I HATE CHEMO
ninetoes
Member Posts: 81
Almost done with my 1st round of Chemo and it sucks. I know there are many other people here that have it much worse. I guess I just want to complain. I have had nausea for 2 days in a row, can't drink anything cold. I get my pack disconnected today at 4:30, I hope it gets better. I wish I had my Mom's strength, she passed away almost a year ago from A.L.S.(Lou Gehrigs Disease). She had it for 5 years and I never heard her complain.
Anyway, I don't know how all of you have made through 12 rounds of this. It's a long way to November, I hope I make it.
Dave
Anyway, I don't know how all of you have made through 12 rounds of this. It's a long way to November, I hope I make it.
Dave
0
Comments
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You'll make it!
Don't let it beat you! Just think of this chemo as it heals you, it's very hard, I know, chemo wasn't designed to be fun, but it also kills the cancer, just think of the positive sides of it Dave.
Once you get unhooked, which I always look forward too, you may just feel abit wiped out, I'm usually in bed watching T.V. or reading, and then after a few days, you'll feel yourself bouncing back and getting some energy back. Do rest when your body tells you, and try not to do too much. Watch the germs, and wash hands as much as possible, since your immune system has taken a kick in the gut! but you will bounce back, it will get harder before it gets better, but to think of it getting better is what gets me through.
I go for my 6th next week, I'll be halfway there on the Folfiri, and it does get harder. My poor hair is taking a beating, but I come to accept it, and had someone from the ACS call me about wigs and scarves, so maybe I'll go shopping for those today, to uplift me!
My mom died of leukemia when I was 16, she was only 40, and back in 1981, they didn't have bone marrow transplants or other things to help her, so she died just 19 days after her dx, but we come a long way since then. I have lasted the longest out of all my family who has had cancer so far, knock on wood! we're going to get through this Dave!
Hugssss!
~Donna0 -
Sorry
Dave: I'm sorry you're not doing well. Your doctor should have given you something for the nausea. I get an infusion for nausea before each chemo and haven't had any problem yet, plus she gave me some compozine (sp?) for home if I needed it.
It is a relief to get the fanny pack disconnected. Just to know that you aren't having that chemo going into you constantly is a relief and also it doesn't get in your way all the time.
Hope you get to feeling better soon. Tell your nurse that you are sick. They should be able to help you.
Kim0 -
rough chemo
Make sure you let them know if you're not feeling well. They have meds to help you, but you want to start taking those meds right away don't wait. I learned this the hard way. Anti nausea meds and pain meds make it so much easier. Hopefully you'll be able to drink cold drinks after a few days. Nausea meds and a small piece of spearment gum in my mouth helped me with the queasiness. Complain away chemo is not easy.0 -
And....tiny one said:rough chemo
Make sure you let them know if you're not feeling well. They have meds to help you, but you want to start taking those meds right away don't wait. I learned this the hard way. Anti nausea meds and pain meds make it so much easier. Hopefully you'll be able to drink cold drinks after a few days. Nausea meds and a small piece of spearment gum in my mouth helped me with the queasiness. Complain away chemo is not easy.
....some good ole maryjane will help you out with that nausea, just hit it a couple times, I swear it works, and it's cheap, and...I'll be quiet about it now LOL
Hugsss!
~Donna0 -
Thanks everyone, I know IShayenne said:And....
....some good ole maryjane will help you out with that nausea, just hit it a couple times, I swear it works, and it's cheap, and...I'll be quiet about it now LOL
Hugsss!
~Donna
Thanks everyone, I know I need to push forward. Donna, that's a good idea!
Dave0 -
I feel your pain too!
I just started Tuesday and Tuesday night I felt like I was wiped out. Headache and achy. Then Wednesday I was okay until late in the day the stomach cramps, then yesterday sick to my stomach and tired! I feel like a wimp because I am whiny about this and there are so many tough people out there.
