Chemo Week For Me

elm3544
elm3544 Member Posts: 748
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Chemo round 3 Taxotere/Cytoxin Monday
Neulasta shot Tuesday
Here I go again...
«134

Comments

  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    Good luck Elm
    I'll be thinking about you. Looks like quite a few of us are up late tonight!! Seems like a lot of anxiety going around. You'll be getting your treatment tomorrow and I'll be snoozing in late! I hope this one is easier on you. Maybe you can nap through it? Get to bed and get some rest. you need your strength!! Post when you get a chance and let us know how it went!!
    Pammy
  • aurora2009
    aurora2009 Member Posts: 544 Member
    Wishing you luck
    I'll be thinking of you!!!!!

    /Aurora/♥
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    Akiss4me said:

    Good luck Elm
    I'll be thinking about you. Looks like quite a few of us are up late tonight!! Seems like a lot of anxiety going around. You'll be getting your treatment tomorrow and I'll be snoozing in late! I hope this one is easier on you. Maybe you can nap through it? Get to bed and get some rest. you need your strength!! Post when you get a chance and let us know how it went!!
    Pammy

    Taking your advice and going
    Taking your advice and going to bed. This will be my first treatment with the port and I think I am a little less nervous than I thought I would be.
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769

    Wishing you luck
    I'll be thinking of you!!!!!

    /Aurora/♥

    Best of luck
    Best of luck. You will be glad that you have the port.
    Thinking of you.

    Hugs,
    Margo
  • BunnyJane
    BunnyJane Member Posts: 213

    Best of luck
    Best of luck. You will be glad that you have the port.
    Thinking of you.

    Hugs,
    Margo

    Good Luck
    on Monday. You and I are on the same schedule with our TC treatments; mine is on Wednesday.

    Best wishes for no side effects!

    Jane
  • butterfly343
    butterfly343 Member Posts: 39
    Good luck. I hope you will
    Good luck. I hope you will feel better this treatment!
    let us know how it went. I am starting chemo next monday with the neusta shots on tuesday.
    Best wishes!!
    Julie
  • butterfly343
    butterfly343 Member Posts: 39
    Good luck. I hope you will
    Good luck. I hope you will feel better this treatment!
    let us know how it went. I am starting chemo next monday with the neulasta shots on tuesday.
    Best wishes!!
    Julie
  • dmc_emmy
    dmc_emmy Member Posts: 549
    elm3544 said:

    Taking your advice and going
    Taking your advice and going to bed. This will be my first treatment with the port and I think I am a little less nervous than I thought I would be.

    elm3544...
    I don't think I have welcomed you, yet. I've been away from the boards for a few weeks and I'm trying to get myself caught up. So, first, welcome (and if I have already done so, welcome again).

    When I had chemo, I used the port because I have lousy veins. Just remember to put the numbing cream on about an hour before. I forgot one time, and man-o-man, was I sorry! I never forgot again.

    I don't know how many treatments you need, but if you're on number 3 does that mean that you're about 1/2 way done? I had eight treatments altogether. They were tough, but I'm still here to write about it, so it seems to have been one of my better decisions that I have made in my life.

    Hang in there.
    dmc
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    Good luck Elm!

    Good luck Elm!
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    dmc_emmy said:

    elm3544...
    I don't think I have welcomed you, yet. I've been away from the boards for a few weeks and I'm trying to get myself caught up. So, first, welcome (and if I have already done so, welcome again).

    When I had chemo, I used the port because I have lousy veins. Just remember to put the numbing cream on about an hour before. I forgot one time, and man-o-man, was I sorry! I never forgot again.

    I don't know how many treatments you need, but if you're on number 3 does that mean that you're about 1/2 way done? I had eight treatments altogether. They were tough, but I'm still here to write about it, so it seems to have been one of my better decisions that I have made in my life.

    Hang in there.
    dmc

    DMC_EMMY
    Thank you! I have been reading your posts and so glad you are doing better! I don't comment all the time but I did send you a short message at least once. So happy to have all these amazing friends here!
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    BunnyJane said:

    Good Luck
    on Monday. You and I are on the same schedule with our TC treatments; mine is on Wednesday.

    Best wishes for no side effects!

