1st chemo treatment today

labtech said:

Hi Jackie,
Thank you for
Hi Jackie,

Thank you for writing me, i can use all the friends i can get. I keep waiting for something to happen to me since i had my first treatment yesterday but so far i feel good, i guess it takes a few days for your body to react. i am taking a anti nausea pill in the am and pm so it's helping me a lot. i take lorazapam for sleep at night. i think i will visit a place today i heard about for wigs and scarves, i should get my prescription filled in case i need it. how are you feeling? if you don't mind my asking what stage/type of CA do you have? i hope you are feeling well and we can talk again soon.

love,
Tracey

Hi Tracey
Thanks for asking..I am feeling pretty good. The steroids they give with the chemo keep me up for hours but i use that chance to get things done around my house. I do also take lorazapam (ativan) for nausea and sleep and anxiety. I seem to only need it for about the first week. Chemo is not as bad as it was years ago and the anti-nausea drugs given help so much. I have become accumulatively tired with my treatments. I am on #4 out of 6. I seem to need a nap in the afternoon. but i still go to work when i can. They are good letting me choose my days and hours. The last week before my next treatment i get to feeling more like myself again. Just watch out for depression, mine comes about the first week after chemo. you may need an anti-depression med. It is normal as the chemo has such a emotional effect as well as physiological on our bodies and minds.

I do not mind telling you what stage/type..that is what we are here for. to help others and ourselves with all the wonderful answers and info our sisters give to us on this board.
I have stage 111a with 6 pos. lymph nodes taken out of 23.I had mastectomy Dec. 2nd on my left breast, I am pos. for the estrogen receptors so that means i will get Herceptin for a year. This is a good thing as it only targets the cancer cells and leaves the rest alone.My hair will grow back YEAH! I will be done with with my regular chemo around the first part of May and then will wait 3 weeks to begin radiation. There is no place around me in the remote area of MT. to receive this. I am still waiting to see if medicaid comes through for me. I want to go to Denver and stay with my daughter for the 6 weeks this will be done. But don't know without the ins. what will happen. I may have to stay in Mt. and travel...i do not want to be alone through this..so thats my big worry. I am going to contact the ACS with my questions. I hear it takes quite awhile to go through the medicaid ap. and they have a special part of medicaid for breast and cervical cancer and thats what i am going for.
As for wigs and scarves i got some cute ones through TLC from the American Cancer society (and wigs) If you google this you will find a variety of really nice good quality ones.
I am wishing you all the luck in the world. and we all need all the friends we can get!!
hugs
jackie

rjjj said:

Hi Tracey
Thanks for asking..I am feeling pretty good. The steroids they give with the chemo keep me up for hours but i use that chance to get things done around my house. I do also take lorazapam (ativan) for nausea and sleep and anxiety. I seem to only need it for about the first week. Chemo is not as bad as it was years ago and the anti-nausea drugs given help so much. I have become accumulatively tired with my treatments. I am on #4 out of 6. I seem to need a nap in the afternoon. but i still go to work when i can. They are good letting me choose my days and hours. The last week before my next treatment i get to feeling more like myself again. Just watch out for depression, mine comes about the first week after chemo. you may need an anti-depression med. It is normal as the chemo has such a emotional effect as well as physiological on our bodies and minds.

I do not mind telling you what stage/type..that is what we are here for. to help others and ourselves with all the wonderful answers and info our sisters give to us on this board.
I have stage 111a with 6 pos. lymph nodes taken out of 23.I had mastectomy Dec. 2nd on my left breast, I am pos. for the estrogen receptors so that means i will get Herceptin for a year. This is a good thing as it only targets the cancer cells and leaves the rest alone.My hair will grow back YEAH! I will be done with with my regular chemo around the first part of May and then will wait 3 weeks to begin radiation. There is no place around me in the remote area of MT. to receive this. I am still waiting to see if medicaid comes through for me. I want to go to Denver and stay with my daughter for the 6 weeks this will be done. But don't know without the ins. what will happen. I may have to stay in Mt. and travel...i do not want to be alone through this..so thats my big worry. I am going to contact the ACS with my questions. I hear it takes quite awhile to go through the medicaid ap. and they have a special part of medicaid for breast and cervical cancer and thats what i am going for.
As for wigs and scarves i got some cute ones through TLC from the American Cancer society (and wigs) If you google this you will find a variety of really nice good quality ones.
I am wishing you all the luck in the world. and we all need all the friends we can get!!
hugs
jackie

Jackie, im sure the
Jackie, im sure the insurance will come through for you it has to. i know the feeling i am out of work and trying to keep my insurance going and applied for food stamps but they are giving me such a hard time. i am only allowed 13 wks of leave from the hospital and then im on my own. these treatments will go beyond that and then i still have surgery to look at, it's very scary when you don't know where to turn. I will pray for you as i do for all of us. good luck.

Tracey

tommaseena said:

Wish
Tracey,
I wish I had only 11 more treatments but we are all different. I have 3 more of my first cocktail round then 6 treatments on my second cocktail round and then 52 treatments on my 3rd cocktail round.

Just like the others have said take the anti-nausea meds-they have helped me. Also small meals help-even if it is a few crackers.

I hope your evening is better.

Hugs sent your way.

Margo

Oh Margo,
I do feel for you
Oh Margo,

I do feel for you i shouldn't complain at all. i am sorry, better this morning just took the meds and will get a bit to eat in a while. it's amazing what our bodies can go through. are you taking Glutamine Powder? they told me about it to help Neuropathy and aches and pain. I was going to buy some but not sure it really works?


hugs,

Tracey

tommaseena said:

taking for bone pain
I have bone pain from the Neulasta shot they give me the day after my chemo treatment and I take Claratin(spelling?) and it helps a great deal. Are you having the Neulasta shot as well if so ask your Dr. about taking Claratin--I buy the generic version.

Margo

I don't think they will give
I don't think they will give me the shot they haven't said anything as of yet and i think i would have got it already??? i dont' know this is all so confusing. i go monday for more blood work and then wednesday for the treatments so we'll see how things go.

Tracey

Margo and Tracy: it will be better
My first round was also the worst. I received compazine instead of Ativan (had Emend from the first, which is wonderful) for the nausea. I had an allergic reaction and found my jaws locking up!! Was so scared--put a pencil between my teeth just to keep them from locking. Turned out all I had to do was take Benadryl (in earlier years, they used to hand out Benedryl w/ the Compazine). Compazine also dried my mouth horribly--could not eat anything. Not to mention the sleeplessness from the steriods.

But the good news is all that was taken care of. Both from reporting to my oncologist and, especially, seeking advice from the wonderful women here. They are a treasure of information, experience, humor, compassion, and support, as you have already found. My second treatment was much better as was the third. Yesterday was my fourth out of 6th.

So, I promise you there are treatments/meds, OTC and others, and support to help you with any symptoms you have. Give yourself permission to be tired and just rest. Your body is fighting for you and needs the rest to do that.

Keep in touch, and let us know how you are doing. We are all cheering you on in this fight.