The Chemosabe March Cruise

Sorry havn't had a chance to read all the posts since my last visit but been having some really severe problems. You all know I was battling with the big "D" for days and ended up back at the infusion center so they could rehydrate me and give me some more meds. Said if it was worse over the weekend to go to the ER. Well let me tell you. It got soooooooooo bad that by 5am Sunday morning they had to take me by ambulance to the hospital. They rehydrated me again changed some meds around and sent me on my merry way. Well guess what? That didn't help either. I can't even take a drink of water without it going right through me. Today they suggested I go back to Urgent Care but I was just too darn sick to sit there for hours knowing I'd spend most of it in the bathroom and I have an appt. with my Dr. finally tomorrow so decided to go to that instead of the huge wait. Well this evening it has started to calmmmmmmm way down. I have actually gone 5 hours without a toilet visit. I want to just grab everything out of my kitchen cupboards and eat everything in sight as I'm so hungry but don't dare. I'm beginning to think at this point that it isn't due to the Chemo but something else. Either a bug or food poisoning of some kind. I'm still drinking so many liquids I feel I could float a yacht. It's kind of funny it decides to calm down before the Dr. visit. Kind of like when the TV doesn't work but the repairman gets there and everything's working fine.......lol Thanks for thinking of me Grammy Nancy. It's nice to know someone misses me.....hehe.
The onc's office is threatening to stop my chemo if this doesn't clear up and I almost died when she said that. Don't they dare tell me this last treatment will be for not if I have to start this all over again. Keep your fingers crossed for me ladies as I need all the help I can get getting over this so I can continue on with the next treatment next week.

I havn't had any of the metalic taste as yet with food or waters.....Thank God! For those who do they say flavored waters work great.

I still have a few more days left with the hair before it should go but could care less at this point.

Sorry to see so many more and new people sailing with us but you're all in great company.

Good luck to those who are sailing the rest of the week and I wish you all clear skies.

Angel

Angel, did they test you for c-diff (Clostridium difficile)? It is a nasty bug that occurs when the normal 'gut flora' is killed off by antibiotics or...Chemo!!!! I got it during one of my hospital stays. A web page gave the following symptoms:Your symptoms may include diarrhea and cramping at first. The later stages are commonly flu-like symptoms of weakness, dehydration, fever, nausea, vomiting and in advanced stages - blood in your stool / feces.
It is treated with an specific antibiotic. Once I was put on this antibiotic I got better very quickly. Also, the hospital dietician recommended I eat yogurt two to three times a day to help the gut retain it's healthy 'flora'. I now eat at least one yogurt every day - just to be safe. If you haven't been tested for c-diff - please ask! It sounds like you might be on the down side of this, but it can reoccur if not treated. Hugs - Jacque

JacqueN
Never heard of it but I sure will mention it to the Dr. today. Also funny thing you mentioned about being killed off by antibiotics because I've had about 5 regimins of different antibiotics for 2 infections since surgery in Jan alone. I hate yogurt with a passion but will eat it if it will help and will have hubby pick up some today just to see if it helps too. Do you know which antibiotic helped it? Just curious if it's one I've already taken in the past yet.

Oh and BTW guess what I woke up with this morning.....yep!!

Angel

Hi everyone - just checking in. I've been feeling pretty good since the weekend. Of course that's how it goes, once I begin to feel almost like myself, it's time for another treatment...

Sybilvox - welcome aboard - you and I are on the same schedule, as I also started DD A/C on 3/1 and my 3rd treatment is this Thurs 3/29. After A/C #4, I will finish up with DD T x 4. Like you I keep a calendar and have my treatments tracked out through June, after which I begin radiation because I had a lumpectomy on 1/30 (Left breast, Stage 2B, 2+ nodes, ER/PR+, Her2-neg). Glad your side effects (SEs) aren't too bad - I hope your rash clears up soon. My worse SEs have been fatigue (which seems to get worse with each treatment) and queasiness for several days. I think a lot of the tiredness is from the compazine anti-nausea Rx that I take. Also my hands ahave gotten really dark (like I have ink on my palms) and the latest is dark spots on my tongue! After treatment #3, I am going to take a few days off from my job (I work F/T) and just rest. My 38th birthday is on Sunday, so I would like to feel good enough to celebrate with my family. I've heard that #3 can be really tough, so let's check in on each other next week to see how it's going.

Jeanette - sorry you have to join us on this cruise, but know that we are there for you! I know how you feel regarding all of the SEs, I felt the same way. It's hard not knowing what to expect, but just know that you can get through it. Although what you hear on the site can sometimes be scary, it is also inspirational to know that so many have made it through and so can you!

MisK - I've been referred to quite often as a "young BC patient", although this is difficult at any age. I am hanging in there, but sometimes I feel like I am just too calm about the whole thing - it's like I don't know how to do anything but move forward. Maybe that's a good thing. I am just looking forward to finishing treatment, so I can feel more like myself again!

Angel - everyone is glad you checked in; I hope the worse is soon behind you.

Everyone else - I wish all of you who have been feeling down a much better week, and those of you who have been feeling good a very restful week!

