1st chemo treatment done!

rutzetta
rutzetta Member Posts: 174
in Breast Cancer #1
Hi Sisters! I had my 1st chemo treatment of a/c on 7/22/11. So far so good, with no side effects. Must be all the meds for nausea I'm taking. The port made it so much easier for me to get the treatment. I had my b/c surgery on 5/2/11 and due to complications with the wound healing on my breast my chemo treatments were delayed. I was happy to find this site during that time. This is a wonderful site that is full of kindnesses and love and more so information that makes this chemo journey not feel so lonely. Smiling-Constance
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Comments

  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #2
    welcome
    Constance,
    Welcome to the site. I am glad your first chemo went so well. I didn't have too much trouble so you may not either. Gotta love steroids! Sounds like surgery may have been the hard part for you and it is behind you!!
    All the best!
    Cindy
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #3
    Your 1st Chemo
    Hi Constance,

    I had a right mastectomy followed by 4 rounds of A/C and 12 rounds of Taxotere. No radiation and no drugs such as Tamoxifen or Arimidex since I am triple negative. I did pretty well with the A/C. I found the Taxotere much more difficult. One tip the oncology nurse gave me for the A/C rounds was to drink a smoothie or a Slurpee-like drink while the Adriamycin (aka The Red Devil) was being put through the IV line. She said it would help to prevent mouth sores. I took a large smoothie with me to drink each time and was lucky to have NO mouth sores. Yay! I hope you do well with your treatments.

    IRENE
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #4
    jessiesmom1 said:

    Your 1st Chemo
    Hi Constance,

    I had a right mastectomy followed by 4 rounds of A/C and 12 rounds of Taxotere. No radiation and no drugs such as Tamoxifen or Arimidex since I am triple negative. I did pretty well with the A/C. I found the Taxotere much more difficult. One tip the oncology nurse gave me for the A/C rounds was to drink a smoothie or a Slurpee-like drink while the Adriamycin (aka The Red Devil) was being put through the IV line. She said it would help to prevent mouth sores. I took a large smoothie with me to drink each time and was lucky to have NO mouth sores. Yay! I hope you do well with your treatments.

    IRENE

    Congrats Constance!
    Hugs,
    Congrats Constance!


    Hugs, Sue
  • poplolly
    poplolly Member Posts: 346
    #5
    Welcome to this group. And
    Welcome to this group. And congratulations on your first chemo sans side effects. I really never had any problems to speak of and it sounds like you will be the same way.

    Ask anything. Whatever is happening to you, someone else has been there too. And they will share their experiences.


    Judy
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #6
    poplolly said:

    Welcome to this group. And
    Welcome to this group. And congratulations on your first chemo sans side effects. I really never had any problems to speak of and it sounds like you will be the same way.

    Ask anything. Whatever is happening to you, someone else has been there too. And they will share their experiences.


    Judy

    Welcome, Miss Constance
    So nice to make your acquiesce. I am thrill to hear that you SURVIVORED the first round of chemo therapy.

    Please keep a list of all your questions, concerns and side efforts -- take this list/booklet with you to your next appointment/or chemo infusion - which ever comes first. Ask questions -- voice your concerns -- and have your Oncologist and his/her staff explain or offer suggestions to any side effort that you may be dealing with ..

    For a list of possible side efforts associated with your chemo .. Please log onto chemocare.com

    Please remember that we are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    Gentle hugs,

    Strength, Courage and Hope.

    Vicki Sam
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #7
    VickiSam said:

    Welcome, Miss Constance
    So nice to make your acquiesce. I am thrill to hear that you SURVIVORED the first round of chemo therapy.

    Please keep a list of all your questions, concerns and side efforts -- take this list/booklet with you to your next appointment/or chemo infusion - which ever comes first. Ask questions -- voice your concerns -- and have your Oncologist and his/her staff explain or offer suggestions to any side effort that you may be dealing with ..

    For a list of possible side efforts associated with your chemo .. Please log onto chemocare.com

    Please remember that we are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    Gentle hugs,

    Strength, Courage and Hope.

    Vicki Sam

    Hi!
    Hi Constance! What a beautiful picture! I want to add my big congrats for getting that first chemo under your belt!


    I hope and pray that you get along smoothly with the rest of your treatments.


    Sue :)
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #8
    Just want to say welcome!
    Just want to say welcome! Keep coming back and let us know how you're doing.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #9
    poplolly said:

    Welcome to this group. And
    Welcome to this group. And congratulations on your first chemo sans side effects. I really never had any problems to speak of and it sounds like you will be the same way.

    Ask anything. Whatever is happening to you, someone else has been there too. And they will share their experiences.


    Judy

    I'm smiling with you
    I'm smiling with you Constance! Congrats!


    Lex
  • pinkpalette
    pinkpalette Member Posts: 112
    #10
    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Just want to say welcome!
    Just want to say welcome! Keep coming back and let us know how you're doing.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Smiling too!!!!
    Hi Constance, congrats on one chemo done....the sooner you can check each one off the sooner you'll be done, right? My first chemo was 7-11-11 so I am getting prepared for #2 next Monday morning. I have to go weekly for herceptin though, and today is my 3rd. I don't know what I'd do without my port. So glad to hear you agree about the port thingy. It's kind of strange thinking about it inside there, and I have some discomfort sleeping and tossing and turning - and twisting it around in there - but I don't have very good veins, so I'll accept that.

    So delighted to hear you are experiencing no SE's. Wishing you much hope and strength as you continue your journey.

