Starting Chemo October 2009

MaryNY

JoJo: I think Zofron was the culprit for me with constipation. So reducing it should help. But I did need to resort to taking lactulose for the first three days of my last treatment to alleviate the problem.

WCC is probably white cell count. White cells help to fight off infection. Here in the US they call it WBC (white blood count) and the figure is usually shown as something like:

WBC 4.9 K/mcL [4-11 K/mcL]

where 4.9 is your blood count and the numbers inside parenthesis show the normal range. I'm not sure why yours is shown as 4.9/2.9 unlesss they are showing the results of two blood tests. A low white cell count puts you more at risk of infection. 

PLAT is probably platelets. Normal range is 160-400 K/mcL so your number is at the top end of this. Platelets help your blood to clot. 

GB probably stands for haemoglobin. (In the US it's usually abbreviated as HGB.) Haemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells and is a good indication of your blood's ability to carry oxygen. If your haemoglobin levels are low, you have anaemia. Normal range is 115-160 g/l so yours is just  slightly low.  

See Full Blood Count for information on what's usually tested.

joanneasiata

Mary  thanks a lot that has cleared a lot for me, so overall it looks pretty good ,and yes i have 2 blood tests in between one is 10 days after chemo and then one the day before chemo  ,thanks again

JOJO

joanneasiata

WOW I'm feeling so darn good, out doing some heavy gardening with my daughter ,not a bit tired hope this stays makes you start to think though ,will it come later, is my body getting the hang of things , is it course of the change of my pre meds ,is it steroids but i was having them before not knowing . well we will never know will we.

JOJO

RaiderDee

Hi my chemo sisters!  Mary, can I have my third smiley face for completing my treatment yesterday?  I'm feeling good.  Worked all day and I'm having a friend over for dinner tonight and to watch a movie.  Tomorrow will be my slug day where I'll hang around the house all day and nap off and on.  By Sunday I should be right as rain to watch a full day of football.  Tx I hope you're feeling better.  They've got to find out why you keep running a fever.  I hope all of you are dong well and managing the SE's as best you can.  Enjoy the weekend and get some much needed rest.

Dee

MaryNY

Dee: Got your third . All of our reactions to treatment are so different. You say Day 3 is worst for you, but Day 4 and Day 5 are the worst for me, actually they are hellish. But maybe you are getting AC three weeks apart rather than two weeks apart (dose dense)? or you're on a different steroid dose?

arby

MaryNY, I'm back after a very miserable 4th treatment which has produced radiation recall.  Any one else here experienced it on Taxene chemo?  I have a red hot chest and inflamed skin, am taking antibiotics for cellulitis.  It's like reliving the end of radiation in Dec 07.  My oncologist is hoping that the rash and burn and pain soon recedes, but I know it took 3 weeks for skin to cool down at the end of my 33 treatments 2 yrs ago.,   Hope everyone else has had a much smoother ride than mine has been since Nov 24.  arby

MaryNY

Arby: Sorry to hear what you're going through. It sounds very unpleasant. Enjoyful went to the emergency room with cellulitis too, not sure if that was taxane-related also. Hopefully the antibiotics will clear it up in your case.

believinghigh

Hi all. This is the first time I posted to this thread (I think). I wish every one new strength and the mildest ever side effects.

Arby, I too had radiation recall and it can be really tricky to deal with. I had Savi radiation for 5 days starting on Sept 11, then I started chemo-- 4 cycles of Taxotere/Cytoxin on October 8 (3 down, 1 more to go). First problem: the wound where the Savi catheter was placed took  a very long time to close and heal because of chemo, then add to that... about 2 weeks after the first chemo tx, the area that was radiated went thru radiation recall and burned and peeled worst than it did after the actual radiation treatment.I kept applying neosporin to the catheter wound and silvadine cream to the surrounding skin, as I had been instructed, but it didn't seem to help at all. Finally, my onc presrcibed a steroid cream -- Desoximetasone USP 0.05% --and that (applied 2x/day when needed) has kept my skin from burning from my last 2 chemo treatments and has allowed the wound from the catheter to heal. Unfortunately I've been left with a scar from the recall incident-- a large area of very dark skin (I'm medium brown-skinned African American) with an area of pink unpigmented skin in the center, but, aside from occasional itching, I've had no real discomfort and the area continues to heal. I'm hoping the steroid cream will continue to work and get me thru the last treatment. 

Don't know if this cream could help you, but it can't hurt to ask your onc about it.

joanneasiata

ARBY

Sorry you are having such a bad time maybe what BELIEVINGHIGH.has suggested may help ,there is nothing worse than problems  occurring due to our treatment, i do feel for you get well ,hope its quick .

BELIEVINGHIGH

Welcome its nice to have people drop by for an encouraging chat .It sounds like you had a bad time, was that with rads? Ive yet to start my treatment ,starts in FEB sometime, so ill concentrate on chemo for now then the next hurdle after that .

ONE L how was your treat Ive been thinking about you  all day hope it went smoothly ,big hugs for you

JOJO

txstardust

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I made it home last night, hooray!  Now, dealing with pain issues from the Neulasta.  But, at least it worked and boosted those WBC!