    Jane

    Thank you and Good luck to
    Thank you and Good luck to you, too!
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    dmc_emmy said:

    elm3544...
    I don't think I have welcomed you, yet. I've been away from the boards for a few weeks and I'm trying to get myself caught up. So, first, welcome (and if I have already done so, welcome again).

    When I had chemo, I used the port because I have lousy veins. Just remember to put the numbing cream on about an hour before. I forgot one time, and man-o-man, was I sorry! I never forgot again.

    I don't know how many treatments you need, but if you're on number 3 does that mean that you're about 1/2 way done? I had eight treatments altogether. They were tough, but I'm still here to write about it, so it seems to have been one of my better decisions that I have made in my life.

    Hang in there.
    dmc

    Thank you everyone! I'm sure
    Thank you everyone! I'm sure I will be posting again soon, I will be home all week!
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    elm3544 said:

    Thank you everyone! I'm sure
    Thank you everyone! I'm sure I will be posting again soon, I will be home all week!

    Good luck Elm
    Post when you get a chance!!
    Pammy
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159 Member
    Don't worry Elm! Keep that
    Don't worry Elm! Keep that positive attitude, and you will be just fine! I am doing an intensive online search for you to find out just WHY you got this damnable BC, and how you can prevent it in the future! I'm not sure, but I think if you hang upside down from a chandelier, while having coffee enemas ( from non rain-forest depleting crops)administered by flying monkeys, you will be fine! At least that's what the cousin, twice removed of one of my next door neighbors best friends ex-husbands saw on reality TV...and that would make it true, right???

    Or, just make sure you drink water....that helps too! LOL

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    chenheart said:

    Don't worry Elm! Keep that
    Don't worry Elm! Keep that positive attitude, and you will be just fine! I am doing an intensive online search for you to find out just WHY you got this damnable BC, and how you can prevent it in the future! I'm not sure, but I think if you hang upside down from a chandelier, while having coffee enemas ( from non rain-forest depleting crops)administered by flying monkeys, you will be fine! At least that's what the cousin, twice removed of one of my next door neighbors best friends ex-husbands saw on reality TV...and that would make it true, right???

    Or, just make sure you drink water....that helps too! LOL

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    Looking for a buddy
    I logged on earlier today for the first time and found this message board. I will be starting my chemo this Thursday and would love to find someone I can go through this with. I'll be taking the Taxotere and Cytoxan (sp) with the shot the day after. I'm 55 years old and have no histoy of breast cancer in my family. Nothing like being the first!!
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    MyTurnNow said:

    Looking for a buddy
    I logged on earlier today for the first time and found this message board. I will be starting my chemo this Thursday and would love to find someone I can go through this with. I'll be taking the Taxotere and Cytoxan (sp) with the shot the day after. I'm 55 years old and have no histoy of breast cancer in my family. Nothing like being the first!!

    Lots of us here that either
    Lots of us here that either has had it or is going through chemo now. I thought I was the first but it turns out I had a 1st cousin that also had bc. I hadn't been keeping in touch with the extended family. Now I have a sister who is going through chemo. She had the gene testing and it came back negative.
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    MyTurnNow said:

    Looking for a buddy
    I logged on earlier today for the first time and found this message board. I will be starting my chemo this Thursday and would love to find someone I can go through this with. I'll be taking the Taxotere and Cytoxan (sp) with the shot the day after. I'm 55 years old and have no histoy of breast cancer in my family. Nothing like being the first!!

