What would you do?

Terri B · 05-27-2008, 09:38 AM

You guys have been great in giving advise and tips to all us newbies. I have one for you to analyze (did i spell that right?).....

Picture if you had NEVER had chemo before, so you don't know how your body is going to react.

You are going to be taking your first chemo treatments on a WEEKLY cycle so the doses should be smaller and more tolerable. You have a strong stomach, and don't get sick very often. You did not have morning sickness with any of your pregnancies....

You are hearing all the advise to take your anti-nausea meds BEFORE your treatment to "stay ahead" of possible nausea. Knowing the anti-nausea meds will knock you out cold, Here's the $10,000 question:

Would you chance it the first time & see how your body handles it? Or would you take the anti-nausea meds anyway?

Sheila · 05-27-2008, 09:44 AM

Terri
A personal choice, but I would err on the side of caution...hard to get it under control once it starts....you are always playing catch-up...kind of like with pain after surgery etc...if you wait too long to take the meds, its takes alot longer to get relief.....

Ruth · 05-27-2008, 09:46 AM

Terri ~

Sweetie, this is an easy one for me. Take the meds. Of course this is only my opinion and folks may disagree but I did have weekly taxol/herceptin for 12 weeks. Also, take the pain pills BEFORE you start aching. I found this out the hard way and tried to catch up. It took me until week #6 before I premedicated myself with the pain pills. I always took the antinausea because that was not a catch up that I wanted to try. I had extreme nausea with pregnancies (but this was caused from hormones...which is different). I never had a bad stomach with the flu, car rides, boats and everything else.

Hugs ~ Ruth

Terri B · 05-27-2008, 09:57 AM

Thanks so much for the replies....

I'm so glad to be able to come here and post a question like this and not get people rolling their eyes at me!

Did you ladies work through your chemo? I guess this is what i'm trying to get to. will i be able to work if i'm drugged up?

Ruth · 05-27-2008, 10:14 AM

Terri,

We will NEVER roll our eyes...we all asked the same questions one time or another!

What is your job? Are you on your feet a lot? And what day of the week is your treatment? I definitely worked with Taxol/Herceptin but couldn't function well on A/C. I think it can be done depending on what your job is and how you respond to the taxol. If you have to be on your feet a lot or carry things (especially delicate breakable things) it may be harder. I broke lots of dishes before we went to paper plates! LOL

You won't be too drugged up. The nausea meds are usually there for the first 24/48 hours I think? Am I right anyone? I don't remember taking any nausea pills after I received the taxol. The benedryl made me sleepy and then I took pain meds that made me mellow but not sleepy.

StephN · 05-27-2008, 10:16 AM

Hi Terri -
Which chemos will you be getting? Many of us were on a weekly or dose dense schedule.

In my case I had Adriamycin for 12 weekly before Taxotere on a 3 week schedule. The nurse will give you a premed dose of an antinausea drug before starting the chemo. It was in the IV for me. I took a small dose of decadron steriod by mouth and after about 15 min the chemo was administered.

For some reason I NEVER had nausea. Just one little wave about 6 am the morning after my first dose, which went away in a matter of minutes. I had the pills to take, but what they gave as a premed was enough for me.

So I would go with their program at infusion and then see how it goes at home. You may be just fine. I did have some loss of appetite at times and the mouth sores were the worst side effect for me.

Hope it goes well for you! I thought of an anteater going through my veins and gobbling up those cancer cells...

PinkGirl · 05-27-2008, 10:18 AM

Hi Terri B
I would definitely take the anti-nausea meds. I am
also someone who does not usually get nausea or vomit
but I wouldn't chance it with chemo. I did not vomit but
I had some nausea even with the meds.

The anti-nausea meds did not knock me out, they gave me
major, super-duper constipation. This is also something that
you shouldn't wait for.

As for working, everyone is different. Some continue to
work and some are either in bed or on the couch. You'll
have to wait and see how the drugs affect you.

You have such a great attitude, I know you're going to
be fine and deal with whatever pops up. Good luck with
all of it and keep the questions coming.

lexigirl · 05-27-2008, 11:02 AM

Hi Terri,

I just wanted to concur with the other wise ladies here.
Take the anti-nausea meds. I was feeling really good after my third day out from tx and didn't take them.
I paid the price for the whole day. Very upset tummy to the point of tears. (I am a big baby when I feel nauseaus). I also had the constipation from the meds. Try to keep ahead of that and although not fun, the tx really is doable.

Big Hugs,
Lexi

Terri B · 05-27-2008, 11:43 AM

Ladies,

I will be on 12 weekly doses of Taxol/herceptin. First one on a Monday.

My job is pretty much sitting in front of a computer all day, so no exertion there BUT... I do get sleepy sometimes ;P

I would just hate to take something that would knock me out for 48 hrs (2 work days) and then have to repeat the very next week. 'specially if I find out later that I didn't really need them! Oh well, such is a dilemma, right?

