Just starting my Chemo.

lisamm · October 2004

Hi everyone. I had a bilateral mastectomy. My Chemo has been put off 2 times due to an infection on my Right breast. They removed my implant and it's healing fine.
I have an appt. on Tuesday(10-19-04)to have my 1st treatment. I have alot of mixed feelings about getting this started. I'm scared but want to get this started and over with. I guess I just don't know what to expect. I want to get it started but afraid to. Hope that doesn't sound weird. Could someone give me some insight on what to expect after my first treatment? They are using the medications:Cyclophosphamide,Andiamycin,Fluorouracil. Anyone had these three drugs used?

sincerely,
LisaMcM

angelesyordan · October 2004

Hi! Lisamcm:
May God bless you now and always.
I had that same chemo Six years ago and I'm still here and very happy to live no matter what I left behind. I had the same mixed feelings you are expressing in your message. It's weird but I decided that I would love chemo HOW? I reasoned everything every path of the way and decided that my first and utmost objective was TO LIVE, no matter what I had to do or what I had to compromise and give back in the way to my cure.
You brain is there waiting to get command of your body and reason should prevail, anytime that terrible fear that even makes your breathing difficult appears STOP and regain hold of your senses think of what could happen next and act to prevent any infection or detain any side effects chemo could have on you. Chemo is our medicine; if we had a cold we would be prescribed Robitussin or some other cold medicine but we have cancer and then we should have the appropiate medicine for our condition. If you read the contraindications from most medicines you would never dream of drinking or swallowing them.Right? Well; then you still take them because when you outweight the facts you still want to be cured from your disease, no matter what. Cemo goes to all your cells because it travels through your blood stream and through all your body, the stronger you punch cancer the better chances you have to defeat it. Enjoy your treatments seeing them as your allies in this struggle. Don't pay too much attention to hearsay about nausea because I vomited only once in six months. After I finished my first round of chemotherapy I went on for 36 rounds of radio and again for 4 months of chemo.
Love and embraces from sunny Puerto Rico and you can visit this island some day in the future.
Angeles Yordan

wingingit · October 2004

I imagine many of us had that mixed bag of emotions before we started our first chemo realizing the consequences if we do not and those if we do (same for surgery). Overall, I felt the positives outweighed the negatives, which gave me courage to do what I felt I had to do to fight the enemy. I had four 72-hr FAC treatments through a pump. I usually did not start feeling the effects until after 48 hours. Those mostly involved feeling nauseous (little vomiting) and headaches continuing a couple of days after the treatment. I took my anti-nausea medication (Zofran and Compazine) on a schedule and I think it helped tremendously. Once it cleared from my system after a few days I felt extraordinarily well. It was doable--especially with prayer and support from family and friends. Wishing you strength and good health . . . Krista

jdubious · October 2004

hi! I'm getting cytoxin and aromycin (spelling?) and I sort of look forward to chemo. It makes me feel like I'm doing something to fight the cancer. Each treatment is like dropping another bomb on cancer! I haven't been sick at all - not even nauseous! I am pretty tired for a couple of days afterwards, but that's been the worst of it. There are lots of choices it dealing with side effects, so if you have ANY side effects, tell your doctor and they can probably help. I'm looking forward to getting past chemo, just because then I can get on with my next treatment (radiation) I think if you keep a positive outlook on your treatment, it can be a positive, empowering experience.
jill

wildangel · October 2004

Hi,
I thought I would never, EVER live through chemo! I was SO SCARED that first visit I almost left before they took me in the back. I thought I was going to immediately get sick the second they gave me the iv. I was a complete basket case.
Well- I got an IV- waited....nothing yet....got another bag attached to it...waited...nothing... happened...more bags...more waiting...starting to doze.....woke up....time to go home. That was IT!
It is SO MUCH WORSE in our heads than what really happens!

Now they have drugs like Emmend and ALoxi that prevent nausea BEFORE the chemo- and they send you home with stuff to take if you even feel nauseous.

My advice- take every single med on schedule. Keep a chart like in a hospital to keep track. You can PREVENT nausea- but it is hard to STOP. SO don't miss a pill and you are ok!
Don't let your stomach get too empty- keep nibbling on crackers and things. And DRINK A TON of water the first two days to flush the chemo out of your system. It doesn't need to sit in your kidneys- it is already hard at work in your blood stream like pacman eating up any stray cancer cell.

You will find the infusions actually get boring. You look at that last bag dripping and are thinking DRIP ALREADY! I want to go home!

The doctors have made it DOABLE. And the best part is- it KILLS THE CANCER. And THAT IS A GOOD THING!!!

Good luck to you!
God bless you I will say a prayer for you on Tuesday.

Love,
Angela

tlmac · October 2004

Hi Lisa, I finished cytoxan & adrymicin in May 2003 and I'm doing fine. My experience was much like Jills. The chemo actually made me feel safe. The side effects I experienced were enough to reassure me what the drugs were capable of. I can tell you I felt pretty good on the day of my chemo (they gave me some great drugs to counter the bad stuff) and I usually ended up going out to eat on my way home. The next day was usually pretty good, too. My roughest days were 3 & 4. That's when I'd feel whiped out and have no desire to eat. The anzamet I took for nausea was terrific. I felt queezy but never threw up once. I was usually back to my old self in less than a week. The down time increased sue to chemo's cumulative effect but I can tll you what I imagined chemo would be was far worse than my experience with it. Even losing my hair wasn't as traumatic, for me, as I'd anticipated. Stay positive, listen to your body and rest when you need to, laugh with family and friends whenever possible and know that we're here for you. Good Luck!!
terri

lisamm · October 2004

You all have given me some encouraging and are helping me get the "fight" back in me. I use to have the attitude, "I'll fight this thing no matter what it takes. Then the infection hit me and had to have the implant removed. Then it hurt me so bad having to see my breast gone again. That it felt I had been pushed back 2 weeks in my recovery again. It was like a slap in the face. I just wanted it all to stop then. I'm sure anxiety will overcome me on the way to my appt. and while sitting there waiting for my name to be called back. But my husband is going to be there with me, as he has been every time, I've had an appt. or procedure done. He's been able to bring my spirit up and help guide me through it all so far.
My Dr. has prescribed my anti-nausea medication already and I'll keep it close to me at all times. I seem to be easily nauseated with any type of medication lately. So it's something I anticipate will happen regardless. Oh well, I'll go back to my Jell-O and water diet again. (ha)
I'd like to thank every one of you for your wonderful support and advice. May God bless you all each and every day.

Lisa

Just starting my Chemo.

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