Start AC chemo on 5/20/10.....scared....help me
I start AC on 5/20/10 followed by a shot of Neulestual (sp) for my white blood cells, every two weeks. WHat can I expect during and after my first treatment? I plan to take Friday;s off to rest up for Mondays so I only have to miss 2 days a month, I hope?
What is the average number of days before hair loss occurs? I am planning a head shaving party with my kids and my son and I are going to get a pic of us together with Mo-Hawks..
I am trying to stay positive as possible but I am terrified of starting chemo and not knowing what will happen to me, will I have a weird reaction?
After the 4 rounds of AC, I will have 12 rounds of Taxol...what effects from this drug or are they similar to the ones from AC?
Comments
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Hi. Your treatment is the
Hi. Your treatment is the same as mine. I finished my 4 rounds of AC on May 4th. My experience has been different each time. The first couple of days are not to bad but usually ache after shot. It seems to me each time i got more worn out and just plain exhausted for a few days. Lots of hot flashes so make sure you have a fan at night! I also took ice packs to bed and that helped. I start the 12 rounds of taxol this coming friday so not sure how that will go. I have been told it "should" be easier than AC. I sure hope so!!! It is scary but not as bad as i thought. You will be really glad you have a port, makes it much easier.
Good luck, you will do just fine. Keep me posted on how you are doing.
Kathie0 -
I also had 4 rounds of AC.camsgram said:Hi. Your treatment is the
Hi. Your treatment is the same as mine. I finished my 4 rounds of AC on May 4th. My experience has been different each time. The first couple of days are not to bad but usually ache after shot. It seems to me each time i got more worn out and just plain exhausted for a few days. Lots of hot flashes so make sure you have a fan at night! I also took ice packs to bed and that helped. I start the 12 rounds of taxol this coming friday so not sure how that will go. I have been told it "should" be easier than AC. I sure hope so!!! It is scary but not as bad as i thought. You will be really glad you have a port, makes it much easier.
Good luck, you will do just fine. Keep me posted on how you are doing.
Kathie
I also had 4 rounds of AC. My reaction with each treatment was a bit different. I had mine on Wed. with the Nuelasta shot on Thurs. by Friday I was light headed--more fuzzy headed with body aches. Sat. and Sun. slept a lot and Sun. was soooo emotional cried at the drop of a hat. That was consistant with all 4 treatments so I knew come Sun. I would be a mess and just went with it. My hair started to fall out 14 days after I started treatment. I also shaved my head and did the scarves. FYI Walmart has some really pretty bandanas that were more comfortable then the longer scarves. I had my treatment last fall so I was bald during the winter so I went to the fabric store and got some fleese and made scarf triangles to keep my head warm. I also slept with them on. These were more comfortable than hats.
The best advice I can give you is to drink, drink, drink. Fluids are the most important thing. After my last treatment I was so exhausted that I was sleeping more than drinking and got dehydrated--not fun--you do not want that to happen. Set your alarm if you have to remind yourself to drink.
Another cancer survivor gave me this advice and it worked. Take your anti-nausea meds wether you're nausea or not. It's easier to keep it away then make it go away after it's already there.
None of this is fun, but you will get through it.
Good Luck
Sher0 -
I just finished
four rounds of A/C followed by four rounds of taxol (last taxol 4/15). They were different, but neither one was particularly bad. I had a little nausea after the first A/C, then less the next time. DH decided to treat me as if I were pregnant--he'd get up & fix breakfast before waking me, then feed me immediately after waking me so that I didn't try to do anything before eating, and that seemed to help a lot. I'd eat slowly and small amounts. I lost about 20 pounds over the 4 months of my treatments, but it was weight I needed to lose and that was really my "worst" symptom directly caused by the A/C or the Taxol. Mainly I just didn't have a lot of appetite.
Other than the really minor nausea at the beginning, the hardest was fatigue due to my hemoglobin/red blood count going lower & lower. We were nearly vegetarian prior to chemo (son living at home is vegetarian, so it's generally easier to cook vegetarian for all of us), but I found myself craving red meat and other iron-rich foods constantly after the first couple of treatments. I had to have one blood transfusion after the four rounds of A/C, and I turned out to be allergic to the blood and itched like crazy. Then I decided it was easier to eat a lot of meat, spinach, etc. to keep my iron reserves up as much as possible, and I did NOT have to have another blood transfusion even though they felt sure I would--YAY!
