4th round of chemo tues May 7th

rubiatexan

hello!!!!

My 4th round is coming tues May 7th.  I'm a little nervous because my food selection has become less and less. 

I try to eat but its hard to tolerate at times. I'm afraid it might get worse? eek

Im good and positive!!! 

 

Cindy : ) 

tall floridian

Hi Cindy

Step by step day by day - ups and downs - but always stay positive and keep looking forward. We all seem to go through most of the same symptoms from our chemo some with more reactions then others. I can remember the days of eating only a few spoonfuls of chicken noodle soup in a day with nausea feelings 24/7. But Cindy- listen to this: It's all worth it!!!!!! I've been in remission from 4th stage lymphoma and going through some hard times and wondering if I would ever recover and get back to normal. Today, I can look back and smile- I'm past those dreaded days and now look forward to happy healthy days. It will be the same for you-look forward each day till you hear those so sweet words "your cancer's in remission"-it will happen Cindy- follow your doctor's instructions, eat well when you can- exercize if you can- and say to yourself "I can beat this and soon I'll be in remission and able to move forward with my life" Big hugs to you-God bless- Steve

Rocquie

Appetite

Hi Cindy. . .I understand about eating and appetite. I think I lived for a few weeks on nothing but egg sandwiches, oatmeal, toasted raisin bread, and Boost high protein meal replacement drinks. I couldn't stand the thoughts of smelling food cooking. A dietician at the hospital suggested I use high calorie foods such as cream, butter, cheese, avocados, and peanut butter, so I started adding those as I could. Your appetite will return, just try to consume, in any way you can, enough calories per day. And I know that it much easier to say.

I'll be thinking about you on Tuesday. Let us know how it goes.

(((Hugs)))

Rocquie

 

jimwins

Hi Cindy

Congrats on being so far along on your chemo - it will be over before you know it!  I'm sorry you are having problems eating - I was lucky in that i had very few problems and they were in the beginning.  They have good medications for nausea and if it's your appetite, there are things available for that too.  Marinol (medical marijuana) is good for both nausea and appetite.  

My oncologist recommended Carnation Instant Breakfast as it was cheaper than Ensure.  As it turned out, I didn't need it.  My experienes with nausea were mostly related to consitpation so I took senokot as needed and learned to take it before and after my treatments (they gave it to me the days of treatment).  

I hope it all gets better and great to hear from you!  Hugs - Jim

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Appetite

Cindy,

I was never on Prednisone, so cannot comment (I have read that it boosts appetite durig treatment for many patients).

My appetite went close to zero about two months into my six months of infusions, however.  By the end I was pretty much on breakfast drinks.  I had a craving, like a lot of people: mine was french fries. They  were nearly all I liked or wanted.  I had a friend who was on MOPP decades ago, and he said that for a few months all he would eat was pot pie.

Whatever you like and tolerate, eat it.  Go on a bacon and Hershey bar diet if you have to ! It is better to eat something, almost anything, than nothing.  And of course fluids are critical.  Now is not the time to trifel over carbs or calories, or this or that.  Put some fuel in your tank !

max

girliefighter

4th treatment

Cindy,

Thinking of you and wishing you the best for your next treatment!!

I am praying that things will get better for you and the nausea will subside.

XXXOOO

Carie

rubiatexan

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Appetite

Cindy,

I was never on Prednisone, so cannot comment (I have read that it boosts appetite durig treatment for many patients).

My appetite went close to zero about two months into my six months of infusions, however.  By the end I was pretty much on breakfast drinks.  I had a craving, like a lot of people: mine was french fries. They  were nearly all I liked or wanted.  I had a friend who was on MOPP decades ago, and he said that for a few months all he would eat was pot pie.

Whatever you like and tolerate, eat it.  Go on a bacon and Hershey bar diet if you have to ! It is better to eat something, almost anything, than nothing.  And of course fluids are critical.  Now is not the time to trifel over carbs or calories, or this or that.  Put some fuel in your tank !

max

interesting

all i.want is french fries!!!!

 

 

thanks!!!  I'm glad i have friends who understand

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

rubiatexan said:

interesting

all i.want is french fries!!!!

 

 

thanks!!!  I'm glad i have friends who understand

Not Nausea

Often, not eating during chemo is NOT related to nausea.  I had essentially no nausea during my whole six months of chemo, in part due to the Emend anti-nausea med that I took.

Instead, many people on chemo get a sort of anorexia, or adversion to food generally.  It is important to differentiate between these two.   My issue was anorexia, but it was temporary, fortunately.

max

rubiatexan

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Not Nausea

Often, not eating during chemo is NOT related to nausea.  I had essentially no nausea during my whole six months of chemo, in part due to the Emend anti-nausea med that I took.

