# Chemo...one down, seven to go! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 15, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557 "2008-07-15T12:24:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/41 "2008-07-18T02:01:11Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] I did find out it wasn’t Prednisone, but some other steroid…Dexa something. [/QUOTE] Dexamethasone. I hate it. You’re hungry all the time, and at the same time, you retain water, so you gain weight two ways. Also, while I was on Dex, I was constantly tired - I mean like take a walk around the block and need a nap. Very hard to keep exercising with that combo. Try not to stay on any steroid for more than a month or two - long term side effects include brittle bones and weak joints. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/42 "2008-07-18T11:50:56Z")
Oh, I feel so much better this morning! I took a Compazine last night (for the last three days, dinner has been a blueberry bagel with peanut butter) but I woke up today and I didn’t feel the need to take the Anzemet! I did find my nose turning up at the thought of another office-breakroom coffee, so this morning I am sipping a cup of tea, Earl Grey, hot. I hope to hit the gym today…but I do have an Anzemet in my purse, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/43 "2008-07-18T13:15:30Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] Erk. I didn’t make it to the gym today because of work. I just do not feel myself…achy, my stomach still not happy about something. Chemo is cumulative, right? [/QUOTE] It really truly is, and I never knew from one day to the next what to expect. I kept a part-time job through all seven months of my treatment, but I called subs several times (I was fortunate to have lots of them available). Some days I felt absolutely fine. Other days came crashing down and reminded me that chemo is serious business. The worst days came for me after six or eight every-other-week treatments, I think… I was on the phone to Mom and had an acute nausea attack and sort of flipped out. She sent Dad (she couldn’t leave work) over to stay with me a few days and nurture me. After that, I was better about admitting I was sick, and actually feeling crappy didn’t bother me quite so much. I still felt pretty good some days up to the end of treatment. You may not be able to keep up with the gym after a while. Are you OK with that? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/44 "2008-07-18T13:36:22Z")
[QUOTE=emilyforce] You may not be able to keep up with the gym after a while. Are you OK with that? [/QUOTE] It depends. I have done really well on my weight loss since April. I have lost 17 lbs and am 10 lbs away from my goal weight. I’m eating healthy and hitting the gym, and I’d hate for all my hard work to get tossed aside. Yes, yes, \*but you have CANCER…\*there’s a part of me throwing a temper tantrum because I might get derailed. So, as long as I can, and as much as I can, dammit, I’m going to keep at it. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/45 "2008-07-18T13:44:47Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] It depends. I have done really well on my weight loss since April. I have lost 17 lbs and am 10 lbs away from my goal weight. I’m eating healthy and hitting the gym, and I’d hate for all my hard work to get tossed aside. [/QUOTE] Well of course it wouldn’t be tossing the hard work \*aside \*so much as saving it for later, right? Chemo ended up really sapping my endurance, and I didn’t get it all back for a few months afterwards. One of my worst moments was when I was 3/4 done, trying to walk up two flights of stairs in a campus building, very public, lots of people… having to stop to catch my breath every four or five steps. Six months later, I could get all the way to the top before I had to stop for a minute or two. Six months after that, I didn’t even think about it. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/46 "2008-07-18T14:17:20Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] It depends. I have done really well on my weight loss since April. I have lost 17 lbs and am 10 lbs away from my goal weight. I’m eating healthy and hitting the gym, and I’d hate for all my hard work to get tossed aside. Yes, yes, \*but you have CANCER…\*there’s a part of me throwing a temper tantrum because I might get derailed. So, as long as I can, and as much as I can, dammit, I’m going to keep at it. [/QUOTE] With the help of a really consistent partner, I was able to keep mine up during the worst of my AC chemo. All I was doing was walking - we walked three miles every other day. I didn’t go when I was really nauseous, and we slowed down a lot sometimes, but we kept it up. And I honestly feel walking really helped reduce all the chem side effects. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/47 "2008-07-18T14:20:01Z")
I might try that…a mild walk on the treadmill, rather than at a 15% incline at 3 mph. I don’t want to push it. ---
