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Oncology nurse called and is replacing the Premarin with Cenestin. But I'm not going to take that, either. Why would he prescribe something which is counterindicated for cancer?? See:
I called her back and told her I wasn't going to take any hormones. If he doesn't want to give me any antidepressants, that's fine. But I'm not taking that stuff, even short term/low dosage.
Ovarian cancer is not hormone dependent, so it would not be contraindicated for you to take it on the basis of that diagnosis.
Whether to take it is up to you. It could help relieve menopause symptoms while you are dealing with the chemo.
Well, I'm 10 years past menopause. I don't want another chemical coursing through my body. A little tearfullness won't kill me. And maybe it's normal, given my (normal) life circumstances and the stress of this illness.
You know, I look at it like this: doctors are expected to fix everything, and they want to -- I'm sure mine does. But everything can't be fixed by a pill or a potion, and even though he is prescribing this stuff, I don't need it. I don't have any suicidal ideology or anything like that. (If I did, that would be a different story). I'm just sad. Well, shoot: there are plenty of honest reasons to be sad, and maybe covering it up with a drug is not the right thing for me.
Now if I were young, then that would also be a different story. But I'm not, and have plenty of reasons to feel all kinds of emotions. I think I can handle it. At least that's how I feel now.
I did have a dark moment of chemo brain, unlike anything I've experienced ever, before, in my life. Just wiped out for a moment mentally, and then very, very tired. But all of this will pass.
Most of the time they'll prescribe .5 mg tablets. By comparison, nurses will push 2mg for a baby if it is screaming and crying when they need to do something and the child won't sit still. No adverse effects to the baby.
What? No adverse effects to a baby? I hope you're not serious. Ativan is prescribed for extreme anxiety. Sometimes I wonder if some doctors just hand out whatever their pharmaceutical rep gives them...
My friend with ovarian cancer was also given many prescriptions for medications, most of which she did not have filled.
What? No adverse effects to a baby? I hope you're not serious. Ativan is prescribed for extreme anxiety. Sometimes I wonder if some doctors just hand out whatever their pharmaceutical rep gives them...
Sorry guess I should clarify. They'll push up to 2mg for young children. It's often not needed, and they try to avoid using it. It's been shown that when not taken on a regular basis, that there are no adverse long term effects.
Sorry I didn't mean to suggest they just run around injecting infants willy nilly.
What? No adverse effects to a baby? I hope you're not serious. Ativan is prescribed for extreme anxiety. Sometimes I wonder if some doctors just hand out whatever their pharmaceutical rep gives them...
My friend with ovarian cancer was also given many prescriptions for medications, most of which she did not have filled.
Really not something I would brag about. Thankfully your friend is OK, but plenty of people end up NOT being OK because they don't take what is prescribed to them. Think 20 year olds with severe gout.
In my experience, (I worked in the medical field for many years), if you aren't going to take the medications the doctor prescribes, you should always make your feelings known, and the reasons for refusing, so that your doctor is aware that it's your choice. If your doctor is not available for some reason, and you have a complaint that needs to be handled by a covering physician, your chart has to indicate your condition and your medical regimen so that the covering can determine the best course.
Really not something I would brag about. Thankfully your friend is OK, but plenty of people end up NOT being OK because they don't take what is prescribed to them.
I don't know how you would interpret that as "bragging." My point was that if she felt anxiety from anticipating another round of chemo, she did not feel comfortable taking every anti-anxiety medication her physician wrote her a prescription for or suggested. Her experience was that many of the anti-anxiety meds had worse side effects than her chemo.
Second chemo uneventful. Talked to a lot of people, shared my sugar-free chocolate cookies, read, listened to music, slept a little bit. There from 8:30-5:10 because my white count was down, they did a blood test first, and we had to wait for the result. So actual chemo didn't start until 12:00.
Really bored, but not uncomfortable. Is my white cell count being down significant? What does that mean?
Second chemo uneventful. Talked to a lot of people, shared my sugar-free chocolate cookies, read, listened to music, slept a little bit. There from 8:30-5:10 because my white count was down, they did a blood test first, and we had to wait for the result. So actual chemo didn't start until 12:00.
Really bored, but not uncomfortable. Is my white cell count being down significant? What does that mean?
Did you ask your medical team is this was significant? Do you know how far out of normal the WBC count was? Chemo affects your cell count. Any variant or deviation from norm should be included in your journal (if you're keeping one).
If you're asking your team for answers and you're not getting them, you need to rear up on your hind legs and remind them that while this is routine for them, you're a newbie and stress (of not knowing) is counter-productive to healing.
Even though your start time was delayed, I'm glad to hear that the rest seemed uneventful. Did you make the sugar-free cookies yourself? How about a recipe?
>> Did you make the sugar-free cookies yourself? How about a recipe?
No, I got these at Walmart; chocolate wafers and chocolate mint. In the cookie section. Really good. I do make sugar free wholewheat cookies on occasion; you just substitute Splenda for sugar (you can't cook with Truvia, unfortunately) and white for whole wheat and use applesauce for eggs. The best cookie recipe in the world is Martha Stewart's chocolate ship/dried cherries. Heaven on earth.
Started the steriods this morning and doing two anti-nausea meds. Nurse in chemo said do Ibuprofen and Tylnol every four hours, together, rather than alternativing them. Don't really need them now, but probably (if the last time runs true this time), I'll need them in a day or two.
Also do the hormones. Guess if I don't have ovaries, I'm not going to get ovarian cancer now.
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My point was that if she felt anxiety from anticipating another round of chemo, she did not feel comfortable taking every anti-anxiety medication her physician wrote her a prescription for or suggested. Her experience was that many of the anti-anxiety meds had worse side effects than her chemo.
