Side effects getting worse

cahjah75
cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had chemo #4 yesterday and now I have a dripping left eye, my face, legs and feet are swollen and I can't seem to get rid of a cough I've had for 3 weeks. Went for a chest xray before my Neulasta shot this afternoon. My breathing is so labored I was out of breath just walking from Handicap parking to the receptionist at the xray dept in the hospital. These side effects are still minor compared to what some get. Oh, I also noticed my first dark spot on a toenail. I put some Tea Tree oil on it. Don't know whether it will help or not but can't hurt. I'm scheduled for chemo #5 on Nov 2 and #6 on Nov 23. If all goes as planned I'll be sleeping through Thanksgiving meal. lol Thanks for listening....... I know it will get better when I've finished chemo.
Char

Comments

  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #2
    Oh Char, I just read your
    Oh Char, I just read your post about your sister and now I am reading this one--your plate is just too full. I am sending extra thoughts, prayers and cyber hugs and hoping that you are feeling better soon! Please keep in touch and let us know.
  • webbwife50
    webbwife50 Member Posts: 394
    #3
    75% done
    Well Char you are 75% through chemo, Guess you already know that, but it's always nice to hear you past the half way point. Believe me, once you finish chemo all that stuff, nails, hair, breathing, coughs, skin, ect.ect. it will start to clear up. My nail were black and some fell off during chemo, I never thought my hands or feet would look right again, but here I am just a little short of 1 yr. later and no one would ever know. I think my nails look better than before. Anyway, be of good cheer, this too shall pass. Chemo sucks!!! God loves you!
    Love and hugs....alison
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #4
    webbwife50 said:

    75% done
    Well Char you are 75% through chemo, Guess you already know that, but it's always nice to hear you past the half way point. Believe me, once you finish chemo all that stuff, nails, hair, breathing, coughs, skin, ect.ect. it will start to clear up. My nail were black and some fell off during chemo, I never thought my hands or feet would look right again, but here I am just a little short of 1 yr. later and no one would ever know. I think my nails look better than before. Anyway, be of good cheer, this too shall pass. Chemo sucks!!! God loves you!
    Love and hugs....alison

    thinking of you this is not
    thinking of you this is not fun you can do it!!!!
  • AMomNETN
    AMomNETN Member Posts: 242
    #5
    Same Here
    Char,
    I had many of the same side effects. By treatment #4 it got worse and by the time I finished I wasn't sure of anything. My eyes ran like faucets. Whenever I walked I felt like I'd run for miles. Getting up and down steps seemed to be the worse, it took everything I had to do it. I will say that once it was all over all this started to get better. I now have my breath back plus my eyes aren't watering. I know it is maddening and disappointing to have all this going on but it does get better. I hope this helps.

    Janie
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #6
    Hi Char,
    Sorry you are having a hard time, my friend. Hope things improve. Just think positive, you are getting closer to the end. Sending you positive thoughts & prayers. Hugs, Jean
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #7
    not to make light
    I do not mean to make light of your situation, but I am inspired by your positive attitude. It must be hard for sisters to be going through this at the same time. My Sister and I took turns with breast cancer. She showed me how to be a survivor for 6 years before she went to dance on the beach with Jesus (her favorite thing to do). Her response to anyone who tried to pity her...."I have cancer, but I am not sick".

    Take care of each other, seof
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #8
    not to make light
    I do not mean to make light of your situation, but I am inspired by your positive attitude. It must be hard for sisters to be going through this at the same time. My Sister and I took turns with breast cancer. She showed me how to be a survivor for 6 years before she went to dance on the beach with Jesus (her favorite thing to do). Her response to anyone who tried to pity her...."I have cancer, but I am not sick".

    Take care of each other, seof
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
    #9
    seof said:

    not to make light
    I do not mean to make light of your situation, but I am inspired by your positive attitude. It must be hard for sisters to be going through this at the same time. My Sister and I took turns with breast cancer. She showed me how to be a survivor for 6 years before she went to dance on the beach with Jesus (her favorite thing to do). Her response to anyone who tried to pity her...."I have cancer, but I am not sick".

    Take care of each other, seof

    I am having the same problem
    I am having the same problem with this chemo combo. both eyes are dripping, and my face is swollen. i also have been having a hard time catching my breath also, wonder what that is from. I cannot walk very far, maybe i will look into handicapped parking. I go for my 3rd treatment next week.
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #10
    meena1 said:

    I am having the same problem
    I am having the same problem with this chemo combo. both eyes are dripping, and my face is swollen. i also have been having a hard time catching my breath also, wonder what that is from. I cannot walk very far, maybe i will look into handicapped parking. I go for my 3rd treatment next week.

    Char and Meena .. I had the TCH for 18 weeks - and felt
    like the only loser in the world. Dripping eyes, nose - continuous - non stop. Lost both big toe nails - and 1 baby nail - took a good 7 months to grow back (have been told to consider myself lucky - as all large toe nails do NOT always grow back) -- difficult to walk, as my left ankle was swollen and felt broken - so walking was difficult, up or down stairs - was a marathon - for me. Shortness of breath - goes with the territory. Some days I would walk just 6 to 8 feet - and break out in a COLD SWEAT!

