Well, unfortunately, I seem to be following the same pattern as last time. That still doesn't mean it will be as bad, but if today is an indicator, things haven't changed much.
I started out fine. It was actually a good day. I felt fine and accomplished a lot. Around 12:30, I started fading. I had to stay at work until 2:30 because my appointment for my shot was at 3 and the Dr.'s office is between work and home. I made it, but I was dragging butt by the time I left.
I got my shot (a 5 minute appointment) and headed home. I got here, changed into shorts (oh yeah, have I mentioned our air conditioner isn't working? Yay!) and collapsed int.he recliner. I haven't moved since. I am 100% out of energy. This is day 2, which is the day that I fell asleep at 4:30 last time. I've made it until 5, so that's an improvement. LOL
My nurse advised me to take pain pills from the get-go tomorrow. I'll have to start with Advil, so I can drive to work without the aid of narcotics. We'll see if that helps head things off. For now, I think I'll just sit here and see if a kid will bring me something to eat.
Showing posts with label Neulasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neulasta. Show all posts
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Brief Update (Complaint Warning)
When I finished the A/C portion of my chemo and started Taxol, I was under the impression that it would be easier. I got my first infusion on Thursday, and felt pretty darned good. Friday, I went to work, still feeling good and thought I had it made.
After work, I had to stop for my Neulasta shot (it brings up my white count and is always 24 hours after chemo) and noticed, by the time I got there, that I was VERY tired. Oh well. I felt enough better that I may have overdone things a bit, and the weekend was here for me to recover.
Saturday, I was shocked at how badly my bone hurt. Traditionally, Neulasta causes bone pain, but it's been very predictable for me. I get the shot on day 2, and have pretty rough bone pain for 1 or 1 1/2 days around day 6. This was much worse, and much sooner, so I did some research and realized that Taxol causes bone and joint pain, too. Great.
Sunday was even worse, and by the afternoon, a fever had joined the party. WooFreakinHoo. Kevin called the on-call doctor (why do I never get sick during office hours?) and she told him to give me Tylenol and see if that brings it down. It was too early for me to be nutropenic (super-low whites, which hospitalized me last time) from the chemo, so she was willing to give it time to work itself out.
The Tylenol slowly brought down the fever, which had reached 101.8 at it's highest. With the fever down, we avoided a trip to the ER and I was told to go get blood drawn this morning. I woke feeling like I'd been drug behind a horse through the desert like in an old western, but showered and managed to get to the car. It was one of the few times ever that I was sorry to drive a standard transmission. My legs were screaming.
My blood counts were OK, but they drew a couple more vials to do some cultures on. I was then told to go home and rest. I did, which I will regret greatly on payday, but the four hour nap sided with the fact that I needed it.
The chemocare page on Taxol says that the pain duration should be "a few days." I am truly hoping that means I'll be able to tell a marked difference in the morning. I have pain pills, but I'd rather not take them at work unless I have to. I'd also like to be able to walk without wincing (and sometimes crying.) Mom made dinner for my family tonight, or it would have been ramen for sure.
Here's to a better tomorrow.
After work, I had to stop for my Neulasta shot (it brings up my white count and is always 24 hours after chemo) and noticed, by the time I got there, that I was VERY tired. Oh well. I felt enough better that I may have overdone things a bit, and the weekend was here for me to recover.
Saturday, I was shocked at how badly my bone hurt. Traditionally, Neulasta causes bone pain, but it's been very predictable for me. I get the shot on day 2, and have pretty rough bone pain for 1 or 1 1/2 days around day 6. This was much worse, and much sooner, so I did some research and realized that Taxol causes bone and joint pain, too. Great.
Sunday was even worse, and by the afternoon, a fever had joined the party. WooFreakinHoo. Kevin called the on-call doctor (why do I never get sick during office hours?) and she told him to give me Tylenol and see if that brings it down. It was too early for me to be nutropenic (super-low whites, which hospitalized me last time) from the chemo, so she was willing to give it time to work itself out.
The Tylenol slowly brought down the fever, which had reached 101.8 at it's highest. With the fever down, we avoided a trip to the ER and I was told to go get blood drawn this morning. I woke feeling like I'd been drug behind a horse through the desert like in an old western, but showered and managed to get to the car. It was one of the few times ever that I was sorry to drive a standard transmission. My legs were screaming.
My blood counts were OK, but they drew a couple more vials to do some cultures on. I was then told to go home and rest. I did, which I will regret greatly on payday, but the four hour nap sided with the fact that I needed it.
