February 2014 Starting Chemo Club

MomMom

j bokland,  Are you still on Taxol?  I was told that an uncommon but possible SE of Taxol is pneumonitis - symptoms dry cough, shortness of breath, fever.  Was told it requires a chest X-ray and treatment of low dose Predisone, and to call the MO if had any symptoms like this.  Wonder if it could be that?

jbokland

MomMom_ I had a chest xray (all clear!) and no fever.   I have a prednisone does pack if I need it....but think I am getting better with the zpack only.

Geez the middle of the night coughing fits and trying not to pee myself made me move to the guest room a few nights.  Very lonely in there!  Last night I was back with my partner and slept much better.

Thanks for the thoughts!  Us girls have to stick together!

tangandchris

JK-I had to put a stupid pad on last night. sheesh!!

Jules_NY

Ok so this is totally TMI but I know you guys can handle it. So I missed a week of taxol because of my neutropenia and it was a nice break I almost felt normal. I was hoping that since I was starting at a higher baseline that getting back into it would be better. Just had taxol #4 and herceptin/perjeta #2 last Friday. I know there aren't too many her2+ on here. My GI tract is really taking a beating! (Ok here is the TMI part) I've had frequent loose stools since Saturday, cramps, bloating and it feels like I am pooping acid!!!! I know I have hemorrhoids but the burning is unbearable! And prep H only made is hurt more! I'm really ready to give up. 

Rosiesride

sorry Jules!  I know we are on different meds, but just want to say that I had an extra week in between my 4 th and 5 th treatment and thought I would be stronger and I liked the longer break...NOT! My 5 th treatment knocked me for a loop...fever, cipro, now that I am in week three, to have last chemo on Monday...I feel like I am still trying to recover...hope I can do my last treatment and just be done!  And hope you get better soon!  How many more do you have?? Hang in there!  Rosie

gatorgal89

After 4 AC, 6 weekly Taxols, and one dose-dense Taxotere, I am finished with chemo. Met with my MO yesterday and she said that's it. Neuropathy had worsened and I experienced the worst pain I have ever experienced for a solid week after the Taxotere. I only had one treatment left, so there's no looking back for me from here out. I want to thank everyone on this board for all the posts because I know I would not have made it this far without you.

Jules, as far as skipping a week and your symptoms, all I can say is the effects are cumulative and our bodies get more beaten up with each treatment. I hope you get some relief.

Rosiesride

congrats on finishing gator gal 89!! Woopwoop ...woohoo...and all that jazz!! I finish Monday!!  Don't want to jinx anything by getting too excited!  But.....HE** YEAH!!!  Rosie

tangandchris

Congrats Gatorgal!!! I'm so happy for you!

My last one is 6/5 and I've put mine off a week as well. I'm hoping that doesn't make it harder on my body, but if it is at least I know its the LAST one!

jujubee83

Isn't it crazy that a lot of us have finished or are nearing the end? Don't know about everyone else, but after my first ac it seemed like this was never gonna end. And now look how far we've come and how strong we've become. I just finished #9 of 12 weekly taxol today. I'm reading those who have one more or have finished and I get teared up because I'm so proud to be part of an amazing group who took their diagnosis and said "I'm not giving in, I'm gonna fight and I'm gonna beat this!" As a friend had written in a card for me, "Although this will change you forever, one day, it will all be just a memory".

tangandchris

jujubee-I can't believe it either, I thought I would never see the end of this nightmare called chemo. I'm not going to lie, after each round I really thought "I can't do this anymore"!! Especially after round 4, I honestly though that was it.

I'm proud to be part of ya'll too, even though we've never met...we got each other thru some of the worst stuff we have ever faced. ((hugs))

gatorgal89

Thanks Rosie and Tanga! I really think my new motto is going to be "never look back"! I'll be on the phone with the surgeon tomorrow to schedule port removal. LOL!

To jujubee's point...it feels like I've been in a five or six month fog! So, after posting here that I was finished, I immediately found the starting in June board and posted there! We have to stand strong and help each other.

Good luck to all of you that will be finishing up soon! Stands to reason since we all started together, we'd be finished within weeks of one another. How awesome is that?

Rosiesride

WE ARE SUPERHEROES!!!  That was the theme for our relay for life:  teehee...that's me with my R cape and my 3 kids are on stage singing for survivors: Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World medley..." And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!"....it sure is!!! Xo Rosie

Jules_NY

I have 8 weekly taxol a to go. If this gets worse I really don't know how I can do it. But Seeing you guys near the end helps. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

Congrats ladies!!!! Rosie love the cape!!!

lago

Jules diarrhea  is a know SE of perjeta. Tell your onc. Also the best thing to do with Hemorrhoids is to sit in a warm bath. I once had a huge hemorrhoid and the only way I could shrink it was by sitting in a warm bath for 30 minutes for 1-2 weeks. 

tangandchris

I feel your pain on the hemorroid, literally. ((hugs))

MomMom

Rosiesride & Gatorgal - Congrats - you did it!!!!  So happy for you!  Rosie - love, love the cape!  I started chemo in early Feb & will have the 5th of 12 weekly Taxol tomorrow.  I feel truly lucky to have had as few SEs as I've had, but it ain't a picnic in anyone's book, and seeing you two at the finish line makes everyone else feel a little closer to the end. 

jbokland

Yes.  Hemorrhoids are a pain in the ass and really distracting from anything else productive in your day!  Warm sitz baths and ask your doc for a Rx. of 2% Anusol cream.  Tylenol is very helpful, as well.

