beginning Adriamicin

siegel49 · April 2004

I will begin 4rds of Adriamicin every 3 weeks. What side affects have you experienced. What have you done to keep yourselves comfortable?? Please advise. Sue

bettygee · April 2004

Hi, Sue-I had the usual hair loss and extreme fatigue, some nausea. I drank a lot of hot herb teas, mint, chamomile and ginger tea. I found I did better eating small amounts of food, especially crackers and toast and the old reliable chicken soup. Try to get a lot of rest. I also experienced a general nervousness and depression, but that may just be me. If that happens, talk to your doctor, antidepressants can help a lot. I will be thinking of you and wish you all the best as you go through this. Keep us posted as to how you are doing when you feel well enough. Betty

SusanAnne · April 2004

Hi Sue. I echo what Betty said about eating small amounts of food throughout the day. It helps with the nausea, although since I went thru this last May, they have come out with better anti-nausea medication so perhaps it won't even be a problem for you. The hair thing is most likely inevitable. Overall, I felt like I had the flu for 5 or six days after each treatment (I took it with cytoxan). One thing I've learned from going through all this is that each person reacts differently to the same drug. Here's hoping you get thru it with minimal side effects! Good luck.
Susan

billandpatty · April 2004

Sue
I had the hair loss, fatigue, the start of mouth sores, (but you won't have to shave your legs for a long time!) etc. Like Betty says, get plenty of rest and eat small amounts of food several times a day. I would go into the local deli and see what looked appealing and buy small amounts of what they had that was already prepared. It's a time to be good to yourself and not try to do too much. Listen to your body, it won't want to do much!

After your treatments are over, be patient with yourself and your body...it's been through a lot.

Try not to be isolated (you may have to tell everyone not to give you hugs until you're done with treatments so you can stay healthy), keep in touch with your loved ones and friends ...get out and smell the roses ... and keep a sense of humor.

Know that we're all here cheering you on ...

Patty

tlmac · April 2004

Hi Sue, I finished my 4 rounds of AC in May 2003. Hair loss, that I so dreaded, wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. As a matter of fact it was reassuring to me that the drugs I was taking were so effective at killing rapidly dividing cells. It was also freeing to throw on a baseball cap and head out the door. Like everyone else, I stuck to small meals, sometimes only saltines but chicken noodle soup was always a favorite. Drink plends of fluids, especially water since it helps rinse the Adriamycin out of your kidneys. My urine was tinted red for the first day or so after every cycle. Nausea wasn't really a problem, although there were days when I had to force myself to eat. I took Anzamet ($100.00 a pill) for the first 3 days following each treatment. Thank God for insurance! I also needed Neulasta to help my 54 year old body rebuild white blood cells but have friends who didn't. Mouth sores would start but a warm salt water rince and gargle always took care of them right away. The truth is, the loss of strength was the hardest on me so I did what everyone suggested and rested when I needed to, even though it's not in my nature. Listen to your body and you'll do fine. Best of luck and remember we're here for you.
terri

DeeNY711 · April 2004

Flush, flush, flush your system with water. Plenty of water, plenty of rest, plenty of distraction and you will do just fine.
Love,
Denise

sassysally · April 2004

Hi there, I too had adriamicin. Drink lots of water!!!! Before during and after. This willhelp the adirimicin flush well through your system. Also, for the mouth sores. Daliy chew three or four vitamin e capsules. (spit the capsule part out) The vitamin e then coats your mouth thus letting you avoid awful mouth sores. Do this religously..... NO SORES!!!! Hope this helps.

One who has been there....sassy

mssue · April 2004

Hi Sue,

I was scared to death in the beginning,not really knowing what to expect.I didn't find this site until later,ha!But you know everyone does have different experiences with chemo,I think your health professional team needs to be someone you're confident in ,to listen to you and be there to help you through this .It's alot to go through and it's not always easy.But I wanted you to know that I just finished my treatments in January '04 Adriamycin and cytoxan,today is April the 22nd and there is light at the end of the tunnel.I feel wonderful and very thankful just to be.You will be in my thoughts and prayers.Take extra special care of yourself,and be kind to yourself too!We are here if and when you need us.There are so many of us here(site) someone is bound to be able to help answer questions - console - or just listen.Keep us posted.