    BUDDY........
    I am having my FINAL (YEAH # 4)( 6 weeks of radiation to follow) Taxotere and Cytoxan infusion next Monday........Can't wait to have this part behind me!! I also take the Nuelasta injection the next day. Last one of those coming up too! I can only relate my experience with chemo.....I did NOT have a port, due to "only" 4 chemos, plus I have great veins, they say. I can honestly say, it hasn't been that bad, nothing like the horror stories I have heard over the years about chemo. I have not had the first bout of nausea, none at all! This is due to the anti nausea drugs I am given.....I start them on the day before chemo then continue for 4 days afterwards. Then for the first 15-20 minutes they give me, through the IV, more anti nausea drugs, then they wait for about 15 minutes for them to take effect before they start the "big guns." They give me the Taxotere first......takes about an hour for that one....inbetween ALL they flush my veins with saline. Cytoxan is next......it takes about 30-40 minutes. All together it's about 3 hours. Then the next day I get the Nuelasta injection.( Wait til you see how much this shot costs!) I have to be honest, the first one kicked my butt about 4 days later.......deep bone pain and severe muscle spasms, Taxotere can also cause bone pain. I did have "chemo revenge" for 4 days after the first infusion, so have EXTRA STRENGTH immodium on hand. These last three infusions and Nuelasta injection haven't been much of a problem.......tiredness is the biggest thing, some muscle and minor bone pain. The most annoying thing is losing taste buds for about a week after each chemo......may as well being eating a big bowl of ALPO! I am bald......started losing my hair, which I had had buzzed, exactly 14 days after the firsts chemo. BUT............NO SHAVING LEGS NOW EITHER or underarms........that's a plus! haha DRINK TONS OF WATER......can't stress that enough......and MAKE SURE you EAT before chemo.....keep something in your stomach, they say it helps keep down nausea. I eat like a pig before I go! I have to make myself eat once the taste buds go, though.....found that milkshakes have some taste. Also if you need something for your mental health, demand it.....I was given the lowest dose of Valium......it takes the edge off. BE SELFISH.......REST when ever you can and let things go, if possible. I am blessed with a wonderful husband, I have no responsibilites or obligations, I'm 58, 2 kids grown, married and I have 4 grands, the loves of my life.....I've told everyone, THIS IS ABOUT ME, if you can't deal with me being selfish, stay away! haha

    I wish you the best and if I can help anymore, I would be glad to.....this site is full of wonderful, STRONG, women!
    xoxox N
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    MyTurnNow said:

    Looking for a buddy
    I logged on earlier today for the first time and found this message board. I will be starting my chemo this Thursday and would love to find someone I can go through this with. I'll be taking the Taxotere and Cytoxan (sp) with the shot the day after. I'm 55 years old and have no histoy of breast cancer in my family. Nothing like being the first!!

    BUDDY........
    I am having my FINAL (YEAH # 4)( 6 weeks of radiation to follow) Taxotere and Cytoxan infusion next Monday........Can't wait to have this part behind me!! I also take the Nuelasta injection the next day. Last one of those coming up too! I can only relate my experience with chemo.....I did NOT have a port, due to "only" 4 chemos, plus I have great veins, they say. I can honestly say, it hasn't been that bad, nothing like the horror stories I have heard over the years about chemo. I have not had the first bout of nausea, none at all! This is due to the anti nausea drugs I am given.....I start them on the day before chemo then continue for 4 days afterwards. Then for the first 15-20 minutes they give me, through the IV, more anti nausea drugs, then they wait for about 15 minutes for them to take effect before they start the "big guns." They give me the Taxotere first......takes about an hour for that one....inbetween ALL they flush my veins with saline. Cytoxan is next......it takes about 30-40 minutes. All together it's about 3 hours. Then the next day I get the Nuelasta injection.( Wait til you see how much this shot costs!) I have to be honest, the first one kicked my butt about 4 days later.......deep bone pain and severe muscle spasms, Taxotere can also cause bone pain. I did have "chemo revenge" for 4 days after the first infusion, so have EXTRA STRENGTH immodium on hand. These last three infusions and Nuelasta injection haven't been much of a problem.......tiredness is the biggest thing, some muscle and minor bone pain. The most annoying thing is losing taste buds for about a week after each chemo......may as well being eating a big bowl of ALPO! I am bald......started losing my hair, which I had had buzzed, exactly 14 days after the firsts chemo. BUT............NO SHAVING LEGS NOW EITHER or underarms........that's a plus! haha DRINK TONS OF WATER......can't stress that enough......and MAKE SURE you EAT before chemo.....keep something in your stomach, they say it helps keep down nausea. I eat like a pig before I go! I have to make myself eat once the taste buds go, though.....found that milkshakes have some taste. Also if you need something for your mental health, demand it.....I was given the lowest dose of Valium......it takes the edge off. BE SELFISH.......REST when ever you can and let things go, if possible. I am blessed with a wonderful husband, I have no responsibilites or obligations, I'm 58, 2 kids grown, married and I have 4 grands, the loves of my life.....I've told everyone, THIS IS ABOUT ME, if you can't deal with me being selfish, stay away! haha

    I wish you the best and if I can help anymore, I would be glad to.....this site is full of wonderful, STRONG, women!
    xoxox N
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    chenheart said:

    Don't worry Elm! Keep that
    Don't worry Elm! Keep that positive attitude, and you will be just fine! I am doing an intensive online search for you to find out just WHY you got this damnable BC, and how you can prevent it in the future! I'm not sure, but I think if you hang upside down from a chandelier, while having coffee enemas ( from non rain-forest depleting crops)administered by flying monkeys, you will be fine! At least that's what the cousin, twice removed of one of my next door neighbors best friends ex-husbands saw on reality TV...and that would make it true, right???

