Any May 2009 Chemo Starters?

This thread has been quiet! Just checking in. My BP has come down with the higher dosage of meds. Basically, still no side effects from the Taxol. A little bone pain, but handled nicely with Tylenol. My poor bloody nose is my biggest issue. And I have a little sore throat. Not exactly sore really. Just sometimes hurts when I swallow. Tomorrow starts the cycle all again. Labs tomorrow. Chemo on Tuesday. Sure seems to roll around fast when you do it weekly!! Didn't I just do this?? LOL  Oh well, that is good. The time passes quickly! They skipped the Avastin last week because of the BP, so the plan is to give it this week. Best of all- my hair is most definitely growing back! My eyebrows have thinned, but my lashes are hanging in there! And I'm shaving my legs again too. Figures.  

Hugs to all of you starting rads. I hope it goes quickly and painlessly for you.

At my onc visit the other day, the first thing he said was, "Oh, you are getting a little puffy from the steroids." He's lucky I didn't smack him! I don't know why I like the guy, but I do. LOL

Hope everybody is doing well. Today is my 23rd wedding anniversary. I sure hit the jackpot the day I met him!

Still hotter than hell here. We'll spend the day in the pool.

(((hugs)))

Mary

Hugs to all of you!  I have had 3 radiation tx's now I use the Miaderm lotion 2x a day and Castor oil at night.  That is what my Rad-Onc gave me.  Oddly enough my scar from the lumpectomy is already really sore.  I don't get that since it isn't supposed to start getting irritated until the end of next week.  Helen-WOW! I wish I could get in and out in 15 mins.  Good for you!  I will say my tx on Friday didn't take as long but it was rescheduled twice in one day coz something was not working right with the machine.  Now there's a scarey thought, in a machine shooting radiation on your boob and it isnt working right?!  Makes ya wanna jump right up on the table.  Mary- SO GLAD you are growing hair back too! 

Well, thatis it for me tonight I am beat had a big weekend!

I have felt really lousy following this taxol treatment.  I have the bloody nose also.  I am  pretty positive I am getting the Avastin instead of the placebo because I have those horrible mouth sores again.  I have not eaten anything other than scrambled eggs since Saturday morning.  I am living on chocolate milkshakes.  I have also been  running a low grade temp.

Tom - I have the abdominal pain after taxol.  If feels like my ribs are being kicked. 

Lori-

I am doing only 25 tx, it is some kind of high precision radiation.  I don't have to do the boosters because I get extra radiation to the lump specific area.  I think that is why my tx take longer, each actual zap is 16 mins.  I have a 2 min CT scan every tx and see my Rad Onc on Thursday's so that day is definately longer.  I didn't get to have my tx today because the thermostat in the machine was broken and had to be ordered and shipped overnight so lets hope that i get tomorrow in.  Everytime I miss one is just one more on the end.  As it stands right now I will finish on Wed Sept 16 and have already purchased tickets to FL! So, I told them they need to squeeze me in!!

Sorry for you ladies still going through Chemo....Keep pushing through........there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it IS NOT A TRAIN!

Becky

Happy belated wedding anniversary TexasRose.....

I hope you are all doing ok.

I restart chemo next week.... new drugs...... and more frequent chemo......so I am hoping I will be as well as I was on AC.  Zuzee I will be in touch via email..... I will be there in Hams on the 27th and the week after.... so will try and catch up with you for coffee or something.......  Be great to finally meet ya.....

Keep smiling you May marvels..... big huggles to you all

Mary - I will be you on Monday! So looking forward to the end of this nonsense - and to getting out the PICC line. Of course there is still Herceptin and rads and hormone suppressants - but they won't compare (I hope) to this. I'm hoping to feel well before my daughter has her new baby due mid September.

HI all-

Not too many of us posting these days.  I guess we are all talked out after months of talking....I finally had a treatment yesterday and today and makeup session on Saturday.  This is keeping me 1 day ahead of my FL trip.  It kinda sux because the original plan was to have me finish up a week before we left to give me some healing time.  Oh well.....we all know this is the way it goes.  Titch- sorry you have to have more tx....lets hope you are able to keep the s/e's at bay.

I hope all who are reading and not posting are feeling ok!

Of course I hope that ALL are having minimal side effects and are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and remember IT IS NOT A TRAIN!!

Hugs to All!

Becky

Since you're all further down the road than my sweet wife, have any of you experienced the skin on your feel peeling off?  Diane's feet are so very tender and sore, with blisters and skin just melting away.  We've finished 4 A/C treatments and are 8 days past the first of four Taxol tx.  After bathing each night, Diane sits at the foot of our bed and rubs lotion onto her feet while mumbling, "Help me, I'm melting, melting.  What a world, what a world. " (Wizard of Oz.) We try to laugh about all this whenever we can but her feet seem to be getting more sore and tender each day.

Tom

TomnDi - I too had a similar experience but it was with my hands.  I did Taxotere and Cytoxin X4 and after my fourth one, the entire palm of both hands peeled.  Once they did, they were fine but it was very odd although it did not hurt at all.  Good luck to you

Luvtheocean - Here's hoping you get all your rads in before your trip!  I also have a trip planned once they are done - I gave myself 25 days between the scheduled end date and the date I leave.  I am hoping to be all healed up before I leave.  Please let something go right!  I am now 5 done with 30 to go. 

