4 down 2 to go
Hoping that Mimi, Moopy and all the others a good day tomorrow at your treatments. We will get through them. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I did have a question. I haven't needed the nuelasta shot yet. Do they check your blood work everytime to see if it is needed or do they just give it to you. My labs have been good so far so i have avoided it.
Have a good night and peaceful dreams
jackie
Comments
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Hi, Jackie!
They check your blood work every time and give you Nulasta 24 hours after chemo if the bloodwork warrants. I have to have the shot every single time, as many do. I am proud of you that you haven't needed it so far. That means your immune system is in better shape than most. So pat yourself on the back for that.
I am finding, too, that I am more tired, even this third week. My labs last week were down, both in white and red blood counts. So I will probably need to start iron supplements. I am glad you are not having that pressure/stress. After all, I am doing everything I can but really can't control my numbers! I do reassured that it is not just me being more tired. I was worried about that as I don't bounce back like I did.
The steroids do help with getting work done, don't they? I,unfortunately, also get red, puffy cheeks for awhile. Like a chipmunk.
Oh, I also made an appt for mid-May, between chemo and radiation, with my oncologist in St. Louise. Will be asking for her help on post-treatment trials,studies for triple negative and also about bone strengtheners. So, I am feeling pro-active today!
Hope you get some rest after the steriods wind down. Atavan is a wonder, isn't it?0 -
way to go!
I'm so happy for you, Jackie. The light at the end of the tunnel is indeed near. I also got more tired with each treatment, although I have always perked up by week 2. Hope that the fifth one is like that, too. As for the Neulasta shot, I get it every time regardless. My white blood cell counts are always really high, but they want me to have them anyway. My red cells were low last time and I had a iron shot along with my neulasta. Ugh. I have always been prone to anemia though, so the chemo only made it worse. I am going to ask my doctor why I need the Neulasta despite my good counts, though.
Moopy, it's funny that you get flushed after the steriods. I get dealthy, dealthy pale. I am on them right now and kind of hopped up
.
Jackie, have a nice nap and continue to feel good. You are almost there!!!0 -
Hi MoopyMoopy23 said:Hi, Jackie!
They check your blood work every time and give you Nulasta 24 hours after chemo if the bloodwork warrants. I have to have the shot every single time, as many do. I am proud of you that you haven't needed it so far. That means your immune system is in better shape than most. So pat yourself on the back for that.
I am finding, too, that I am more tired, even this third week. My labs last week were down, both in white and red blood counts. So I will probably need to start iron supplements. I am glad you are not having that pressure/stress. After all, I am doing everything I can but really can't control my numbers! I do reassured that it is not just me being more tired. I was worried about that as I don't bounce back like I did.
The steroids do help with getting work done, don't they? I,unfortunately, also get red, puffy cheeks for awhile. Like a chipmunk.
Oh, I also made an appt for mid-May, between chemo and radiation, with my oncologist in St. Louise. Will be asking for her help on post-treatment trials,studies for triple negative and also about bone strengtheners. So, I am feeling pro-active today!
Hope you get some rest after the steriods wind down. Atavan is a wonder, isn't it?
I also have the red puffy cheeks today and am sure by tomorrow i will be tired again. I just hope that feeling of depression and despair do not follow again. I get to feeling so much better (depression wise) the week or so before treatment that i almost forget about the gloomy feelings. I hate that part the most. I pray that we all will experience joy, laughter and life without fear again. and the sooner the better!!!
I am so glad you and Joe are going to St. Louis and I am hopeful for you to find the best post-treatment offers available. I have a strong feeling in my heart that you will Moopy. Don't know why but know in my knower that you are goings to kick the beasts ****!!! You ARE proactive!
prayers and love to you.
your other sister jackie0 -
Thanks MIMImimivac said:way to go!