You guys are sooooo helpful, though. Just to be able to talk to someone that has been through it is priceless!!!

Pam P · 05-27-2008, 11:57 AM

I've been working through many different chemo meds. Currently I'm on weekly taxol/avastin. I'm only getting the pre-med antinausea now, seems to be enough for me with this combo. With other chemos I took more anti nausea drugs. Some made me sleepy (ativan, compazine) but zofrin and anzamet didn't make me sleepy.

StephN · 05-27-2008, 12:04 PM

About the dosing schedule.
Many gals who want to keep working take Friday off and do their clinic day then. That way they have the weekend to get over the most immediate of the side effects, and can have the first part of the week to work when their blood counts have had a chance to recover and they are not so tired.

What I am speaking of here is aside from any nausea issues which may crop up. The fatigue is the biggie for many of us and your body needs a couple of days to do its work and process the chemo.

Ask your onc nurse or doc about making a switch.

Terri B · 05-27-2008, 12:12 PM

Well, Stephn, here's the dealio on that:

My Onc demands to see me once a week. Period. She is in this particular office only on Mondays. The rest of the week, she is a lot farther to travel to. So i have to kill two birds with one stone. Either way, I will have to make an office visit on Monday.

hutchibk · 05-27-2008, 12:58 PM

Hi Terri - such a wise woman to ask the question ahead of time...

I never had full-blown nausea. I did get queasiness (sp?), for about 3 days on about day 3 after a treatment. I am positive the anti-nausea meds were tremendously helpful in keeping it limited to only queasy. And the take home anti-nauseas definitely helped with the queasies!!

Terri B · 05-27-2008, 01:02 PM

Well, my "take home" anti nausea happens to be phenergan. I KNOW that puts me to sleep!!

Glad you consider me a "wise woman" haha! Many might think i'm a "bugaboo"!!

Gerri · 05-27-2008, 01:34 PM

Ditto to what everyone else has said here - take your meds before you need them. I had a different regimen (AC followed by Taxol & Herceptin) and never got sick - queasy yes, but that was easily solved by Sprite and saltine crackers. I felt better if I had a little something in my stomach. I had my chemo on Fridays and then back to work on Monday. My anti-nausea meds were Zofran and decadron for the first three days post chemo, then nothing. Since you already know the effects of phenergan maybe your onc will give you something else. I worked full time during treatment, for myself more than anything. Taxol gave me neuropathy big time, but since I also have a desk job I was able to handle it okay - most days. The most important thing to do is listen to your body. If you need to stay home do so.

PinkGirl was right on about the constipation! YIKES! I learned to take a stool softner starting the night before chemo - it helped a lot.

Good luck Terri! You are going to do just fine.

Terri B · 05-27-2008, 01:39 PM

:-SS

Good grief, I need a chill pill. No, hell, I need a beer. I'll be okay, I know by now that the anticipation is the worst part.

Thanks to all the angels here.

Faith in Him · 05-27-2008, 01:56 PM

Terri,

The first chemo is always a huge hurdle to overcome. But once it is over, you will feel better about it. I agree with the others, take the meds. I will be thinking about you.

Take care,
Tonya

Sheila · 05-27-2008, 03:25 PM

Terri
OK so now I am back with more advice....I was on Taxol and Herceptin every week, then every 2 weeks for 10 months....they gave me compazine to take if I needed it....never had nausea with any treatments...I took it day 1 only, never again...I was on Avastin too for 6 of the months. Again, everyone's tolerence is different...I did however get zoned out from the Decadron IV, Benedryl IV and they gave me pepcid which acts as a histamine blocker...to prevent allergic reactions...make sure someone goes with you...if you get the heavy duty premeds, which most on Taxol get, you are NOT gonna feel like driving...you will want to be napping...it makes me sooooo tired...but these meds are a must as many people have very nasty allergic reactions to Taxol, and these prevent it.....I usually feel like "dog poop" for that day....just tired, not sick, then the Dec kicks in and you have energy like never before!!!!!

ElaineM · 05-27-2008, 03:42 PM

Hi,
I would do what the doc and the chemo nurses suggest until I find out how I am going to respond. Can you get your chemo on the last day of work for the week, so you can rest on your days off until you see how you respond?

dhealey · 05-27-2008, 03:54 PM

I had my taxol/herceptin treatments everyother wk. They gave me decodron and benadryl drip before starting the actual chemo. I would sleep through the whole treatment and then go home and sleep until the next day. I felt well enough to work the day after treatment. I never had to use the anti nausea meds with the taxol/ herceptin. I took 4 treatments of adramycin/cytoxin first, I did have to take anti nausea meds with these. I learned real quick to take them before hand. Thought I would be brave the first treatment and did not take them. I was as sick as a dog. Learned my lesson to do as I was told. Best of luck to you.