start of chemo

I will be starting carb/taxol chemo next week for ovarian cancer. Looking for any experienced sisters as what to expect. As I understand it, I will be getting six treatments with three intervals. I realize I will lose my hair. Am planning on a wig. Is nausea the worst? Does increased fatigue mean I will sleep all the next day? What about the metalic taste, any ideas to help? Kinda nervous.

I meant so say three week intervals on above note, sorry.

Hi Chris,

Hate to use the expression been there, done that, but I have and you will be ok also.

Yes, the treatment is given once every three weeks and it takes about 6 hours from start to finish.

I would get my treatments on a Thursday, be well on Friday and go to work. My down days were Saturday and Sunday and by Monday I was feeling well enough to go back to work.

There is absolutely NO reason for you be nausea at all. There are lots of wonderful medications out on the market and if one does not work for you another one will.

My down days consisted of what I called "bone aching pain" basically in my legs and joints. The metalic taste does last for a few days but it is not worse that the kind you might get from taking some antibiotics.

By your second treatment you hair will begin to fall our so I suggest you go wig shopping now so that you will be ready.

I personally did not have any increased fatigue. This whole ordeal is really doeable and I wish you the best.
If you have more questions, keep asking.
Rosalie

I had 3 treatments of Carbo and Taxol. For me, I felt fine the day of chemo (Friday) and the day after. I would start to feel jittery about 24 hours later, probably all the steroids had left the body. On Monday, I would start having the nausea, achiness and bone pain. Then the constipation. By Wednesday and Thursday I would feel much better.

I took steroids 12 and 6 hours before chemo. I would be given antinausea and benedryl before the treatments. The treatment time was about 5 hours the first time, 4 the second time and 3 1/2 the third time. I was also gven Vitamin B6 100 mg (I think) to help with the aches and any possible neuropathy. After my second treatment, I decided I had to take the stool softener and antinausea starting the evening of treatment and had fewer problems that time.

I also had weekly blood tests to see how my counts were doing. I had some neuropathy in the feet but it was not too bad.

It is important to drink lots of fluids to keep things moving. I would feel tired but probably not any more so than the weeks recovering from the hyster.

My hair came out on about Day 15 so I then buzzed it and wore wigs or hats. This is getting to be a book but hope it helps you some. I found that the anticipation for the chemo and side effects the first time was more stressful than the actual chemo. You will hear many say it is doable which it is. What other choice do we have and would we want to take that choice without doing the chemo first.

I thought of chemo as my friend and insurance policy to make sure that all those cancer cells were evicted.

Take care and s

Jane B

s chrismb

I also had 6 cycles of Taxol/carbo. As the sisters said before me it is definetly doable.

I had chemo on Thursdays and felt fine. Felt o.k. on Friday and went to work (office job). Saturday and Sunday I had the bone aches and general fatigue. Monday a little better, but by Tuesday I was back to work. I never did have the metallic taste in my mouth, nor did I ever vomit. A couple of bouts of very slight nausea, and I took a Zofran which helped right away.

Hair fell out between treatment one and 2. I had my sister shave it and I wore either a wig or scarves. I did develop neuropathy in my feet. I am still dealing with that and hoping it goes away soon.

We will be here for you every step of the way thru chemo.....

My schedule was that I would get chemo on Thursday and then would start to feel bad on Friday, so I took that day off. Saturday was usually the worst and by Sunday I'd feel better. Monday I'd be back to work, but I always left easy work for that day. With nausea meds, you should not have the nausea chemo used to be (and still can be) famous for. There are many types of anti-nauisea meds so if one doesn't work, try another. I only had bone pain once, the first time. Fatigue was the constant I had.
Hair came out between days 11-15 after first treatment. I had a wig ready and got some scarves. What bothered me more than losing the hair was waiting for regrowth--I ended chemo 9/6/01 and by 9/11 I wanted hair. Takes a few months longer. Chemo is more doable than we think. There is one more thing to add--many of us have had relatively easy times. Some women do not. We are all individual and will have individual reactions. Don't feel bad if you don't seem to come back easily or reaction lasts longer. I do think you'll be amazed how doable it is.

Hi there, I'm with Rosalie.
Both of us were able to continue working through our chemo treatments, and I did some vacationing around my treatments. the fatigue was there, but mostly, I pushed through it. When I was really tired, I just rested. Life doesn't goes on while you are in treatments, and actually it's not too far a c

I think I started losing my hair AFTER my second treatment, but I had a wig already in place just waiting for the day. Check out the American Cancer society, often they have wigs that have been donated, and they will give them to chemo patients free of charge. Mine came from there and people always raved about how natural it looked.

Metallic taste: I rarely had this, but when I did, I ate sour lemon candies

Best of luck to you. I hope you have an easy time with your treatments..remember,chemo isnt exactly fun, but it has a very important job to do. Embrace it and let it do it's work
xoxo
K9

Everyone has given you good advice so I'll just add -- DRINK, DRINK, DRINK! You want to stay as hydrated as you can. After 3 days or so water would start to taste funny to me so I would switch to gaterade or something like that. I had done so well for my first 5 treatments on the 6th I backed off on the zofran and the water and felt probably my worst since the first treatment in terms of nasea. Still never vomited, though. It really is do-able. I know it hard to believe now, but it'll be over before you know it.

Take care...

Limbo