Chemo in June 2015

rosesrx

Daylily, they now have a Neulasta auto-injector, the releases the drug 27 hrs post application. It can be applied to the arm or abdomen.

DayLily15

Thank you rosesrx i will inquire about that on thurday, since i have to do 2 more.

Selmada

zzlady I'm on weekly taxol first (then AC). I was great until about week 4 then I started having one bad day a week (I got taxol on Monday and Thursdays are bad). My symptoms are very low (tiny bit of neuropothy in feet only, mouth feels like I burned it but no sores, any non-grey hair has fallen out [I shaved the rest]) There is a weekly taxol group on here I'd suggest you join. It's been good for me to read.

I failed my blood work before week nine last week but was able to get it today (neutrophils were almost zero, back to the middle). I'm hoping to get through the final three weeks with no more delays going into AC

Natejordlee

DayLily15 - we are on the same protocol send FeC round 3 was also nightmare for me . Just had my first Tax yesterday and my first shot later today. We have come care nurses who come and show yu the first shot and then i am on my own to do it. Sucks that they don't offer you something like that . Good healing vibes to all !!

LostLittle1

man these mood swings stink! angry and irritated one minute, frustrated and crying the next. chemopause sucks!! finished AC#4 last Thurs. I start Taxol every other week on 8/13. hoping its side effects are better. I read on here everyone is different. My MO said there should be less nausea (yay!), but more bone pain and infusion will take 4 hrs. I will take 5 steroid pills the day before infusion and 5 the morning of. I hope I can sleep and not rip anyone's head off! I've been trying to work during therapy. I take off the day of blood work (Wed), chemo day, and Neulasta day. these are all out of town 3 hrs round trip. last week I stayed in a hotel after chemo because my sweet uncle donated me some free nights. then I basically sleep through the next Monday. I try to move around more on tues and work wed-tues. I'm a manager at a 500 person manufacturing plant which is a challenge in itself. people complain they want to go home because of things liketheir contact itches. I want to say but do you have cancer? it's hard to stay strong and positive. looking for that light at end of tunnel and hoping its not a train!

Natejordlee

Well day three out of my first Taxotere .. pain from the shots has started , mouth is sore despite rinses and taste has left me .. still better then FEC so far but It is still early. No nausea is nice but being hungry and nothing tastes right sucks. Keeping my chin up and hoping everyone is doing ok. Littletatas.. i hear you , pulled over today and had a good cry just out of frustration .. sending positive gentle hugs

Tresjoli2

I survived my first ABraxane after three taxol allergic reactions. But oh oh oh the swelling from the steroids. I had been hoping no steroids with abraxane. The reason I got off taxol is because I couldn't tolerate the reduction in steroids without major reactions.sigh..they also aren't counting last week, so I have to have one extra week on chemo

justmaximom15

I thought I was going through chemopause because I didn't get my monthly visit as expected. I was very emotional early last week then BAM on Friday - my SO's 50th birthday - I got my period. Seriously, ovaries, can't you just give up???

KickinBootay

All Im reading is crappy stuff about Taxol! I just did my 3rd neoadjuvant A/C and will have my 4th on 8/27. I go see the Surgeon on the 14th of September so we can discuss surgery to get this out of me..Im sending off into the universe I will be cancer free and not need Taxol...who wants any of this crap!..I know no one is going to have rainbow and butterfly stories about Taxol but anyone got a oh its so much better than A/C? I have tolerated A/c well thus far. Getting it on a Thursday in the afternoon working all day Friday and Saturday the 1st two treatments were spent in bed then Sundays I feel much better and continue back to work Monday. This last session I was able to go school clothes shopping with my husband and girls both Saturday and Sunday. Justmaximom I FEEL YOUR PAIN ABOUT ovaries! I thought for sure I wasn't going to get mine and WAMMMM it came with a vengeance! I also keep forgetting about this damn port and knocked it so hard yesterday I thought I was going to pass out! Just waiting for the chemo nurse to be able to squeeze me in to flush it so it doesn't get clogged! Oh the wonderful world of cancer *said with total sarcasm*

Selmada

Yikes. My period stopped a couple of years ago, no hot flashes, no symptoms of menopause but I still get a pms cycle every 28 days. Yesterday I had very mild spotting just before my 10th weekly taxel. Seriously?! Like I needed that. So far just the one spotting while wiping but came with cramps so who knows.