    Hugs, pinkpalette
  • rutzetta
    rutzetta Member Posts: 174
    #11
    mamolady said:

    welcome
    Constance,
    Welcome to the site. I am glad your first chemo went so well. I didn't have too much trouble so you may not either. Gotta love steroids! Sounds like surgery may have been the hard part for you and it is behind you!!
    All the best!
    Cindy

    Thanks
    Hi Cindy- Thanks for the love and support. True- gotta love steriods!
    Constance
  • rutzetta
    rutzetta Member Posts: 174
    #12
    jessiesmom1 said:

    Your 1st Chemo
    Hi Constance,

    I had a right mastectomy followed by 4 rounds of A/C and 12 rounds of Taxotere. No radiation and no drugs such as Tamoxifen or Arimidex since I am triple negative. I did pretty well with the A/C. I found the Taxotere much more difficult. One tip the oncology nurse gave me for the A/C rounds was to drink a smoothie or a Slurpee-like drink while the Adriamycin (aka The Red Devil) was being put through the IV line. She said it would help to prevent mouth sores. I took a large smoothie with me to drink each time and was lucky to have NO mouth sores. Yay! I hope you do well with your treatments.

    IRENE

    Thanks
    Hi Irene,

    Thanks for the smoothie tip, I'll take one for my next treatment on 8/5. When you did your Taxotere, what did you do to get through the difficult time with those treatments?
    Constance
  • rutzetta
    rutzetta Member Posts: 174
    #13
    pinkpalette said:

    Smiling too!!!!
    Hi Constance, congrats on one chemo done....the sooner you can check each one off the sooner you'll be done, right? My first chemo was 7-11-11 so I am getting prepared for #2 next Monday morning. I have to go weekly for herceptin though, and today is my 3rd. I don't know what I'd do without my port. So glad to hear you agree about the port thingy. It's kind of strange thinking about it inside there, and I have some discomfort sleeping and tossing and turning - and twisting it around in there - but I don't have very good veins, so I'll accept that.

    So delighted to hear you are experiencing no SE's. Wishing you much hope and strength as you continue your journey.

    Hugs, pinkpalette

    Hugs
    Yes love the port thing- I now call it my friend who travels me wherevere I go. I guess we have a speical connection-smile. I wish you the same strength on your journey also.
  • rutzetta
    rutzetta Member Posts: 174
    #14
    Ritzy said:

    Hi!
    Hi Constance! What a beautiful picture! I want to add my big congrats for getting that first chemo under your belt!


    I hope and pray that you get along smoothly with the rest of your treatments.


    Sue :)

    Support
    Hi Sue, thanks for the prayers, love and the comment of the pic. I always keep a smile on my face no matter what I may be facing at the time. Stay in touch!
    Constance
  • rutzetta
    rutzetta Member Posts: 174
    #15
    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Just want to say welcome!
    Just want to say welcome! Keep coming back and let us know how you're doing.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Welcome!
    Hi,

    I want to say I have read so many post to others and I found them to be so helpful when I was searching for info. Your tips on eating and things to do before chemo-priceless. I'll be back because I couldn't do this without the wealth of knowledge from the pink sisters!
    Constance
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #16
    rutzetta said:

    Welcome!
    Hi,

    I want to say I have read so many post to others and I found them to be so helpful when I was searching for info. Your tips on eating and things to do before chemo-priceless. I'll be back because I couldn't do this without the wealth of knowledge from the pink sisters!
    Constance

    You are a pink sister here
    You are a pink sister here now, so, keep posting to let us know how you do. We all are here to help you and to support you!


    Hugs, Jan
  • laurissa
    laurissa Member Posts: 773
    #17
    Constance
    Glad you did so well. Rest when you need to. It will go quickly and you'll be finished before you know it. Good luck.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #18
    laurissa said:

    Constance
    Glad you did so well. Rest when you need to. It will go quickly and you'll be finished before you know it. Good luck.

    How did your PET scan go
    How did your PET scan go Laurissa?
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #19
    survivorbc09 said:

    How did your PET scan go
    How did your PET scan go Laurissa?

    Welcome aboard!
    Sorry you need to be here but glad you found us. (I wish I had found this site as early in my journey as you did!) I, too, did 4 rounds of A/C (lost my hair right before the second one so be prepared - that red devil is a nasty boy!) then 4 rounds of Taxotere. I didn't have too much trouble with side effects but was loaded up with anti-nausea drugs (2 IV plus 1 oral) and steroids. Ah, the wonders of modern medicine. Of course the steroids can keep you from sleeping well but on the plus side you can get a lot of reading done late at night. The Taxotere wasn't so bad but I had IV Benedryl with every treatment. The worst part was my body trying to decide to sleep witht he Benedryl or run with the steroids. I paced for a while then napped.

    The cold drink one is a good idea. My oncologist told me to eat ice pops or somthing similar as soon as I got home and to put moist heat on the tumor site to draw the drugs into that area. I must have looked pretty funny with my hot compress and my frozen treats but no one except my husband and my kittnes saw me. My dentist also gave me a special "toothpaste" to use twice a day. It's a neutalizing gel to adjust the ph in your mouth and help prevent sores and other dental problems.

    Sending cyber {{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}} and prayers that all will go well.

    Fight like a girl!
  • CAchick
    CAchick Member Posts: 277
    #20
    Thinking of you and welcome
    Hi Constance,
    I only found this site much after my treatments. I wish I had found it earlier! The sisters on here are always so supportive! I had chemo in Fall of 2009. Countdown and celebrate completing each step of the journey. Sorry you had to join this "club" but I am glad you found the site. Welcome, and prayers for a smooth treatment regimen!
    Sybil
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #21
    Constance
    glad you survived your first round of chemo and are doing well. Keep posting if you have any questions or need help with side effects. We are here to listen and help if we can.
    {{hugs}} Char

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