Mom's 1st Chemo

bentonmom3
bentonmom3 Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My mom has her 1st chemo visit in the am. I am a RN and live in Louisiana, she lives in Texas. She told me not to come to the 1st one, she would need me more as it got harder on her. I am feeling guilty and was wondering if someone could tell me what happens at your 1st chemo visit?

Comments

  • Scotch Freckles
    Scotch Freckles Member Posts: 273 Member
    #2
    Memories
    Each type of breast cancer requires different types of chemo therapy. I had an infusion of chemo followed up by anti-barf meds on a Friday. The first chemo wasn't too bad. I finally felt the after effects of chemo on Saturday afternoon. My legs felt like rubber and I felt like sleeping. Sunday was a bit worse but was able to get up and go to work on Monday. Legs still felt like rubber. Hopefully your Mom has someone to take her and be with her, everyone needs the moral support. Depending on how many chemo's she will have to endure, each time it got worse for me and was glad my husband was there to take care of me. Don't let Mom kid you that your not needed. You will fell better being there for her. Keep in touch for questions and support.

    Kathryn
  • smalldoggroomer
    smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 1,184
    #3
    Good morning Bentomom 3,

    Good morning Bentomom 3,
    I remember my first one. Everyone was very caring and kind. I had blood drawn and then seen the Dr and then it was on to infusion. Everyone treated me like I was there Mom. It was a nice experience for what I was going for. I was comfortable ( pillows blankets t.v. )They even brought me lunch. The nurses checked on me every few minutes. It took about 5 hours the first time. For being chemo it was a pleasant experience.
    Your Mom is right she will be fine today and will need you more later. I think the worst part of chemo for me anyway was 2 or 3 days after. That is when the fatigue sets in and you feel bad for a few days and that does get worse as it builds in you system. What is your Mom on I was on Herceptin toxatere and carboplatin every 3 weeks for 6 rounds. I wish your Mom well You both will be in my prayers and thoughts. Please let us know how things go. If we can be of any help to you or you Mom We are all here for you. Take care Kay
  • bentonmom3
    bentonmom3 Member Posts: 3
    #4
    smalldoggroomer said:

    Good morning Bentomom 3,

    Good morning Bentomom 3,
    I remember my first one. Everyone was very caring and kind. I had blood drawn and then seen the Dr and then it was on to infusion. Everyone treated me like I was there Mom. It was a nice experience for what I was going for. I was comfortable ( pillows blankets t.v. )They even brought me lunch. The nurses checked on me every few minutes. It took about 5 hours the first time. For being chemo it was a pleasant experience.
    Your Mom is right she will be fine today and will need you more later. I think the worst part of chemo for me anyway was 2 or 3 days after. That is when the fatigue sets in and you feel bad for a few days and that does get worse as it builds in you system. What is your Mom on I was on Herceptin toxatere and carboplatin every 3 weeks for 6 rounds. I wish your Mom well You both will be in my prayers and thoughts. Please let us know how things go. If we can be of any help to you or you Mom We are all here for you. Take care Kay

    Guilt has set in....
    Thanks for enlightening me, I am an ICU nurse, and am ignorant to the Oncology world. I stayed awake most of the night pondering if I should disobey my mom and fly to Texas to be with her or not.......I decided to go, checked the flights and all were booked to arrive before her 1st infusion started. WOW, HUGE guilt trip set in. I know its the devil but I'm trying to shake this. I have already decided to book my flights for her upcoming chemo days. She does have someone with her, a childhood friend, so that makes me feel a little better. She is scheduled for 6 rounds every 3 weeks. i'll have to look at the paperwork for the regimen.

    So its gets worse with each infusion???? The oncologist wouldnt give her any pain med and I thought that was a little odd.......is it or am I just being protective?

    Thanks for the prayers, support, and answers.


    Kelli
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #5
    smalldoggroomer said:

    Good morning Bentomom 3,

    Good morning Bentomom 3,
    I remember my first one. Everyone was very caring and kind. I had blood drawn and then seen the Dr and then it was on to infusion. Everyone treated me like I was there Mom. It was a nice experience for what I was going for. I was comfortable ( pillows blankets t.v. )They even brought me lunch. The nurses checked on me every few minutes. It took about 5 hours the first time. For being chemo it was a pleasant experience.
    Your Mom is right she will be fine today and will need you more later. I think the worst part of chemo for me anyway was 2 or 3 days after. That is when the fatigue sets in and you feel bad for a few days and that does get worse as it builds in you system. What is your Mom on I was on Herceptin toxatere and carboplatin every 3 weeks for 6 rounds. I wish your Mom well You both will be in my prayers and thoughts. Please let us know how things go. If we can be of any help to you or you Mom We are all here for you. Take care Kay

    I didn't take chemo, so, I
    I didn't take chemo, so, I don't know what happens with the first chemo. I think if you want to be with her and she wants you there, it would be great for you to go.

