New chemo

[Vivienneann]

I am about to have my first chemo tomz & am terrified to say the least. Stage 3a lung cancer . I'm scared for me, my kids & husband

[Texas64]

Hi Vivienneann

I was diagnosed with stage 3B nsclc March 2016. I too was terrified and emotionally paralyzed until I started treatment. You see, when a plan was made and I met will all my doctors I began to focus on fighting this demon. My doctors gave me 100 mg of zoloft a day and xanax when needed. I needed that xanax 4 times a day for about 1 week.

The first and main support was my faith and my christian friends who prayed with me and for me everyday. I spent 8 weeks in Rochester Minnesota away from friends and family.(I live on the gulf coast of Texas) thats about 1600 miles from home. Mayo Clinic took great care of me and my husband stayed with me for 5 weeks. Friends and my daughter stayed with me the rest of the time.

A great book that helped me everyday, besides the bible, was "Jesus Calling" . You can download this on your telephone or computer. I have the book and app . It has daily devotionals and layman translations on each page. This book was one of the things that God gave me and it got me through daily trials. I also had a wonderful christian sister who every morning would text me uplifting and hopeful scriptures and that is the way I would start my day.

If you are a believer CRY OUT TO GOD for comfort, hope, healing and guidance. Take this battle 1 day at a time. If you are not a believer , I urge you to reach out to God, he will take you by the hand and tuck you under his wing . He will be faithful to Never leave you.

I share some scriptures with you that saved my sanity.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

verse 11 For your names's sake, LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of this trouble .

Isaiah 49: verse 15 Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

BEHOLD, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.

(translation, Be assured that God has a tender affection for his people ; he would not have them to be discouraged. Some mothers do neglect their children ; but God's compassions to his people, infinitely exceed those of the tenderest parents toward their children. His writing your name on his hand denotes his being ever mindful of you Vivienneann. God will never forsake us. By this we can rejoice in the hope and glory of God.

Vivienneann, the fighters on this site will pray for you, remember a prayer carries the power of heaven! Isn't that the most wonderful thing? I praise God for His love, comfort and His word.

One more thing, when people tell me they are praying for me IT MATTERS, IT REALLY MATTERS.

God Bless you and your family

In Christ

Texas 64

p.s. You must have a positive attitude, go in everyday of treatment with the attitude, "cancer you are going to die today and God is going to send you to hell and there He will seal it up" Look at your treatment as a good thing that will help you and save your life.

[Texas64]

Vivieneann

I forgot to tell you my outcome. My treatment was carboplatin and taxol 5 treatments. 30 rounds of radiation. I took a multi vitamin, vit d3, and a immune booster AHCC. YOU CAN GO TO THE SLOOAN KETTERING website and type in AHCC. It will give you info and many studies done with this supplement.

After 2.5 weeks the 8mm tumor had shrunk 75%. At 4 weeks the tumor was dead and all lymphnodes were normal. My doctors said this miraculous and remarkable. I am 9 months out of treatment and no evidence of disease. My doctors have every expectation I will be in the 15% of patients who beat this.

I tell you this because you can beat this

Fight and fight hard! Get mad and put on your armour. Show your family your ready to fight and it's ok if they see you scared. Your human. Pray with your family. It will help all of you

God Bless

[michelle1hatch1]

Hi

Like you I was terrified about chemo having read about all the side effexcts. Fear is your worst enemy and my advice is to embrace the treatment and see it as a means to an end. I thought of the chemo as a battalion of soldiers being injected to kill the gremlin in my body, and mentally I was cheering when the treatment started.

Personally I have had mild side effects, yes my hair has fallen out, but I took thus as a positive sign the chemo was working. After 3 sessions my tumours had shrunk by over 50%!!

Ignore the "horror" stories as everyone responds differently, and if you do get side effects try to embrace them as best you can.

Good luck tomorrow, try to not let your fear get in the way, and explain to your children and husband that this is only a short term inconvenience whilst the medicine tries to help you. 😘

Michelle

[Hidden]

Hi Vivienneann

I had 6 cycles of Gemcarbo through the winter after being diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC. I took all the antisickness drugs and i had very little side effects. Eventually I was anaemic but quickly rectified with a transfusion. The chemo seems to have been a success. The tumour has shrunk and I have no pain, just a little low on stamina.

Everyone is different. Be confident, be positive is all I can advise. Let your family take care of you.

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Hello Viviennean, it is understandable that you will be feeling apprehensive about your first cycle of chemo, Michelle has given you some very good advice and as she has said often fear of the unknown is the worst enemy, side effects from chemo can be unpredictable and vary form patient to patient, deal with each one as they appear, these side effects can be managed, discuss with the staff who are administering your Chemotherapy if you feel any adverse reactions they will be able to treat them.

Friends and family can be of great support and you should also have a lung cancer specialist nurse they will be able to advise you on local support groups and can act as a go between yourself and the medical team involved in your care.

Before taking any remedies or nutritional supplements always discuss with the medical staff involved in your care as these can interact with the conventional therapies making them more or less potent.

cancerresearchuk.org/about-...

We have a free nurse led helpline if you wish to discuss anything with us 0333 323 7200

Kind regards

The Roy Castle Support Team

[stutheit]

I had surgery and CyberKnife but I was so afraid of chemo the closer I got the scarier it seemed I'm on my 3rd treatment and I'm doing pretty good the side effects are pretty manageable t I'm down for a few days usually just fatigue but I know it doesn't last I wish you the best of luck you got this

[salakot]

Hi Vivienneann my husband just have a chemo a week ago. He had stage 3 lung cancer T4 N1, Everyone have different side effects. for the couple of days my husband kind of high doesn't know where his coming or going he can't sit still always walking around as the days goes by mostly he suffered some fatigue and nusea. Try to eat little by little and drink a lot of fluid. After 7 days his fine then he's gonna have another Chemo on 25 this month. He have a long way to go 4 cycle of chemos and the rest radiotheraphy. I keep saying to my husband to stay positive, and keep fighting. You are not alone we can all fight this demons.

[Vivienneann in reply to salakot]

Hi, had my chemo yesterday, so far ok but who knows, PMA.

Glad your husband is doing well

Viv