I'm so happy for you, Jackie. The light at the end of the tunnel is indeed near. I also got more tired with each treatment, although I have always perked up by week 2. Hope that the fifth one is like that, too. As for the Neulasta shot, I get it every time regardless. My white blood cell counts are always really high, but they want me to have them anyway. My red cells were low last time and I had a iron shot along with my neulasta. Ugh. I have always been prone to anemia though, so the chemo only made it worse. I am going to ask my doctor why I need the Neulasta despite my good counts, though.
Moopy, it's funny that you get flushed after the steriods. I get dealthy, dealthy pale. I am on them right now and kind of hopped up.
Jackie, have a nice nap and continue to feel good. You are almost there!!!
I have heard that some people get it regardless. Maybe as a prevention, but i am glad i don't get them if i don't really need them. I've heard there are side-effects with the shot just like every other thing we take i guess.
You are almost there girl! your one up on Moopy and i right? I think the rads will be way more tolerable. anyway I'm going to keep thinking this unless proven wrong!! I am trying to stay as positive as possible this time and am hoping the depression doesn't come sneaking back in!
My best to you tomorrow and every day!
hugs
Jackie0 -
Angelsrjjj said:Hi Moopy
I also have the red puffy cheeks today and am sure by tomorrow i will be tired again. I just hope that feeling of depression and despair do not follow again. I get to feeling so much better (depression wise) the week or so before treatment that i almost forget about the gloomy feelings. I hate that part the most. I pray that we all will experience joy, laughter and life without fear again. and the sooner the better!!!
I am so glad you and Joe are going to St. Louis and I am hopeful for you to find the best post-treatment offers available. I have a strong feeling in my heart that you will Moopy. Don't know why but know in my knower that you are goings to kick the beasts ****!!! You ARE proactive!
prayers and love to you.
your other sister jackie
Thank you, Jackie, for your faith and belief in me. You and Mimi have saved me from despair often these last months. You are my angels.
You and all our sisters here have been a blessing every day and night since Joe found this board. You have eased Joe's burden so he doesn't feel alone, either. (Dont' you think our husbands or significant others really appreciate this board, too? I kow Joe does.)
I am hoping that with us so close now to the end of chemo that the emotional impact will not be as intense. Joyce described it so well. I had not thought of how chemo affects our minds/emotions until I read her post awhile back. So, I pray too that those feelings will not be part of this treatment for you, my other sister Jackie, or any of us. And if they are, just post or send a message. All of us will be here. (You can also send your phone number to me via message if you would like a call; when you hear a strong Southern accent, you'll know it's Moopy on the line.)
Well, I am jealous, Mimi. There you are with nicely pale skin, which poets always wax on about, and Jackie and I have got red. Red is not a good color for me.
I wonder as well why you get the Nulasta shot. That is wonderful that you also have excellent blood counts. One less thing to worry about. Mine have been good until this week, when they dropped a couple of points. Thanks for telling me about the iron shot--didn't know about shots! Was thinking of pills.
Will let you know what Dr. Horn at Barnes-Jewish tells me. She has been in practice for over 20 years with her husband and is very direct and agressive in her approach. I like her and trust her a lot. My local oncologist is charming (truly,not like Dr. Charisma-Bypass)and very bright, just out of school for a few years. So I get the young new doc's opinion and the older, experienced doc's. (So far, they have not agreed, and I went with the experienced one.)
Rest well, dear Jackie. And Mimi, you and Simon have a good evening. We will have a good day tomorrow, you and I and our sisters getting their first treatment. (I am taking the Anti-Cancer book, by the way. So glad you told me about it.)0 -
Depressionrjjj said:Hi Moopy
I also have the red puffy cheeks today and am sure by tomorrow i will be tired again. I just hope that feeling of depression and despair do not follow again. I get to feeling so much better (depression wise) the week or so before treatment that i almost forget about the gloomy feelings. I hate that part the most. I pray that we all will experience joy, laughter and life without fear again. and the sooner the better!!!
