Comments on: My top 10 hints for surviving chemo therapy. http://labornurse.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/my-top-10-hints-for-surviving-chemo-therapy/ Using my expertise for the benefit of women's health. Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:18:56 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://labornurse.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/my-top-10-hints-for-surviving-chemo-therapy/#comment-88 Anonymous Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:52:17 +0000 http://labornurse.wordpress.com/?p=121#comment-88 Thanks. I have just had a mastectomy and am so concerned about what chemo therapy will be like. You have given me a realistic take and some good advice. I am also concerned about wearing a wig. I have always worn my hair pulled straight back... and can't imagine any wig that would even begin to emulate that!??? I also swim and have never used a cap, but had my hair back in a swimmer's knot. Any suggestions re: these concerns? Thanks. I have just had a mastectomy and am so concerned about what chemo therapy will be like. You have given me a realistic take and some good advice. I am also concerned about wearing a wig. I have always worn my hair pulled straight back… and can’t imagine any wig that would even begin to emulate that!??? I also swim and have never used a cap, but had my hair back in a swimmer’s knot. Any suggestions re: these concerns?

]]> By: david http://labornurse.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/my-top-10-hints-for-surviving-chemo-therapy/#comment-87 david Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:47:30 +0000 http://labornurse.wordpress.com/?p=121#comment-87 Excellent advice... It helps if you have somebody to go with you for your treatments. Usually you will see an Oncologist before treatment and also have a blood test taken. It can be a dizzy type of day so another person there to help take notes and remind you about things would help. My wife just finished 15 weeks of andramycin (sp?) and it was tough. She was orginally diagnosed with stage 2 b breast cancer tumor about 4.78 with evidence of it spreading to her lymph nodes. After 5 treatments tumor reduced by half and after 14 treatments the doctors thought the lymph nodes appeared normal and there was no evidence of the tumor. She will still proceed as though she was first diagnosed with the cancer that means surgery, radiation, and possibly 8 weeks of Taxol. Keep up the fight! Use all the tools to beat it. Excellent advice…

It helps if you have somebody to go with you for your treatments. Usually you will see an Oncologist before treatment and also have a blood test taken. It can be a dizzy type of day so another person there to help take notes and remind you about things would help.

My wife just finished 15 weeks of andramycin (sp?) and it was tough. She was orginally diagnosed with stage 2 b breast cancer tumor about 4.78 with evidence of it spreading to her lymph nodes.

After 5 treatments tumor reduced by half and after 14 treatments the doctors thought the lymph nodes appeared normal and there was no evidence of the tumor.

She will still proceed as though she was first diagnosed with the cancer that means surgery, radiation, and possibly 8 weeks of Taxol.

Keep up the fight! Use all the tools to beat it.

]]> By: Lora http://labornurse.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/my-top-10-hints-for-surviving-chemo-therapy/#comment-85 Lora Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:05:04 +0000 http://labornurse.wordpress.com/?p=121#comment-85 Hi to you all, I am done round 3 of AC, one more round to go. I had my last round on friday sept 26th. Chemo administration usually takes around 2-21/2 hours of a boring iv drip. Then 3 weeks in between each round, bearing in mind that your wbc count is high enough for the next round. I am extremely blessed, I get nauseau for about 3-6 days, controlled with Ondanestron, which I only use for 3 days. I am working out at the gym, doing weights and cardio 5 days a week, working full time and not having any other side effects other than the first week of constipation. But that is the gi tract stopping. So I am not tired at all, full of energy, and no one knows that I am on chemo, except I lost my hair day 13. I work in the public so chose to wear a wig. I really thing attitude has a lot to do with the chemo, and the exercise kept the side effects at bay. Hi to you all, I am done round 3 of AC, one more round to go. I had my last round on friday sept 26th. Chemo administration usually takes around 2-21/2 hours of a boring iv drip. Then 3 weeks in between each round, bearing in mind that your wbc count is high enough for the next round. I am extremely blessed, I get nauseau for about 3-6 days, controlled with Ondanestron, which I only use for 3 days. I am working out at the gym, doing weights and cardio 5 days a week, working full time and not having any other side effects other than the first week of constipation. But that is the gi tract stopping. So I am not tired at all, full of energy, and no one knows that I am on chemo, except I lost my hair day 13. I work in the public so chose to wear a wig. I really thing attitude has a lot to do with the chemo, and the exercise kept the side effects at bay.

