Pet Scan Results

mmontero38 said:

Sorry Vicki that you have to
Sorry Vicki that you have to go through this too. I also had Adriamycin, Cytoxan and 5FU cocktail every 3 weeks for 8 rounds. The chemo cocktail has a cumulative effect, so the first couple of rounds may not bother you. Make sure your oncologist gives you medication for the nausea. Stay on top of the meds, because if you allow yourself to get sick or start to feel nauseas, then it will be harder to loose that feeling. I would take the pill before I went for the treatment, then I would follow the directions and take it for at least 3 or 4 days. Be prepared to loose you hair within 2 weeks of your first chemo. Mine started falling out exactly 17 days after the first dose and I had mine buzzed off. Your hair follicles will start to hurt and that's how you will know that it's time to buzz it off. I'm glad your doctor is sending you for the muga. Basically, it's a specialized ultrasound of your heart to make sure their is no damage. The adriamycin tends to cause heart disease and congestive heart failure in people that have a history of heart disease, so make sure you let your oncologist know, if anyone in your family has had heart problems.

The Arimidex doesn't cause you to have side effects right away, other than maybe a few nore hot flashes and flushes. The joint pain and muscle aches may or may not come later as you continue to take it. Make sure you take 1200 mg of calcium every day as it does cause osteoporosis and ask your oncologist to check your vitamin D levels. Mine had me go on 2000 iu of vit d every day since my levels were low.

Also, get a complete blood work. The Arimidex causes high cholesterol in about 5% of the persons taking it. So, if you have a base line to start with, they will be able to monitor that and know if the medication is causing your cholesterol to rise.

I know it's a lot to absorb, and we feel so overwhelmed when we are given a cancer diagnosis. Take your time to read over our replies, buy a note pad and right down all your questions as you think of them so that you don't forget any next time you visit your oncologist. We're all here to tell you our experiences and help out in any way we can. In the meantime, feel our presence over your shoulder as you go down this unwanted road. You're not alone in your journey. Hugs, Lili

dmc_emmy said:

Vickie...now you have a plan of action
though it was never the path you would ever have thought to find yourself--we know that all too well. The idea of a notebook is a great one. I wish I had thought about that before I had chemo.

All I thought about was food, since I knew that I would not be able to eat for days afterward, so I made a picnic lunch with all the trimmings for my driver/friend and myself. I tried to make the best out of lousy situation. I was in chemo anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours. It was a crummy way to spend an afternoon. I thought I would read, but I tended to fall asleep after we had our picnic lunch, due to all the pre-meds I was given for nausea. During that time, my friend became friends with a fellow chemo patient and they are still friends today. We even included her in our picnics.

Well, so much for looking back on time I wish I could forget. Wish you well as you begin chemo and, remember, we are always here to "walk" beside you.
dmc