I also had some neuropathy--more due to the A/C than to the taxol--in my fingers & toes, but again, it was really pretty minor--a sense of numbness going up my fingers to above my knuckles, funny feelings in my toes, occasional sharp shooting pains that never lasted more than a few seconds. My fingernails and toenails turned darker--one big toe still looks badly bruised. However, I never lost any of my nails. The numbness is receding, the pains are very infrequent, and my nails are all growing out pretty rapidly, so I have half & half nails--half normal, half darkish.
The worst thing that happened is that I got sick right before my last chemo--a bad urinary tract infection, but I'm over that now, too.
Maybe I was really lucky--and maybe you will be, too! The whole chemo experience just wasn't that bad, and I led a fairly normal life up until I got sick. I know the UTI was an indirect side effect of the chemo in that my immune system was depressed by the chemo. Even so, my worst wasn't nearly as bad as the worst I've heard about, mostly from people who took chemo 10 years ago--the medical people have so many different means of treating nausea & most of the other side effects nowadays that many of us don't have to endure too much of what were the hardest side effects.
I truly believe that if you go into this with a positive attitude, believing that you can do this, it will help you survive whatever comes. It may be more challenging for you than it was for me--each of us reacts differently to the meds--or you may find it very easy. Whatever comes, know that you can always come here and ask questions about how to cope with things, and keep your doctors posted on how each chemo infusion affects you. I sometimes had to work at the positive attitude, but it helped to try to make each challenge into a funny story for my friends & family--the funnier I could make it, the better for me, too!
The best things you can do for yourself--take care of yourself and be gentle with yourself.
Re hair loss--somewhere between 2-3 weeks, and again, this differs for each individual. I had a shaving party my first day of chemo (right after chemo). It was a blast, about 30 people (friends & family) showed up, and I felt so uplifted by all the support and encouragement they offered! It really helped me face the rest of chemo with courage and a positive outlook. My hair stylist, who is a good friend, did several different (sometimes wild) styles--including a mohawk!
My DH took lots of photos.
Again, be gentle with yourself--give yourself permission to rest more often and to accomplish less than you "normally" would. Think of it this way--before chemo, you did a lot of work. During chemo, you will also be doing a lot of work! However, you'll be doing more work of a different kind, and that means that the work you used to do will have to be slowed down some. You will be working at fighting the cancer and at healing, and that will take a lot of your energy. What can you let go? I chose to let my house go--I have two dogs and two cats, and they shed a lot! I had to ignore the hair piling up because I simply didn't have enough energy to vacuum, and I didn't want to nag my DH about it, because he was doing his job plus all the cooking and laundry. One person can do only so much--and that includes YOU. Give yourself permission to put your energy where it needs to be right now--into getting well.
Keep us posted!
Lots of hugs,
Sandy0 -
I also had Ac 4 rounds everyLadyParvati said:I just finished
four rounds of A/C followed by four rounds of taxol (last taxol 4/15). They were different, but neither one was particularly bad. I had a little nausea after the first A/C, then less the next time. DH decided to treat me as if I were pregnant--he'd get up & fix breakfast before waking me, then feed me immediately after waking me so that I didn't try to do anything before eating, and that seemed to help a lot. I'd eat slowly and small amounts. I lost about 20 pounds over the 4 months of my treatments, but it was weight I needed to lose and that was really my "worst" symptom directly caused by the A/C or the Taxol. Mainly I just didn't have a lot of appetite.
Other than the really minor nausea at the beginning, the hardest was fatigue due to my hemoglobin/red blood count going lower & lower. We were nearly vegetarian prior to chemo (son living at home is vegetarian, so it's generally easier to cook vegetarian for all of us), but I found myself craving red meat and other iron-rich foods constantly after the first couple of treatments. I had to have one blood transfusion after the four rounds of A/C, and I turned out to be allergic to the blood and itched like crazy. Then I decided it was easier to eat a lot of meat, spinach, etc. to keep my iron reserves up as much as possible, and I did NOT have to have another blood transfusion even though they felt sure I would--YAY!
I also had some neuropathy--more due to the A/C than to the taxol--in my fingers & toes, but again, it was really pretty minor--a sense of numbness going up my fingers to above my knuckles, funny feelings in my toes, occasional sharp shooting pains that never lasted more than a few seconds. My fingernails and toenails turned darker--one big toe still looks badly bruised. However, I never lost any of my nails. The numbness is receding, the pains are very infrequent, and my nails are all growing out pretty rapidly, so I have half & half nails--half normal, half darkish.
The worst thing that happened is that I got sick right before my last chemo--a bad urinary tract infection, but I'm over that now, too.
