Good afternoon ladies
I am wondering about second round of chemo which is coming up in 11 days for me. I have heard many stories about the first round being the hardest and that it's easier second time. Is this correct? The reason i want to know is that i am thinking of going back to work maybe 2 days a week but am too scared to plan anything as i am not sure that this is how i will feel after round 2.
Thanks for your help and stay strong
Olga
Hi Maxine
sorry i havent got back to you i have been trying to have a normal life ( as normal as possible ) in between treatments. I have my 3rd FEC on the 20th of december right in time for xmas. My treatment plan is to have 3-4 FEC and then 3-4 of the taxo ( i don't know how to spell it properly lol). I am going to see my onco this wednesday and i think i will ask him what the chances are of me only having 3 of each as i think that's enough ( really, i want to get on with life LOL) but i know i wont get my wish. But one can only hope.
my side effects have been different for both rounds. the fatigue is the only consistent one. just looking at your profile and u say u had one breast removed. how come u only chose the one and not both? my mum had ovarian cancer 4 years ago and as i found out breast and ovarian are related so we now have to have a genetics test to see if we carry the BCRA 1 & 2 gene. if we do i will need to have as histerectomy as well as a double mastectomy ( can't wait for that, NOT).
like i say to my husband once my breasts go and as u know no hair i will look and feel like a 12 year old boy LOL, just joking gotta have a laught otherwise you'll go mad.
my cancer is tripkle negative which means its not hormone related so no herceptin for me. its chemo then surgery then radio.
where abouts are u from? how do u find your onco and breast care nurses?
hope you are hanging in there, it is true one more is one step closer to the end.
take care and if i dont speak to you before then try to have a good xmas.
PS ave you had a chance to go to Look Good Feel Good workshop?
hugs olga
Hi Olga... yeah that gastric reflux heartburn... I had it pretty bad on the first round (nothing like having waves of volcanic lava washing up your chest into your throat...) so on the second round I got some Mylanta tablets (24 hour use) and took one the day before my treatment. Told my oncol and he also prescribed me some stuff which is awsome (Somac 40mg) - I take one the day before and then another one in the morning before I leave for chemo. Haven't even had a yuccy hiccup since, so that's great.
I'm really starting to believe what my oncol means when he says 'tell me everything that you're feeling, because everything can be managed - you don't need to suffer". Too true.
I force myself to drink as much cold water as I can on the day before and the day of each treatment - the chemo has done its job once the bags are empty - we have the job of getting the poison out of our body. I really think (as hard as it is, and mate, it's truely not easy) drinking that much has helped with my side effects. I had a round yesterday, feel a little tired and achy today, I know in the next day or so I will feel fairly worse, but I have been so lucky not to have some of the side effects our other sisters have had. It's normally a good 4 days for me. Lots of sleeping / resting / dozing too. But like I said, both rounds have had their differences, so it's a waiting game I guess.
I'm not feeling too motivated about Christmas either, truth be told, but I am excited for my 3 year old son, he's just beside himself - I think he's got enough Christmas cheer for both of us!!! I think knowing that I'm not going to come good for about a week and then have another round at the end of the month is weighing on my mind, but we'll get there. And anyway, every round we have is a round closer to the end.
I've got 5 rounds of AC/D left x 3 week rounds, then 6 weeks of daily radiation followed, finally, by 13 months of Herceptin via port x 3 week rounds. I'm just really looking forward to getting the AC/D finished - look out March 2012!!!!
What type of side effects are you having? Do you have another round this month too? Have you managed to get back to work? Hope they're looking after you mate, it's so nice to know that you've support in that respect, but only do what you can!! And hang everything else!!
I really do like chatting with you Olga, being at the same treatment stage, it's great to be able to chat about this stuff.
Take Care,
Maxie xx
Hi Olga... yeah that gastric reflux heartburn... I had it pretty bad on the first round (nothing like having waves of volcanic lava washing up your chest into your throat...) so on the second round I got some Mylanta tablets (24 hour use) and took one the day before my treatment. Told my oncol and he also prescribed me some stuff which is awsome (Somac 40mg) - I take one the day before and then another one in the morning before I leave for chemo. Haven't even had a yuccy hiccup since, so that's great.
I'm really starting to believe what my oncol means when he says 'tell me everything that you're feeling, because everything can be managed - you don't need to suffer". Too true.
I force myself to drink as much cold water as I can on the day before and the day of each treatment - the chemo has done its job once the bags are empty - we have the job of getting the poison out of our body. I really think (as hard as it is, and mate, it's truely not easy) drinking that much has helped with my side effects. I had a round yesterday, feel a little tired and achy today, I know in the next day or so I will feel fairly worse, but I have been so lucky not to have some of the side effects our other sisters have had. It's normally a good 4 days for me. Lots of sleeping / resting / dozing too. But like I said, both rounds have had their differences, so it's a waiting game I guess.
I'm not feeling too motivated about Christmas either, truth be told, but I am excited for my 3 year old son, he's just beside himself - I think he's got enough Christmas cheer for both of us!!! I think knowing that I'm not going to come good for about a week and then have another round at the end of the month is weighing on my mind, but we'll get there. And anyway, every round we have is a round closer to the end.
I've got 5 rounds of AC/D left x 3 week rounds, then 6 weeks of daily radiation followed, finally, by 13 months of Herceptin via port x 3 week rounds. I'm just really looking forward to getting the AC/D finished - look out March 2012!!!!
What type of side effects are you having? Do you have another round this month too? Have you managed to get back to work? Hope they're looking after you mate, it's so nice to know that you've support in that respect, but only do what you can!! And hang everything else!!
