Starting Chemo....

[DaleH]

Got the official word today. Where my lymph nodes were, there are now tumors, and an unexplained spot on my liver. Fun Fun.

I will start 3X BEP on the 8th of February. 5 days on and then, based on what I have seen here, 2 weeks of Bleo Tuesdays.

I got the spiel of how it might affect me, now and later.

Fun Fun.

[mahalomom]

Dale,

I'm sorry to hear this news. It's not fun, but you will get through it.

Remember to drink lots and lots of water.
Don't be around anyone that is sick.
Wash your fruits and veggies very well. Soak for 10 minutes in tap water if you can.
Get a tea tree oil mouth wash to rinse and gargle with. This will prevent sores in your mouth from the chemo.
Take your anti nausea meds even when you don't think you need them!

Attitude is everything!!! Go kick some cancer butt!!

~Mary Ann

[ally30736]

Dale,

You can handle this. Mary Ann is right, it's not fun, but it was not the misery that I expected it to be for my husband. He was really fatigued, but never threw up, and actually gained about 20 pounds. The anti-nausea medicine worked really well.

Not sure if it's an issue for you, but since you have some time before starting chemo, have you thought about sperm banking? My husband and I weren't ready to start a family, and have a few kids waiting for us on ice for a few years.

Good luck!
Ally

[DaleH]

Sperm banking is not an avenue for us. I was never tested before the cancer hit, but had 0 count after the initial surgery. I was tested for Klinefelters Syndrome, but that was negative. We are already going the Donor route.

[gilly6993]

best of luck....I am almost done with the full week of cycle 2 of my 3XBEP regiman....I will offer some advice that may be differnet than the others....just remember everyone handles chemo on an individual basis....drink a ton, I mean a ton, of fluids during the full week and for a few days after....keep it up during the bleo weeks but it gets hard after a while....I have been lucky with the nausea.....very little and no vomiting....I disagree with taking the meds just because.....they do not make you feel good and the first weekend I felt like crap because of them....my advice is to take them if you feel a hint coming on but once again everyone is different....I must say that by far the anxiety of starting chemo and thinking of the sides was worse than the chemo itself, at least so far.....I know I still have a ways to go....

[DaleH]

Another question.....Was anyone able to work during the Bleo weeks? I have no illusions of being able to do anything during the full chemo weeks, but I am wondering about the others.

[gilly6993]

Another question.....Was anyone able to work during the Bleo weeks? I have no illusions of being able to do anything during the full chemo weeks, but I am wondering about the others.

you'll get differnet answers for this as well....I asked the same thing and most if not all said I would have to take the full time off during treatment and then some....I have worked every day including the full weeks of chemo.....those weeks consist of 9-1 in the chair, then work a few hours after.....bleo weeks are normal weeks for me except I leave a little early on tues for the bleo push....tylenol an hour before and 6 hours later is a good idea.....again, I still have a ways to go but I'm not planning on doing anything differnet for the remainder (knock on wood )

[loveumms]

gilly, I'm so glad to hear that you have been able to work. My husband will be admitted for the chemo but, they said he has internet access so, he is planning on working from the hospital. I really hope he tolerates this as well as you.

[ally30736]

Another question.....Was anyone able to work during the Bleo weeks? I have no illusions of being able to do anything during the full chemo weeks, but I am wondering about the others.

Depends on what you do. My husband was able to work a little during those weeks, but he is able to sit down for about 80-90% of his day at work. He was able to log in from home and get work done. This was pretty important for him to feel like some part of his life was normal. It didn't wipe him out too badly.

Your fatigue will get progressively worse with each new cycle, so make sure you take care of yourself.

Ally