Weekly Taxol group

beauz

VL- I know someone whose liver counts were out of ranges during taxol. She had a few delays due to this. Towards the end of taxol treatments, her doctor told her that her liver counts were on the verge of liver failure, but the doctor decided to push through to finish the course. She was early stage TN BC at a relatively young age of 44. Take care.

PauletteK

beauz - omg I cant believe the MO will take this kind of risk to finish chemo. Having liver failure could be very serious.

beauz

Hi PauletTeK and everyone, as you all know, I have had three delays so far due to low neutrophils count. Two in a row after taxol #4 and and the 3rd after #7 which two weeks ago. I saw my MO today and my neutrophils is still low at 0.89( 0.6 last week). My oncologist decided to call it QUITS for chemo. He said I have done 75% of my total treatment (AC +T) , it will not make much difference after that. Also my tumor had a good response to chemo on my last ct scan. My neutrophils count has been consistently low despite he reduced my chemo dosage since #5. I may have a risk of permanent damage to bone marrow if I have more chemo. He wants me to see the surgeon as soon as possible. So I will have an appointment next Wednesday with the surgeon. I am comfortable with the decision. Take care.

PauletteK

beauz - I know how hard to deal with low WBC, basically you can’t go out much because you worry to get infection. I hope your wbc will go up soon. Did you doctor has any suggestions?

beauz

PauletTeK- my doctor did not give any suggestion about wbc. I forgot to ask about it as well. At least the count went up this time and I hope it will keep going up. I hope you minimum SEs this time.

PauletteK

Have you try bone soup? Maybe you were the one who told me this?

beauz

PauletTeK- following your suggestion, I made bone broth. I cooked rolled oats in bone broth and also chicken livers on toast for my breakfast this morning. I quite like it. My hemoglobin is at the bottom of normal range. I will have another blood test in two weeks time and see my MO afterwards. Gosh! No more weekly blood draw!

PauletteK

Beauz- I'm going t have blood draw tomorrow so I can see am I good enough for my last chemo! Pray for me please! Did you receive my private message?

VL22

beauz - thanks. TN is so aggressive and tricky and chemo is really the only weapon, but I would t want to risk liver failure. I read somewhere that three times normal level is high but chemo will still happen. Mine were double, but decreased a little.

Paulette- wish you well with bloodwork and hope you have an uneventful last chemo

VL22

Taxol #6 in the books! Liver enzymes still elevated, but one same as last week and other one lower, so good. My neutrophils at 1.2 - I see a week off in my future. I don't think my MO would cut my chemo short unless situation were dire, due to TN diagnosis. Really washing hands and sticking close to home. I'm extremely tired today, but hope I bounce back like I have been.

Let's keep fighting ladies

PauletteK

VL, pray that you have minimal SE, my lab test doesn’t show liver enzymes so I won’t know it’s high or low.

Ladies we have a Facebook private group, most of the ladies are from here, July, August and September groups. If you want to join, please PM me.

Asking for Prayers for my last chemo tomorrow. So happy to have this milestone finish.

DodgersGirl

paulettek-- prayers that tomorrow goes well with little SEs.

Tomorrow, you cross that finish line-- done with chemo!

Take it easy, celebrate, and see you later on the rads thread

PauletteK

Thank you so much DodgersGirl!!

I have been lurking the radiation thread, I’m getting scared for new milestone.

Brightness456

Paulette, I’m so happy for you! I hope all goes well tomorrow. Onward and upward

beauz

PauletTeK- prayers that your final infusion goes smoothly and little SEs. Thank you for thinking of me.

VL22- the oncologist took a controlled risk for my friend. It just shows doctors are willing to take more aggressive approach for younger people with TNBC. My friend finished all her treatment mid 2016, went back to full time work as well as looking after a family with two school kids. I hope your blood counts keep improving.

PauletteK

Thank you ladies, I’m going to pray hard tonight.

Beauz - look for me in Facebook, I sent you my full name on PM.

Mucki1991

question did any of you ladies have neuropathy that made muscles all over hurt and included weak\jello legs? I have no tingling in hands or feet but sporadic pain that jumps all over my body. My fatigue is worse than no expected also. It's easier than my dose dense red devil but has its own ugly side effects. I had considered going back to work on these however I no longer see that as an option.

