Taxotere is a nightmare

Wow still even after all is done?? That's what I'm afraid of because I still have the mastectomy to go and then rads....I'm hoping to enjoy those 5 weeks before the surgery but just knowing that's all over I'll be glad... Tracie how u doing with the ins hope all is going well...

Marjie how is the weather here in Ottawa is nice and sunny zero degree!!! Might go out for a walk with girls (my furry babies hehehe)

Thanks tracie23~

I think I would enjoy working out with others...

There is a Curves by my grocery - I'm gonna check it out.

Coni... I wish I could say I live here in St John... I only have the warm weather for another 6 days and then back to NJ... although I hear its warmer there now too.

coni: I am new to this thread, but saw your post about the neulasta and had to tell you I had the same reaction to it. My blood pressure went so low I could not hold my head or body up. This happened to me after my 3rd treatment out of 6. My MO decided that since my WBC was high enough I could skip the neulasta shots. Fortunately, it stayed up each time and I was able to skip the last 3 shots. That stuff is HORRIBLE! Make sure your WBCs are up before you make the decision to skip, though. You don't want to get really sick.

Sandymess mine are at 7.3 so I'm up and is the last one I will tell him before I do it but makes me feel miserable like I said this time I almost fainted, not to mention for about three days my heart goes very fast I Dont like the feeling, and so sore so I want last chemo to be tolerable atleast the last one.. Are you done?

coni: Yes, I am done! I had my last chemo on 2/9 and started rads on 3/16. I still have some SEs from the chemo, but they are sloooowly disappearing. Good luck with your last one. I know you will do fine!

I just had a couple of comments about increased iron intake.  First, if you are not iron deficient, meaning you have enough iron stored in your body, taking in too much can also cause problems because it may be deposited in liver and other organs.  The problem with chemo is that the bone marrow cannot USE the iron you HAVE to make red blood cells, so all the iron in the world is not going to fix this problem.  You just have to wait until the bone marrow recovers and starts producing its own, or get a transfusion.  Iron injections have lots of SEs that may not be worth the risk if you are able to take iron in and absorb it (but you may have decreased absorption if you don't have enough protein to bind it in the GI system).  Epogen, which stimulates bone marrow to produce more red blood cells is NOT recommended for breast cancer because it seems outcomes are worse with it, but the Neulasta, which stimulates white blood cell production and thus helps fight off infections is OK. 

Sorting out the SE of Neulasta vs. chemo as far as the muscle and bone aches and pains and flu-like symptoms is difficult, but usually the Neulast is more related to deep bone pain, while chemo is more related to the muscle, joint, and other pains.  But if the WBC is adequate, seems to me no need to add more drugs and risk the additional pain!

Also, normal recommended protein intake is about 0.3 gm per poiund of your body weight, but with chemo and rads you should be taking in 0.5 - 0.75 gm per pound of body weight as a minimum.  I am a vegetarian but had no problem getting enough protein once I knew how much I needed! But I had to ask for a nutritional consult at every visit for the first couple of months before I got the appointment and information, and probably then only because I was losing weight and kept telling the MO that I needed more information in order to participate and take care of myself!

Tracie - that's awesome that you have a lawyer willing to help you out...gotta take a little strain off you. All this stress definitely isn't helping you.    (((hugs)))

A lawyer, Nice… Hope that puts a little scar into BC&BS

shooshoo23 What a PITA but you will be able to work it out. Dealing with both the school  bureaucracy can drive you nuts. Be sure to check on every step.

I remember one fall in grad school U of I forgot to send my information in so I didn't get my student loan! They didn't make me pay tuition but I had to wait till spring semester for the student loan check to come in… and I did check up on them too.

I have been reading this thread for awhile, and have gained a great deal of info about the taxotere.  I recieve my taxotere in combo/TAC.  I have a great deal of pain in my chest and arm area following chemo for about one week, worse each cycle.  I had bxm with TEs prior to chemo, I feel like I a swollen as big as a blimp and sore to touch, but look in the mirror and no edema.  I also get Neulsta, but this pain in more in sternum and ribs.  Anyone else experience this with taxotere?  I have needed to take vicodin this round I am so uncomfortable.  Feel like my TEs are going to explode.