For those starting chemo in June

PJB

Had a bit of a rough go today. Thank God they had me go down to the main hospital to do my treatment. When the Taxol hit me, I got real flushed, had trouble breathing, awful back ache. They stopped the drug, gave me oxygen, put me on saline for 40 minutes and then started the Taxol again really really really slowly. Took 6 hours, but after the first scare (and I was) I was OK for the rest of the treatment. And now I really feel OK except for being hot hot hot.

Just three more. Did any of you react like that? I just hope it won't happen again. On the good side, my bp was GREAT. I got over 100! And the nurses (they have four who came and helped me right away) were wonderful.

They had another first-time Taxol user today, too, whose treatment went without a hitch.

mary1220

gosh PJB, sorry to hear you had such a bad time.I am glad your o.k. For me I have had a little upset stomach off and on. I have stiffness and pain in fingers and legs ,not bad just a little. It started thurs. treatment was Tue.My head has been loopy but its not as bad as the a/c so far. I understand it gets a little worse each time.My sinus is all messed up again. Runny nose, watery eyes. Food not tasting right again but its better, I have some taste buds but I hear they will go too.Hang in there we are going down the back stretch.I have heard of things like that happening with the Taxol. Some people can have bad reactions.They can pretty much control them though.Glad your through the first one.Mary

mzsandy

PJB - sorry to hear you had such a rough time. Hope you are feeling better.

Question to the group - what do y'all do for the crazy sinus situation (congestion, runny nose and watery eyes) and also hot flashes?

My last A/C is next Monday - Thank God!

Have a great day!

mary1220

SB,I hate to say this but the sinus and hot flashes wont stop with the Taxol.I have just been putting up with it. I feel like I am going to break into human combustion sometimes.My eyes are wattery sometimes and dry sometimes and I have to carry kleenex everywhere I go.The sinus drainage makes me sick sometimes cause its so thick. I thought about asking about claritin but keep forgetting.Get my second weekly Taxol tomorrow. Hugs, Mary- Hey, hows Lee?

janie44

Well, had my last AC yesterday. Start Taxol the next time.

I had a double whammy today. The Neulasta shot for WB counts and also the one for RB counts. My face is red and swollen. Anyone else have this reaction? I've had the Neulasta shot before but not the Aranesp (had to go look up the name).

PJB

SB, Janie, way to go with getting done with the AC. Wish you luck on the Taxol. Just keep thinking how much closer you are to being done. I'll say one thing, I don't miss chewing that darn ice during infusion. Altho now I hear some folks use ice on their nails during Taxol.

Mary, how's the weekly Taxol thing going?

mary1220

PJB,Its going. I get really wore out about day 4 and have some upset stomach and indigestion but got me some mylanta.I have a lot of muscle pain but take tylenol and it helps.I get to feeling bad about Fri. to Sun.Feel great on Mon. back on Tue.Some times I really hope I make it. This isn't as bad as the A/C but gosh to really taste food and quench my thirst.The little things that mean so much.I bet your sister and you are enjoying your time together.I called my sister today, she has a lump and had a sonagram and shes having a mam. done in a couple weeks. They told her its a cyst, the gynie. They told me that and tried to drain it. HA, I went to the breast cancer center in Springfield(Il.)after my daughter got on me. Thank God I did.They were not even in the right spot and they would of missed it completly. The cancer surg looked at the sonagram and told me right off I had cancer.The surgen here in my town said it couldn't be cancer I had no criteria.It took me three months to get her to get it checked.Shes scared to death.Shes not a strong person.I pray its all nothing.Well I hope you and your sister have a great time together.I am the oldest so my two sisters are still raising kids.They are quite a bit younger than me.Hows the every other week? are you having any side affects?Good luck and thank God you have such a wonderful sister.Hugs, Mary

janie44

It seems like I read somewhere that it is not good for us to get massages. Does anybody do this? A back rub would be heavenly right now.

PJB

Mary, I'm sure you'll be able to lend your sister some of your strength. My prayers are with you both that it'll be nothing to worry about. But the strain of waiting can be so hard on top of what you're dealing with.

I have to say, I think Taxol is worse than AC. I don't have the nausea, but the lack of taste and the really awful pains I've had are hard. It's been a week since my treatment, and today is the first day I can really walk without MUCH pain. I know it has to be hard for you to deal with all the effects and then go right back in the next week for another dose. Stay strong.

As for the sinus stuff, I have so much all year anyway, I'm just dealing with it. Do have trouble with my vision, my eyes getting dried out and having some trouble seeing. So I'm not driving unless i HAVE to.

