First Chemo

Posted by benz76 @benz76, Jan 17 5:42pm

I hope to brighten your day at my expense. My day started at 6:20am. I had to have blood draw first. No fear this time I have a shinny new port! Well that didn't work out well. She wasn't a nurse. Actually the blood gods were on my side. She would be the same individual that almost killed me the week before (long story). Off to chemo. For you who have had chemo you know the drill. First it's flush the port then they inject the steroid then the Benadryl. Upon the 50 mg of Benadryl I say ooh thats yummy. Because now I wan't to sleep. Then out of no where I turn into Sybil!!! I have no idea who I've become! I have so much pain twisting twitching in my legs that I cannot sit, lay, stand or hardly breathe. We discover I'm allergic to Benadryl! I finally after what seemed like an hour begged please give me some Xanax to calm this down. Within ten minutes that got injected. In between all this a little lovely older lady stops by and ask would you like a hand and arm massage. I can hardly sit still. Yes I said maybe to take my mind off my agony. It didn't help... I said I'm sorry I just have to get up. Not bad enough what did she use. I was like fly paper. I stuck to the chair and the blanket. Now extremely drunk I have to make it to the bathroom to wash this stuff off. Upon my struggle to get inside I'm confronted with a soap dispenser and faucet that no matter how much waving I did it didn't want to help me. Finally with the armpits of my clothes drenched I go back to my chair to maybe just maybe sleep. I didn't get to because as soon as I walked into the room the machine beeped and she echoes you're all done!
You think my day is done.. oh no I have to take my drunk behind down and try to get upon the table for radiation. Well that was fun it only took three to get me up on it! What a day! A day that had me in bed at 6:30 pm. If you ask me what the drip was like maybe next week you and I will both know. I will be asking them to change my name on my chart praying the nurses don't remember me.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Lung Cancer Support Group.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 18 7:54am

@benze76- I wasn't to thrilled with my first "day on the job" either. We don't mind bad days in this group. We all have them unfortunately. Can you request some one with more experience to draw blood for you?

I hope that the two treatments aren't too rough on you. Drink plenty of water!

Merry

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 21 8:45pm

@benz76, how are you doing today?

benz76 | @benz76 | Jan 23 5:55pm

In reply to @colleenyoung "@benz76, how are you doing today?" + (show)

Thank you for asking. I've been through a rough week. First heartburn like I've never known from the chemo. Next came the bone aching followed with some down and weepy days. What a roller coaster! Hopefully this week goes much better. I keep reminding myself... piece of cake this is only weeks not for months and months. You went through childbirth and made it so put on the big girl panties and just do it.

benz76 | @benz76 | Jan 23 5:58pm

In reply to @merpreb "@benze76- I wasn't to thrilled with my first "day on the job" either. We don't mind..." + (show)

I actually reported her to patient affairs just after telling the check-in desk lady she will never touch me again. Now they are using my port so I'm happy I won't be dealing with the regular lab.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 24 7:42am

In reply to @benz76 "I actually reported her to patient affairs just after telling the check-in desk lady she will..." + (show)

@benz76- Good morning. Good for you! That's the way to handle yourself.

Merry

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 24 8:00am

In reply to @benz76 "Thank you for asking. I've been through a rough week. First heartburn like I've never known..." + (show)

Ok. I was put on Omeprazole, and I took it sometimes 3x a day to keep the acidity down. There is a better one on today's market called Pantoprazole 40mg. I was on this for 4 months.

Merry

sksnow | @sksnow | Jan 24 9:03am

I was just prescribed Omeprazole DR 40 mg. It is extended release, the doc says twice a day but 40 mg seems like sooo much I have only done it once a day. What did you have that you took 3X a day? I hate taking pills soooo much.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 24 11:23am

In reply to @sksnow "I was just prescribed Omeprazole DR 40 mg. It is extended release, the doc says twice..." + (show)

I understand how you feel, but having cancer is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill times.

If once a day isn't doing it for you, then follow the doctor's orders. I only took it 3x a day for a short period. I took it for acid reflex.

You might hate taking pills, but for the time being, in this case, those pills will help reduce the chances of your stomach being destroyed by too much acid. Also, I found that when I felt lousy, I was very tense. Not only was my mind worrying about the treatment working but it was also fighting that horrible feeling of nausea, etc. It's my opinion that by reducing tension it helped me conserve energy so my body could concentrate on fighting cancer and not the large amount of acid in my stomach.

If I were you, I would do everything in your power to stay as comfortable as possible. And that means doing things that you wouldn't normally do, or taking medications that you wouldn't normally take.

Merry

sksnow | @sksnow | Jan 24 12:38pm

Thank you. You are so right. My depression/ anxiety is getting the best of me. Gotta stay grounded.

aprilradek | @aprilradek | Jan 25 3:46pm

Oh they have had to deal with so many things. I hope next time it goes better. Most of us have been in similar situations and chemo and radiation at the same time is yucky. You are a warrior and you can do this!

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