Chemo! OMG!!!

rene9
rene9 Member Posts: 214
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi. I started my chemo cocktail 'TAC' this past Monday and OMG! I am feeling every side effect except for the Big "C" and Big "D". I was okay during the infusion, but with the last infusion which I believe was Zofran, I got a bad headache before I even left the center. Then, once I got home the nausea kicked in and I am just starting to feel a little better. Then, the next morning when I had to take the Emend I became very dizzy. I mean I'm feeling it from nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, light headed, blurred vision, dry mouth, lose of appetite, headaches, fatigue, and even hiccups! The plan was to go back to work on Monday, but I can't even sit up long enough to eat a meal! I may not be able to work while I have the rest of my 5 treatments. But, I have an appt. with my Oncologist on Monday and hopefully I won't get anymore Zofran. I was told I needed to drink a lot of fluids to flush the meds out of me...I am really struggling! I did start eating solid foods yesterday, I want a lot of fruit and I eat freeze pops. I have 5 more treatments 3 weeks apart and I am scared of how I will feel. It's been like the flu and I am still not over it.

Help!
-rene9

Comments

  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #2
    So sorry you've been having such a bad reaction. The Zofran is supposed to help the nausea, not cause it - what a bummer!

    I do know from other postings that different anti-nausea medications work better for some than for others, and that there are MANY available to try. I would try to call your oncologist to let him/her know that the anti-nausea meds you've been taking are not working for you and see if they can call a different medication in to the pharmacy for you to try.

    You shouldn't have to suffer through the entire weekend feeling like you do now.

    Please take care of yourself, and hang in there. I hope it gets better for you soon.

    Cindy
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #3
    cindycflynn said:

    So sorry you've been having such a bad reaction. The Zofran is supposed to help the nausea, not cause it - what a bummer!

    I do know from other postings that different anti-nausea medications work better for some than for others, and that there are MANY available to try. I would try to call your oncologist to let him/her know that the anti-nausea meds you've been taking are not working for you and see if they can call a different medication in to the pharmacy for you to try.

    You shouldn't have to suffer through the entire weekend feeling like you do now.

    Please take care of yourself, and hang in there. I hope it gets better for you soon.

    Cindy

    I totally agree with Cindy. You should not go the whole weekend without calling your oncologist and getting some new meds to help you thru this. You should be able to get something else to help you to feel better.

    I am so sorry that you are having these terrible reactions to chemo. Please call your oncologist.

    Love, Jeanne ♥</♥</font>
  • Mama G
    Mama G Member Posts: 762
    #4
    Jeanne D said:

    I totally agree with Cindy. You should not go the whole weekend without calling your oncologist and getting some new meds to help you thru this. You should be able to get something else to help you to feel better.

    I am so sorry that you are having these terrible reactions to chemo. Please call your oncologist.

    Love, Jeanne ♥</♥</font>

    CALL IMMEDIATELY
    There are so many other meds to try. I just put up on here somewhere about a new "patch" they have that sounded really good. I had all the side effects you mentioned, too. But the meds helped me through. I had about 4 different ones that I tried and some helped others didn't . I can tell you it changed with each chemo for me. So it's hard to give any advice other than just call and try something else. The good news is it WILL end, I promise! and the nice thing for me was when it ended it REALLY ENDED! It was like one hour I wanted to die and the next I was sitting down eating a hamburger with pickles and ketchup and feeling very normal. I hope and pray you have that happen before Monday.
    Good luck and God bless.
    Let us know how it goes, please.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294 Member
    #5
    Mama G said:

    CALL IMMEDIATELY
    There are so many other meds to try. I just put up on here somewhere about a new "patch" they have that sounded really good. I had all the side effects you mentioned, too. But the meds helped me through. I had about 4 different ones that I tried and some helped others didn't . I can tell you it changed with each chemo for me. So it's hard to give any advice other than just call and try something else. The good news is it WILL end, I promise! and the nice thing for me was when it ended it REALLY ENDED! It was like one hour I wanted to die and the next I was sitting down eating a hamburger with pickles and ketchup and feeling very normal. I hope and pray you have that happen before Monday.
    Good luck and God bless.
    Let us know how it goes, please.

    Call your oncologist
    Do not think about work now, just take care of yourself. I am sorry that you are having side effects, which are probably have been caused by Chemo drugs, not pre-meds.
    Hugs
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #6
    New Flower said:

    Call your oncologist
    Do not think about work now, just take care of yourself. I am sorry that you are having side effects, which are probably have been caused by Chemo drugs, not pre-meds.
    Hugs

    Make sure if you do not
    Make sure if you do not drink that you call you may need IV fluids and this can happen quickly on chemo. I hope you feel better soon. my first chemo waslike that really nauseated. the others not so much. can you take ativan or compazine to help?
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    #7
    carkris said:

    Make sure if you do not
    Make sure if you do not drink that you call you may need IV fluids and this can happen quickly on chemo. I hope you feel better soon. my first chemo waslike that really nauseated. the others not so much. can you take ativan or compazine to help?

