Anyone starting Chemo in August 07?

Options
12357…99

Comments

  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited August 2007
    welcome, mom 42. good luck with your first treatment. sounds like you're all set to go. just bring a book, or i-pod or something and definitely a blanket. i got very cold.

    have a great weekend, jackie
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007

    Kaye,

    Yes, I too am very sad, thinking about the inevitable loss of my hair next week!

    I also hear that some women still have to shave their legs, as well as tweeze those annoying chin hairs that I also have! WHY WHY WHY!!!!

    IT WILL GROW BACK, or so I hear!!

    Hugs
    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • katoMato
    katoMato Member Posts: 645
    edited August 2007
    Hey Mom42 - I don't think I welcomed you yet...Warm welcome from sunny Southern California!

    Your first tx is the day after my second. I'll let you know what #2 is like.

    Kaye
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited August 2007
    Hi, ladies. I'm another August gal. I'll be starting 8/23, FAC x6. I've got my port in, had my muga, will have a final PET scan next Tuesday, then will be rarin' to go on Thursday (I think! ).

    My mom has been on and off of chemo for five years, and I've taken her to chemo every week for the past 3 years. I'll be getting treatment at the same cancer center she goes to. I told the nurses it all just looked like so much fun I thought I'd join in.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • katoMato
    katoMato Member Posts: 645
    edited August 2007
    Hey Nash...welcome. I'm from So Cal too. Near Palm Desert.
    Wow, with your mom having gone through this for five years, you're about four years ahead of me on the learning curve. I'm sorry you have to follow in her footsteps in this little dance we have here.

    Have either of you done the BRAC1 or 2 test? Not that it matters now, but I'm curious. My cousin's mother had bc, and she had bc and had the BRAC test done, and it was negative. So even though they both had bc, neither had the genetic marker for it. (Now I'm wondering why any one does it at all! You might not be genetically predisposed to get bc, but you get it anyway...) Go figure.

    I'll be having my second tx the day before you begin. What is the F in "FAC"? I'm assuming the A is Andriamycin, and the C is Cytoxin.

    Well, again - welcome aboard.
    Kaye
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JellicleCat
    JellicleCat Member Posts: 25
    edited August 2007
    Hi Kaye & Fellow Chemo-Buddies,

    Yep, had Neulasta on Friday... They are not kidding about that joint & bone pain though. My hips are all locked-up and the pain is crawling up my spine. Day 3 so far doesn't hurt as bad as yesterday.

    I feel o.k. just some mild waves of nausea. As for the pharmaceutical companies - - well I've been in the insurance industry for years, and if you ask me the whole game is a scam... We get stuck holding the bag trying to figure out 'how' to get things covered by our insurance... Mad when we do not win, and the only people who make out like bandits are the pharmaceutical companies.

    I do not blame insurance for having parameters to prove necessity, I do not blame doctors for pushing the latest drug the pharmaceutical companies have delivered at a discount and with 'fluff' presents... I do blame marketers who could give a rip about what we go thru... In fact I can get pretty angry about the whole thing if I let myself.

    Of course anger doesn't help any of us - - good thoughts, friendship and lots of squishy hugs seem to be the best medicine of all.

    Thinking of all of you,
    Michelle
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007
    Michelle,

    yes, you are right... It doesn't help getting all worked up about this insurance/doctor/money mess that I am dealing with!! I will try not to think about it, because I need to be more positive! I was doing ok, til all that stuff happened last week!

    My dh was angry with me for getting all worked up, but I WAS THE ONE with the dangerously low WBC, and the chills and the fever!!! He doesn't get it, how serious this is... So now I will have to try to get through the rest of these txs without Neulasta. I'm praying that I won't have any more problems....

    God Bless,
    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007

    Hi everyone,

    Hope you are all doing well!!! Just an update on my situation. I will go tomorrow for more bloodwork. I don't know what they will do if it's not back up to normal. I DO know that if the wbc isn't back up by my next tx, I won't get the tx.

    I am getting ready to deal with the hair loss this week, and then... it's off to my next (#2) TC tx!!

    I know that GOD will get me through this!!

    We CAN DO this!!!

