Spring 2008 TCH Gals "get together"

I pretty much hang out at the "march 08 chemo group"  and there is a lady having a lot of problems with that as well.  She is however, on Taxol and the doctor said if her problems don't get better, they may switch her to taxotere, so I'm not sure what that means.  What does your doctor say???  That's one of the few s/e I don't get; yet anyways. 

I had a miserable night last night.  I took 2 tylenol PM to help me sleep and although it made me very tired, thanks to the steriods (like you said) I couldn't sleep.  Plus since I know everything will taste like metal next week and I was at the treatment til 3pm so like an idiot I ate taco bell for a late lunch, had bbq sandwich for dinner a candy bar and a coke before I went to bed.  I swallowed back vomit until 3pm when I got up and took a huge swig of Maalox, that solved the indigestion problem, but didn't help with the sleep.  I feel fine this morning, although tired, damn steriods. 

I don't the nausea until day 5, go figure why, I guess I'm just different so I am enjoying a few more days of feeling normal.  Just trying to get a lot done around the house before next week when I just sleep and feel sorry for myself.  I do have new things to try for the nausea, so hopefully it won't be as bad.

Good luck, hope you have a good remainder of the week.  God Bless, mary

Welcome, Kay, sorry you had to join.  If there's one thing I've found with us gals, it doesn't matter which chemo your on we all seem to have different side effects.  Before I started I kept reading about the gals who had constipation, which is a normal problem for me anyways.  I bought senekot, milk of magnesia and all I ever need is immodium.  In fact for treatment #3 that I ignored the diarrhea and it I ended up having to go on potassium and have IV's.  Not smart!!!

The first treatment was the scarriest because I didn't know what to expect and they monitor your heart because of possible reactions to the herceptin.  I had no problems and in the office I go to which is very busy, they told me it only happened once and that lady ended up just fine, she just couldn't do the herceptin. It does amaze me how after the treatment you just walk out and feel normal, for a little while anyways.  I feel fine ususally until day 4 or 5.

I had my 4th treatment last Wednesday and so far it's the easiest.  Because of the fact that I had morning sickness through my 2 pregnancies and get motion sick, they told me I would have bad nausea and they were right.  I've tried all sorts of anti-nausea drugs and this time I'm taking ativan which is actually an anti-axienty drug and it is helping the most.  Otherwise Zofran is the only other one that helped. Emend, tigan, compazine did nothing for me.

Everybody is different, but I can say the best thing about TCH is that for most people it's every 3 weeks.  I am okay the week of the treatment, sick the second week, but by day 10 I have bounced back 100% and I babysit for my grandkids, go to the gym and feel completely normal and for that I am grateful.  It does slow down the process, which means I won't be done til the middle of July and I started the end of March, but I still appreciate those "good weeks".

Hope my info helped and if you have anymore questions, feel free to ask.  God bless and Good luck, Mary

Thanks Betty,  I did survive; was really sick for 5 days Sat thru yesterday.  I had 3 IV's and all sorts of new things.  At least it was shorter than last time.  They just can't figure out why I get so sick.  The onc is trying so hard and we think I just need more steriods.  So we'll see.  It's nice to feel 90% human again and just think only 2 more to go!!!  Glad not everyone has this problem.  I'll survive and I have 2 weeks of feeling good until it starts again.  Hope everything is well with all the other "TCH gals"  God bless, Mary

Hi Betty,  My last chemo is next Wednesday and for  the first time I can say the tiredness is catching up with me.  I have always had triple of nausea that most woman have, but I've always bounced back 100% otherwise.  I am dragging this week, but I'm still ready for that last one.  I think with my 1st treatment I had more indigestion that anything else, but I have had none since.

 Our treatments are 2 days apart so I'll think of you on Monday.  Good luck, hope your s/e are small.  You have a great 4th also.  We're going away and I am sooooooooo ready.  God Bless, Mary

Wow, Jennifer, That is great news.  Congratulations on the clean PET scan.  For me the metal taste is awful as well and I get the diarrhea too.  Last treatment #5, I had the metal taste and the diarrhea both at the same time and it was the worst diarrhea yet.  I went (sorry to be so graphic) 12 times in an hour on day 10.  I lost 7 pounds and couldn't eat a thing.  I remember choking down a bowl of cereal just so I wouldn't be so weak.   I bounced back and today is suppose to be my final treatment but I'm so nervous.  I had my echo (because of herceptin) last Thursday  and I'm worried because my heart has been pounding so loudly every now and then it really scares me.  I find out the results of my echo and my blood work this morning and that will determine if I can have my final treatment this morning.  I just want to get over this.

I heard of a couple of other woman who got the fever. chills and bone pain from Zometa, otherwise I'm not too familiar with it.  Sorry you have to be on something that causes so many s/e.  I wish you the best of luck through your final treatments and hope the good news continues.  God Bless, Mary

Hi Jennifer, Yes, I did have my final treatment and my echo was good.  I am doing the happy dance and don't even mind a final week of being sick and the dreaded diarrhea.  I never really thought about the sore bottom part, but it makes sense to be irritated as the chemo crap come out.   The oncologist I seen yesterday told me the pounding is normal to her because chemo raises a lot of peoples heart rate by 10 points and also thanks to the diarrhea I am on high doses of potassium and magnesium, she said when your body is low on those nutrients your heart can pound louder than usual.  That made me feel better also.

My worst day of metal taste is days 8 through 10 and I've only managed to lose 5 pounds throught all this cause when food taste okay, I eat plenty.  I am hoping to lose 30 lbs when I'm done with all this and I think going through chemo and cancer will give me the incentive to lose it once and for all.

Good luck getting through the rest of yours.  Soon you'll be doing the Happy dance as well.  Thanks for getting back with me and God bless, Mary

Hi girls,

  I may be done with chemo, but not s/e.  Bad taste in mouth, yucky feeling and extremely tired, but it will pass.  Each day gets better and by next week I should be oaky.

 Betty, you sound so chipper, I think that's great.  Hope the stomach issues improve.  Good luck with the next treament.  Mary