I am so glad you and Joe are going to St. Louis and I am hopeful for you to find the best post-treatment offers available. I have a strong feeling in my heart that you will Moopy. Don't know why but know in my knower that you are goings to kick the beasts ****!!! You ARE proactive!
prayers and love to you.
your other sister jackie
Well, I certainly know about the depression during our worst chemo moments. Feeling ill is bad for the mind as well as the body. Yes, Jackie, I too often forget how down in the dumps I get during my bad days. The third week is so pleasant that I think it'll be a breeze. Well, it rarely is. But regardless, I think we are learning to manage our depression, too. At least we are aware of when it comes and why.
Moopy, I am excited about your trip to St. Louis, too. The experienced doc. sounds wonderful. Tell us all about it.0 -
You are sweet, MoopyMoopy23 said:Angels
Thank you, Jackie, for your faith and belief in me. You and Mimi have saved me from despair often these last months. You are my angels.
You and all our sisters here have been a blessing every day and night since Joe found this board. You have eased Joe's burden so he doesn't feel alone, either. (Dont' you think our husbands or significant others really appreciate this board, too? I kow Joe does.)
I am hoping that with us so close now to the end of chemo that the emotional impact will not be as intense. Joyce described it so well. I had not thought of how chemo affects our minds/emotions until I read her post awhile back. So, I pray too that those feelings will not be part of this treatment for you, my other sister Jackie, or any of us. And if they are, just post or send a message. All of us will be here. (You can also send your phone number to me via message if you would like a call; when you hear a strong Southern accent, you'll know it's Moopy on the line.)
Well, I am jealous, Mimi. There you are with nicely pale skin, which poets always wax on about, and Jackie and I have got red. Red is not a good color for me.
I wonder as well why you get the Nulasta shot. That is wonderful that you also have excellent blood counts. One less thing to worry about. Mine have been good until this week, when they dropped a couple of points. Thanks for telling me about the iron shot--didn't know about shots! Was thinking of pills.
Will let you know what Dr. Horn at Barnes-Jewish tells me. She has been in practice for over 20 years with her husband and is very direct and agressive in her approach. I like her and trust her a lot. My local oncologist is charming (truly,not like Dr. Charisma-Bypass)and very bright, just out of school for a few years. So I get the young new doc's opinion and the older, experienced doc's. (So far, they have not agreed, and I went with the experienced one.)
Rest well, dear Jackie. And Mimi, you and Simon have a good evening. We will have a good day tomorrow, you and I and our sisters getting their first treatment. (I am taking the Anti-Cancer book, by the way. So glad you told me about it.)
And definitely an angel to me and Jackie as well. I always look forward to your posts and seeing your smiling face. You've helped many women on this board. I love how this is so much a "give and take" kind of place. You get encouragment, hope and then give it back to someone else. What could be more satisfying?
As for my pale skin -- think ghostlike and sickly! It's definitely not a good look.
I will send you my number in a PM. Wouldn't want one of the snake oil salepersons that lurk around here to get it. Moopy, I never imagined you with a southern accent. Where are you originally from?
Have a great night with Joe, and best of luck tomorrow. 4 down!!!! I'll see you around here soon.
Mimi0 -
Good For you!!!!
Congrats on making your way toward Life After Cancer! The light at the end of the tunnel is all of us cheering you on!
Neulasta is only given if your white counts get depleted to the point of making the next infusion questionable. It is given the day after chemo so that your system has enough time to speed up the White prduction in time for the next go-round. I only didn't need it once...and whereas I am very thankful it existed for me, I HATED the side effects of it more than anything the chemo did. I am both happy and jealous that you don't need it! LOL
You are almost finished...HOORAY!!!!!
Hugs,
Claudia0 -
Warm fuzziesmimivac said:You are sweet, Moopy
And definitely an angel to me and Jackie as well. I always look forward to your posts and seeing your smiling face. You've helped many women on this board. I love how this is so much a "give and take" kind of place. You get encouragment, hope and then give it back to someone else. What could be more satisfying?