    If she doesn't want you there, like the others said, she will need you probably more in a couple of days after.

    I will pray for your Mom and hope that she gets through chemo with little or no side effects.


    Sue :)
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #6
    Scotch Freckles said:

    Memories
    Each type of breast cancer requires different types of chemo therapy. I had an infusion of chemo followed up by anti-barf meds on a Friday. The first chemo wasn't too bad. I finally felt the after effects of chemo on Saturday afternoon. My legs felt like rubber and I felt like sleeping. Sunday was a bit worse but was able to get up and go to work on Monday. Legs still felt like rubber. Hopefully your Mom has someone to take her and be with her, everyone needs the moral support. Depending on how many chemo's she will have to endure, each time it got worse for me and was glad my husband was there to take care of me. Don't let Mom kid you that your not needed. You will fell better being there for her. Keep in touch for questions and support.

    Kathryn

    Not everybody wants someone 'there'!
    I have to diagree - not all want or need someone to sit there with them during Chemo! I took myself to all of my TXs myself BY MY CHOICE. We are all so different in our needs both in TX and in how we handle it. Neither Hubby nor Son (31) went with me to any tests, chemo or rads. (We are a very small family - my parents and in-laws have been gone for many years and Hubby and I are both 'only children' so that makes for a very small family.

    A little history - I grew up an Army then Air Force 'brat' so Mom was a very strong woman as a role model. I was Army myself and was married for 19 1/2 of Hubby's 20 years in the Navy - that makes for a strong woman whose family knows that I can and will handle what has to be done. In the 33 yrs, we had been married when I was DX'd, I had never been sicker than having sinus infections (except for the 2 C-sections). However, Hubby had bad experiences growing up - his Mother died when he was 9 from Cervical cancer - the last time he saw her alive was on Christmas Day afternoon when she was taken from the house via ambulance. When 16, he found his Father dead of a massive heart atack on a Saturday morning.

    So being who I am and quite capable of getting myself there and home - though either/both Hubby and Son would have gone with me had I asked/needed - Why should I want them sitting there actually watching the poison be pumped into me - NOT ME. Especially for the 12 Taxol as I slept through them as soon as the IV Benadryl was injected I went 'nighty-night' til shortly before the end and woke up fine. They were there to do anything I needed/wanted done so that's what mattered to me.

    My point is do not assume that everyone has the same desires that you have. Certainly some do have needs/wants of having others with them - my needs/wants were to be the person I am and handle it myself. (Had there been medical issues why I couldn't, then I would have adjusting plans BUT there is no way that I would have allowed my loved ones to just sit in the cubicle and watch the poison pumped in me.)

    We're all so different and there is no 'right' or 'wrong' for all.

    Susan
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #7
    bentonmom3 said:

    Guilt has set in....
    Thanks for enlightening me, I am an ICU nurse, and am ignorant to the Oncology world. I stayed awake most of the night pondering if I should disobey my mom and fly to Texas to be with her or not.......I decided to go, checked the flights and all were booked to arrive before her 1st infusion started. WOW, HUGE guilt trip set in. I know its the devil but I'm trying to shake this. I have already decided to book my flights for her upcoming chemo days. She does have someone with her, a childhood friend, so that makes me feel a little better. She is scheduled for 6 rounds every 3 weeks. i'll have to look at the paperwork for the regimen.

    So its gets worse with each infusion???? The oncologist wouldnt give her any pain med and I thought that was a little odd.......is it or am I just being protective?

    Thanks for the prayers, support, and answers.


    Kelli

    There is no one answer that fits all!
    Does it get worse after each infusion? For some it does - for some it doesn't. For me the first batch (A/C) wasn't bad - I was tired for 2 days starting 2 days after infusion and napping/resting helped. I had taken several short naps on the truck seats til it was time for me to drive my first PowderPuff Mud Bog 3 days after the 2nd infusion - hair was gone by then - it was funny (at lest to my sense of humor) as Son's girlfriend was riding as passenger and I had my wig on. Drove up to the start line whipped off wig in front of all and put on crash helmit. Got a lot of laughs and a lot of "Way to go" but GF was at a loss for words though she already knew that hair was gone. Did pretty good in the race - I got 2nd out of 8 driving an old totally stock IH Scout II that had been parked in the pasture for 4 or 5 years - I even did better than Son (Hubby wouldn't try). Sorry for 'wandering' - I can't way that A/C got any worse FOR ME through the 4 infusions. The Neulasta was not bad for me either - Almost to the minute - 2 hrs after injection I went to sleep for 2 hours - never had any pain from it. For me - Taxol was much worse and before the 10 iinfusion Dr T told me that I could stop as it had done between 85% and 90% of what it could do. I didn't stop - I want 100% of what's possible.

