Pet Scan Results

Reikigemgirl

mmontero38 said:

Sorry Vicki that you have to
Sorry Vicki that you have to go through this too. I also had Adriamycin, Cytoxan and 5FU cocktail every 3 weeks for 8 rounds. The chemo cocktail has a cumulative effect, so the first couple of rounds may not bother you. Make sure your oncologist gives you medication for the nausea. Stay on top of the meds, because if you allow yourself to get sick or start to feel nauseas, then it will be harder to loose that feeling. I would take the pill before I went for the treatment, then I would follow the directions and take it for at least 3 or 4 days. Be prepared to loose you hair within 2 weeks of your first chemo. Mine started falling out exactly 17 days after the first dose and I had mine buzzed off. Your hair follicles will start to hurt and that's how you will know that it's time to buzz it off. I'm glad your doctor is sending you for the muga. Basically, it's a specialized ultrasound of your heart to make sure their is no damage. The adriamycin tends to cause heart disease and congestive heart failure in people that have a history of heart disease, so make sure you let your oncologist know, if anyone in your family has had heart problems.

The Arimidex doesn't cause you to have side effects right away, other than maybe a few nore hot flashes and flushes. The joint pain and muscle aches may or may not come later as you continue to take it. Make sure you take 1200 mg of calcium every day as it does cause osteoporosis and ask your oncologist to check your vitamin D levels. Mine had me go on 2000 iu of vit d every day since my levels were low.

Also, get a complete blood work. The Arimidex causes high cholesterol in about 5% of the persons taking it. So, if you have a base line to start with, they will be able to monitor that and know if the medication is causing your cholesterol to rise.

I know it's a lot to absorb, and we feel so overwhelmed when we are given a cancer diagnosis. Take your time to read over our replies, buy a note pad and right down all your questions as you think of them so that you don't forget any next time you visit your oncologist. We're all here to tell you our experiences and help out in any way we can. In the meantime, feel our presence over your shoulder as you go down this unwanted road. You're not alone in your journey. Hugs, Lili

Mmontero38
Thanks for taking the time to tell me all of this information. Heart disease does run in my family as a matter of fact, that is what everyone gets. I am the first one to ever get cancer. So good thing I am having the MUGA test.

The doctor gave me Compazine for nausea but I might ask for something extra when I go. He said they also put meds in me through the port before the chemo.

They said my infusion will only last 2 1/2 hours so I am glad for that.

I already have my wig and have some other headcoverings coming in the mail so I will be set for when my hair falls out. Except emotionally. I heard that is really hard on ya. Hey, it will grow back is the way I figure it.

Thanks again for all the info. Love and Light,

Vicki

Reikigemgirl

lynn1950 said:

Meds for SEs of Chemo
Hi Vicki,Glad to meet you, although sorry it had to be through this Board! My treatment was different. I had surgery first, then chemo and rads. I was glad to see that EMLA cream was mentioned to use before accessing the port for blood draws and chemo. You put it on an hour before you're going to get poked and VOILA - the procedure is painless. The nurses where I received treatment gave me a big transparent plastic patch to place over the port area so the EMLA lotion didn't get on my clothes while it was working its magic.

I carried a big black with white polka dots bag (a gift from Susan B. Komen) with me to my appointments. In it were the patches, a book to read, the EMLA cream, a little notebook for questions and answers, a schedule and Chemo record book (all the meds were recorded in it by the chemo nurses) and a 3-ring binder from the cancer center that had chemo and rad FAQs, phone numbers, and a place to file copies of my labs and medical records.

Prior to the the Cytoxin and Adriamycin infusion, I was always given Emend and a steroid. This steroid kept me up all night after my first chemo. After that happened, Ativan was prescribed for the first couple of days after each chemo to help me sleep. You may want to ask for something at your first treatment.

Please keep coming here for support and information. xoxoxoxo Lynn

thanks to all
for all of the information and well wishes. What a great group of people you are!!

Love and Light,
Vicki

Noel

Reikigemgirl said:

thanks to all
for all of the information and well wishes. What a great group of people you are!!

Love and Light,
Vicki

Your scan news is great! I
Your scan news is great! I wish you all the best with chemo. Many on here have taken it or are on it, and, will be a wealth of information for you.

♠♥ Noel ♥♠

susie09

mlmjt1 said:

Hi Vicki
Im sorry to hear about the lymphnode involvement but relieved that the pet scan came back clear.

You will really appreciate the port. All of your labs and chemo will be given thru the port. The chemo cocktail you will get is what I have had for the last 6 wks 2 weeks apart. I have 1 more to go then will start taxol/herceptin.

When you go tomorrow, ask for a prescription for EMLA cream. May as well do it right away. Its a cream that you blob on right over the port about 1 hour before they access the port which will make the needle stick much less painful. Put a bandaid or 2 over the cream so it doesnt get on your clothes.