I really do like chatting with you Olga, being at the same treatment stage, it's great to be able to chat about this stuff.
Take Care,
Maxie xx
HI Maxine
well rouind 2 was a bit different to round 1. The worst thing was the heartburn OMG i never had anything like this. I couldn't drink anything. But it eased in a few days. I had a port put in a day before my second round but they didn't use it as no needle was left, however i did end up with the worst case of an allergic reasction to the medical tape ever.It's bad enough i am bald i now look like my skin is falling off around my neck ( great for self esteem LOL)
how many rounds are u having Maxine? my ocologyst said 3-4 of each but i am wondering how they judge that and whether i can hadle it ( i am leaning towards 3 of each).
glad that u can work through this, after round 2 i am not sure how i would cope it has only been 6 days since chemo and last time i felt good at asbout day 9 so will wait and see. hope you are not too sick for christmas however i know that's the last thing on my mind at the moment even though i have to pretend for my 8 year old.
Let me know how the next round treats u.
keep in touch
hugs Olga
Hope you're travelling well mate. I had my 2nd of chemo on Tues 15th and was back at work the following Monday. I found some of the effects from the 1st round weren't as bad, but then some were a bit worse.
This time around I made sure to drink about 4 ltrs of water on the chemo day when I got home, and then just kept on drinking as much as I could during the following days. The days after my 1st round I was constipated a bit, but this time has been the complete opposite!! So I guess you can't really gage what is going to happen with each round, and how your body will handle it . I'm a bit more tired and achy this time, and after working all week, have had a fair few nanna-naps and early nights. I've got 2 rounds coming up in December... yay.
I'm having my chemo via port. They couldn't locate the port entry for a few goes with a 1/2 inch needle, and ended up using a 1.5 inch one - yikes! We got there in the end though, and now we know that its going to be the 1.5'er each time, so hopefully that won't happen again (huge needle sook here...). How are you having yours done?
My hair started to come out in clumps before my second round, I ended up going to my hairdresser and having my head shaved, and I 'm glad I did, it's much easier now getting ready for work anyway - shower - make-up - wig -done (my hair was once long and blonde, and high-maintenance!!).
Workwise, I am very lucky - the firm I work with have been amazing, and I start when I get there and finish when I've had enough for the day. I'm also set up remotely, so work at home nights / weekends as I'm up for it.
Just remember, that you can only do what your body tells you. I have learnt to listen to my body instead of 'fighting my way through'. But I do have to say, for me, when I'm starting to feel a bit better after each round, I really look forward to going to work - it gives me something else to think about, and sort of feel normal. I work with colleagues and clients who have suffered catastrophic injury, and they are a constant source of inspiration.
I think the first chemo round is the hardest because you've never had it before and don't know what to expect, and when it all hits and you feel like total crap, it's hard to handle. Second time round you kind of know what's in store I guess.
Anyway, I truely hope its not totally horrid for you Olga, will be thinking of you - we're both at around the same stage treatment-wise, so let me know how you go.
Take care,
Maxene xx
Hope you're travelling well mate. I had my 2nd of chemo on Tues 15th and was back at work the following Monday. I found some of the effects from the 1st round weren't as bad, but then some were a bit worse.
This time around I made sure to drink about 4 ltrs of water on the chemo day when I got home, and then just kept on drinking as much as I could during the following days. The days after my 1st round I was constipated a bit, but this time has been the complete opposite!! So I guess you can't really gage what is going to happen with each round, and how your body will handle it . I'm a bit more tired and achy this time, and after working all week, have had a fair few nanna-naps and early nights. I've got 2 rounds coming up in December... yay.
I'm having my chemo via port. They couldn't locate the port entry for a few goes with a 1/2 inch needle, and ended up using a 1.5 inch one - yikes! We got there in the end though, and now we know that its going to be the 1.5'er each time, so hopefully that won't happen again (huge needle sook here...). How are you having yours done?
My hair started to come out in clumps before my second round, I ended up going to my hairdresser and having my head shaved, and I 'm glad I did, it's much easier now getting ready for work anyway - shower - make-up - wig -done (my hair was once long and blonde, and high-maintenance!!).
Workwise, I am very lucky - the firm I work with have been amazing, and I start when I get there and finish when I've had enough for the day. I'm also set up remotely, so work at home nights / weekends as I'm up for it.
Just remember, that you can only do what your body tells you. I have learnt to listen to my body instead of 'fighting my way through'. But I do have to say, for me, when I'm starting to feel a bit better after each round, I really look forward to going to work - it gives me something else to think about, and sort of feel normal. I work with colleagues and clients who have suffered catastrophic injury, and they are a constant source of inspiration.
I think the first chemo round is the hardest because you've never had it before and don't know what to expect, and when it all hits and you feel like total crap, it's hard to handle. Second time round you kind of know what's in store I guess.
Anyway, I truely hope its not totally horrid for you Olga, will be thinking of you - we're both at around the same stage treatment-wise, so let me know how you go.
Take care,
Maxene xx
Hi Olga,
you can't predict work or day to day comings and goings at all I'm afraid, I thought I would be fine and go to work and I haven't worked since my first chemo ( taxotere, carboplatin and heceptin ) as it is a killer and I have so much pain and fatigue, hopefully yours is of a different nature but dont stress yourself, you can only do what you can.
My scalp also was painful so I just shaved what was left and it did reduce the pain a lot, hair was gone by 2nd round anyway and to be honest I dont miss it one bit with all the hot falshes, arghhhh.
Cheers
Cheryl
