Starting Taxotere and Cytoxan

elisa60

I will be given the drug Taxotere and Cytoxan soon. Is anyone taking these two chemo drugs that can tell me what to expect and how they are doing? Most of all how can I slow or stop the side effects? What and what not to eat? Please give me some advice.

Melrosemelrose

elisa60- As with any chemo regimen, the chemo is doable but not always easy. Everyone reacts differently to chemo and so it is hard to predict what side effects you may experience. Hopefully your side effects are minimal and manageable.

You may want to check out these 2 cook books that I used while in chemoland. The first is "Eating Well Through Cancer" by Gerald Miletello, MD and Holly Clegg. This book has recipes and helpful tips about how to handle certain side effects . The second is "The Cancer Fighting Kitchen" by Rebecca Katz. That book has tips and recipes. FYI-Rebecca Katz has a Facebook page and website.

You can also visit the Chemo section of the BCO Discussion forum and check out some of the threads on Cytoxan/Taxotere. Here is a link to one of them: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics...

I know it is not easy to wrap your head around all of the information that you want to know at once. Too much info at once can become overwhelming.Sending you peace and calm as you prepare for your adventure in chemoland.

Melrose

Ingerp

There are also new threads every month for people starting chemo. Many women have included their dx/tx in their profile so you can see who's getting what. It's also helpful to check out the months ahead of you--great hints/tips and you can get an idea of what's coming. Somehow the August group ended up with two threads--here's one of them:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics/866167

ksusan

The posters above have made good suggestions. I strongly second getting into (or starting) a chemo thread for your month.

I had TC x 4. I stayed hydrated and walked every day, scrupulously took the medications my MO prescribed, and kept hydrated. I didn't cold cap or ice my hands and feet. For me, TC was tiring and time-consuming but manageable. It was more like having a low-grade flu for 2 1/2 months than anything else.

Best of luck!

mustlovepoodles

I had 4 rounds of TC. It wasn't too bad. Chemo day was pretty chill--just hanging out at the infusuon center watching TV for about 4 hours while the meducine goes in. It always hit me around day 7, then I'd be very fatigued and draggy. Somewhere around day 15 I'd perk up and have good energy again.

As far as side effects, i had a few fevers, lost my hair on day 17, taste changes, and fatigue. But I continued to work as a community health nurse through chemo. I never threw up, my skin looked great, and people who didn't know me loved my store bought hair and never knew it was a wig.

Chemo wasnt great fun, but it wasnt nearly as bad as it seems in movies and TV.