I'm trying the tea tree oil for my nails, so we'll see how that goes. One day closer...

mary1220

Janie, My onc told my husband to give me back rubs as much as I wanted because they are good for me.You get that back rub.Mary

mary1220

PJB, I too am having trouble with my eyes. They are blurry for distance and I have been using tears to help keep them moist.I have been having muscle pain today and it will get worse tomorrow and Sun. but I take tylenol and rest. I get a little lazy over the weekends. I was at a parade to kick off the State Fair in Springfield Il. 30 miles north of me. A father and his three girls sat their chairs next to mine and my grandaughter, my daughter and grandson was in it for Il. Dept of transportation so that is why I was there.. The beautiful little 10 year old girl who sat next to me had a hair doo like mine. We hit it off when I asked her if she went to my hairdresser. We talked about the treatments and being sick. She has Leukemia and is now on Taxol after A/C.We compared who was losing the most eyebrows and she won.I feel so bad about complaining but it is hard on us but to see this child just tore me up. I told my onc. Tue I didn't know if I could do all 8 Taxol but now I will do them. If that child can then I can too.As big as that parade was I sat by that little girl of all places to sit.Sometimes I think someone puts us at the right place at the right time.How can cancer be so heartless to take a beautiful little child? Hugs, Mary

PJB

Sbonura, Hope your last AC goes well today. Janie, when's that first Taxol. I go for my second on Friday. I'm dreading it after last time, but at least I know kind of what to expect. Hope you both fly through it! And Mary, hope this week's goes well.

Any of you guys out there on Taxol already start losing lashes/brows yet? I'm wondering when that is supposed to start happening.

mzsandy

Thanks PJB. I am already a little antsy about it. But, the good thing is - it is the last one!

I started losing my eyebrows and eyelashes with my 3rd A/C. Guess I got whimpy hair follicles.

My eyes are real watery and now in the mornings I noticed they are gunked up - like a cold. Oh well.

Good luck to you and God Bless us all!

~Sandy

shelliks

After 11 months of treatment, tomorrow is my last A/C! I was dx'd 9/22/03 and had 12 weekly taxoteres with 6 Avastins, surgery, 28 rads and after tomorrow, 4 A/C's. It was a tough trial, but I'm almost done!

I am having a proph. hysterectomy and mastectomy (same day) in October and a few months after that, I'll have my implant exchange.

I am very excited to be done, but a little scared to be "set free".

PJB

Shelliks, Congratulations! You've had a long road so far, but, boy it must be a relief. You're an inspiration. Are you celebrating?

janie44

PJB, The first Taxol is 8/31. It is always a little scary because I am prone to allergic reactions. I reacted to cat scan dye even after they gave me all the pre-meds to prevent it.

PJB

Janie, I did have the allergic reaction. Textbook: shortness of breath, backache, flushed face. But they took care of it, gave me a hit of oxygen, stopped the Taxol, flushed me good with saline, restarted the Taxol and then the rest of the infusion went OK. I had worse after-effects than with AC, but after about 4 really awful days, I was pretty close to normal. So, even if you do react, you'll be OK.

mary1220

Shelliks, CONGRADS!!! Good Luck. Check in and let us know how your doing. Mary

mary1220

hi girls, 5 more weekly taxols to go, may do 12, they seem to be going well. Much better than the A/C. Pain but nothing tylenol can't handle. Pain I can tollerate.The wore out feeling I don't like at all. I seem to have different good days and bad days every week so I never plan much.Slept all afternoon and evening and got up and ate good dinner.Up most of night thanks to the steroids.Cleaned my house today like I had nothing better to do.I think I am feeling better the farther from the A/C I get.I even got paint samples to start painting the rest of my house.This is an old house built in the early 1900's and we have been renovating it. We have the downstairs done but not the upstairs and I want to change the downstairs a little.I will never get it done.I will lose all the ambition Fri. or Sat. Oh well I can dream. Good luck PJB, Mary

MaryKB

Good morning ladies,
I agree with Mary 1220. I had my first taxotere on Tuesday and I can't believe the difference. I feel sooooooo much better than with the A/C. I hope this continues. I think I can handle most of the side effects if I just feel energic. I am exersising more also. I am so glad to get the A/C out of the way.

Mary

dmusick

PJB-I still have all my eyebrows after 4 AC's and 2 Taxols. My eyelashes are starting to thin a little bit. It probably doesn't help that I am always rubbing eyes, because I feel like something is in them!!!

PJB

Well, I have a honker of a cold, but they're gonna go ahead with my 2nd Taxol unless my temp gets above 100. I told them I'd just as soon do it, as I'll probably feel lousy afterward anyway and don't want to get off schedule. Glad to hear so many of you are doing well on your Taxol/Taxotere. Let's keep it up.

Still hanging on to the brows,
Paula

mary1220

Hi Girls, Hate to hear you have a cold PJB. Hope you get better soon.You will really have the muscle aches. My eyebrows are very thin. My eyelashes are kinda getting bald places but mot real bad yet. Haven't looked this a.m. they may be gone.I still have some strands of hair on top of my head and it has been growing so it looks crazy but I haven't gone completely bald. The hair on the sides and back is just fuzz but its about 4 inches on top. AHHH scratch that I just itched and my hair is all falling out on the keyboard o.k.I am going completely bald now.This is such an adventure. I love when people ask about my b.c. and tell me how curable it is and how I will live a long time.They know nothing about her/2. I know they mean well but it doesn't make me feel better.Good luck with the taxols everyone. Have a great weekend, Mary

mzsandy

Hello Ladies,

Had my last A/C this past Monday and have been feeling weak and hot flashes since. I am feeling better today. I feel so wimpy this last time - but could not muster up any energy to go to work - so I stayed home all week.