Maybe I was really lucky--and maybe you will be, too! The whole chemo experience just wasn't that bad, and I led a fairly normal life up until I got sick. I know the UTI was an indirect side effect of the chemo in that my immune system was depressed by the chemo. Even so, my worst wasn't nearly as bad as the worst I've heard about, mostly from people who took chemo 10 years ago--the medical people have so many different means of treating nausea & most of the other side effects nowadays that many of us don't have to endure too much of what were the hardest side effects.
I truly believe that if you go into this with a positive attitude, believing that you can do this, it will help you survive whatever comes. It may be more challenging for you than it was for me--each of us reacts differently to the meds--or you may find it very easy. Whatever comes, know that you can always come here and ask questions about how to cope with things, and keep your doctors posted on how each chemo infusion affects you. I sometimes had to work at the positive attitude, but it helped to try to make each challenge into a funny story for my friends & family--the funnier I could make it, the better for me, too!
The best things you can do for yourself--take care of yourself and be gentle with yourself.
Re hair loss--somewhere between 2-3 weeks, and again, this differs for each individual. I had a shaving party my first day of chemo (right after chemo). It was a blast, about 30 people (friends & family) showed up, and I felt so uplifted by all the support and encouragement they offered! It really helped me face the rest of chemo with courage and a positive outlook. My hair stylist, who is a good friend, did several different (sometimes wild) styles--including a mohawk! My DH took lots of photos.
Again, be gentle with yourself--give yourself permission to rest more often and to accomplish less than you "normally" would. Think of it this way--before chemo, you did a lot of work. During chemo, you will also be doing a lot of work! However, you'll be doing more work of a different kind, and that means that the work you used to do will have to be slowed down some. You will be working at fighting the cancer and at healing, and that will take a lot of your energy. What can you let go? I chose to let my house go--I have two dogs and two cats, and they shed a lot! I had to ignore the hair piling up because I simply didn't have enough energy to vacuum, and I didn't want to nag my DH about it, because he was doing his job plus all the cooking and laundry. One person can do only so much--and that includes YOU. Give yourself permission to put your energy where it needs to be right now--into getting well.
Keep us posted!
Lots of hugs,
Sandy
I also had Ac 4 rounds every 2 week followed by the shot then on to Taxol with herceptin for 12 weeks and am continuing herceptin. I will tell you what the drug did to me.
About the 3rd day after treatment, I would feel like I was coming down with the flu. Very tired and just needed to sleep it off. I had a good anti nausea drug called emend. Make sure your doctor orders anti nausea for you and take it even if your not feeling sick. I had no problems with the shot. All I could eat was crackers, vanilla wafers, milk shakes, and french fry's. This continued until I was done with AC. Lost hair day 14, shaved head day 15. www.headcovers.com has some nice stuff. Taxol was not as bad. Did not need anti nausea drugs and was able to eat more except for meat ( beef ) could not stand it. So don't push yourself to eat anything that does not taste right to you because if you get sick on it you may never eat it again. I had to flavor my water as well. When I was done with chemo I did 35 treatment of Rads. Rads was not to bad, just you have to go everyday and I did get a burn towards the end of treatment. I am on Tamoxifen and I am still doing Herceptin. It's all doable as scary as it is. Just rest when you need to and don't push yourself to much.0 -
I had the exact same chemo as you...Kat11 said:I also had Ac 4 rounds every
I also had Ac 4 rounds every 2 week followed by the shot then on to Taxol with herceptin for 12 weeks and am continuing herceptin. I will tell you what the drug did to me.
About the 3rd day after treatment, I would feel like I was coming down with the flu. Very tired and just needed to sleep it off. I had a good anti nausea drug called emend. Make sure your doctor orders anti nausea for you and take it even if your not feeling sick. I had no problems with the shot. All I could eat was crackers, vanilla wafers, milk shakes, and french fry's. This continued until I was done with AC. Lost hair day 14, shaved head day 15. www.headcovers.com has some nice stuff. Taxol was not as bad. Did not need anti nausea drugs and was able to eat more except for meat ( beef ) could not stand it. So don't push yourself to eat anything that does not taste right to you because if you get sick on it you may never eat it again. I had to flavor my water as well. When I was done with chemo I did 35 treatment of Rads. Rads was not to bad, just you have to go everyday and I did get a burn towards the end of treatment. I am on Tamoxifen and I am still doing Herceptin. It's all doable as scary as it is. Just rest when you need to and don't push yourself to much.