As for my pale skin -- think ghostlike and sickly! It's definitely not a good look.
I will send you my number in a PM. Wouldn't want one of the snake oil salepersons that lurk around here to get it. Moopy, I never imagined you with a southern accent. Where are you originally from?
Have a great night with Joe, and best of luck tomorrow. 4 down!!!! I'll see you around here soon.
Mimi
You are such awesome sisters. Thanks but you are my angels also. Just wishing you both and all our other sisters the best today. With the renewal of spring i pray for joy and renewal of all the happiness possible that will come into our lives!!
Mimi, I LOVE the new pic. Is that you in the wedding dress? How very beautiful!!
luv
jackie0 -
I joined the "Four Down" club tonight!chenheart said:Good For you!!!!
Congrats on making your way toward Life After Cancer! The light at the end of the tunnel is all of us cheering you on!
Neulasta is only given if your white counts get depleted to the point of making the next infusion questionable. It is given the day after chemo so that your system has enough time to speed up the White prduction in time for the next go-round. I only didn't need it once...and whereas I am very thankful it existed for me, I HATED the side effects of it more than anything the chemo did. I am both happy and jealous that you don't need it! LOL
You are almost finished...HOORAY!!!!!
Hugs,
Claudia
Jackie, we may not be in the "Five Down" club like Mimi is, but we all got through just fine! To you sisters just beginning your chemo, please be confident that you will make it too.
My oncologist today volunteered: "Lisa, you're handing the chemo really well!" Did I happen to mention that I really like this guy? The infusion itself went fine, and now I'm just a bit sore and really tired. I'm really looking forward to my Ativan tonight.
Wishing everyone a good night!
Moopy0 -
Neulasta shotMoopy23 said:I joined the "Four Down" club tonight!
Jackie, we may not be in the "Five Down" club like Mimi is, but we all got through just fine! To you sisters just beginning your chemo, please be confident that you will make it too.
My oncologist today volunteered: "Lisa, you're handing the chemo really well!" Did I happen to mention that I really like this guy? The infusion itself went fine, and now I'm just a bit sore and really tired. I'm really looking forward to my Ativan tonight.
Wishing everyone a good night!
Moopy
My understanding is that because my schedule for chemo treatments are every other week right now and then once a week after that for a long period of time that I need the Neulasta shot because my treatment schedule is so close together that it doesn't give your own system enough time to build up the white blood cells fast enough so the shot is what boosts this. If someone is on therapy once every 3 or 4 weeks then ones body system has time to build the white blood cells back up.
To be given the Neulasta shot because of of ones counts being low is not always the case. My counts were fine but where I have my treatments every other week they do this so I can have my treatments every other week because if I don't then I would be on chemo treatments for longer than 1 year and 4 months.
Some bone pain from Neulasta shot but if you take Claritin for 5 days following the shot it significantly helps with the bone pain.
Hope treatments go smoothly for all.
Margo0 -
Why Neulasta?tommaseena said:Neulasta shot
My understanding is that because my schedule for chemo treatments are every other week right now and then once a week after that for a long period of time that I need the Neulasta shot because my treatment schedule is so close together that it doesn't give your own system enough time to build up the white blood cells fast enough so the shot is what boosts this. If someone is on therapy once every 3 or 4 weeks then ones body system has time to build the white blood cells back up.
To be given the Neulasta shot because of of ones counts being low is not always the case. My counts were fine but where I have my treatments every other week they do this so I can have my treatments every other week because if I don't then I would be on chemo treatments for longer than 1 year and 4 months.
Some bone pain from Neulasta shot but if you take Claritin for 5 days following the shot it significantly helps with the bone pain.
Hope treatments go smoothly for all.
Margo
Margo, I asked yesterday and found you are right: getting it also depends on your treatment plan. With some plans, the oncologists order the shot regardless of the actual white blood count. Mimi and I are on the same treatment, so that probably explains why she gets the shot although her white count is always high.0 -
In my thoughtsMoopy23 said:Why Neulasta?
