Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013

Tobycc

thanks Hockey,  sending you ALL the best this week!!  So hopeful you will NOT have a reaction !

SJ, thinking of you, glad it is gone. 

Kath

Nomatterwhat

Hockeycat, -- CONGRATS on finishing tomorrow!!! Ring that bell, loud and proud!!!  I will be thinking of you. 

HockeyCat

Kath! Nomatterwhat, Thank you! I had a busy day at work, pulled a 12-hours work day. Since I'm taking a week off for chemo+recovery, I had to wrap up a lot of things today. I felt tired and lightheaded, but I felt good about getting things done at the end of the day. I'm drinking lots of fluids to prepare for tomorrow. I found that I like cranberry juice now. I didn't like it much before because it's too sweet and tart. But I lost some taste buds so it tastes good. Hope I can start tasting food soon!

wendeeB

HockeyCat!  Hope you're sailing through today.  CONGRATS CONGRATS CONGRATS.   yippee for you!

PoppyK

Hockeycat, I hope today goes well. Congratulations on your last infusion! So happy for you!

Melrosemelrose

Hockeycat- Congrats on the last round of chemo!!!!!  Doing the Happy Dance for you!!!!

HockeyCat

wendee, Poppy, Melrose, thanks you! I'm DONE!!! The last infusion went smoothly without any reaction. I'd like to thank everyone on this forum. Without you I had no idea how to get through this harsh treatment with many SEs. I'll continue monitoring this forum and share my experience, so that I can help and support others, like you all did for me. Thank You All! 

Tobycc

congrats hockey!!!!! 

Now relax this week....praying for an SE free week!   Keep us posted

Sjacobs146

Best of luck HockeyCat!  You made it!

Rosiesride

yay hockeycat!! Done and DONE!!!! Rosie 

HockeyCat

I woke up with high fever (101), ended up in ER this morning. They ran some blood tests, gave me IV. My WBC was very high (19) and they didn't see any infection. After IV they sent me home. Taking Advil to keep the fever down. Gonna see my MO tomorrow. I was so happy to finish chemo but it's not quite over yet... hope everyone had a nice peaceful weekend.

PoppyK

Well, heck, HockeyCat, that's awful! I'm glad you got help right away, though. I hope your recovery quickly! Good luck at the MO!

Tobycc

Hockey, so glad you went! Rest up, lots of fluid. Prayers

Nomatterwhat

HockeyCat -- So glad you are better. Good luck tomorrow. 

PoppyK

I had my third infusion last Tuesday and I've felt horrible the last few days. I am extremely fatigued and my entire body aches. No fever. I barely have the strength to feed myself or walk to the bathroom. Did anyone else feel like this?

HockeyCat

Poppy, sorry to hear you are feeling horrible. I felt the same way after my 4th (last Wednesday). By Friday, I was extremely fatigued, didn't want to move at all. Do you have nausea? I got nauseated and threw up a few times. Drink lots of fluids, eat some. Hope you won't get fever and will feel better soon.

Melrosemelrose

PoppyK- Welcome to the cumulative side effects of chemo portion of your travels through chemoland. Yes, fatigue at this point in chemo is not unusual. I do recall there were times when all I could do was just sit on the sofa..... too tired to get up ...... too tired to move. I also remember my body joint hurt and ached whenever I got out of bed, got up from sitting down, getting in and out of a car.... yes.... my feet joints hurt. I kept moving though..... the moving helps get those red blood cells to work and reproduce and the movement seemed a little less painful and easier over time. For me, it took 4-6 months post chemo before I didn't have those aches and pains any more. I did begin to feel a little better everyday post chemo. It was like I got up one day and I didn't feel the aches and pains anymore. That is something for you to look forward to as you get closer to finishing chemo.

Hockeycat- Sorry about the nausea. If you think it is from the chemo or your drugs, you may want to call your onco to talk about this side effect. Sorry you are feeling that fatigue. You may want to check on your red blood cell counts to see if you are becoming anemic. It isn't unusual for those red blood cell counts to decrease as you get further along in chemoland.

enlm20Erica

Hi all! I have question, I get my first Cytoxan/Taxotere infusion on the 17th, next Monday.. were any of you able to drive yourselves home after treatment. .I live about 20 min away from the treatment center.

Melrosemelrose

enlm20Erica- Probably not a good idea to drive yourself home. Since it is your first round of chemo, there are some things you need to know. You will most likely receive pre-chemo IV meds which may include Benedryl, an ant-nausea med and possibly some anti-anxiety meds (Ativan). The first round of chemo may last longer than the other rounds because you will be learning about the procedures that occur prior to the actual chemo infusions. At the infusion center I received chemo, i was first weighed, had my vitals taken and then a blood draw. The blood draw was for the lab work to make sure my body was in shape to receive the chemo round. Then after my onco reviewed my blood lab work and signed orders for the pre-chemo IV drugs and chemo drugs, I would just sit and wait. Often times, I would wait for at least an hour but I never fretted about the wait. It was chemo day and my day to spend with the infusion staff. The pre-chemo IV drugs would arrive first and I received those along with saline solution. After 20-30 minutes, the chemo infusions would begin. I usually had the Taxotere first which took at least an hour. I iced my fingernails and toe nails 15 minutes before the Taxotere infusion, for on hour during the Taxotere infusion and for 15 minutes after the Taxotere infusion was completed. I drank icy cold water and/or sucked on ice throughout my chemo round.This was to help prevent mouth sores. The Cytoxan infusion took 30-40 minutes. FYI: you can go to the restroom during your infusions. Just ask the nurse to unplug your IV equipment from the wall electrical socket.