I still have some issues with sinus congestion and drainage - but I am trying not to dwell on it. My doc told me to take daytime and nighttime cold meds and that worked - but it still lingers on.

I get my checkup next week and will schedule rads after that. I wonder if this has pushed me to menopause or not (??).

I am so thankful I don't have any more to do. My heart goes out to those of you who have to continue with more sessions.

PJB - hope you get to feeling better soon.

Have a great weekend ladies!

hugs,

~Sandy

PJB

SBonura, Good job getting that last AC done! I hope you start feeling better.

Well, didn't have the allergic reax to this 2nd Taxol. Had to get an Aransep shot for my RBCs, which she said could cause bone pain. I told her that was fine, I'd have it from Taxol anyway. My cold was a little better today and my temp was OK for me to get treatment. So I guess I'm optimistic this round won't be so bad all around.

Mary, I guess I'll start keeping an eye on my hair now. I, too have some left. For now. How's your sister?

joannej

I have been following this thread for awhile- started my chemo June 30, so I am behind most of you a little bit. I have really been interested in what happens with taxol, as I will be having my first one on Tuesday. I just finished 4 dense dose AC's, and have to admit I am close to wanting to quit. this last time was really hard, and, one week + later, I am still on my butt. I know I will not be fully recovered by Thursday, and I am worried I just will continue to go downhill. Mary, PJB and others, thanks for your insight. Did you feel the same way I do going in to the Taxol treatments (btw, mine will be every 2 weeks for 4 treatments)? Is it better or worse than you expected? Thanks- you all have made this at least bearable.

Joanne

Tine

Well, got #4 done today.
I really can't compare too much with you ladies as I am on the FEC.
My treatment got delayed, as thye had to install a PICC line and goofed with the appointment.
All went well. Gagged on the ice some fierce and am so glad if I never have to look at ice again
Haven't been to the board much lately as am struggeling mentally. Lost a friend of mine three weeks ago. Didnt even know she was ill....
Also noticed that I get increasingly more aggresive and loose my temper easily. finally had a good cry today....

I keep gaining weight - most of the hair is gone but seem to get some fuzz back, but oncologist figures this will go again .., eye lashes are almost gone. Thank god I never plugged them and had lots to spare:
Each chemo seems to different. Had bad mouthsores this time, really bad yeast infection etc, the itchy eyes were with #2. Still react to the antibiotics worse then to the chemo....
Don't know how you dose dense ladies do it. It isn't until before chemo that I realize how bad I felt before.

PJB, I a so sorry to hear of all your troubles. Please give your sister my regards,

Shellis and SBonura, good luck with the home stretch. Hope all continues to do well.

Joannej, hang in there, We can and will win this battle.

Hugs to youall and sorry for not being around much lately.

Take care

Tine

PJB

Tine, I'm with you on the ice. Just the thought of having to eat it still makes me gag. I'm SOOOO glad that's over with. Sounds like you've been struggling with your treatment. I used Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash through out (and still am) and haven't had full-blown mouth problems.

Joanne, I was leery about the Taxol, too. I did have a reax with the first round and much pain days 3-5. But I didn't react this time (my body got used to it I guess) during the infusion. I'm expecting the pain again, but I've decided that instead of trying to keep something of a normal schedule when it hits, I'm gonna take the drugs they suggested (vicodin) and just let myself veg out. Of course, it'll be easier this time since my son will be in school and i won't feel so guilty about not playing with him. Just know that if you do react, the nurses know exactly what to do and are gonna be keeping a close eye on you.

NancyNY

I've been lurking on this board too. I started dose dense on June 28 and get my first taxol Monday. I am really nervous.
PJB, I am glad your second one seems to have gone much better. You're almost finished!
Joanne, I too feel terrible since AC #4. I did have acupuncture, and I think that helped somewhat with the symptoms. And just when I started feeling better, I got a bad cold and sore throat. I know they will give it to me if I do not have a fever. Maybe it will be better by MOnday. I am hoping the taxol on the whole is easier. I will ask for Vicodon too. It should also help with arthritis.

PJB

Nancee, I went into my second taxol with a cold. they said they'd give it to me if my fever wasn't 100 or more. it was 99.8 the night before, but only 99 the day of. i figured, i wouldn't feel any more miserable if i got chemo on top of it. Good luck. Just take your drugs (I had decadron day before, of and after) and they'll be keeping a really close eye on you. when i went in, there was another first time taxol and she didn't have a reax.

i also had to get aranesp shot at the second one, as the cumulative chemos did a number on my rbcs and iron pills didn't seem to help much. and i get neupogen for the whites. (dose dense treatment)

i'm sure yours will go fine. here's to vicodin.