Breast Cancer Support Group

Wow! I just wanted to say that I'm so thankful for all of the nice advice that I've received on this. It does a heart good knowing there are others out there who have taken the time to give helpful hints.
It's hard to believe that I'm coming up on treatment #2 soon. (Then I can say 1/4 of the way done w/ phase 2!)
Thankfully things went pretty well after first treatment. NO throwing up!!!! YEAH!!!!!!
I felt slightly nauseated for a few days thereafter. As long as I had something to eat (that was remotely enticing) the nausea went away almost immediately!
I slept for a few days (was brought food and ate some of each of the food that was brought each time. Had to remind my husband that my appetite was not the greatest and he wasn't serving an army, to make the portions smaller!) He's done really well w/ this. He shouldn't be taking care of me w/ his disease/disability. I know it's taxing on his pain levels extremely. I am thankful that he is though. He's been like a difft. person since that nasty work cancer came up with my name on the "ownership tag". his dad died from stomach cancer -- will be 20 years ago next month. He has told people right and left that he's not been here for me for 25 years, he's going to try to make up for a lil lost time and that i'm first on his list of "to-do's for".
I've had to (when I was awake enough and "alive enough") go out in the kitchen and tell whoever was cooking to please turn the stove vent on more than once. Talk about gag reflex!!! Smells permeated under my door!
This sure is a "try and see" thing. I love chicken, and have read lots of people's comments bout eating chicken was good. While I was in my 3-5 day "slump" I gagged trying to chew up chicken and said do we have any hamburger!!
My nose definitely knows and is in full mode of its sense -- very heightened awareness.
Had some joint pain for a couple days following neulasta shot. Then I got more of it, more intensely couple of days ago. Soaked that part of my body in my tub best I could (still have some necrosis so can't submerge mast. area yet!)
I went looking at wigs at this salon that has donated ones from the ACS. Even brought home a couple. The lady said to play w/ them and just see. When I talked w/ a lady from my support group she had some that were donated as well for people to use at her shop. I told her I just couldn't. One was even a real hair wig my old hair color. I told her I saw myself more in a hat or a scarf/bandana of sorts. She said that she's found that most people in this age category say the same thing. I told her the wig is just fake, and everything about it feels fake. I didn't cut off and weirdly color what had been my long blonde hair for nothing. It was for a statement (and to try to get ready for the next step). It was to be in control. Wearing something fake to cover the "processes" of all of this, just doesn't work for me. I can't see it. I know for many it is the ticket, and I do applaud each and every one of you. It's just not a personal choice I see me choosing. I did get the one to "play with" that is actually about the same cut as what we cut off my hair to. Interesting that it was the same cut! It just feels and looks so wrong. It will most likely quickly be redonated!
My oncologist had said that I could take my normal daily dose of vitamin c and my multivitamin. Research i've done has me not taking the normal vitamin c though (was taking 1000mg/day). I'm not taking chances of it feeding any microscopic cells that still remain. I take vitamin c as preventative and then double it up if I get a cold cuz I have not been able to take cold meds for years due to them raising my heart rate. So I lay more in God's hands that I don't get any sicknesses -- especially w/ the white cell threats if i do! Now I'm just taking the multivitamin and extra prayers.
But I wanted to check back w/ you all and tell you thank you & let you know that it's proceeding well. May you all feel a warm gentle extra blessing today and every day!

REST REST REST. Eat balance meals small ones. Stay healthy no colds etc. Support groups are great. Pop cycles was my biggest treat.

But best medicine is REST every chance you get.

Hugs Marcia

Hi

Coming late to this one. But my mum found with her first chemo drug that anything that smelled set her right off. So mainly raw foods for her during that period. She found eating little and often worked best for her. She drank gallons of water. Because she ate raw foods she had a lot of fruit and veg.

With the second drug, her immune system has been very diminished so she has been put on a neutropenic diet. This means avoiding many live foods like blue cheese which could cause infections. Everything pasteurised basically.

