Chemo

bhorner
bhorner Member Posts: 1
in Breast Cancer #1
I'm going to be starting TC chemo in 2 weeks. Has anyone or is anyone receiving this treatment? I'm wondering what to expect.

Comments

  • madsters1
    madsters1 Member Posts: 120
    #2
    Hi there,
    I'm sorry to hear
    Hi there,
    I'm sorry to hear that you have to have to go down this road. I finished my last T/C (Taxotere/ Cytoxan) in late January. For me, the hair loss was by far the worst. I had very little nausea etc.I did and do still struggle with fatigue. I was kind of backwards in how I responded to chemo. The effects are cumulative, but my first one was the worst and got better from there. Yay! SO glad that's behind me. I lost 90% of my hair on the 16th day after the 1st treatment. I won't lie to you, it was extremely traumatic. After that there really is no choice, you just have to make the best of it. All the while counting the days til it grows back. Be sure to drink LOTS of water, even when you don't think you need it. If you start to develop mouth issues,gargling with warm salt water 3X a day helped me alot. I only started having mouth pain, but it never really went anywhere. Again Yay! Let people help you. That doesn't seem like it would be difficult, but other people doing your laundry feels strange. BTW if you can get hooked up with Cleaning for a Reason it's truly a blessing. They are an organization that pays for a professional maid service to come to your home two hours a month for four months! Hope this little bit helps. Remember..."This too shall pass".
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #3
    We're all different
    There is no way anyone can tell you how you will react to any treatments - all we can do is telll our experiences as they are different.

    I did A/C (Adriamycin/Cytoxan) first followed after surgery by Taxol. For me - A/C wasn't bad but Taxl was - but it's exactly the reverse for some.(

    Be sure to take all of your anti-nasea meds - it's easier to prevent/keep under control than to get back under control. Nausea is not a given with all. One 'thing' that seems to go along with how bad nausea you have or don't have is rather or not you had bad morning sickness. I had no morning sickness at all and no chemo nausea either even when I quit taking anti nausea meds 1/2 way through Taxol.

    I lots all sense of taste - nothing tasted bad, it just had no taste at all. Also lost appetite - Hubby had to call me several times a day to remind me to eat something but I still lost 45 lbs - Dr not happy about that as he didn't want more than 5 lb gain/loss.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
    We're all different
    There is no way anyone can tell you how you will react to any treatments - all we can do is telll our experiences as they are different.

    I did A/C (Adriamycin/Cytoxan) first followed after surgery by Taxol. For me - A/C wasn't bad but Taxl was - but it's exactly the reverse for some.(

    Be sure to take all of your anti-nasea meds - it's easier to prevent/keep under control than to get back under control. Nausea is not a given with all. One 'thing' that seems to go along with how bad nausea you have or don't have is rather or not you had bad morning sickness. I had no morning sickness at all and no chemo nausea either even when I quit taking anti nausea meds 1/2 way through Taxol.

    I lots all sense of taste - nothing tasted bad, it just had no taste at all. Also lost appetite - Hubby had to call me several times a day to remind me to eat something but I still lost 45 lbs - Dr not happy about that as he didn't want more than 5 lb gain/loss.
  • Wendy Joy
    Wendy Joy Member Posts: 51
    #5
    Hi I had my first TC
    Hi I had my first TC treatment last Thursday, on day 6 now. As you will hear over and over everyone is different. But this is what happened to me. I was very full of energy first two days from steroid. Took my Zofran and other meds like clock-work, no nausea at all. By day 3 very tired, mouth tastes like wallpaper, no mouth sores yet, but gargle with biotene whenever I think about it. Some joint aches in my hips and lower back pain. Diarrhea started last night, feel like I have the flu. Very tired and sore today, my throat hurts, my jaw and teeth hurt, my scalp feels numb and around my ears and neck too. Last night I also had muscle spasms in my chest and couldn't sleep. I have asthma so have had some breathing issues, started nebulizer treatments today and was finally cleared to take ibuprofen for the muscle spasms (hooray)! I had an appetite in the beginnning and now I really don't, but feel better when I eat some chicken soup. Drinking water and gaterade constantly. I thought in the beginning this is a breeze, but yesterday it snuck up on me. Tried to go to work today and lasted less than 2 hours. My biggest advice would be to rest, even when you think you might not need to. No one knows how their body is going to react to these chemicals. Praying I can get some sleep tonight and feel rested tomorrow, but definitely not going back to work yet! Hope that helps a little. I was also very anxious before starting and know it was helpful to hear about other people's experiences. Good luck and be kind to yourself.
  • Fitzpatrick
    Fitzpatrick Member Posts: 13
    #6
    Chemo Reaction
    I completed chemo 7 1/2 months ago. I felt fine until the 3rd day after each treatment. As long as you take the nausea medication, you should not have difficulties in that area. My biggest complaint was stomach burning & diarrhea. The good part, the dr's office gave me meds for both. I found my 1st chemo reaction to be the worst, they got easier as I went along. I believe everyone feels extreme fatigue. BUT, I've known some people who almost breezed through chemo w/o too many complaints. All I can say, is if you get reactions, let your dr know, they seem to have pills for everything! You are suppose to drink lots of fluids, but for some reason, I could not, I felt like gagging when I tried to drink! I also found, because of the chemo taste in my mouth, I could not eat certain foods. I ate whatever tasted good, peanut better seemed to go down easily for me. You'll just have to play with foods. Let's pray you will be one of those w/o too many side effects. Good luck to you!
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #7
    Bumping you up
    so you can get more replies.
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #8
    Rague said:

    We're all different
    There is no way anyone can tell you how you will react to any treatments - all we can do is telll our experiences as they are different.

    I did A/C (Adriamycin/Cytoxan) first followed after surgery by Taxol. For me - A/C wasn't bad but Taxl was - but it's exactly the reverse for some.(

    Be sure to take all of your anti-nasea meds - it's easier to prevent/keep under control than to get back under control. Nausea is not a given with all. One 'thing' that seems to go along with how bad nausea you have or don't have is rather or not you had bad morning sickness. I had no morning sickness at all and no chemo nausea either even when I quit taking anti nausea meds 1/2 way through Taxol.

    I lots all sense of taste - nothing tasted bad, it just had no taste at all. Also lost appetite - Hubby had to call me several times a day to remind me to eat something but I still lost 45 lbs - Dr not happy about that as he didn't want more than 5 lb gain/loss.

    I never took chemo but
    I never took chemo but wanted to wish you the best of luck.


    Hugs, Lex

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