2 more taxel weeks then I go to AC every 3 weeks. Nurses and doctors all say I'm tolerating it well. Most days I agree with them but on crash day (3 days after) I would not. I picked up my scripts for the AC cycles and 4 drugs to combat nausea has me a bit concerned!

KickinBootay

YIKES! Initially they prescribed Compazine which worked ok but gave me headaches, then switched to Zofran which caused CRAZY PAINFUL HORRIBLE Constipation at first because I took it religiously every 8 hours for 5 days after I got chemo ( I was scared being nauseas or vomiting is horrifying to me!) Ya dont take it unless you need it!

J3nny4

Hello

I'm new to browsing the discussion boards. I'm a late joiner to this board, but I started chemo on June 3rd and will be continuing through November 11th so I wanted to be a part of this group. Hope to meet those of you going through the same thing at the same time.

Thanks,

Jenn

DayLily15

Hi jenny4 welcome

well ladies im on the same plan as natejorlee, butttt the neulasta injection dropped me out of action for a week , the pamphelet and doctor said to expect some bone pain, hips thighs knees, but ohhh no i get faceache, every bone in my face from the ears forward felt like id been run into a wall, i was kind of shocked but the pain pills helped. now im just weak from lying around.

feel bad not being on our cheering team yet, still struggling and hoping the rest of you are having a better time with the later rounds.

hugs to all, you are in my thoughts when im lying around imitating root vegtables

tamkay123

I start dense dose Taxol on Monday. Has anyone heard of tips to prevent issues with your nails?

Natejordlee

Hey All !!

DayLily15 - I am with you this has been terrible !! I wasn't given anything for pain so let me tell you I found something ! I had my treatment Aug 4, started fevers this Monday sent to ER .. neuropenia, iv fluids and iv antibiotics.. needless to say i ahve been in 3 times this week once overnight but counts are back and pain is dulling... i keep saying, 2 more, 2 more, 2 more.. in my subconcious its more like TWO MORE ????? TWO MORE????? Feel free to message me anytime as we have such a similar plan.

Tamkay123 -I am doing Taxotere but same side effect, they had my feet and hands in ice gloves and shoes so the meds didnt reach the nails ( or reduce the chance) .. i assume they will d something similar for you .. good luck!

Everyone hope things are going ok.. keep kicking cancer ass !!

AGerl

Hi J3nny4 ! Welcome! I started on 5/29, so only a few days ahead of you.

tamkay123 - I heard that keeping your nails short and using cold mitts (or wearing flip flops) during the treatments can help.

I also remember reading one trick about nail polish - but it was like only putting polish on before the treatment and taking it off to replace it with another polish the next day after chemo...not sure what the reasoning/science is behind it. Maybe something to do with exposing it to light??

I am currently seeing the 'poison' banding on my fingernails, but not my toe nails. My feet are always cold during treatments, so maybe that is the reason.

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Well Fellow Warriors, next friday will be TCH #5 out of 6! Round #4 was a little tough to bounce back from, but I am finally feeling better. Every day between 2-3 pm, it feels like I hit a wall, so I rest. I learned that napping only keeps me up at night, so laying like a slug in the afternoon for a few hours is best. Luckily I am still working in the mornings, even with crazy chemo brain. My skin is taking the beating - I keep getting strange lesions either on my face, neck, back, ears or my hands. No amount of moisturizer helps. The L-glutamine has helped with neuropathy, although the Claritin for bone pain has stopped working. My latest issue is tinnitus, but this only gets bad if I do have a glass of wine or too much caffeine. it is like someone is knocking on my eardrum. One night I had to sleep with an ice pack over my ear. I am feeling more nausea than usual and I am having taste/texture issues. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so I keep repeating to myself that this is only temporary. I found that I love dark chocolate salted almonds, even though I HATED dark chocolate before.

This week I am meeting with a plastic surgeon to discuss my options. Since I already have fake knockers, I am hoping the surgery part will be a piece of cake compared to the chemo part.

I also decided to hold off on the BSO surgery until I can process it and do as much research as I did for the breast cancer. I understand the gravity of the situation, but it seems hasty to jump right into it without learning about the risks and possible complications. My surgeon and gyno are like - "don't wait, do it now before you get ovarian cancer!" However, the chemo drugs I am on are also used for ovarian cancer, so I do not have a pressing concern. Part of me is like - I can't go thru this treatment again...but the other part of me is like it is only a 7% risk, although I would have to be more diligent about screening (but there is no good early detection tests). This one is a struggle for me.

