Taxotere/Cytoxan starting February 2012.

Coldenmom, here's my usual chemo schedule:

9:15 show up at lab for bloodwork, prior to each treatment. I  usually don't have to wait.

9:40 appointment with MO. By that time she has the results of the blood work (lab is associated with her group and a floor below). Nurse checks vitals, doc sometimes will do a quick breast exam, talk to me about how I'm feeling, write scripts for meds to help with side effects.

10:00 go to infusion room. The nurses first put in the IV, flush it a bit, then give me an IV of pre-meds (to help with nausea, etc.). All that takes about an hour. Then my first chemo takes an hour, and the second one takes 30 minutes, so I'm usually out of there by 12:30.

Hope that gives you an idea of what to expect, although your labwork and doctor's appointments may be slightly different. Before my first one, my MO said to "count on half a day."

Because of the Benadryl in the pre-meds, I usually come home and nap for 2-3 hours, although I know some women just continue with their regular schedule after chemo -- going out to lunch, shopping, going back to work, whatever.... 

Silviazara, I think whether or not we get Neulasta routinely, or as needed, may be just the MO's protocol. Or maybe they look at our age and overall health before deciding; maybe younger patients don't get it as routinely as those of us post-menopausal ladies. At any rate, my MO said I could either learn to give them to myself at home or come in the day after treatment. I chose to have the nurse give me the shot!!! (I think each shot is about $3,500; check how your insurance company handles it...)

Hi, everyone! I'm preparing for round 2 tomorrow, so back to the steroids for a couple of days and drinking water like crazy now. This may have been said in this thread before, but be sure to hydrate big time starting the day before TX -- I target at least 3 quarts a day and preferably a gallon of liquids from the day before TX until 2 days after. The idea is to flush the TC out of your system as quickly as possible after TX -- that's why excercise like walking after your infusion helps so much too. And the Cytoxan can irritate your bladder if you're too "dry." Another benefit for us getting IVs each time is that it makes it easier to get a vein.

I must admit that I've felt blue the past couple of days about having to go in again for TX -- I feel normal except for virtually no hair, and worry if I'll do as well the next go round. But I keep telling myself only 9 more weeks now and I can move on toward the rest of my recovery -- the AI pills and completing breast reconstruction.

Best to you all. Ann

Hi Ladies,

Six Weeks Post-Surgery today! Feeling GREAT and I am so HAPPY to be back at Boot Camp! I should have went back sooner as it has HELPED me so much mentally! 

Neli: I told my Cancer Surgeon last night that I wasn't 100% about Chemo. I couldn't tell him I was because then I felt like I was committed. My MO on our last visit mentioned I had a month to decide and I've kept that in the back of my head. However, she did make an appt. for two weeks just in case I wanted to start before then. Well, two weeks is this Monday. I'm so far so good with sticking to the appt. I know the sooner the better because the sooner it will be over. I made myself drop off the prescriptions yesterday and I made sure I picked them up today. I guess it's reassuring in some sense that I know I could possibly cancel. We can do this!  I keep thinking and picturing the women I know personally who have made it through this and they look and feel amazing now!

ColdenMom: Glad you made an appt. for the dentist! My OBGYN appt. is tomorrow.

momof3boys: Thank you for clarifying on how to take the Claritin. I picked up a box today along with all the other prescriptions. I bought the Claritin Gel-Caps.

WaveWhisperer: Thank you for the detail of your Chemo Schedule!

JoanQuilts: I feel the same way! I'm rarely ever sick!

AnnTop: Got it, LOTS of H20...My MO said exactly what you mentioned about taking the PM dose in the afternoon. She suggested 3-4 O'Clock.

Enjoy the rest of your day... 

Neli, the extra-virgin olive oil is supposed to help with the icky taste problem. Some gals actually gargle it and swallow it; I just swish it around in my mouth and spit it out.

As far as icing, I haven't done that and have not had a problem. I think the women who do use small zipper bags of crushed ice.

Yes, I use Biotene twice a day.

 As for other stuff, I have to admit I bought way too much, some of which I've never used. If a grocery, drug store or Walmart/Target is close by,  you might want to see what your side effects are before going shopping crazy. I, for instance, feared constipation and bought laxatives, stool softeners and suppositories. What I ended up with was diarrhea so bad my MO gave me prescription-strength Immodium and Nexium. 

 Hope that helps a little. 

