Starting Chemo July 2013

Hi All,still in pain and on painkillers,i'm seriously considerating changing the taxol to weekly at a smaller dose,this joint and muscle pain is awful. I forgot who said it,Sue maybe,that the chemo goes for your bodys weak spot,which for me is arthitis.I do like the absence of nausia though,i've gained back a few pounds,and honeybunny not having to take zophran,prilosec,and tons of stool softeners,etc is wonderful.Hugs everyone,Angela

Spoke WAY too soon.  Woke up in the middle of the night with bone pain in my legs and knees and a horrible stomach ache. What the heck, I thought taxol was suppose to be easier?  How are you going Angela?  I can't imagine 12 weeks of this.  Would rather have the 4 doses and recovery time in between than the 12 weeks of this.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.........Blah...  

Hi everyone. I'm sorry for all of you having pain on the Taxol. It sounds similar to the pain I had with taxotere. Just wanted to say the MO let me take Ibuprophen and that seemed to help more than just pain killers.



Rambo I have Raynauds too. I didn't even ask about icing because that would shut my circulation off.



I am officially done with chemo and moving on to rads. Woo-hoo? Yes glad to be done with chemo but scared of the next step too. I almost feel bad that I'm done and my firecracker girls still have more to tough out. Hang in there you strong super women.



The recovery from chemo is ongoing. I still have extreme tiring in my legs. I have been making myself walk and exercise a moderate amount but then I'm exhausted. It seems like this is going to be a long recovery. We will see.

Hi All,

My tingling fingers seems to get better. I only feel a pinch here n there once in a while.



Thank Rambo, for thinking of me. :-)



Honeybunny, seems like you re doing pretty good with Taxol.



To all the ladies going thru Taxol, hope you recover soon.

Hi All, 

   Went to work and put in a full day.  It was hard getting started, but once at work you tend not to dwell on the little things.  Still have alot of bone pain, but taking claritin, advil, B-6, B-12, and L-glutamine.  Hoping I dont have to take any narcotics, but if each infusion gets worse I cant imagine what the later rounds will bring. YIKES!  Now another infusion in 2 days! I am thinking the four doses every three weeks would be better.  But I guess you always want what the other person has.  Either way, this sucks.  I saw halloween candy today.  Whoo Hoo, one of my favorite holidays.  Hopefully right around the corner.   Love and prayers to all.......

Hello All,



Any of you ladies take L Glutamine capsule or powder? Thanks

Welcome Donna, Sorry you have to be here again.  You had 8 rounds of ac in 2012 and its back?  God Bless you! You have more guts than I do.  I don't think I could do this again, and praying it never returns.

Angela- I am getting weekly doses, so not as strong as what you are getting.  I am sure as each week goes along it will get worse.  2nd round is tomorrow.  Yes, I agree, taxol brings its own set of side effects.  I stillget nauseous and mouth sores, but not as bad as the AC.  The bone pain is a real pain in the ass, literally!

Soriya-I am taking the l-glutamine tablets along with claritin, b-6,b-12.  I am also icing and shallacking my nails.  I also use Brian Josephs on my eyebrows and eyelashes.  I have from the start of my chemo and thus far(fingers crossed),  I have not lost any.  Though about putting it all over my head. lol.  

Is anyone getting radiation at the same time as Taxol?  I will ask my onco tomorrow if there is a possibility I can.  Would like to be done by the end of the year to save on my insurance deductable.  I dont know about the rest of you, but I have spent my savings on co-pays and deductables.  Thankful I have insurance and my heart breaks for those who are without but would still like to save if possible.  Sending good vibes to all our sisters getting treatments this week.  Lets have a NO SIDE EFX WEEK!!

Dear all sisters... I did my 2nd taxol on Monday, 9 September. And I got the neuropathy, my finger tips are in pain. And insomina. But I think it is more bearable than AC. No ulcers. But with the compounded weekly taxol, my skin is drying up...I put a lot of Aloe Vera gel to prevent cracks at my heels and palms...they look like they are cracking up and going to bleed anytime.

I am glad that the stabbing pain in the wound is considered normal, its really painful at times. Like the nerves are pulling back.