Margo, I asked yesterday and found you are right: getting it also depends on your treatment plan. With some plans, the oncologists order the shot regardless of the actual white blood count. Mimi and I are on the same treatment, so that probably explains why she gets the shot although her white count is always high.
Jackie,
Hi I am glad you have one more treatment done. I will be going in on Friday March 20 for number 3. I also have chipmunk cheeks that turn a lovely shade of red. I am seeing a therapsit at the cancer center on the 19th. I am also having a hard time with depression thru the chemo. I have been reading everyones posting but have not posted very much lately. I will be keeping you, Moopey and Mimi in my thoughts this week as well as all the other sisters. I am just struggling with how low I feel at times. I do have good days but I feel like ctying so often. Please know I think of all of you so many times each and everyday. Love, Nancy0 -
Good to Hear from You, Nancy
Though I am sorry to hear you have been struggling with depression. It seems almost unavoidable with the chemo. I know Jackie and I and Mimi and others have posted about it. Joyce has made good points about how it is the chemo affecting our moods, and they do seem worse just after the treatments.
I manage better now that I have been on Zoloft; also, I notice I am more depressed when I am tired. I try to allow for that. Joe knows my pattern now and is usally able to help me see a lot of it is the tiredness.A therapist is a great idea, though. I think a visit should really help. Please let us know how it goes.
I am thinking of you and hoping you will feel stronger emotionally soon. The troughs we sometimes fall into can be hard to climb out of, but time and knowing you are not alone helps, I find. (and the meds!)
Sending you a hug and hoping Mike's Sunshine will be smiling again soon.0 -
Hi NancyMikes Sunshine said:In my thoughts
Jackie,
Hi I am glad you have one more treatment done. I will be going in on Friday March 20 for number 3. I also have chipmunk cheeks that turn a lovely shade of red. I am seeing a therapsit at the cancer center on the 19th. I am also having a hard time with depression thru the chemo. I have been reading everyones posting but have not posted very much lately. I will be keeping you, Moopey and Mimi in my thoughts this week as well as all the other sisters. I am just struggling with how low I feel at times. I do have good days but I feel like ctying so often. Please know I think of all of you so many times each and everyday. Love, Nancy
I have missed you! I think besides all that we are going through and the effects of the chemo are bound to make us depressed. Cry? i never know when the tears are going to come. Sometimes it is embarrassing when i am in public talking to someone and out of the blue i am raining teardrops. I have even told people this is a side-effect of the chemo. And i guess in away it is. It is also my fear and uncertainty. I take celexa for depression but don't really know that it helps. Moopy is right when she says alot of it can be from being tired. I always have become a grouchy ole bear when over-tired. Yesterday i was only up long enough to eat something and crawl back in bed. Didn't even have enough energy to watch TV. That was really depressing. I will try again today. But i know that rest is what i need the most. To bad we can't just hibrenate until spring or this is over !!!lol
I will be thinking and praying for you on the 20th and hoping you will feel like posting, so we can be here to hold each others hand. One fine day we will be doin the happy nekked dance of our own!!I will be dancing right beside you.
Love
Jackie0 -
Lights Cheering Us Onchenheart said:Good For you!!!!
Congrats on making your way toward Life After Cancer! The light at the end of the tunnel is all of us cheering you on!
Neulasta is only given if your white counts get depleted to the point of making the next infusion questionable. It is given the day after chemo so that your system has enough time to speed up the White prduction in time for the next go-round. I only didn't need it once...and whereas I am very thankful it existed for me, I HATED the side effects of it more than anything the chemo did. I am both happy and jealous that you don't need it! LOL
You are almost finished...HOORAY!!!!!
Hugs,
Claudia
Claudia, what a lovely, comforting image. Thank you.
And thank you all for being a light of hope and encouragement, and a pathway through this wilderness. We may not be able to hibernate (like Jackie, I have had that thought), but the bright light of our sisters is always there for us.0
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