January 2012 chemo

Nancy I'm retired so it is not so hard.  And we just found out that our Kupat Cholim (medical group) will pay somewhere between 30 and 50% of cab and bus fares to treatments.  I didn't need a cab often when on the every 2 week AC regimin but knowing I can get cheaper cab fare will be nice from now on.  Especially when I starte rads. next year.  The venue for them is not easy for me to get to on bus so I hope to be cabbing it more often.

Peggy 

JaneTanned:

I can only go by what others said about my Taxol reaction. My Onc said she had never seen it so bad. ( 30 + years experience) But I was OK during infusion. My bone and muscle pain started Saturday AM from a Wednesday Infusion. I could not walk and by then, my post infusion instructions had me stop all Dec etc. I was loading up on Tylenol but nothing helped. Woke up on Monday/Tuesday night 2am crying so much  joint pain. Really, last time I had this kind of pain, I took home a baby from the hospital. I didnt know how I was going to make it into my doctor's office building the next day. I made it, holding onto walls wearing padded slip ons.Right now, I have regained some finger and toe feeling. Working through it all.My onc said, we are not doing another Taxol on you. She never gave me an option for your Dex+ you described...My next infusion is Wednesday with Abraxane.

Thanks everyone for checking in....I really appreciate the stories.

I had my second allergic reaction 2 hercEptin yesterday. Stop infusion, load me up with Benadryl and fluids and continue. Nurse said it is very unusual to react to hercEptin. Leave it to me.



By the way ladies, I never had bone pain or nail issues with 5x taxol. Never even knew about icing

Sorry to hear that Diane, what sort of reaction did you get? I thought you just had issues with the Taxol...



Have they said how this can be handled and if you can keep getting it going forward?



HUGS! Jenn

Oh Bela, I'm so sorry.  I had such horrible constipation during my first AC.  I suggest calling your MO's office - you might need a little more "help."  They told me not to wait any longer than two days.

Keep drinking lots of water...eat some fiber (Raisin bran is great), try some dried fruit (prunes or apricots are good).  Try drinking something warm - like tea - that can often stimulate the urge to go.

Good luck *hugs*

Thanks Nancy, I took metamucil day of and raisin bran too two dulcolec and 2 miralex and 2 dulcolex today

Bela:  I found a good dose of Metamucil, followed by three Dulcolax, every night before bed made a difference for the first three or four days.  And water - goodness, I thought I was going to float away some days!  I also drank Yogi Tea: Berry Detox every night before bed.  Others on these boards swear by Smooth Moves, another organic tea.  My first AC treatment I went four days without a bowel movement - my MO was not happy with me.  Don't wait too long to call them.

Nancy - are you taking hte vit B, glutamine to try and prevent the neuropathy????? You can read all about it on the Taxol thread here.



My eyes are sore, nose is running and I have flushed cheeks this morning. Apart from that I feel good!



Jenn

((hugs to all of you))

Man it sucks to be us right now!!!!

I keep thinking, once this is behind me, I will not complain about anything ever! lol

 OH!  btw I spoke with the onco nurse today and I do NOT have hepatitis!  Just your good old fashioned elevated liver enzymes caused by the chemo.  Ain't it grand?

Hang in there my friends, you are all in my prayers and thoughts.

miniwheat - glad to hear no hepatitis!  And I second Jenn - totally sucks to be us!

Jenn - I'm going to ask about the Vit B supplement.  Because of the clinical trial I'm in they're all over me about any kind of supplements (even had to talk with them about my herbal teas).  Sheesh.

Woke this morning to feeling like death.  Every muscle and bone aches to the point where moving is excruciating.  Sore throat like strep, but no white spots.  And I'm sub-normal on my temp.  I'm calling my MO's office this morning to see if this is "normal" or if there's something else going on.  So much for Taxol being like a "vacation in Aruba" compared to AC.  Someone hit me with a bus yesterday and forgot to tell me about it.  I don't know if this is because I'm doing dose-dense, or just because my body doesn't like this.  Oh, and I'm off to a day of school in about half an hour - that should be interesting.

I hope for happy and SE-free days for everyone!

Kelly - I get abraxane and herceptin now.  I had back pain during the infusion and they had to stop, give meds and then restart.  It was not a scary reaction like the one I had with taxol (trouble breathing) and I may not have even recognized it if it hadn't been my second.  The nurse said it is very rare to react to herceptin.  Some of the nurses said it was the first time they had seen the reaction I had to taxol ( so it can't be ALL that common )  Guess I'm just lucky, huh?

Jenn - They will continue with the Herceptin but maybe with a little benedryl or steroid.  That was my 9th infusion.  I hope they don't want to use steroids for the next year!!  Sounds like you are on the same course of treatment as I am now.  12X then every 3 weeks.  I have 3 more of my 12 to go. 

bela- Sorry about the constipation - I had it my first few treatment and know how miserable it is!!

Nancy - I am sorry you feel so bad!!  I think the "crash"  is 50% of the problem with taxol.  When those damn mega doses of steroid ware off, complimented by the lovely taxol poison...its pretty sucky.  Feel better!!

Grateful33 - I know how you feel.  I am just starting to lose my hair and my willpower is going with it.  I am panicked about going out in public and being seen and crying all the time.  This sucks!!!  We WILL get through it.  hugs to you

Grateful33 - just feel those feelings of feeling low and not having strength to go on.  Once you recognize them, they do seem to get better.  That's how it works for me.  You always seem to be careful who you tell them to, as some people just can't handle it!!  

Praying for you...be encouraged...

I told my Oncologist I felt like giving up during A/C.  He said, "Okay if you feel that way, but I won't let you."   Then I told him I have no control over my life.  He said, "That's because I control your life now."  And we both laughed because we know it to be true.  Then he held my hand in a doctorly fashion and said you are doing great, much better than you think you are, and you will beat this and get better.

So he gave me just what I needed that day.  I am passing his wisdom onto you and praying that you get just what you need today!

Having a weird se weekend.  Yesterday my calfs ached terrible like I spent hours on a stair machine and my windpipe in my throat hurt when I would breath in.  Plus exhaustion but that ones been around before.  Since my infusions are on Thursday, usually my weekend are kinda crappy.  Oh well, hope the rest of you are having a nice se free weekend!

NancyHB - what did your MO say about your SE's?   I am starting taxol tomorrow and so scared about new SE's.    I just had gotten used to what to expect with A/C.   I am especially scared about neuropathy as some say that it can be permanent.

Oh Nancy - please hang in there.  I am a day ahead of you with dd Taxol and I spent all of yesterday in bed with shooting pains. Could not stay in one position for longer than a minute or two. Couldn't weight bear/walk on my own- needed DH's help to go to the bathroom. I also made due with Tylenol only. I am improved this morning (PST noon here) but still have pain. I was really really scared of this as I read ahead on the Taxol forums and discovered some women had excruciating pain. My thoughts are with you for speedy resolution of the pain. Hugs

Diane- hope your SE's are minimal this time

Carol- good luck on your treatment tomorrow.  I hate the anxiety of the day before.