    Good Luck ALL!!
    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • katoMato
    katoMato Member Posts: 645
    edited August 2007
    Hi ladies,

    Michelle, thanks for the info on Neulasta. After my ER trip (and subsequent 3 day stay in the hosp. because my wbc was .1!) I’M GOING TO REQUEST THE NEULASTA. So it’s nice to be prepared on what to expect.

    Harley, I'd be very interested to see if they postpone your next tx if your wbc is still low. I'm wondering if they'll postpone me.

    I'm also wondering why my onc didn't order regular bloodwork tests. Did everybody elses? Like 7 days after tx, then maybe 10 days after would seem reasonable. It seems to me that one every day for that 3 or 4 day period would make sense. That's a question I'll be asking before my 2nd tx on the 22nd.

    "Squishy hugs" (thanks Michelle - I love it!) to all.
    Kaye
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited August 2007
    Katomato--my mom hasn't been BRCA tested, but I have. It was negative, much to the docs surprise. My dad was an Ashkenazi Jew who died of pancreatic cancer, never BRCA tested, but they thought for sure I had the gene from him. But no...so they think I've got some other weird genetic quirk they just haven't identified. My mom was 62 at diagnosis, so it's fairly possible her cancer was random.

    The "F" in FAC is 5-FU. My onc has pushed TAC, and my second opinion group had wanted ACx4, so I felt like the FAC was sort of a happy compromise as far as aggressiveness went. My mom had it as her first line treatment 5 years ago.

    Good luck with round #2. Sorry to hear about the bummer of a WBC! My onc gives prophylactic neulasta--ask if they'll give to you the day after chemo no matter what.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007

    Kaye,

    I don't know why your onc didn't order blood work, because even my idiot onc. orders bloodwork!!

    I really don't think my onc would give me a tx if my wbc is still low on Aug 28th. They will do another blood test tomorrow, and then again on the 28th, before the tx. I am having trouble trusting him, but my ps knows him and he told me that he knows that "billy" won't do anything to hurt me. He also said that if I was having trouble with "billy" to just give him a call, and he'd straighten him out.... lol They have offices that are a stone's throw away from each other!!! Good ole boys!

    I feel a lot better, so I think the wbc is back up!!! I am not sure if I will have to stay until they have the results from the lab, but I am expecting to leave right after giving them my blood... then, no news is good news!

    But, since they are losing money from my insurance, I guess it will be NO NEULASTA NEXT TIME, EITHER! That neupogen shot, I think, is what caused my terrible back ache and head ache, because they are also GONE TODAY!!!

    Good luck on the 22nd!

    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cynthia1962
    Cynthia1962 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited August 2007
    Kaye - I get a cbc prior to chemo, then a cbc a wk later, and a cbc and chem panel the next week.

    Harley - My cbc's are run immediately so I have my results before I leave their office and can get any shots I need right then. It only takes a couple of minutes.

    Glad to hear your bone pain is gone. It definitely sounds as if the neupogen worked. The pain is from the drug causing your bone marrow to expand as it makes more white cells. I know that doesn't make it hurt any less, but it always helps me if I know why I'm feeling the way I do. I'm probably just weird, though. lol

    It's hard to tell how your white count is based on how you feel. I've sometimes felt great absolutely wonderful when my white count was very low. I have, however, felt very fatigued when my red count was low and could tell when the Procrit shot had started to raise my red count because I would suddenly feel much better.

    Good luck tomorrow. I hope all your counts are normal. Don't worry about missing your next tx since you have a week until then to get your counts up to normal if necessary.

    Cynthia
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007

    Thanks, Cynthia,

    I DOES help to know WHY it hurts so much! For me, it's hard to be positive, when I am in such pain, but if I know it's for my own good, maybe I can suck it up!! lol

    I still don't think I will be asked to wait for the results of the bloodwork, since that is just considered 'regular routine b/w', and they will just call me and ask me to come back in for another shot, I guess. Even though it does inconvenience me quite a bit. I asked to stay last time, because I was feeling crappy, and they forgot to come get me, so we waited alot longer than necessary!!

