June 2011 A/C & T Groupies Unite!

Ladies,

I had my last AC 12 days ago and my eyes are incredible itchy and my face is full of "little bumps" and red (not blister or acne). Did anyone experience something like that? It look more like hives. I have not had any Taxol infusions yet, so it can't be that. I will have #1 of 12 Taxol next Wednesday.

BobbieJo, first congrats on finishing! Your gyn or family doc will surely sign for your leave. If not, have your family friend do it. They really just need a physician to fill it out and to sign it. I just finished 5 of 12 abraxane/herceptin. I'm not back to my normal crappy-feeling self since I came home from my admission. I can't imagine how you can work after what you've been through. You also should look into switching MO. Try to ask your SO or some local women in a support group for a referral. You'll probably be following up for a while, and will want to be with someone you really like. I LOVED both of my MO. They are genuinely concerned, and keep telling me that I'll get my strength and life back, and they have signed any paperwork I have given them. The MO I left (because too many patients in the chemo room) actually called me to apologize, and told administration why I left. She spent the time talking to my new MO. I got hugs, and tears wiped from both of them. You need that kind of support. My SO told me to get rid of everything negative in my life, so I'm not stressing over losing my stressful job. She tells me she loves me, and holds my face in her hands. You deserve to have compassionate care, and he shouldn't be laying his problems on you as a guilt trip or as if one upping you!

I worry about my kids coming home sick, I can't imagine teaching!!!!! XOXOXOXO

I've had relentless bone, muscle, and nail pain from the Abraxane/Herceptin. It comes in jolts during the day, but when I lay down at night, it's agonizing! My MO told me to take 600 mg advil and 1000mg of Tylenol at the same time, and it's brought it down to a tolerable level so I can fall asleep. I've not really had any neuropathy. My nails are turning black and some have lines, but they are still growing fast. Just hope they don't fall off!

Oh, Bobbie Jo, that is not right.  You have every right to have an onc who treats you with respect and listens to you!  He sounds very dismissive, which is not how a doctor treats his patient.  Going through 4 months of chemo is TOUGH.  Of course you are exhausted!  I have the luxury of not working and I am worn out.  I spent 1 1/2 hrs yesterday with little Girl Scout Brownies and I was frequently out of breath.  I find it hard to do 'normal' things both physically and mentally.  We all need time to heal.  

Ralston, I did not get any sort of breakout from AC.  My eyes got very watery and goopy, but not itchy.   I did get a serious rash from my first taxol, though.   

((((BobbieJo))))) Can't say much more that hasn't already been said. You are always welcome to vent here! 

Watery goopy eyes on AC?  I wish!  I had just the opposite.  Eyes so dry they felt like sandpaper.  It's better on T.

Had my first Taxol treatment last friday and the side effects have all hit me today. Tingling/pain in hands and feet and my body aches in my legs,hips and arms. I hope they will all stop in a day or two, or is this what I can expect for all 4 rounds? I'm feeling discouraged since I've made it through 4 rounds of AC, but this seems worse than the fatigue I had with AC. I've started taking Acetyl L-Carnitine, L-Glutamine and B6 and wonder how long it takes to start helping. 

I agree - I am heading towards Taxol #3 this week, and I am surprisingly tired.  Yeah, we had a gang at the house yesterday and I did a little bit to help out, but nothing out of the ordinary.  By the time everyone left (around 8) I was dead tired.  And I haven't moved off the couch much today.  My nails are doing OK so far and I still have about the same level of tingling as I did with my last AC...only noticeable when I am lazing.  When I'm up and about, I seem to be OK...if only I had enough energy to be up and about normally.

I do have one weird thing, though, and I noticed this a few times during AC...I am feeling some pressure as if vmy ears are plugged or my head is underwater.  It's a random thing, and maybe I'm experiencing some allergic thing here in NH that I've never had before.  I just saw a powerpoint presentation that shows how chemo can affect hearing.  It could be the loss of little hairs somewhere in your middle ear, I think, that are probably not there.

Michelle

hey my ears does that too from time to time

That is very interesting that several of you are having the same ear problems.  Mine have finally cleared up and things feel and sound normal.  My port is on the right and I think my ear problems are "bilaterel"...lol.  The first couple times I used a 12 hour decongestant nose spray, thinking maybe it was a sinus blockage.  And it actually seemed to work within a couple of hours.  Today it took six hours before it finally cleared up.  Who knows???  Another weird SE that oncologists would blame on allergies or say they've never heard of it!

Michelle

As soon as I went into chemopause I had a breakout every month instead of a period. So now I have acne spots on my face that will take a long time to fade. With my bald head and lack of eyebrows I think I resemble a robins egg. ugghhh!

4 more taxol! I am in the chair tomorrow. wish me luck 

I have been reading your posts but not had energy to keep up posting myself. Last week I asked for prayer because I was scheduled for a test to see if the three AC treatments had been working on my tumor.

It was a hard day. The Onc had scheduled me for a mamogram and ultrasound, even though my surgeon asked for an MRI. I should have asked them to check with my surgeon, but thought I might be wrong. It took four hours for the mamogram to be read, then wait for the ultrasound, and as expected neither gave results. Finally spoke up and because my surgeon is often the last doc in the center (she is an angel) they discovered that I was supposed to have the MRI. She was able to schedule me for an MRI at the hospital across the street for 7:30 pm, giving me an hour and a half to drink quarts of water since I was dehydrated and there was no one to give a saline drip at that hour. Important with the radioactive dye to get rid of as much as possible after the test.

They put a rush on it and, though my surgeon was off on friday, her nurse gave me the results. The tumor is no smaller, but is less  "enhanced." Not sure exactly what that means but they said it meant it was working so I had my last AC yesterday.

Saw my Onc before the treatment and was happier with this visit. Since there is no taxol available she is putting me on Abraxane. She has to do a bit more research to see what the best schedule will be so it might be different that the 12 weeks of taxol. 

I see that there are others in the group on Abraxane. I wonder if there enough to start a separate topic.

Thank you so much to you who prayed!

Thank you so much, Bobbie Jo. The best thing we can do for each other is pray, isn't it. Though the caring and encouragement are important also.

When I got my neulasta shot today, and told the nurse it was the fourth and last course of AC, she said she always wanted to send up balloons and celebrate with patients at that point. I'm totally glad to be done with it, but will celebrate after the Se/s are finished. Then again - maybe they won't be as bad this time. Tomorrow is usually when they start.

God bless you!

I have only had on Taxol tx so far and have had bone,joint and muscle pain since day two afterwards. I am on a DD schedule and have 3 more to go and am scared it will be like this each time. Do these aches end in a few days or last until the next treatment? I was hoping to only miss one maybe two days of work, but now and not so sure. Thanks for all the info on this board, it helps to be able to read about others exeriences. For me the AC was definitely easier, I can take fatigue any day than this pain.