]]> By: Laura http://labornurse.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/my-top-10-hints-for-surviving-chemo-therapy/#comment-83 Laura Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:39:34 +0000 http://labornurse.wordpress.com/?p=121#comment-83 Hi, Can anyone tell me the time frame for a typical round of chemo.? My girlfriend had her first session 6 days ago & we were told that she would have it once a week for 3 weeks, then 1 week off for the next 3 months. Her doctor told her she would have a "short round" of chemo, but this seems really extensive to us. She has had severe pain & fatigue since her first treatment & is really scared to go in for the second one which is scheduled for tomorrow. I'm scared too. She's so weak. Hi,
Can anyone tell me the time frame for a typical round of chemo.? My girlfriend had her first session 6 days ago & we were told that she would have it once a week for 3 weeks, then 1 week off for the next 3 months. Her doctor told her she would have a “short round” of chemo, but this seems really extensive to us. She has had severe pain & fatigue since her first treatment & is really scared to go in for the second one which is scheduled for tomorrow. I’m scared too. She’s so weak.

]]> By: labornurse http://labornurse.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/my-top-10-hints-for-surviving-chemo-therapy/#comment-81 labornurse Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:03:52 +0000 http://labornurse.wordpress.com/?p=121#comment-81 Toni, I liked my wig too, some people do, some don't. I have a job where I can wear hats and scarves, and not worry, but some people have jobs that are more in the public eye, and wish to not look 'like they are going through chemo'. Many factors influence whether people opt for wigs or not. I mainly wore my wig out to eat or going to the mall, or to church, anywhere I'd be in front of a larger group, or strangers. Some insurances cover the cost of a wig, under a benefit for a cranial prosthesis. Mine did not, but I found a nice inexpensive one at a local wig shop in town. It's nice that your salon helped you so much, there should be more that do so!! Keep doing well, stay healthy!! Meredith - RNC Toni,

I liked my wig too, some people do, some don’t. I have a job where I can wear hats and scarves, and not worry, but some people have jobs that are more in the public eye, and wish to not look ‘like they are going through chemo’. Many factors influence whether people opt for wigs or not.

I mainly wore my wig out to eat or going to the mall, or to church, anywhere I’d be in front of a larger group, or strangers.

Some insurances cover the cost of a wig, under a benefit for a cranial prosthesis. Mine did not, but I found a nice inexpensive one at a local wig shop in town.

It’s nice that your salon helped you so much, there should be more that do so!!

Keep doing well, stay healthy!!

Meredith – RNC

]]> By: Toni http://labornurse.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/my-top-10-hints-for-surviving-chemo-therapy/#comment-80 Toni Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:50:44 +0000 http://labornurse.wordpress.com/?p=121#comment-80 One thing kept me sane during my chemo last year... my wig. I went to a local wig salon (http://www.chicagowigsalon.com/) and had them look at my hair before treatment. Then I went back and they had a wig that looked exactly like my own hair. My oncologist even remarked at one point..."I'm surprised you haven't lost your hair yet!". He couldn't tell. Once my hair started to grow back, they removed the wig and gave me my first style free. It really helped keep my mindframe positive. One thing kept me sane during my chemo last year… my wig. I went to a local wig salon (http://www.chicagowigsalon.com/) and had them look at my hair before treatment. Then I went back and they had a wig that looked exactly like my own hair. My oncologist even remarked at one point…”I’m surprised you haven’t lost your hair yet!”. He couldn’t tell. Once my hair started to grow back, they removed the wig and gave me my first style free. It really helped keep my mindframe positive.

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