Be very careful with infection. Make sure you and anyone close to you washes their hands thoroughly, get hand wash and gel in case people come in and are not around the taps. If anyone has a cold, or any small illness, keep them away until it is gone. Even if that is your partner. Wear gloves on public transport and when out of the house. You can get stylish lace gloves, my mum has some.

Regarding Marciasue's advice to rest. Yes that is good and don't overdo things. But I think that it is good to move about a little, even if you can't tolerate very much. Just to get out the house for a very short walk round the block seemed to help my mum, being trapped in bed/in the house drives her nuts as she is normally very active and busy. If you keep lying down all the time and don't move your muscles will start to deteriorate, and the longer you stay in bed the less you will want to get out again. I think if you stay in bed you are more likely to end up depressed staring at 4 walls all day and depression will affect your recovery. She also found it helped to start loads of hobbies - she started embroidering a bed quilt about 20 years ago and put it away, so that came out and is nearly finished, she also does knitting and sudoku.

Oh also, find the pattern of your chemo. My mum found the second week after the drugs was worst so scheduled her activities for the other weeks. Then the second drug, she found she had really bad pain on a specific day, so the next time she took it she started on high strength painkillers a few days before that so the pain did not kick in.

Ginger helps with nausea, I got my mum ginger tea that helped.

In terms of head covering, my mum has wigs for when she is up to going out but also various hats and scarfs. She was never one to wear makeup or spend a lot of time on herself. But since the baldness she has started to do more, she wears big earrings and dresses more smartly, she says people are staring at her so she should look nice.

Oh and one other thing. With her second drug she has had terrible pain in her finger and toe nails/tips. She was told to wear dark nail varnish for this and it works with the pain but the nails are still deterioriating. Apparently the pain is caused by the drug which is in her finger and toe tips reacting with sunlight. Sounds weird but works for her.

Keep us updated on your progress, hope you stay well.

Hi Lizzie, nice to hear in from you on the topic. Perhaps the info posted can help any newbies.
I've been done w/ chemo since Feb. 2009. It was an interesting 5 months!
Yes, you learn a pattern w/ your chemo. What will be your good days/bad days. I always made sure to get all my errands done on my "good days", including participating in two difft births of more grandchildren.
As for raw foods, I was told to make sure any raw foods that I ate were scrubbed quite well to combat any bacteria that could be on it especially w/ our immune systems compromised.
I never threw up the whole 8 treatments (praise the Lord for that!) I did get nauseated & just the thought (or smell) of difft foods would make me gag.
While on the first "batch" of treatments I used plastic utensils to help w/ the metallic factor going on in the taste of everything. I ate what sounded good and looked good upon presentation. Sometimes that was bland sometimes it was spicy. Never knew what the day was going to bring.
I drank loads and loads of water to help flush my body (I am a big water drinker anyways).
I found that it all became whatever you can tolerate, get it into you. Even the doctors say don't worry about nutrition worry about something in your stomach. Boy were they right! IF I'd of been going on a nutritious balanced diet I'd of starved to death! I did do popsicles off and on w/ the first batch of chemo. Second batch I could eat pretty much anything. It was lots more tolerable. (body pain was worse)
I got a free wig from an area salon that is supported by the ACS. I also purchased a couple of cheap hats from the local WalMart store.
I found that I wore a couple of stocking cap beenies when out and about (cuz it was winter and cold w/ no hair) until I got into the store and then they came off and I sported my bald head throughout the store. (Hot flashes didn't allow for the hat to stay on in the store!) The wig was fake, itchy and "not me". The other hats were not me either. I hadn't been a hat person before and couldn't see myself w/ one during. I did find a couple of "bikers" scarf/hats. can't remember what they were called, but I wore those a couple of times. Mainly I was just me, being me. No flaunt, no frill, no ruffles around the edges. I figured if people had the guts to ask, instead of just staring they'd just get the truth of it all and so be it, more awareness out there where it is needed greatly! I lost my eyebrows and staggered amts. of my eyelashes. Thankfully, w/ wearing glasses anyways, it hid it some. Otherwise I had the attitude of I just didn't care. This was who I was and people would either accept it or not!
I, too, have issues w/ my fingertips and toes. The taxotere caused some neuropathy. I have no feeling in my fingertips, my fingernals feel like a vise is pinching them constantly, and hand/mind coordination is altered. Fine motor skills are affected (including typing!) I push myself to do things to try and increase ability. My toes feel as though they're forever crushed into a pair of high-heels. I wear sandals most of the time as toed shoes cause discomfort. (to put it mildly!)
My hair started growing back in before I was done w/ my chemo treatments.. and it came back curly. Although I'm a person who does not like curly hair, I am thankful to have hair!
I have some "chemo brain" going on. I have lost some of my memories. I can no longer go to the store w/o a list. I have issues thinking of words or phrases and that is very frustrating as I have always been a very articulate person. Spelling is another issue, and that has never been the case before.
My eyesight is affected. There is a blur/fog.
HOWEVER
After thinking of the horror stories one sees on TV about someone w/ cancer and going through chemo, I am thankful to be able to report that it IS very doable. One has to learn their body and how it responds to each drug. THEN they have to get others around them to understand that (and that's a big issue!) After that, its a case of doing the best they can to continue to live their lives throughout it so that they can live PAST it.
I went from chemo, to 6 wks of radiation, and am now "suffering" from issues w/ Tamoxifen.
BUT I am alive. I am pushing the mark on statistics as are so many of us. We're telling the doctors and the statiticians to get outta their rocking chairs and re-evaluate things because there's a whole slew of new people out here who have had breast cancer and are beating the odds.
I serve a wondrous God who has brought me through this. Without Him, I know that I would be another one of their lil "statitsics". I refuse to be.
I have also found that I have an extremely positive attitude. I have people who never knew me say "You've been through WHAT for the past year??? And you act like this? And think like this? Look at your smile and your attitude!"
I tell them we all have choices in life. In this instance we have two choices:
1. cry, lay down, and die
2. stand up, fight, and choose to live life!
I choose the latter!
So yes.. to anyone about to enter chemo and having fears, anxieties, questions, qualms... its a trip you've never taken in your life before, but you CAN make it through. Listen to your body and what your body's telling you about the "rat poison" they're pumping into your body and CONQUER it! Rest when you need to, do when you can do!
Best of wishes to all of you and all of my sisters in this battle. I pray for us all.

Last year I had three rounds with Taxotere and Cytoxin (no Adria). Other than the fact that you cannot take antioxidants (I now take Circumin, Selenium, and Resveratrol but had to stop for the chemo last year)just keep foods around that you like and have plenty of fluids on hand.

Make sure you take ALL the anti-nausea meds they give you as prescribed, whether you feel sick or not. If you wait until you feel sick, it is too ltae.

Be prepared to lose all your hair (not just on your head) but don't despair too much - it will grow back. I preferred scarves and hats but some women enjoy playing with the wigs. Whatever makes you feel good and gets you through the day with a smile works - but it helps to plan ahead. As soon as my hair started coming out in clumps, I had my barber buzz it all down to nothing. That worked because it grew in evenly when it started to regrow and I was less traumatized than losing it all one handful at a time. The Adria will probably accelerate the loss but figure it may all be gone by your second round a will definitely be by your third round unless you are very unusual.

My biggest problems came from the suppressed immune system. I wound up with a MRSA staph infection in my calf that required surgery last September and I had to have Nuprogen shots after every chemo round which has a whole host of nasty little side effects.

Bottom line is to do whatever it takes to get through YOUR chemo. Once you finish chemo, you get a little better every day. Chemo affects everyone differently and the best thing you can do is bring in a good attitude and open mind. React to those things that actually happen to you and rely on your infusion nurses heavily - they've seen it all and generally have GREAT advice.

Money doesn't play a big role that I can see in being comfortable through chemo; however, having a good friend or family member share this with you is priceless and will be good for you both.

Good luck to you!

- Diane