Instead, many people on chemo get a sort of anorexia, or adversion to food generally.  It is important to differentiate between these two.   My issue was anorexia, but it was temporary, fortunately.

max

?

I don't understand? anorexia?

 

Cindy

allmost60

girliefighter said:

4th treatment

Cindy,

Thinking of you and wishing you the best for your next treatment!!

I am praying that things will get better for you and the nausea will subside.

XXXOOO

Carie

Good luck...

Hi Cindy,

 My positive thoughts and prayers will be with you tomorrow for your 4th round. I hope all goes well and you can get the nausea taken care of. Won't be long now and this hard part will be behind you. Best wishes...Love, Sue

(FNHL-2-3A-6/10-age 62)

Starr10

your first 3 rounds

Hi Cindy....

First, Kudos to you for being good & positive.  When you have the time & energy, could you please tell me what your first 3 treaments were like & what chemo cocktail you're taking?  

I haven't started treatment yet.  I'm still in the staging process.  Tomorrow I will be having an echocardiogram, and a bone marrow biopsy, plus they're putting in the port for the chemo injections.  I'm still not 100% sold on having the chemo and am looking into alternative treatments that have worked for others.  If I decide to go with chemo, I will be taking some alternative steps to help with the repercussions of what that does to our bodies, i.e. the nausea & lack of appetite.  Aren't they giving you medication for the nausea?  

Best wishes to you on your 4th round.  I see from your lovely picture that you have already lost your hair.  My oncologist said the hair loss would come in the 4th round with the R-CHOP.  

Good luck, really & truly.

Starr from Charlotte, NC

jimwins

Starr10 said:

your first 3 rounds

Hi Cindy....

First, Kudos to you for being good & positive.  When you have the time & energy, could you please tell me what your first 3 treaments were like & what chemo cocktail you're taking?  

I haven't started treatment yet.  I'm still in the staging process.  Tomorrow I will be having an echocardiogram, and a bone marrow biopsy, plus they're putting in the port for the chemo injections.  I'm still not 100% sold on having the chemo and am looking into alternative treatments that have worked for others.  If I decide to go with chemo, I will be taking some alternative steps to help with the repercussions of what that does to our bodies, i.e. the nausea & lack of appetite.  Aren't they giving you medication for the nausea?  

Best wishes to you on your 4th round.  I see from your lovely picture that you have already lost your hair.  My oncologist said the hair loss would come in the 4th round with the R-CHOP.  

Good luck, really & truly.

Starr from Charlotte, NC

Welcome Starr

Well, we have quite a few people from NC on this site now.  Sorry you have to be here but welcome to a group of supportive and wonderful folks!  Many here have been through RCHOP or similar (R-EPOCH for me) so ask away.  I'm curious about the alternatives you are considering.  I'm sure others will welcome you soon. Just know you are not alone and lymphoma is generally very treatable and even curable.  

Hugs and positive thoughts,

Jim

jimwins

Good luck today!

Cindy, I just wanted to wish you luck today!  The chemo will be over soon!  

illead

jimwins said:

Good luck today!

Cindy, I just wanted to wish you luck today!  The chemo will be over soon!  

Cindy and Starr

Thinking about you today Cindy and know everything is going well, bet those nurses love you. 

Hi to you Starr and welcome.  We understand your fears.  This is something that is not in our vocabulary until it is, so we are never prepared.  The thought of chemo is so scary.  The only thing I can say is that it is really a lifesaver.  Lymphoma in general reacts very well to it.  As the years have gone by the understanding on chemo has improved greatly and the oncologists really do know what they are doing.  Yes, chemo does destroy good cells along with the cancer cells and usually you feel the side effects of that, but the good cells do rejuvenate and your body goes back to normal.  Of course there is the other side too but I'm speaking in general.  This group has many success stories.  Sure we complain but don't think there are many who regret having chemo.  So of course the choice is up to you but weigh very carefully that decision.  Maybe you can find those who have beaten lymphoma with alternative methods, it would be good to get that side of things also.  Please let us know how things are no matter what you decide.  We wish the best for you, Becky

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

rubiatexan said:

?

I don't understand? anorexia?

 

Cindy

Yes

Cindy,

What I am saying is that many people who cannot face eating during chemo do not also experience nausea or vomiting. They simply cease to have an appetite. It is a form of anorexia, although temporary.

If you read the "Side Effects" listed for numerous chemo drugs, many specifically list "Anorexia," which is defined as the "cessation of appetite."

Of course, perhaps the majority of non-eating is nausea-related. I am just attempting to point out that both tendencies occur during cancer treatments. Also, this in no way relates to bulimia.

max