Many of us did, including my oncologist who is an 18 year survivor! I agree with all said above, but wanted to add a bit of my own advice. First of all, it's not going to be as bad as you imagine it to be. (at least not in most cases) If you had morning sickness while pregnant it's a lot like that, but only all day long for 3 days. Chew on ice chips while taking the chemo, it helps alleviate any mouth sores and possibility of thrush. Then drink lots of water, gatorade, juice, tea, ginger ale, or whatever sounds/tastes decent. Same with food. Have a variety on hand. Crackers by the bed, because just like when you're pregnant if you let your stomach get empty you get MORE nausea. Try to drink as much as possible the day before, of and after the treatment. That helps to move it in and out of your body more quickly. ALSO, ask your doctor if you can try to NOT have the neulasta shot unless you need it. I never needed it and some people have quite a painful experience with it. It's just something that may not be necessary.
Good luck and God bless! I'm on the end of my treatment and look back and say...."hey, that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be afterall!" You can do it!!! and you will! Just feel the prayers pushing you onward, and let them hold your hand and heart throughout this ordeal.
Lorraine0 -
I wish I knew there was anMama G said:I had the exact same chemo as you...
Many of us did, including my oncologist who is an 18 year survivor! I agree with all said above, but wanted to add a bit of my own advice. First of all, it's not going to be as bad as you imagine it to be. (at least not in most cases) If you had morning sickness while pregnant it's a lot like that, but only all day long for 3 days. Chew on ice chips while taking the chemo, it helps alleviate any mouth sores and possibility of thrush. Then drink lots of water, gatorade, juice, tea, ginger ale, or whatever sounds/tastes decent. Same with food. Have a variety on hand. Crackers by the bed, because just like when you're pregnant if you let your stomach get empty you get MORE nausea. Try to drink as much as possible the day before, of and after the treatment. That helps to move it in and out of your body more quickly. ALSO, ask your doctor if you can try to NOT have the neulasta shot unless you need it. I never needed it and some people have quite a painful experience with it. It's just something that may not be necessary.
Good luck and God bless! I'm on the end of my treatment and look back and say...."hey, that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be afterall!" You can do it!!! and you will! Just feel the prayers pushing you onward, and let them hold your hand and heart throughout this ordeal.
Lorraine
I wish I knew there was an option with the neulasta shot as I hated the idea of it, Even though I did fine with it. Most people do well with chemo, I did not so I dont post much but my chemo was like' results not typical" If you have issues post as people have good ideas and give great support. I got through it and if Ihad to do it to live i would again.0 -
Neulasta shotcarkris said:I wish I knew there was an
I wish I knew there was an option with the neulasta shot as I hated the idea of it, Even though I did fine with it. Most people do well with chemo, I did not so I dont post much but my chemo was like' results not typical" If you have issues post as people have good ideas and give great support. I got through it and if Ihad to do it to live i would again.
The way my oncol. explained it was if you have treatments every 2 weeks you have to have the shot because your blood cells wouldn't have enough time to rebuild. If you go every 3 weeks for treatments you may not need it because it takes 3 weeks for your blood cells to rebuild. You would then only need it if you were really low. I wanted it over with ASAP so I opted for every 2 weeks and had the shot.0 -
Stay Strong
My mom is in the process of chemos she has 3 more to go...thig entire journey has been very hard on all of the family but with everyones support u can get through this just fine!
The neulasta shot is the one that just made my mom go through a lot of pain but everyone takes it differently dont get scared being nervous is normal, my mom walked into that doctors office for her first chemo terrified and not knowing what to ecxpect but her 3 daughters were with her (including me) and her sister, we were crying and crying but when we got out of there we went straight to Carls Jr for some lunch with mom it was great the effects came the next day when she got the neulasta! My mom started loosing her hair 10 days after her first chemo, she got a short haircut the day after it began falling but it only took 3 days for it to be entirely gone, very hard seeing but your idea is great!She gets them every 3 weeks, dont worry you will get through this and i see youre not alone from what i read about your plans with your kids!
post pictures!
Good Luck!
Stay Strong!
Never Quit!
Take Care
Isabel...0 -
Thanks for explaining about the Neulasta shotIsabelSierra said:Stay Strong
My mom is in the process of chemos she has 3 more to go...thig entire journey has been very hard on all of the family but with everyones support u can get through this just fine!