    So sorry you're having such
    So sorry you're having such a bad time of it...I had TAC for 6 infusions 3 weeks apart...
    but never really had a bad reaction...just a little queasiness ...check with your ONC. you shouldn't have to be that miserable....
  • Mama G
    Mama G Member Posts: 762
    #8
    dyaneb123 said:

    So sorry you're having such
    So sorry you're having such a bad time of it...I had TAC for 6 infusions 3 weeks apart...
    but never really had a bad reaction...just a little queasiness ...check with your ONC. you shouldn't have to be that miserable....

    Why all 3 (TAC) for each infusion?
    Why not the a/c followed by the Taxol like most of us are doing?
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #9
    dyaneb123 said:

    So sorry you're having such
    So sorry you're having such a bad time of it...I had TAC for 6 infusions 3 weeks apart...
    but never really had a bad reaction...just a little queasiness ...check with your ONC. you shouldn't have to be that miserable....

    I am so sorry that chemo has
    I am so sorry that chemo has done this to you. You do need to call your onco and get something, so, I hope that you have already. Be sure and drink as much water as you can. You should not have to feel like this.

    Hugs, Diane ♥
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #10
    DianeBC said:

    I am so sorry that chemo has
    I am so sorry that chemo has done this to you. You do need to call your onco and get something, so, I hope that you have already. Be sure and drink as much water as you can. You should not have to feel like this.

    Hugs, Diane ♥

    I hope you called your onco.
    I hope you called your onco. How are you doing today?

    Leeza
  • rene9
    rene9 Member Posts: 214
    #11
    jnl said:

    I hope you called your onco.
    I hope you called your onco. How are you doing today?

    Leeza

    Hi again
    Hi. It's like I feel a little better everyday, but I am still so weak and light headed. I have to lay down while I type this...I have an appt tomorrow and I have a notebook ready for my dr. I don't think I'll be able to work during my treatments that will last through early May. I will let you know the changes. Thanks for all of your suggestions and concerns- I really appreciate it.


    -rene9
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #12
    rene9 said:

    Hi again
    Hi. It's like I feel a little better everyday, but I am still so weak and light headed. I have to lay down while I type this...I have an appt tomorrow and I have a notebook ready for my dr. I don't think I'll be able to work during my treatments that will last through early May. I will let you know the changes. Thanks for all of your suggestions and concerns- I really appreciate it.


    -rene9

    I hope that you start to
    I hope that you start to feeling better Rene.
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988
    #13
    susie09 said:

    I hope that you start to
    I hope that you start to feeling better Rene.

    Rene, one thing you didn't mention was whether you were taking the Neulesta shot the day following chemo. This is something that most oncologists are prescribing, and it does cause you to have flu like symptoms. Another thing I would caution you about is the drug Reglan. Just research anything they prescribe you for nausea, as there are some really bad SE's from some drugs. I was unfortunate enough to have nausea for the first two chemo sessions, although I was taking Emend the day of chemo, and two days following. Nausea was still a problem, and after going through many different drugs, they finally prescribed Reglan. It did work, but almost two years later I am dealing with the disease, Tardive Dyskinesia, which is caused by taking Reglan. They say that "elderly females" are more likely to develop this disease when taking Reglan, so I really caution everyone to be aware of this. TD causes some really bad SE's, and it is not cureable....and most everything we have tried so far to combat the symptoms hasn't helped at all. Hope you are feeling better, and that you will let your oncologist know just how bad you tolerated chemo. There are things he can do to help. Hugs, Judy
  • rene9
    rene9 Member Posts: 214
    #14
    creampuff91344 said:

    Rene, one thing you didn't mention was whether you were taking the Neulesta shot the day following chemo. This is something that most oncologists are prescribing, and it does cause you to have flu like symptoms. Another thing I would caution you about is the drug Reglan. Just research anything they prescribe you for nausea, as there are some really bad SE's from some drugs. I was unfortunate enough to have nausea for the first two chemo sessions, although I was taking Emend the day of chemo, and two days following. Nausea was still a problem, and after going through many different drugs, they finally prescribed Reglan. It did work, but almost two years later I am dealing with the disease, Tardive Dyskinesia, which is caused by taking Reglan. They say that "elderly females" are more likely to develop this disease when taking Reglan, so I really caution everyone to be aware of this. TD causes some really bad SE's, and it is not cureable....and most everything we have tried so far to combat the symptoms hasn't helped at all. Hope you are feeling better, and that you will let your oncologist know just how bad you tolerated chemo. There are things he can do to help. Hugs, Judy

    Hi
    Hi. Yes, I take the Neulasta shot the day after treatment, but my symptoms were kicking in before I took it. Then, I do take Emend morning 2 and morning 3. I asked about the Ativan and Compazine. I tried the Compazine and it really relaxed me and allowed me to get some really good sleep. I haven't tried the Ativan yet. My next treatment is Feb.12 and I'm gonna be nervous. I know what you mean with the nausea meds, they have some nasty side effects and that is why I was not wanting to even take them, but I have to take something. I am feeling a whole lot better, I was able to drive today. I guess I'll really feel good by Feb. 12 then I'll start over again...


    rene9

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