    Or, just make sure you drink water....that helps too! LOL

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    Good luck Elm
    Wishing you good luck this week Elm!

    ☺♥ Noel ♥☺
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    MAJW said:

    BUDDY........
    I am having my FINAL (YEAH # 4)( 6 weeks of radiation to follow) Taxotere and Cytoxan infusion next Monday........Can't wait to have this part behind me!! I also take the Nuelasta injection the next day. Last one of those coming up too! I can only relate my experience with chemo.....I did NOT have a port, due to "only" 4 chemos, plus I have great veins, they say. I can honestly say, it hasn't been that bad, nothing like the horror stories I have heard over the years about chemo. I have not had the first bout of nausea, none at all! This is due to the anti nausea drugs I am given.....I start them on the day before chemo then continue for 4 days afterwards. Then for the first 15-20 minutes they give me, through the IV, more anti nausea drugs, then they wait for about 15 minutes for them to take effect before they start the "big guns." They give me the Taxotere first......takes about an hour for that one....inbetween ALL they flush my veins with saline. Cytoxan is next......it takes about 30-40 minutes. All together it's about 3 hours. Then the next day I get the Nuelasta injection.( Wait til you see how much this shot costs!) I have to be honest, the first one kicked my butt about 4 days later.......deep bone pain and severe muscle spasms, Taxotere can also cause bone pain. I did have "chemo revenge" for 4 days after the first infusion, so have EXTRA STRENGTH immodium on hand. These last three infusions and Nuelasta injection haven't been much of a problem.......tiredness is the biggest thing, some muscle and minor bone pain. The most annoying thing is losing taste buds for about a week after each chemo......may as well being eating a big bowl of ALPO! I am bald......started losing my hair, which I had had buzzed, exactly 14 days after the firsts chemo. BUT............NO SHAVING LEGS NOW EITHER or underarms........that's a plus! haha DRINK TONS OF WATER......can't stress that enough......and MAKE SURE you EAT before chemo.....keep something in your stomach, they say it helps keep down nausea. I eat like a pig before I go! I have to make myself eat once the taste buds go, though.....found that milkshakes have some taste. Also if you need something for your mental health, demand it.....I was given the lowest dose of Valium......it takes the edge off. BE SELFISH.......REST when ever you can and let things go, if possible. I am blessed with a wonderful husband, I have no responsibilites or obligations, I'm 58, 2 kids grown, married and I have 4 grands, the loves of my life.....I've told everyone, THIS IS ABOUT ME, if you can't deal with me being selfish, stay away! haha

    I wish you the best and if I can help anymore, I would be glad to.....this site is full of wonderful, STRONG, women!
    xoxox N

    Buddy
    Thanks for all the info. I'll be doing the same treatments you are about finished with. The only thing I wasn't offered was any anti-nausea medication prior to the treatment. I'll remember that if I have a problem. I had this huge fear that I'd be the first one to wake up the day after the first treatment and lo and behold all my hair had fallen out the night before. I went to a new store that just opened at the beach (I live in Florida)called In The Pink. I bought 4 scarfs just in case. They did tell me my hair would fall out about 2 weeks after the first treatment. From all I've read and your comments as well, it seems that's pretty accurate. That's the one hurdle I am not looking forward to. I am generally a very strong person but cannot imagine my hair coming out in clumps. I'm thinking I'll also buzz mine within the 2 weeks. It's so hot here that I haven't even checked into a wig yet. I'm not sure I'd get a lot of wear out of one. I do work and plan to continue working as my health permits. I'm on my way to pick up the extra strength immodium after work.

    P.S. Just out of curosity, what is the cost of the Nuelasta? I'm amazed at what the total costs can be after chemo, radiation and then I'm also taking hormone therapy.