w/Love

Sue

hounddog · May 2004

Hello my name is Marilyn and I had a new breast cancer last year in my left breast and I went through a total of 4 chemo treatments one of them was Adriamicin Rubex called red devil now I see why they call it red devil because I lost my hair .I was also on cytoxin. I had to have antinausea medication because I did get sick at my stomach and smells still get to me . Ask your doctor for Kytril it is an antinausea medication . Also what might help is take along a tape recorder and listen to music. I still had to have some thing before they gave me my treatments because I started getting sick during the treatment. You will also loose your hair but don't let that scare you . What you are going through is a Storm in your life right now and it is alright to be scared during the storm always keep your trust in the Lord. I also experienced getting nervous and I still get depressed. That is normal chemotreatments are hard stuff. Make sure you drink lots of liquids very important so the chemo does not stick in your system you want to flush it out that is what my Mom who is a nurse told me to do also suck on popsicles if you can. As for mouth sores I gargled with a teaspoon of baking soda and a Teaspoon of salt in a warm glass of water. That helps alot. I started loosing my hair the day before Easter last year and I came unglued so I called my husbands Mom I don't know how many times because we were in Artesia Dog sitting . The thing that helped me was we watched a true movie on easter Sunday that night about a doctor in the Artic who had breast cancer she went through chemo treatments and lost her hair they shaved it off. I had my hair shaved off the day after easter of last year. You are in my Thoughts and prayers and I'm here for you if you need me .
Marilyn

Tammya · June 2004

hounddog said:
Hello my name is Marilyn and I had a new breast cancer last year in my left breast and I went through a total of 4 chemo treatments one of them was Adriamicin Rubex called red devil now I see why they call it red devil because I lost my hair .I was also on cytoxin. I had to have antinausea medication because I did get sick at my stomach and smells still get to me . Ask your doctor for Kytril it is an antinausea medication . Also what might help is take along a tape recorder and listen to music. I still had to have some thing before they gave me my treatments because I started getting sick during the treatment. You will also loose your hair but don't let that scare you . What you are going through is a Storm in your life right now and it is alright to be scared during the storm always keep your trust in the Lord. I also experienced getting nervous and I still get depressed. That is normal chemotreatments are hard stuff. Make sure you drink lots of liquids very important so the chemo does not stick in your system you want to flush it out that is what my Mom who is a nurse told me to do also suck on popsicles if you can. As for mouth sores I gargled with a teaspoon of baking soda and a Teaspoon of salt in a warm glass of water. That helps alot. I started loosing my hair the day before Easter last year and I came unglued so I called my husbands Mom I don't know how many times because we were in Artesia Dog sitting . The thing that helped me was we watched a true movie on easter Sunday that night about a doctor in the Artic who had breast cancer she went through chemo treatments and lost her hair they shaved it off. I had my hair shaved off the day after easter of last year. You are in my Thoughts and prayers and I'm here for you if you need me .
Marilyn

Hi My name is Tammy. I am 22 years old. I am from South Africa. I have primary liver cancer.
I received 6 sessions of Adriamicin Chemo therapy.
I lost all of my hair - it started falling out exactly 2 weeks after I started my first chemo session. I got anti nausea medication in my IV before each "Red Bull", and was also given tablets to last 4 days after each session, they worked like a dream, I never got nausea's or sick once. I did get very tired, rest is very important, I would just lie and read or watch a movie. For the first 3 days after each session I would not even have the energy to have a shower, I would have to lie in the bath, but I never felt ill, just tired. After my 3rd session of chemo, I started getting an aweful taste in my mouth, it would last 4 - 5 day's after each session - that was the worst for me. I never lost my appetite. The only food that I could not handle was pizza, macaroni and cheese and gerkhins - which strangely, were all my favourite foods before I started the treatment. I would try not to be in the kitchen when food was being prepared, as the smell would put me off.
I also got sores in my mouth, it felt as though my mouth was cut. I would gargle with salt water or water with bicarb in it.

When I was finished all 6 sessions of chemo, it took 4 - 5 weeks for me to start feeling "normal" again.
I hope that this helps. Please know that we have been there and if you need help or advise, just E-mail.
You would have started the treatment by now, please let us know how it is for you!
Lots of thoughts and wishing you luck.
Tammy

beginning Adriamicin

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