2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

well, i have #3 Taxol this week....can't believe I'll be done with chemo in 2 weeks from Thursday My last chemo is January 19th!!!

My eyebrows are thinning considerably and my eyelashes are barely hanging on. But, I have this weird light stubble on my head. Does anyone else have that?

My hands and feet have been itching and stinging constantly...almost to the point that I either panic or can't walk. My onc. says it's a side effect of Taxol...like a hand-foot syndrome thing. I went through an entire box of Benadryl this week...it's awful. Has anyone else had this side effect? It's driving me batty!

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year...I think 2006 is going to be spectacular. We're all in our treatments and ready to move on!!!

-AMY

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I have to get an echocardiogram and perhaps get medication to correct it. I realized that something was wrong when I became exerted very easily. I walked a half of a block and FELT it! Walking up the subway steps almost killed me. I had to rest for about three minutes for my heart to slow down.

That had to be pretty scary, your right you do need your heart and I always worry about that too because there is a lot of heart problems in our family. I thought that was going to get me before the cancer. It sounds to me like the doctor may decide to quit your chemo. Although I am not sure that Taxol is as toxic to the heart like AC was. The fact that you had clean nodes and margins I think your chances are pretty good if you don't continue. That's just my opinion, I guess the doctor is the best judge of that. I wish you the best of Luck, Graycie

Amy I haven't even started Taxotere yet and you are looking at the end...Lucky. My eyelashes and brows are getting thin. I shave my head so not sure if effective hair is happening. Think I only have sporadic stuff growing.Nothing in Private places yet though.
My chemo is every 3 weeks so I won't finish until March 14-that seems like eons from now.
I won $10 on my lotto ticket today, maybe 2006 is my lucky year...
What is in Vincodin? Is it a narcotic? My onc has not given me anything for pain when I get my tax next week. Maybe I should ask.
Wow soon you will be post chemo... any of you guys getting Herceptin? I start that next week too.

Hey Graycie...
I am feeling a bit better today and was able to get out of bed, sweep the floor and even wipe up a few spills on the floor! Then I realized how weak I was! But, it's better than yesterday. The heavy fatigue is beginning to subside and I see hope for my Thurs. chemo. Only 11 more weeks of this roller coaster!!!
I woke up this morning realizing once more that I have cancer. My daughter kisses me goodbye every morning when she leaves for work and her perfume always lingers. It's a bittersweet goodbye as she is so concerned about me. She calls me about 2 or three times a day from work (she's almost 22 years old) and I sometimes feel guilty for putting my name at the top of her list of priorities at the moment. Even my 16 year old will come home from school and ask me what he can cook for me.
On to something different... the father of a close friend of ours is a doctor...a pulmonary specialist...who lives in the States (and I live in Israel). He called me a couple of times after he learned I had cancer. He kept nagging me about taking supplements and vitamins and just about everything my onc told me not to take. Then he arrived in Israel a week ago and left me a huge book about surviving cancer and how chemo can kill. I put the book aside and tried to ignore it until my husband asked me what the book was about last night. When I told him I just started yelling about how I'm sick and tired of people trying to tell me what to eat and how to survive cancer. I made my decision, I totally trust my oncologist who is a true heroine herself as she, too, has breast cancer, and she works with a resident that I totally connect with so.... my husband told me to just ignore people who keep bugging me but it's very hard when I have gotten so sick from chemo and right there in print it says that it's the infections that cancer patients get from chemo that kill them!!!
I know I should just ignore all of this but it irritates me as I'm trying so hard to be strong and I've got 11 more Taxols to go!!!!
Okay...I'm done venting.
Be well everybody.
We can do it!
And as we say in Israel.."this too shall pass"...
ravdeb

Amy...
went on a walk yesterday despite my weakness and my feet were itchy... maybe a sign of Taxol?
My stubbles started growing after AC when I was sick and not on chemo and now they are falling out... a day after my first weekly Taxol! hmmmmmmmmmm.....
Hope you finish up the Taxol in good form. I wish you all luck in your treatments and a healthy new year!
ravdeb

maryannecb:
Vicodin is a combination of tylenol and hydrocodone, which is a narcotic. The dose I have been given is 500 mg of telenol and 5 mg of the hydrocodone. It is a very effective treatment for moderate to severe pain. I have used it after oral surgery and after my lumpectomy. Now it is the only thing giving me relief from the taxol pain.

Amy:
I read in Dr. Susan Love's book that the itchy, rash on palms and feet is a taxol related side effect. Lucky for you to be finishing up. I have 3 more tratments to go. Looking forward to finishing by Valentine's Day.

Jane,
good luck!
I hope you feel even better today and the antibiotics are doing their "magic".
good luck with that wbc and getting your Taxotere. I go for my second Taxol tomorrow if I pass the blood test :-)
Yes, Jane...WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!
ravdeb

One Taxol/Herceptin done. 11 more weeks of weekly infusions then the doctor changes me to every 3 weeks of H only!!!!!!!!

Bad day though. They had to stick me 3 times to get me going and one nurse blew a vein so huge bruise. I was there for 5 hours!!!

One lady was getting sick in her chair. Throwing up all over the floor. The idiot nurse who I had on my first visit (whom I refuse to allow to treat me now) comes out and asks, "Are you sick?"