The neulasta shot is the one that just made my mom go through a lot of pain but everyone takes it differently dont get scared being nervous is normal, my mom walked into that doctors office for her first chemo terrified and not knowing what to ecxpect but her 3 daughters were with her (including me) and her sister, we were crying and crying but when we got out of there we went straight to Carls Jr for some lunch with mom it was great the effects came the next day when she got the neulasta! My mom started loosing her hair 10 days after her first chemo, she got a short haircut the day after it began falling but it only took 3 days for it to be entirely gone, very hard seeing but your idea is great!She gets them every 3 weeks, dont worry you will get through this and i see youre not alone from what i read about your plans with your kids!
post pictures!
Good Luck!
Stay Strong!
Never Quit!
Take Care
Isabel...
I had my therapy 3 weeks apart and they checked my wbc 10 days after chemo and then again on the day of treatment. It dropped as low as 1.9 and she still did not want to give it to me. My onc. hated it when she had to take it, so she tried really hard to keep anyone from having that pain. I teach 5th gr. and was around sick kids every day, but never got a cold! I credit PRAYER first, then eating properly, lots of fresh fruit and veges, venison! and fluids! I also moved around a lot, being a teacher I had no choice.0 -
Oh I thought you had chemoMama G said:Thanks for explaining about the Neulasta shot
I had my therapy 3 weeks apart and they checked my wbc 10 days after chemo and then again on the day of treatment. It dropped as low as 1.9 and she still did not want to give it to me. My onc. hated it when she had to take it, so she tried really hard to keep anyone from having that pain. I teach 5th gr. and was around sick kids every day, but never got a cold! I credit PRAYER first, then eating properly, lots of fresh fruit and veges, venison! and fluids! I also moved around a lot, being a teacher I had no choice.
Oh I thought you had chemo every two weeks, I had AC every 2 weeks. that neulasta shot is very costly. I did not have issues withit felt achy for 24-48 hours. thats about it. Everyone has different reactions. I did not get an illness during chemo either i am so amazed. I did have a fever for three weeks into the taxol, not sure if it wss a reaction to the chemo or the H1N1 shot I had. Anyway, you take it one dAY at a time one treatment at a time and you will get through.0 -
Hi go blue
I had 4 rounds of A/C,but not the taxol.For me I definitely had fear of the unknown and was scared of chemo until I went for my first one and I wasn't scared anymore.My onc was going to prescribe a mild sedative for me,but I ended up not needing it. I was fortunate in that I was the only patient there that afternoon and it was like I had a private chemo nurse who I had a running conversation with just about the whole time. My hubby was also there.Your nurse will be watching you to make sure everything is okay.The other ladies are right-drink plenty of water on the day of and after and at least for me-I didn't have a heavy meal before I went in(just something light,and if I felt like eating after treatment,I would.).They will send you home with anti-nausea meds and give you some before they give you your chemo drugs.
I think taking Fridays off is a good idea.And the head shaving party sounds great! It sounds like you have lots of support!I started losing my hair right before my second treatment. My husband and I had our own little "head shaving evening" complete with spa treatment by him and then out for dinner at the mall(I had a hat to wear by this time) and wig shopping.I ended up not liking anything I saw so I just wore hats,and when I felt comfortable and the weather got warmer I didn't wear anything..
I have heard from friends who have had it that taxol doesn't have as bad of side effects as A/C has..but everyone is different so...
I hope that your first and all your treatments go well!
Keep us posted and we are here for you with our encouragement and experience if you have any more questions as you go along.0 -
AC CHEMO advice thanks xoxoxoutdoorgirl said:Hi go blue
I had 4 rounds of A/C,but not the taxol.For me I definitely had fear of the unknown and was scared of chemo until I went for my first one and I wasn't scared anymore.My onc was going to prescribe a mild sedative for me,but I ended up not needing it. I was fortunate in that I was the only patient there that afternoon and it was like I had a private chemo nurse who I had a running conversation with just about the whole time. My hubby was also there.Your nurse will be watching you to make sure everything is okay.The other ladies are right-drink plenty of water on the day of and after and at least for me-I didn't have a heavy meal before I went in(just something light,and if I felt like eating after treatment,I would.).They will send you home with anti-nausea meds and give you some before they give you your chemo drugs.
I think taking Fridays off is a good idea.And the head shaving party sounds great! It sounds like you have lots of support!I started losing my hair right before my second treatment. My husband and I had our own little "head shaving evening" complete with spa treatment by him and then out for dinner at the mall(I had a hat to wear by this time) and wig shopping.I ended up not liking anything I saw so I just wore hats,and when I felt comfortable and the weather got warmer I didn't wear anything..