Hi Angela, sorry to hear all your pain. Mine is weekly taxol now, and I do feel that time is faster than the AC. Except for the fingers and insomnia, I feel the tiredness.  My eyes are also very dry. 

Hi Lark, we are on the same treatment regimen. My reaction to Benedryl was really quick, count of 2 and I think I fainted on the chemo chair.

Hi Donna, you are a brave woman! Sorry to have you back.  Stay strong and I think your photo looks really great!

Thanks Mellie, I have 10 more taxol to go. I do hope time flies by faster so that I can start my radiation.

Hi Honeybunny, you sound so positive. I wanna be like you!

Hi 2bluestars, its my 2nd round of taxol. I really do hope to see hair too... But I see some hair dropping all around my pillow today  

Ladies I just wanted to mention there is a recall on some chobani yogurt for mold which they state may not be good for those with compromised immune systems. They have a code 16-012 on the top. I had some of this and thought it tasted funny so luckily I only had one bite.



Welcome DonnaD. I'm kind of in your boat on the second time around thing. Two years after surgery I had a small mass in the skin. This is my first lovely experience with chemo however.

Round 2 taxol aboard and T-10 to go..  Whoo Hoo.  All labs were good with no neulasta, and onco said depending on how I am doing I can start my radiation after 8 doses.  That means I could be done with all my treatments by Christmas!  I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up, but it does give me something look forward too.  Even did some early xmas shopping today as I don't know how I will be walking by the 12 taxol.  Our cancer walk is schedule for Sept 21 and we have a large team.  Again, hoping I will be able to walk.  

I dont know who had the throat pain, but my onco prescribed a fungus/thrush medication for me today.  I have had a sore throat/strep throughout my treatments.  He said taxol should not do that so he is thinking it could be thrush caused by the steroids.  So since no side effects to the taxol he is dropping the steroids except for infustion.  No pills the night before.  Yeah!   So thus far all going well.  Its the third day where it hits.  Dr stated that with each Taxol the body adjusts to it and what I felt with the first infusion should stay the same throughout.   

Met someone else I knew while waiting for treatment.  Each time I am feeling low I strike up a conversation with other patients.  She has terminal pancratic cancer and has been on chemo treatments since March of 2012.  I felt so bad and my heart went out to her, so even when we think we have it bad we all have a good chance of living a long life.  Some are not so lucky.   So today I feel blessed to alive and having this 2nd chance at life.......

Hi Hannariggs, we can count down together! I have 10 more taxol to go and if everything goes well, I will start my radiation in Nov and end everything before Christmas. Thanks for sharing on your conversation with the other cancer patient, lifted me that we are lucky that we have a second chance to live longer.

I don't have sore throat. But I ended up with yeast infection, went to clinic and get some cream. Its kinda painful and itchy now.

Hi Angela, good to hear that your pain is manageable now and you slept through   Today is my fourth day after taxol and I feel the fatigue plus bones pain.

By any chance, if anyone is experiencing the same, my lumpectomy is on right breast and today while cleaning myself, my nipple has a tingling pain, not a lot...just a bit.  I am one of the very worried ones on recurrence, not sure if this is normal.

Also, I am experiencing teary eyes. Anyone else?

Hi JeriGrace, you are indeed blessed... thanks for sharing.

Hi Dreadix, I have been thinking about you too. I do hope things are working. Slowly but surely?

I should come and read the forum more to reduce my anxiety and depression... I have to keep reminding myself how lucky I am. Sometimes when I am in pain, I forget about the big picture and sinks into depression.

Hugs to all...

It's 5:30 and I still haven't fallen asleep. Not sure what's going on.



NC! I'll be thinking about you on your lucky Friday the 13th! Do you have a bell at your treatment center that you ring when you finish your last one?



Hannariggs, I bet you'll be able to walk farther than you think. Every step you take is a victory after all you've been through!



Rambo, you sounded good in your last post. Hope things are continuing to improve. I'm glad you're able to keep working as much as you have. I have a picture in my mind of you leading your meetings in a chemo fog - you go, girl!



I'm reading a really good book - "How to Be a Friend to Friend Who Is Sick" by Letty Cottin Pogrebin. She has had bc and she has a lot of good advice for what to do and say when people have serious illnesses.