I am hoping that you have a good friend/ significant other to accompany you to chemo. It would definitely be a morale booster for you and may help relieve some anxiety. It is always good to have someone there to watch what is happening with you as you receive the chemo and to get food, water, etc for you. Time does go by faster when you have someone to talk to. If you have any more questions, please post. Happy to help you......

MinusTwo

enlm - I had someone drive me for my first infusion. As Melrose says, you don't know what all will be included in the infusions the first time, but Benedryl definitely knocks me out. After that I drove myself - an hour each way - to all of my 9 chemo treatments and additional 12 Hercepetin infusions. It's certainly doable. I slept, listened to music & read and was glad to be by myself in my own little cocoon.

Edited to add - good luck. We look forward to hearing from you.

Carren-LB-at-2-0-clock

Erica - I think you would be happier if you had someone drive you and be with you. It can be a bit overwhelming the first time, plus a friend with you makes the time go faster. The Benydrl - during Chemo - knocked me for a loop - I was in a really "happy place" if you get my drift. Even though you are a strong woman, it is okay to let people help you; I found that it really blesses them, makes them feel good to help you. I learnt a lot about being gracious by saying yes to offers of help. So, be nice to your friends and family - they WANT to help and driving you could be one of those ways. My friend was with me thru surgery drop off/pick up and all Chemo treatments; primarily because the DH was 'working'. But in truth he was a basket case (in my opinion) because he couldn't "fix this"! Keep a positive outlook, relax and rest, drink lots of cold water and take it one day at a time. This is a journey, not an event. Carren

enlm20Erica

Carren, minus two, Melrose.. thanks so much guys. I couldn't do this alone if I wanted to, my nerves have been on edge since I got the news that I had to do chemo, so going alone isn't even an option for me lol. The thing is, My chemo will start at 11am my husband is going to work at 8 but he's gonna leave work and meet me there at 11 so we'll be in separate cars. Sorry I didn't mention that in my earlier post. I really hope I can manage the drive.

Melrosemelrose

enlm20Erica- You may want to consider having someone just drop you off at the infusion center or taking a cab. That way, you won't have to worry about driving home in your car. Since you are heading over there for an 11 am infusion, make sure you have eaten breakfast and perhaps take a sandwich / snacks for lunch. It is better to have already eaten prior to having the pre-chemo IV drugs administered since some of these drugs can cause nausea on their own. Try to hydrate the day before chemo to help your veins be plump and ready to go on infusion day.

enlm20Erica

Melrose, thanks I will definitely do that. I have four days before my first chemo and plan on starting my water drinking regiment 2 days before, I hope I'm not over doing it, just trying to be on the safe side.

PoppyK

Erica, I've been too weak from my last infusion to post, but I've been following the posts on this forum. You've gotten excellent advise from these wonderful women. You most likely will be taking dex the day before your chemo day and a few days after. I found that the dex made me jittery, and effected my ability to concentrate. It seems to effect most people this way. I wouldn't feel comfortable driving while feeling like this. I recommend you find some one to drive you to your appointment, where you will meet up with your DH.

The few days after infusion, nausea hit me hard and without warning. For this reason, my DH insisted I not drive during that time. I don't want to alarm you, just plan on being prepared for anything. We called my MO and my nausea is well managed now. Do not hesitate to call your MO if you have side effects! They work for you and can change the dosage or timing of your meds... or call in a new prescription.

Your first infusion day will be the longest. Plan on being there all day. My DH brought all sorts of things for me to eat and drink. People usually feel pretty good on infusion day. I wish you all the best!

Poppy

MinusTwo

Erica - just reinforcing what everyone else has said - don't drive yourself to the first infusion. You just have no idea what the drugs will do. Managing & driving are two different things.

enlm20Erica

Thanks so much ladies, I won't be driving, my sister is making arrangements so she can drive me there. I'm hoping she and DH can stay but I heard there isn't much room for extra people. We'll see. I will keep you all posted. Also PoppyK, what is dex? My MO or nurse hasn't mentioned this.

PoppyK

Dexamethasone. It's a steroid that is taken orally twice a day, the day before chemo, and for 2-3 days after chemo. It helps relieve inflammation, decreases allergic reactions to the chemo, stimulates your appetite, helps prevent nausea associated with chemo drugs. It basically prepares your body for chemo.

Have you been prescribed something else?

Rosiesride

Erica...you are not overdoing the water drinking at all! I started my regimen a few days before chemo...tried to get 100 oz in me...and I continued the nest 5 days after chemo...it was hard to reach 100 oz but I was happy if I got up to about 80 after chemo...hydration really helps! Also, take the nausea meds before you start to feel really bad...take it at the first hint of nausea! Mention any side effect to your MO and don't think any question is a dumb one...they really know how to help you with side effects! Good luck to you! Rosie

HockeyCat

Side effects after 4th infusion was the worst! Started withhigh fever, and fatigue, nausea, then now rash! Rash is worse than last round. I'm on steroids and Benadryl again. At least this was the last one...

Hope everyone is doing well. Have a nice weekend.