**Author:** ![Dottygumdrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Dottygumdrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dottygumdrop)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/48 "2008-07-18T16:03:57Z")
{{{ **ivylass** }}} We’re all cheering for you! ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/49 "2008-07-18T16:24:22Z")
Keep the updates coming as you are able, **ivy**. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/50 "2008-07-19T18:00:32Z")
Normally, on the weekends, I get up, get dressed, run my errands, _then_ come home and eat something. I did that today, and hooobooy…was that a boo-boo. I’m wandering around Target in a daze, knowing where I am, but feeling like I’m about to fall over. I ended up forgetting to pick up three things. I made it home and nearly fell down in the driveway while Ivygirl unloaded the car. I grabbed a granola bar to eat while I made my sandwich, turkey and provolone and sliced tomato on honey wheat bread with Grey Poupon. I felt so much better after I ate. So, while on chemo, do not try to do stuff on an empty stomach. Check. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/51 "2008-07-19T18:26:08Z")
**ivylass** , the steroid is Dexamethasone. It’s in the same class as prednisone, but stronger. The weight gain is a combination of water weight and increased intake. Hunger is a side effect of glycosteroids. (the class of steroids you’re taking.) If you don’t go hog wild eating, you’ll lose the weight when the chemo’s over. They help supress your immune system to allow the other chemo to work. They can cause mood swings too, so be aware. If you get emotional, out of context, don’t think you’re losing it, it’s just the drugs and it will pass. Tell your family too, so they can help. The spelling is _Cyclophosphamide_ and Red Devil is _Adriamiacin_. I’m thinking you you every day. You’re a hero. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/52 "2008-07-20T00:44:52Z")
I don’t feel like a hero. 🙂 I really hate not knowing what my body is doing. I thought eat, feel better, so I had a yogurt smoothie in between lunch and dinner, then I felt sick and couldn’t finish my dinner. I give up. I’m taking a Compazine and going to bed. I’ll try again tomorrow. This will DEFINITELY be something I will discuss with my doctor when I see him again on the 28th. I’m sure it’s just a matter of eating the right thing…probably fiber, to help settle the tummy. :smack: Don’t fret guys…it just goes with the territory. I’m sure I’ll be my normal sunny Star Trek-lovin’, **Eve/Master Wang-ka** missing, **Sampiro/Scylla/Sauron** worshipping self tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/53 "2008-07-20T13:08:28Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] I…This will DEFINITELY be something I will discuss with my doctor when I see him again on the 28th. I’m sure it’s just a matter of eating the right thing…probably fiber, to help settle the tummy… [/QUOTE] If it isn’t just a matter of eating the right thing, I hope you’ll be OK with that too. You might just feel crappy sometimes. {{{ **ivylass** }}} I need to go back and read your threads, but has anyone given you the metaphor yet about how fighting cancer is a little self-contained war against enemy aliens out to take over Planet You? and how chemo is a Weapon of Mass Alien Destruction with some unfortunate effects on the landscape? and all that? ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/54 "2008-08-16T19:07:23Z")
Does the Compazine give you blurred vision? It did the first round I took it, and I was trying to watch TV and not understanding why I was getting a splitting headache. Ahh…side effects. They gave me the Dextrothingy stuff this last round, and I thought I was just going to twitch myself to death. It’s that creepy-crawly, insects under the skin feeling that drives me up a wall. And yes, chemo is cumulative. Don’t push yourself too much. And chemo brain is real, although your mind does come back. I’ve been in the grocery store, wandering brainlessly through the aisles, too. And getting weepy because I’m steroided to the gills and tired and can’t function like a normal human being. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/55 "2008-08-16T19:11:16Z")
I’m only taking the Compazine the first three days after chemo, then I find I don’t need it anymore. This week was a rather tough week, what with kitty litter mouth and achy bones from the Neulasta and not finding food enjoyable any more. Ah well…next one is a week from Monday, then I will be halfway done. **emily** , I like your analogy…I’ve got collateral damage! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557/56 "2008-08-16T19:33:03Z")
I have no way of knowing what you are going through, but I know it is no fun and I empathize. Sending more healing thoughts your way! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemo-one-down-seven-to-go/456557.md?page=2)