I am so excited to have Taxol number 11 tomorrow and the final one next week.  But holy crap, the fatigue has been build these last 2 weeks.  I plan on burning my chemo blanket at the end of this deal!

Chin up sisters!  We are a tough bunch!

3doglady

Definately call the Doctors office about the extreme side effects.  These side effects may cause others, so its best to nip it in the bu(tt) now!  maybe don't skip again, but lower the dose??  

Over the weekend, I started to get strange feeling in my feet and hands.  At first, thought it was the shoes wore on Saturday.  But that never lasts 4 days.  It doesn't tingle, it just feels like I have a slight numbing effect, almost like I am wearing extra sets of skin.  They feel swollen, numb-ish though not completely.  My hands feel like I have slight numbing.  This alerted the nurses today and the nurse practitioner talked to me and the doctor agreed to lower the dosage from 140mg to 112.  They don't want to take any chance of causing permanant damage.  I've been lucky through this whole process, and it just hit over the weekend about the strange feeling in my feet and hands.  I try to ice each session, but not very successful.  Can't take the cold and can't get 100% coverage.  Then, it never fails, I must pee during the Taxol drip.  

I keep creating rhymes for my count down:  5 I'm alive; 4 more; 3 and I'm free; 2 I can do; One and I'm done!

gatorgal89

@3doglady...that is what happened to me after my sixth Taxol treatment and it has not gone away in my fingers! My MO took me off Taxol immediately. It came about suddenly, not gradually either. Now, it is hard for me to hold things and also difficult to type and feel hot water.

tangandchris

So, I have an update. I don't know if I've shared here about my dealing with a seroma on my left side over the last few months. It has gotten progressively harder to deal with and after trying to drain it twice I finally had a drain put back in. Last week it developed into an abcess and burst open while at my new PS's office.

He cultured it and it came back positive for pseudomonas. I dealt with this bacteria in DEC/JAN, I was on IV antibiotics and my chemo was delayed because of it. I had my TE's removed due to the bacter as well.

So, now does this mean I've had it all this time and, it never cleared up from the initial dx?? I'm so tired of this, the site is extremely painful and I've been in chronic pain for at least 2 months from this. I have one more chemo to go, how is this going to affect everything??

I'm asking rhetorical questions, I know ya'll dont have answers. I'm just sick of being sick.

say a prayer for me ladies.

Rosiesride

dangit tang!! That is horrible!  On top of chemo...you are in my prayers! Rosie

lago

tangandchris that stinks but I'm sure they will treat the bacteria and proceed very slowly. Cancer treatment is such a time suck and very few of us stay on schedule.

jbokland

Oh Tang. That's terrible news. I'm a former nurse a know the specific sweet smell of that infection 

Pseudomonas is commonly hospital acquired.  The CDC has been monitoring these infections, especially if they become resistant to antibiotics.  Ask your doc about it.  

I can hear your frustration from here!  Don't let this setback beat you down 

princessrn

Tang.....so sorry. Long painful And irritating.  Get better soon dear

3doglady

Gatorgal, at first I dont know if they believed me About my feet and hands.  However, they adked one of the nurses who has been in charge of my care at least 3 times and she confirmed that Im just in tune with my body - which I am.  The toes are a Iittle more numb this week, but not so much in my hands.  No additional changes there. Glad to know it can come up so quickly And is'nt me being hyper sensitive!

Jules_NY

Tang oh no I am so sorry. Just dealing with BC and it's treatments is more than enough. Then add on the extra crap that comes up!!! Girl you are in my thoughts, prayers, my fingers, toes are crossed, I'll even do a rain dance. Whatever you need to get through this!!! Gonna be a little achy the next few days so I'll save the dance for tues😜! Please keep us posted

Jules_NY

Ok, so the big D I had last week was def from the perjeta, because I just did Taxol this past friday and so far my GI tract is cooperating. They are going to put me on a stronger anti diarrhea med for the next Herceptin/Pejeta infusion (I get that every 3 weeks). No more neutorpenia (knock wood), have had 2 normal counts since being hospitalized 2 weeks ago for it. They are still unsure why it happened because it isn't supposed to on weekly taxol. I am an enigma of rarities...awesome!

Quick question...to those who are icing with taxol, does anyone have nail lifting without neuropathy? 2 finger nails are starting to lift and I have iced religiously through all 5 treatments that I have had already, but I dont have any signs of neuropathy. I am hoping that this isn't a bad sign of neuropathy to come.

JB, arent you getting married soon? when is the big day? Lovin the profile pic!

princessrn

I had pain discolored purple nailbeds and finger tip swelling neuropathy but no lifting so far. 

lago

Jules_NY I only had nueropathy in my left heel. But every single finger and toenail  lifted. Some fell off and one toenail had to be removed. I had the nail lifting very bad. I have pictures but they might scare you. Pretty gross.

Jules_NY

TY. 

lago I remember you mentioning that before about your nails, even though the nail lifting seems awful I am glad that it wasn't associated with neuropathy. And I know everyone is different. I think I wanna see your pics but I'll hold off for now. If mine get worse I might pm you if that is ok! Thanks for chiming in all the time. It is very helpful!!!!!!