Take care!
Steph

Angel -
So sorry about your tum, hope you are feeling better soon! I just had a vanilla Activia yogurt that I added a couple of strawberries to, and it was really delicious. And since you don't really like yogurt, the Activias are so small, that it's really only a few bites anyway.
Feel better....

Marshabel

just checking in briefly.
the constipation turned into D, so yuk. am just wiped out right now.

I am finally feeling better and the second attempt on port placement went well today. The doctor did end up putting it on my mastectomy side because he was wary of all the punctures wounds on the other side from the other surgeon attemtpting placement so many times. I am so happy that it's IN! I have a bandage on my neck and one on my chest. He said I can take them off Friday and shower!

The weather here has been so beautiful, it cheers me just to be outside.

So good to catch up on all the posts....

Playwriter that's what happened to me.... first constipation.... then ended up with diarrhea.... then scare to take Immodium for fear of the horrible constipation again. I ended up with flu like symptoms, but now I am well.

BTW, I have been eating ACtivia... I try to eat it every day. I may start eating it twice a day. I also have those Fibermucil wafers. Next infusion, I'm guarding against constipation ahead of time!

Angel.... may you get rid of that terrible D!! At least no one can tell you you're full of it anymore.

Welcome all newcomers.... you've found a wonderful group of women!

Linda, I don't want anyone to feel 'covered' if they are taking Cipro and suspect they have c-diff, so went online to look this up, as it didn't seem right. To my knowledge there are only two classes of drugs that are used for c-diff - Flagyl (metronidazole) and if Flagyl is ineffective then Vancocin (vancomycin). According to Wikipedia: "C. diff or C-diff is a species of bacteria of the genus Clostridium ... resistant to fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin)" In actuality, cipro can cause c-diff as it also kills off the gut flora.
Angel - I am so glad your doc agreed to do the tests. Good advocating for yourself! If the tears work - use them! I wonder why they are doing three samples - I just had to give one? Do you have to run them in to the lab each time? I was told the c-diff test has to be done within an hour of taking the sample. Just curious. Jacque

Jacque,
Actually she wants me to do 1 a day for 3 days and drop each one off. Not sure why the 3 day mark but as I was getting in the car I told myself. "If I have this crap for the next 3 days I'm gonna commit hairy cary....lol" Well it looks like she may not get her samples afterall. Since last night I have not had 'd' anymore...or at least not yet. The Yogurt itself seems to be doing the trick and I actually got to eat a nice juicy burger last night (wanted a dozen of them but thought that might be pushing it..hehe). This morning so far I feel like a million bucks again....just wish I had the green to go along with it. Wow I have a new found friend and it's called Yogurt. Just too bad I detest the taste of the stuff. I guess I'll get a truckload of it and stick it in the lifeboat with Dawn so she can feed it to me after the next round of chemo. I'm sooooo glad to be feeling better. Now who can I bug here today...lol
Angel

MisK, keep resting a lot- call your onc. if the light-headedness gets worse. Remember to sip fluids throughout the day and eat at least something.

Angel, glad to hear you're visiting the bathroom a lot less- I hope that's the last ambulance ride you'll be having for a very long time, and you'll be able to stay on schedule w/ the chemo!

Hey Guys!

MisK... I remember being light-headed, but I had the luxury of staying in bed til it passed. I think I would call the cancer center. I don't know if your set up is like mine, but we have an entire building (The Cancer Center of Southwestern Virginia) and it is filled with knowledgeable nurses, lab techs, and oncs! I'm going to start calling them instead of suffering in silence. I hope you're feeling better soon.

This morning I had to go in to get my bloodwork done and my white blood count was low and so was my red! The nurse looked at me and said, "I bet you're feeling pretty bad. Your numbers are awful." I told her I had been sick, but was better now. LOL I wonder what my numbers looked like when I was sick. Eek! I got properly chastised for ignoring my temp when I was sick, so I won't do that again.

Anyway, I got a shot to boost my red blood cells, but can only get the white blood cell booster every two weeks and that is the one I get the day after chemo each time (Neulasta). I did find out that it was the Neulasta that gave me the terrible headaches up the brainstem and made me feel like I had the flu. So I can stop all my detective work on isolating the headache culprit. Unfortunately, I can't eliminate that medicine. Oh well, I'm in it for the long haul and at least I know what to expect.

Now I have been sent home to stay away from everyone. I have to monitor my temp, drink lots of fluids, and rest. I MUST call in if my temp gets up to 101. Oh well, at least I feel pretty good at the moment.

Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge with me. I am reading and remembering and thanking the Lord for each of you.

Miss S

GrammyNancy, My hair is falling out also, day 21. And it really really itches when I wear a wig. Can't wait to get home and pull it off. Im not brave enough to go around in public without my wig. Don't want the stares, I'd rather blend in.

Angel, glad your feeling better. !!!

MissS and Rosebud, I know what your going through on the low blood counts. Mine dropped day 7, felt feverish for a couple of days. You'll feel better I hope when they do go back up. Hang in there!!