I'll catch up with you all at a more reasonable hour.  

Peace to all....

~Shelby 

JustmeAlicia

Shelby glad you are home ~ hope your Neulasta pain goes away quickly.  Mine is finally feeling much better today ! 

Hugs to all ~

Alicia

MaryNY

Have a look at this video Pink Glove Dance. I know it will bring a smile to your faces. It was made to promote breast cancer awareness at Providence St Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon.

azdiva

Hi All!

Just popping in.  Have to get TONS done in between naps!  I am scheduled for #4 on Wednesday, and if this trend continues, I will be even more tired!

I am scheduled for #5 the day before New Year's Eve!  This is bad because we typically have a big party (vodka luge, food, champagne, more food, etc!).  DH still wants to have it and said he would do the work.  HA!  He has no idea what it takes to put a big party together.   And what if I am sick?  (His response - Well, you can stay in the bedroom.  People will understand.)  We will see.  I am telling everyone "No Promises!"

I hope all is going well (as can be expected!) for everyone.  Talk to you soon!

Laura 

joanneasiata

MARY

Seen the clip it was good thanks ,it must of taken then a lot of organizing to get it together

LAURA

I recon if you Carnot you Carnot ,everyone will understand and DH will get over it ,,and next years can be even bigger  we have wiped out Christmas and new years this year and everyone understands totally don't push your self your body is at its weakest right now don't play wonder women you don't want to create any problems .

Well Ive hit the SEs wall today, not feeling as good as yesterday but still not as bad as normal ill take it easy today, my daughter is still here she is great at looking after me and loves doing house work she is only 20 but she is one of my faviouse . Sam is going to give me my naulasta shot today, i was a bit shocked that he said he would, i think for him it is his way of putting something in me that will make me better . Or he will enjoy jabbing me with something sharp ,kind of revenge thing lol ill go for the first one !!!!!.

Hope all is well its a bit quiet on the board lately

Anyones nails going a bit dark around the cuticle area ,my thumbs and my middle fingers are the worse

Well i hope every one is out playing and not to sick

JOJO

believinghigh

joanneasiata

Because I had radiation using the Savi catheter method, I actually had radiation before chemo. I don't see many women on these boards talking about having Savi, but the procedure involves having a catheter placed in the space left from tumor when you have a lumpectomy. Radioactive seeds are then placed in the catheter twice a day and left in for about 10 minutues each time. The total treatment lasts for 5 days.I was so happy to be able to qualify for this treatment because it greatly reduces the time spent on the radiation process. The only downside for me was the radiation recall and I'm not surprised that I would be affected with this because the radiation onc had already told me I had super sensitive skin (also bad reaction with tapes, even paper tape).

As for you starting your treatment in Feb, I'm sure you'll get thru your chemo and your rads just fine. One step at a time is always the best approach... keeps you from feeling overwhelmed.  Although I've been a little shy about posting, I've been reading everyones posts ever since I was dx'd and, I'll tell you, this is the best medicine. I was soooo afraid to do chemo and if it weren't for sites like this one, I think I would've just closed down and refused to take treatment. These ladies are angels and great encouragers...

Blessings to you,

Esther

txstardust

Jo, my nails are getting a bit dark also.  The onc nurse told me that might happen as a result of the Taxotere.  

Laura, I say that if you don't feel like you should or don't want to do the party this year, you should just tell your hubby that it's not going to happen.  I don't want you to put yourself at risk with lots of people around while you are vulnerable.  But, whatever you decide, make sure you take care of yourself!

I'm still dealing with back and leg pain from the Neulasta.  Ugh, I should not have stayed out shopping so long, but we were looking for a wedding band for my hubby-to-be (nothing like waiting until the last minute, eh?).  I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the day, sit on the couch and eat Crunch 'n Munch!

Peace... 

MaryNY

Shelby: it must feel good to be back home on your own couch.

About the blackened fingernails or toenails -- that seems to be a common SE of the taxanes. Some people use matte black nail varnish to prevent this, there is something about it preventing a reaction with the drug when it's exposed to light. There was a small study in Australia which showed a 100% success rate when using black nail polish in conjunction with ice mittens but the study was very small, only involving 20 patients. If you want to read about it see the article "Preventing Taxotere induced onchylosis" in this newletter.

joanneasiata

Ive heard about blackened nails on certain treat but not on FEC which is what I'm on

JOJO.

joanneasiata

SHELBY

Glad your home now take it easy  .Hope the pain settles if not pop thoes wonder pills .

JOJO

unklezwifeonty

JoJo,

Not only my nails but my fingers and palms have become so much darker. I hope this goes away or I shall have to invest in some skin makeup for my hands!

Sunshine1958

Hi everyone,

It is so helpful to read about everyone's experiences and see the love and support that is shown here.   I rarely post, but I do read them when I have the time, and it always helps to encourage me to hang in there and know that I am not alone.  So BIG hugs to all of you!!

Right now, I have something I'd like to share with all of you in the hope that others can benefit like I have. First of all, if you ever have the chance to have acupuncture done by a CHINESE acupuncturist, do it!!  It has helped me so much during my chemo treatments, and it has helped me in the past with everything from back pain to reducing my appetite to migraines. 

