starting chemo

bean4865

starting chemo

bean4865

Well I had my appointment today to discuss treatment. Looks like I need chemo. I will start on Friday Feb 8. I will have 4 treatment of cytoxan and taxotere for twelve weeks. I was so nervous about this appointment my blood pressure was up. I really don't know what I thought they were gonna tell me anyway, I figured chemo but I guess a part of me thought maybe not. They didn't do oncotype dx because of my age- 42. Has anyone out there had this chemo combo, and if so, how bad is it? They said it shouldn't be bad. Also too if I start chemo on Feb. 8th how long do you think it will be before I can actually grow my hair back say...shoulder length?

I guess just wondering how long it will be before I can put all this behind me. When does your hair fall out? I've heard usually around three weeks. Will start shopping for  a wig. Not what I ever imagined I would be doing at 42. Thanks for all the answers... again you guys are great!!!  

Anonymous

Hi Kathleen - I'm sorry, it's not what you wanted to hear, but...at your age, treatment is most often, quite aggressive. I kept telling myself that the positive side was that I would be getting all NEW CELLS. Kind of like a clean slate. (We all have our own way of justifying situations.) I was dx'd at the age of 45, I had 4 A/C, one every two weeks followed by 4 Taxol, one every two weeks. I'm curious as to why they'd want you to do 12 Taxoteres. That seems like alot. I had two tumors - largest one was almost 4cm. The smaller one was almost all LCIS, and I only had 4 Taxols, AND my Sent Node was positive. I'm curious why you're having 12, but I'm sure others will chime in with answers. And I'm sure your Dr. has a very good reason.

As for the hair...one month after my last Taxol, it started growing... and it didn't stop! Eyebrows and eyelashes started about a month and a half after my last Taxol. My suggestion would be to look toward the time when you can abandon the wig (instead of when your hair will be shoulder length). For me, that was about 5 months. At that point it was short, but it was kind of wispy and it looked like a short hair cut instead of looking like my hair was growing back from being bald. Your hair may start growing during your Taxotere infusions, but again, I'm sure others will chime in. 

My hair started falling out after my second A/C infusion. When it starts...it doesn't stop. I finally had my head shaved, which helped, because I felt in control of it, instead of finding clumps of hair everywhere. I got all my wigs at PaulaYoung.com. They are very affordable and they have lots of styles and colors. Make sure you measure your head correctly. A good fit, makes all the difference with comfort.

Did your Dr. say anything about Radiation?

The reality of it all is overwhelming. Hang in there and best wishes to you... 

carstell

Hi Kathleen, I too am starting chemo on 2/8. I am 41 (as of 1/14).I am going to get adriamycin and cytoxan every other week 4 treatments. Then taxol.I forgot to ask how much of that. I was pretty info overloaded at that point.Then i will get herceptin weekly to finish out a year,then tamoxifin for 5 years. I am having a port placed tomorrow 1/29. I am looking at wigs on 1/31. Letting my 9yo daughter skip school to come with me. I had a haircut a couple of days ago.I had about 5 inches cut.My hair is now just below my ears.

  We will have to keep in touch.Good luck to you.

bean4865

Carstell - We will have to keep in touch with our treatments. I have a daughter that is 10 years old and I told her today (jokingly, because we do alot together) that she will shave her head with me. She didn't go for that but I like to joke about it so she thinks I'm ok with it. When the doctor told me today that I will lose my hair I told him I never really liked my hair anyway...he kinda thought that was funny. I don't think thats what he expected to hear, but if I don't laugh I will cry and I would rather laugh.

Laura GTO I will not have twelve taxotere I think I will have it with the cytoxan 4 times...I think??? I also had info overload today.  It is very overwhelming. I think the hardest part is losing the hair that I never liked. Like I told my husband...would I rather lose my hair or my life...I think I'll keep life. My doctor does not think I will need rads. Thanks for the info.

 Carstell did you know that American Cancer Society pays so much money towards a wig for breast cancer patients. Someone told me this and I called today. A coordinator will call me back tomorrow or Wed. She checks your area to see if there is a wig bank and if not they will give you avoucher towards a wig. I have the number if you need it. She said some insurances pay for it too. Best of luck.

figsgirls

Hi Kathleen and carstell. I was 42 when I started chemo, too. I turned 43 on a chemo day (not my most fun birthday). You'll get through it. There is so much the drs. can do now for side effects. I had 4 AC -one every other week- then 12 Taxol- once a week. I think I can answer the 4 vs. 12 question. I think Taxol and Taxotere are similar, and here is what my onc. told me: by giving it weekly for 12 weeks, they can administer a smaller dosage each week so the side effects (especially neuropathy) are mitigated. I am not sure but somehow I remember them saying it is a larger dosage over time, which maybe they want to do because of our age.

My hair started to fall out the weekend before my 2nd AC, so my husband and I shaved our heads together. It started to grow back in while I was on the Taxol.

Carstell, what you are doing with your daugter is a great idea. My daugter (age 21) went with me to the wig room at our ACS and helped me choose a great wig. It was actually fun. She also went with me to a "Look Good, Feel Better" class. Also fun. I highly recommend getting into one if you can. Free cosmetics! Good ones! How can you beat it??? My daughter said that doing those things with me helped her get comfortable with my cancer and helped her deal with it better.

One more thing - if you haven't already, you might want to join a thread for women starting chemo in Feb. over on the "going through chemo" section. Very helpful support!

Good luck and let us know how you're doing.

Lynn12

Hi Kathleen,

I had TC (taxotere/cytoxan) a year ago.  I did 6 treatments 3 weeks apart.  It wasn't a walk in the park, but it is doable. The s/e's did increase each time, but my last 2 were the worst, so hopefully you won't get it real bad because you are having 4 tx, not 6.

I never lost ALL of my hair, but enough where we buzzed, then shaved my head.  It actually starting growing back before my 6th treatment. I asked my onc about that because I was hoping that I wouldn't lose it again after my 6th treatment...he said that the initial treatments shock the hair follicles, but sometimes they get over the shock and hair starts to grow, which is what happened to me.  So I started chemo in January 07, my last treatment was May 8, 07...my hair is now about 4 inches and people think I cut it this way on purpose.  Your hair will be back before you know it.

I got a wig and only wore it once..even though I got a good one, I found it very uncomfortable and annoying.  I used scarves and hair wraps the entire time. I started going topless in June.

Best of luck, you'll do just fine!