Newly Diagnosed and overwhelmed

Hi @Penny001,

I found the AC cumulative, so number 1 and 2 weren't too bad and I recovered quickly.  3 and 4 took a little longer to get over but still not tragic.  The paclitaxel was a walk in the park for me compared to the other one.  I drove myself there and back on that one without a problem. 
The only real side effects I had from it was sun sensitivity and a weird skin rash (not common) but I have weird skin anyway.  Apart from that I functioned pretty well normally and never caught any bugs or got sick the whole way.  It all just depends and that's the tricky bit.  You will work out a routine after the first couple and you can plan around that.

xoxox

Hi @Penny001  agree with all the wise words the others have mentioned.  It is always worse in your minds eye than what it actually is.  The actual having the infusion is not as bad as what you have imagined.  You have to remember these chemo nurses have chosen to be in their field and I found nothing but compassion and understanding and as well as plenty of bad jokes to make you laugh.    I had one issue where I had a reaction ( I was on a different regime to you ) but I can tell you the nurses where with me within seconds and did what they were trained to do as well as putting me at ease. Also when you go in for your chemo take a few little snacks and drink which you enjoy.  They usually also have a choice of sandwiches and plenty of volunteers ready to make you a cuppa.  It is doable and you got it.  Just breathe and take each day at a time.  Good luck with it all. xo

Hi Penny. Try downloading Headspace or Smiling Mind onto your phone and have a crack at some of their exercises. I did this at the beginning and it did help. It puts a distance between you and your thoughts, and that calms you down at bit.

Distract with TV or a movie, get into the kitchen and cook. It's hard to think of anything else when you're following a new recipe.

Hang in there, K xox

THank you, i no its a wait and see i just cant seem to calm my anxiety regarding it

You know the chemo you are going to have so I assume that you've had the consult with the oncologist.  He/she, or the onc nurses should have gone through many things with you including what to do if you have a bad reaction and whether to organise a port (well worth doing).  If this hasn't happened, or if you just can't remember, call the clinic or your breast care nurse on Monday and discuss it.

AC is tougher but it's only 4 doses and you get time to recover from it.  Taxol is not as tough but you don't get as much recovery time and it's 12 doses so most of us are pretty tired by the end of it.  You will be offered some meds to control things such as nausea - these might be enough.  If they're not cutting it, you can ask for different or stronger.  Four days into my first AC, I was prescribed Ativan for nausea and Somac (later, Nexium) for reflux.  These did the trick.  You will also be monitored at each appointment and if your body is struggling with the chemo drugs, the dosage may be altered, or you may be given a break to recover more.  My indications always remained just over the concerning level so my treatment was not altered.

Please don't be too scared about it.  It's natural to be anxious but statistically, you're unlikely to be one of those who has a bad reaction and if you do happen to fall into that group, the oncologist will deal with it.  The rest is just a drudge to get through.  And who knows, you may be one of the lucky ones who gets through without a problem.

@Penny001, I found the paclitaxel much easier than the AC chemo. The fact that is was weekly, rather than every three weeks was a bit of a nuisance, but at least it was over quicker. I was given medication to take before the infusion and also some to take home with me to be taken after. I had no problems with these. I did start developing peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet, which starts out as a sort of tingling and numbness. Much like when the local anaesthetic given by a dentist starts wearing off. However, I do have other significant medical issues aside from the cancer, so the symptoms I had might well have been worse due to these other factors. If this starts happening to you (and remember not everyone has problems), mention it to your team, and they will take the appropriate action. To be honest, the chemo infusions, both the AC and Paclitaxel, were not in themselves a huge problem for me. I have a port in my upper chest as my veins are shot from multiple blood tests over the past twenty years or so, due to being on blood thinners. This meant that there was no "Hunt the Vein" for me and my main problem was boredom. That's why I took my own tea bags, coffee, (hospital stuff is crappy), my kindle and my knitting.

Have you had your tour of the Chemo unit?  All will be explained there and what to take et cetera if you have a bad reaction

do they have drugs to conteract if i have a bad reaction

@penny001 
We all react differently to treatment - here's hoping you are one that just sails through!  
as @kmakm said above The horror stories didn't come true.

Be kind to yourself

does anyone want to share there experience with that please