Starting Chemo in May 07

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  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 141
    edited July 2007

    Leslie: What has your oncologist given you for sleeping problems? Mine gave me halcion and I take half a pill and it seems to make me sleep much better. Some nights without it I feel like I'm awake all night. Hope today went well.....one more to go! I have my fifth treatment Thursday.....will be glad to get this behind me!

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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2007

    I hope you will have an awesome day tomorrow and enjoy your birthday!

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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2007
    Hey girls,

    Katymom, I have tx #5 on Thursday also--FEC--what's yours?

    Just enjoying my last few days of feeling good, before I go down for the count again. After this one we're going on a vacation, though. We'll be in St. Louis for 4 nights, starting about 10 days after this next tx. We were originally planning an outdoorsy fishing and hiking vacation in upper Minnesota, but we had rented our cabin beginning the DAY AFTER this next tx. We quickly realized after 2 tx's that there was NO WAY this would be a good idea! So we cancelled and we're going the "cushy" route and staying in a really nice downtown hotel in a suite. YAY! I can't wait.:)

    Amy
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  • ocinny414
    ocinny414 Member Posts: 123
    edited July 2007
    Hi all,
    Sorry it's been so long since I posted but things have been busy around here.
    Had Tx 5 of cytoxan/taxotere today. I'm feeling pretty good. Should be ok tomorrow as well then the next 3 days will be bad. I only have one more to go and the onc was nice enough to move it up to Friday instead of Monday. So I will be done a little earlier. I chose this because hopefully I'll get a call from a prospective principal for a teacihng job and have an interview and start the job the next week. If I had the tx on Monday I would not be able to start the job on the 19 because of SE's. It's a teaching job and I really want it and its at a school I really want to teach in. Wish me luck all.
    I had an interesting weekend. Went to my 20 year class reunion. It was alot of fun and I discovered that some things and some people never change. LOL I didnt really hang out with most of my classmates I just talked to them occasionally. But it was nice to see them again.

    Not sure how long after my last tx we will redo all the scans and tests. I'm hoping a get a couple weeks off. But then again I want it to be done.
    Have a good week everyone and hopefully I'll be better at posting.
    CindyKS
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  • PDXLeeAnne
    PDXLeeAnne Member Posts: 119
    edited July 2007
    Thanks Liz, for the birthday wishes. Co-workers made me cupcakes and my son is baking me gingersnaps. Yum!

    I hurt all over but I'm not giving in to it.

    Hugs,
    LeeAnne
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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited July 2007
    LeeAnne, is today (7/31) your birthday? It's Harry Potter's too (LOL). And my beloved sister...we are going to spend the afternoon sitting in the onc's office. Some way for her to spend her birthday, eh??

    Oh well. The board has been pretty quiet. I hope everyone is doing ok.

    I think there might have been a sighting...of peach fuzz...on my head. My dear friend who is battling lung cancer told me the first hairs to grow back were the "chin" hairs...and by gosh, she was right! There are just some hairs on my body that I would have like to have never seen again!!
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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited July 2007

    ps. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY (that was the most important message that I forgot to relay...I am still blaming it on chemo brain!!)

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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2007
    And I'm right behind you LeeAnne. I'll be 45 in September. For my birthday I want new boobs. Oh, right, that's what I am getting!

    By the way, thanks for telling me about the Good Reads website. I love stuff like that.

    Feel better!
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  • NeoPat
    NeoPat Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2007
    Happy Birthday, LeeAnne.

    How is everyone feeling? Once the pain left, I felt really good after my first Taxol treatment. I had a great week. I get my second treatment tomorrow and am not looking forward to going through the pains again, but maybe it will be better this time.

    Pat
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  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 153
    edited July 2007
    hi Katymom,
    my oncologist gave me prosom, which worked okay for last night. still woke up twice to use the bathroom, but that seems to be my pattern lately.
    The 5th round went well, at least so far I'm doing okay. My WBC and RBC are trending down, but nowhere near needing procrit or neulasta so I'm relieved. My goal is to get done without needing it, but we'll see how things go between this cycle and the next. I'm counting down the days until I'm done with chemo. getting the herceptin for the rest of the year doesn't seem too bad. I'm getting a little nervous about radiation because I hear it makes you tired. Do you have to get radiation? I only got a lumpectomy so I have no choice, but they most likely won't have to radiate my axila since my nodes were negative. Good luck with your 5th round.
    Leslie
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  • VirginiaNJ
    VirginiaNJ Member Posts: 634
    edited August 2007
    Leslie, I wouldn't worry about the radiation. If you can make it through the chemo, rads are a walk in the park (comparatively speaking). I did my rads before chemo (long story). I am big chested so my skin burned and peeled, but never got weepy or oozy. Aside from it being a pain in the butt (having to go every day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks), it's ok. I was literally "zapped" for 45 seconds!! After the first one, I was like "that's it?!"

    Radiation is mandatory (I believe) if you've had only a lumpectomy (at least that's why my Dr's have said!).

