First chemotherapy tomorrow!

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sweetolyve
sweetolyve Member Posts: 15
edited December 2018 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

Hello ladies,

Just checking in before tomorrow's first chemotherapy infusion. I just had outpatient surgery yesterday to place the power port and the bandage also comes off tomorrow. Either I totally missed it or I didn't get told what to do with the anti nausea meds and the lidocaine cream.

I'm not nervous, but not really looking forward to having chemo. I'll be having cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin. That will be the first half, administered every three weeks. Then Taxol. I don't have the schedule for that, yet.

So, what can I expect and what did y'all do to combat any problems? I'm very happy to know that you are all here to answer questions. I totally appreciate your help.

Sincerely,

Debbie

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  • OCDAmy
    OCDAmy Member Posts: 873
    edited December 2018

    Not sure about your nausea meds, you should call nurse to confirm. I was told to put lidocaine on port one hour before arrival and cover with a piece of Saran Wrap. the first one is scary because you don’t know what to expect but everyone at my center was so nice, I did great and you will too. Get this one under your belt and keep moving.

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited December 2018

    Hope you were available to speak to your oncologist's office about your chemo questions.

    If you didn't , try not to fret. You may be given pre chemo anti nausea medications through your Iv prior to your chemo infusion. You may want to make sure you eat breakfast before you leave home. Some infusion nurses. prefer the patients to eat prior to the infusion process since the anti nausea medications can cause nausea if administered on an empty stomach.

    As for the lidocaine cream, you may want to ask the infusion staff if they can use a lidocaine spray on your newly installed port area. It is my understanding that the lidocaine cream should not be applied to the newly sutured port.area. Sometimes at port installation, a IV line/ needle is left attached to the port and gauze is used to cover the newly installed port area.

    Wishing you the best and minimal side effects

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited December 2018

    I didn't use lidocaine cream or spray. Neither myself or my facility had any, but I didn't find the port stick unacceptably painful. How much it hurts without the cream probably varies from person to person.

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  • beeline
    beeline Member Posts: 308
    edited December 2018

    Hi Debbie, if you’re not already on it there are threads for people starting chemo each month so you should look for the December 2018 group. You can also read the earlier month threads to get an idea of what’s coming up. I’m on the September thread and it’s been a great support to go through it with others experiencing similar things.

    I just finished AC, so I’m halfway through the same regimen you’re starting. I definitely found it pretty tough, but I got through it. And many others found it easier than I did. In any case, you can do it and you will find lots of support here. Good luck to you

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  • sweetolyve
    sweetolyve Member Posts: 15
    edited December 2018

    Thank you all for the advice. I have been able to read several of the threads on beginning chemotherapy, but I will go read again. I do believe there is going to be a anti-nausea medication administered through the port along with Ativan? At this point in the whole process, I feel like I'm being rushed through and there is no more cancer at the moment. I had a clean PET scan, there were no cancer cells in my lymph nodes, only in the one tumor. Now I'm just whining.lol.

    Again, thanks so much for all the tips and advice. I know it will truly help a lot.

    Debbie...(0;

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  • pingpong1953
    pingpong1953 Member Posts: 362
    edited December 2018

    My premeds were all oral and were from the pharmacy, so I was able to follow the label instructions. One of them I started taking 3 days before the chemo. I don't think I was given any premeds through the IV. Most important part: they worked GREAT.

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  • DiagnosisDisruption
    DiagnosisDisruption Member Posts: 108
    edited December 2018

    Every place is different. My meds were all IV, others are pills taken a couple days before.

    Best wishes. It is odd how the first day of chemo is like "finally, lets just get this DONE," and you look forward to it, but it's accurate. Following diagnosis, I finally had my first full night's sleep after my first chemo (could have been the Ativan, too).

    Keep a journal. Chances are, whatever side effect you have on whatever day, you will have it for all chemos. For example, I knew my skin would break out on Day 10, but clear up on Day 14. It stayed the same throughout (again, for me).

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