Another mental struggle I am having is the baldness - I am fine during the bad weeks because it reflects how I feel, but when I have my good weeks, it is another story. It is a constant reminder, and sometimes I just want to take a break from it all and not have it thrown in my face. When I feel good, I want to look like the old me - the one with lush blonde locks. I hope my hair starts growing back soon after the drugs stop - for my own sanity!

magbrew

Hi Everyone,

I have a question for anyone on T&C. Has anyone developed problems with their eyes twitching?

This is driving me nuts, for I know its from the chemo.

It started in one eye after 2nd round and now both after 3rd round.

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Nails: Fill gallon size baggies up with crushed ice and put your hands in them during treatment, and use Nail Teak II

rosesrx

Magbrew- occasionally have the twitching eyelid, thought it was electrolytes out of balance a bit. I try to drink water with electlytes added like Smart Water or Figi. Not as noticeable as the tinnitus. Sorry this isn't of much help.

ksusan

Yes, eyelid/under-eye area twitching on Taxotere/Cytoxan, decreasing gradually after treatment.

AGerl

I had really bad eye twitching - it was from low magnesium. Maybe try getting some magnesium rich foods or drinks.

magbrew

Thank you everyone I seriously thought I was the only one after seeing the nurse practitioner yesterday,she just looked at me like I had 3 heads.

I'm seeing my surgeon tomorrow and will address her with whats going on, to hear what she has to say about it.

I will back with her remarks. Again thank you. Blessing to everyone.

Italychick

I had the eye twitching too. It had gone away two months post chemo. They don't know everything, or else they pretend to be dumb. I think they ignore as much as they can in an attempt to just try to get us through chemo. Another woman on the March chemo forum had the eye twitching too

lizannee

I have eye twitching too, I am post 3rd treatment of T & C and have lost lots of hair everywhere but not all. My eyelashes are thinner as are my brows but I still have areas on my head where it hasn't fallen out or it is growing back a little. I shaved my head in June when it started thinning and most of my head is thinned out and bristly. Does this mean it isn't working on me?

ksusan

Not everyone loses all their hair. There's no relation between hair loss and chemo effectiveness. I had TC as well and kept some all the way through.

Italychick

I asked my MO the same thing. Took 24 days for my hair to fall out and I never lost it all. She said hair loss has nothing to do with how effective chemo is, so please don't worry about that part!

Espanola

Has anyone started DD taxol? I start Thursday (just finished AC). Worried about neuropathy....any tips?

tamkay123

Espanola -

I start dd Taxol tomorrow.

rosesrx

Espanola, you may want to type in DD taxol in the search to find some answers. Be sure to mark your topics as fac0vorite so you can see which ones you are followinng or have posted to.

justmaximom15

Good Monday morning all! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. I got a visit from my niece and her family so I enjoyed playing with the babies and I've never felt better. I actually put off my treatment from Thursday until today so that I would feel comfortable kissing on the little ones. Yesterday, we moved my SO's youngest daughter into the dorm for her Freshman year - it's been a busy weekend for me.

In about an hour, I'll head in to get my last A/C treatment!! In 3 weeks, I'll begin Taxol but that means I'll be halfway through this part of my treatment plan and that's a good thing.

Esmerelda50

Silly me. Didn't think my eye twitching and pounding in my ear was from the chemo but should have known. Add those to the long list of weird SE. I hate that others are having the same problems but it helps to know I'm not losing my mind and am not alone in this lonely journey. One more treatment on Wednesday. I have found that the Claritin really helps with the bone pain, which I would not have known if not for these boards. I will try magnesium. I, too, really hate being bald. It is very hot where I live in the Mojave desert, so anything on my head is too hot, but I do wear a scarf or hat when I go out. Then I still have these sores on my head, not as bad as they were, but they haven't totally gone away. The chemo nurse has been there 20 years and said we never see that. Sometimes I think they do play dumb. Well since I have double chemo brain, I can't remember names very well, but you all are in my thoughts and prayers, and I'm so thankful for everyone's support. Hope you all have a great day.