Forum Discussion
First AC chemo yesterday
I had my first chemo session yesterday. I was doing ok, had lunch and had a nap a few hours later. I wake up from the nap a little hungry and while waiting for food I started feeling a bit funny/nauseous so I took one of the anti nausea pill I got prescribed and.. it did absolutely nothing! I felt absolutely shit and nauseated for hours and was stuck between bed and bathroom, but I couldn’t vomit anything nor put anything in my stomach. For three times the nausea sensation would also work up until I sneezed loudly? (This was odd as sneezing alleviated me for a couple of minutes before going back to feeling shit).
Now, I slept fairly well and a part for a little headache I think I am doing ok, but I am still in bed wondering whether I should get up and have breakfast, wait a little, take the anti nausea pill now before I eat or can the anti nausea pill be the reason I was more unwell?
I want to see how I go today and if I can pin point what went wrong before contacting the chemo nurses with the same nonsensical rant.. but also don’t want to be sick again today or ever 🤦🏼♀️😂
any suggestions from the gorgeous women in this group?
I also had just a few tiny red spots (petechiae) pop up around my chest and upper arms, I am not too concerned but glad for any comments (I will certainly raise it with the nurses anyway) as personal experience could definitely help prepare for the nurses vague answer.
💫
Now, I slept fairly well and a part for a little headache I think I am doing ok, but I am still in bed wondering whether I should get up and have breakfast, wait a little, take the anti nausea pill now before I eat or can the anti nausea pill be the reason I was more unwell?
I want to see how I go today and if I can pin point what went wrong before contacting the chemo nurses with the same nonsensical rant.. but also don’t want to be sick again today or ever 🤦🏼♀️😂
any suggestions from the gorgeous women in this group?
I also had just a few tiny red spots (petechiae) pop up around my chest and upper arms, I am not too concerned but glad for any comments (I will certainly raise it with the nurses anyway) as personal experience could definitely help prepare for the nurses vague answer.
💫
21 Replies
- Nope. Not a single blessed thing 😒
We do have awesome people though... - @Kahm your input is great, because some of us don't know about other meds for nausea. I was one who got by with the steroids, although I couldn't sleep, and would sleep only four hours a day for the three days I had to take the steroids. The oncology nurses are wonderful and they did tell me to report if I had any nausea, so my guess was there was alternatives to the steroids. Treatment and side effects have greatly improved for many of us these days, but sorry you had such a rough time. Nothing is fair about cancer, is it?
- Thank you, @Kahm. I will definitely ask for alternative meds or more steroids. I do not have any trouble sleeping so I could do with an extra kick!
- Well, you did better than I did on AC.I was super unlucky and not only did I react really badly to the AC, but the meto did nothing for me. Four hours post infusion I was hurling every 5 minutes. Even the extra intramuscular shot did nothing. Turns out there was a significant medication clash we didn't know about.
I ended up being hospitalised for three days.
ANYway, my sob story isn't the point.
The point is that there are other options for treating nausea. If meto doesn't work, ask about extra steroids, or ondansitron, or cyclizine, or whatever. They all have side effects, and they may or may not be right for you, but there ARE options. - Wishing you well for the next round. Good you are speaking up as that way you can get the help you need. It can be a tough "gig", so keep connecting here and we will support you as best we can. I did 4 AC, then followed by 12 weekly taxol with Herceptin every third week, which continued on for 9 months after chemo finished.. At the beginning it just seems it will never end, but it does and you will surprise yourself how you get through :)
- Thank you @Keeping_positive1
Thankfully my port seems to work so far. I was very well hydrated on the day, but really struggled to drink or eat afterwords. Hopefully next round goes smoother - I will certainly go in for fluids earlier if I struggle the same.
I hope you are doing well! 💫 - I recall I would drink nearly a litre of water just before going for my chemo infusion so they could find the vein easier. I had a problem with my port, so they had to go in via my arm most times. Two ports ended up failing on me!
Another thing I did was each morning I would put a 2 litre jug full of water on my kitchen bench, that way I reminded myself to drink it! Most days I drank it all, and even on top of that I would have a couple of cups of tea or coffee. To this day I still often drink 2 litres of plain water each day. - @Fernweh I found chuppa chups where life for the metal mouth. I’d be sucking them all day everyday :) (the mini ones in the tubes of 25 for $7 from big w were my thing!)
and rinsing my mouth minimum three times a day with the bicarb to help prevent mouth ulcers.I found that for 48 hours post chemo I completely craved carbs (hot chip sandwiches became my staple ha ha ha) and then it would flip over.I found I was tired all the time too- but decided that was chemo life and is just be kind to myself and not try to do too much.Speak with your medical team. I got worded up very quickly to talk to the team about every effect I was having as there was “something for it” and they were as good as their word. Even when the reflux got bad they just gave me more and more stuff to help out. I can’t fault them. If I spoke up, they totally actioned it. So I’ll encourage you the same.
Hang in there. - Thank you @Ausmum2.
I got some fluids from the hospital yesterday and feel much better in term of nausea, but I am just so tired and the only thing I want to eat is garlic bread and fruit tingles (thanks to whoever suggested it in here!). I will need to try get into the ginger and broccoli wagon. - Hey @Fernweh
During AC (and also Paclitaxel) I was on strict instruction to take the mediation whether I thought I needed it or not, the instruction was “take it on schedule”. The other thing I did was eat/drink LOTs of ginger (and take ginger tablets) all day every day (in my case I like ginger so it wasn’t a big deal) and drink 1.5L of water every day.The other thing I did was eat high protein/low carb snacks every two hours (so never really “a meal” but my tummy was never empty).I found doing these (and seeing it “as a job” )helped with the nausea and unsettled tummy and helped make sure I didn’t lose (or gain) weight.Fingers crossed you can find a routine that works for you.Hang in there.
