just found out- Chemo starts this Friday!!!

My experience
I had my first chemo treatment Wednesday, June 23rd. I didn't know what to expect either. I was pleasantly surprised. I guess my worst day was Saturday. I was just drained. I don't think the 100 degree heat helped. Plus that is the day that my tastebuds went crazy. I was starving, but coulnd't taste anything. Hopefully, the party is at someone's home, and you can relax on the sofa, if need be. Good luck to you.

MOrtiz0810 said:

Wishing you all the best!
I'm right behind you! I'm suppose to start hopefully by next week, for a total of 8 rounds, 2 weeks apart. There is one posting, I think it's titled Chemo side effects, which was very helpful. We will all experience different side effects (and hopefully not much at all), but I really got a lot of helpful information out of that posting, so I feel better prepared for any side effects that I might have.
I hope all goes well in your road to recovery!

Good luck to you on chemo.
Good luck to you on chemo. I hope that you feel well for July 4th celebration!


Hugs, Debby

waffle8 said:

Tulsamom,That all happened
Tulsamom,That all happened fast for you too....It was a good thing for me less time to worry.... Yes i think it is a great thing the study..My hair started to fall out right before second treatment but I actually still have hair The doc. keeps saying I will loose it but I only have 1 more chemo to go....I didn't gain weight but I have been trying to clean up my diet....

My experience was very
My experience was very surprising. I thought i would be real sick and wouldnt be able to move. I took my nausea meds reguardless if i felt the nausea come on or not. If i remember i think it was about the third of fourth day after i was very tired. Keep plenty of fluids in you. Drinking lots of water helps and take that nausea meds and steroids they give you. They saved me

good luck
Laura

As long as you're sitting and relaxing
I think you'll be okay. Typically, it's the 2-3 day AFTER Chemo that you'll feel most tired. Every body is different but I think if you're taking it easy and not working hard at anything, you should be good to go!

Happy 4th to you and your family.

Blessings and hugs,

Sylvia

TulsaMomof3 said:

Thanks Waffle, Yes I am in
Thanks Waffle, Yes I am in the study, I feel really good about it. How long did it take for your hair to start coming out? Did it cause weight gain? I am now running around like crazy! I didn't know it would start in 4 days!

Tulsamomof3
This 1st treatment is very scary cause you just dont know how your body is going to react. My 1st was back in Nov 09, if I remember correctly, the 1st one is very long, expect to be there between 4-6 hours. I too had the Nuelasta shot the day after every treatment. On the 1st treatment, I felt pretty good the 1st 2 days, it was at the 3rd I notice I was not feeling to good, and thats how it was during the next 6 months. It took me a couple of treaments to figure out what worked best for me, went thru 3 diff kinds of nausea meds till I found the one that work, together with my own little trick I learned thru my 2 pregnancy & dealt with horrible nausea. I ate every 2-3 hours, even if it was crakers or plain fruit. Even in the middle of the night, if I felt nausea kicking in, i got up and ate something. This way I took less medicine then prescribe. Bottom line, I think you will be ok for the 4th. Also regarding hair, by the 3rd wk right after Thanksgiving after chemo it started coming out. Before christmas it was all gone. Weight gain? Unfortunately, in my case, yes. i gained 22 pounds over all during 6months. Finished chemo in March, hair is starting to come in. The weight is harder to loss cause I'm not a big fan of exercise, but I have lost some. Good luck!

MyTurnNow said:

TulsaMom, I had the exact
TulsaMom, I had the exact same cocktail and for the same duration. Will you also have the Nuelasta shot the day after your infusion? I had my treatments on Thursday, went back on Friday for the Nuelasta shot and really seemed to tolerate it pretty well. I did drink a lot of water and had no nausea at all. The Nuelasta shot caused some bone pain in my lower back and legs but was not too bad and I was able to control it with Extra Strength Tylenol. This typically started on Sunday evening. I continued to exercise throughout my treatment. I'll be the first to admit that some days were better than others but I also believe that the exercise helped to maintain my energy level. We are all different and I hope that you will tolerate these chemicals well. I do think you will be able to attend your 4th of July party. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

Just wanted to let you know
Just wanted to let you know that my experience with chemo hasn't been as bad as I dreaded before I started them. I take Cytoxan and Taxotere once a week and just had my 8th treatment today. I was concerned about the nausea but it wasn't too bad. Just be sure to take your nausea meds the first day or two, even if you don't feel sick. I didn't have to have shots until after the 3rd treatment for my white blood cells, but that has also improved. And as everyone told me, drink plenty of water and I did better eating small meals more often instead of large meals. You should not notice much difference the day of treatment, in fact my husband and I usually eat out at a restaurant after my treatment, then take it easy a couple of days and let my body rest. I do have some side effects but so far its been doable. I'm having my sons and their families over for the 4th, so I plan on having an easy meal of grilled hamburgers, baked beans, bought potatoe salad and maybe a bought strawberry dessert or cheesecake. Hope you make your 4th party and your chemo isn't hard on you. Let us know how you do.

Sunrae said:

Just wanted to let you know
Just wanted to let you know that my experience with chemo hasn't been as bad as I dreaded before I started them. I take Cytoxan and Taxotere once a week and just had my 8th treatment today. I was concerned about the nausea but it wasn't too bad. Just be sure to take your nausea meds the first day or two, even if you don't feel sick. I didn't have to have shots until after the 3rd treatment for my white blood cells, but that has also improved. And as everyone told me, drink plenty of water and I did better eating small meals more often instead of large meals. You should not notice much difference the day of treatment, in fact my husband and I usually eat out at a restaurant after my treatment, then take it easy a couple of days and let my body rest. I do have some side effects but so far its been doable. I'm having my sons and their families over for the 4th, so I plan on having an easy meal of grilled hamburgers, baked beans, bought potatoe salad and maybe a bought strawberry dessert or cheesecake. Hope you make your 4th party and your chemo isn't hard on you. Let us know how you do.

Sounds like a plan
Sunrae, I totally agree with everything you said. I was really afraid before my first treatment, as I didn't know what to expect and didn't find this site until after the treatment. I do have one question, what time should we be over on the 4th? LOL

Everyone reacts differently
But, I think you should be able to make it. I usually don't feel real tired until the 4th or 5th day after chemo. Just take it easy and take your anti-nausea meds and eat some crackers even if you feel a little sick to your stomach. It is a lot easier to nip the nausea before you start throwing up because your body won't keep the meds down then. Good luck to you!