The chemocare page on Taxol says that the pain duration should be "a few days." I am truly hoping that means I'll be able to tell a marked difference in the morning. I have pain pills, but I'd rather not take them at work unless I have to. I'd also like to be able to walk without wincing (and sometimes crying.) Mom made dinner for my family tonight, or it would have been ramen for sure.
Here's to a better tomorrow.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Goodbye Again, Appetite
Right on schedule, I want nothing to do with food. *sigh* I bugged out of work at 11:30 this morning, two hours earlier than I had planned, but I was feeling crappy. I knew it was too early for my Neulasta shot, since it has to be 24 hours after chemo, so I stopped at Target. I was about halfway through and got REALLY light headed. That's when it hit me that I had ingested nothing other than Gatorade and water all day, and it was noon.
I went to the snack bar to see if there was anything there that I could force down, and they had a yogurt parfait. I paid $2 for $.50 worth of yogurt, so I forced it down, and then regretted it. It took care of the shaky feeling, but it sat on my stomach like a rock.
They got me in early for my shot (my initial appointment was for 4:00, but they took me at 1:15,) and I came home. I haven't much left my bed since. I did eat a few saltines to take my medicine, and at 6:30 I forced down some soup.
This is my bi-weekly whiny post, I suppose. I've burned it up awfully early. Didn't make it past day 2. LOL
I went to the snack bar to see if there was anything there that I could force down, and they had a yogurt parfait. I paid $2 for $.50 worth of yogurt, so I forced it down, and then regretted it. It took care of the shaky feeling, but it sat on my stomach like a rock.
They got me in early for my shot (my initial appointment was for 4:00, but they took me at 1:15,) and I came home. I haven't much left my bed since. I did eat a few saltines to take my medicine, and at 6:30 I forced down some soup.
This is my bi-weekly whiny post, I suppose. I've burned it up awfully early. Didn't make it past day 2. LOL
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
I'm Still Alive
I had trouble going to sleep, which I was warned about, and three 3 hours later I was awakened by 65 lbs of dog, wanting out because the neighborhood dogs were going nuts. I did not kill him, but it was tempting. It took forever to get back to sleep, so I think I got five hours of so, total. The last of that time was AFTER Kevin woke me up and told me it was time to get up.
Yup, I was late. Only ten minutes, so it wasn't too bad. I walked around with a foggy, half-tired feeling, but wasn't sick. I also wasn't the least bit hungry. I ate a few crackers to take my medication with, and had a handful of animal crackers around noon. I still wasn't sick, but I was NOT hungry. This caused some concern from coworkers, but I won't blow away in the wind anytime soon. LOL
I left earlier than intended, because I simply ran out of steam. I had to stop by the hospital for my Neulasta shot. I'll always get one on the day after chemo. It helps boost my white blood cell count back up. It can also cause bone pain, but I'm taking Claritin, which some people say helps, and I can always take Tylenol or Advil. We'll see if anything is needed.
Tonight, I figured I should really make myself eat something of more substance. I still wasn't hungry, but I made a can of chicken noodle soup and it tasted good. Nothing strong sounds good. This is so not-me. I even smelled the fried stuff at the deli at WalMart and it didn't smell good. I can ALWAYS go for some potato wedges. :)
Anyway, my butt refuses to leave this chair, but I am not feeling sick at all. I got some mild heartburn a couple of times earlier in the day, but a couple of Tums fixed me right up. I hope to get up on time tomorrow, and work a decent amount. Here's hoping!
Yup, I was late. Only ten minutes, so it wasn't too bad. I walked around with a foggy, half-tired feeling, but wasn't sick. I also wasn't the least bit hungry. I ate a few crackers to take my medication with, and had a handful of animal crackers around noon. I still wasn't sick, but I was NOT hungry. This caused some concern from coworkers, but I won't blow away in the wind anytime soon. LOL
I left earlier than intended, because I simply ran out of steam. I had to stop by the hospital for my Neulasta shot. I'll always get one on the day after chemo. It helps boost my white blood cell count back up. It can also cause bone pain, but I'm taking Claritin, which some people say helps, and I can always take Tylenol or Advil. We'll see if anything is needed.
Tonight, I figured I should really make myself eat something of more substance. I still wasn't hungry, but I made a can of chicken noodle soup and it tasted good. Nothing strong sounds good. This is so not-me. I even smelled the fried stuff at the deli at WalMart and it didn't smell good. I can ALWAYS go for some potato wedges. :)
Anyway, my butt refuses to leave this chair, but I am not feeling sick at all. I got some mild heartburn a couple of times earlier in the day, but a couple of Tums fixed me right up. I hope to get up on time tomorrow, and work a decent amount. Here's hoping!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)