I have heard from friends who have had it that taxol doesn't have as bad of side effects as A/C has..but everyone is different so...
I hope that your first and all your treatments go well!
Keep us posted and we are here for you with our encouragement and experience if you have any more questions as you go along.
Thank you all so much for the advice. I try so hard to act like I am not scared to my family and my kids. It is only to you ladies that I can be honest...cuz you all know what I am thinking and going to go thru soon.
I will be drinking 2 or 3 that are 34.oz a piece before chemo and after..I drink at least that now or more, so the drinking water will not be hard for me to do. I went and got lots of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, Lysol ( my neighbor and I do a quick cleanse of the house the night before Chemo. I bought yogurt, gram-crackers, jello, pudding, protein shakes and carnation instant breakfast mix.
I am going to stop by Sonic on the way to chemo and get a Route 44 oz glass cup of ice to chew on during chemo. (they have the best ice ever, for those of you who have a Sonic).
What is the best thing to eat before going to chemo, like toast and peanut butter or a bagel and cream cheese, that is what I was thinking? How about drinking coffee morning of chemo, I LOVE COFFEE!! I don't think I can got with out at least one big a&& cup.
Thank you again for all the great advice, I wish I could meet some of you wonderful ladies for lunch one day. Anyone live in the DFW area on this site?
Jen (3 days to chemo)0 -
Hi Jen, I drink coffeegobluegirl90 said:AC CHEMO advice thanks xoxox
Thank you all so much for the advice. I try so hard to act like I am not scared to my family and my kids. It is only to you ladies that I can be honest...cuz you all know what I am thinking and going to go thru soon.
I will be drinking 2 or 3 that are 34.oz a piece before chemo and after..I drink at least that now or more, so the drinking water will not be hard for me to do. I went and got lots of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, Lysol ( my neighbor and I do a quick cleanse of the house the night before Chemo. I bought yogurt, gram-crackers, jello, pudding, protein shakes and carnation instant breakfast mix.
I am going to stop by Sonic on the way to chemo and get a Route 44 oz glass cup of ice to chew on during chemo. (they have the best ice ever, for those of you who have a Sonic).
What is the best thing to eat before going to chemo, like toast and peanut butter or a bagel and cream cheese, that is what I was thinking? How about drinking coffee morning of chemo, I LOVE COFFEE!! I don't think I can got with out at least one big a&& cup.
Thank you again for all the great advice, I wish I could meet some of you wonderful ladies for lunch one day. Anyone live in the DFW area on this site?
Jen (3 days to chemo)
Hi Jen, I drink coffee before and during chemo, that is when i'm not chewing on ice! You can also eat while getting chemo so take something you will enjoy. Take care
Kathie0 -
Jen, do you have a port? Igobluegirl90 said:AC CHEMO advice thanks xoxox
Thank you all so much for the advice. I try so hard to act like I am not scared to my family and my kids. It is only to you ladies that I can be honest...cuz you all know what I am thinking and going to go thru soon.
I will be drinking 2 or 3 that are 34.oz a piece before chemo and after..I drink at least that now or more, so the drinking water will not be hard for me to do. I went and got lots of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, Lysol ( my neighbor and I do a quick cleanse of the house the night before Chemo. I bought yogurt, gram-crackers, jello, pudding, protein shakes and carnation instant breakfast mix.
I am going to stop by Sonic on the way to chemo and get a Route 44 oz glass cup of ice to chew on during chemo. (they have the best ice ever, for those of you who have a Sonic).
What is the best thing to eat before going to chemo, like toast and peanut butter or a bagel and cream cheese, that is what I was thinking? How about drinking coffee morning of chemo, I LOVE COFFEE!! I don't think I can got with out at least one big a&& cup.
Thank you again for all the great advice, I wish I could meet some of you wonderful ladies for lunch one day. Anyone live in the DFW area on this site?
Jen (3 days to chemo)
Jen, do you have a port? I ask that because if not it is not a good idea to drink coffee before your chemo. I did the first time and my nurse had a heck of a time getting a vein. She said I needed to drink water before to "plump up the veins" and make it easier for her. Once she had started the infusion, drinking coffee was fine. Now, I will also say that some of our docs differ and if you are not sure, call and ask that question. Good luck, you will be just fine.0 -
I had to have my coffee.MyTurnNow said:Jen, do you have a port? I
Jen, do you have a port? I ask that because if not it is not a good idea to drink coffee before your chemo. I did the first time and my nurse had a heck of a time getting a vein. She said I needed to drink water before to "plump up the veins" and make it easier for her. Once she had started the infusion, drinking coffee was fine. Now, I will also say that some of our docs differ and if you are not sure, call and ask that question. Good luck, you will be just fine.
