Hey guys
I went to my onc today and all my other tests came back clear, it had not spread past the two lymph nodes. I was relieved, to say the least. Also, my heart scan shows my heart is fine and will be ok thru chemo. I have my first treatment on February 1 which is one week from today. I'm very nervous and anxious. I had to ask the doc for something to help me sleep, I haven't been sleeping very well. I hope it helps. I'll be talking to you guys later. Hugs and prayers
Tamaralynn
Hi TL-
GREAT news on clean scans! That is a huge milestone!
As for sleep, I took Benydryl for a while after dx, just too anxious to sleep. Chemo messes with the sleep cycle of the brain, and insomnia is common...many of us used ambien to help during chemo. I loved my ambien and it worked like a charm, never slept better. I still take it on occasion now.
A lot of us will agree, the anxiety of the first unknown chemo can be worse than the tx itself....just get through the first one and it should be much easier. For me, I did AC, and had a relatively easy time. All of us had very different responses to chemo, some easy and some tough, most somewhere in the middle. My advice is to not suffer silently...if you have any unpleasant side effects, tell your doc, and they can treat it. There are about 5 dozen symptoms we all experienced, but you will probably only have a few of them.
Good luck!
Lori
GREAT news on clean scans! That is a huge milestone!
As for sleep, I took Benydryl for a while after dx, just too anxious to sleep. Chemo messes with the sleep cycle of the brain, and insomnia is common...many of us used ambien to help during chemo. I loved my ambien and it worked like a charm, never slept better. I still take it on occasion now.
A lot of us will agree, the anxiety of the first unknown chemo can be worse than the tx itself....just get through the first one and it should be much easier. For me, I did AC, and had a relatively easy time. All of us had very different responses to chemo, some easy and some tough, most somewhere in the middle. My advice is to not suffer silently...if you have any unpleasant side effects, tell your doc, and they can treat it. There are about 5 dozen symptoms we all experienced, but you will probably only have a few of them.
Good luck!
Lori
As usual Lori was right there with good advice. You were smart to ask for help to sleep. Once you have been through the first chemo you will probably be more relaxed about it, especially if you do not have a rough time. My daughter went through chemo very easily, her main complaint was tiredness and a little nausea. She did not even take the anti nausea drugs prescribed once she realized it was not bothering her as much as some. Like everything else each person reacts differently. Hope you are resting well, posting at 3 am does not indicate that. Hugs MK
Hi
As far as posting at 3am I just got home from work. I work 6pm to 3am so i was up anyway. I did sleep good last night, just exhausted i guess. My doc gave me ambien just yesterday to help me sleep. I'm glad to hear it works. I tried Benadryl and it worked just the opposite on me. I guess it's the unknown side effects that is really worrying me. I'm expecting the worse as i always do. I hope mine is easy too. I do know I'm not taking care of myself like i should, as far as rest and eating right, i have to start doing that to keep up my strength. Also, my surgeon doc is sending me to physical therapy for my arm. I haven't been using it like i should because it hurts, darn it! but i have to start getting more use out of it or it won't be good. I"ve been babying it too much, I still don't have much range of motion but it's getting better. You guys are such a big help to me, I really appreciate you. I'll talk to you later. Hugs and prayers
Tamaralynn
As far as posting at 3am I just got home from work. I work 6pm to 3am so i was up anyway. I did sleep good last night, just exhausted i guess. My doc gave me ambien just yesterday to help me sleep. I'm glad to hear it works. I tried Benadryl and it worked just the opposite on me. I guess it's the unknown side effects that is really worrying me. I'm expecting the worse as i always do. I hope mine is easy too. I do know I'm not taking care of myself like i should, as far as rest and eating right, i have to start doing that to keep up my strength. Also, my surgeon doc is sending me to physical therapy for my arm. I haven't been using it like i should because it hurts, darn it! but i have to start getting more use out of it or it won't be good. I"ve been babying it too much, I still don't have much range of motion but it's getting better. You guys are such a big help to me, I really appreciate you. I'll talk to you later. Hugs and prayers
Tamaralynn
Dear Tam,
So glad that the doctor has given you something to help you sleep. That is something that I did not get when I was going thru chemo in 1988. Guess I didn't complain at the time, so that is why I wasn't prescribed anything. I have learned thru all my illnesses (finally) to speak up and defend myself, and if one doctor doesn't listen, another will.
Sending you best of luck vibes for your 1st treatment and those that will follow. You will do just fine, you seem to have a great attitude and that is certainly what it takes to get thru it.
Hugs and Love,
Debbie
^j^ ^j^
So glad that the doctor has given you something to help you sleep. That is something that I did not get when I was going thru chemo in 1988. Guess I didn't complain at the time, so that is why I wasn't prescribed anything. I have learned thru all my illnesses (finally) to speak up and defend myself, and if one doctor doesn't listen, another will.
Sending you best of luck vibes for your 1st treatment and those that will follow. You will do just fine, you seem to have a great attitude and that is certainly what it takes to get thru it.
Hugs and Love,
Debbie
^j^ ^j^
"What sweetness is left in life if you take away friendship? It is like robbing the world of the sun"
Cicero
Tam,
Just a note from "down under" re the arm exercises. It's really important to get as much movement back as possible in the first month after surgery. Yes, it hurts - like H*LL, but there is basically only a small window of opportunity to get the movement back before the scar tissue really starts getting involved.
BTW regarding chemo - most get through it reasonably o.k. the anti nausea drugs are miraculous. - I did though I must admit I had to force myself to go the last time!
Best wishes for your journey - we are all with you
L & H
Kath
Just a note from "down under" re the arm exercises. It's really important to get as much movement back as possible in the first month after surgery. Yes, it hurts - like H*LL, but there is basically only a small window of opportunity to get the movement back before the scar tissue really starts getting involved.
BTW regarding chemo - most get through it reasonably o.k. the anti nausea drugs are miraculous. - I did though I must admit I had to force myself to go the last time!
Best wishes for your journey - we are all with you
L & H
Kath
Tamaralynn, I have a friend that happens to be a priest and while I was reading this post I hope ya don't mind but I asked if he would pray for you too... he said he'd get right on it ;)
Hope your first treatment turns out ok..
Hope your first treatment turns out ok..
There are two days in the week about which and upon which I never worry. Two carefree days, kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday... And the other day I do not worry about is Tommorrow.
~Robert Jones Burdette
re: the test: YESSS!!!!!
I'm so glad for you. You may sleep better, just knowing what you now know. I hope you sleep better. I'll be keeping you in my prayers
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." -Confucius
Ellen
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." -Confucius
Ellen