Well, at my last visit two weeks ago--3 days after my 2nd FEC tx, he recommended I try LEUCOZEPIN, which is a herbal medicine to help chemo patients and is made up of 15 different herbs that strengthen your immune system, helps to build white and red blood cells, alleviates fatigue, and increases energy levels.  He gave me a packet to try--for free--because it is expensive but he wanted me to try them.  Well, my acupuncturist is a 70 year old man from China who has been practicing acupuncture and working with herbs to helps his patients for many many years, and I trust him implicitly. 

Girls, I cannot believe the difference this has made for me and how much it has helped me!!  Usually between day 10 and 14, I "crash" and spend the day in bed, and my doctor said it is because that is when my red blood cell count is at its lowest (do all of you experience the same thing?).  Anyway, it didn't happen this time!  Yes, I felt a bit fatigued and achy, but it didn't stop me from doing anything like before.  I have been taking the two capsules every morning after breakfast and will continue to do so while I am undergoing chemo treatments.  I am anxious to see how much it helps me when I have my 3rd and final (I hope) FEC tx and will let you know.  Anyway, you might want to check it out.  Like I said, it is expensive ($114 for a 20 day supply), but if you're able I would recommend you try it.  It is sold by ImmuneEnhance (www.immuneenhance.com), and I believe there are other websites that sell the product as well.  And I'm not making any money off of endorsing this product!!  <LOL> I did do a search on here for the name but no posts came up, so I figured this might be something very few chemo patients are aware of or have used.  

I hope this post is helpful to someone, and I'll let you know how it helps with my FEC tx on December 16th!

God bless!

Sunshine

 

 

CAtharsis

Taxotere SE report for the other Taxotere girls:

Yesterday, day #3 after my Thursday txt, I went to bed with severe back pain. All night, I had the feeling there was an electrical storm in my breast/tumor and it went on like this for a couple of hours until I finally got to sleep.

This morning, my back still ached, less severely though, more like "hits" than continuous assault. I slept all day to forget the pain. Now, it seems like I can endure it, still there but manageable.

Hope other Taxotere girls will have the chance to skip the bone/muscle pain.

All girls on the Christmas / New Year's Eve thing : for us, Christmas is a partial write off as I receive Taxotere on December 21st. We will spend the night with my close family (parents, sister, our daughters) and when I feel tired, ta-da! I'm off to bed.

As for New Year's Eve, we hope that I will be able to enjoy the turn of 2010 and put 2009 and its loads of bad surprises beside.

All in all, we should be doing whatever we feel like, all the energies should be gathered to fight this lifetime battle.

Have a great Sunday evening with yours,

Isabelle

joanneasiata

HI SUNSHINE

Glad you have found something to help with SEs .I'm on FEC as well ,6 rounds and its kicking my ass, it gets me straight away, and I'm out of action for about 1 wk the fatigue is the worse ,ill look into LEUCOZEPIN ,i get a bit worried about taking other things cause i don't want them to inter fer with what the chemo is doing .,I'm having NULASTA shots for my white blood count cause they were very low ,but yeah ill look into it, thanks .

IVE put my princess crown on the shelf for now and I'm back to

JOJO JUST

micheleboots

Jojo, sad to hear your crown is retired...you wall always be our Princess....LOL

lainieo

Is anyone going to need radiation treatments after their chemo is done?  My onc has given me a referral to the radiation onc. I had 2 out of 20 postive nodes and my tumor was 3.8 centimeters. All margins were clear after mastectomy and the tumor was not near the chest wall.  She said there is new research out that supports radiation with 1-3 positive nodes. Just wondering if anyone else will be having to make the decision to have radiation or not.

I am one of the lucky girls who will be having chemo on Dec 31st. Well at least it will be # 4 and then only 2 left to go. I guess I will toast the New Year with ginger ale and will be hoping for a much better 2010.

  JoJo I bet you will be back to princess status before you know it.

Hoping everyone is feeling ik tonight and a  good week to all.

MaryNY

Hi Lainieo: I will be having radiation too. Since I had a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy, radiation would be a given anyway even without node involvement. I had two out of six positive nodes.

unklezwifeonty

Dear Iainieo,

Your onco is right. The recently updated NCCN breast cancer guideline for 1-3 +ve nodes is to "strongly consider" radiation to clavicular region whether you have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy. Last year the corresponding guideline used to be "consider". I'm in a similar dilemma. If I choose to get clavicular region radiation I have to get it lying on back and over 6.5 weeks. If I choose to avoid it, I can get it lying on stomach and can further choose Canadian fractions given over 4 weeks.

micheleboots

Laino,I am having rads after chemo. 3/12 nodes..

joanneasiata

LAINO

I'm having 6 weeks worth of rads, had a lumpectomy 0 / 3 nodes just to be safe i guess.

txstardust

I am also having rads after chemo, 6 weeks I believe, but I had a lumpectomy as well as 1 positive node, so it's kind of a foregone conclusion.  Good luck with your decision!