    Thanks! I hate to have to go thru all this crap EVERY TIME I have a tx!! I was telling my dh, by the time I start to get back to normal again, it's time for another tx! He thinks this is a good thing! He is the one who is weird!

    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007
    Cynthia,

    Another question...

    Don't you think that constantly getting these shots to boost the wbc will cause some problems down the road, like maybe even make us more vulnerable and more susceptible to other blood disorders, or even leukemia?? My onc would never answer that question,and probably not honestly, so that is why I'm asking it here... Since you seem to know so much, I thought maybe you might know...

    Thanks!
    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cynthia1962
    Cynthia1962 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited August 2007
    Harley - Yes, unfortunately there is some research that indicates that the use of growth hormones increases the risk of developing leukemia later. I was very upset for this reason when I had to get my first series of neupogen shots, but I realize now that without them I could end up in the hospital, have a delayed tx, or die. So, the risk in my case is worth it. You might feel better knowing that the risk is less if you don't have radiation tx as well as chemo. And, the absolute risk even with the growth factors is only 2% and 1% without. Here is a link to more info.: http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=601663

    It is hard to start to feel better just to have to start all over again, but it was the week (or less, lol) of feeling better that literally got me to walk back in the chemo suite. I don't think I could have done a dose dense schedule, for that reason. I needed the reminder that provided that most of the side effects are temporary and I would recover once tx ends. Nonetheless, this is the first weekend before tx that I haven't spent most of my time crying. At this point, I'm just so excited to have my last tx and my side effects haven't been too bad this time.

    Hang in there, it really will be over before you know it.

    Cynthia
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2007
    Harley -
    One of the SE of Taxotere is also leukemia, but as our main concern at this point is riding our bodies of the cancer, it's a chance we will have to take.

    Cynthia -
    I feel like you, that good week can sort of off set the feeling terrible for a few days or week. Only issue this time (2nd tx) is that I have not gotten better. I am on day 10th and still feel like crap.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cynthia1962
    Cynthia1962 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited August 2007
    Hi Jean,

    Sorry to hear you're still feeling badly. It sometimes took me a good 2 weeks to start to feel better after the AC. I hope you start feeling better very soon!

    Cynthia
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2007
    Thanks Cythnia

    I don't know if it's a low WBC that's the cause or I just needed a longer bounce back time. I am still having a lot of abdomal and interestinal pain, even bleeding. The only thing different this time from the first was the addition of Emend for nausia.

    I still have no energy. Yesterday I washed the kitchen floor, which is very tiny, and had to go back to bed. I thought I was going to faint and started having a lot of pain in my chest. I sure hope my change in onc comes through Monday. I can't believe my present one had no interest in checking my WBC.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cynthia1962
    Cynthia1962 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited August 2007
    Oh my gosh, Jean, what an awful time you're having. Have you tried any otc meds for your intestinal pain? There are also some prescription meds that are supposed to help as well. I hope you get a new onc soon so you can get some help for your se's. There's no point in us suffering anymore than we have to.

    Washing your kitchen floor? Honestly, I haven't washed my kitchen floor since I started chemo and I have two little ones and a white floor so you can imagine how bad it gets. When my mom comes over to watch the kids while I get my labs done, she usually gives it a quick mopping because it must make her cringe inside. lol Remember to take care of yourself and rest, rest, rest so you body can rebuild.

    I get the chest pain, too. I was told that it's from the neupogen. It's especially bad when I bend over. Feels like a vice around my rib cage. Scared me to death the first time it happened.

    Wishing you better days...

    Cynthia
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2007
    Thanks Cynthia
    That pain in my chest has been frighting. I asked my onc's partner, (mine has been on a long vacation) but he wouldn't answer because I was not his patient and doesn't interfer with his partners case...go figure!

    I have been recieving Nuelastia. The pain is severe and in the breast/rib area. All I wanted to know when I asked the Dr was, is this a se of chemo, or does it mean the cancer is growing...or coudl it be my heart. But I never got past...how are you...I have pain inmy chest.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cynthia1962
    Cynthia1962 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited August 2007
    Jean - glad I could help. Both the oncs in your practice need a good kick to their keisters. What is wrong with them?! Have you considered asking a nurse your questions? When I have a quick question about a se, I call and tell the receptionist what the problem is and she asks a nurse for me. Oh, wait...you go somewhere else for your actual chemo, right? I wonder if the nurses there would answer your questions? My chemo nurse always asks how my last tx was for me and answers all my questions.

