Taxotere/Cytoxan starting July 2011

FrancesC

Sending my best regards and cyber hugs to theatercat and Peachy. Pray all SEs will disappear soon.

ladyboss1997

Yesterday was #9 rad. Today is the first day that I have felt really tired. But I am not ready to jump to the conclusion that this tired is due to rads. I have a right to get tired for other reasons as well . . .

Peachy/Theatercat: Hang in there. You are so close . .

theatercat

Thanks everyone for your support! How does one get her dr. to call back. I even stopped at the clinic today, but of course he was with patients. I know he is busy,I just wanted 15 minutes to go over treatment. I figured if I do not have last A/C treatment,they would be ready for my Taxol treatment when I come in, this week.

ladyboss1997

I feel MUCH better today. so glad I did not assume the rads were zapping me.

Theatercat: My onc has a nurse that fields all of the onc calls. That nurse is great, and she makes sure the onc hears all concerns. So, try calling the onc's head nurse.

Everyone have a good day! 

peachy-pie

Hi Everyone,  hope you're all doing well.    Still waiting to hear back from my cardiologist with the results from my heart monitor.   Also had an ultrasound done of my left leg,  they thought I may have had a blood clot,  but thank God there was none.   I then got this nasty itchy rash on both of my thighs,  but cortizone seems to be helping with that.   I feel like a big mess!    I go for round #3 tomorrow.   I am so scared........I sure hope the heart jitters stay away this time.   They said they'd be reducing my steroids to try to avoid this.  But at least I have Xanax this time to calm me down if it does.   Theatercat, Rossileo18, francesC and ladyBoss,  thank you for sharing your experiences and for your encouragement.   I can't tell you how much it helps to calm me down to know that I am not the only one going through this.    Sending (((hugs))) to you all !    I'll keep you posted on my experience tomorrow.   I've been hearing from other people that round 3 was the worst for them.......hoping that's not true for me.      Going to stay positive!

Anonymous

Theater and Peachy - hope you guys are feeling better and more relaxed about your treatment and getting feedback from your doctors.  Just keep your chins up and take it one day at a time.

For me it is 7 down, 23 to go.  I agree with you LadyBoss - lots of reasons to feel tired.  I am tuckered out from all the other stuff I have to do all day.  I feel better about getting the rads this week, but more tired because I am racing around so much.  Had a brief moment of heartburn on Monday after rads.  Took Maalox.

I work from home tomorrow, so I will have a lot less driving to do.  Yeah.

rossileo18

Peachy -- hope all goes smoothly in the chair tomorrow. Just relax. Yeah, for some reason it took me longer than usual to get past the SE after number three, but it feels so good that the end is in sight. Agreed that this has been a great resource. When I've worried about my SE, reading that others have had the same experience helped calm me down.



Philly and ladyboss.

I'm lucky that I can walk 20 minutes to my radiation and then hop a bus to work. When I read how much you have to drive, phillybird, I remember thinking its the driving sounded harder than the rads! Im 5 down, 28 to go.



Theatercat,

My Onc has been pretty good about responding to emails, but I'm not sure if all doctors make themselves available that way,

ladyboss1997

Peachy: Awww. You are the sweetest! I was more tired with #3 than the rest, but that was my only difference.

Phillybird: I think I am tired from everything I do besides radiation.

Rossileo: yes, the drving back and forth for rads is worse than the rads themselves. But much of my tiredness is self-inflicted. I still go to the gym every morning. I still work 40 hours each week. And I still cook and clean at home.

11 down - 22 to go!

