The Good, The Bad, The Achy

The Good:
I have a lot of medications to help with the side effects I'm experiencing with the chemo and to help me stay somewhat comfortable.

The Bad:
I have way too many medications to keep track of.

The Achy:
EVERYTHING HURTS!

My Medications - I just carry them with me
around the house.

Before the chemo even started, I was given 5 different medications to help control and alleviate the symptoms from chemo.  Three medications are for nausea (but also work for other things like headaches and insomnia). One medication is a powerful steroid.  The other are pain pills.

I am to take the main nausea pills every 8 hours around the clock for the first 72 hours at least and then longer if I have any nausea at all.  Then I take the other two nausea meds if I have any "breakthrough" nausea.  I take the steroid the twice the day before, twice the day of and twice the day after each chemo.  Then, I can take the pain pills as needed for the body aches and pain.  But, I can also take the secondary nausea medications for headaches and to help me sleep (Thank You Beth for reminding me of this!).

Confused?

Me too.

It's a lot to keep track of.  I've been using the alarm on my phone to help remind me.  I have to make sure that I label each alarm or it'll ring and I won't remember what it is ringing for!  Scary.

I am having some nausea but nothing too debilitating.  Just touches here and there and not much of an appetite.  My main complaint here on Day #3 is the aches and pains.  They told me the first time is the worst. It's the Neulasta shot that causes the most of it.  But, I'm in so much pain, I can't get comfortable and even the pain pills don't really help much.  I was able to sleep for about 4 hours last night before being awoken by my husband snoring.  Then I was in too much pain with the aches and the headaches I keep having to go back to sleep.  I got up, watched some TV and was just exhausted.

Beth

That's when my dear friend, Beth, who is fighting Stage III Colon Cancer and on her second bout of chemo found me on FaceBook and helped me to remember that taking one of the secondary nausea meds would help me sleep.  I looked it up and the same medication also helps with migraines!  HALLELUJAH!  I took one at about 7:30 a.m. and slept until 1 p.m.  It helped so much!

I'm thankful that I have medications to help try to keep me comfortable - but it's a lot to remember and a lot to get used to.  And I hate to take medications so this is very new for me.

Everyone told me chemo feels like having the flu, and that's exactly what it's like.  I just ache like never before, my legs are the worst but everywhere hurts.  Plus, the headaches I'm having are quite significant.  Nearing migraine intensity.  If it weren't for all of the pain, I think I'd be feeling just a little run down.

Days 2-5 are supposed to be the worst.  I've made it to the end of Day #3 so hopefully I'll be on the upswing soon!  I feel anxious because I have so much that I'd rather be doing - life isn't stopping for me but I have to stop life because I don't feel like doing anything.  It's hard.  My life is on pause right now to be sure.

Counting the days...

-----------------------------------------------------

Hair Update:  Still all there!