Lassie11 - good luck on Monday - Your last one - trust me it is a great feeling even tho you know you have all the regular side effects to deal with after the fact.  You will still feel better just by knowing that they are all the Last of it - congrats!!!!

benisse - hoping your nose bleeds are getting better:)

echoslavje - best of luck as always to you and your husband

TexasRose - Hope your Taxol tx go ok and that your BP and bloody noses get better

best wishes to everyone- hopefully we will here from those who haven't posted in a while.

Lori

I had a super crappy week.  Last Thursday I had taxol number #5 and on Saturday woke up with the horrible mouth and throat sores.  I have been using the Nystatin, Magic Rinse, Preventive mouth rinse, Biotene, water with soda and salt.  Nothing helped.  They finally went away this Thursday, just in time for taxol # 6.  I had fatigue all week and actually only worked 24 hours this week.  I know it is because of the Avastin that I get every 3rd week, because I don't get those SE's on just taxol. 

I too, have the peeling and cracking feet.  Nowhere else, just my feet.  My feet do get sore some days and I limp around.  No tingling in my fingers or toes yet, hopefully I won't get that.

I'm halfway finished, so I finally do see the light at the end of the tunnel and I KNOW it isn't a train.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. 

 I also had problems with peeling and bubbles of dry skin that will burst and then go away. This happened mostly with my hands.  My feet tend to hurt but I have had issues with neuropathy and I wonder if that is the cause.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!  Lots of hugs,  Diana.

HI girls

Did not realise I have not posted for a while. Off to Hamilton today , to meet the girlfriend of my girlfriend whom I am staying with for the next 5 weeks. First rads on Monday 24th August. I had organised to play golf first so will have to dash off the course for rads at 3pm. So looking forward to meeting you Titch. I have resigned from my job!!!! Yipee. It was driving me nuts and into huge upsets. Is anyone else full of adrenaline and flying off the handle on a regular basis? I am finding it really hard to control my temper and it seems that every day I am provoked, I have even argued with my mother whom I adore!! Had first argument with the boyfriend, screamed at him and went to sleep in the downstairs bedroom!! Woke up in the middle of the night, totally confused and lost so made a hasty retreat back upstairs to his bed. Absolutely refused to apologise as I told him that what he had told me had threatened me and I reacted in the appropriate manner - fight or flight!! I ran away!!!!! Bloody lucky I didn't get the super glue or gun out!!!  but I don't want to spend my healthy years in prison!!!!! Keeps me vaguely sane when I think of the consequences of my actions and reactions. Is anyone else going mad out there? I so hope I am not alone!!!!!

Huge pink hugs to all of you

Susie 

Although I haven't been posting, I've been "lurking," trying to glean as much info. & tips as I can. I always feel that everyone else on this board is so much wiser! You are all such great inspirations to me.

TomnDi: I, too, have the bottom-of-the-foot peeling, and my oncologist said to rub bag balm all over the soles of my feet & then put on socks. I always do this overnight, and if the peeling is particularly bad, I do it during the day (when I can), also. It really softens the skin, and so far it has kept my feet from becoming painful.

I am on the E5103 trial, so I have the same regimen as some of you. I have 5 weekly taxols left, and I started a new full-time job (I know, I know--the timing is terrible, but this opportunity was not going to present itself again for years!). So my big problem now is that for at least the next two weeks I must have my chemo on Wednesdays as early as possible (and we all know how long it gets dragged out), and then be on my feet by 4 PM to teach a class. And then another at 6 PM. I'm worried about pulling this off, but I'll manage somehow. My son gets married in 2 weeks, and then I'm hoping to move the chemo to Fridays, but the research nurse said she doesn't know if that will be allowed on this trial. I have no classes on Fridays, so that would be so nice. The chemo has also made me quite anemic, so I received my first ever "red" shot yesterday. Hope it gives me more energy. Do those of you on this trial all have the bloody nose? Do you think that is a side effect of taxol or avastin? Sure wish I knew if I were getting avastin!

Congratulations to all of you who are finished with chemo! You give the rest of us hope. There is life after tx!!!

Deb from Iowa

May Marvels -- The May Marvels are MARVELOUS.  I love reading everyone's posts.  I started chemo -- T/C x 6 -- and just had my last one.  It's a relief, time to move on.  I am being given a month break then start radiation in late September.

TomnDi-- it's funny you ask about the peeling feet.  Mine just started!  I attribute it to chemo drying me out.  I try to bathe every night and will now be more diligent w/ lotion or vaseline and socks at night.  This usually only happens to me in the winter.

Jabl1252 -- same w/ me on treatments, 4th got a little worse, 5th was the worst so far and had my 6th and final one Friday, 2 days ago.  I expect we'll be much better in about a week. 

Take care everyone.

Peggy 

yes - I sometimes have blurry vision. Can't decide if it is the watery/goopy eye side effect, old age, or something else. It's on my list of questions for the oncologist tomorrow.