    Virginia
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  • chemo072
    chemo072 Member Posts: 682
    edited August 2007
    Neopat - hope the pain is better this time round.

    All - my taxol pain was so bad last round that my onc. suggested low-dose sustained release morphine....can I just say that life is much better now? Wow, talk about freedom from pain and being able to function.

    Am having random numbness in fingers, toes, feet, arm, face...sigh....but all in all feeling better.

    Plus spent weekend sleeping in a tent on a friend's land....it did wonders for relaxation and hot flashes - decreased hot flashes/night sweats by 70%...thank goodness. Do you think it was the cool breeze blowing through (vs. my hot apt. bldg) or the relaxing (vs. everything I'm behind on at home)? Anyways, I had this vision of all these chemo-pausal women going camping and experiencing vast improvement in symptoms

    Hugs to you all,
    Amanda
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  • kimvidito
    kimvidito Member Posts: 105
    edited August 2007
    Amya
    I may need some stronger drugs for my next taxotere tx. What a nasty feeling having all that pain. I was thinking about going camping with my kids and maybe it will feel really good. I was going to cancel but your post made me rethink it.
    I am feeling so nasty with diarrhea and menses lasting and lasting 10 days now. God can our bodies go through any more crap.

    prayers out to you all
    Kim
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  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 141
    edited August 2007
    I have Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin.....I'm going in for treatment #5 later today. I couldn't sleep at all last night and have been up since 3am...ugh! Oh well, counting down to the end of this! Hope your treatments go well...I am amazed you are traveling. I was scared just to drive 2 hours from home on good days! Keep it up...I'm inspired!

    Katymom
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  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 141
    edited August 2007
    Hi Leslie,
    Just left you a post on the TCH site....I was surprised to hear that you don't automatically get Neulasta. I get it every Friday after my chemo on Thursday--even though my white cells have stayed up. My red cells are starting to drop,too....not too bad though. I hope not to have anything for that either. I'm really tired of all the meds. I am also counting down. In a few hours I'll have treatment #5 and then only 1 more (yeah!)....I haven't studied up on the radiation, but I did hear they make us wait about 3 weeks after the last chemo...have you heard that? Then I heard that the worst part is the blistering. I had a lumpectomy so originally heard I'd have to have 6 weeks daily radiation...what about you? I haven't talked to my oncologist about it yet...He also originally mentioned that I would need another ECHO or a MUGGA after the chemo before the radiation....I've been up since 2am so I hope to take a nap before chemo.....Hope this all makes sense. Let me know how you're doing....I'll let you know about the Benadryl (other site) after my chemo today. I've already had stomach problems this morning so maybe it is from the decadron.....I'm definitely going to ask...yuk! Feel good! Only one to go! Then we'll have to keep up on the radiation!

    Katymom
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  • PDXLeeAnne
    PDXLeeAnne Member Posts: 119
    edited August 2007
    Amy, good luck today with your treatment #5! It's so great to see so many of us counting down towards the end...

    I'm still shuffling around like a 95 year old but have been taking my giant ibuprofens on schedule and that does combat the worst of the pain. I think acupuncture is helping as well as my new "chillow." I've definitely been sleeping better and having fewer hot flashes so far. Yeah!

    I realized that I was supposed to renew my driver's license before my birthday... guess I'll have to comb out a wig and go get that done, huh? Ironic that license renewal (and a new picture) would fall on THIS year! I supposed I could just have a bald picture.... LOL

    Hugs,
    LeeAnne
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  • NeoPat
    NeoPat Member Posts: 102
    edited August 2007
    Quote:

    Am having random numbness in fingers, toes, feet, arm, face...sigh....but all in all feeling better.




    Amanda, after which Taxol treatment did the numbness start?

    I had my second Taxol treatment yesterday. Feel good today except for a red, dry face. I dread the pain that will probably start tomorrow.

    The doctor told me not to take the Neulasta shot this time because my WBC count was 30 yesterday.

    Pat
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  • chemo072
    chemo072 Member Posts: 682
    edited August 2007
    Quote:
    Quote:

    Am having random numbness in fingers, toes, feet, arm, face...sigh....but all in all feeling better.




    Amanda, after which Taxol treatment did the numbness start?

    I had my second Taxol treatment yesterday. Feel good today except for a red, dry face. I dread the pain that will probably start tomorrow.

    The doctor told me not to take the Neulasta shot this time because my WBC count was 30 yesterday.

