just finished first round of chemo

HI, I HAVE NOT HAD CHEMO. I HAVE 5 MORE RADIATION TREATMENTS. I CAN ONLY SAY I KNOW THE FEELING OF RUNNING AWAY FROM THIS. YOU PROBABLY DON'T REALIZE THAT YOUR BODY HAS BEEN TOTALLY INVADED. YOU HAVE NOT EVEN GOTTON OVER THE SURGERY YET. THE DR. DON'T TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION. THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. I KNOW IT FEELS LIKE THEY ARE KILLING YOU INSTEAD. I MYSELF ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF TO BE A STRONG PERSON. THIS EVENT IN MY LIFE HAS TOLD ME I NEED OTHERS AND I NEED TO REST AND IT IS OKAY TO FEEL CRAPPY AND TEARFUL. YOU NEED A HUG AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE ALONE. I AM MARRIED AND MY HUSBAND DOES THE BEST HE CAN. BUT NOONE CAN KNOW HOW YOU FEEL . EACH OF US IS DIFFERENT . YOU ARE NOT A SISSY OR WEAK JUST NORMAL FOR YOU.
YOUR WILL TO LIVE AND ENDURE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW YOUR PROGNOSIS BUT CANCER IS SERIOUS STUFF AND THEY HAVE TO USE SERIOUS STUFF TO FIGHT.
DON'T GIVE UP . GET REST AS MUCH OR MORE THAN YOU NEED. TELL YOUR DR. HOW BAD YOU FEEL. EVEN IF IT IS EVERY DAY YOU GO FOR MORE. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US AT THE BB. WE HAVE BEEN IN YOUR SHOES ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
FOR ME PRAYER HAS SEEN ME THROUGH THIS. TRUST IN THE COMFORT THE LORD CAN GIVE. HE CARES . THIS IS NOT FROM HIM .
HOPE THIS HELPS LIFT YOU. I'LL WILL PRAY FOR YOU . GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO WE HERE.
HANG IN THERE. HAVE HOPE .

Hello.
I also had double masectomies in December of 2003. After healing from surgery I started six months of chemo....8 treatments at 3 week intervals. Two drugs for the first 4 treatments and then a different drug for the next 4 treatments. My oncologist said no to reconstruction because I needed radiation on my right side. I had 28 radiation treatments on that side. The first 4 chemo treatments made me nausiated but when that happened I ate a couple of crackers or a little something that was not acidic and I would feel better. Usually I would feel sick again in about 2 1/2 hours....but eating a little something helped alot. I also found out that sleeping at about a 45 degree angle in bed kept me from getting sick while laying down at night (or anytime I was flat). When I woke up I had snacks by my bed so I could have something quickly if need be. I also had something like cream of wheat before getting out of bed in the morning....that helped alot. An empty stomach did not work for me. I avoided caffine and acidic drinks like colas etc per the oncology clinic. The acid could hurt and the caffine drinks and coffee were dieretics and would make you loose water. You need to drink a lot! The more the better! My doc said 8-10 glasses of water each day besides milk and other fluids. When I drank more water I actually felt better.

The second drug I was on made water taste bad so I mixed a small amount of fruit juice with it to cover up the bad taste.

I was given prescriptions for antinausia. Zofran 8mg three times a day for three days manditory. Then the clinic gave me two prescriptions that I could take if I had break through nausia after the first three days. Mostly the snacks did the trick....you should try it.

Please stay with the treatment. I understand from talking with others that if two week intervals are too hard on a person, they can change it to three week intervals. I was put on a study that used the three week intervals and found I had about 10 days of feeling well inbetween treatments on the first drugs and 2 days of feeling good on the second set. But now I'm finished and am hopeful that I have a cure. So far they have not found and signs of cancer in me.....praise be to God!

I still have some strength issues but am getting stronger each day. I returned to work about 3 months ago and use some pain meds because my job is physically active. I should be able to use them less as time goes on.

Hope this info helps you. Sure do hope and pray all goes well with you!

If you want to you can surely e-mail me through the CSN system. My name is Babycakes.

Karyn,
The reaction to chemo, even if the drugs are the same, can be so different. I just read where anchorman Peter Jennings, currently receiving chemo for lung cancer, decided to go to the office one morning. He got as far as the bedroom door and had to return to bed. Listen to your body. If you need to rest, do it. If you feel well enough to get up for some toast, to sit on your porch or go for a ride in the car, do that too. I had such a hard time I ended up in the hospital for 3 days following my 4th round. Weakness overcame me and my temp started to climb. After 3 days of IV antibiotics, I felt 100% better. A good friend worked through her entire chemo. At some point I started to feel protected by the chemo. If it could make me look and feel that bad, it must really be doing a number on any microscopic cancer cells left behind. What got me through, on my weakest days, was the fear that my aggressive grade III cancer could come back and how would I face a recurrance if I hadn't done everything I could the first time. That meant finishing my chemo. It may be the hardest thing you will ever do but I believe you are strong enough. When you feel low, log on and chat with those of us who made it through. We've all been where you are. Thoughts and prayers.
terri

Hi,
I'm 41 and had my bilateral in Jan. I have finished 5 rounds of chemo, 3 more to go. Yes that first week I felt like pooo. You start to rebound and it's treatment time again. Lean on you friends for encouragement and us. You can do this, it's not forever. Count the treatments down. I have found that eating and drinking a lot of water helps get the crap out. Eat whatever you want. You are a young women strong enough to beat this.
Gerddy