    Puffy, swollen - stays with you for months - I fortuntely or unfortuntely had chemo EVERY week .. so on Tuesday's I would show up - with a new symptom. My husband, Pete took a leave of absence to care for me .. yes, in my 40's and my husband tended to me - and took charge of our children their activities - and our lives. As Dr. M my Onco stated my side efforts were off the 'BELL' charts - He stated if he did not see first hand (me) he would of never believed it (that's why I call him crazy) old FART! He's been an Onco for years, and I was his first patient .. crawling to the finish line --- towards the end .. the hate to say it .. I was fainting .. seriously.

    Please get your Onco to fill out paperwork for handicap parking, take have someone run paperwork over to DMV ..

    Hydrate and Rest .. is the only thing you can do for yourself .. and Please DO NOT let anyone tell you - this is NORMAL, and you are doing too much.

    Also .. check out the link for housekeeping services offered by ACS or other agencies.

    I know I posted and posted again about my terrible side efforts - and would never wish them on my worse enemy. I am so very sorry for you two wonderful spirited women!

    PM me anytime ...

    Stength and Courage to all


    •☆.•*´¨`*••♥ Vicki Sam ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #11
    meena1 said:

    I am having the same problem
    I am having the same problem with this chemo combo. both eyes are dripping, and my face is swollen. i also have been having a hard time catching my breath also, wonder what that is from. I cannot walk very far, maybe i will look into handicapped parking. I go for my 3rd treatment next week.

    I am so sorry Char. I wish
    I am so sorry Char. I wish there was something more I could do to help you. Just know that I am thinking of you and praying for you.


    Sue :)
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #12
    VickiSam said:

    Char and Meena .. I had the TCH for 18 weeks - and felt
    like the only loser in the world. Dripping eyes, nose - continuous - non stop. Lost both big toe nails - and 1 baby nail - took a good 7 months to grow back (have been told to consider myself lucky - as all large toe nails do NOT always grow back) -- difficult to walk, as my left ankle was swollen and felt broken - so walking was difficult, up or down stairs - was a marathon - for me. Shortness of breath - goes with the territory. Some days I would walk just 6 to 8 feet - and break out in a COLD SWEAT!

    Puffy, swollen - stays with you for months - I fortuntely or unfortuntely had chemo EVERY week .. so on Tuesday's I would show up - with a new symptom. My husband, Pete took a leave of absence to care for me .. yes, in my 40's and my husband tended to me - and took charge of our children their activities - and our lives. As Dr. M my Onco stated my side efforts were off the 'BELL' charts - He stated if he did not see first hand (me) he would of never believed it (that's why I call him crazy) old FART! He's been an Onco for years, and I was his first patient .. crawling to the finish line --- towards the end .. the hate to say it .. I was fainting .. seriously.

    Please get your Onco to fill out paperwork for handicap parking, take have someone run paperwork over to DMV ..

    Hydrate and Rest .. is the only thing you can do for yourself .. and Please DO NOT let anyone tell you - this is NORMAL, and you are doing too much.

    Also .. check out the link for housekeeping services offered by ACS or other agencies.

    I know I posted and posted again about my terrible side efforts - and would never wish them on my worse enemy. I am so very sorry for you two wonderful spirited women!

    PM me anytime ...

    Stength and Courage to all


    •☆.•*´¨`*••♥ Vicki Sam ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•

    VickiSam
    I found out there is no housekeeping services in my area of CT. I have had handicap parking since last year because I have lumbar spinal stenosis and severe osteoarthritis in both knees. These days there never seems to be enough handicap parking though. I had a temporary parking pass before I found out about the lumbar issues. I used to walk 2 miles a day several years ago and now it bothers me to just walk around a grocery store pushing a cart. I feel 91 instead of 61 some days! But I know it will get better. Hopefully I'll be ok by Christmas???
    Char
  • carriesoup
    carriesoup Member Posts: 144
    #13
    yuck :(
    i'm so sorry things are getting worse, not better. ugh. hey, if you sleep through thanksgiving dinner, it'll save a ton of calories! ;) lol.

    hang in there lady :) i hope you feel better

    thinking of you

    *hugs*

    carrie :)
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #14
    carriesoup said:

    yuck :(
    i'm so sorry things are getting worse, not better. ugh. hey, if you sleep through thanksgiving dinner, it'll save a ton of calories! ;) lol.

    hang in there lady :) i hope you feel better

    thinking of you

    *hugs*

    carrie :)

    Char .. I finished .. T/C on 12/18 or 12/20/2009 ...
    I was a sad mess for Christmas at my sister's house - however, she had me all comfy and cozy in here downstair's bedroom - TV .. pillows etc. So I did spent an hour with family (unable to eat - due to taste buds), but I frequent my room for 25 to 45 minutes every so often, and enjoyed as much of the day and time with family, as humanly possible.

    If you do the entertaining at your home for Christmas .. this year, you may want to have everyone pitch in and bring the main meal, desserts, salads etc. Have someone go over to Costco or Sam's and pick up some type of fancy dinner wear (Paper/Plastic) .. Have control of a resting area in your home .. if you need to lay down, you can still enjoy the kids, or grandbabies - while you rest.

    I still have exhausting, fatigue days ... as my Onc stated for at least 2 more years .. again he was the moron who saw me every Tuesday and found it HARD to believe what I looked like - and what I experienced with my chemo cocktail.

    I say 'Thank you' to my Lord, everytime I read a posting from another Warrior - who states that she is able to function, and/or work during her treatments!

    Strength and Courage:

    Vicki Sam

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