    I was never given pain meds during Chemo but then I had no pain. I was given Vicodan when port was placed but I didn't need it - Hubby made me take 2 - one when we picked it up and one about 6 pm - then he woke me up about midnight to take another and I flat refused - I didn't need it. After surgery (Mod. Rad. Mast.) I was given Oxycodon but only took a couple.
    After rads when I burned bad I was again given Vicodan.

    Bottom line - only you and your Mother can know what is right for for ya'll - not me or anyone else! Why not think about planning a suprise visit a few days before next infusion as she'll probably be feeling better and the 2 of you can enjoy your time together.

    Susan
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #8
    It was worse a few days later
    I have just done my 4th of 6 infusions of Taxotere and Cytosan. Because they give me benedryl and adavan (along with others) as pre-meds, I usually end up dosing for a lot of the 2.5 to 3 hours of treatment. I'm ok that day and the next, but after getting my nulasta shot, I go home to sleep pretty much for the next 2 days. I have had bone pain and constipation which I was advised to take tylenol and Miralax for. The week after chemo is my toughest. I'm tired (more so now than with the first treatments) and I've had dental, neuropathy in my feet and rashes as side effects (1 with each different treatment). I'm queasy for the first week after treatment and want to eat only starch, but that settles down about day 8. Nothing so far with this last treatment and I'm keeping my fingers crossed (although the nails hurt).
    So...your mother might need/want you to come after her infusions to help her.
    Don't feel guilt...it is a useless emotion! (and this is from a Jewish girl with alot of experience!!).
    Good luck,
    JoAnn
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #9
    bentonmom3 said:

    Guilt has set in....
    Thanks for enlightening me, I am an ICU nurse, and am ignorant to the Oncology world. I stayed awake most of the night pondering if I should disobey my mom and fly to Texas to be with her or not.......I decided to go, checked the flights and all were booked to arrive before her 1st infusion started. WOW, HUGE guilt trip set in. I know its the devil but I'm trying to shake this. I have already decided to book my flights for her upcoming chemo days. She does have someone with her, a childhood friend, so that makes me feel a little better. She is scheduled for 6 rounds every 3 weeks. i'll have to look at the paperwork for the regimen.

    So its gets worse with each infusion???? The oncologist wouldnt give her any pain med and I thought that was a little odd.......is it or am I just being protective?

    Thanks for the prayers, support, and answers.


    Kelli

    So, my first treatment was
    So, my first treatment was longer...the nurse reviewed all my meds and when to take them. There are enough of them for me that I wrote out a separate schedule of what to take day by day. The infusion itself isn't bad, in my case it's an IV but I know others have ports. I usually feel a little drowsy, but haven't actually slept during an infusion yet. I get TAC, and I've completed 5 of 6 treatments.

    I usually go in the mornings and am pretty functional for most of the day of the infusion. My husband does go with me, he worries about me driving when I'm drowsy. In my case, the next 3 days I'm pretty much a zombie from the meds. I'm able to care for myself...eat, take my meds, and personal hygiene...I sleep a lot, or even just lay and do nothing. In these days I don't push myself at all, and my husband totally takes over. By day 5, I'm starting to climb out and am usually pretty functional again.

    For me, the only pain involved was a side effect of the neupogin shots...bone pain. That has been resolved with a daily claritin tablet while I'm on the neupogin. I have more issues with digestion...constipation from the anti-nausea meds, then diarrhea once I'm off the anti-nausea stuff. I control the constipation with senna and colace, the diarrhea with immodium.

    What I'm really trying to get to is that the side effects are manageable, but it's really important that you and your mom talk with the doctor or nurse. They need to know what's going on and what SE's your mom is having, because they have solutions for the SE's. Your mom shouldn't "suffer" through it, or "tough it out"...if something is bothering her she should speak up so it can be resolved.

    Kelli, please try not to feel guilty. It sounds like your mom is a strong woman and she will get through this with your support. Also, it's hard for your mom to know what she needs right now. After the first treatment, she'll have a better idea of how she responds and therefore know more about how you (and others) can help.

