1st Chemo on Monday

sorry your ill
Darlene. I'm sorry that you are sick. Maybe you should call your Onc. There are alot of remidies to these side effects..maybe he can prescribe a anti-nausea. Did they give you a script for ativan? that really helps me the first few days. As for the taste in the mouth,, that has continued for me but the sickness has not. I suck on hard candies and that seems to help, something like altoids or too strong of mints seem to burn my mouth.

The first week or so is usually the worst..but you hang in there sweetie and call your DR. for help with your side effects..Let us know what he says. We will be here for you.
God Bless
Jackie

Hi!!
Hi Darlene, my first chemo treatment was Thursday. Venting is the main reason I come to the discussion board. The ladies here give great advice based on their experiences. I feel much better after reading some of the post. I plan to stock my freezer with recommended foods to eat during chemo, like ice cream to make shakes and other items to sooth my stomach. I am not looking forward to days 3-4 but I will have food on had to help counteract some of the side effects. I felt bad on day one...I think it was because of all the water I drunk or the food I ate when I got home. Today, day 1 after chemo, I got up feeling better and now I have to go get the neulasta shot.

Hope you feel better. PLEASE take the advice that is given in the discussion, these ladies have been through what we're going through.

Katreena

mimivac said:

Ugh.
Darlene,

Sorry you are having a hard time right now. Sometimes it takes one or two treatments to get the right combination of meds to take care of your symptoms. I second Jackie's suggestion to call your onc. She or he will suggest things you can do or write you new prescriptions. It is not a foregone conclusion that every treatment will be like this. For many, the first one is the worst. I also had taste changes during the first treatment, but that actually got better. Many of my earlier symptoms have gone away as I have learned to manage them. Make sure to keep your mouth very clean and rinse with baking powder and water at least once a day. You might also want to ask your doctor for a preventative mouth wash so that you don't get mouth sores. I have kept them at minimum with careful planning. Also, Darlene, are you taking the Neulasta shot? If you had your treatment on Monday, you are now approaching the point where your white blood cells are the lowest. Sometimes mouth changes begin around days 6 or 7. If you suffer from these persistently, your onc. may suggest Neulasta to boost your counts. Anyway, feel better!! You will recover from each treatment, I promise you.

Mimi

Baking powder?
Mimi--did you mean baking powder or baking soda? I hadn't heard of that one before.

Darlene, citrusy ice pops
Darlene, citrusy ice pops worked for me and lemon sorbet. Couldn't eat ice cream but the lemon sorbet was a constant in my freezer. Hugs, Lili

so how is it going now
I had my second treatment on Friday the 20th. I am stage 4 with involvement in rt breast, rt lymph nodes and lining of my lund. Dx 2/17...first chemo 2/27 with Cytoxin and Taxotere..Neulasta the next day (quick shot in the arm for WBC production).

What got me through the first cycle?

Week 1:
This site and reading through old threads...lots of great insight, bad humor (the best!), tips and landmarks to watch for. I lost 14 pounds from Friday to Wednesday and had to go in for fluids and an IV drip of nausea medication. Also got a perscription of zofran to use at home. Also had an epiphany that I should be eating the same kinds of things I used to give my kids when they were sick....I secretly think that much of my stomache pain was just pure and simple hunger...you see I am a constant eater

Week 2:
Nausea under control...appetite returning but I was very cautious. turkey sandwiches, applesauce, key lime yogurt...sweets didn't have much taste or appeat...salty savory was better...anything with tomato was very acidic (this from a ketchupholic!). Gained 5 of the 14 back...by the end of the week feeling pretty good...fatigued but went to a casino overnite with a friend and thoroughly enjoyed the uninterrupted television, the sleep number bed, the great converstaion, and the breakfast the next day was DIVINE. I didn't even mind the donation I made to the local indians.

Week 3:
Felt awesome, especially if I was able to take a late afternoon nap. On St. Pats day went for a two hour hike around a trendy spot in town and shopped in little shops and watched all the neo-irishmen and women enjoying an early start on their day. I felt ALIVE. It helped that it was 73 degrees in Milwaukee...followed walk with a stop at the beach and collected a piece of driftwood to commemorate my day. My port swelled up to the size of a hard boiled egg (which by the way taste great and chocolate tastes good again) So the nurse at Onc visit drained it, and made sure it could be accessed easily..She has been great. Dr. also perscribed Emend for nausea. It is a tri pack...one on day off, one next day, and last one the following day. Also switched cytozin for Adiamiacin...because my brain spots have been ruled as just me...not spread of cancer! I did try to get the dr. to say it was super intelligence...he said no...but I tell people he said yes.

Anyway...went into next chemo a little trepidatious because of the switch of medication...but I know that I can get through this...and I know you will too. Keep searching for those things that taste good and stock up. My refrigerator has hard boiled eggs, Classic Coke (cancer center nurse suggested a shot of it every two hours for nausea works for some people), appleauce, yogurt, and a can of chocolate frosting to taste periodically in order to access my taste buds.

Honestly, I had the best week I have had in years that third week....I felt great and stonger. Ready to dive in again.

Jojo

gerrico1216 said:

Getting Better
Well, I made it throuugh the first week. Monday was chemo, Tues was Shot, Wed, was ok. Thurs was nausaea day, Friday was the worse body pains and nausea. Today. A little better. This taste getting used to. Can eat sour pickeles now... LOL. Wonderful place to get support. Just sometimes mentally I can't log on. But thank you all for your ideas.

1 question... I heard when your scalp hurts it means your hair ready to fall out?

Darlene

right on target
I read a couple of old threads and saw some posts that seemed to put hair loss (cytoxin/taxotere) at around day 15-17. On day 16 I started to taste hair in the shower and sure enough strands and strands, especially from the crown of my head. Now I no everyone is different, and this is just my story...but thought it might help. My daughter later in the same day shaved my head using the lowest setting on a clippers. So now I am sporting the fuzzy grey bear look! My scalp did start to bristle and sting a bit just the day before.

Good luck to you,

Jojo