FrancesC

Peachy - hang in there:). My last chemo was on 5 sep and I am still having rashes! Horrible itch all over and could only be calmed by steroids and once I stop taking it the rashes come back. My TCM Practioner told me to quit taking the steroids as they are suppressing my immunity and should just let the rashes run it's course as it means toxins are being cleaned out from my system. So here inam scratching like a baboon everyday:). No 3 was indeed bad but it soon passed and I have forgotten about chemo suffering.

peachy-pie

well,  made it through round #3.    I was there for over 7 hours today!!!  I had to be stuck 4 times before they found a vein for the IV!  Ny hand and arm is so swollen and sore now.   But at least they finally found a good vein.  Then I had to sit in the room waiting to see the doctor for almost an hour!   And another half hour deciding what to do about my heart issues.   He told me not to take my dexamethasone pills,  and that he was going to cut back the dose I would get in my IV today.   But when I got home I realized the nurse never gave that to me at all !   I am going to have to ask him about that tomorrow afternoon when I get my Neulasta shot.   The nurse seemed like she was in another world today.  She also forgot to turn the bag of benedryl on and after 30 mins realized all I got was the bag of saline!   I got there at 8:15am and left at 3:45pm!   It was a very long day,  but so glad it's over.   1 more to get through,  can't wait!  

peachy-pie

Just called my Doctor so I wouldn't worry all night.....he gave me his cell phone before so I figured this was an important question.   He said she put the decadrone in one of the bags and cut it down to 8MG.   That's why I didn't see it in the needle like I usually do.   And he also told me my cardiologist called him back and there were no abnormalities on my heart monitor reading!   Good news!    So now I can relax!  

rossileo18

Peachy, what a marathon day. Rest well and enjoy your weekend. Now just one more to go! And glad that you got everything straightened out with the meds. Nice that you have your doctors number -- better than email.



Ladyboss - I'm impressed. I'm working full hours, but my walk to the hospital is my daily exercise and you don't want to see my place. Cleaning has gone by the wayside. You must be super organized.

ladyboss1997

Peachy: so glad #3 is down. One more to go! Just be excited for yourself, and that will make the SE's easier. 

rossileo: I am organized and focused, but mostly I just don't sit down until I am done with everything. Once I sit down, I am gone . . . I haven't slept this good in months

I am planning to lose 20 lbs by New Year.  

12 down - 21 to go

peachy-pie

I am at work today,  and have a strange amount of energy!   I even cleaned up around the house before I left this morning!  LOL     I think cutting back on the steroids really helped.   Today I am due for my Neulasta shot,  but since the Doctor said my white cells were so high and he just wanted me to have it just in case,  I am going to ask for half of the dose.    It seems that it's after I get that shot is when I start feeling really crappy.   So it can't hurt to ask.  

auntienance

Peach -  lucky you!  Can't wait to be 3 down . . .

Anonymous

Peachy - so glad you got through number 3.  Now sit tight and let's hope you just have usual ho-hum SEs.

I am 9 down, 21 to go!!  Got four more wigs coming in the mail.  I think the skullcaps will be just for the gym now.  Got a head full of very short fuzz.  Looks brown, mostly.

Everyone have a great weekend!

ladyboss1997

13 down - 20 to go.

 I also have short fuzz all over my head. Some of it is brown, and some of it is gray. I bought an inexpensive wig, and I call it my "workout wig". I wear it only to the gym and put a ball cap over it. I keep my nice wig for work and weekend outings.

Good luck, Peachy!   

rossileo18

Phillybird and ladyboss -- i'm right behind you. 7 down 26 to go.



Don't see any new hair yet, but my survivor hairs are starting to fall out, so I hope this is a sign. Or maybe I can't see the fuzz because of the old hairs. Nails still hurt. Are the SE ever going to end?



Theatercat-- did you get an answer from your onc as to whether you can go straight to taxol?



