through the same thing? Any recommendations on how to help stop it?

Hope everyone has a great weekend...its supposed to be hot here.

Hello and congrats Saw!! You are exactly one week ahead of me. I did a 1” buzz after #4 and am wondering when it’ll be sparse enough to take it down even farther. I have a big out of town party today and thought I’d keep it this long for that but we’ll see. And yes it is still very weird when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. It occurred to me my husband must be much more used to it than I am. I take a Compazine at night the first two nights, not because I’m nauseous but to help me sleep. I told my RN I feel like my body is getting used to the premeds—I don’t seem to be nearly as affected by the steroid as I was the first week. Check out the March/April threads for suggestions about the leg tingles—I really haven’t had that yet

Hello! I have finished 2 AC treatments and have tolerated it well so far, but now I have horrible acid reflux/heartburn. I've been treated for GERD for years but it's never felt like this. It even kinda hurts when I swallow, like something is stuck in my throat. Anyone else experience this?

Heather

Thanks, Karla. I've been taking prescription prilosec for years and this acid is really breaking through it. I'll have to check with my dr this week! Thanks so much!

iwannaseeyou- When I had mouth sores I rinsed with baking soda and salt. It seems to do the trick.

Heatherautumn, how did your 3rd AC go? I will have it next Friday and am scared if it. Was it pretty much the same as the other 3, or the side effects are worse this time? I hope not..

Clare--just my $0.02 on fatigue. I learned this from rads two years ago and a recent check in with a NP confirmed that sometimes you need to listen to your body. I've only had a day or two so far that I feel the fatigue--which is not the same as being tired. I don't really get sleepy, but feel an overwhelming desire to get off my feet. It hit a few Thursdays ago, and I found that if I did just that--put my feet up for about half an hour--I felt much better and had energy again. I get the exercise helping and all, but I think when your body is telling you to lie down, maybe the best thing you can do is listen.

Ugh BigPeaches--that sucks. Do you get steroids with your premeds? You might even get a little pop from them for a few days. Fingers crossed you get through this next one with minimal SEs.

Hi BigPeaches,

I'm sorry to read about your hospital stay. It sounds like a neutropenic fever. They often don't find the cause of those. My wife had that after her first round of TC and was hospitalized for three days. She ended up back in the hospital a week later with abscess on her surgical site. Her counts were still down and it went into sepsis, but thankfully, they got on top of it. Our oncologist consulted with our surgeon and they decided to postpone the second round for a week and let the drainage stop. It ended up being a two week wait and she was able to get the second round last Wednesday.

Those mouth sores suck. I feel like i have strep throat! I've been using baking soda and water but may try salt. Maybe I'll slam a shot of gin. Maybe that'll make me feel better.

I'm much more nauseated this time (nearly 1 week after my 3rd AC) and my taste is gone. So weird.

I just keep thinking a few more days I'll be feeling a little better.

Heatherautumn-Not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but ask your MO about magic mouthwash. It's a lifesaver for the mouth sores.

I'm just coming out of round 3 of 6 and this is by far the hardest yet...I've had more nausea and fatigue and just taking longer to recover from it. Trying not to wallow but chemo is mentally exhausting. My family has decided to take our planned summer trip to the beach and I can't wait...11 days until I smell the ocean

Finish my 4 cycles of AC the last one left me real tired lost most of my hair and my nails have started turning black on my thumbs it wasn't too bad with the nausea pills it was doable. I see my doctor tomorrow and he told last week I would get a 2-3 week break and then start 12 weeks of Taxol . The chemo nurses were great always giving me tips to help me thru this.

Hi, guys. Something funny for your entertainment. My first experiment with English poetry:

Ode to my hair

My hair is gone. I have no hair.

It wasn't much, but it was there.

A modest mop right on the top

To keep me safe from heat and cold.

I didn't like it. It was flat,

It looked horrendous under a hat,

But it was mine. And now it's gone

To rest in peace while I go on.

I lost too much in this long fight

But I'll keep on with all my might,

I'll soldier on, I'll overcome,

And at the end I will become

A mix of someone old and new,

With a few parts borrowed and a little blue,

And a fledgling brand-new hair crop.

A light peach fuzz right on the top.

Innab, I loved your poetry, "Ode to hair". Thanks for sharing