PauletteK

Mucki - I think neuropathy can weaken our legs, i have aches from my knees down and walking helps some. I have numbness on my fingers and feet not much tingling. Fatigue... I have to take afternoon nap everyday, I’m hoping after treatment my energy come back sooner. How many taxol have you done?

Mucki1991

number 3 of 12 tomorrow..

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PauletteK

If you feel more aching you need to tell your MO. I was doing good the first 4 taxol, neuropathy hit me on #5 then it got more intense. Fatigue hit me around #6 or so, now I try to do things in the morning or after nap.

travelhound

Mucki I think the sporadic and random pains are normal My experience was that things were worse in the beginning of the taxol, and this is perhaps because your body is still dealing with the AC. As time went on I felt better and my numbers improved. I just finished 9

Mucki1991

thank You ladies for posting maybe next week will be better

Brightness456

I didn’t have AC so can’t address that, I only did taxol. I finally stopped after 6 treatments because of neuropathy. It started early with tingling and numbness in a few toes, but by the time the decision to stop taxol was made I had intense tingling in my feet, some spots that felt dead, a feeling of swelling in my feet and lower legs (they never looked swollen), throbbing calves and at times pains running all the way up the back of my thighs. My fingers never lost feeling, but fell asleep quickly if I was talking on the phone or doing anything that lifted my hands. That really scared me.

I’m 3 weeks out from taxol and as I sit here typing, my feet are tingling and my calves don’t feel like my calves. It’s become normal to shake and rotate my feet as I’m doing things. I hope it eventually resolves completely

VL22

Mucki - a common side effect of Taxol is also joint and muscle pain, which can be all over the body. Common spots are legs and lower back, but I seem to get it in my right side, my ribs and even my jaw. This is not related to neuropathy. I take Advil for it and I know others take stronger meds who are really in pain

T-Sue

Hi Everyone, Just checking in on this group and sending you all lots of love and strength. You are making it through these weekly taxol treatments! Rest up and take each day at a time. I finished up 11 weeks ago and my side effects have faded away (except for that runny nose! maybe I can blaim it on the change in seasons?). The end is near!

travelhound

Sue. Damn, 11 weeks and still the runny nose. !
Have you started the pills?

T-Sue

Travelhoumd, yes I'm on Tamoxofin and also still getting herceptin infusions every 3 weeks. When I asked my MO about the runny nose, she said that herceptin can also compromise the immune system. Nothing like chemo does, but enough to make me susceptible to fall allergies (which have never effected me before).

mkn86

hi everyone,

I've started in weekly taxol too. up until now i've just been reading posts on this thread. for those who've had more than one session, tips would be great.

Do you stay home most of the time? i have weekly for 12 weeks. and was wondering how to keep cabin fever at bay. the more i stay home the more i sink into negative thoughts and it's rought enough on its own

PauletteK

mkn - I retired after I had BC so I stay home, but I do my daily walk even on bad days. On my good days I go out lunch with my husband and we go out to the markets. Sure I have limited energy so I can’t stay outside for too long. I have been very blessed, I don’t have fever and my SE mostly are fatigue, taste buds changed, joints pains, Neuropathy (fingers and feet numbness) , mild diarrhea or constipation, and mild mouth sores.

Lucytnbc

kmajor:

I had terrible bone pain during my chemo treatments (I opted for biweekly triple doses of Taxol for 8 weeks). My final infusion was 10/7/16. The bone pain was excruciating for 3 or 4 days after chemo (although it didn't start until about 36 hours after the infusion). Unfortunately, I continue to have bone pain now - though not as bad. Still, whenever the barometer drops or the weather changes dramatically, I hurt. I'm awaiting results from a full skeletal scan I underwent on Friday, hoping to find a cause. I honestly believe this is all due to opting for 4 triple doses instead of 12 single doses. If I'd only known!!! I also have neuropathy, but take 600mg of Gabapentin, daily. This has been enough to keep the tingling in my hands and feet at bay. I hope you're feeling better soon.