    Pat



    numbness started after tx #3

    lucky you on the neulasta

    re: red/dry face - does moisturizer help? vit e oil? ice packs?

    hope u feel better,
    hugs!
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  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 419
    edited August 2007
    Hi girls...........havent posted in a little while but have been keeping up on everyones progress. Sounds like we are all almost to the end. Thank Godddddddddddddddddd. I cant wait for it to be done with. Having my 5th treatment on this Monday,,,,,,,,,then one more to go after that. Yipeeeee. My fourth treatment kicked me in the butt. On the Friday after my treatment on that Monday,,,,,I got terribly sick,,,,,,,,,I am hoping the 5th and 6th will not be like that,,,,,,,cause it really sucked. This has been a good week for me so I went to the fair that was in town and the beach yesterday and had my teeth cleaned today. lol Wish I had more energy though.......kind of a bummer when you cant walk as much as you used to without getting tired. But soon the end will be here and I will be back to normal.
    Hope you all have a good weekend,,,,,,,,and do something fun.
    Take care ladies,,,,,,,,,
    Cindy

    --------------------
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  • PDXLeeAnne
    PDXLeeAnne Member Posts: 119
    edited August 2007
    Well here's 5 minutes of fun, at least. If the baldness isn't enough, the really really bad OLD pictures are hilarious.

    http://baldstars.fineststars.com/baldstar/

    Enjoy!
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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited August 2007
    Hey girls,

    Had tx 5 yesterday, so I'm in my "down" state. This is the first I'e typed yesterday, and I don't htink it's going to be pretty. Just avhe to get trough it, right?

    Sorr to be smo zoned...
    amy
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  • PDXLeeAnne
    PDXLeeAnne Member Posts: 119
    edited August 2007
    I've been thinking about you Amy, hoping that it was going only. ONLY ONE MORE! And I am sorry that you are "smo zoned"

    Hang in there everyone!
    LeeAnne
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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited August 2007
    Oh Amy, Sorry but your emails are quite entertaining! Hope you feel better soon!

    All, I feel for everyone who is going through treatments right now. Feeling a bit guilty since I get a break until my surgery on Aug. 29. But then I'll be back on the taxol for another two months plus recovering from bilateral mast and multiple procedures for reconstruction.

    I'm enjoying my break for now. Have a good weekend everyone.
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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited August 2007
    LOL, That last post of mine was pretty hilarious! I knew there might be a couple of typos, but sheesh!

    I'm off the Marinol now, thank goodness. Optioncare comes today to give me more IV fluids. I'm pretty much wiped out, not lifting my head off the pillow unless absolutely necessary. It's always like this. Just have to get through it.

    Liz, DON'T feel guilty! We've all dealt with all of it--dx, surgery, chemo, you name it. Like you said, the rest of your treatment will be NO picnic!!

    Like you, though, I'm lookikng forward to a break between chemo 6 and rads. Don't know how long it will be, though.

    All for now, girls,

    Amy
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  • NeoPat
    NeoPat Member Posts: 102
    edited August 2007
    I had my 2nd Taxol treatment a few days ago. I'm feeling pretty crummy today. So I just went to the bathroom and I seem to have my period. I had a very light period last August (2006) and before that was January 2006. So I consider myself post-menopausal.

    Just one more thing to worry about. I can't think of anything harmful that it could be. I'm 54, by the way.

    Pat
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  • aimster1123
    aimster1123 Member Posts: 200
    edited August 2007
    Hi girls,

    Sunday, tx day 4, still feel like crapola. Not that I'm surprised! It just gets so old and boring, though. No church for me today, I'm afraid--it was all I could do to help the kids get dressed and do dd's hair. We leave for vacation a week from today. Hopefully by then I'll be in a lot better shape! More IV fluids from optioncare coming this afternoon--hopefully that will help me feel a bit better. I do my best to eat and drink, but it's hard as you all know.

    Amya, how are you doing? I saw a post of yours on another thread about having time-released morphine or something? Did I mix that up? (very possible)!

    Love you all, have to lie down some more,

    Amy
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  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 419
    edited August 2007
    Question girls,,,,,,,,I think LeeAnne had mentioned this in one of her posts,,,,,,,,whats a chillow?
    Hope you all have a good week this week, Chemo 5 for me tomorrow,,,,,,,,then one more to go,,,,,,
    Take care,,,,,,
    Cindy
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  • lizzzy
    lizzzy Member Posts: 285
    edited August 2007
    Good luck to everyone having treatments this week!

    I was wondering what a chillow is too. Sounds like something I need in the middle of the night. Are night sweats different from hot flashes. I just missed my first period: should I already be experiencing chemopause symptoms?
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  • PDXLeeAnne
    PDXLeeAnne Member Posts: 119
    edited August 2007
    Here's a link and I notice it's currently on sale. Wasn't when I bought it!

    http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=77866&catid=44690&trx=29865&tab=1#1

    You fill it with water and there's some kind of gel inside that stays cool all the time. You don't have to refrigerate it or anything. I just put it inside my pillow case, on top of my normal pillow. This thing has helped me sleep in spite of my hot flashes SO much.

    I sound like a commercial, but it really has helped.

    LeeAnne... the cool headed one...
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  • Bernadine
    Bernadine Member Posts: 49
    edited August 2007
    Hey you all,
    Haven't post for a bit but kept up with everybody I'm going for #6 next tuesday aug 14 and the last one, so glad is the last one and hopefully it will do the same affect as the last one it was soreness and stayed in bed for 4 days.
    I was wondering what is a chillow? Never heard of a chillow before.
    Good luck to those having treatment this week hope it will go well for everybody.~~~~
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