Starting chemo Thursday, May 31 - June Group?

I had treatment #4 today and after a break for vacation I felt like I was starting over.  I had major anxiety on the way in this morning.  My stomach hurt during treatment and lower back pain that I never had before I also had a major headache.  They gave me benedryl orally because there is a nationwide shortage of the iv solution strange so only one little pill not sure how much I get in iv but it normally wipes me out.  I slept alot of the 5 hours I was there and then came home and slept 3 more.  Trying to stay awake so I can sleep tonight. 

I saw the MO yesterday and tried to discuss the mastectomy with him he pretty much said it is my decision - I was hoping for a little more stats since the surgeon is pushing for it 3 -4 weeks after my last treatment in Oct.  It was like he did not have the time to talk - maybe I am just sensitive because my head is going in many directions over the surgery and reconstruction.  I have read too much and talked to too many people with serious complications I guess.

I really try to stay positive and not complain but I am at the breaking point right now. Thank you for listening.

On a happy note I had an awesome vacation with my dad and family!!!!! I did not realize how much I needed it.

Marcia- Im scared about rads also.  I have had a mental block about it this whole time...finally excepting it.

Pam - How are you doing?  Are you done with the taxol?  Hope you are doing well!!

Will some of you be moving to a radiation board?

Everyone have a great day!!! 

If it could go wrong today at Chemo it did. I'm so over Taxol! I have had enough! The whole point of chemo was so that I would make sure as much as the cancer was gone.....because I did NOT WANT TO DIE! What good is Taxol if it kills me????? My heart rate dropped to 22 and I went into A-Fib and Flutter plus I felt like my ovaries were going to explode! I made them stop the infusion.! I just can't do this anymore. I will consider a different drug...but no more Taxol!

Kimmie- I am so sorry, was this your first tx with taxol?  My prayers are out to you.

KeepMoving, I have asthma and seem to get pneumonia every winter after getting a cold that turns bad.  I've had the vaccine and I get flu shots, but it only prevents some pneumonia, not all of them.  I think it prevents the viral, but not the bacterial....or is it the other way around?  

Havingfaith, Thanks for the reminder about living one day at a time.  I was going by that, too, but not going a great job of that right now.  The stress is getting to me.  

StephanieJM, hope you aren't in any pain any more.

Kimmie0247, I hope they can find out what the problem. is.  I think StephanieM's right and maybe they just have to adjust your pre-meds.

Steelersluver, I asked about the pneumonia vaccine, because I thought it might be a good idea to have one since I would be having a compromised immune system.  I had bacterial, so I guess that probably wouldn't have helped anyway.  Glad your mouth sores are better.

Marcia1111, I will be finished with Taxol the week after you.  It seems to have really gone by fast and I feel as if I've skipped one.  I think that I should be feeling more upbeat, too, but I keep thinking, surgery's next.  Same thoughts as you.  Maybe it's typical.  Seems never-ending.  Have to do a lot of self-talk and try to get myself out of this!

God Bless everyone.  Have a good Sunday.  

Keep Moving - Thanks.  It's good to know I'm not alone in feeling this way.

Kimmie - I hope your MO can help you.

So sorry Kimmie!!!  I had an allergic reaction to Taxotere and it was my 2nd one!  They switched me to weekly taxol and so far I have had 1 but am dreading the 2nd one.  I would say talk to your onc or their backup (mine has a backup that covered for her when she was on vacation) and make sure you get answers.  I sent an email to my onc asking what was goign to be different because there was no way I wanted to go through that again!  It was scary, but I think for me it happened so fast that I was more scared after than during.  But definatley get answers and make sure you feel comforatable before you proceed with treatment.  For me, my eosinophils are also high.  After my reaction they didnt continue but told me to come back the next week and that is when I was switched to taxol and had an ok experience even though my eosinophils are still high.  I wish I knew why they were still high - they say normally they are high due to allergies, but they were high before my allergic reaction to taxotere and I have a sinus headache but not the normal symptoms of allergies. 

Stephanie - so sorry you are not feeling well enough to go to San Diego (I live in Orange County, just a little bit north of there) but a local trip can be a lot of fun.  Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to feel rejuvinated. 

Marcia - sorry about not feeling more upbeat about finishing chemo but it is an accomplishment and even though you have rads I hope your mood will improve overall once you can cross one treatment off of your "to do" list. 

My onc told me that people are more likely to have an allergic reaction to taxotere than to taxol so I dont know what they will do for you - are you weekly or every 2/3 weeks?  maybe changing that, or what premeds did you get?  for taxol I got decadron via iv, benadryl via iv and pepcid via iv.  Althought the nurse said if I tak zyrtec an hour before I can avoid the benadryl iv which I plan on doing because it gave me major restless leg syndromes and I ran a mini-marathon in the recliner just to get the pent up energy out.

Holy cow! I have some catching up to do! Been so busy with school starting for all 4 of us.

Started AC today. So far it's ok....just super wiped out. Only 3 more infusions. Doc cannot find any of my tumors and is really pleased. My MUGA scan was just fine as well, which is great! I was worried because I was having slight cardiac symptoms. It was a really long day, because not only did I do chemo, but I went straight to an appt at the podiatrist where they ended up removing one of my toenails because it was infected and disgusting. Sheesh!

I promise to catch up sometime tomorrow. I think about you girls EVERY DAY!!! 

Just wanted to say on the taxanes it is unlikely to go from Taxol to Taxotere because Taxotere is considered a harsher drug.  I have seen people go to Abraxane from other taxanes because it has a different delivery system.

Hi to everyone just wanted to tell u that I ended up in hospital with neutropenia yuck. Had bloods and clinic meeting this week and am due to have treatment on fri. Have been feeling very pissed off with it all !!! Felt like being treated like cattle at the hospital so not happy with them either. I was told that I'm going have to inject myself the day after with nalasta grrrrr not happy with that can anyone tell me if this actually works or could I end up with neutropenia again? Hope this finds everyone bearing up😘

pinkgirl, I had Neulasta after every AC treatment. Did you have an infection to be put in the hospital? I had neutropenia with each AC. It took about a week for my counts to come up. I had neutropenia once with Taxol so far, and I had neupogen since neulasta can only be given every 2+ weeks.

Sure hope things get better for you. Warm up the neulasta a bit before injecting and do it slowly as that seems to help.

Congrats Marcia!!!!! I would have been do yesterday, but I had to take a week off between ac and taxol to get my blood platelets up. oh well, one more week.  I am so happy for you. Im with you on the hair.  I cant wait for it to grow back.  There is a Fall rad group that I have been checking in on. I can't wait to get this over with.