First rads and chemo yesterday. Today was day 2 of rads; 30 more to go!

SylMarie

Yesterday was my first day of treatment. Just as it happened on the simulation day, I kept thinking how much tighter the mask felt, compared to how it felt the day they made it! I managed to get through with a prescription for Ativan and Pandora playing in the background. Today was my second rads. 2 down, 30 to go!

Yesterday I had my first chemo. 1 down, 5 more to go!  I left there after 4.5 hours, loaded with anti-nausea meds: Zofran, Decadron, and Compazine. I was told to start the pills this morning and I take the first 2 of them 3 times per day, and the Compazine only if I need more help in between the other meds. Starting about 26 hours after the start of chemo yesterday, I feel a bit queasy. I remember feeling somewhat like this when I was pregnant. I was queasy, but not nauseated enough to throw up. All day, every day (for me). Today, since I was between doses of Zofran and Decadron when I first realized I wasn't feeling quite well, I took a Compazine.  All I could think of was, "How can this be?" It's only my first chemo. It's 40 mg. of Cisplatin that I will get once per week for 6 weeks. Is this what I will feel every week, or will it get worse? Any guesses?

I know that the fun stuff really begins in a couple of weeks, when the rads side effects kick into gear, assisted by the weekly chemo.  I am just wondering about the queasiness/nausea for now.

 

 

CivilMatt

starting

SylMarie,

The fun has already begun.  Keep ahead of the nausea and beware of constipation with Zofran.  Start drinking lots of water and swallowing and consume 3k calories a day. Take the side effects as they come and keep your team informed on ALL changes.

The mask is supposed to be snug and I took 1 lorazepam a day for the mask.

You will do fine, just be ready.

Take care,

Matt

Raddude

Your Journey

is beggining, stay calm and try to get yourself mentally and physically prepared for the future. It can be decieving, in the beggining you may think that this is not that bad... until week 5. Keep the faith, it is only a season.

SylMarie

Raddude said:

Your Journey

is beggining, stay calm and try to get yourself mentally and physically prepared for the future. It can be decieving, in the beggining you may think that this is not that bad... until week 5. Keep the faith, it is only a season.

I'm not looking forward to week 3 and beyond!

If I'm already queasy and feeling like I don't want to move much, I can't even imagine how I'll feel later on. In the meantime, I will keep telling myself, "It is only a season."  This, too, shall pass. Hopefully.

CivilMatt

you can do it!

SylMarie,

The “new normal” beyond waits for you.

Matt