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Chemo

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Oct. 2007 ~ Dec. 2007: Health Center: Chemo users admin

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Archive through May 14, 2007Zachsmom25 05-14-07  9:51 am
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Zachsmom
Member

07-13-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 9:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Zachsmom a private message Print Post    
Juju, I love a hot water bottle. I was looking for one the other day at CVS, but they didn't have one.

I have questions:

1) How do you deal with everyday life with the drugs you are given.

2) The pain

3) The drugs you are given...are they going to mess up your mind and you not be able to do the job that you were hired to do?

The drugs are messing me up big time. In my job I cannot remember the simple stuff. I am losing my analytical side and that is my way to support myself and son. I just see myself asking "would you like fries with that?"

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 10:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Z, I think your best bet is to ask the nurses who give you the chemo, about your particular combination of drugs. Maybe they can tell you approximately what to expect as far as when or if you start to lose hair. I've heard that those nurses can be amazing sources of realistic information. Just hope you have the best of them.

Scooterrific
Member

07-08-2005

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 10:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Scooterrific a private message Print Post    
ZM, Sea is right...none of us can answer these questions for you, that is what the nurses and doctors are for. They will best determine what works for you and what doesn't...that's why they monitor the medication. If something isn't working for you...you need to let them know. Everyone is different and has different reactions while going through this. They will alter your meds accordingly, based upon what you tell them.

Good Luck!!

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 10:17 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I just hope she has good nurses. And a different dentist :-(

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 10:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Since I know very little, then I can't help much, but my understanding is that not all patients lose their hair with chemo - depending on the type of cancer and the type of chemo.

hope that makes sense

Scooterrific
Member

07-08-2005

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 10:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Scooterrific a private message Print Post    
URgrace...you are right...everyone is different..as I stated above...

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 11:14 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
ZM, try to take baths instead of showers. Soaking in a hot, lovely-scented bubble bath, may help to warm you up a bit. And pick something like lavender, that's soothing and comforting. It just may help a bit.

I do know that not everyone who goes thru chemo loses their hair. Some people get really sick for a few days and then feel great until the next session. Some people lose their hair. Some people throw up constantly. Everyone will be different. Just remember that this will make you better. If you have to get thru the nasties first, so be it. You're still a beautiful person! (With hair or without, with teeth or without!)

Do try to work on your appetite though. I don't know what will stay down or what won't. When a really close friend was dying from AIDS, the only thing I could get him to do was drink smoothies. So every day, twice a day, I'd stop by Jamba Juice and pick up a fruit smoothie with energy, protein, and other add-ins. I do think they helped a bit, and he enjoyed them (so that was the best part of all!). Another friend who was on chemo could only eat sugar-free Jello or pudding right after her chemo sessions. So that's what she ate for a couple of days afterwards.

As far as your memory, it may be a little "faulty" right after a chemo session, but then it'll come back. The problem with chemo though, is go thru it and you have a few bad days and then just as you start to feel better, damn, you've got another session. So you need to figure out what YOU need, in order to get yourself thru this right now.

It's tough. I know it is. But I also know you can do this. I know it!

Hypermom
Member

08-13-2001

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 12:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hypermom a private message Print Post    
(((ZMom))) There is a listserv for NHL on Acor. It looks like 286 members right now. I found Acor to be a wealth of information from others going through treatment, for my son. This is the direct link for the NHL group, if you want to register: http://listserv.acor.org/archives/nhl.html

Your taste buds are going to go into hiding. Costa is right about the smoothies. You can load them up with extra protein, but with every chemo, you have to be careful about fresh veggies and fruits when your white count is down....same with baths

My cousin had NHL and did lose her hair. She said it started happening between her first and second chemo. It all depends on what chemo drugs you are on. She lives in CA too...and said hats became her friend. :-) She also said that she went to a Clinique makeup counter and they were very helpful with techniques to counter the facial hair loss. Chemo fog, that's what we call it, will go away between treatments. I know my cousin kept working through her treatment...she works at UofC Pomona.

Hang in there.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 2:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Zmom, that is strange about the hot water bottle. I was in a thrift store this morning and there was a RED hot water bottle, and I had it in my hand and laughed and thought to myself that a Canadian must have donated it.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 4:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Variety of Hot Water Bottles.

(Hope you are sleeping off the dental work)

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 6:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
Why Canadian, Juju? My mom had a red rubber hot water bottle when I was a child and we're from the south.

Zachsmom
Member

07-13-2000

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 10:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Zachsmom a private message Print Post    
Juju, I prefer a hot water bottle to a heating pad. You just cannot find those anymore. If you have a chance to go back to that thrift store and buy the hot water bottle, I will gladly pay for it plus the shipping!

Thank you everyone for the links and advice. I am feeling better today and I believe (at this time) I can get through this. I reserve the right to change my mind after my next treatment.

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 6:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Serate a private message Print Post    
Here's some hot water bottles. The one from Walgreens isn't red but it's massaging.

http://tinyurl.com/yss8qy

http://tinyurl.com/2e9eqr

http://tinyurl.com/yqrn78

http://tinyurl.com/2xmrho

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 9:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Heh, I should have just bought it. It was in a town about 25 miles south of here, and I go down there once every couple weeks. Oh wait! We are talking about going to Seattle tomorrow. If we go, I will try to remember to stop in and see if it is still there! And if I get it, don't worry about payment. We will just consider it my contribution to the Warm Up Zmom's Cold Bones campaign. We send enough stuff back and forth to each other on this board that I think it all kind of works out in the end.

Lyn
Member

08-07-2002

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 9:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lyn a private message Print Post    
Zachsmom, the memory thing this is called "chemo brain" and is normal. (Articles on in at BBC Health) Or better yet, ask your oncologyst.

What hubby was told: You'll find you have gaps...some things will come back to you, some won't. This side affect will gradually lessen. And remember, chemo perculates inside you for up to a year after your last cycle so be patient with yourself

Gumby
Member

08-14-2004

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 4:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Gumby a private message Print Post    
Zachsmom, I totally understand your pain and frustration. I went through a bone marrow transplant several years ago and the effects were horrible.
There were days I just didn't feel like I could or even wanted to go on because of the pain and suffering. I learned the hard way that you don't have to suffer in silence like I tried to do. There are so many things they can do for you nowdays to ease some of the effects. They won't be able to take all the bad things away, but talk to your doctors and MAKE them listen. Don't stop talking until they do something for you. The doctors and nurses are there for you, not the other way around. There is bound to be something out there that will ease some of what you are feeling.

Good luck and keep up the good fight. It's well worth it.

Dahli
Member

11-27-2000

Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 12:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dahli a private message Print Post    
Some day we'll look back at this method of dealing with cancer and call it barbaric...