    I don't know if any of this helps, but know that I'm sending good thoughts to you and your mom.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    #10
    bentonmom3 said:

    Guilt has set in....
    Thanks for enlightening me, I am an ICU nurse, and am ignorant to the Oncology world. I stayed awake most of the night pondering if I should disobey my mom and fly to Texas to be with her or not.......I decided to go, checked the flights and all were booked to arrive before her 1st infusion started. WOW, HUGE guilt trip set in. I know its the devil but I'm trying to shake this. I have already decided to book my flights for her upcoming chemo days. She does have someone with her, a childhood friend, so that makes me feel a little better. She is scheduled for 6 rounds every 3 weeks. i'll have to look at the paperwork for the regimen.

    So its gets worse with each infusion???? The oncologist wouldnt give her any pain med and I thought that was a little odd.......is it or am I just being protective?

    Thanks for the prayers, support, and answers.


    Kelli

    Hi Kelli -
    I dont think each
    Hi Kelli -
    I dont think each infusion itself got worse - it was the way I felt after my "chemo crash" the further along I went thru treatment. Chemo has a cumulative effect, and let me tell you, by my 4th one, i'd start feeling halfway decent a day or 2 before going in for my next chemo (mine were 2 weeks apart).
    As far as pain meds - my Onc didn't put me on anything immediately, but after my 1st chemo, I had to go back in for blood counts the following week. Counts were down, they gave me a Neulasta shot to boost my white blood counts. Almost immediately I started getting severe back pain -between & across my shoulders, and down my spine. Alot of us get bone pain from the Neulasta, but mine continued & actually got worse the more chemo I got, and my onc put me on vicodin at first, but the pain got so bad that I ended up being on percocet the entire time I was having chemo & my onc thought it was a chemo side effect causing the pain rather than the shot.
    If your mom gets alot of pain they should give her pain meds. Almost as soon as I was done with chemo, my back pain started going away. Hoping for the best for your mom :)
    *hugs*
    Heather
  • Countrygirl3
    Countrygirl3 Member Posts: 7
    #11
    Rague said:

    Not everybody wants someone 'there'!
    I have to diagree - not all want or need someone to sit there with them during Chemo! I took myself to all of my TXs myself BY MY CHOICE. We are all so different in our needs both in TX and in how we handle it. Neither Hubby nor Son (31) went with me to any tests, chemo or rads. (We are a very small family - my parents and in-laws have been gone for many years and Hubby and I are both 'only children' so that makes for a very small family.

    A little history - I grew up an Army then Air Force 'brat' so Mom was a very strong woman as a role model. I was Army myself and was married for 19 1/2 of Hubby's 20 years in the Navy - that makes for a strong woman whose family knows that I can and will handle what has to be done. In the 33 yrs, we had been married when I was DX'd, I had never been sicker than having sinus infections (except for the 2 C-sections). However, Hubby had bad experiences growing up - his Mother died when he was 9 from Cervical cancer - the last time he saw her alive was on Christmas Day afternoon when she was taken from the house via ambulance. When 16, he found his Father dead of a massive heart atack on a Saturday morning.

    So being who I am and quite capable of getting myself there and home - though either/both Hubby and Son would have gone with me had I asked/needed - Why should I want them sitting there actually watching the poison be pumped into me - NOT ME. Especially for the 12 Taxol as I slept through them as soon as the IV Benadryl was injected I went 'nighty-night' til shortly before the end and woke up fine. They were there to do anything I needed/wanted done so that's what mattered to me.

    My point is do not assume that everyone has the same desires that you have. Certainly some do have needs/wants of having others with them - my needs/wants were to be the person I am and handle it myself. (Had there been medical issues why I couldn't, then I would have adjusting plans BUT there is no way that I would have allowed my loved ones to just sit in the cubicle and watch the poison pumped in me.)

    We're all so different and there is no 'right' or 'wrong' for all.

    Susan

    I agree with you
    Good to hear you tell it like it is . . . wish I could drive myself to chemo MOnday, but they told me I need to get a ride. So my Hubby is going to delay his next job and take me. Wish he didn't have to, cuz he's a cry baby. There's no way I want him to sit with me - going to convince him to go find something to do. This has been difficult for him to deal with.

    I consider myself very strong, but I've been reading some really weird stuff about chemo . . . can hardly wait to get it overwith.

    All this because I was diag with uterine carcinsarcoma around May when I had hysterectomy. Then it came back.

    Take care

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