WaveWhisper ~ Thank you for the chemo schedule.  When I had Hodgkin's Disease I went straight for bloodwork and then infusion.  I never had to see by doctor first but now it makes since that you say I'll see my MO because he said to me that he'll see me first thing on the 23rd.  I haven't received my schedule yet in the mail from Roswell (our cancer institute here in Buffalo) - my appoitment went so late (7:30pm) all the scheduling staff were gone. 

silviazara ~ looks like we will be doing it together on the 23rd. 

I had my teeth cleaned today - all is well! My OB/GYN appoitment is next week for my PAP.  

Tomorrow I get my first TE fill since my mastectomy - hopefully that won't be too bad.  I also have to see the Physical Therapist tomorrow.  My range of motion is still not great on my left side.  I'm sure it will improve - I'm just a little over 3 weeks from surgery.  

Lastly, where do I get the biotene from?  I use Aloe but would like to get the biotene in as well.  

Hugs to all!  

 Kelly

Thank you Mthrdee!!!

I like the chemo beanies too!

Sorry about your butterfies..I can relate...lots of butterfies here too.

hugs

Hi everyone!

I will also start TC on feb 15 x 6 cycles.I initially had dcis in 2005 and had a mastectomy. Did not need chemo or radiation at that time, but now I have invasive cancer stage 1 (in the same mastectomy side)and will undergo chemo then radiation and tamoxifen. I'm concerned about loosing my hair since I have always had long hair, but I know this is temporary. Trying to stay positive and looking at all kinds of wigs.

I plan to work out as much as I can during treatments since Im a physical therapist and I understand the benefits of exercise due to cancer related fatigue. It is important to try to stay as active as much as possible because this will decrease the fatigue. It has been proven through research so get moving everyone!

Coldenmom, I was able to find Biotene at either Target or CVS...forget which. But I also order a lot of stuff from drugstore.com, as Neli suggested.

Silviazara, I went to a "Look Good, Feel Better" program on Monday. I won't spoil it for you, but you get a lot of really nice samples of makeup, including brands such as MAC, Estee Lauder, Clinique. The instructors go through each step of putting on make-up, and you make yourself up right there. There also are lots of tips on products to use and not use during treatment, samples of wigs and scarves. It was worthwhile.

Well, today is Day 16 and my hair has been falling out for 3 days, mostly today. At 10 tomorrow morning I'm donating my hair and getting my head shaved. I'll leave with my new wig. Wish me luck. This is tough.

Mom2JJ, Thanks for the "First chemo" 101. Very helpful. I took notes ....

Seriously

I had my first TC infusion last Friday so it's been a week.  Here is an accounting of how I reacted.  All suggestions welcome!

Day before, day of, day after:  Headache from (presumably) steroid pills and steroid infusion.

Saturday, Sunday - okay.  Little constipation.  No sleep.

Monday - Low level aches and pains, very tired.  No nausea, but no sleep

Tuesday.   Better in morning.  Went to work.  Exhausted by late afternoon.

Wednesday - More energy in morning.  Tired by afternoon.  No sleep at night.

Middle of the night Wednesday-Thursday:  Extreme spinal pain (from Neulasta).  Couldn't go to work.

Friday (today) bone pain gone.  Heart pounding when I walk up stairs.  

No appetite, everything tastes awful.  The constipation is gone, but left me with what feels like a diaper rash. My main problems are lack of appetite, inability to sleep, exhaustion and just not feeling like myself.

I feel very down.

I had infusion# 2 on Tuesday and it  has been a bit more challenging than the first one.

I felt fine the next morning and went to work, I even slept 5 hours despite the steroids.  By the afternoon I started having the chills and came home with 101.  Spoke to the MO office and they wanted me to go to the ER.  Since the hospital they are near is not near me I said I would rather speak to the dr. first.  He didn't rush to call me back, my blood counts were normal the day before so it wasn't a WBC issue.  He said I was either having a reaction to the chemo or I picked up some virus coincidentally and to just take tylenol and see how I feel.  Temps went back down to normal yesterday afternoon and have stayed down.  I didn't go back to work today as I don't feel up to it and want to avoid germs from my students.

I am having more nausea than the first time, taking meds, and feel a bit more achy and uncomfortable than the first time.

I haven't eaten much since tuesday but am drinking.  I was able to tolerate some french toast this morning.

The hair is almost gone.  I wore a scarf for the first time on Wednesday. I am waiting for a wig to arrive and have a few hair coverings for the time being.    This is by far the worst of all of it.

 Hugs to everyone and hope you have a quiet and SE free weekend.

Gayle,

sorry about your second treatment SE!

I hope your new wig looks fabulous and makes you smile and that your nausea will go away.

Hugs!