What bothered me the most yesterday was a WALMART commercial!!! There was a mom running through the sprinkler with her kids. I am home from work for a couple of more weeks and I wnat to do fun things with my 5 year old and I don't see that as an option right now. Therefore I feel like a bad mom because I can't do all those fun things right now. But I guess that is what I am fighting for. To beat this cancer and rid it from my body!
Just venting.......
Linda0 -
I can relate
Dave, I know how you must feel. Yesterday I was declared NED, but on the 15th I still have chemo to get through "just in case". I so want to say "NO, Enough already" but I know I won't do that. 5FU seems to hit me hard, but I will fight it and get through the last week.Heck, I made it through 6 weeks of excruciating radiation and a fanny pack, I can do this!
Many hugs, Vicki0 -
Try 'em all!
Hi Dave,
Congratulations on getting the first one down. You are going to do it! Nausea is a demon, though, and if one med doesn't work, keep trying them all until you find one that does. Yes, the cold thing is also very uncomfortable--room temperature or hot can get very old very quick. BUT! You are in the process of kicking cancer's butt!! I know it is not particularly pleasant, but you must remember to STAY HYDRATED and keep up with your nourishment. That is one reason, apart from feeling like *&(* that you need to get your nausea under control. Talk to your doc. A lot of the time you can get samples to see what works for you. Also, when you are dehydrated and/or malnourished, you feel nauseated and it has nothing to do with the chemo. So hang in there, and complain when you want to . We've all been there!
Hugs,
Kirsten0 -
Dave...kmygil said:Try 'em all!
Hi Dave,
Congratulations on getting the first one down. You are going to do it! Nausea is a demon, though, and if one med doesn't work, keep trying them all until you find one that does. Yes, the cold thing is also very uncomfortable--room temperature or hot can get very old very quick. BUT! You are in the process of kicking cancer's butt!! I know it is not particularly pleasant, but you must remember to STAY HYDRATED and keep up with your nourishment. That is one reason, apart from feeling like *&(* that you need to get your nausea under control. Talk to your doc. A lot of the time you can get samples to see what works for you. Also, when you are dehydrated and/or malnourished, you feel nauseated and it has nothing to do with the chemo. So hang in there, and complain when you want to . We've all been there!
Hugs,
Kirsten
...Aside from the maryjane, keeping some Premium Saltine crackers nearby helps as well, those crackers really help with my queasiness as well
0 -
Complain
Dave,
I know how you feel. I'm going to my 11th treatment on Tuesday and MY DOCTOR won't tell me when I will stop. So if you have a time line, look forward to when you can stop. I don't have that to look forward to. I don't know if you are on oxiplatin (sp) or not, but the longer you take oxi, the longer it takes to be able to drink or touch the cold. After my 8th treatment, I was ready to tell the doctor "let the cancer kill me, I'll live longer without the chemo", because I hadn't eaten anything solid in five weeks at this time. But my doctor listened, cut off the oxi, cut down the 5FU and kept me on Avastin and I have been ABLE TO EAT!!! this week. You don't know how good this feels after 3 months of smoothies, soups and Ensure. If you can't eat, drink Ensure. You need the nutrients it provides and Boost even has a protein Boost, but I couldn't drink it because it has soy in it.
Keep trying new nausea drugs. I had to take three different kinds at one time to get rid of my nausea after my 8th treatment.
Just hang in there Dave and don't give up like I almost did.
Debbie0 -
CHEMO SUCKS!
Hello Dave!
Yeah, chemo is a great big drag - it can totally suck the joy out of life if you let it. Just remember that it is for your own good - sort of like swallowing that icky cough medicine you had to take when you were a kid.
After my first round of chemo, which was a hurl-fest (I puked for five days after each round), I realized I never felt sick until that dreaded chemo. I called myself the vomit comet - I visualized the cancer was vacating my body in my projectile vomit. It worked - I have been cancer free since I finished chemo in January 2007. And you probably will be too when you finish yours.
