I have had a mastectomy on my left side with reconstructive surgery starting right away. Had my first chemo treatment yesterday. Not as bad as you would think
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Chemo is not as scarry as you think
9/ 3/09 4:53pm
I went thru 3 months of chemo - ended in September. You can't evaluate treatment with only 24 hours. Side effects differ with different types of chemo, dosages, age, and patient's health and stamina.
My side effects included mouth sores, severe fatigue, diarrhea, fainting, hair loss, incoordination, fainting, joint/muscle pain, sleep problems, etc. My worst days were the 4 - 9th day AFTER the treatment. By the 6th and last treatment fatigue had gotten so bad I was unable to stand longer than 5 min and had to use a wheelchair.
11/20/09 11:12pm
I wasn't trying to evaluate mine or anyone else's treatment. I have now completed my first regiment of chemo. The only bad side effects I had was some fatigue. I think that if you have a positive attitude from the get go you will be fine. My doctor has told me that my attitude is what has got me through so well. I have started my second regiment of chemo and it is about the same as the first. I have put my complete faith in God and I have no doubts that I will come through this with flying colors. Attitude and faith in God is the key to beating cancer.
1/ 5/10 4:08pm
1/ 5/10 9:22pm
1/ 5/10 9:29pm
For a lot of us the first few chemo treatments weren't bad. However, the side effects were cumulative - the more treaments the more severe the fatigue. By the end of my TAC treaments, I was only able to walk a few feet - I was basically confined to a wheel chair for a couple of months. I did get much better, but it took a lot of time.
1/ 5/10 9:32pm
Everyone's different - I didn't feel any cumulative side effects. Except for developing mouth sores and having my hair fall out, each infusion was pretty much like all the others... I guess the lesson here is, you can read and read about what everyone else experienced, but you simply don't know what'll happen to YOU till you get started. PJH
9/ 7/09 9:33pm
Hi Joy,
As the ladies stated,
Each treatment is different. I am receiving TCH, 6 of them, I just had my 5th one and they are totally different. I had my right breast removed and now I have an expander, hoping to have surgery by the winter to get the implant put in. Just tired of being tired. As I get more treatments, I am becoming tired and weak with each one. The first two was easy sailing but you need to make sure that you continue to eat right, drink plenty of liquids and a lot of vegetables so you do not get constipated too bad. That is my biggest issue. With the fourth one, I have been having sore throats which makes me not want ot eat or drink so I am depriving myself from getting my nutrition. Just take care of yourself, rest when you need to, because with the first two, I felt like superwoman and thought that I could do it all on my own, but not so, let people help when they want to and rest when your body tell you too. But most important, get the proper nutrition, that is the biggest thing. I am here for you.
Mary
11/20/09 1:07pm
11/20/09 1:16pm
12/22/09 6:33pm
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I had the masectomy on my left, too and also the reconstructive surgery started at the same time. I agree - the first treatment (I'm having the AC for the first 4, every other week) was not so bad and my confidence level was high I would sail through this. (The day after each treatment I get an injection to promote my white blood cell count.) I pretty much continued normal activities after the 3rd or 4th day. The second treatment I expected to be more problematic, but was still surprised . . . it pretty much doubled the symptoms I had from the first (more fatigue, more of the "unwell" feeling.) 10 days after my second, I still feel unwell about 50% of the time, and I am already feeling a little anxious, wondering, is it going to triple the bad effects or just continue with the way I felt this time around?
Everyone is different. I went through 3 1/2 months of chemo without the symptoms seeming to get worse each time... aside from developing new symptoms (mouth sores, losing hair), I got through it fine. Hoping you have an experience like mine, Joy. And that you feel better soon, JWC. - PJH