[Debbie L.]

Dear SA. I'm sorry you had such a hard day. I think most of us would agree that these early days, especially when setting up the treatment plan -- are darn hard. Once you get in the swing of it; beginning treatment, dealing with what that brings, going to all those appointments, etc -- there will be hard things -- but less uncertainty and decision-making. Which usually seems relatively easier, somehow.

You can get lots of support here, for any questions or issues with your prescribed chemo, because many have done the exact same regimen.

There has already been some excellent advice offered. I would add a few things:

1. If your prescribed anti-nausea med is not working, contact your provider ASAP and tell them you need another option. Often, they begin with easiest and/or cheapest options to prevent nausea, and will only move on to better ones if they hear from you. Do not hesitate to be assertive.

2. When you find the best anti-nausea med for you, it will work wonders. But it may also make you constipated. Be proactive in this regard. At the first hint that you are not regular, take action. Some get by on things that they know helps keep them going -- prunes or prune juice, bran, etc. But I think most do best with OTC meds, the senna-based ones (Senokot is a brand name but there are fine generics that are cheaper). As others have said, the opposite (the runs) is also possible (chemo side effect). It's a matter of trying to stay closely-tuned to how your GI tract is behaving. Both the good and bad news on this topic is that probably by the time you get this balance dialed -- you'll be done with treatment! But like nausea, being proactive and preventing it (either extreme) from getting out of hand is key.

3. Rest is important, but so is activity. Long ago (14 years!), my oncologist told me to do something every day for 30 minutes that got my heart beating harder. Each day on chemo is different. Some days this might be a brisk hike. Other days a slow walk will be plenty. There's a rhythm to it, but as I said above, by the time you figure it out, you'll be done. Over the years since my oncologist offered that simple advice, study after study has shown that people who stay (relatively) active during chemo do better during treatment, and recover more quickly when chemo is over.

Good luck, keep us posted. You may have been alone at your appointment, but you're not alone here on this forum.
Debbie Laxague