RAY A Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 As many of you know, today at 12:30 I will be starting my first round of chemo. Just would like to know what I should expect for the first three days. I know I should be tired for the rest of the day but how will I feel tomorrow and the next day. I hope my weekends are not gonna be shot for the summer. Do I have to stay out of the sun? My onoc. said, just make sure you put on sun screen. he said a lot of people go to work the next day. I am hoping that by tomorrow afternoon I will up and about doing my normal things. I also know everyone reacts different to treatment. Also I would like to thank all of you guys for coming to my aid and responding to my posts. After I read your responces all I can think is "I LOVE YOU GUYS" I would like you get everyone together and give a group HUG ((((((((((((everyone)))))))))))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY A Posted June 13, 2003 Author Share Posted June 13, 2003 One more thing. I will be going to the University of Penn for my treatments One of the best!!!! My onoc is Dr James Stephenson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norme Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Hi Ray, Take a good book with you and don't worry to much. Chemo is different for everyone. Most of the people I have been associated with and from listening to this board, go through it fine. Sometimes it made my husband want to nap some but other then that he went through it great!!!!! Norme _______ Husband Stage IV nsclc dx'd 7/31/02 Nsclc surgery left lung removed along with 5 to 7 lymph nodes 9/11/02 radiation and chemo 10/02 thru 11/02 Radiation 12/02 - 2/03 2/03 meds to brain - 10 whole head radiation treatments 4/03 meds to bone - 20 radiation treatments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Ray, for my husband he was fine with most of the chemos he had until the 3rd day after. On the 3rd day (probably as blood counts started to drop) he was extremely tired and had body aches. With one chemo (I think the Gemzar) it was the 2nd day. So don't expect it to bother you right away. He was never really ill just extremely tired. The more water he drank the better he felt. So DON'T PULL A DAVEG ON US AND GET DEHYDRATED. DRINK DRINK AND DRINK SOME MORE. [/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candy Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Good Luck with your chemo Ray. For Hugh the first day is always a good day. He gets a steroid on that day and it makes him feel really good. By the third day and into the weekend he is usually really tired and sleeps a lot. Then he slowly improves throughout the next 2 weeks until he is feeling pretty good right before his next round. You are on a different chemo than Hugh so yours might be different. In any event be prepared for your tastes to change. Hugh's appetite is pretty much back to normal now(I have no idea why) but at first we ate really bizarre food and food combinations. At first it was a thing Hugh and I tended to get uptight about. I would be constantly asking him what he felt he wanted and he wouldn't know. I was frustrated and he was frustrated. I learned from this board that I shouldn't be getting uptight and began to take advice. I realized that Hugh really didn't know what he felt like eating and I stopped harping on it. I now will ask him just in case he really does have an idea and if he doesn't know I will cook something. I load up on a variety of easy snacks that he might like. We found that worked best. Hugh lost nearly 50 pounds and is now beginning to gain some back. Take your nausea pills BEFORE you get feeling nauseaus and like everyone keeps saying: DRINK, DRINK, DRINK. Hugh drinks green tea (iced) and he has found that his appetite and stomach is better with it. I don't even know if he should be drinking a lot of it, but he loves it and it is liquid and he doesn't drink coffee anymore so he isn't getting that caffiene at least (he used to drink gallons of it but it was something he lost his taste for and so far hasn't gotten back) so I guess he should be able to drink as much as he wants. I switched from regular iced tea to green tea because I understand green tea is better for you. I found this board to be the most important thing for me because everyone has such great ideas - but you already know that. Hoping chemo is okay - let us know how your feeling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma1976 Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Ray, thoughts are with you today!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnyd Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Small world, Ray. If my husband had stayed with Penn his onc. would have been Dr. Stephenson. We met with him once prior to Earl's brain radiation and liked him very much. Earl did not like the thoracic surgeon at Penn and chose Fox Chase for his surgery and we have stayed there. His neurosurgeon is at Penn, Dr. Kevin Judy and we are crazy about him. Earl is on a different type of chemo - taxotere once every 3 weeks for 3 treatments. Had first treatment 11 days ago. Had 1-1/2 crappy days, just felt lousy - did not throw up - about 3 days after infusion. And then this Wed he was really tired. But today he feels good and we are going out to dinner. Hang tough - I think attitude has a lot to do with it. Will be thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea B. Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Good luck with your chemo, Ray! I will be wishing you all the best. My mom is on Taxol/Carbo and she is handling it very well. Her best day is the day after treatment and her most difficult day is usually the second day, fatigue and nausea. My mom has cut back on a lot of her usual activities, because she tries to avoid crowds, due to the risk of infections while she has a low blood count. However, we still go out for walks, to the park or get coffee. I know everyone reacts differently, but you have an amazing attitude and tremendous strength and I think this will help out greatly! I will be praying for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelliemacs Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Ray, my 2 cents worth. Mom is on the same chemo. and here are things she says happen 1) nausea about 2nd day 2) body aches 2nd day (generally the legs but all over this time) 3) extreme fatige 2nd day 4) loss of appetite and taste of food changes (maybe a little vomiting) 5) mom gets weepy but I am sure big strong man like you wont though. 6) we pretty much plug her into a water fountain so she stays hydrated 7) take the pain and nausea meds BEFORE you feel anything so you WONT feel anything. if you can stand to eat then eat cause more weight helps handle chemo better. Chemo has eaten moms muscle tone away and thats why she gets so weak and tired. If I could get food into her she feels better and has energy. Granted...the above is my mom your probably going to be different. But I just wanted to add some things to watch for. Mom just had her 5th chemo on Wednesday 6/11 and it hit her the next day. We were told that chemo is cumulative so the more you get...the worse the effects can be. Hopefully this is her last though. rest as much as you can too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remembering Dave Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Ray, for me I would get real tired around the 3rd day and could really notice a slow down. Just don't try and do too much during your first cycle and let it do what it is going to do to you and learn how you feel. Usually by the end of the 2nd week I started getting more energy. I have gone out on my poontoon boat numerous times while undergoing treatment and have worked in the garden and on my car etc. You just have to do everything in moderation. You will figure out what you can and cannot do. If you overdo it you will be out of it for a few days and then bounce right back. I have started carrying around a water bottle with me and like everybody has said--DRINK, DRINK, DRINK. A good high protien food is cottage cheese. I HATE COTTAGE CHEESE, but it is actually pretty good with peaches and pinnaples cut up in it. I would take a large container of cottage cheese and one can of peaches and one can of pinnaple (you have to cut up the pinnaple and peaches and mix them all together, oh, it also helps to put a little of the juice in the mix. The crock pot is good for meats to get them tender and fish has a ton of protien also.......don't do fish in the crockpot.......... I never had a problem with nasuea, well one day I did after my first round of chemo but none since then. They put some stuff in the chemo to prevent nasuea and it really helped me. The stuff they put in does keep you wired and I have problems sleeping for the first few days after chemo. I started swilling some nyquil during chemo week and it deffinitely helped. I really am serious about the music. The place I have my chemo is pretty nice but still the fact that a lot of people are there getting chemo can be a little depressing so the music really helped me to tune it all out and before I knew it it was over. OK, I have rambled enough here. Hang in there buddy you can do it just remember--any side effects are a symptom of the cure.....not the disease!!! David C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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