Also my oncologist gives me 2 meds for nausea thru the port plus a steroid which makes the nausea meds work better before they infuse the chemo. They also send me home with emmend which is an oral nausea med for the 2 days following the chemo. I found that the day of chemo and the next day were ok for me but day 2 is like having morning sickness all day and into the evening. The following week I am pretty tired out and have less appetite but by the end of the week I start feeling better.

Hang in there and keep us posted on how you are doing.

Love'
Linda T

So happy about your scan
So happy about your scan results! Sorry that you have to do chemo though!

DianeBC

jnl said:

Glad you have your treatment
Glad you have your treatment plan going now. The scan results were great! Good luck on your chemo. Keep us updated on you Vicki!

Hugs, Leeza

Great on the scan results!
Great on the scan results! Sorry you have to take chemo, but, you can do it. Keep us updated on how you are doing.


Hugs, Diane ♥

dmc_emmy

DianeBC said:

Great on the scan results!
Great on the scan results! Sorry you have to take chemo, but, you can do it. Keep us updated on how you are doing.


Hugs, Diane ♥

Vickie...now you have a plan of action
though it was never the path you would ever have thought to find yourself--we know that all too well. The idea of a notebook is a great one. I wish I had thought about that before I had chemo.

All I thought about was food, since I knew that I would not be able to eat for days afterward, so I made a picnic lunch with all the trimmings for my driver/friend and myself. I tried to make the best out of lousy situation. I was in chemo anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours. It was a crummy way to spend an afternoon. I thought I would read, but I tended to fall asleep after we had our picnic lunch, due to all the pre-meds I was given for nausea. During that time, my friend became friends with a fellow chemo patient and they are still friends today. We even included her in our picnics.

Well, so much for looking back on time I wish I could forget. Wish you well as you begin chemo and, remember, we are always here to "walk" beside you.
dmc

Reikigemgirl

dmc_emmy said:

Vickie...now you have a plan of action
though it was never the path you would ever have thought to find yourself--we know that all too well. The idea of a notebook is a great one. I wish I had thought about that before I had chemo.

All I thought about was food, since I knew that I would not be able to eat for days afterward, so I made a picnic lunch with all the trimmings for my driver/friend and myself. I tried to make the best out of lousy situation. I was in chemo anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours. It was a crummy way to spend an afternoon. I thought I would read, but I tended to fall asleep after we had our picnic lunch, due to all the pre-meds I was given for nausea. During that time, my friend became friends with a fellow chemo patient and they are still friends today. We even included her in our picnics.

Well, so much for looking back on time I wish I could forget. Wish you well as you begin chemo and, remember, we are always here to "walk" beside you.
dmc

Upset my fiance won't be able to be with me.....
during chemo. He is laid off right now and we had it all planned he would be with me and when I asked if he could come in they said "we don't encourage that because their isn't enough room in there". Then she added quickly to try and appease me, he can come in if their is room. I saw in the room, their wasn't any extra room. It's just a room with blaring white lights lined with recliners. I saw a small t.v. but it only faced one side of the room so not sure what the other side was supposed to do. They don't serve any food but you are allowed to bring your own if you want. Since my infusion is only to take 2 1/2 hours I think I'll only bring crackers. All of you here on the board said to eat during to help with nausea so I am going to try that.

Well, I start on Thursday!!

Love and Light,
Vicki

dmc_emmy

Reikigemgirl said:

Upset my fiance won't be able to be with me.....
during chemo. He is laid off right now and we had it all planned he would be with me and when I asked if he could come in they said "we don't encourage that because their isn't enough room in there". Then she added quickly to try and appease me, he can come in if their is room. I saw in the room, their wasn't any extra room. It's just a room with blaring white lights lined with recliners. I saw a small t.v. but it only faced one side of the room so not sure what the other side was supposed to do. They don't serve any food but you are allowed to bring your own if you want. Since my infusion is only to take 2 1/2 hours I think I'll only bring crackers. All of you here on the board said to eat during to help with nausea so I am going to try that.

Well, I start on Thursday!!

Love and Light,
Vicki

I'm sorry to hear that your chemo set-up
doesn't allow for someone to come with you. It made so much difference for me. I guess, knowing that your fiance is in the other room waiting for you is better than nothing. It was good that I had a driver, except for one time, because I was do drugged-up that I was a hazard on the road. But, that's just me, maybe, I would make a lousy drug addict (I got loopy on Benedryl and couldn't even walk to the bathroom without help-the onc nurses told me that I would be a cheap date--ha ha).

As for the food, if you can, you might want to bring more than just crackers. If you experience any kind of nausea you may not be interested in food after chemo. Also, I forgot to mention, you will want to have plenty of liquid to drink--ice water is best. The ice helps to minimize possible mouth sores, too.

Good luck to you.
dmc