Hope my eyes close soon, otherwise I'll just have to get up and start a new day. Hugs to all my sisters in the fight!

Hi Ladies!

When you step away from the board, for even a bit, you miss alot!!!  I can't mention everyone by name at this point (quick post then out the door to meet with a fellow prof about a new course I'll be teaching next semester -- YES, next semester when I'm finally, hopefully, DONE with all this CRAP!!!).

Anyway, yesterday was my official 1/2 way point - Yahoo! My counts are in the pits - again - from my last AC treatment and I'm on another antibiotic.  Sad thing is that the hemerrhoids are actually back!!!  ARGH! Not so bad this time though, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that they go away as my WBCs revive

I'm SUPER scared about SEs from Taxol given all of your recent posts!!!  I had the horrible bone pain with my first treatment - from the Neulasta.  Can't imagine trying to work/live with THAT again!  Is it your MOs' opinion that it's the Taxol causing this???  And neuropathy - I'm like some of you with "predisposing conditions" that may make mine worse (praying NOT)...  Well, that's all I can do, right?

Looks like I'm going to get to have BOTH of my surgeries done in December - yay for keeping them in this insurance cycle ;-) (sad that's EVEN a concern).  I had hoped to have my other breast and ovaries removed at the same time but it looks like they'll be done a week apart - still enough time for most of my recovery over Christmas break.

Fun event coming for me this weekend: Atlanta Braves Breast Cancer Awareness Day!!!  Hubby and I are going to the game, me for FREE and him for $14 (lower level seats, t-shirt, pre-game gathering and honoring on the field, etc.) - SO looking forward to an actual outing! Think I'll wear my CRAP t-shirt ;-)

Hugs to all!

Lynn

Good morning all-

Hannarigs and Jerigrace, thanks for sharing your grateful hearts with us. I've been feeling stressed and frustrated and I needed the attitude adjustment. I know you're right. One of the biggest things I'm thankful for is the timing of all of this. I know that sounds weird, but a year and a half ago I had to take my daughter out of school for 3 months to deal with an eating disorder. She was in counseling 4 days a week with constant supervision at home, and I do mean constant. She slept in our bedroom, I was in the same room with her all day, stood outside the door when she went to the bathroom, monitored every meal, had to work with the school to get assignments, it consumed all of my time and energy. There is no way that I could have done this and dealt with the stress of all of it at the same time as going through my own treatment. Now, she's so much stronger physically and mentally. She's taking honors classes at school and playing Varsity field hockey. For a teenage girl who was so focused on herself for so long it's been amazing to see her become more sensitive and supportive. She's even started a little project of making hair bows, selling them to her friends and donating the money to Susan G Komen. I know that we will both be stronger and hopefully more sensitive to other people because of what we've been through.



Angela - glad your pain is manageable. I'm curious about how they cut your Neulasta in half. Before i even started AC i asked if they could just give me a smaller dose and monitor my wbc. I was told they can't give half a shot. My WBC was only 6.3 so I'm not sure if they would do that anyway, but I'd like to try if its high enough next time. I'm doing better, thanks for asking. Mostly tired, from low rbc and hemoglobin and not sleeping well.



Hannarigs - I'm glad you can finish everything this year! I hope everything stays on schedule and that radiation will be easy for you.



Marsha - my moving pain has stopped. Just some occasional achiness. I think it was just the taxol pain, but I'll talk to the doc about it next week. Good for you for telling work what your needs are instead of trying to do everything. I hope they will be cooperative.



Jerigrace - ugh, go take a nap! I've had so much trouble sleeping this time even after taking benedryl the past 2 nights. Hope you can get caught up.



Two hobbies - love your warrior image. Can I have long flowing brunette hair? I'm afraid it's going to come back grey and curly.



Sorry this is so long and that i didnt include everyone. I'm thinking of you all and hope you're feeling like the warriors that you are.

NC I. came home chemo #4 with many holes but I made it through. The last two they got chemo veins in the hand that wouldn't produce for labs so had to stick me elsewhere for labs. But it all worked out.



Lark I'm glad to hear your daughter is doing so well. It's also proof that dark days can turn around completely.