    I hope your next onc is wonderful.

    Cynthia
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2007
    Cynthia

    Yes I do have my tx at the hospital's infusion center. Maybe that why my onc has been so cold and unresponsive, she's making no money on my chemo. The reason I have been having tx at the hospital is she feared I might have a reaction to the chemo and as she does not have a crash cart in her office, she thought it would be safer for me at the infusion center. You'd think she'd have performed heart tests prior to the start of chemo, wouldn't you? (Or have me see my PM Dr prior to the start.)

    I had completely forgot about calling the infusion center. My son has been on and off chemo for 2 years and they always told us to call or come in as they are open 24/7.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007
    Cynthia,

    I don't know why I thought of it, but when you told me that the WBC were coming from my bone marrow, it finally hit me, that this could really damage my health permanently! Now I am worried about that! Thanks for the link. I'll check it out later!

    I am so concerned that doing this chemo, in order to prevent recurrence, will end up causing a lot worse problems!

    Oh, lady Jean, don't tell me that! I tried to get a drug combo that WOULDN'T be so deadly! My onc told me that CMF causes leukemia! I guess now he lies to me!

    trying to hang in there,

    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited August 2007
    hi sisters....

    i feel so exhausted i did not even feel like getting on this site for the last two days. i miss you guys. i put one load of laundry in and have to lay down. the nauseau meds have really helped. but the fatigue!!!i feel like a big blob and also like IF i do get energy it's just reserved to go for my next treatment. i mean i still have until next week but i feel worse instead of better. i do not have to get bloodwork because i got the neulasta the next day. does anyone feel TOTALLY, exhausted pretty much all the time? please let me know.

    hugs, jackie
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007
    Jackie,

    Glad to hear from you! No, I didn't have the fatigue this time around, but I wonder if it was the Neulasta? I didn't get that. If you feel tired, just rest. One day, I was feeling tired, and just laid down and rested the whole afternoon!

    I will go back again for #2 on 8/28, so I have the week off! I went for b/w again, and my wbc is back up! YEAH!

    Good Luck to you! We CAN do this!

    HARLEY

    PS I am going to lose my hair this week...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited August 2007
    harley, i'm go glad you are feeling a little better. i pray for you and your hair loss. it's just so damn scary. i think i probably will pull my hair out because i keep checking it! hang in there and let's hope we have a quiet week.

    hugs, jackie
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • liven42day
    liven42day Member Posts: 76
    edited August 2007
    Hi Ladies,
    A little intro, I was dx 6/12/07 IDC stage 2, trip neg, no nodes involved. I started DD A/C chemo on July 30 for 4 tx's then DD Taxol x 4. My first tx was horrible (Decadron, Zofran by IV, Emend by mouth), 2nd tx was much better, they changed my anti nausea meds to Aloxi in my IV and steroid Decadron, Emend by mouth. Our hair loss thing...........I felt for me it was better to shave it all off, on day 20. I am praying for all of us to get through our tx and se's. We will all get through this. Take Care Charlene
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007
    Jackie,

    So far, I just get LOTS and LOTS of hair on the comb and brush every time I comb or brush my hair!

    Yes, I am hoping for a quiet week. I may see if my SIL will go with me for a very short cut later in the week. She is coming to visit, and will stay with her Mom.

    More than losing my breasts, the hair loss bothers me... so much more.

    BTW, I am also losing my pubic hair... gross!

    Hugs,
    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2007
    Harley

    It funny which hair goes and what hair stays. I have lost the hair on my head, legs, under my arms, and pubic area, but still have my eyebrows, eyelashes and a little arm hair.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 5,446
    edited August 2007
    Jean,

    I have heard that some women still have to shave their legs so the only real good part about this, not having to shave, may not happen at all.... good grief!

    We'll get through this...
    HARLEY
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories