Dread of Chemo

Fionap2017

Hope your first chemo went well today. 

Chea

Hi Braveheart 60.  I hope all went well for you today. I do hope you have someone to go home to. I also live in Cairns and I am free to talk to on the phone if you wish. MY cancer is similar and hormonal. Have not had chemo as I am on chemo meds. Let me know and Take Care. T

Spiv1803

@Braveheart60 we start taxol on the same day. Good luck to both of us

CherylMcI

Onemargie I was so grateful to read your post on your experience.  I too have been diagnosed with triple negative bc having just opted for mastectomy rather than two lumpectomies. I had an immediate reconstruction with an implant and my recovery has been startling (to me) easy. However the pathology result and the awful scenario painted by my surgeon has frightened the living daylights out of me.  He’s talking BRCA testing, axillary lymph clearance, removal of other breast plust the implant just done and redoing with tissue reconstruction, plus chemotherapy and radiotherapy (the radiotherapy would compromise the implant apparently).  It has knocked me sideways and I’m really not sure how over-reacting HE is being and how much I should challenge wha I am prepared to have done.  I had a mother and sister who had bc but my sister had a different type and after lumpectomy and radiotherapy she’s been fine for over 10 years.  It’s a very confusing and stressful time and currently I’m waiting for the Dr to come back to me with his recommendation post multi-disciplinary team discussion.

Braveheart60

Thanks everyone for your support and advice, I haven'[t been on the forum as following my Chemo on 9 Jan I had a very rough ride. 3 Hours after getting home I started vomiting and didn't stop till I was taken to hospital where I stayed for 4 days. Dr said I was super sensitive to Chemo and it took them a while to balance out the meds so I could start to recover. During this time I really thought I wouldn't be able to continue with treatment, it felt like the drugs were slowly killing me. I couldn't speak, eat, relax or sleep. I went home on the Saturday morn barely able to sip flat lemonade and swallow mashed up banana. Next morning I woke with a debilitating headache and what felt like a golf ball in my throat and temp of 38.3 so off again to hosp. Stayed the day in emergency and they found a chest infection and thrush in my throat. Pain killers and big doses of antibiotics and some disgusting liquid for my mouth and off home again. By this stage Day 6, I was only able to live in the moment and felt like my life had been taken away from me never to be got back. I guess depression had set in and the feeling of hopelessness got the better of me. Each day since then has improved and today Day 14 I feel like my old self again. So, now I understand that the cycle is,  week 1 (forget it, just get through it) week 2 and onward just gets better. Due to my severe reaction, Dr is going to reduce the chemo by 25% and up the anti-nausea meds. He says I won't be as bad again. With this hope, I'm preparing my body and mind for Round 2 on 30 Jan. Meanwhile, I am eating healthy, little and often and walking 30mins a day as of today. Mentally, I know that if I feel really bad again, I can believe that it wont last forever and I will get back to normal. Good news that I still have hair!!! for how long though???

primek

OMG you poor thing. Hopefully this round will be much better plus you'll have the injection to boost white cells. I needed Dexamethasone for 4 days, stemitil 8 hourly and ondasetron wafers half hour before meals. I could eat and the head spins and nausea was settled enough to tolerate. I spent every cycle of AC from day 3 in my lounge chair for at least 3 days. At least week 2 was better and great week 3. Yes...I get the I'm going to die feeling...I had it the 1st round. I truly hope round 2 is better for you. X

I literally lived on toasted cheese and dpicy chutney sandwiches. ..plus bubbly water. It's about all I could face. I managed to gain weight of course even on that.

Sister

@Braveheart60 I hope you cope better with the next cycle.

jennyss

Dear @Braveheart60 - 'Bummer' as we used to say back in the 60's; and backing up @Sister 's best wishes for your next cycle

Mollygirl

@Braveheart60, I got really knocked by the first cycle I think it shocked my body. But subsequently coped better the next round. You must feel so scared of moving forward. But it sounds like your onc is all over it - I so, so hope next round is not so awful for you. Biggest hugs xx

Jual

Hopefully you will have a better experience for the next one, the vomiting must have been awful so sounds as though your onc is across that. Doesn’t hurt to ask some questions to the onc about things that might help next time such as whether a higher dose of steroids is needed or starting an antihistamine at the same time. Best wishes. Jual. 

kmakm

@CherylMcI How are you doing?