I said, "NO, she prefers to eat her lunch like flies do. Here's your sign."

She is chinese and didn't get the joke but the patients did and they laughed.

Waiting for your next chemo must be a torture. I am guessing your docs think you are in more danger from your vascular problems than the cancer at the moment...

Has anyone had their CA.25 test? The one that gives you a number and it's supposed to be under 38? I was a 19. This is now supposed to be my 'baseline' ... It's supposed to give them a cancer marker.

Anybody have information on this????? I am in the dark here.

ravdeb,

you are right about the new research...my onc just attended the cancer conference in San Antonio and here is the research she is looking at concerning my treatment.

http://cancer.caring4patients.com/News.35684.aspx

Karla Hook
Grapevine, TX

ravdeb,
I know what you mean about getting frustrated hearing all the advice from well-meaning people. My parents, god bless them, keep giving me books 'how to survive cancer', 'cancer diets' etc etc etc... Well, at the moment, I've done all the research i can handle, and just want to try and live my life as normal as i can, instead of having cancer and cancer treatment on my mind 24/7.
Also, all the conflicting info on supplements during chemo is really confusing. My onc says its ok... lots of research says its practically nessesary and actually helps chemo fight cancer... but everyone elses onc (as per this board) says its a strict no-no!! whom to believe???
Sometimes i think too much info is not a good thing. I question everything. Soemtimes i dont believe my doctors know what they are doing. I wish i had blind trust in them, but i dont; sometimes i feel like its my body's job to cure itself, just like it was my body that got me in trouble in the first place!
ramble over!
take care all
Paula

Cancer News: Article Printable Version


Cancer News Article

Taxotere® and Taxol® Produce Same Results Following AC in Adjuvant Breast Cancer

Researchers affiliated with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), the Cancer and Acute Leukemia Group G (CALGB) and the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) recently reported results that both Taxotere (docetaxel) and Taxol (paclitaxel) following AC (Adriamycin®, Cytoxan®) result in similar outcomes in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. Furthermore, taxanes administered once per week or once every three weeks were equally effective. These results were recently presented at the 28th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) in December 2005.

AC followed by a taxane is a commonly used adjuvant therapeutic regimen for the treatment of localized breast cancer. Research continues into comparing Taxotere to Taxol in its efficacy, as well as different scheduling of administration of these agents.

The ECOG E1199 trial that was recently presented at SABCS included nearly 5,000 women with node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer who received four cycles of standard AC, and were randomized to receive one of the following: Taxotere once weekly or once every three weeks; Taxol once weekly or once every three weeks. Overall, no significant differences were noted at 4 years.

*
Taxol every three weeks: disease-free survival (DFS) was 80.6% and overall survival (OS) was 88.8%
*
Taxol once per week: DFS was 83.5% and OS was 91.8%
*
Taxotere every three weeks: DFS was 83.1% and OS was 89.3%
*
Taxotere once per week: DFS was 80.5% and OS was 88.9%

Grade III and IV adverse events occurred in 30% of patients treated in the every three week Taxol arm, 28% of patients in the once per week Taxol arm, 71% of patients in the every three week Taxotere arm, and 45% of patients in the once per week Taxotere arm. There was more febrile neutropenia and infection in the every three week Taxotere arm.

The researchers stated that the trial’s data monitoring committee allowed early release of these results as there appeared to be no likelihood that these numbers would change with longer follow-up. Ultimately, it appears that either Taxol or Taxotere, either on a weekly or every three week schedule following AC result in similar outcomes in women with node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer patients.

Reference: Sparano JA, Wang M, Martino S, et al. Phase III study of doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel or docetaxel given every 3 weeks or weekly in patients with axillary node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer: results of North American Breast Cancer Intergroup Trial E1199. Program and abstracts of the 28th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. San Antonio, Texas. December 8-11, 2005. Abstract 48.

This article has the headline that results are the same , maybe they think it is not statisticaly significant.I ahve been getting my chemo q 3 weeks and headwise it has been good. I usually have at least one week of feeling human. Now I don't know wether to ask for weekly Taxol as even 3% increase in 4 year survival looks better to little old 100% cancer me. UGHHHH the thought of getting my chemo every week makes me sick thinking about it. But.. the thought of dying is even worse. Oh what to do?
Fists up!

Karla...thanks for the link. That is very interesting and I'm even more convinced now that I'm doing the right thing!
I had my second Taxol on my weekly regimen today and all is well so far. Saw my doctor and she said I look okay :-) I am pleased to read that report that compared the 3- week schedule to the weekly schedule followed by dose dense AC. That does prove what my doctor said when she was trying to decided if I should have the 3-week one or the weekly one. Gives me confidence...both are good...good percentages there even though I don't usually look at statistics but hey...it is a booster once in a while!
thanks for the info.
ravdeb

OMG Amy, That sound's like something I would do. I am glad you are OK......I would have been a basket case. I am surprised you made it OK to your chemo treatment and they let you have it. Make sure you read those pill bottles next time. I go for my third taxol on Tuesday. I found out today I am a little anemic so I will be getting a shot to give my red blood count a boost before next chemo. Just think 2 more treatments and you are done. Do you have to have radiation after chemo? Graycie