Starting Chemo on Thursday -- Any Advice?

A little late but maybe some ideas ill still be helpful.  I have had 16 Taxol/Carbo treatments 2Taxol and 7 Doxil treatments .  Currently waiting for a different chemo that may work.

Start a journal and write down how you feel and every thing that happens.  It will probably repeat the next time.

Avon Skin-So-Soft helps keep my shin soft.  I slather it on after every shower.  Baby oil would work too I think.

My dentist recommended Bio Tene mouthwash and I have not had any mouth sores for 2 1/2 years.  It helps with dry mouth, too.

Stay hydrated, but if you can't, ask for hydration, Alsp don't be afraid to call your dr. If you have concerns 

I took an I Pod and soft relaxing music along on chemo day, soothing. Adult coloring books are kind of cool.

if your mouth tastes like metal, spicy food my help.  It seems that even when I can't eat anything else, pizza always worked???

rememmber. It will get better

hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

AWK said:

Hi Lou Ann

I have been thinking of you and hoping things were improving or at least stable.  What are they looking at for you now?  Have they talked about Avastin or Gemzar?   We should compare notes if you feel like it; as you know our journeys are very similar.  Sending  and keeping you in my prayers - Anne

So far i have not heard anything.  The results from the tumor thaat they sent off are not supposed to be back for 6 weeks after surgery.  We are waiing until then to restart.  My surgeon/gyn-onc didn't want me to start chemo again until I was completely healed from the surgery.  i have a post op appointment with my surgeon on Monday, but he is not the one who handles the chemo.  My Medical oncologist's appointment isn't until the middle of Oct.  I am starting to feeel a little stronger, but this has ben slow going.  Not a lot of pain, just super week.  Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

Lou Ann M said:

A little late but maybe some

A little late but maybe some ideas ill still be helpful.  I have had 16 Taxol/Carbo treatments 2Taxol and 7 Doxil treatments .  Currently waiting for a different chemo that may work.

Start a journal and write down how you feel and every thing that happens.  It will probably repeat the next time.

Avon Skin-So-Soft helps keep my shin soft.  I slather it on after every shower.  Baby oil would work too I think.

My dentist recommended Bio Tene mouthwash and I have not had any mouth sores for 2 1/2 years.  It helps with dry mouth, too.

Stay hydrated, but if you can't, ask for hydration, Alsp don't be afraid to call your dr. If you have concerns 

I took an I Pod and soft relaxing music along on chemo day, soothing. Adult coloring books are kind of cool.

if your mouth tastes like metal, spicy food my help.  It seems that even when I can't eat anything else, pizza always worked???

rememmber. It will get better

hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

I saw Dr Apte for a third opinion and was impressed, both with the facility itself and with the staff. Gees, valet parking came with the service, too! It's a big place and because of that, somewhat intimidating. I was treated quite well.

It's apparent that my doc thinks I'll recur, although my Ca 125 was 10 the last time I had it checked. I am understandably hesitant to have my port removed now. I am almost 2 years out from surgery and, like you Sandy, 1.5 years out from my last Tx, which was the chemo combination Carboplatin and Taxol. I have been wondering if you still had your port, Sandy, and am happy for you that you'll have it removed. My dearest friend had her's removed recently (breast Ca) and her Doc told her before surgery that she was going to be "deported"!

Abbycat2 said:

Anne and Lou Ann, thinking about you both

And wishing you the best in your journeys. Please keep us posted and in the meantime, stay strong and be gentle with yourselves. Anne, are you able to spend time with Cisco?

Warm Wishes,

Cathy

 

 

 

 

I am overall doing okay.  Fatigue and some challenges with platelet levels and hemoglobin levels.  Yesterday I was at Cedars for updated counts from Wednesday and a probable transfusion.  My counts actually rose a bit so they decided to hold off and recheck on Monday. I was speaking with the nurses and said that I was beat and can't seem to get my energy levels up.  The one nurse laughed and  me that I do have cancer.  They tease me about this a lot which is a good thing.  I also now have kidney stones - ugh.  The urologist saw that as part of our appointment this week for my first stent replacement.  

I am able to ride or if my counts are too low - groom and hang out.  It is therapeutic like your swimming must be!  

Sandy3185 said:

Well, my checkup went very well, CA125 still at 7 and I am still NED! I spoke to Dr Wenham about my port and he is scheduling an appt to remove it. BUT, it has been 15 months since I completed treatment. I don't think he will want to remove your port right away. I was hoping you were at Moffitt today so we could meet. Good luck, I hope you don't have have any serious reaction to chemo this time. I don't know which is worse, going every week or going every 3 weeks with a stronger dose.  Sandy

With regard to port removal, mine was removed about six weeks after my last chemo treatment. This also followed a baseline post-surgery CT scan so as to have a good means of comparison for the future (my port was accessed the last time for the scan). My UPSC was stage 1a, grade 3, but we are all hopeful we will not see a return, so my oncologist said it would be fine to get it out. Removal was much less painful than insertion. In any case, I would certainly recommend getting a port for various reasons and would do it again if needed.

TeddyandBears_Mom said:

Hopeful / Others....

Thanks for the response. Were you awake when they removed your port?  My port doctor plans to remove mine in his office which has me freaked out.  Not sure I want to know what the heck they are doing.  Cindi

ps - I miss being a tough girl!  Prior to chemo, my pain tolerance was high. Doctors always commented on that.  Now, I'm a big baby. I have zero tolerance and on my bad days, even noise hurts. ugh!

Mine was done in the doc's office and I was in and out in less than an hour.  I was given light IV sedation and was told I'd stay awake. Ha!  After he numbed me up, I could feel a bit of tugging as he made the incision then drifted off very briefly and woke as he started to close the incision.  I was really disappointed because I wanted to see the little bugger.  Anyway, don't spend one minute fretting.  It'll be the easiest thing you've done in all this.

TeddyandBears_Mom said:

Connie

Thanks.  But this guy isn't going to use sedation.  That's why I'm freaking out.  And, what is so dumb about that is; it is way down the road! And really the least of my issues at the moment! Not sure why I have decided to fix on it. Who knows? I could go to someone else that would sedate me.  Anyway, I do appreciate the support and input.  :-)

I honestly think I would have been fine without it.  The pricks when he numbed the area were a bit uncomfortable but nothing worse than with dental work.

Anyway, this will soon be behind you and you and NED will walk together into the sunset.  Three years later, it's getting hard to remember being hairless,  short of breath from climbing a flight of stairs,  spending whole days on the couch too fatigued to even watch tv.