I had to have my coffee. Then I drank the water.0 -
Jen,gobluegirl90 said:AC CHEMO advice thanks xoxox
Thank you all so much for the advice. I try so hard to act like I am not scared to my family and my kids. It is only to you ladies that I can be honest...cuz you all know what I am thinking and going to go thru soon.
I will be drinking 2 or 3 that are 34.oz a piece before chemo and after..I drink at least that now or more, so the drinking water will not be hard for me to do. I went and got lots of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, Lysol ( my neighbor and I do a quick cleanse of the house the night before Chemo. I bought yogurt, gram-crackers, jello, pudding, protein shakes and carnation instant breakfast mix.
I am going to stop by Sonic on the way to chemo and get a Route 44 oz glass cup of ice to chew on during chemo. (they have the best ice ever, for those of you who have a Sonic).
What is the best thing to eat before going to chemo, like toast and peanut butter or a bagel and cream cheese, that is what I was thinking? How about drinking coffee morning of chemo, I LOVE COFFEE!! I don't think I can got with out at least one big a&& cup.
Thank you again for all the great advice, I wish I could meet some of you wonderful ladies for lunch one day. Anyone live in the DFW area on this site?
Jen (3 days to chemo)
I ate some bread(sometimes we stopped by the grocery store on our way to chemo and I would get a couple of nice,tasty rolls from the bakery)and something to drink. Had never heard about the coffee before,but I have heard many times that it is a good idea to really keep yourself hydrated with water before having any bloodwork,chemo,whatever-because it does help your veins.Toast and peanut butter sound good-anything light like that!
You will find out what will appeal to you and what won't probably after your second round or so of chemo.At least with me and I know with some of the other ladies,chemo did a job on my taste buds(it kills all fast multiplying cells and your taste buds are just that),so I had a time finding something that was still tasty to me to eat.Some things that you may have liked before-you may not like during chemo.
And I live here in Ohio,but I would think there would be some ladies on here who live closer to you!
I know there was a thread somewhere back asking people where they lived...
Another thing-buy some plastic ware(plastic spoons,forks,etc) and use that instead of regular silverware. Chemo usually leaves a metallic taste and the silverware will just add to it..0 -
Coffee became obnoxiousgobluegirl90 said:AC CHEMO advice thanks xoxox
Thank you all so much for the advice. I try so hard to act like I am not scared to my family and my kids. It is only to you ladies that I can be honest...cuz you all know what I am thinking and going to go thru soon.
I will be drinking 2 or 3 that are 34.oz a piece before chemo and after..I drink at least that now or more, so the drinking water will not be hard for me to do. I went and got lots of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, Lysol ( my neighbor and I do a quick cleanse of the house the night before Chemo. I bought yogurt, gram-crackers, jello, pudding, protein shakes and carnation instant breakfast mix.
I am going to stop by Sonic on the way to chemo and get a Route 44 oz glass cup of ice to chew on during chemo. (they have the best ice ever, for those of you who have a Sonic).
What is the best thing to eat before going to chemo, like toast and peanut butter or a bagel and cream cheese, that is what I was thinking? How about drinking coffee morning of chemo, I LOVE COFFEE!! I don't think I can got with out at least one big a&& cup.
Thank you again for all the great advice, I wish I could meet some of you wonderful ladies for lunch one day. Anyone live in the DFW area on this site?
Jen (3 days to chemo)
Within just a few days after starting chemo, I suddenly couldn't stand the taste of coffee anymore, so I switched to tea for the duration of my A/C chemo. About three weeks after the last A/C chemo, I tried coffee, and it tasted fine. So I was able to drink coffee again during the taxol cycles.
I ate normally before chemo and was fine. I did have to avoid spicy foods, which I usually love, and I actually craved macaroni & cheese during A/C, but other than those two things, I ate pretty normally.
Now, a month out from the end of chemo, my tastebuds are really back to normal.
Hang in there, Jen--the horrible chemo stories are like horrible childbirth stories--the same thing is very unlikely to happen to you. The probability is pretty high that it will go better than you fear.
I'm 2.5-3 hours (depending upon whether I fly low!) from DFW--I live in Norman, OK. Maybe we can meet sometime!