Keep your chin up - you can do it!
Whoop, whoop, whooop!0 -
Thanks everyone, I thinkusakat said:CHEMO SUCKS!
Hello Dave!
Yeah, chemo is a great big drag - it can totally suck the joy out of life if you let it. Just remember that it is for your own good - sort of like swallowing that icky cough medicine you had to take when you were a kid.
After my first round of chemo, which was a hurl-fest (I puked for five days after each round), I realized I never felt sick until that dreaded chemo. I called myself the vomit comet - I visualized the cancer was vacating my body in my projectile vomit. It worked - I have been cancer free since I finished chemo in January 2007. And you probably will be too when you finish yours.
Keep your chin up - you can do it!
Whoop, whoop, whooop!
Thanks everyone, I think each day about stopping the Chemo. I still don't know what I'm going to do. It helps to have all of you here.
Thanks
Dave0 -
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now........ninetoes said:Thanks everyone, I think
Thanks everyone, I think each day about stopping the Chemo. I still don't know what I'm going to do. It helps to have all of you here.
Thanks
Dave
Your not stoppin' nuthin' young man...hang in there and puke,spit,gag,whatever it takes. Then when its over you find a feeling of fullfillness that you have overcome a tremendous obstacle and came out on top....Now run out in the yard and puke and then tell the Onc that you need some "Emend".....Bring on the big guns Doc.....it will be over before ya know it..Gonna check on ya everyday til your done.....turn on the tv and lounge around for a while and walk out in the sunshine whenever ya can, that always made me feel great...Post Op chemo is just a sickening situation but a necessary evil....This is the hardest part of the whole journey, but the most important...get sick, throw up, then move on.....I will keep up with your journey and there will be no quitters in our group.....now buck up private, hup two three four........OK enough of the silly stuff....keep the chin up and move forward 0 -
it's really lousy, but just temporaryninetoes said:Thanks everyone, I think
Thanks everyone, I think each day about stopping the Chemo. I still don't know what I'm going to do. It helps to have all of you here.
Thanks
Dave
Dave,
Don't stop the chemo! It's really lousy, but just remind yourself that the lousy things that the chemo is doing the rest of your body is to keep that cancer from growing and/or coming back again! You wouldn't want to have it come back and wonder "would I be in this boat right now, if I had just finished out the chemo?" Do all you can to kick it away! Although it may seem like an eternity, it will be just temporary to help ensure that you can live your life normally in the future! Keep venting here if you need to, but don't give up!!!
Hugs,
Lisa0 -
welcome to chemotherapy
Hey Dave, I'm sorry the chemo is causing problems, that's what chemo does, especially the first round. I just finished my 3rd round last Friday. I've had 30 treatments in the last 2 years since surgery. The onc said even if the cancer is gone, I'll still need to do maintenance chemo, Avastin every 2 weeks for several years. The first round was horrible, almost didn't make it.(Folfox) The second round got better mostly due to improved health and replacing oxyliplatin with irinotecan plus Avastin(Folfiri). Third round was only for 3 months using Avastin and 5f-u. It gets better mainly due to getting used to it and making adjustments to diet, rest, etc. Hang in there and never give up! Take care, Randy0 -
Hating Chemo
I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they didn't hate chemo, and if they have said it they are lying thru their teeth!!!! LOL
After my first round I told my onc if that was what I was going to feel like, she should just shoot me right then and there. I never thought I would make it, I had every side effect possible, plus I became allergic to it and had to have steroids. But I did it, and so will you. I won't lie and say it gets better because it doesn't, but when you are finished and you can say you're NED, it's the best feeling.Plus you can feel so proud of yourself.
When you're doing chemo, just keep thinking of that little pac-man eating away at the cancer. Like everyone has said, stay hydrated, rest when you feel you have too, and keep thinking positive. Good luck, I know you can do it.
Wendy0
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