Enjoy your weekend everybody.

peachy-pie

I felt great yesterday,  had a burst of energy and did well all day.   Got my Neulasta shot around 4pm and this morning I feel like a bus ran over me.        Also woke up to swollen glands in my throat,  which is also a little sore and hurts a little to swallow.     I called my doctor and he called in a prescription for an antiobiotic.   Hopefully that will help.    It's rainy and cold here in South Jersey,  had to turn the heat on last night,  so that's probably what brought this on.   But my doctor told me if I have trouble with my throat closing up or if I start wheezing to call him back right away.   I think that's because he cut way back on my steroids.   But I think it's just my tonsils being swollen.   I am drinking lots of water,  and hopefully my hubby will be home soon with my prescription.   Going to rest today & stay in bed.  

peachy-pie

Feeling better today,  throat is much better.    But still having issues with my heart racing at times.   Seems like it starts after I eat or drink something and also when I lay down to go to bed.   It's really starting to drive me nuts.  

rossileo18

Peachy, glad things are getting better. I'm sure the heart racing is upsetting, especially considering hour other health issues, but I hope it will clear up once you're done with the chemo. When I was still in the middle of TC sometimes at night while lying in bed, I would be very conscious of my heart pounding. I don't have that anymore now that I'm done.

peachy-pie

Oh I am so glad to hear that,  because it seems everytime I lie down it starts.    I hope it's just an SE from the chemo and goes away like yours did.   It really is driving me crazy. 

ladyboss1997

Peachy: sounds like your weekend went OK. Only one more chemo left! Keep your chin up, and smile.

rossileo: I think my SE's were all gone when I hit 5 weeks after my last chemo. My onc told me that hair and eyelashes may fall out about the time we start radiation because new hairs are pushing through.

Every day I get farther away from chemo I feel better. I am 5 weeks/4 days away from last chemo, and I feel great.

peachy-pie

Made it through Sunday with no issues other then my bones are more painful this time then usual.    Stayed home from work today because I am so achy and still feel wiped out.   Not sure i'd make it through an 8 hr day so I stayed home to rest.   Hopefully tomorrow i'll be Ok to get back to the grind.    One more to get through!    I just keep that in my head,  it is almost over! 

Anonymous

Peachy - I found that during chemo my heart would race when I ate a big meal (when I was at a stage in the cycle that my tastebuds were back).  Since tachycardia is not a SE per se of TC treatment, I chalked it up to fueling up with calories and enjoying my food.  If your heart is racing when you try to sleep, try reading a book or listening to calming music or meditating.

10 rads down, 20 to go!!

Wore my midnight blue wig for Halloween today.  Trick or Treat!!

rossileo18

I did notice that TC does not have tachycardia as a SE, so I just figured it was caused by anxiety.



Too late I realized that I should have gotten a crazy wig and worn it to work. The radiation techs had treats for us this morning and some of the nurses were in costume. Happy Halloween all!

ladyboss1997

14 rads down - 19 to go. No noticeable SE's

Peachy: we are cheering you on to the end.

PhillyBird: I'd like to see you in that blue wig . . . Hubby and I went out to dinner for Halloween.

Where's Theatercat and FrancesC?

FrancesC

Hi hi I am still here. More tired now with 8 more to go! Wrote a list of things to do after nap and guess what? Overslept! I wanted to drop by my frind's place to pass her a gift and then bring some clothes and blankets to the company collecting donations for the Thailand flood relief charity. Nothing done:). My left breast has darkened and nipple super sore. The skin is also itchy. My chemo rash is still around:( skin is dry and rough. Well all will be over soon.

peachy-pie

PhillyBird,  I noticed yesterday morning after I had 2 soft boiled eggs for breakfast that my heart rate went up over 100.    Must have something to do with carb or calorie intake.  And my body must just be more sensitive to it now or something.   I am back to work today.   My skin is a mess.   Red sore rashes where my clothes touch.     Bones hurt a lot last night,  that's unusual for me but I guess SE's will get harsher with each treatment.  

ladyboss1997

15 down - 18 to go!

I am really tired of going by that hospital every afternoon. But as FrancesC says, "it will all be over soon". Luckily I am not getting fatigued. My skin has not started getting dark, but my nipple is a little sore. I get Thurs and Fri off for Thanksgiving, then I will be done the next Tuesday. (11/29)