Hugs! Sandy0 -
thank you for the information. I was born and raised in Ohio, in a small town called Defiance, Ohio. Just south of Toledo. Small world.outdoorgirl said:Jen,
I ate some bread(sometimes we stopped by the grocery store on our way to chemo and I would get a couple of nice,tasty rolls from the bakery)and something to drink. Had never heard about the coffee before,but I have heard many times that it is a good idea to really keep yourself hydrated with water before having any bloodwork,chemo,whatever-because it does help your veins.Toast and peanut butter sound good-anything light like that!
You will find out what will appeal to you and what won't probably after your second round or so of chemo.At least with me and I know with some of the other ladies,chemo did a job on my taste buds(it kills all fast multiplying cells and your taste buds are just that),so I had a time finding something that was still tasty to me to eat.Some things that you may have liked before-you may not like during chemo.
And I live here in Ohio,but I would think there would be some ladies on here who live closer to you!
I know there was a thread somewhere back asking people where they lived...
Another thing-buy some plastic ware(plastic spoons,forks,etc) and use that instead of regular silverware. Chemo usually leaves a metallic taste and the silverware will just add to it..
Thanks for the tip on the plastic ware. I love this site so full of great women and men, and great advice.
2 more days till chemo.........I am ready for my Chemo Cocktails and ready to deal with whatever it brings with it. I will not let it take my humor or spirit or ability to laugh and joke....never.0 -
hey (:LadyParvati said:Coffee became obnoxious
Within just a few days after starting chemo, I suddenly couldn't stand the taste of coffee anymore, so I switched to tea for the duration of my A/C chemo. About three weeks after the last A/C chemo, I tried coffee, and it tasted fine. So I was able to drink coffee again during the taxol cycles.
I ate normally before chemo and was fine. I did have to avoid spicy foods, which I usually love, and I actually craved macaroni & cheese during A/C, but other than those two things, I ate pretty normally.
Now, a month out from the end of chemo, my tastebuds are really back to normal.
Hang in there, Jen--the horrible chemo stories are like horrible childbirth stories--the same thing is very unlikely to happen to you. The probability is pretty high that it will go better than you fear.
I'm 2.5-3 hours (depending upon whether I fly low!) from DFW--I live in Norman, OK. Maybe we can meet sometime!
Hugs! Sandy
Hey, that's funny - I'm halfway in between you two on I35 (: I'm in Sulphur.
Jen, I found that applesauce tasted great while on chemo - my Mom thought of that one for me. That was just about the only thing I could hold down besides Saltines. Saved my bacon till they got my anti-nausea medicine worked out. I started eating a lot (and I mean a *lot*) of peanut butter toast after that. And pb&j sandwiches. Still doing that, haha. Gonna change my name to Jiffy.
Coffee tasted like soapy water to me - still doesn't taste right and I'm almost 5 weeks out from my last treatment - but if you can take it, more power to ya!
And, yeah, it's really not as bad as they make it seem on TV. The first one is scary just because... well, heck, it's just scary. But after that it's just like, "whatever, time to go chill at the cancer center, no biggy". I kind of felt "tough" or "big" when I went. And I can honestly say I've never seen any of my fellow chemo buddies lose it in a bedpan during chemo, pass out, go deathly white, etc. It's really not too bad
Take care! You're gonna get through this fine 0 -
Texas too!gobluegirl90 said:AC CHEMO advice thanks xoxox
Thank you all so much for the advice. I try so hard to act like I am not scared to my family and my kids. It is only to you ladies that I can be honest...cuz you all know what I am thinking and going to go thru soon.
I will be drinking 2 or 3 that are 34.oz a piece before chemo and after..I drink at least that now or more, so the drinking water will not be hard for me to do. I went and got lots of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, Lysol ( my neighbor and I do a quick cleanse of the house the night before Chemo. I bought yogurt, gram-crackers, jello, pudding, protein shakes and carnation instant breakfast mix.
I am going to stop by Sonic on the way to chemo and get a Route 44 oz glass cup of ice to chew on during chemo. (they have the best ice ever, for those of you who have a Sonic).
What is the best thing to eat before going to chemo, like toast and peanut butter or a bagel and cream cheese, that is what I was thinking? How about drinking coffee morning of chemo, I LOVE COFFEE!! I don't think I can got with out at least one big a&& cup.
Thank you again for all the great advice, I wish I could meet some of you wonderful ladies for lunch one day. Anyone live in the DFW area on this site?
Jen (3 days to chemo)
Well I am in the Waco area so a little further down I 35, actually take treatment in Temple Tx so just a little more down 35! I agree with you on Sonic their ice is the best! Best of luck on Thurs. and God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice0
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